Meanwhile, elsewhere—
Lieutenant Commander Momonga and his men, leading over a hundred Marine soldiers, were marching through the bustling streets of the town toward the residence of Saint Shaldes.
Gion followed quietly, her expression troubled as she stared at Momonga's back.
Something felt off. She couldn't shake the suspicion that Darren had deliberately sent her and Tokikake away, so he could act alone.
"Big sis, you're so pretty!"
A sweet, childish voice suddenly piped up from the side, breaking Gion's train of thought.
She blinked and turned her head.
Standing beside her was a little girl in a simple floral dress, no more than seven or eight years old. She carried a small backpack filled with neatly wrapped red roses.
The girl had large, bright eyes and bowed politely.
"Would you like to buy a flower?"
Gion's heart nearly melted at the sight. She knelt down, a gentle smile spreading across her face as she patted the girl's head.
"How much, sweetheart?"
The girl glanced nervously at the sword at Gion's waist and spoke timidly,
"Big sis, it's 200 Berry for one. Is that okay?"
Gion chuckled.
"That's not something you need to ask me."
She noticed the girl's anxious eyes and added warmly,
"Don't worry. I'm a Marine—we protect people like you."
"This sword? It's only for bad guys."
"Really?" the girl asked.
Gion nodded with a smile.
"Of course. That's our job."
She glanced at the roses.
"I'll take one."
She pulled out 200 Berry and placed it into the girl's small hand.
The girl looked thrilled. She clumsily took off her backpack and began to search through it with great care.
"Hmm… this one is the prettiest."
She picked the most vibrant red rose and held it up proudly.
Gion took it and asked with a smile,
"Why are you out here selling flowers at such a young age?"
The girl smiled sweetly.
"Liya's not little anymore! I can help Daddy!"
She beamed with pride as she looked at the roses in her bag.
"My daddy grows them. They're as pretty as you, big sis!"
Gion laughed.
So her dad's a florist?
"What about your mom?"
The girl's eyes dimmed slightly.
"Mommy's sick… Daddy said she went far, far away to get treatment."
Gion paused, a flash of sadness in her eyes.
The girl then turned to Tokikake, bowed politely, and asked,
"Uncle, would you like to buy a flower too?"
Tokikake's face darkened.
He crouched down with an awkward smile.
"Little one, I'm not even twenty yet. You should call me big brother, not uncle."
The girl widened her eyes, carefully studying the man in the brown hat with a cigarette in his mouth. After a moment, she shook her head firmly.
"Nope. You don't look like a big brother. You look like an uncle."
Tokikake: …
He gritted his teeth and forced a smile.
"If you call me big brother, I'll buy all your flowers."
The girl's eyes lit up—but then she hesitated. She nervously twisted her hands and looked conflicted.
"Liya really wants to sell them… but Daddy said we can't lie."
Thud!
Tokikake fell flat on his face.
He got back up, seething.
"Damn it! Open your eyes! I'm only 19!!"
He let out a desperate howl.
"That's enough!" Gion sighed and, seeing the girl on the verge of tears, kicked Tokikake away. She gently patted the girl's head.
"That uncle might look a bit scary, but he's a good person. Don't worry."
The girl blinked and nodded.
She opened her hand, counted the 200 Berry, then split it—40 Berry into her left pocket, 160 into her right.
Gion tilted her head.
"Why are you separating the money?"
The girl replied seriously,
"Daddy said we have to give part of what we earn. That way, the people with weapons won't bother us."
Gion's expression changed.
Just then, a man rushed over, grabbing the girl's hand. He bowed nervously to Gion.
"I-I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. Liya was just babbling."
Without another word, he scooped up his daughter and hurried off.
"Bye-bye, big sis! Bye, uncle!"
The little girl waved as she disappeared.
"Damn it!! I said I'm not an uncle!!" Tokikake shouted.
But Gion was silent, watching the father and daughter vanish into the crowd.
Giving up income… armed men… tax collection…
Her brow furrowed. She quickly strode forward and intercepted Lieutenant Commander Momonga, who was giving orders nearby.
