The G-1 Marine branch was strategically positioned on the side of the Red Line closest to the New World. It worked in coordination with Marine Headquarters at Marineford on the Paradise side, and together they served as guardians of the holy land of Mariejois perched high above on the Red Line.
Although technically classified as a branch, the importance of G-1 was undeniable due to its crucial geographical location.
However, judging from the current military deployment at G-1, the base's forces far exceeded what it should normally maintain.
"Report to Fleet Admiral Aokiji—everything is ready for the operation," a Marine officer announced crisply.
"Understood. Dismissed," Aokiji replied, waving away the reporting Marine. He stood up slowly, walked to the window, and gazed out at the numerous checkpoints and defensive obstacles that had been hastily arranged. His eyes flickered with unreadable thoughts as he contemplated the coming confrontation.
Fishman Island
The Black Nova was docked peacefully at the port, drawing considerable attention from the local population.
"Welcome back!" Jinbe called out enthusiastically, accompanied by several mermaid princes who waved cheerfully to everyone on shore.
In the distance, soldiers had cordoned off the streets near the port and established temporary security barriers.
This military presence naturally drew complaints and curses from many pirates and other visitors in the area, but when they learned that the arriving crew was the recently notorious Black Star Pirates, they immediately fell silent. Many simply slipped away entirely.
The Black Star Pirates were no longer the relatively unknown crew they had once been. Except for some individuals seeking fame through reckless confrontation, most people no longer dared to provoke them carelessly.
Seeing their old acquaintance, Jerry and his friends responded warmly before following Jinbe's lead as they walked confidently through the streets toward the direction of Ryugu Palace.
After being treated to a lavish banquet, everyone politely declined the royal family's invitation to stay directly in the palace, choosing instead to find alternative accommodations elsewhere on the island.
"Jerry, what's our actual plan here?" Deuce asked once they had settled into the private villa they'd rented.
"That's simple enough," Jerry replied with his characteristic calm expression. "You guys just relax here for a couple of days and get some proper rest. In two days, the real action begins."
Deuce nodded and turned his attention to Ace. "What about the Whitebeard Pirates?"
"I mentioned the situation to Pops, and he said it wouldn't be a problem," Ace sighed with obvious concern. "But I think they'll probably show up anyway, regardless of what I told them..."
In truth, Ace didn't want to involve the Whitebeard Pirates in this particular conflict. After all, this situation was fundamentally different from their usual encounters.
Pirates typically fought against Marines and rarely confronted the World Government directly—much less engaged in open conflict with the Celestial Dragons themselves.
This rescue attempt would be equivalent to directly provoking all official armed forces, which most of the world would view as suicidal overconfidence.
Even the Revolutionary Army, despite their passionate rhetoric, had operated in shadows for decades without ever declaring open war. This demonstrated that the World Government's power shouldn't be underestimated—otherwise they couldn't have maintained eight hundred years of stable rule.
"Try to relax," Deuce offered supportively, patting Ace's shoulder since he couldn't think of anything more helpful to say.
He exchanged meaningful glances with the others before turning to observe Jerry, only to discover that their captain appeared to have frozen in time—sitting motionless in his chair with vacant, unseeing eyes.
Perhaps noticing Deuce's concerned gaze, Jerry's lifeless expression suddenly regained its usual alertness.
He glanced at Deuce and the others, then stood up decisively. "I'm going to take action now. You guys continue your strategizing."
With that declaration, Jerry turned and strode purposefully toward his room.
Near Mariejois, Pangaea Castle—Late Night
Under a moonlit sky with few visible stars, a vague light and shadow moved slowly through the air not far from the holy land.
"Little fishies, as long as I want to fish, there's no body of water I can't find—as long as I have coordinates!" Jerry thought proudly while scanning his surroundings.
A water-based shield surrounded Jerry's entire form. Unlike his previous techniques, this barrier seemed capable of transmitting visual information from all directions. From a distance, it was nearly impossible to determine whether the shield existed at all, as if he were wearing a sophisticated invisibility cloak.
