One Piece: Investing In Whitebeard At The Start.

"Let's act separately!"

Akainu ordered Vice Admiral Mole and the others. Mole and Ghost Spider nodded in unison.

"If it really turns out to be the Fire Sword, Vane, you must inform me immediately," Akainu said coldly.

"Understood!"

Mole and Ghost Spider responded together, then split up.

The Sabaody Archipelago was vast, made up of seventy-nine islands. Finding one person here was no easy task. The Navy had to search door to door, even investigating trees for anyone hiding. They had to cover every possible location.

Over 2,000 naval personnel had been dispatched to the archipelago, with six warships stationed outside. Many pirates had already been captured. Most of them had originally come to enter the New World—but now? A Celestial Dragon had been killed, and the entire situation had spiraled. Who did it?

Whoever killed the Celestial Dragon would face the full wrath of the Navy. For the pirates now stuck here, it felt like their careers were over. All that awaited them was a dark, hopeless future in prison.

"I'm sure he's still in the archipelago."

"We must not let him escape this time!"

Akainu clenched his fists. He wanted to drag Vane out, crush him, and throw him into Level Six of Impel Down.

He even considered going after Silvers Rayleigh.

However, the Navy Headquarters wasn't prepared for such a move.

As Kizaru had said, capturing Rayleigh would be no simple feat.

Rayleigh, once called the "Dark King," had been Roger's right-hand man. Though Roger overshadowed him, Rayleigh's strength wasn't far behind. Back in the day, the Roger Pirates were far stronger than today's Four Emperors. At least five of their members had the qualities of future kings. Even Shanks, who had once been a trainee, went on to become an Emperor.

Rayleigh was not to be underestimated.

—

Elsewhere, Vane stepped out into the open. Kalifa watched as he left. He didn't let her follow—this situation wasn't one where she could be helpful. Even with her Devil Fruit powers, she wasn't strong enough yet for Vane to rely on her.

"Come in, Kalifa."

Shakky called from behind. Kalifa turned, taking the apron Shakky handed her. She was to disguise herself as a staff member for now. After all, she was still a wanted member of the Godfall Pirates and needed to keep a low profile.

"What am I so worried about?" Kalifa murmured. "Didn't he beat Aokiji last time?"

She comforted herself. In her eyes, Vane was the strongest person alive.

Yes, he would be fine.

—

Elsewhere in Area 28, Captain Hina of the Navy Headquarters was leading a fifty-man unit in a search.

"Ugh!"

Hina sighed in frustration. They'd been searching for over an hour, arresting several pirates along the way. But that wasn't their true objective. They were after a fifteen-year-old boy—

The one known as the Fire Sword, Vane.

He was said to wield a strange blade that emitted unquenchable flames, even against seawater.

"A Paramecia-type who consumed the Explosion Fruit. He has strength comparable to a young Whitebeard, and his abilities resemble the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Extremely dangerous," Hina muttered, scanning the bounty poster.

His photo showed a handsome boy with a bright, innocent smile. Yet the number below it read:

1,050,000,000 Berries.

Who would have thought such a cheerful-looking teen could be one of the most terrifying pirates alive?

"If Hina can capture him, she could be promoted to Rear Admiral this year!"

"Yes! Hina wants a higher rank—more power!" she told herself aloud, speaking in her usual third-person style.

"You all—work harder! Hina wants results! If you want promotions, earn them!"

She shouted to her unit, rousing their spirits.

—

"I never imagined the Navy would go this far just for me,"

Vane said with a bright smile. His expression was as serene as a summer sky. That smile, so pure, would make anyone think he was just a harmless teenager—not a pirate with a billion-Berry bounty.

"It's him!"

"It's the Fire Sword—Vane!"

"He's really here in the Sabaody Archipelago!"

"We're going to make a name for ourselves today!"

"Call Colonel Hina immediately!"

Marines swarmed toward Vane with rifles drawn, forming a perimeter. Their weapons were pointed directly at him. If he made a move, they were ordered to fire—not to kill, but to incapacitate.

Their eyes gleamed with ambition. For low-ranking Navy soldiers, rising in the ranks was everything. Justice? That was for those at the top. For them, justice was a luxury—power was what mattered. With status came privilege. That was the real goal.

A pirate worth over a billion Berries—this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"Surrender, Fire Sword Vane! You are completely surrounded! Yield to our justice!"

"That's right! You've got nowhere to run!"

"Where are the Sea-Prism Stone cuffs?"

"At Colonel Hina's location!"

The marines coordinated quickly, not letting their guard down for a second.

"'Fire Sword' Vane? That nickname is so lame," Vane muttered with a frown. "Did the Navy seriously give me that title just to piss me off?"

A wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded from him.

---

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