The Marine warship cruised steadily through the waters surrounding Paga Island.
For several consecutive days, Rear Admiral Saint Roselith Seraphina and her subordinates conducted strict inspections on every suspicious vessel that passed through the surrounding sea routes. Any ship deemed unusual was stopped and searched without exception.
Yet despite their efforts, they had discovered nothing of significance.
"Could the intelligence from Headquarters have been inaccurate?" Bruce muttered while scanning the horizon through a telescope.
Ahead of them, upon the sea route leading toward the famous spring island of St. Poplar, an enormous luxury cruise ship slowly sailed across the ocean.
The vessel was dazzling.
Its white exterior gleamed beneath the sunlight, while golden decorations lined the railings and upper decks. The sheer extravagance of the ship made it resemble a floating palace rather than a civilian liner.
"Rear Admiral," Riva called out, pointing toward the massive cruise ship. "Should we inspect that vessel?"
Seraphina turned her head slightly.
Even without eyesight, her Observation Haki had already enveloped the cruise ship long ago.
"Search it."
Her answer came immediately.
The Marine warship raised its signal flags.
"This is a routine Marine inspection. Please cooperate and halt your vessel immediately."
However, the response that came back was far from cooperative.
"We refuse inspection!"
A loud voice echoed from the cruise ship.
"This vessel is responsible for transporting Heavenly Tribute under the authority of the World Government. Marines should know their place."
The moment those words fell, many Marines aboard Seraphina's ship frowned.
Using the Heavenly Tribute as a shield?
That alone already made the situation suspicious.
"Force them to stop," Seraphina ordered calmly.
"Yes, ma'am!"
The Marine warship accelerated instantly, repeatedly cutting across the cruise ship's route and forcing it to slow down.
The cruise ship clearly did not dare ram a Marine vessel directly. No matter how arrogant they acted, they still feared the consequences of openly attacking Marines.
"Damn it!"
Inside the bridge, the cruise ship's captain ripped off his hat and slammed it furiously onto the ground.
A major figure from the World Government was currently aboard this vessel. If the Marines caused that person to lose face, his own future would become miserable.
"How can these Marines be so blind to circumstance?!"
Unable to hold back his anger, the captain stormed out of the bridge toward the deck.
Meanwhile, the Marine boarding bridge had already connected to the cruise ship.
"Routine inspection!"
Riva led the boarding party personally. He stepped onto the enemy vessel first before directing Marines to begin searching room by room.
"Check every compartment thoroughly. Don't overlook hidden spaces."
"Yes, sir!"
The Marines immediately spread out.
The cruise ship captain arrived just in time to see the scene unfolding before him.
"Marines!" he shouted angrily. "You had better find something worthwhile after causing this disturbance. Otherwise, I will personally file a complaint against every one of you!"
Riva glanced at him coldly.
"Then feel free to do so."
"As Marines, we are merely carrying out our duties."
The captain's expression darkened instantly.
"Focus on the inner walls and hidden compartments!" Riva barked toward his men. "Search every inch of this ship!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Marines immediately intensified the inspection.
At that moment
"Sonis! What is the meaning of this commotion?!"
A sharply dressed man walked onto the deck with an ugly expression.
He wore expensive formal attire that identified him immediately as a government official. Moments earlier, he had been enjoying himself in private with a beautiful woman before the sudden Marine intrusion ruined everything.
The captain immediately straightened his posture.
"Lord Reyes!"
His attitude instantly became respectful.
"I sincerely apologize. These Marines are being unreasonable. I will have them removed immediately."
The captain then turned arrogantly toward Riva.
"This gentleman is Lord Reyes, an official responsible for collecting Heavenly Tribute for the World Government."
"Even your Marine salaries are distributed through government finances."
"I advise you to be more sensible."
With a World Government official standing behind him, the captain's confidence immediately surged.
Unfortunately for him
Riva did not move an inch.
"Sorry," he replied indifferently. "I cannot comply."
"Continue the search."
The Marines resumed rummaging through the vessel without hesitation.
Reyes' heartbeat instantly accelerated.
