Chapter 4: Sabaody Archipelago
Year 1516 - Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 1
The Sabaody Archipelago rose from the ocean like a fever dream made manifest.
Danzo Aiko stood at the bow of the Hakusetsu as they approached, and even after everything he'd seen, the sight was breathtaking. Massive mangrove trees—each the size of a small island—grew from the seafloor, their roots creating the "land" of the archipelago. Bubbles floated everywhere, catching sunlight in rainbow refractions, giving the entire place an otherworldly quality.
Beautiful and grotesque in equal measure.
"First time seeing it?" Isra asked, joining him at the railing.
"Yes. The pictures don't do it justice."
"Wait until you see Grove 1 through 29. That's where the real Sabaody lives—the one tourists don't photograph." Her voice carried an edge of disgust. "Human auction houses operating in broad daylight. Celestial Dragons shopping for slaves like they're buying fruit. And the Marines..."
"Turn a blind eye," Aiko finished quietly. "I know. I've read the reports."
What the reports hadn't prepared him for was the feeling. As the Hakusetsu docked at Grove 50—the Marine base area—Aiko's Observation Haki extended outward, reading the emotional landscape of the archipelago.
Fear. Desperation. Cruelty. Greed.
And underneath it all, resignation—the acceptance of horrors that had become so normalized that people no longer questioned them.
Lieutenant Koji Sato appeared, his rifle slung over his shoulder. "Commodore, I've been observing through my scope. There's a Marine patrol in Grove 1, but they're... avoiding certain areas. Specifically, the auction house in Grove 1 has three groups of what look like slaves being transported, and the Marines are actively redirecting civilian traffic away from witnessing it."
Aiko's jaw tightened. "Understood. Commander Vex, assemble the crew. I want a briefing in ten minutes."
In the Hakusetsu's war room, Aiko's crew gathered around a map of Sabaody Archipelago. The island was divided into 79 groves, each numbered and color-coded by function.
"Our official mission," Aiko began, "is to investigate reports of a rogue Logia user and missing Marines. Groves 30 through 39 have had three Marine patrols disappear in the last two months. No bodies recovered. No witnesses. Just... gone."
He pointed to the marked areas on the map.
"However, we also need to understand something critical about Sabaody. This archipelago is where the world's darkness comes to trade openly. Groves 1 through 29 contain the human auction houses, where slaves are bought and sold under World Government sanction. The buyers include Celestial Dragons, which means Marines are ordered to protect these operations."
Marcus "Wall" Stone's massive hands clenched into fists. "We're supposed to protect slavers?"
"The official policy is that we maintain order and don't interfere with 'legal commerce,'" Isra said bitterly. She'd clearly researched this before arrival. "Human trafficking is technically legal if sanctioned by the World Government. Pirates who are captured become slaves. 'Criminals' become slaves. And sometimes, people who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time become slaves."
Doc Reiner, who'd been quiet until now, spoke up. "I've treated escaped slaves before. The things done to them..." His weathered face was grim. "If we're ordered to protect that system, I need to know now, Commodore. Because I won't."
The room went silent. Every eye turned to Aiko.
This was the moment. The first real test of what kind of officer he would be.
"Our mission is to find the missing Marines and identify the Logia user," Aiko said carefully. "That mission does not include protecting slave auctions. If we happen to witness illegal activity—and I emphasize illegal, which means operations outside World Government sanction—we will intervene according to standard Marine protocol."
Yuki Nanami raised an eyebrow. "And if we witness 'legal' slavery, sir?"
"Then we document it thoroughly and report it through channels." Aiko met her eyes. "I know that's not the answer you want to hear. It's not the answer I want to give. But we're nine Marines in a system that has existed for eight hundred years. We can't dismantle it with righteous anger alone."
"So we do nothing?" Maya Frost's young voice was sharp with disappointment.
"I didn't say that." Aiko's expression hardened. "I said we can't dismantle the system. But we can save individuals. We can investigate thoroughly. We can ensure that any operation we encounter is scrutinized for legitimacy. And if we find violations—and trust me, we will—we act."
Isra smiled slightly. "You're looking for loopholes."
"I'm looking for justice within the constraints we have. For now." Aiko pulled out several folders. "Lieutenant Chen has identified three auction houses that have questionable documentation. Pirates being sold who aren't listed in Marine capture records. Civilians with no criminal history being processed. If we investigate those discrepancies as part of our larger mission..."
