268 Worlds changes

After Alfred's actions, the White Storm Mercenaries started taking action against the roaming pirates more actively because they kept causing problems on the merchant ship routes.

Many escaped pirates from Impel Down were either killed or captured upon being defeated by the strong forces of the White Storm.

The members of White Storm used the bounty system to earn even more money from the Marines since they were not doing their jobs well enough.

With their continued growth as they were growing further in reputation, the Marines were the ones to suffer the most from criticism since they had failed to warn the outside world of their failures just to save face which resulted in a spread of pirates causing problems everywhere only to have it cleaned up by others.

In the Marine Headquarters, Akainu pounded the table with a look of rage on his face. "We are being upstaged once again and are being made out to look weak! Are they trying to show that they can replace us or something? A bunch of mercenaries and bounty hunters?!"

Sengoku shook his head as he calmly spoke. "This is why I was against the idea of hiding the truth about Impel Down, if we had admitted our faults earlier then we could have released the bounty posters sooner and gained more chances to capture many of them. We could have reduced the damage but now the blame has fallen onto us all. If we do not solve the problem and then others solve it, we will look even worse… but can you really say that it was intentional on their part?"

Akainu tossed many pieces of paper from his desk onto the ground near Sengoku. "Not intentional? Then what about these reports on corruption within the Marines? Are you sure they are not intentionally trying to bring us down and take our place?"

Sengoku shook his head again. "You are overthinking, if they had wanted to.. they could have exposed it all to the public and dealt many small wounds to the Marines public image but it was kept quiet. They are showing through their actions that they need us to remain where we are so that they can function as a business. They know their place and know how to use what they have without overstepping those boundaries."

Akainu looked like he was about to erupt. "But they could just be waiting for their chance!"

Sengoku smiled. "We welcome pirates into our own Warlord system and how have we benefited from it lately? Crocodile's actions in Alabasta? Blackbeard's betrayal once he had got what he wanted from us? We take risks every time we allow someone to fill up that role even though we know they are wanted criminals. We can try to save face and build our power up along with our reputation but one bad move can ruin it all. The worlds eyes are on us at all times so do you really wish to be known for attacking a publicly well known group that has a good reputation that has been cooperative with us? Just because of suspicion or a loss of face? Do not ruin the work we have done to recruit some promising people and do not let them lose faith in us."

Akainu sat quietly before saying. "Fine then but if they show any such behaviours, I will not get them get away."

Sengoku sighed and then left the room leaving behind the grumpy Akainu.

The Marines may carry the word 'Justice' around with them everywhere like their slogan and act like law enforcers or heroes to those around the world but that was a thing of a distant past.

In the humble beginnings, it started with brave people fighting against injustice but as they grew and saw the wider world or powers, eventually some had settled for wealth, fame and power.

Falling under the banner of the World Government, they had been given just that which allowed them to grow in power but they had practically become the World Governments dogs.

Each time they were given an order, they took actions that were against their code of justice and many times they were forced to look the other way.

In order to maintain their position, they acted like a business conglomerate that often did everything to maintain their image to the public.

Their failures would be buried, their enemies achievements may be hidden from the world, they would make big plans to start wars that would shock the world.

If they had a competitor or someone else who pursued their own form of freedom or justice then they would be branded as a criminal or an evil revolutionary group.

Their image is built on them being the good guys who maintain the peace which attracts resources to build their ships, weapons but also feed and cloth those that would be attracted by their reputation.

To Akainu and others, the White Storm was starting to become a thorn in their flesh the moment they started collecting many of the bounties but there was not much they could do about it.

In another place, the Buggy Pirates were experiencing a rapid growth after they had benefitted from the White Storm's actions.

Buggy has always had a vast amount of luck so it was of no surprise that the actions of the White Storm had helped him because many of the pirates without an alliance had came to seek shelter under him after hearing about the White Storm's recent achievements.

Their fear of returning or being hunted down by a bounty hunter lead them to find someone who could give them some form if immunity so they chose Buggy who had the Warlord status.

Meanwhile within the New World, Blackbeard and his crew had been kept busy as they had went around seizing Devil Fruits to strengthen their power further.

Blackbeard was still making use of his darkness powers to get the upper hand of everyone that crossed him but he was still searching every corner of the New World for a suitable replacement for the power that he has lost but it was very difficult to find one as destructive as the Quake fruit.

With two of the most destructive Devil Fruits in Alyssia's crew, the Quake and Rumble fruit as a Logia and Paramecia they would put a large target on Medea and Archie's backs so Alyssia had repeatedly warned them not to show odd their powers too much in public yet.

After the events of Sabaody Archipelagos, many of slaves were able to adjust to their new lives as they made new ones for themselves as they lived with their heads down but many others that had survived had taken to the seas in pursuit of freedom or to just escape as far away while they could.

Among them was a large group that had formed that were made up of all types of people whether they may be an ex gang member, pirate, bounty hunter, singer, dancer, scientist, ordinary person and so on.

They formed their own crew and then later caught the eye of the White Storm due to their spies within the underground and the groups actions after they had started sailing within the first half of the Grand Line.

Their actions prompted Alyssia to consider if she should allow Medea to approach them because they had been going around different islands as they attacked other known slaver houses or groups that specialise in capturing humans.

Upon meeting them, Medea quickly became the leader of a large amount of people but she continued with her identity as a mysterious black cloaked leader who had freed them and hid her true appearance and identity from them so that she could not expose herself and put the White Storm at risk.

The group was formed named 'The Unchained' and their sole purpose was to destroy anyone related to human trafficking while freeing anyone from the life of a slave.

Due to their actions, the group started to quickly grow very quickly as they absorbed many of those that they freed into their group.