Chapter 32: Assaulting The 69th Marine Branch
(3rd Person: POV)
As the full moon hung high in the night sky the entire crew of the Thanatos Pirates stood on the deck of their ship the Black Pearl.
Which is currently situated just off the coast of Kaeru Island, where the 69th Marine Branch they are planning to rob is located.
Facing his crew Roberts already saw they had divided themselves into two teams.
The assault team that would do the actual attacking and robbing of the 69th Marine Branch.
And the defender team that would protect the Black Pearl and cover the assault team as they made their escape.
The former consisted of Reiju, Weisz, Alfia, and Roberts himself leading the team. While the latter was composed of Law, Bepo, and finally Robin with Law as their leader.
"Alright everyone you know the plan. So then enough waiting, let's execute it." Roberts said.
"Yeah!" His crew shouted in unison.
Signaling the start of their plan.
----------------------------------------------
On the grounds of the 69th Marine Branch various marines were patrolling.
As per usual.
Even if it was night they were ever vigilant.
As the patrols roamed the grounds, the quiet night was suddenly broken. Filled with a wonderous melody.
Hearing this melody the patrolling marines stopped in their tracks. A glazed-over expression appearing on all their faces.
The second after this happened all of them dropped their weapons.
While the marines nearest to the bases front gate moved toward it and then opened it.
Roberts and his assault team standing directly on the other side.
They had taken a small boat from the Black Pearl and arrived on the far side of the island which was uninhabited. Once they made land fall they quickly made their way through the forest, which they had scouted weeks before, and arrived at the marine base on the other side of the island.
Seal Team Six style.
As the assault team walked through the gates of the marine base Alfia continued singing the melody that had put the marines patrolling the base into a hypnotic state.
While she did Roberts and the others rounded up the patrolling marines and then tied them all up with rope. Taking any and all weapons from them as they did so.
Eventually once all the marines were secured Alfia stopped singing the melody.
The moment after she did so the marines slowly came back to their senses.
"What, what is this?" One of them shouted.
"Hey, why am I tied up?!" Another shouted.
"Help!" Yet another marine shouted.
Ignoring the voices of all the confused and hogtied marines Roberts and his team entered into the main building of the 69th branch itself.
Once they did so they split up even further.
Weisz and Roberts formed a team.
While Reiju and Alfia formed the other.
As soon as this happened the two teams went separate ways.
So they could search the base at a faster rate and obtain what they were looking for quicker.
--------------------------------
Running through the 69th Marine Branch main building Roberts did so with his sword drawn.
While Weisz was running right beside him. Holding in his left hand a creation all his own.
A high-powered shotgun. Which he had decided to name Punisher.
[Image Here]
Punisher is just one of the many weapons Weisz had designed, and one of the first he had created.
Which he first began doing during the crew intensive one-month training period on the deserted island all those months ago.
When he finally revealed his projects to the crew all of them were very impressed.
Roberts in particular.
Since the weapons designs Weisz showed him reminded him of some more modernized weapons he remembered from his previous life.
'If I give Weisz enough time and resources I can't even imagine what sort of innovations he would create.' Roberts thought.
Right after he did so the two of them rounded a corner and came face-to-face with five marines.
Which made perfect sense.
Since Alfia was not yet strong enough to put an entire marine base into a hypnotic state using her melodies.
There were bound to be some who were unaffected.
But then that's exactly the reason Roberts called his team the assault them in the first place.
Because this was an assault as much as it was a robbery.
Seeing Roberts and Weisz the five marines in front of them were momentarily stunned.
Ignoring this Roberts put a smile on his face and lightly bowed. "Hello there. My name is Soren. D Roberts. Captain of the Thanatos Pirates. A pleasure to meet you marines of the 69th Marine Branch. Unfortunately my friend and I must cut this meeting short. Enjoy the after life and rejoice, for your lives are going to be taken by the future king of the pirates and a member of his crew." He explained.
Roberts then stood up straight.
The moment after he did so Weisz aimed Punisher in the direction of the marines and without any hesitation pulled the trigger.
A resounding boom then echoed through the hallway as the single shot from Punisher tore through the bodies of the first two marines like they were paper.
Killing them.
Before the three other marines could process what had just happened to their comrades Roberts left forward and used his sword to cut them all down.
Ending the battle before it truly even got started.
The enemies in front of them defeated Weisz and Roberts continued on their way without issue.
--------------------------------------
Running side-by-side Reiju and Alfia both had their observation haki spread out around them.
Working to sense any and all enemies that might appear or try to attack them so could respond at a moments notices.
