Dampier left the Calm Belt aboard a steamship, then continued on alone. Confident in his abilities, he believed he could safely reach the Holy Land of Mary Geoise without drawing unwanted attention. Bringing too many people or even using the steamship would only make him a more conspicuous target and potentially create complications.
William respected Dampier's decision but subsequently sent Aramis back to the East Blue.
On one hand, this was to stabilize the growing unrest among the people in the East Blue. On the other hand, with Marine Headquarters undoubtedly keeping a close eye on the region, sending someone back could divert their attention and provide some cover for Dampier. Moreover, unless the Marines learned the exact location of William—or more specifically, the captured Garp and the other Marines—they were unlikely to act rashly. Aramis's return to the East Blue wasn't as dangerous as it might seem, certainly not as perilous as Dampier's "self-surrender."
After the ship carrying Aramis disappeared from view, Edmond approached William on the deck and asked, "So, what's next? Are we just going to stay here guarding Garp and wait for news from both of them?"
William glanced around. Noticing that aside from Sherlock and Harden, no one else was present, he replied, "No, I'm going to the Grand Line myself."
Edmond was taken aback. "By yourself?"
"I'll also be bringing Gin and Selkirk," William answered.
"Why?" Edmond frowned. "Didn't you say it's not convenient for you to show yourself right now? If you must go to the Grand Line, shouldn't you bring more people? What if we run into the Marines?"
"I'm going to secure a fallback plan for everyone. That way, even if the World Government rejects us, it won't be the end of the world for us," William said with a smile. "And this is something I must handle personally."
Sherlock, who had been staring out at the sea, turned his head upon hearing this. He furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
Convincing the World Government to pardon William and make him one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was something William and his inner circle had some confidence in. However, no one could guarantee 100% success. Knowing William's character, when it came to matters involving his and his thousands of subordinates' lives and futures, he would undoubtedly have a Plan B. It might not be the best option, but it would certainly serve as a viable fallback in the worst-case scenario.
Dampier understood William well, but he hadn't asked about Plan B before leaving, nor had William mentioned it. Both knew that if William needed to execute Plan B, it would likely mean Dampier's mission had failed and he had been captured by the World Government. Knowing the details of the plan in advance would only hinder William's subsequent actions.
William patted Edmond on the shoulder. "As for why I'm only bringing Gin and Selkirk, it's the same reason Dampier went alone. Bringing too many people would make us a bigger target. With Dampier and Aramis drawing the Marines' attention one after another, I just need to disguise myself and keep a low profile. The Marines won't notice me so easily."
Edmond opened his mouth to speak, but William interrupted him, already guessing what he was about to say. "Gin and Selkirk both have extensive experience living in the Grand Line. You and the others will stay here."
Frustrated, Edmond stomped off toward the cabin, muttering as he went, "Couldn't you at least take one more person with you?"
"Even three people feel like too many," William shook his head. "Keep an eye on those Marines for me."
William turned to Harden. "If I ordered you to kill Garp and the other three Vice Admirals, would you do it?"
Harden raised an eyebrow, his expression saying, "Do you even need to ask?" He showed neither shock nor fear.
William shook his head, as if realizing he'd misspoken. Following Edmond toward the cabin, he added, "If something happens to Dampier, and I lose contact on my end as well, kill those Marines if no news comes by the designated time. But don't make a big spectacle of it. Stop thinking about executing Garp in Loguetown, at the site of the Pirate King's execution. Keep it low-key. Then head to Mock Town and take our airship to Skypiea. That should be safe enough; I've never heard of the Marines reaching there."
Harden, who hadn't seemed particularly tense when William suggested killing Garp earlier, now looked visibly uneasy. "Is this trip of yours going to be that dangerous?"
"About as risky as Dampier's," William replied nonchalantly.
"Miss, it seems someone is calling for help over there."
Portia took the spyglass handed to her by her guard and looked toward the side of the merchant ship. There, a small, shabby boat bobbed up and down on the waves. Three men dressed as sailors or fishermen had spotted the merchant ship and were waving frantically. One of them was even waving a slightly yellowed white handkerchief, which made Portia chuckle.
"Are they surrendering, or asking for help?" Portia smiled, handing the spyglass back to her guard. "Let's get closer and take a look."
A tall, lanky middle-aged man with a bushy afro interrupted her conversation with the steward. He stepped forward and warned, "Miss Portia, this is the Grand Line. That could very well be a trap."
The Grand Line was indeed full of hidden dangers. It was home to powerful figures and masters from all over the world, but it was also teeming with countless desperate outcasts. These lesser pirates, trying to survive in the shadows of the strong, were cunning and despicable. Many of the slave traders on the Sabaody Archipelago were, in fact, these small-time pirates moonlighting as traffickers.
Their strength wasn't impressive, but their methods were often underhanded. To capture more slaves alive, they frequently resorted to various schemes. Joey Fello, the captain of the merchant ship, was an experienced sailor who understood that while infamous pirates were terrifying, the sheer number of these small-time pirates—tenfold or even a hundredfold in comparison—posed an equally significant threat to ordinary people.
"With Clark and Karslana here, and most importantly, with you, Captain," Portia said, her gaze deliberately lingering on the two pistols at Joey's waist before continuing, "we're not defenseless. What's there to fear?"
"That doesn't mean we should take unnecessary risks," Captain Joey replied, frowning impatiently.
Portia furrowed her brows but quickly regained her composure, smiling faintly. "Captain, that little boat clearly can't hold more people. There are only three of them. Even if they have ill intentions, we can easily subdue them if we're prepared. But if they're genuinely in trouble, as you said, they might have encountered pirates or some other misfortune. Rescuing them could help us understand why they ended up like this. Perhaps we can avoid running into those fearsome sea bandits—or at least prepare for potential trouble in advance."
Portia's reasoning was sound. Joey Fello thought for a moment, then shrugged and said, "Fine, it's your ship. If you insist, I'll follow your lead."
Portia replied softly, "You're an experienced captain. I don't know much about the sea, so I'll defer to your judgment. I'm just offering a suggestion for your consideration."
Flattered, Joey's expression softened considerably. He nodded smugly before turning to command the crew to steer the merchant ship closer to the distressed vessel.
Meanwhile, on the small boat, William waved the white handkerchief with exaggerated enthusiasm, muttering to his companions, "What's taking them so long? Why aren't they coming over yet? There are only three of us—do they think we're going to eat them or something?"
Having previous experience adventuring in the Grand Line, Selkirk explained, "They're probably wary of a trap. Some pirates in the Grand Line pose as castaways to infiltrate their targets."
William replied casually, "That has nothing to do with us. We're the good guys."
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