Still, it was hard to say for sure.
That thought flickered across Don's mind, but he quickly shook his head.
He knew full well the shape of this world: the Red Line and the Grand Line twisted together like a pair of belts, dividing the seas into four quadrants.
And truth be told, compared to the four Blues—East, West, North, and South—the Grand Line wasn't all that vast.
Of course, that was only in relative terms.
The Marines exercised limited control over the Blues, for their true focus was always on the Grand Line.
The Blues were simply too large. Scattered branches alone could never completely purge the seas of pirates. As the saying went—it was simply too big.
Take Luffy's adventure, for instance. The islands he passed through in East Blue were merely the tip of the iceberg.
Don reminded himself to step away from "the story."
This was no tale.
This was a real world.
A world where killing was as common as breathing.
"Milord!"
Just as Don was steadying his thoughts, the female captain appeared with her crew, dragging along the pirate who had regained consciousness.
"Bastards! You dare capture me? Admiral Krieg will never forgive this!"
The captured pirate roared. But when his eyes landed on Don, fear flickered deep within them.
That single blow earlier had told him everything—he was no match.
Now, he clung to Krieg's name, hoping it might cow his captors.
"Krieg?"
Don arched a brow, his expression faintly surprised as he studied the raving man.
"Afraid now, huh? If you're scared, then let me go while you still can! Once Admiral Krieg arrives, everyone here will die—including you!"
Emboldened by Don's silence, the pirate pressed his threat, voice rising.
But Don's mind had already drifted elsewhere. He recalled a certain image: a massive flagship cleaved in half by a single slash.
A pirate fleet five thousand strong, shattered on the very doorstep of the Grand Line—hunted down all the way back to East Blue by the bored "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk.
Yes, that had been one of the story's early highlights.
The first true display of a top-class swordsman.
Don remembered it vividly.
But now, it seemed Krieg had already made waves in East Blue?
Lost in thought, Don was interrupted as the bound pirate thrashed violently.
"Let me go! Aren't you afraid of Admiral Krieg?"
"Do you even know where Krieg is?"
Don's calm voice cut through the man's bluster like a blade.
"As a great pirate, of course Admiral Krieg is out on his dreadnought, conquering islands!"
The reply slipped out instinctively.
"So, you don't actually know his location."
Don nodded slowly, then waved a hand.
"Eh? Lord Don?"
The female captain looked puzzled by his gesture.
"Take him below and question him. If he doesn't have a bounty, deal with him yourselves."
"And if he does?" she asked, blinking.
"Then keep him alive. Once we reach port, we'll turn him in for the bounty."
Don's tone was matter-of-fact.
He had no intention of living off his strength for free. These pirates would be his personal money vaults.
"Understood!"
"Bastards! You'd dare sell me out"
The prisoner's furious curses ended in a howl of pain as the captain cracked him across the face with a single punch.
Don never saw him again.
Over the following days, they encountered another dozen pirate crews. From their captives, Don pieced together the picture.
Krieg was indeed on the move, gathering a vast number of pirates to his banner.
But the ones roaming here? They were the rejects.
The leftovers who weren't strong enough to make the cut.
As for Krieg's whereabouts, no one knew.
It fit with the story Don remembered—Krieg had remained in East Blue until the day Luffy set sail, before daring to challenge the Grand Line, only to be driven back in humiliation.
After carving their way through this "pirate gathering zone," Don even captured two wanted men.
Two months later.
Marine Base 16.
Don stepped off the merchant ship, blade in hand, gazing at the familiar harbor. It looked almost unchanged from over a year ago, with the tall silhouette of Base 16 standing proud in the distance.
"Our contract ends here," Don said plainly.
"Yes, Lord Don. Thank you for your protection these past weeks!"
The female captain bowed respectfully and offered a bulging purse. At her signal, two ragged pirates, bound in rope, were dragged down the gangplank.
Don spared them a glance, then seized the rope himself and strode toward the base.
Dockworkers and bystanders eyed him curiously but kept their distance.
Even the patrolling Marines didn't approach.
After all, Don was heading straight for Base 16.
Dragging the prisoners behind him, he crossed the town under the gaze of gawking townsfolk until he stood before the base's great gates.
"Halt! State your business!"
The gate guards immediately raised their weapons.
"Bounty hunter. Here to cash in," Don replied, tossing the prisoners forward with a single pull of the rope.
The guards flinched, nearly firing their muskets on reflex.
But they had heard him clearly.
Bounty hunter.
One soldier rushed inside to report, and soon Don was invited in.
Inside the base commander's office
Colonel Nezumi admired himself in a full-length mirror, fussing with his lapels and adjusting his whiskers.
Ever since the previous commander had been promoted to headquarters and he himself had been elevated in rank, Nezumi had been basking in the glory of his new post.
Promotion brought joy.
And perhaps… it had something to do with the intelligence he'd provided a year ago.
After all, he still remembered the day a Vice Admiral from Headquarters had personally contacted him.
That had been a taste of real power.
"Commander!"
A shout from outside startled him. He turned irritably toward the open door.
"What is it?"
Nezumi tried to project authority, though his twitching whiskers ruined the effect.
"Commander! A bounty hunter's here with two captured pirates!"
Bounty hunter?
Nezumi stiffened.
Though the Marines issued plenty of bounties, few in East Blue were ever collected.
This wasn't the Grand Line.
The last time had been over a year ago. A boy suspected of having Devil Fruit powers… what was his name again? Don, wasn't it?
Nezumi stroked his whiskers, recalling the details.
His promotion… perhaps it had been linked to that very case.
But surely, that boy would've been noticed by Headquarters by now.
Perhaps even promoted into their ranks.
By their next meeting, Don could very well be his superior.
For a moment, Nezumi felt a pang of envy.
Still, command of a base carried its own perks.
"Commander?"
The reporting soldier's nervous voice snapped him out of his daydream.
"Ahem!" Nezumi cleared his throat.
"If a bounty hunter has caught pirates, as base commander it is my duty to meet him—and offer encouragement."
His face was solemn, though his mind churned with schemes.
Yes, there would be bounty money to skim.
He didn't dare touch naval funds, but shaving rewards off bounty hunters? That he had the stomach for.
Moments later, Nezumi marched out with a detachment of Marines.
"Ahem. I am Colonel Nezumi, commander of this base. You're the one who captured these pirates?"
Then his eyes fell on the man seated calmly before him.
He froze.
That face…
It looked familiar.
"Long time no see, Major Nezumi," Don said with a faint smile. "One year gone, and you've already been promoted?"