Understanding dawned on several faces.
"We have legitimate cause to inspect the operations," Koji finished. "And if we find evidence of illegal trafficking—people being enslaved outside proper channels—we can shut them down."
"Exactly. It's not everything. It's not enough. But it's something." Aiko looked at each of his crew members. "I won't order you to protect slavers. But I also won't lead you into a suicide mission against a system that has the World Government's full backing. We walk the line. We save who we can. And we gather evidence for the day when we might be in a position to do more."
Doc Reiner nodded slowly. "It's pragmatic. I don't like it, but I understand it."
"Neither do I," Aiko admitted. "But pragmatism keeps us alive and effective. Martyrdom just gets us killed and replaced with officers who won't even try."
"So what's the plan, sir?" Tomás asked, his fingers already poised over his notepad.
Aiko pointed to the map. "We split into three teams. Team One—myself, Commander Vex, and Sato—will investigate Grove 35 where the last patrol disappeared. Team Two—Stone, Nanami, and Frost—will conduct surveillance on the auction houses Lieutenant Chen flagged. Document everything. Record times, faces, transactions. Team Three—Doc, Chen, and García—will establish a base of operations here at Grove 50 and coordinate intelligence."
He looked at Marcus specifically. "Stone, your team is surveillance only. Do not engage. If you witness something that makes you want to intervene, you contact me first. Understood?"
The big man struggled visibly but nodded. "Understood, sir."
"Good. We move out in one hour. Full combat gear, but keep it concealed—we don't want to advertise that we're investigating. Questions?"
Isra raised a hand. "What if we encounter Celestial Dragons?"
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Frost formed on the table's surface as Aiko's Devil Fruit responded to the surge of controlled anger he felt at even thinking about the World Nobles.
"We avoid them at all costs," he said quietly. "If you see someone in a bubble helmet, you take a different route. You do not make eye contact. You do not speak to them. And under absolutely no circumstances do you intervene if you witness them harming someone."
"Sir—" Maya started to protest.
"That's an order, Ensign." Aiko's voice was steel. "Attacking a Celestial Dragon summons a Marine Admiral to Sabaody within hours. If that happens, our mission ends, our crew gets court-martialed, and depending on which Admiral responds, some of us might not survive the encounter. I know it's cowardice. I know it's wrong. But it's reality."
The room was quiet.
"However," Aiko continued, his voice softening slightly, "if you witness a Celestial Dragon committing an act that violates even their own laws—and yes, they technically have some restrictions—document it. Record it if possible. That evidence might be useful someday."
"You're planning something long-term," Isra observed. It wasn't a question.
"I'm gathering information. What I do with it later..." Aiko shrugged. "That depends on many factors. For now, we focus on our mission. Dismissed. Meet back here in fifty minutes, ready to deploy."
Fifty minutes later, Aiko stood on the deck of the Hakusetsu, checking his equipment one final time. Yukikaze hung at his hip, its familiar weight comforting. His white coat billowed slightly in the breeze—he'd considered leaving it behind for discretion but decided against it. He was a Marine Commodore. He wouldn't hide what he was.
"Ready?" Isra appeared beside him, dressed in combat gear that somehow made her look even more dangerous. Koji was right behind her, his rifle case slung across his back.
"Ready. Stone, your team?"
Marcus nodded from across the deck, where he stood with Yuki and Maya. "Ready, sir. We'll be careful."
"See that you are. Doc, you have command of the ship while we're deployed."
The old medic saluted. "Aye, sir. Try not to get frozen and bring back any injured. I'd like an easy day."
Aiko almost smiled. "I'll do my best."
They disembarked in three groups, each taking different routes into the archipelago. Aiko's team headed directly for Grove 35, moving through the crowds that filled Sabaody's commercial districts.
The archipelago was busy today. Tourists rode the bubble-powered attractions, laughing and taking photographs. Merchants hawked their wares. Performers entertained crowds. On the surface, it looked like paradise.
But Aiko's Observation Haki told a different story. He could feel the undercurrents—pockets of fear from people being herded toward the auction houses, spikes of cruel amusement from slavers spotting potential merchandise, and everywhere, the dull acceptance of horrors normalized.
"There," Koji murmured, his enhanced vision catching something. "Grove 27. That patrol of Marines—they're escorting a chain gang. Twenty people, all collared."
