"Buster Call?"
Hearing the voice from the Den Den Mushi, Jaguar D. Saul couldn't help but whisper in shock. Since the day he had joined the Marines, he had never once personally witnessed a Buster Call carried out.
Even so, after spending so long within the Marine system, he knew well the terror it represented.
The Buster Call, led by at least five Vice Admirals with over ten warships, was a weapon of absolute destruction, unleashed upon its target whether person or island. It was the greatest military power the Marines could wield without the presence of an Admiral.
What stunned Saul most was the designated target: Ohara of the West Blue, famed as the holy land of archaeology. It was home to the world's greatest library, the Tree of Knowledge, where millions of books were preserved.
Why would such a symbol of civilization warrant annihilation? What "demon" existed there that only a Buster Call could eradicate?
"Fleet Admiral, why target Ohara? I already captured Nico Olvia. The island should no longer harbor criminals," Saul asked firmly, holding the receiver between two thick fingers.
But the answer from Kong was resolute: "Saul, as a Marine, your duty is to follow orders. Do not ask why."
The line went dead.
Inside Marine Headquarters, Kong sat staring at the Den Den Mushi for a long while before sighing.
"So, Nico Olvia has already been caught. If it's Saul, he'll pursue the truth on his own. And when a man uncovers the truth himself, it leaves a deeper mark."
He hadn't told Saul the real reason. It was for his sake. As Fleet Admiral, Kong understood his Vice Admirals well. Saul was just another pawn in the greater game of power.
The command for the Buster Call hadn't come from him. The scholars of Ohara, probing into the Void Century, posed no direct threat to the Marines. The ones desperate to silence them were the Gorosei, the World Government, the Celestial Dragons.
Kong was merely the executor. His strength was not yet ready to challenge them head-on, so he complied for now. But the government intended to make the Marines bear the blame, and Kong had no intention of letting them have their way so easily.
By sending Saul, a man of integrity, perhaps something unexpected would occur.
"This operation… I must carve out influence for myself," Kong murmured. "I'm no dog chained to the Fleet Admiral's chair."
He chuckled softly, then grabbed the Den Den Mushi again.
"Kuzan, you're in the West Blue, aren't you? Lead your fleet to Ohara. Join the other Vice Admirals. Execute the Buster Call."
Without waiting for a reply, he hung up and stroked his chin.
"Saul lacks the power to stir waves. But Kuzan… as his closest friend, he just might. And if this pulls that boy in Dressrosa into the storm, all the better."
Still, he frowned. The Gorosei weren't fools. If they noticed his selection of officers, they'd suspect his true intentions.
"I can't afford their doubt… not yet."
And so Kong added three more Vice Admirals to the mission: Sakazuki, Burning Mountain, and Strawberry. All were hawks, men of rigid justice who would obey any order without hesitation.
With five Vice Admirals, what would happen to Ohara? Even Kong himself couldn't predict.
The Marines had always treated Ohara ambiguously. Years later, they would post a bounty on Nico Robin, the sole survivor, yet never pursue her too zealously. Even Kuzan, who had countless chances to capture her, never did. When they crossed paths, he chased. When they didn't, he let it be.
The World Government, however, never relented. They used CP9 to seize Robin at Enies Lobby, and if not for Straw Hat Luffy, she would have perished there.
When she boarded Luffy's ship, the Marines did not launch grand pursuits. Only when Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon at Sabaody did the Straw Hats face their greatest crisis.
And later, even after the crew vanished for two years, the government sought Robin again, sending CP0 to Wano during Luffy's fight with Kaido.
It was only after Luffy defeated Kaido, became the Fifth Emperor, and encountered Vegapunk that the Marines staged another act, sending Borsalino with Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
Whether for Sentomaru, for Robin, for Vegapunk, or for Luffy himself… only Kizaru knew.
West Blue.
January seas were bitter cold. On the deck of his warship, Kuzan tucked away the Den Den Mushi and gazed up at the night sky.
"A Buster Call, huh… My first major mission as a Vice Admiral is a Buster Call."
Since leaving the New World, he had served in the West Blue, rising swiftly through the ranks from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral. If not for Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Kuzan's rise was the fastest in Marine history.
Footsteps sounded behind him. Kuzan turned and saw Issho emerge from the cabin, tapping his cane lightly against the deck as he approached. A smile spread across Kuzan's face.
"Brigadier General Issho, still awake at this hour?"
Since leaving the Dawn Blade Branch, Issho's promotion had been meteoric. With his terrifying strength and sterling record, Sengoku and Kong had already begun grooming him as a future Admiral.
Issho chuckled. "You're awake too, Vice Admiral Kuzan. I don't know why, but I feel restless, as if trouble is near."
Kuzan raised a brow. "Trouble? Pirates, maybe? There's no one in the West Blue who could trouble you." He paused, then added, "Speaking of which, I just received orders. We're to turn the fleet toward Ohara. A Buster Call."
Issho tilted his head. "Ohara? A Buster Call on Ohara?"
Even he had heard of the island's reputation for wisdom and knowledge. He never expected such a place to face annihilation.
Kuzan nodded. "I don't know the details yet. We'll see when we arrive."
He left the deck for the navigation room to change course.
That same night, as Saul's fleet sailed toward Ohara, a violent storm struck. Amid the chaos, Saul managed only to release Nico Olvia from her cell before the warship capsized.
"Ship's going under!" sailors cried as water rushed the decks. Saul shielded Olvia with his massive body, smashing through walls with his fists to create an escape route.
The storm battered them mercilessly. Marines trained for hardship were helpless against the sea's fury. Still, Saul clung to a broken plank, holding Olvia above the waves until exhaustion stole his senses.
Noon sunlight warmed him awake on a beach.
"You're awake?"
He opened his eyes to see a girl of seven or eight standing before him, smiling brightly in a black dress. Long black hair framed her innocent face.
"This is…" Saul sat up slowly, bewildered.
"You're in Ohara," the girl replied calmly. "You shipwrecked. How are you feeling?"
Unfazed by his giant's frame, she spoke with quiet concern.
Saul's eyes widened. "Ohara…" His muscles tensed instinctively.
Just then, townsfolk approached, led by a thin, elderly man with an odd three-leaf clover-like hairstyle and beard.
"You're awake at last," the old man said warmly. "Thank you for bringing Olvia back to us."
The girl ran to him, tugging affectionately at his arm. "Professor Clover, has my mother woken up yet?"
"Not yet, Robin," Clover said gently, patting her head. "But don't worry. The doctor said she'll recover soon."
Hearing the exchange, seeing the gratitude on the villagers' faces, Saul pressed a hand to his temple. He had washed ashore in Ohara… and been saved by its people.
They carried no killing intent, no bloodlust. Only the scent of ink and books lingered on Professor Clover.
Was this what Ohara was? Then why… why did the Marines intend to annihilate it?
At Clover's invitation, Saul remained. He shed his uniform for rough-spun gray cloth and lived among them.
In those days, he grew fond of little Robin, not in any strange way, but simply because of her gentle, thoughtful nature, guiding him around the island with innocent joy.
He studied the villagers and found no "demons" here. Only scholars and civilians.
Three days later, Olvia awoke. From her, Clover learned of the coming Buster Call.
The professor remained calm. He had already begun preparing: building evacuation ships, moving books. The scholars were resolved. They would stay. The civilians and Robin, however, must be saved.
Saul's justice aligned with theirs. "I will never allow this to happen before my eyes," he swore. "This is not the justice I believe in!"
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