## Chapter 87: The Captured Crocodile!
Although Dragon's intervention quickly resolved the three areas with the highest concentration of Slaves, GR27, GR28, and GR29, the Non-Law Zone includes Zone 0, Zone 10, and Zone 20, totaling twenty-nine Great Zones. The number of criminals within them was far more than just hundreds.
This led to the chaos and gunshots lasting for a full day and night before gradually subsiding. The Island's permanent Residents even stayed up all night with the Marines, truly not daring to close their eyes.
When the morning sun rose again from the eastern horizon on the second day, the Marine Branch's thorough investigation Operation was basically complete.
During the process, due to the excessive number of captured Pirates and Kidnapping Gang members, Dragon had to request Prison Ship Support from Enies Lobby.
While continuing the search, they also sent a batch over. Even so, the Prison Cells within the Base are now full, waiting for the next round of Prison Ships to arrive.
At the same time, the News of the Marines clearing out all Slave Trade Industries on Sabaody Archipelago spread in all directions through various channels, instantly alarming many Behind-the-Scenes Bigshots.
Previously, the capture of the Slave King had also put these people on alert, but it didn't involve their own Industries, so no one was willing to stick their neck out. After all, you don't feel the pain until the Whip hits you.
Furthermore, Sabaody Archipelago had always been under Holy Land Marie Geoise and next to Marine Headquarters Marineford. There hadn't been any problems for hundreds of years, which made them believe the Marines wouldn't dare touch this place.
As for the reason, most people thought it was because the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons, frequently visited the Island.
But now, their Money Printing Machines had been completely wiped out by Dragon. Oh no, it should be said that he flipped over, smashed, and chopped up all the tables below! He even stomped on the 'Money Printing Machine' itself!
As the saying goes, cutting off someone's financial path is like killing their parents, and smashing someone's rice bowl will create a deep-seated feud for ten generations. Now, all the bigwigs related to the Slave Trade couldn't sit still.
Even the undercurrents of the entire Underworld surged towards Monkey D. Dragon!
Meanwhile, more Intelligence Agents began probing into Marine Headquarters. They wanted to know if this was Dragon's unauthorized Operation or an Order from the higher-ups at Marine Headquarters.
And those Royalty also used the Influence of the Nobility to gather Information on Holy Land, Mary Geoise. They needed to know the Celestial Dragons' Attitude towards this incident.
There were also some short-tempered Bigshots who didn't care about anything. Driven to desperation, they sent their Experts with bloodshot eyes directly to Sabaody Archipelago.
In their view, no matter who gave the Order, since you, Dragon, were the executor, they would take you down first!
What?
You're Marine Hero Garp's Son?
So what?
And Dragon, who was in the midst of such a Great Storm, was calmly sitting at his desk in the Base, processing the Documents in his hands. He intended to write a detailed Report on this Operation.
As for the coming Storm from the Underworld, it wasn't that he wasn't aware of it. Rather, he just wanted to say one thing.
He was the Storm!
Moreover, declaring war on the Underworld suited him perfectly!!
In Holy Land, Mary Geoise, inside Pangaea Castle, one loud hitting sound after another echoed.
[Bang!!]
A bright yellow Beam bounced off the sea-blue Court, instantly sweeping past the approaching vermilion Racket, flying out of the Court with a surging Air Current.
The strong Gale blew Gion's Bangs wildly upwards. Sweat had already drenched her beautiful black hair into strands, and beads of sweat slid down her face into her mouth. It must have tasted bitter, but she couldn't taste it.
"0:40, Nerona Saint scores."
Stussy, acting as the Referee, stood by the sideline and looked helplessly at this Marine Rear Admiral, thinking, "Why bother? Isn't this just asking for trouble?"
In the Court, Gion didn't know her thoughts, and even if she did, she probably wouldn't care.
She should be aching all over, her legs trembling, maybe even cramping a little, but this was just imagination. In reality, she couldn't feel anything.
