Chapter 155

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**New World, G-5 Branch**

The G-5 branch is one of the few footholds the Marines maintain in the New World. During the height of Rocks' dominance, the Marine Headquarters had a significantly stronger military presence in this region.

However, after Garp's legendary defeat of Rocks, which earned him the title of Marine Hero, the Marines managed to bolster their strength again.

Yet, twenty years ago, all of this glory faded away. Following Gol D. Roger's seditious declaration of becoming the Pirate King before his death, the Marines' military deployment in the New World began a gradual retreat. Ultimately, their influence shrank to its limits, leaving only a handful of branches to defend.

The G-5 branch was one of those remaining outposts, notorious among the Marines for its bad reputation. Many of its members behaved like rogues, displaying hostility towards the island's residents.

They justified their actions by claiming the New World was a treacherous place, filled with powerful pirates, and that strict adherence to Marine regulations was unnecessary when survival was at stake.

Three months ago, following the World Summit, Arthur requested the return of 226 angels led by Major General Jessica. After her promotion, Jessica requested to be assigned to the G-5 branch. Her arrival rapidly enhanced the branch's strength and morale.

The G-5 Marines, motivated by the newcomers' achievements, were eager to prove themselves and not be overshadowed.

This newfound determination led to a surge in the branch's reputation within the New World, garnering praise even from Sengoku, who had previously viewed the branch as a headache.

At the G-5 military port, Jessica stood adorned in a cloak of justice, two sharp knives slung at her waist, exuding a commanding presence.

Behind her were members of the Flame Legion and Kamui Legion—angels who couldn't wear the Marine cloak due to their wings. In just three months, their presence in the New World had transformed them; they radiated strength and confidence.

"Oh! It's Major General Jessica! She's so beautiful! I envy those angel bastards for serving under her!" one marine exclaimed.

"Hey, don't be foolish! Don't you know Major General Jessica is King Arthur's woman?" another chimed in.

"Yeah! She's practically on the same level as an Admiral!" a third added.

"Get out of here! Can't you let me have my fantasy of being under Major General Jessica's command?" one of them retorted.

The ruffians of the G-5 branch joked amongst themselves, their camaraderie evident. Jessica, who could easily hear their words, dismissed their banter, knowing their intentions were harmless.

Initially, tensions had run high between the angels and the marines, but as they got to know one another, it became clear that they were simply soldiers doing their duty, albeit with rough edges.

"Major General, where are we heading this time?" Raphael asked, following Jessica.

"This time... we'll patrol the waters around G-5. Our recent operations have been frequent, and we've cleared much of the surrounding area. Now it's time to consolidate our gains," Jessica replied, thoughtfully brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Oh... I understand," