One Piece: Lord of the Weather Chapter 45: Marine major

Pablo woke up with the first light.

He was not in a hurry. He got up from his bed, took off his training clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

The water was warm. He stood under it for minutes, washing away the fatigue of the past days. Not because his body was tired. Because he wanted to be refreshed for this day.

He ca out of the bathroom. He dried his hair. He stood in front of the small mirror.

He put on black pants, a pure white shirt, and an elegant black jacket. Then shiny black shoes. He combed his black hair back.

He was no longer the thin child from Verona. Nor the tired worker from the fruit factory.

He stood as a fifteen-year-old young man, one ter and eighty-two centiters tall. His shoulders were broad. His muscles traced under the white shirt. His face was handso, calm, and his black eyes revealed nothing.

He knew he would be judged by his appearance before his words.

That was why he wore this outfit.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He was ready.

He took a deep breath and left.

---

The Marine building was in the center of Naraka. Not as large as those on the major islands, but imposing enough. White walls, stone columns, and the World Governnt flag fluttering at the top.

Pablo entered through the main door.

The guards at the gate stopped him. They looked at him. They were not used to seeing a young man of this age in such attire.

"Who are you? And what do you need?"

"Pablo. Captain Vinson requested to see ."

Their looks changed slightly. They had heard the na.

"Wait here."

After a few minutes, a soldier ca and took Pablo to the upper floor.

The hallway was long. On the walls were paintings of important Marine figures. At the end of the hallway, a large door.

The soldier opened the door. Pablo entered the captain's room.

The room was wide. Its windows overlooked the main street. A heavy wooden desk. Dark leather chairs. Behind the desk, a large chair where the captain sat.

On the walls were maps of Naraka and the neighboring islands. A long sword hung behind the chair. Its hilt was made of silver, its blade shining.

Captain Vinson was sitting behind his desk. He did not stand when Pablo entered. He just looked at him.

He was in his forties. His hair was light brown, carefully combed back. His eyes were blue, always half-closed, as if he did not want to see everything. But those who knew him knew that he saw everything.

He was tall, lean in build, but the muscles of his arms were disproportionately strong compared to the rest of his body.

"Sit down."

Pablo sat on the opposite chair.

Vinson looked at him for a long ti. Then he began.

"You are fifteen years old?"

"Yes."

"And you run the Pablo Family."

"I run a group of people trying to make a living."

Vinson smiled a small smile. It was not warm.

"Nice. Where did you co from?"

"From Verona Island. You don't know it."

"And how did you start all this?"

"I started working in a fruit factory. Got promoted. Then expanded."

Short answers. Not lies, but they gave nothing away.

Vinson changed direction.

"What are your family's goals?"

Pablo looked at him directly.

"Our goal is to purify Naraka Island from thugs and drug dealers. To make civilians' lives better."

Vinson paused for a second. Then he said:

"Do you think I believe this?"

Pablo did not back down.

"You don't need to believe . I am telling you the truth."

Vinson knew that Pablo was lying. They both knew. But Vinson had no proof.

"The gang war you are waging... makes life in the island harder. Six civilians were injured in your recent battles. So are still in the hospital."

Pablo's face did not change.

"Those battles were against drug dealers. We never targeted civilians. And if they were injured... I will cover their treatnt. I will send soone to pay their bills."

This surprised Vinson a little.

"You will?"

"I will."

Vinson was silent. Then he said:

"We have a complaint from a factory owner. He accuses your family of intimidation and forcing him to sell."

"It was a minor dispute, and it has been resolved. We are working together now."

Vinson found no angle to grab onto. The man worked for him willingly. Circumstances were all against any serious investigation.

Vinson looked at Pablo for a long ti. Then he said:

"I will warn you, Pablo. Do not go too far. The Marines sotis turn a blind eye... but they never sleep. If things get out of control, I will take decisive action."

"I understand."

"You may leave now."

Pablo stood up. He did not say anything. He walked toward the door.

Before he left, he heard Vinson's voice behind him.

"I will be watching you."

After he closed the door, Vinson looked at his officers who had been listening from the adjacent room.

"This child is not stupid. Watch all of his family's movents. And do not miss anything."

The officers nodded.

"It will be done."

---

That sa day, Morris was standing in his factory, which he no longer owned. He was supervising the changes.

Pablo had sent Reynold with him. The silent, large man stood in the corner. He did not speak. He just watched.

Morris was pained by his presence. But he did not dare to object.

After hours, Morris stopped working. He sat on an old chair. He looked at Reynold.

"Do you know anything about swords?"

Reynold shook his head. No.

"I do. I worked in an anchor factory all my life, but swords... swords are different. The iron we need is not ordinary. We need Tamahagane iron. Strong, flexible, and does not break easily."

He paused. Then he added:

"And the blacksmiths I know are not skilled in this type of work. We need experienced blacksmiths. They exist in Naraka. But they work for other factories. They will not co unless we pay them much more than they currently receive."

Reynold noted everything in his mind. In the evening, he went to Pablo and told him.

Pablo summoned one of his trusted n.

"I will give you two tasks. First: go to the iron rchants at the port. Buy this tal for . Large quantities. Second: find skilled blacksmiths in Naraka. Entice them with more than they currently receive. Bring them to Morris's factory."

The man nodded and left.

---

In the evening, after Pablo had returned from the Marine headquarters, he sat with Marco and Arthur in his room on the upper floor.

Arthur was sitting on the opposite chair. He was no longer the weak gang mber who used to follow John. He had beco an important official in the Pablo Family.

He was proud of this. Proud of the new identity the family had given him.

He admired Marco. His strength, his courage, his ability to lead.

And he admired Pablo even more. His intelligence, his calmness, his ability to organize things.

In this room, with these two n, Arthur felt he was in the right place.

Pablo opened his small notebook.

"Now that we have dealt with the Marines temporarily... it is ti to think about the next step."

He opened a hand-drawn map of Naraka on the paper.

"We control twenty percent of the island. Who controls the larger part?"

Arthur pointed to a large area in the center of the island.

"Shigo."

"Tell about him."

Arthur began to explain.

"Shigo. A man in his forties. Tall, bald, fights with a sword. He is skilled with it. Not an ordinary fighter."

"How many n does he have?"

"About a hundred and twenty. They are not an official gang. Just a group of n who gathered around him. They control thirty percent of the island."

"Why haven't we clashed with him before?"

"Because he maintains his territory. He doesn't expand much. But he does not allow anyone to encroach on him."

Pablo closed his notebook.

"If we want to control half of the island... we must get rid of him."

Marco looked at him. "How?"

"We will not go into a battle with his n... we will attack him when he is alone or with few n."

Arthur asked: "What about the Marines?"

"The Marines will intervene if a large war breaks out in the streets. That is why we must get rid of him quietly."

The three were silent for a mont.

Then Pablo said:

"Gather everything you can about Shigo. His movents. His habits. Where he sleeps. Who his closest n are. Everything."

Arthur nodded. "I will start tomorrow."

"Marco... continue training the n."

"Alright."

Pablo sat behind his desk.

He looked out the window. The sky was beginning to set.

Thirty percent of the island was under Shigo's control.

Twenty percent under his control.

Half of the island was a close target.

He opened his notebook. He wrote:

"Shigo. The next priority."