She was half-kneeling on the ground, one hand gripping the Racket Handle, staring blankly as sweat dripped from the tip of her nose onto the ground. The web of her hand was numb, and her wrist was red.
But in Gion's World, there was nothing.
Everything her eyes saw was Darkness, her ears couldn't hear any sound, she couldn't even feel the touch of the Racket in her hand. Only her Observation Haki was still functioning.
It told her that the Racket was still in her hand, what her current posture was, and that Saint Nerona on the other Half-court was hitting the Tennis Ball, preparing for the last Serve of this Game.
Like a silent and colorless radar, it supported Gion as she slowly stood up and got ready to Return the Serve.
"Hmm?!"
Suddenly, Gion was shocked to find that she had lost her perception of Observation Haki. She just felt an invisible Wave sweep past for a moment, and then the 'black screen' appeared.
Darkness, everything turned into Darkness. No Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, or Feeling.
In the Outside World.
[Bang!]
Another explosive hitting sound resounded throughout the Social Plaza. The Tennis Ball struck by the Racket turned into a golden stream of light, rapidly exploding at Gion's feet, stirring up visible Air Current.
"Game, Score 6:0, Nerona Saint wins!"
Stussy called out the result while looking strangely at Gion, who stood still on the spot with vacant eyes. She wondered if the girl had been beaten dazed or was just exhausted.
"Looks like the Effect is quite good."
Meanwhile, Im, standing on the Half-court representing the New World, had the corner of his mouth lifted, revealing a strange Smile.
He naturally knew Gion's Situation; this was his doing.
By giving the opponent an unparalleled sense of oppression, combined with precise Mental Power Control, he deprived them of their Five Senses during the Game, causing their spirit to collapse and making them unable to continue the Match.
Yes, he tried to simulate the 'Five Senses Deprivation' Moves/Techniques of Yukimura Seiichi from Prince of Tennis. However, he just added one more sense, the Sixth Sense.
The essence of Observation Haki is the application of Mental Power, and its Core is controlling one's Sixth Sense. Therefore, he just needed to suppress Gion with stronger Mental Power.
It was also interesting that Gion actually requested him to increase the Force and Speed, saying she wanted to challenge her limits or something. Of course, he was willing to satisfy her.
But as a Price, being his guinea pig for Racket techniques research and development was only right, wasn't it?
What was that called again...
Oh, right, Equivalent Exchange!
Stussy quickly noticed something was wrong. She hurried to Gion's side and patted her, only to find that the latter seemed truly dazed, showing no Reaction at all.
"Lord. What's wrong with her?"
"It's nothing. Help her to a chair to lie down for a while. She should wake up in about an hour. Don't forget to give her some Saltwater."
Im replied casually, walking indifferently to the rack to put the Racket back. Then he washed his hands in the Basin a Maid brought over.
Just as he was thinking about what other Racket techniques he could simulate in his mind, another Maid walked over with a Transponder Snail, but didn't say anything.
Im glanced at the Transponder Snail, lay down on his exclusive deck chair to bask in the warm Sunlight, squinted his eyes, and asked, "Speak."
"Lord, CP0 has already escorted Crocodile into Impel Down's Infinite Hell."
"Then keep him locked up for now."
"Yes."
The Transponder Snail closed its eyes and lowered its little Head. The Maid respectfully retreated and left. Im, on the other hand, was thinking about this Sand Crocodile.
This guy is twenty-two years old this year.
Because he had just transmigrated two years ago and hadn't proposed the Seven Warlords of the Sea plan at that time, Crocodile didn't become a Seven Warlord of the Sea after challenging 'Whitebeard' and failing at the age of twenty, as he did in the Original Work.
Of course, there is one now.
However, this Seven Warlords of the Sea is not that Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Anyway, after being defeated by 'Whitebeard', this guy returned to Paradise dejected, and then was captured because of one of his Orders.
The problem now is how to use this Sand Crocodile. Unlike Moria, he doesn't have a Bond that can be used as a Hostage, so it requires a bit more effort.