North Sea.
A steel warship, like an indestructible blade, cut a gap in the sea surface in front of the bow and moved forward through the sea.
On the deck, Doll, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and leather pants, walked up to Rosen with a stack of carefully sorted documents and placed them on the table in front of him.
"Vice Admiral Rosen.This is the detailed information about Donquixote Doflamingo."
"Every evil deed of his and the Donquixote Pirates in the North Sea is recorded."
Among the many documents, Doll first pulled out the file of Donquixote Doflamingo and handed it to Rosen.
"Thank you for your help, Doll."
Rosen took the file and opened it to read.
On his way from Naval Headquarters to the North Sea, he finally had a clear understanding of the Grand Line, no longer limited to his knowledge from the anime of his previous life.
As for the weather, it could only be described as unpredictable.
One moment there was a heavy snowstorm, the next, clear skies. One moment, a violent storm; the next, sunny weather.
The sea was the same—changing rapidly. Calm one second, whirlpools the next; calm one moment, then tsunamis and landslides.
Rosen had gained a deep understanding of the grandeur and unpredictable horror of the Grand Line. Along the way, he saw many ships destroyed by natural disasters and sea disasters—pirate ships, ordinary merchant ships, and passenger vessels sailing out from all over the world.
When faced with those shipwrecked, he generally adopted two measures.
For pirates, he simply watched them die at sea. If they were lucky enough to escape, Douglas Bullet would deliver the finishing blow.
For non-pirates, he offered help. If they lacked food, he left some behind. If they lacked a ship, he left a lifeboat.
For Rosen, food and lifeboats were inexhaustible on the Grand Line. Killing a single Sea King was enough to feed dozens, even hundreds, of stranded crews. Lifeboats were just as simple—when passing some islands, towering ancient trees provided more than enough wood. In the blink of an eye, a batch of lifeboats could be built.
To him, such things took little effort. But to ordinary people in distress, they were miracles, gifts from heaven.
Salvation itself.
He saw with his own eyes the reactions of those he saved: some filled with gratitude, some in tears, some kneeling in worship. All of it touched Rosen deeply.
For ordinary people on the Grand Line, surviving the sea was anything but easy.
It was also through sailing, eating, and living together during this time that Rosen grew closer to his right-hand men, Douglas Bullet and Doll.
At first, he addressed Doll formally as "Captain," but now he called him simply by her name. Their relationship had grown much closer. Just as a captain's most trusted ally is always the first mate, in the navy, the adjutant is the most trusted right hand.
That was Doll.
The same could be said of Douglas Bullet.
"Is it really that serious?
Donquixote Doflamingo is nothing more than a cat ruling the roost in a small pond like the North Sea.
Whether it's Ten Yasha or the other Shichibukai, these so-called pirates of the new era are nothing more than characters who could be blown away with a breath. Are they really worth your special investigation?"
At this time, Douglas Bullet, who had just finished his morning training and shower, walked over
Seeing Rosen actually looking through Doflamingo's file, he couldn't help but feel surprised—even a little amused.
"Don't underestimate the power of the new era," Rosen replied calmly. "I'm not just referring to Doflamingo, but the unique power of the Great Pirate Era opened by Gol D. Roger."
"Doll's intelligence makes it clear."
"Bullet, perhaps you're right that Doflamingo is just a small character. But before the Great Pirate Era, could the Four Seas have produced a pirate like him?"
Rosen flipped through the information.
The file contained everything the Naval Criminal Investigative Service had gathered about Donquixote Doflamingo: his String-String Fruit abilities, his mastery of Haki, his skills, his strength.
It also included records of his crimes—towns destroyed, streets reduced to rubble, people killed. Each incident recorded, photos attached as evidence.
"Before the Great Pirate Era began, a place like the Four Seas couldn't have produced someone like Doflamingo," Rosen continued. "Before setting foot on the Grand Line and enduring the brutal trials of Grand Line and the New World, few pirates from the Four Seas could reach his current level of strength, let alone manage a pirate crew this large."
"But under the tide of the Great Pirate Era, the Four Seas changed."
"Nourished by the energy of an entire new age, even a so-called pond like the North Sea can now produce a pirate like Doflamingo."
After finishing the file, Rosen set it down.
"This is the power of the Great Pirate Era."
He looked at Douglas Bullet, his voice serious, warning him not to underestimate this new age.
Shanks had already shown the lesson. Though he could kill a man worth three billion with one strike, before doing so he still gathered intelligence on Eustass Kid. Shanks might not have taken Kid himself seriously, but he respected the power of the era that had produced him.
Kid was one such product of this new age.
"Don't underestimate the power of the new era?" Bullet muttered.
Indeed, he could look down on every man on this sea—but not on the era itself. This was the age that began when Gol D. Roger staked his life, status, fame, and fortune to become Pirate King. An age unlike any other before it, one that must inevitably produce power unseen in the past.
The Shichibukai and other pirates born of this age each had their own strengths.
"We cannot underestimate the new era," Rosen said, "but we also don't need to fear it. Because I will cut it off. This Great Pirate Era—"
He turned his head southward, toward an island rising from the turbulent North Sea. His eyes glowed red.
"—will end with me. Starting with this Tenyasha."
He chuckled, his tone heavy with a domineering aura that could sweep the world.
"Interesting," Bullet sneered. "Tenyasha actually thinks an ant can shake a tree! Doesn't he realize he's about to face an enemy he could never defeat, even in a lifetime?"
Almost at the same time, Bullet's gaze also locked on the distant island. The same red light flared in his eyes, and a savage grin spread across his face. Something about Doflamingo's defiance amused him greatly.
"I didn't expect him to react like this," Rosen said with mild surprise.
"But it makes sense. A man who has only reigned over the North Sea has never seen the view from the peak of the Grand Line."
The glow in Doll's eyes dimmed as she too sensed the situation ahead.
"Since he's never seen it, it's understandable he chose to fight instead of run."
After her brief surprise, she calmed down and gave a reasonable answer.
"Report!"
"Vice Admiral Rosen! Captain Doll!"
A Marine rushed over, saluted sharply, and spoke quickly but clearly.
"We've arrived at Donquixote's base camp. Upon investigation, we discovered numerous pirate ships stationed around the stronghold, and a large force of pirates armed with live ammunition".
"We also spotted several of the Donquixote family's leaders at the dock. They're preparing for war.And judging from their readiness it seems that their target is you, Vice Admiral Rosen!"
The Marine recalled what he saw through the telescope. At the same time, pirates on the other side spotted the navy's warship.
Suddenly, the dock came alive. The pirate fleet shifted into position, like a pack of awakened beasts bearing bloody fangs toward the approaching warship.
Meanwhile, in Donquixote's stronghold, not a single pirate looked surprised or panicked. Instead, they tightened their grips on weapons, faces alight with excitement.
Their reaction was as if they had rehearsed this countless times before, preparing for this very moment.