Additionally, Jerry employed Observation Killer techniques to slightly suppress his own Haki signature while masking his presence, eliminating the risk of detection by others using advanced Observation Haki.
This combination of stealth abilities had passed rigorous testing against everyone aboard his ship, including Ace and Cavendish.
The results were conclusive—without exception, none of them could sense Jerry's presence. Even Cavendish, whose Rumble-Rumble Fruit had enhanced his Observation Haki to levels comparable to Enel's Mantra abilities, proved completely helpless against this technique.
The only limitation was that the camouflage couldn't withstand close visual inspection. Unless someone was completely blind, they could still detect slight delays and visual distortions in the scenery behind the water flow.
However, Jerry remained confident that in this situation, no one would approach him undetected. After all, his enhanced Observation Haki wasn't decorative. Therefore, while this skill set might only work during specific combat moments, it proved extremely useful for infiltration operations.
"Pangaea Castle, here I come!" Jerry declared softly while studying the imposing walls ahead.
Rather than attempting aerial approach, Jerry swung his fishing hook and crossed the barrier in mere seconds with practiced efficiency.
After considerable searching, Jerry found a secluded spot along a river within the city, sat down comfortably, and began efficiently assembling his equipment.
"Let's get this started," he murmured, casting his line into the dark water and securing his fishing rod before settling in for some nighttime angling in the heart of the World Government.
"This should be the final small quest within the larger mission, right?" Jerry mused while adjusting his position and lying back on the riverbank.
Time passed quietly, and before he realized it, the moon had traveled across much of the sky.
Jerry rested with his hands behind his head, eyes slightly closed and legs crossed, occasionally shifting position as if contemplating something particularly amusing.
"Huh? Why is there a fishing rod here!?"
Suddenly, a confused voice shattered the peaceful midnight atmosphere along the riverside.
Jerry tensed immediately, opened his eyes, and turned his head to investigate.
He spotted a guard who appeared to be on patrol—fully armed and looking around suspiciously, obviously trying to locate the fishing rod's owner or discover other clues.
Perhaps fearing the Celestial Dragons' unpredictable temperaments and worried that making a mistake could result in punishment or even death, the guard didn't approach immediately when he discovered the anomaly. Instead, he surveyed the area cautiously first.
For several long minutes, until he detected no signs of World Nobles playing pranks or conducting unusual activities, the guard began advancing carefully.
"What in the world is this?" As he drew closer, the guard's eyes widened as he stared at the slightly distorted air, unable to suppress his surprised question.
A soft thud echoed through the night air as Jerry slowly withdrew his hand from the guard's neck.
"Mariejois really is a place with hidden talent," Jerry observed quietly while dragging the unconscious guard toward a dark corner. "It's genuinely impressive when an ordinary soldier can slip past my Observation Haki like that."
Of course, Jerry would never admit that his daydreaming and mental absence had caused him to fail to notice someone approaching in advance.
"Whatever—let's continue," he muttered, returning to his position beside the fishing rod. He glanced at the calm, clear river with growing confusion. "What kind of sleep schedule do fish in Mariejois follow anyway? Do they all go to bed early and wake up early? Why won't you bite!"
Jerry stared at the motionless water with increasing frustration. "Or maybe when water is too clear, there really are no fish? Maybe this river is completely empty?"
He sighed with resignation. "Oh well, let's wait and see what happens."
Although he could use his Observation Haki to get immediate answers, Jerry would never resort to external assistance to ruin the natural enjoyment of fishing unless circumstances were truly desperate.
As his voice faded away, the surroundings returned to peaceful silence, accompanied only by occasional cricket chirps from the nearby grass.
However, it wasn't long before the quiet atmosphere was disrupted once again.
A clear splash of someone entering the water echoed through the silent night, immediately capturing Jerry's attention.
"Quick! Grab her!" urgent voices called from the distance, gradually becoming clearer as they carried through the air.
Initially, the sounds seemed to originate from far away, but within moments they were approaching rapidly, suggesting whatever chase was occurring was heading directly toward Jerry's fishing spot.
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