"Hoo~"
At the naval base behind Grak Rask town.
The base commander, Vice Admiral Drew Kordros, put down the receiver and exhaled lightly.
"Finally gone."
His stern face relaxed.
He took a cigar with its tip cut off from the humidor on his desk, then held it to a lighter, slowly toasting it.
Staring at the flickering flame, he seemed lost in thought.
A month ago, Navy Headquarters had issued an order: no matter who it was, no one was to confront the Silver-Haired Pirates.
He didn't know why Navy Headquarters had issued such an order, but it was clear it had to be related to the incident on Sabaody Archipelago a month prior.
Although he was in the New World and rarely returned to Headquarters, he knew that the Silver-Haired Pirates, who had fought to a draw with Hero Garp, and who had a member, the blue-haired Guina, capable of fighting Admiral Kizaru for a day and a night, were now the veritable Fifth Emperor of the Pirates.
In the past, such titles were merely exaggerated descriptions by the World Economic News to attract attention.
But now, no one doubted it, especially the Navy.
With two Admiral-level figures on their crew, no pirate group, not even the current Four Emperors, could achieve this.
Even the Red-Haired Pirates, with the smallest crew and the highest bounties, he didn't believe they could gain any advantage under the combined might of Garp and an Admiral.
Therefore, even though the Silver-Haired Pirates had no influence in the New World and were newcomers to the sea, no one dared to block their path.
Moreover, he had received orders from Headquarters.
Picking up the cigar, Drew Kordros brought it to his lips and took a deep puff.
After that, he paid no more mind to the Silver-Haired Pirates.
Although the Silver-Haired Pirates were powerful, it was not his concern; it was the Admirals' business. If they were to be hunted, he would merely be a bystander.
His mission was simply to protect the island and the surrounding waters, to prevent this place from becoming a pirate haven, and to allow the Navy to establish a foothold in the New World.
...
Navy G5 Base.
*Knock knock knock!!*
In the empty corridor, a Marine who looked more like a pirate than a Marine stood outside the base commander's office and gently knocked on the door.
"Come in!"
A kind voice echoed out.
The Marine immediately pushed the door open and entered.
What greeted him was a simple office. Inside, besides a desk and the chair behind it, there was only a coat rack on the right.
At this moment, a tall, sturdy man with short black hair, wearing a white checkered overcoat and sunglasses, sat behind the desk.
The man had lightning-shaped sideburns on both sides of his face.
Seeing the Marine enter, the man put down the coffee he was stirring and casually placed the spoon on his left cheek.
Magically, the spoon stuck there as if his face had magnetic properties.
He picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, and then asked, "Acting Vice Admiral, what's the hurry?"
Acting Vice Admiral, who was the Marine who had entered, looking more like a pirate than a Marine, instinctively bowed his head and said respectfully, "Mr. Vergo, recently there have been many child disappearances near Punk Hazard. Their parents have come to us."
He paused slightly, then looked up at Vergo and said obsequiously, "Look, how should I answer them?"
"Answer."
Vergo rested his chin on the back of his hand, his hands propped on the desk, looking at Acting Vice Admiral who was waiting for his instructions, a strange glint in his eyes.
Regarding the disappearances of children, no one knew the reasons better than he did.
After a moment's thought, he said in a low voice, "Just give the parents of the children any excuse to dismiss them. The sea is vast; who knows who abducted the children!"
"As for reporting it..."
"Hmm..."
Vergo pondered for a moment, then continued, "Report it as a shipwreck!"
"Understood, Mr. Vergo."
Vergo's words made Acting Vice Admiral chuckle.
It was a joke; he, a mere G5 Base Vice Admiral, would actually help commoners find their children!
He wasn't a nanny.
Thinking of the parents outside, a sly glint flickered in his eyes. With the base commander covering for him, any excuse would do to brush them off.
"Then, if there's nothing else, I'll go and deal with those parents outside."
Acting Vice Admiral looked up at Vergo.
"Mm!"
Vergo nodded in agreement. "Go ahead! Be as gentle as possible, but don't worry, I'll be here if anything happens."
"Mm! Thank you, Mr. Vergo."
Acting Vice Admiral gave Vergo a less-than-standard salute, turned, and walked out of the base commander's office with light steps, gently closing the door behind him.
After Acting Vice Admiral left, the office fell silent.
After a moment, Vergo took out a specially made Den Den Mushi from under the desk and dialed.
The moment the call was connected, his expression changed dramatically, as if he had become a different person. His kindness and humility vanished, replaced by resilience, cruelty, and a hint of savagery.
This was his true face, wasn't it?
"Moshi moshi! Is this Lord Vergo?"
A woman's voice came from the receiver as it connected.
Upon hearing the woman's voice, Vergo's demeanor softened once more. He said, "Yes! I am Vergo."
"Is there something you need, Lord Vergo?"
"Nothing much, I just wanted to ask if Caesar's experiment has begun, and if you are currently at Punk Hazard?"
"Yes! I am at Punk Hazard right now."
Punk Hazard.
In a port on the seaside.
On a massive ship without any markings, a beauty with wavy grass-green hair, golden-yellow eyes, her left eye often obscured by her bangs, and a tall figure, held a Den Den Mushi microphone and spoke to the Den Den Mushi while watching her subordinates carry things down.
"Lord Vergo, I am currently on a ship transporting machines that Caesar requested to Punk Hazard. What's wrong?"
"Did something happen?"
Vergo tapped his fingers lightly on the table, seemingly deep in thought.
He then looked up and said into the microphone, "I'll be over shortly to take a look myself. Caesar has been abducting quite a few children lately, and their parents have found their way to me. I need to remind him that his primary research direction is the artificial Devil Fruits for the young master, and as for Big Mom..."
He paused slightly, his eyes filled with apprehension. Then, remembering who the artificial Devil Fruits were mainly for, the apprehension in his eyes disappeared.
He continued, "You can research them, but it's best not to abduct children on such a large scale. If the Navy finds out, everything will be ruined."
"Alright, you continue with your work. I'll find an excuse to come over later."
Vergo finished speaking, hung up the phone, and put the Den Den Mushi back in its place. He then took out another Den Den Mushi, and to whom he was calling was unknown, but his face was full of warmth and even a hint of a fake smile.
After hanging up the phone, his expression instantly returned to one of cold indifference.
After a moment of contemplation, he stood up, put on the leather coat draped over the back of his chair, walked to the weapon rack, picked up a bamboo-like weapon, and walked out of the room.