Calm Before the Storm

.

.

.

Within the grand working room, situated on the highest floor of the Marine Headquarters, the den-den mushi resonated with a resounding tone. The call reached an imposing figure, seated behind an expansive desk, tailored for his authoritative and powerful presence...

"Report, Akagi." demanded the deep voice.

"We're an hour away from the targeted destination, sir!" The Vice Admiral promptly replied. "CP5 agents are conducting an extensive search in the forest and the Red Hair Pirates reportedly have yet to take any actions and still remained in the adjacent town, sir!"

An unsettling, momentary silence veiled the conversation, hanging in the air like a foreboding cloud...

Then, the voice calmly spoke, "I don't trust them. Prepare all units for immediate standby!" before he added, "Under no circumstances must we allow the Red Hair Pirates to obtain those powers! We cannot afford to let them grow even more formidable than they already are, particularly Red-Hair Shanks!!"

"Understood, sir!" responded the interlocutor, voice imbued with a faint touch of apprehension...

.

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, In the depth of the Forbidden Forest...

"Damn it! Those vulgar pirates! Didn't we strike a deal with that Lord to ensure the hermit's survival at all costs!!?" Furious curses erupted from the CP5 leader as he fumed, "He was the only one who held knowledge about the Guardian Trees!"

The sight of the old man's lifeless body and the dense array of trees surrounding the house pushed him to the edge...

The Marines had been briefed by the Vice Admiral Akagi about the incredible power of the Legendary Seeds, but their knowledge of the specific plants housing them remained woefully limited. "How in the world are we supposed to locate them amidst this chaotic mess!?" he exclaimed in frustration.

A CP5 agent, sensing the urgency, hesitantly asked, "Should we continue our random search...sir?"

After a moment of contemplation, the partially-masked man made a decision. "No, we must interrogate the Basilisks! They may already know something from the raids! Cease the search immediately and regroup back in town!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

Along the nearest shore, on the northeastern side of Raduno Town. Ben Beckman stood casually, his binoculars scanning the distant sea as he took a leisurely puff from his cigarette. However, his calm demeanor shattered in an instant as a sight unfolded before his eyes, triggering a surge of urgency that propelled him to grab his den-den mushi without delay.

.

.

.

At the Red Hair pirates' temporary hideout, concealed within the wooded areas...

"Hey, hey, I know you're starving, but save some food for the rest of us, you glutton!" Hongo chided the round man who voraciously devoured a large quantity of food on the table. The brown-haired pirate let out a sigh, a grin spreading across his face as he witnessed his friend's swift recovery.

Suddenly, the central den-den mushi in the meeting tent blared loudly. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" It was the Vice Captain on the line...

"Hongo, gather Roux and the crew, and head back to the Red Force immediately! I just detected the massive Marines' Military Fleet arriving at the shore! They appear to be spreading out, surrounding the island at the moment!" Beckman relayed the urgent message.

"WHAT!!? But the Chief hasn't returned from the forest yet, and some of us are currently escorting the Basilisks' captives to the town!" Hongo replied, a mix of shock and concern apparent in his voice.

"Damn it! I'll rush to the town now! In the meantime, you take charge of the others! Prepare the Red Force for immediate departure!" Beckman commanded, a sense of utmost urgency lacing his words.

"ROGER!!"

.

.

.

.

.

In the central area of Raduno Town, Fugar approached the Lord, his voice filled with worries as he reported, "The Red Hair Pirates have brought the remaining Basilisks, My Lord. They continue to deny any involvements in the two boys' disappearance!"

"It is only natural for pirates to lie, Fugar... Do not believe anything they say. It will all be nonsense now that they have been captured," the Lord calmly reassured his advisor. "Let us await the investigation. I am certain they will be found soon enough." As he spoke, he directed his glance towards a group of suited individuals emerging from the forest..."There they are!"

.

.

.

Spandam hurriedly made his way to where the Lord was stationed, his impatience clouding his good judgments, "Those wretched pirates killed the old man! How could you let this happen, My Lord?!! We have lost all leads to the location of the Seeds! This is a breach of our agreement, and everything will be in vain unless we extract information from the Basilisks, assuming they already acquired something useful!!!"

'What did he just say!!?' The former community leader, still reeling from the shocking revelation, struggled to process the words when the Red Hair crew, along with their captives, entered the vicinity, creating an even more heavily tense atmosphere...

At the sight of the marines, Metal Fang Snake, the severely-injured captain, widened his eyes..."Why are the CP5 marine agents here?" He slowly averted his gaze to Lord Bogart, who was rigidly standing in a short distance away... His sharp, snake-like eyes assessed the unfolding situation, while levelling a frosty glare at the startled Lord's direction...

"Is this all your arrangements...Bogart?"

.

.

.

Without waiting for a reply, a burst of laughter erupted from the fallen pirate captain, surprising everyone present..."Hahahaha...you've got me!!!" Then, he turned his focus to the stunned Fugar, a sinister smile creeping across his face, "Let me tell you, old geezer... We may be malevolent pirates with ferocious 'serpent' emblems, but that Lord of yours is on a whole different level of cold-blooded snake, surpassing even us!!!"

With a hint of disdain, he revealed, "He was the one who informed us about Ashar and the Guardian Seeds a month ago, right after the Red Hair Pirates had arrived, likely to exploit us as a distraction to prevent them from venturing into that Forest," before he further supplied with a malicious sneer, "As for your grandsons, I bet they have fallen victims within that filth's conspiracy plans with the marines, for their non-existent traces will be evident in that forest anyway!"

"Silence him!" Lord Bogart sharply ordered, and a few Marines swiftly brought sea-stone handcuffs and ropes to seal all the captives' mouths.

As no one had a chance to react to the twisting turn of events, a den-den mushi jingled urgently, capturing the undivided attention of the CP5 leader, "Vice Admiral, sir..." he anxiously answered the call.

.

.

.

"Have you found the Guardian Seeds, Spandam?" inquired the calm, yet menacing voice on the other end...

"Well, we are facing a rather complicated situation here, sir! The caretaker who knew the location of the seeds was killed in the forest, making it challenging to identify them among the abundant tree species! However, we have the Basilisk Pirates in custody and plan to interrogate them further...!" Spandam explained, his tone obviously nervous...

"And what about Red-Hair Shanks? Have you seen him in sight?" asked Vice Admiral Akagi's baritone voice...

Spandam curiously scanned the area, "No, sir, I don't see him anywhere...only a few of his crews are present around here..."

.

.

.

A haunting tranquility cloaked the surroundings, foretelling an imminent tempest...as the deep voice commanded, "Evacuate immediately. You have only 30 minutes."

Spandam paled instantly, his voice trembling, "W-What, sir..?!"

"This is a direct order from Admiral Akainu. If we cannot secure the Guardian Seeds, we will unleash 'Absolute Justice' and annihilate them before Red Hair Shanks has a chance to claim them," the voice declared.

Spandam's complexion grew even paler with each passing moment... "A-Absolute Justice means..." he stammered, his palms damp with sweat...

.

.

.

"A Buster Call is on the way."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.