章 69: Chapter 69: Marines' Shameless Behavior
"Hahahaha, Marine is getting more and more shameless!"
After leaving Alabasta, Luo Ning couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the newspaper in his hand.
The Marines continued with their usual tactics. After Cobra's evidence was released, the Marines received the news as well. In order to stabilize the World Government and save face, they took immediate action.
They kicked Crocodile out of the Shichibukai ranks and credited Zephyr – yes, Zephyr – with his capture.
Although Zephyr arrived in Alabasta a week after the incident, this didn't prevent the Marines from fabricating this story. After all, as long as they control the narrative, they can manipulate the timeline at will. No one is paying attention to the exact days Zephyr left Naval Headquarters and arrived in Alabasta.
"How could the Marines do this? Obviously, this incident has nothing to do with them! In fact, it was because of their connivance that Crocodile dared to act so outrageously!"
Newspapers were also available in Alabasta. Vivi, the princess, felt her lungs about to explode after reading the contents.
They had never seen such a shameless act. Everyone knew who had defeated Crocodile – it was Luo Ning. Although Luo Ning didn't deliberately publicize his involvement, his warship was parked on the coast.
Others saw Crocodile and his crew being escorted onto the ship, and after questioning those on board, they learned that Luo Ning was responsible.
"Calm down, Vivi. This is just the Marines' consistent way of operating. Mr. Luo Ning isn't affiliated with the Marines, so it's normal for such things to happen. The Marines need to maintain their positive image," King Cobra said, trying to pacify his daughter. After all, he knew the World Government's and the Marines' usual tactics.
"Damn it! Can we just sit here and watch them do this?" Vivi exclaimed in frustration.
Vivi was livid, but she realized she was powerless.
"We can only watch," Cobra sighed. "We don't have the strength to challenge the World Government. Even if we reveal the truth, they'll just suppress us. We're handcuffed."
***
Meanwhile, on Zephyr's warship, the admiral himself was fuming. He'd already punched a massive hole in the deck and angrily dialed Sengoku on his Den Den Mushi.
"You're a Marine too! You know getting mad at me won't change anything!" Sengoku shouted before Zephyr could even speak, further contorting the admiral's face. Zephyr knew this all too well from his time as an admiral.
This was standard Marine procedure. Though it rankled him, the situation hadn't initially involved him, so he hadn't objected.
But now, he never imagined he'd become the one stealing credit.
"Why me?!" Zephyr growled, forcing down his anger.
"You were the only suitable Marine in Alabasta!" Sengoku retorted helplessly. "It's Crocodile's territory, and there are barely any Marines there – just a bunch of greenhorns. To take down Crocodile, you obviously needed someone with some muscle."
Zephyr was the only one who fit the bill, so they'd had to push him forward.
"Bastards!"
Zephyr lashed out in another fit of rage, punching another hole in the deck. The poor Den Den Mushi met its unfortunate demise, its luck truly abysmal.
"Teacher, please calm down! If this keeps up, our ship won't hold together!"
It was rare for Ain and Binz to see Zephyr in such a rage. But now wasn't the time for temper tantrums – a few more blows and the ship would fall apart.
"Don't tell me the obvious," Zephyr grumbled, retreating to his cabin to sulk. The other recruits, under Ain and Binz's command, simply repaired the deck, ensuring the ship could at least limp to an island with repair facilities.
***
"Crocodile's captured, and he's after Pluton? The man's arrogance is astounding!" Doflamingo sneered as he read the newspaper. He had only one word for Crocodile's operation: fool.
The World Government had always been vigilant about things like Ancient Weapons. Crocodile's foolish attempt to get involved was a death wish.
Even if Crocodile found Pluton and managed to activate it, he wouldn't stand a chance against the World Government. They'd easily take him down, and everything he'd achieved would simply benefit others.
"Doflamingo, do you think the Marines will come after us?" Trebol asked nervously. This was the first time a Shichibukai had been apprehended since the system's establishment, and he worried the Marines might target them as well.
"Don't worry, they wouldn't dare," Doflamingo scoffed. "They know better than to mess with what I have." Unlike Crocodile, he wouldn't touch the World Government's bottom line. Besides, the leverage he held ensured they'd turn a blind eye to his actions.
In addition, Doflamingo has a complex web of relationships, including a connection to Kaido, and he controls a vast network of arms and weapons around the world. This intricate network is a trump card that keeps the Marines in check.
If not for Luffy and his crew in the original story, Fujitora would have killed Doflamingo. Despite his strong sense of justice, Fujitora recognized Doflamingo's deep ties and opted for a different approach to confront him, even flooding Dressrosa in the process.
"That makes sense!"
The other cadres breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Marines didn't dare make a move on them, they were content.
While their operations held significant power, they were still dwarfed by the Marines. A single Admiral could overpower them all.
***
Meanwhile, news of the incident reached all the other Shichibukai except Jinbe, who remained isolated on Fishman Island. This news wasn't easily disseminated there.
Regardless, most reacted with amusement at Crocodile's capture.
The Four Emperors, however, remained entirely unfazed by the news of a mere Shichibukai's capture. The Shichibukai system was established to counter the Four Emperors, but anyone with a keen eye understood the vast disparity between their powers. Only Mihawk and Bartholomew Kuma were likely to be considered a threat by the Four Emperors.
The others were insignificant in their eyes. Therefore, Crocodile's capture caused no ripples in the New World.
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