# Chapter 68: Consecutive Actions
"Admiral!"
The Marines on the warship watched this scene in shock, having already prepared for the worst.
Suddenly, a Marine noticed a black figure flying from the Island during the explosion and falling into the water, vaguely seeing the tattered Cloak of Justice.
"Quick, rescue! Someone fell into the water, it's likely the Admiral."
Davis was not dead.
At the critical moment, he used Armament Haki to protect his entire body.
Coupled with his powerful vitality and physique, he successfully survived the terrifying explosion.
However, he had fallen unconscious.
If no one had discovered him and come to his rescue, he likely would have drowned in the sea.
Even so, Davis was severely injured.
"Cough, cough!" As soon as he opened his eyes, Davis endured the pain in his body, gritted his teeth, and struggled to stand up.
His body had been simply treated by the ship's doctor immediately after being rescued.
"Go to the Island and check. Don't let that guy escape."
"But Vice Admiral, your injuries?"
"These are just minor injuries. Capturing the Pirate is more important."
The Island was covered in scorched earth, emitting intense heat after the explosion.
Wendigo had not escaped.
During the explosion, he had already reached his physical limit.
Having consumed too much stamina, he was now completely unconscious, his right arm empty, with little power left to resist.
"Arrest him."
Looking at the incapacitated Wendigo, Davis gave the order.
Just like that, Wendigo was defeated by Davis, handcuffed with Seastone Handcuffs, and captured alive.
"Let's retreat quickly."
Davis didn't want to stay any longer.
The Rocks Pirates must have already received the news, and perhaps reinforcements were on their way.
Thinking of this, the figure of "Lion Ghost" Shiki appeared in his mind.
If someone was indeed coming, it was most likely Shiki.
Although Davis really wanted revenge, given his current state, it would likely put his life at risk.
Having endured Wendigo's self-destruct attack, his combat power was severely depleted.
"Notify the nearby Navy Branch to strengthen their vigilance."
Just as he predicted, an hour after they left, Shiki arrived at Flame Island.
"Is it over already? I'm late again."
Shiki had a premonition earlier.
Seeing the half-destroyed Island and the massive basin that had appeared out of nowhere, he still felt a sense of emotion.
The intensity of the battle seemed higher than he had anticipated.
Since Davis was severely injured, he didn't have time to clear out the remaining Pirate on the Island.
After questioning the surviving Pirate on the Island, he understood the general situation.
Given Shiki's personality, he wouldn't come all this way for nothing.
If he didn't do something, he would truly become a "post-battle Reporter".
"Then I'll go to the nearest Navy Fortress, G44 Base."
Even with Davis's warning, the Marine Base in the Surrounding Seas followed suit.
However, facing the suppression of absolute strength, it had no effect whatsoever.
The Base Commander of the G44 Fortress, Marine Vice Admiral Scolls, had no ability to resist "Lion Ghost" Shiki.
Even Admiral "Daytime Tiger" would suffer losses against him, so how could a mere Vice Admiral from the East Blue who wasn't the real deal possibly stand against him?
Scolls was forcefully killed by Shiki.
His Famous Sword "Sakuragi" cut off his head with a single Slash.
The entire Navy Fortress was slaughtered.
Although Shiki had not yet grown his long hair, his cruel style already showed the domineering nature of a Lion King.
The Marines' special operation was not over.
"The Blaster" Wendigo was just the beginning.
Capturing just one Great Pirate was not enough to effectively strike at the morale of the Pirate.
The Great Pirate "The Blaster" Wendigo was personally captured by Admiral "Daytime Tiger", and the Blaster Pirates were annihilated.
G44 Marine Base was destroyed by "Lion Ghost" Shiki, and Marine Vice Admiral Scolls was beheaded.
These two pieces of News spread one after another, fermenting across the World along with the newspapers.
Another big piece of News broke out in the New World.
Two days after the Flame Island incident, Admiral "Evening Elephant" Puyol also took action.
In another Sea Area, he captured a Great Pirate with a Bounty of nearly 500 million Beli, "Tyrant Bear" Morant.
This was a young and domineering Pirate under thirty years old, the Captain of the Grizzly Bear Pirate Crew, and one of the Cadre of the Rocks Pirates.
He was a rising star of the Rocks Pirates who had emerged a few years earlier than Shiki and Edward Newgate.
He possessed the potential to become a core combat power of the Rocks Pirates.
However, unfortunately, his seemingly arrogant actions led to him being targeted by the Marines, becoming the Marines' second target.
Had his journey already ended?
He was to be imprisoned in Impel Down, which had never been breached since its establishment.
It was unknown if he would ever have the chance to reappear on the Great Sea, but in this era belonging to the Rocks Pirates, nothing was impossible.
The consecutive capture of two Great Pirate greatly boosted the morale of the Marines.
Such results were noteworthy.
For some people, it had been a long time since they had heard such good News from the Marines.
It was not over yet.
Two days later, while many were still shocked by this News, the Peerless Duo from West Blue and North Blue, on whom both Marines placed great hope, took action together.
"Purple Lion" Messi and "White Rat" Ronaldo struck simultaneously.
The two Marine Vice Admiral respectively defeated Maddi and Carter, known as the "Pirate Brothers", who had Bounties exceeding 300 million Beli.
This battle further increased their prestige within the Marines.
Naturally, the West Blue Navy and North Blue Navy also played a role in promoting this.
Unlike most other Marine Vice Admiral from the Four Seas, Messi and Ronaldo possessed great strength.
They relied on their own talent and strength to become Marine Vice Admiral.
Moreover, they belonged to the Four Seas Faction but were Headquarters Vice Admiral, not the ones from the Four Seas who weren't the real deal.
Similarly powerful exemplars included Admiral "Evening Elephant" Puyol, Admiral "Daytime Tiger" Davis, Admiral Candidate Cruyff, and Admiral Candidate Ferdinand.
Even the Marine Vice Admiral of the Four Seas Faction already within the Marines were exemplars of great strength.
The Four Seas Navy was able to gain a firm foothold in Marine Headquarters and wield significant influence precisely because of their strength.
Conversely, due to Fleet Admiral Black's excessive promotion of young Marine Vice Admiral, these Vice Admiral were slightly lacking in both strength and influence within the Marines.
Fleet Admiral Black and "Steel Bone" Kong wanted to promote Garp and Sengoku to be the next generation of Marine Admiral Candidate.
Although the Four Seas Navy had somewhat yielded, it was clearly impossible for them to truly give up.
They continued to support the rise of Messi and Ronaldo, showing a tendency to compete against Garp and Sengoku, whom Kong and Black favored.
They wanted to become Admiral Candidate first by accumulating merit.
While the positions of Admiral Candidate were not strictly limited, there couldn't be too many.
Currently, the Marines already had four Admiral Candidate, and becoming a Marine Admiral still required quite a ways off.
Therefore, they could only place their hopes on the young Marines.
(end of chapter)