One Piece: Marine to Warlord to Conqueror

”Well now! It’s a rare sight indeed... all of us gathered together... truly a remarkable... event for the East Blue!” Mock, draped in his magnificent Golden Lion’s Mane Cloak, flung a large hand out dramatically. He watched with satisfaction as Don Krieg, halted by Mock’s earlier shout, paused his fleet.

Drawing himself up, Mock clasped his hands before him, attempting a serious expression as he surveyed the pirates assembled on his deck. Seeing the self-proclaimed Overlord addressing them, the pirates tense expressions softened slightly. Even Krieg’s irritation at being stopped seemed to lessen fractionally.

’This guy might talk like he swallowed a dictionary,’ many thought, ’and he’s not very pirate-like, but you gotta admit, he’s showing us some respect.’

Mock continued, struggling slightly with the memorized lines, ”As the sun rises, courage fills our chests! The sea is vast, ours to roam freely! We pirates chase freedom! Now, with all the warriors of the East Blue here, let us share a drink!”

He finally finished, discreetly hiding the sweaty palm where the Boss’s words were written. ’Whew. The Boss sure likes his fancy words. Makin’ me memorize all this stuff...’

’Still,’ Mock thought, puffing his chest out slightly, ’it worked! Just like the Boss said, most pirates ain’t got no culture. A cultured guy like me just has to say a few smart things, and they’re all stunned.’ He glanced towards Krieg. ’See? Even ol’ Gold Armor shut his mouth!’

But there was more to do. Mock’s expression turned determined. He waved his hand again, his voice booming with practiced enthusiasm, ”Men! Bring the drinks! I want to share a bowl with every fighter of the East Blue here today!”

Cheers erupted. Smiles spread across the pirates faces. Mock’s speech might have been weird, but didn’t it just prove how much he valued them?

Meanwhile, below deck, Mock’s order galvanized the hidden crew.

”Quick, quick! Get the special Tangerine Wine up here!”

”Remember the plan! One bowl each for the captains and their first mates only! No point wasting the good stuff on small fry, we didn’t make enough!”

”Right, right! The ’special ingredient’! Pour it in! Make sure they all drink it!” Nami, temporary quartermaster, directed the operation with sharp efficiency, hands on her hips. ”Anyone messes this up, I’m docking your pay!”

”Aye, Nami-san!” came the immediate, unified response. Nami truly had a knack for logistics, everything ran like clockwork under her command.

”By the way,” Nami turned to Dante, a flicker of worry in her eyes, ”are you sure that stuff you got is strong enough? There are a lot of pirates out there. We can’t afford any mistakes.” She lowered her voice slightly. ”If it’s iffy, maybe we don’t use so much? Just getting Krieg’s crew is enough, right? We won’t lose out.”

”Relax,” Dante said calmly, radiating confidence. ”This is straight from the Grand Line. Commissioned it specially through Baroque Works. It’s colorless, odorless... word is, Baroque Works uses this stuff all the time to ’handle’ pirates. Works like a charm.”

”Grand Line stuff? Okay, that’s better.” Nami visibly relaxed. ”So, what’s the next step?”

”Next...” Dante’s eyes narrowed slightly. ”Tell Robin it’s time to spring the trap.”

---

Back on deck, Mock surveyed the assembled captains again, his gaze sweeping over them before locking onto Krieg. His banners fluttering behind him.

”Today, fate brings us together!” Mock declared, trying to inject meaning into the words. ”In all the East Blue, the only ones worthy of my notice are you fighters! But the one I respect most...” His eyes fixed on the golden-armored figure. ”Is you, Captain Krieg! The former Overlord of the East Blue!”

He let the title hang for a moment, then continued, reading from his palm again while trying to look thoughtful. ”The title of Overlord lies between you and me.” ’Bah! why’s the Boss got me saying stuff like that? Insultin’ myself...’ He pushed the thought aside. ”Since fate brought us here, let’s have a contest! We strike from two sides! Let’s see who takes the Marine Commander’s head at the 16th Branch first!”

He puffed out his chest again. ”Since I organized this party, my Mock Pirates will take the front! We’ll lead the main assault! Your Krieg Pirates can hit them from the rear!”

He threw his head back and unleashed his signature laugh, a booming, slightly forced sound. ”Wahahahaha! And I invite all you captains here to join us! Come see who the real Overlord of the East Blue is!”

Stunned silence. The pirates hadn’t expected such... generosity? Mock was issuing a direct challenge to Krieg, taking the most dangerous frontal assault himself, and inviting them all to witness it?