"Lieutenant Commander Momonga, tell me—did Darren go off to do something shady again?!"
Her tone was stern.
Momonga sighed.
"Lieutenant Commander Gion, Captain Darren is the supreme officer of all North Blue. Naturally, there are matters only he can handle."
"As his officers, our duty is to carry out his orders."
"Our current mission is to ensure the security of Saint Shaldes."
Gion shook her head firmly.
"No. I want to know where Darren really went."
"If HQ already issued orders, then Marineford must've coordinated with Batiya's governor. Darren had no reason to go himself."
"And if protecting Saint Shaldes is so important, then as the mission lead, he shouldn't have left."
She bit her lip.
"Did he go to collect taxes from the mafia through the mayor?!"
Momonga froze—surprised.
Naïve as she was, Gion had nailed it.
"I knew it!" she growled, clenching her fists.
His silence had confirmed it.
"How could you?! The mafia may not be as violent as pirates, but they still suppress and exploit civilians!"
She glared.
"Darren's long gone—a corrupt, fallen bastard beyond redemption."
"But you, Lieutenant Commander Momonga! How could you side with the mafia?"
"We're Marines! Our duty is to protect civilians—not to exploit them!"
She'd wanted to confront Darren long ago, but the Germa 66 war had gotten in the way.
Momonga looked into her eyes, seeing her fury and resolve, then sighed deeply.
Such noble conviction… too bad pure justice is useless in the North Blue.
"Lieutenant Commander Gion, look at that street."
He pointed forward instead of replying.
"What do you see?"
Gion paused and looked.
Shops lined both sides, filled with merchandise. Families strolled happily with their children. The streets buzzed with laughter.
"…Peace," she murmured.
"Yes." Momonga nodded.
"But you don't know… just a year ago, that street was one of the most notorious criminal zones on Batia Island."
"It was crawling with con men, thugs, killers… a darkness no Marineford elite like you could ever imagine."
Before she could respond, he pointed at a nearby hospital.
"That used to be a shelter for the homeless."
He pointed to the harbor.
"Our docking point? Once a corpse-filled ditch."
"The road we walked down? A stinking trash heap."
Gion and Tokikake's expressions paled.
"Batiya was once one of the most chaotic hubs in all of North Blue."
"Pirates raided freely. Dozens of mafia families ruled the streets."
"Gunshots rang daily. Over 30% of the population was criminal. Over half the children joined pirates, gangs, or con artists before coming of age."
"This prosperous island… was a breeding ground for evil."
"…That can't be…" Gion whispered.
She and Tokikake couldn't connect this vibrant trade city with Momonga's image of filth and chaos.
"Didn't the Marines intervene?" she asked.
"Of course," Momonga said bitterly.
"When Rear Admiral Sakazuki was here, he led multiple raids—slaughtering pirates and mafia alike."
"But innocent civilians and officials died too. The political backlash got him transferred to HQ."
"But at least it had results, right?" Gion asked.
"Results?" Momonga looked weary.
"No. It only made things worse."
"That's impossible!" Gion and Tokikake said together.
Momonga sighed.
"If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't believe it either."
"But you can't wipe them out—not in the North Blue."
"Less than six months after Sakazuki's purge, criminals, pirates, mafia—they returned like locusts. Batia fell back into chaos."
"No one had a solution."
"Borsalino's indulgence failed. Sakazuki's iron fist failed."
"—Until a year ago, when Darren became commander of Branch 321."
Momonga's tone shifted. When he said that name, his eyes showed admiration.
"He cracked down with brutal force—wiping out nearly all the gangs and pirates, leaving just two mafia families, and drew clear territorial lines."
"He told me once, 'Pirates and mafia can't be eradicated—not here. Control is the key.'"
"By preserving two manageable groups, he balanced power and unified the island's underworld."
"Peace returned. Fearing Darren's wrath and seeking profit, the two mafia families cooperated."
"No more turf wars. Civilians could finally rest. Batia's economy thrived. The city changed beyond recognition."
"Crime dropped from over 30%… to under 5%."
---
To be continued...