Something felt terribly wrong.
He had only accepted a private transport job through an intermediary contact. The secrecy surrounding the operation should have been flawless.
So why had Marines suddenly appeared to inspect this specific vessel?
Could someone have betrayed him?
"Stop this immediately!" Reyes shouted. "This is a ship transporting Heavenly Tribute! Without authorization from the World Government itself, Marines have no right to conduct such a search!"
His voice carried clear panic beneath the anger.
Then
A calm, crisp voice echoed from behind the crowd.
"This vessel departed from East Blue waters, correct?"
Everyone instinctively turned.
A graceful white figure slowly walked into view.
Saint Roselith Seraphina.
Her silver hair shimmered beneath the sunlight while her white Marine coat fluttered lightly behind her shoulders. Even without releasing any pressure, her mere presence caused the atmosphere aboard the cruise ship to grow tense.
"So what if it did?" Reyes answered reflexively.
But the moment he truly saw her face
His expression froze completely.
Cold sweat instantly poured down his forehead.
"If this vessel originated from East Blue jurisdiction," Seraphina continued calmly, "then I possess the authority to inspect it."
"After all…"
"I currently serve as the World Government's Special Envoy overseeing East Blue affairs."
Her voice remained soft.
Yet every word struck Reyes like thunder.
"T-this humble one greets Lady Seraphina!"
Without hesitation, Reyes collapsed to his knees.
Even Riva looked momentarily stunned.
Clearly, the man recognized Seraphina immediately.
"You know me?" Seraphina asked.
"This lowly servant works under Saint Victor-sama's administration!" Reyes answered hurriedly while trembling violently. "Please forgive my disrespect!"
At those words, understanding flashed through Seraphina's mind.
So he belonged to her father's branch of administration.
Unfortunately for him
That only made the situation worse.
At that exact moment, several Marines returned carrying a sealed black package.
"Rear Admiral," one lieutenant reported, "we found this hidden inside the ship's inner compartments."
Seraphina took the package personally.
She opened it slightly and rubbed a small amount of the brown granules between her fingers.
A faint but unmistakable scent drifted into the air.
Gunpowder.
But not ordinary gunpowder.
Her Observation Haki could sense traces of mineral residue mixed within it.
Kairoseki.
Seastone dust.
"What exactly is this?" she asked coldly.
Reyes' lips trembled.
"I-I'm not entirely sure…"
"Someone merely paid me to transport it secretly…"
Seraphina's expression remained emotionless.
"Does my father know about this?"
"N-no!"
Reyes immediately slammed his forehead against the floor.
"This was solely my own greed! Saint Victor-sama knows absolutely nothing about it!"
He desperately sought a way to survive.
Never in his dreams had he imagined encountering Saint Roselith Seraphina personally during this operation.
To others, his status as a government official might seem imposing.
But before a true World Noble
He was nothing.
"Who hired you?" Seraphina asked.
"I… I truly don't know…"
Reyes instinctively crawled backward several steps.
The pressure radiating from Seraphina had become suffocating.
It was not merely authority.
It was the terrifying aura of a swordswoman whose spirit had already reached the threshold of mastery.
"You do not know…"
"Or you do not dare speak?"
The atmosphere aboard the ship suddenly turned heavy.
Even the surrounding Marines unconsciously stiffened.
Reyes could no longer stop shaking.
"This humble one truly cannot say, Lady Seraphina!"
"Please… please spare me!"
He repeatedly slammed his forehead against the floor until blood began to appear.
Then
Seraphina suddenly fell silent.
"…I understand."
At the same time
Far away in another location
"Young Master!"
"Something has gone wrong! Marines seem to have discovered our operation!"
"Oh?"
A lazy, arrogant voice echoed from a Den Den Mushi.
"The Marines are becoming bolder lately. Even a World Government vessel isn't enough to deter them anymore?"
"What exactly happened?"
The subordinate holding the Den Den Mushi swallowed nervously.
"S-sorry, Young Master… we still haven't fully confirmed the situation yet."
"But…"
"There's a powerful figure leading the Marines this time."