’Then again,’ they mused, ’if he wasn’t this bold, this arrogant, would Marine HQ have slapped fifty million on his head? Would he have dared gather us all to declare war on the Marines?’ This must be the spirit of the Overlord! He’d even planned for everyone: the main assault for himself, the rear for Krieg, the wealthy parts of the Conomi Islands for the major crews to plunder, and even the poorer villages for the smaller, nameless crews.

’Impressive!’ Even the minor crews felt acknowledged. ’Truly the Overlord! He’s looking out for us too!’

’Now that’s an Overlord!’

As for the danger of a frontal assault? The assembled captains smirked. A mere East Blue Marine branch? Against this combined might? Krieg’s fleet alone could probably handle it. The outcome was already decided. They, the pirates, were guaranteed to win!

Krieg stared hard at Mock, understanding the implication. Attacking from the rear was tactically advantageous, yes, but coming from the new Overlord, it felt like an insult, a suggestion that Krieg needed the easier path. But Mock was the current top dog, and he had invited all these witnesses...

”Hmph. Very well. The Krieg Pirates accept your challenge,” Krieg sneered back, crossing his own massive arms. ”Just don’t be surprised when we’ve taken the base before you lot even make landfall!”

”Wahahahaha!” Mock roared again, remembering the Boss’s instruction about signature laughs for big-shot pirates. ”We’ll just see about that!”

Mock let loose his own brand of maniacal laughter. ”Then I’ll be watching, Krieg!”

He turned. ”Bring the wine! Quickly now you laggards!”

A crewmate rushed forward with a large, ornate bowl. Mock took it, waited until Krieg and the other captains had received theirs, then nodded in satisfaction. He raised his bowl high.

”This here is special Tangerine Wine from Cocoyashi Village!” he announced proudly. ”Rich fruity smell, smooth taste, lingers on the tongue! My Mock Pirates paid a hefty price to get our hands on it!”

Following Mock’s lead, and still buzzing from the spectacle of Krieg’s arrival and Mock’s grand pronouncements, the pirate captains raised their bowls. The golden-yellow liquid shimmered, smelling faintly, pleasantly of tangerines.

’Never heard of famous wine from Cocoyashi,’ some thought privately, ’but if the Overlord says it’s good...’ They dismissed their doubts.

Holding their bowls high, they looked towards Mock, expressions serious.

”To victory!” someone shouted.

”To plunder!” yelled another.

”To Berries!” Mock bellowed, using the formal toast word he’d been taught, cutting through the noise.

”To Berries!” The word echoed across the water from dozens of gruff throats, a unified cry before battle. The scent of tangerines seemed to intensify, hanging heavy in the air.

Pirates on nearby ships who hadn’t been invited looked on with envy.

”Damn, why don’t we get any? The Overlord himself called it fine wine!”

”Yeah, I wanna taste it!”

”Know your place, scrub! You think you get to drink with the big captains? Only the top crews got invited!”

”What a party!”

Cheers, shouts, and drunken jeers filled the air.

*CRASH!*

Mock slammed his empty bowl down onto the deck. The sudden noise silenced the crowd instantly. They understood. The pleasantries were over. It was time for the main event.

Time to bathe the Marine 16th Branch in blood.

”Set sail!” Mock roared.

Across the gathered fleet, anchors were weighed, sails were unfurled. Slowly, purposefully, the armada began to move, ships peeling off according to Mock’s plan, converging on the Conomi Archipelago.

The climax was about to begin.

---

Meanwhile, on a Marine warship approaching the same waters...

”Captain Smoker, the interrogation is complete,” Tashigi reported, saluting crisply, though her face was etched with worry. ”They were just small-time pirates, no bounties. Said they left Mock’s big gathering. Didn’t want any part of the operation.” She hesitated. ”Sir, they confirmed Mock gathered thousands of pirates. Even Don Krieg’s fleet has joined him. They plan to attack the Conomi Archipelago from four directions! What do we do?”

”Thousands?” Smoker frowned, taking the cigars from his mouth. His expression turned grim. ”What in the hell is that idiot Mock planning?” Even for a Logia user like him, tackling that many pirates at once was problematic. ’Does the 16th Branch even have enough Marines to warrant this kind of response?’

Unless...

’Playing with fire?’ A cold suspicion formed in Smoker’s mind. ’Did Mock betray us?’

His eyes narrowed, hardening. ”That stupid fool!”

He turned to Tashigi. ”Take a detachment and head straight for the Conomi Archipelago. Provide support, hold back as many pirates as you can. I’m going directly to the 16th Branch.” A cold smirk touched his lips. ”Got an Overlord to stop. And while I’m there... I need to have a word with that moron Mock.”

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