As the two teenage girls moved from hallway to hallway they kept silent, maintaining a completely professional demeanor with each other.
Since Alfia still didn't trust Reiju all that much.
Which Reiju herself knew, but decided not to press the issue. Since she actually wanted to gain Alfia's trust and turn her into a friend.
But that was easier said than done.
The two girls kept traversing the main building of the 69th Marine Branch, until eventually they reached hallway that led them to a giant safe door.
"Looks like we've found what we're looking for." Reiju said.
"Yeah, looks like it." Alfia agreed. "So let's stop wasting time and get this thing open so we can get out of this place."
"Sure." Reiju replied.
She then started secreting poison on her left arm and tossed it a the safe door.
Acidic poison to be specific.
A few seconds after the poison Reiju created hit the safe door a soft hissing sound permeated the air. The poison beginning to eat through the metal of the door as easily as a hot knife cuts through butter.
Within a few minutes the tumblers and hinges securing the safe door were utterly melted. The safe door then fell forward and slammed into the floor. Revealing the contents it was protecting.
Money, jewels, even a couple of chest.
Looking at the contents of the safe Reiju and Alfia couldn't help but put smiles on their faces.
Since they had hit a veritable jackpot.
Taking out a transponder snail from within her dress Alfia moved to contact Weisz and Roberts and update them on her groups situation.
While she did so Reiju moved inside the safe and quickly went to work collecting the treasure inside.
---------------------------------------------
On the other side of the main building of the 69th Marine Branch Roberts and Weisz systematically cleared room after room.
Taking out any marines they came across with precision efficiency.
As the two of them finished clearing yet another room and left it to move onto the next Roberts heard the transponder snail in his left pocket going off.
"Perepereperepere..Perepereperepere..Pereperepere.."
When he did so he took it out and answered it.
"Clack."
"Yes, hello. This is Soren D. Roberts speaking. Handsome gentleman and future king of the pirates speaking. How may I help you?" Roberts spoke.
"Haha." Alfia dryly responded. "Very funny."
"I know I am. But thanks for the compliment anyway babe." Roberts replied. "But all jokes aside, what's your status?"
"We found the base vault and have broken into it. We're now gathering as much money and jewels as we can but we'll need some help." Alfia explained.
"Understood. Weisz and I are almost done clearing the right side of the building. Just a few more rooms to go. Once we're finished we'll head over to your location." Roberts explained.
"Roger." Alfia replied.
The call then ended.
After it did so Roberts placed the transponder snail back in his left pocket.
The moment after he did so he and Weisz arrived at the door to the next room they were going to search and clear.
Raising his right leg Roberts kicked the door to the room in and then entered it. Weisz following right behind him.
As the two stepped fully into the room they found themselves inside an office. A nicely furbished office at that.
Taking a look around the office the two of them eventually found some documents that told them they were currently inside the 69th Branch base commanders office.
A marine captain by the name of Phantom F. Harlock III.
After learning this Weisz and Roberts searched the office.
In doing so they found what they were looking for, a Rokushiki manual.
Not only that they also found a map of the Grand Line.
"Looks like tonight is our lucky night." Weisz said.
"Yep, sure is." Roberts replied. "Now then, let's get the hell out of here."
Nodding Weisz then followed Roberts out of captain Harlocks' office.
The two of them then started making their way over to Alfia and Reiju location.
As they did so Roberts actually wondered where the bases commander captain Harlock was tonight.
'From the brief amount of documents I read it seems that captain Harlock is actually quite a competent marine. So I wonder why he is not here on base tonight?' Roberts thought.
He ran a couple of different scenarios through his head, but then decided to dismiss them all.
Since for Roberts the bases commander not being here tonight worked in his crews favor, and he's not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
In no time at all Roberts and Weisz arrived at the bases vault location where Alfia and Reiju were.
Once they did so the two of them began assisting the girls in gathering as much money and valuables as they all could carry.
The moment the group realized they could carry no more they left the vault and started making their way out of the marine bases main building. Lest they run the risk of getting caught.
Because while Roberts and his crew were greedy they knew how to control their greed and not let it be their downfall.
The assault team made it off the grounds of the 69th marine base branch without issue.
Once they did so they returned to their small ship and then returned to the Black Pearl without incident.
After this the Thanatos Pirates sailed away from Kaeru Island.
Having pulled off their objective and then some.
As they sailed under the moonlight Roberts stood on the deck of the Black Pearl a victorious grin on his face.
"As Hannibal from A-Team would say; I love it when a plan comes together." Robert muttered to himself.
But little did Robets and his crew know the incident involving the 69th Marine Branch was not quite over yet.