One Piece: General Blue

"Honestly, Admiral Sengoku is way too stingy. He only gave us a budget of five million Berries for this trip."

On the vast, calm sea, a small Marine ship, about 20 meters long, sailed forward with its sails billowing in the wind.

Rocha gazed at the pile of large Berry notes in his hand, disappointment written all over his face.

Five million Berries might sound like a lot.

But if he wanted to spend freely, it wouldn't even be enough for a single meal.

Now, Rocha was not the same as he was three months ago.

If, three months ago, he could finish a full meal from a hundred-meter-long sea creature, now, his appetite had at least tripled or quadrupled.

And if he got injured, he would need extra meals.

"Getting five million Berries is already good enough."

Lao sat back with his arms folded behind his head, leaning against the ship's mast, glancing lazily at Rocha's sulking face.

"Who told you that your excessive eating caused the monthly food supply budget at Marine headquarters to increase by 70%? I heard Admiral Sengoku himself went fishing a few times to make up for the expenses."

Hibari laughed so hard she was nearly out of breath.

Rocha was fuming inside when he heard that.

"Is that even possible? I barely eat a little."

"A little?" Lao's eyes widened, and he didn't even want to continue talking to Rocha.

He couldn't count how many times he had gone to the mess hall after a long day of training, only to be told by the cook, "Come back tomorrow, Rocha ate all the supplies."

At this moment, Lao's eyes almost teared up.

Who would have thought that joining the Marines at Marineford would leave you hungry?

If he had known beforehand, it would've been better to stay a doctor in the North Blue.

Lao also heard that now the Marine recruits' training at Marineford includes a task where they have to go out and catch fish.

They call it a "balance between work and leisure" and a way to train for facing oceanic dangers.

Nonsense!

It was just to fill up the empty food reserves.

"By the way, I heard the Sabaody Archipelago is a chaotic place, full of pirates and slave traders. Why doesn't the Marine headquarters intervene, despite it being so close?"

Rocha was lying at the bow of the ship, using the air currents to lift large amounts of water into the sky, changing their shapes in boredom as he spoke.

Hibari walked forward and lightly jumped onto the edge of the ship, her legs swinging gently.

"I overheard Grandma Tsuru and Grandpa Sengoku talking about this."

"There are several reasons."

"Oh? Tell me about them." Rocha looked at the young girl with surprise.

He hadn't expected Hibari to know so much.

Even Lao leaned closer, resting against the edge of the ship.

On this trip, it was just the three of them.

Bepo and the others couldn't join because they slacked off on their training tasks, so they were banned from leaving Marineford.

Even Rocha's influence couldn't get them out.

In this aspect, it was clear that Marine discipline was extremely strict.

Hibari spoke softly, "As everyone knows, the Sabaody Archipelago holds a very strategic geographical position."

"It's located at the end of the first half of the Grand Line and is one of the necessary routes to enter the New World."

"Whether they are pirates, merchants, or even nobles, there are only two ways to enter the New World."

"The first way is to get permission from the World Government and pass through the Red Line's upward and downward passages. This route is only available to those closely affiliated with the World Government, and ordinary people can't rely on it."

"The second way is to dive 10,000 meters under the sea to reach Fish-Man Island, and from there, enter the New World."

"Fish-Man Island is located directly under the Red Line, serving as the only opening in the world's surrounding wall."

"To dive 10,000 meters under the sea, one must undergo bubble coating at the Sabaody Archipelago."

"Thus, the Sabaody Archipelago is a crucial point linking the first and second halves of the Grand Line."

"If this place were to be cut off, those in the New World wouldn't be able to leave, and those in the Grand Line wouldn't be able to enter. Well, I digressed a little…"

Hibari blushed a bit and softly cleared her throat before continuing.

"The reason why the island is so chaotic is due to the many forces at play there."

"It's not just pirates and slave traders. Even the pirates and slave traders there are often backed by powerful forces, either protected by the Shichibukai or working as mercenaries for some big nobles, or maybe even working for the World Nobles."

"In the 79 numbered areas of the Sabaody Archipelago, you'll find various industries such as human trafficking, auction houses, Bubble Park, tourist areas, specialized shops, shipyards, bubble coating areas, a Marine base, government entrances, hotel streets, and many other activities."

"These forces include the Marines, pirates, government officials, nobles, merchants, and civilians."

"Sometimes, handling a small issue like piracy or a small slave trading ship can lead to entanglements with big nobles, Shichibukai, or even bureaucrats within the government."

"That's why dealing with military matters on that island is an extremely difficult task."

Hibari finished speaking, feeling her mouth dry.

"If this place is so important, if the Marines could fully control it, they could take control of the shipbuilding and bubble coating industries in Sabaody, effectively preventing the pirates in the Grand Line from entering the New World. That way, they could completely cut off new supplies for the pirates in the New World."

After Hibari's explanation, Rocha sighed inwardly.

In the end, it all came down to the weak methods of the current Admiral Sengoku.

And in the comic, after the Summit War, the Marines moved into the New World two years later.

The once beautiful Sabaody Archipelago turned into a complete paradise for criminals.

"No matter, we're just here to relax. Let headquarters deal with those troublesome issues. Hold tight, I'm going to increase the speed now."

Rocha disappeared in a flash and found himself atop the mast.

"Wind, come forth!"

He raised his large hand, and immediately, fierce winds surged from the sea, slamming into the warship's sails, greatly increasing its speed.

The warship moved at an accelerating pace until, in the end, it seemed to fly across the sea, driven by the violent wind pressure.

"So fast! Rocha, your ability is amazing! Can you make the ship fly?"

Hibari almost fell from the warship's intense speed.

She leaped back onto the deck and began steering the helm.

Hibari was the best navigator on this ship.

So, the entire direction of the ship depended on her.

"Making the ship fly is possible, but the ship's structure isn't suitable for it. If we fall, the result would be catastrophic."

Rocha laughed and said, "Actually, we could go even faster. For example, if Lao used his fruit ability to teleport us across the sea."

"Who would do something as boring as that? Wouldn't that take too much energy?"

Lao looked at Rocha with half-closed eyes and said, "If you keep going like this, by the time we get to Sabaody, five million Berries might not even be enough for a single meal."

"Hahaha, when we get there, we'll find a way. If necessary, we can always 'borrow' some money from those friendly pirates, right?"

Rocha laughed heartily without a care.

"By the way, there's an auction on the island run by that scoundrel Doflamingo."

"What did you say?"

Lao's eyes suddenly glowed.

(End of Chapter)

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