Alucard navigated his small boat toward the direction indicated by the Eternal Pose gifted to him by Doflamingo.
Simultaneously, he dispatched three pirate ships led by Ivalis and Keith Fallon to blockade the sea route between Marine Headquarters and Punk Hazard. This was a precautionary measure to intercept any unexpected naval reinforcements.
This was the first time Alucard had ever strategically planned an operation for the benefit of his crew. Though, strictly speaking, his motives weren't altruistic; he simply found the prospect entertaining.
Is that not what life is about? Doing whatever feels interesting, especially when one's strength has reached a plateau.
"Kidnapping Vegapunk... I've never even dreamed of such a thing."
Aboard the ship of the Black Thorn Pirates, one of the three vanguard vessels, Captain Keith Fallon muttered to himself in disbelief.
Who was Vegapunk?
He was the World Government and Navy's most protected asset. And now, they were going to kidnap him?
Of course, the actual kidnapping was the Captain's job. Their task was merely to hold back any Marine reinforcements.
Nearby, Cavendish was being forced by Ivalis to swing his sword ten thousand times a day, a quota that increased daily. He muttered curses under his breath directed at Ivalis, yet he dared not slacken his pace.
Whoosh—
The sailing pirate ships cut the calm sea in two. The pleasant sound of the waves did little to soothe their underlying anxiety; only those with bounties in the hundreds of millions managed to maintain their composure.
"If the Navy sends reinforcements for this battle, it will undoubtedly be an Admiral," Ivalis remarked from the bow of the ship, his words striking like a bolt of lightning.
"An Admiral!"
Cavendish shuddered, his wooden sword clattering to the deck.
"Add another ten thousand swings," Ivalis noted coldly, glancing at him.
"You bastard!" Cavendish bared his teeth in rage, but a single sharp glare from Ivalis sent a chill down his spine, forcing him back into his practice.
There was no helping it; when you lack strength, you have to play the part of the subordinate.
"I'm thinking about something else," Benn Beckman added, exhaling a cloud of cigarette smoke. "If we succeed, what measures will the Navy or the Government take?"
Beckman's insight was sharper than Ivalis's, plunging everyone into deep thought.
If the kidnapping failed, they could simply retreat to their island. But what if they succeeded?
Would the Government and the Navy mobilize their entire force to annihilate the Immortal Pirates?
"The way you put it, it almost sounds like it would be better if this mission failed," Ivalis said, turning to Beckman.
Beckman stared out at the endless horizon. "I'm just stating facts. You and I both know exactly how vital Dr. Vegapunk is to the Navy and the World Government."
Sweat soaked Cavendish's back. What kind of pirate crew had he joined? They were diving headfirst into a world-ending crisis.
If a total war truly broke out with the Government or the Navy... maybe he should just run away?
No, wait!
Cavendish shook his head violently. This was the ultimate stage! It was his chance to become a global superstar. If he could achieve glory in a war of this scale, wouldn't he become famous overnight?
As he fantasized, his fearful expression was replaced by one of delusional grandeur. The crew members nearby looked on with deadpan expressions, knowing the brat was daydreaming again.
…
Currently, Punk Hazard was a wasteland shrouded in poison gas, its laboratories rendered useless.
The Science Unit, led by Dr. Vegapunk, had been evacuated and was en route back to Marine Headquarters. The escort was led by Vice Admiral Gilbert, Base Commander of G5, and Vice Admiral Vergo.
Gilbert was over seventy years old; this was his final mission before retirement, after which Vergo would take over as Base Commander.
To be honest, having only two Vice Admirals and a thousand soldiers escorting a VIP like Vegapunk seemed strange. Normally, an Admiral should have been assigned.
But because Vegapunk was too important, the Navy chose this specific arrangement.
An Admiral was too conspicuous. If some reckless pirate heard a rumor about an Admiral escorting something valuable, they might attack just for the challenge. Jack the Drought, one of Kaido's men, was the perfect example of such an idiot.
By hiding Vegapunk within a mediocre-looking patrol fleet, the Navy hoped to avoid drawing any pirate attention.
However, as a contingency, Vegapunk had installed a self-rescue submarine at the bottom of the G5 warship. Personally modified by the doctor himself, this sub not only used Seastone technology to avoid Sea King attacks but also featured a unique drive system that allowed it to remain stationary at the bottom of the sea.
In the event of an emergency, he could submerge, remain hidden, and broadcast a distress signal while waiting for rescue. Even a master of Observation Haki would find it nearly impossible to locate him.
Alucard followed the needle of his compass until he finally spotted a warship with a giant "G5" insignia on its sail.
He stopped his small boat about half a mile away. He couldn't be as reckless as he was when dealing with Lucky Roux or Dragon; if Vegapunk died, the whole endeavor would be a loss.
With that thought, Alucard's body dissolved into a dark shadow, which then burst into a swarm of bats flying toward the warship.
Keek, keek, keek, keek…
The cacophony of the bats immediately caught the attention of the soldiers on deck. These men were dressed more like thugs than soldiers. It was an open secret within the Navy that the G5 branch was essentially a pack of hooligans and pirates operating under the Marine banner. Had it not been for their outstanding combat capability in using "evil to suppress evil" in the New World, Headquarters would have cleaned them out long ago.