Morgan's tone of "I won't pretend anymore; I'll reveal my cards" was extremely daring. Vivi stiffened her neck and turned her head, curious as to who had said such bold words.

Killing Golden Lion with a single swing of an axe? Was there anyone in this world capable of such a feat? Even if Gol D. Roger were to be reborn, he wouldn't dare to make such a claim, right?

She turned her head and saw a muscular man with a metal jaw and a large axe attached to his right elbow, staring at her with sharp eyes.

The man had an imposing figure, and both his metal jaw and the massive axe emanated a scent that could be described as "iron-blooded." From Vivi's perspective, the man stood tall like a javelin thrust into the ground, bearing a hint of being an unmatched fierce warrior.

For a brief moment, she even entertained the thought that the Marines might have secretly established a rank between "Admiral" and "Fleet Admiral," because Morgan's demeanor was truly reminiscent of an Admiral!

"Do you know who defeated Captain Smoker?" Vivi inquired cautiously.

Morgan's voice was heavy, "I only know that it was a pirate. I despise pirates more than anything in my life!"

"Captain! We'll fight that guy alongside you!"

"Yeah, Captain! Let them witness the power of our 153rd Branch!"

"With so many of our comrades here, we fear no enemy!"

The soldiers belonging to the Marine's 153rd Branch stood up one after another, voicing their support for their commanding officer.

Before Vivi could say anything, her newly acquainted subordinates, Johnny and Yosaku, rushed over. They even assisted the elderly lady from the countryside, who was in her seventies, in approaching.

The old lady looked at everyone with a kind and compassionate gaze, as if she was looking at her own grandchildren.

As they approached, they overheard Morgan and the soldiers of the 153rd Branch making bold statements.

The old lady smiled and said, "Are you discussing how to remove dirt from glass? Let me share a little trick with you: you can use a cloth dipped in vinegar."

"…..." Vivi stared blankly at the old lady.

Perhaps the kind-hearted old lady reminded Johnny and Yosaku of their families back home. The two bounty hunters, who appeared somewhat cautious and reserved to Vivi, suddenly became filled with passion. They competed to speak first.

"Boss lady! Leave it to us! We fear no enemy in the East Blue!"

"Yeah, Boss lady, entrust this mission to us! Watch us slay that bastard!"

Vivi hastily restrained the two and then anxiously looked around. Golden Lion had Observation Haki. What if he heard these words and came charging at them? Who would face him? The deaf old lady? The somewhat Admiral-like Morgan? Or the two inexperienced hot-blooded youths standing before her?

She felt a deep sense of despair. 'Smoker, hurry back! This team is too "powerful" for me to handle!'

She could restrain her newly acquainted subordinates, but controlling the Marines was a different story.

They originally headed to Loguetown to report, but they were suddenly reassigned for a sea pursuit mission. These Marines from the 153rd Branch had never been pleased with the likes of Smoker and Tashigi, who were part of the main headquarters' elite. The two hadn't displayed much formidable combat strength while fighting Golden Lion and ended up captured or heavily injured. In the eyes of these Marines, their reputation had been tarnished!

Nevertheless, they still revered and supported their true leader - the fierce and valiant Captain Morgan of the 153rd Branch, the one with an axe mounted on his arm!

"Captain! It's always thrilling to fight alongside you!"

"Captain! Lead us to victory and bring honor to our name!"

Inspired by Captain Morgan, this group of Marine remnants and defeated soldiers found their blood boiling, eager to engage the enemy in battle right now.

Vivi was astonished by these seemingly "competent" individuals.

These guys had no sense of their own abilities! A Captain in a Marine Branch was equivalent to a Marine Headquarters Lieutenant, with a difference of three ranks. This discrepancy not only existed in terms of rank but also in terms of strength.

Smoker was a Captain, and so was Morgan, but there was a significant disparity between a Captain in the headquarters and a Captain in a branch!

In Vivi's eyes, Morgan was only imposing in terms of aura, but his actual combat strength was easily discernible. With his ferocious style and reckless aggression, he might be able to last twenty rounds against the timid Tashigi, but after twenty rounds, he would definitely be defeated, and it would be a devastating defeat at that.

Vivi could defeat him in just three or five moves. This Morgan was stronger than her newly recruited subordinates, Johnny and Yosaku, but his strength was still limited. In terms of a gaming analogy, she could be considered a level 30 character, while these individuals were at the level of 10 to 15. What about Golden Lion? Even with his severed legs, old age, occasional absentmindedness, and declining physical condition, this legendary pirate who once rivaled Pirate King Roger at the height of his power could still display fighting prowess on par with level 80. There simply wasn't any way to fight!

"Ah? By the way, who are you? Are you also from the 153rd Branch?" After a while of chatting, the timid girl Tashigi finally realized that Vivi was a stranger.

"I am... I am..." Vivi pondered for a moment. She couldn't reveal her real name, and the codename "Miss Wednesday" wouldn't make any sense if she mentioned it. So, she quickly came up with a name, said it in a mumbled and vague manner, and even added a strange childlike inflection to it. Tashigi couldn't quite catch it, but she also didn't want to ask again.

As she continued to look, Tashigi suddenly noticed the sword hanging at Vivi's waist.

"This... Could it be! Can I take a look?"

Vivi casually unsheathed the sword and handed it to her.

Tashigi, who was somewhat absent-minded and naturally clumsy, immediately changed her demeanor upon seeing the sword. She carefully examined the patterns on the blade, and tapped the back of the blade with her fingers, seemingly trying to understand the unique rhythm of the sword.

She had a keen eye for sword appreciation and tentatively asked Vivi, "This must be a Meito, one of the 50 Skillful Grade Blades, right? The distinctive burning patterns are quite striking. Let me think... It should be the sword 'Kashu,' am I right?"

She seemed like a student solving a puzzle, eagerly awaiting the answer.

"Yes, it's indeed 'Kashu'. Your discerning ability is impressive," Vivi confirmed.

"Oh, you flatter me. It's just a small hobby of mine. Captain Smoker always scolds me. Are you also a swordsman?"

"Well, sort of. I've learned a bit." Suddenly, Vivi remembered something and asked Tashigi out of the blue, "Did you guys fight that fellow before? Did Captain Smoker and that fellow exchange blows?"

"Yes, we did. Why?" Tashigi hesitated to admit that she also exchanged a move with Gold Lion; her move being effortlessly countered was something she couldn't bring herself to say.

Vivi felt like she had missed out on a big opportunity, but she still returned to the wreckage of the merchant ship. She brought her duck, who was currently drinking milk, to the mountain hollow and then initiated a "Commission" for "five seconds"!

The duck wandered around near the Marine warship, and after the commission time was up, it returned to Vivi's side. She felt a bit regretful as Karoo didn't manage to find anything. It was possible that the time interval was too long, or perhaps the battle area was considered mid-air rather than being on the ship.

(End of the Chapter)

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