Aiko looked. Sure enough, a group of Marines in full uniform were guarding what could only be slaves being transported to auction. The prisoners ranged from teenagers to elderly, their faces blank with despair.
One of the Marines laughed at something his companion said.
"Keep moving," Aiko said quietly, even as frost began forming on his fingertips. "We document. We remember. But we don't have the authority to act yet."
"Yet," Isra repeated, making it sound like a promise.
They continued toward Grove 35, leaving the shopping districts behind and entering the more overgrown areas where the mangroves grew thick and bubbles floated wild. The crowds thinned here. Fewer tourists, more rough-looking individuals—pirates, bounty hunters, and others who preferred the shadows.
"Grove 35 is ahead," Koji reported. "I'm not seeing any patrols. Actually, I'm not seeing anyone. It's completely empty."
Aiko's Observation Haki extended outward, searching for presences. Koji was right—the grove was eerily deserted. But there was something else, something his Haki couldn't quite pin down. A sensation like being watched, but from nowhere specific.
"Stay alert," he warned. "Something's wrong here."
They entered Grove 35 cautiously. The massive mangrove tree that formed the grove's center was even larger than most, its roots creating a maze of passages and platforms. Bubbles floated lazily upward from the root system, catching light and casting strange shadows.
"Blood," Isra said suddenly, kneeling by a dark stain on one of the root platforms. "Old, maybe two weeks. And look—scorch marks. Someone used fire here."
Koji scanned the area through his rifle scope. "More blood over there. And there. Signs of a fight, but no bodies."
Aiko's frown deepened. His Observation Haki was still giving him that strange sensation—like sensing a presence that wasn't quite there, or was there but somehow displaced.
"Commodore," Isra's voice carried a warning tone. "The temperature just dropped. And I don't think that's you."
She was right. The air had gone cold—not the clean cold of Aiko's snow powers, but something else. Something that made his breath fog and his Devil Fruit powers react instinctively, snow beginning to swirl around him.
"We're not alone," Aiko said quietly, his hand moving to Yukikaze. "Show yourself. I know you're here."
For a moment, nothing. Then a voice, female and ethereal, echoed from everywhere and nowhere.
"A Logia user. How interesting. And not the Admiral they usually send to investigate. You must be new."
A figure materialized from the air itself—or rather, from mist that had been invisible until it coalesced. A woman in her early thirties, dressed in tattered Marine uniform, her eyes hollow and haunted. Her form flickered slightly, as if she couldn't quite maintain solidity.
"Mist," Aiko realized. "You're a Logia user. The Kiri Kiri no Mi?"
"Very good." The woman's smile was bitter. "And you're the Snow Demon they're talking about at headquarters. Come to capture the rogue Marine?"
Aiko's eyes narrowed. "You were a Marine?"
"Was. Am. Does it matter?" She gestured around Grove 35. "Three patrols came here. Three groups of Marines following orders. Do you know what those orders were, Commodore?"
"To investigate reports of missing persons."
"To ensure the missing persons stayed missing." Her voice turned hard. "Slaves who escaped from the auction houses. People who saw too much, who knew too much about which nobles were buying which products. The World Government wanted them silenced, and Marines were sent to do it."
Isra's hand moved toward her weapons. "You killed three Marine patrols?"
"I killed slavers wearing Marine uniforms." The mist woman's form flickered again. "There's a difference. Or is there? You tell me, Commodore Danzo. When Marines execute escaped slaves on World Government orders, what exactly are they?"
Aiko's mind raced. This was worse than he'd thought. Not a rogue Logia user attacking random Marines, but a former Marine killing other Marines who were essentially serving as executioners for the slave trade.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Lieutenant Aria Mizushima. Or I was, before I saw what was really happening here. Before I refused orders to return escaped children to the auction houses. Before my own squad tried to kill me for insubordination." Her hollow eyes fixed on Aiko. "They almost succeeded. But then my Devil Fruit awakened—the Mist-Mist Fruit—and I became something they couldn't catch. Something that could hide slaves, that could make Marines disappear when they came hunting."
"How many have you killed?" Isra asked.
"Seventeen Marines over two months. All of them were hunting escaped slaves. All of them would have killed or re-enslaved dozens of people." Aria's voice didn't waver. "I won't apologize for that."
Aiko was silent, thinking. By every regulation, Aria Mizushima was a traitor and a murderer. She'd killed fellow Marines. But those Marines had been executing World Government sanctioned atrocities.
