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Boom !!!
Smoker forcefully pushed the office door open, a hint of concern on his face.
"Brother Atlas, just got a distress call from Gatmu Island during my patrol. They mentioned a girl missing in their village... Huh..."
Smoker took a deep breath, swallowing to soothe his dry throat.
"Vice Admiral Maynard specifically instructed me to keep an eye on this situation before he set out on patrol. The moment I got the message, I cut short my patrol and hurried back to make the report."
Smoker is leading the patrol mission.
"...So, she is hiding on Gatmu Island now?"
Atlas thought for a moment, tapping his fingertips on the desk, creating a rhythmic "dong dong dong" sound.
"I'll personally lead the team, and you'll take charge of the base for now, Maynard."
Although the opponent is officially listed as one of the Marine Vice Admirals, the gap between Vice Admirals can be substantial.
Maynard's strength... it's difficult to describe.
Dealing with someone like Catarina Devon is still a considerable challenge.
In the New World, where formidable foes abound, Maynard's role at the G-5 base is, at best, that of a logistics manager.
"No problem, leave the base to me!"
Maynard stood tall and offered Atlas a solemn Marine salute.
He is well aware of his role in the base. He's not as skilled as the superiors but surpasses the subordinates. Naturally, he has no objections to Atlas's arrangements.
"Very good, now prepare the ship and head to Gatmu Island!!"
Atlas rose from his seat, issuing the order with determination.
Within the base grounds,
Marine soldiers, upon receiving the order, formed neat lines, and the logistics department began preparing a substantial amount of supplies with great urgency.
Setting sail isn't a task completed in a day or two, and the sea is known for its unpredictability. Accidents can happen anytime, making robust logistical support especially crucial.
"Brother Atlas, should we activate the Ryu-Sen?"
Smoker stood beside Atlas, slowly surveying the solemn military display below. He nodded in satisfaction, then tilted his head and inquired.
"For now, just deploy the Ryu-Sen. Maintaining other warships is quite costly. Besides, the Ryu-Sen is sturdy and thick-skinned, so it can handle whatever comes its way."
Atlas' eyes suddenly sharpened; he shed his lazy demeanor, and his knife-like gaze swept across the soldiers on the school grounds, sending a chill through everyone.
"Everyone is here!! Let's go now, target: Gatmu Island!!"
"Yes!! Admiral Hakuryu!!"
The response was uniform and resonated through the air, making it feel like the entire base was quivering.
.....
Gatmu Island.
Bodies scattered everywhere.
The only distinguishing features were the varied clothing and intersecting scars on their exposed skin, revealing that they formed a band of pirates.
Strangely, there were no apparent fatal injuries; instead, they all appeared intoxicated and content.
Catarina Devon lightly traced her cheek with her fingertips, eventually halting at her chin, displaying a sardonic smile.
"Traitors never meet a good end."
These individuals... are actually attempting to betray her!
She had gained notoriety in the seas even before Roger's demise. Naturally, her ways were far from simple.
Being cautious in all matters had always been her guiding principle.
Goodness, they truly hooked a significant enemy for her.
"But..."
Catarina Devon frowned, spreading the back of her hands and scrutinizing the bright red nail polish with a somber expression.
"Those wretched villagers have tipped off the Marines."
Considering the timing, the Marines should be approaching Gatmu Island shortly.
Even if she departed by boat immediately, in the open sea with no obstruction to visibility, she'd likely be caught up by a warship soon.
And she had no clue where the Marines would make landfall; a direct confrontation was a real possibility.
At that point, there would be nowhere to escape, and no place to hide.
"These scoundrels..."
It's unclear whether she was reprimanding the pirates or the villagers on Gatmu Island who leaked information to the Marines.
Abruptly.
She gazed at the "specimens" carefully arranged behind her, the intensity in her eyes growing.
Perhaps...
.....
New World, waters near Gatmu Island.
Ryu-Sen.
Smoker, emerging from the communication room, wore a perplexed expression.
"Brother Atlas..."
"Huh? What's wrong? What happened?"
Atlas removed the justice cloak from his form, and, under Enel's arrogant gaze, handed it to Kyros, who stood nearby. He then instructed the on-duty soldiers to arrange the wicker chairs beneath him.
"They contacted us again from Gatmu Island, saying they no longer require our Marine support..."
Smoker had a peculiar expression. Had they journeyed there for nothing?
"Why? What happened?"
Kyros was equally puzzled. They were almost there, and now they were told their assistance was no longer necessary?
Enel, wearing an expression of disdain, quietly perked up his ears and stealthily approached.
"I overheard that they mentioned the girl was merely lost in the forest and has returned on her own."
"—Pfft!"
Someone couldn't help but burst into laughter. Kyros shot a narrowed look at Smoker.
"Do you believe that?"
Having had previous issues with Catarina Devon, Kyros had already formed a preconceived notion that this girl might not be as innocent as she seemed.
Being adept at disguise was indeed one of the traits of the "Crescent Moon Hunter."
"Alright, regardless of the situation, we're already here. Let's go and check it out."
"After all, those who escape from Impel Down Level 6 are quite dangerous. If we capture them, we can sort out the details later."
Atlas didn't bother to sift through fact from fiction, even though it was likely the woman didn't know they had roughly identified her through information from Akainu.
This was a decision-making error stemming from incomplete information.
Otherwise, it's likely that even if Catarina Devon wanted to take to the sea for a chance at survival, she wouldn't choose to passively await death on Gatmu Island.
Soon, following Atlas's command, Ryu-Sen continued its meticulous approach to the target island. The outline of Gatmu Island gradually came into view for all the Marines.
The coastline was relatively gentle, offering nearly unobstructed views from the warship.
The island could only be deemed a small one; otherwise, it wouldn't merely serve as a collection of villages, with no larger towns having developed.
However, it's often these villages that easily slip through the Marine's attention.
This is precisely why Catarina Devon chose to carry out her activities in such locations.
However, she evidently underestimated the G-5 base's surveillance over the nearby waters.
In the initial days of Atlas assuming office, he laid out a directive.
Not to overlook any inhabited island within their jurisdiction, and even to place phone bugs in some relatively secluded villages capable of calling the Marines for assistance.
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