Where was the line? When did following orders become complicity in evil?
"You know I can't let you continue killing Marines," Aiko said finally.
"Even if those Marines are worse than most pirates?"
"Even then. Because once we start deciding which Marines deserve to die, we become judge, jury, and executioner. That's not justice—that's just another kind of tyranny."
Aria laughed—a broken sound. "Justice? Look around, Commodore. This entire archipelago is a monument to injustice, and the Marines help maintain it. What kind of justice is that?"
"An imperfect one," Aiko admitted. "But I'm trying to make it better. Within the system, using what authority I have."
"And how's that working out for you?" Aria's tone was mocking. "Made any real difference yet? Or are you just another idealist who'll compromise until there's nothing of your ideals left?"
The words stung because they echoed Aiko's own doubts.
"I don't know," he said honestly. "Maybe you're right. Maybe working within a corrupt system just makes you complicit. But I do know that killing Marines—even corrupt ones—will only bring Admiral-level response down on everyone here, including the people you're trying to protect."
"So what, I should just let them hunt escaped slaves? Let children be dragged back to auction houses?" Aria's form solidified, and Aiko could see tears on her face. "I can't. I won't. If that makes me a criminal, then so be it."
Aiko was about to respond when Koji suddenly shouted: "Contact! Marines incoming—thirty strong, led by a Rear Admiral!"
Aiko's Observation Haki confirmed it. A large force was approaching fast, and at their head, a presence that radiated authority and power.
"You called for backup," Aria said flatly, her form beginning to dissolve into mist.
"I didn't," Aiko said. "But someone's been watching us."
The Marines burst into Grove 35 from three directions, surrounding them. At their head was a man Aiko recognized from briefings: Rear Admiral Kazan, known for his ruthless efficiency and his absolute loyalty to the World Government.
"Commodore Danzo," Kazan's voice was cold. "Step away from the fugitive. We'll handle this from here."
Aiko didn't move. Something about this felt wrong. His Observation Haki was screaming warnings.
"This is my investigation, Rear Admiral. I have jurisdiction here."
"You had jurisdiction until you proved incapable of completing the mission. Orders from Vice Admiral Onigumo himself—the fugitive is to be executed on sight, along with anyone harboring her."
Execute on sight. Not capture. Not trial.
Aiko's eyes narrowed. "On what charges?"
"Treason, murder of Marines, and conspiracy against the World Government. Now step aside, Commodore. That's an order."
Behind Kazan, the Marines were spreading out, weapons drawn. Some looked uncomfortable. Others looked eager.
Aria's voice whispered from the mist around them. "See, Commodore? This is the justice you're fighting for. Summary execution without trial. They don't even pretend anymore."
Aiko's hand remained on Yukikaze. This was it—the moment where he had to choose. Follow orders and let them execute Aria, compromising his principles but maintaining his position. Or refuse and become everything the Marines feared—an officer who chose his own judgment over the chain of command.
Both choices had consequences.
"I need to see the official orders," Aiko said finally. "In writing. Signed by Vice Admiral Onigumo with proper authorization codes."
Kazan's expression darkened. "You dare question—"
"I dare follow proper procedure, sir. A summary execution order requires specific authorization. I want to verify it before I stand aside."
For a moment, tension crackled through the grove. Then Kazan smiled—and it was a terrible smile.
"There are no written orders, Commodore. This is an off-book operation. The kind that doesn't officially exist. Now, are you going to be smart and walk away, or are you going to make me list you as another casualty?"
There it was. The truth laid bare.
Aiko felt something inside him shift—a line being crossed, a decision being made.
"Commander Vex, Lieutenant Sato," he said quietly. "Defensive formation. We're leaving. With Aria Mizushima in our custody."
Isra moved to his left, her Armament Haki already coating her arms. Koji's rifle came up, targeting Kazan directly.
"You're making a mistake, Commodore," Kazan warned.
"Maybe," Aiko agreed. Snow began to fall throughout Grove 35, swirling around him and his crew. "But I'd rather make mistakes than become a murderer for convenience."
The Rear Admiral's expression turned ugly. "Take them. All of them. The Commodore is obviously compromised—probably fruit power influence from the fugitive. Lethal force authorized."
The Marines attacked.
And Danzo Aiko, for the first time in his career, fought against his fellow Marines.
END OF CHAPTER 4
Next Chapter: "Lines in the Snow - When Marines Fight Marines"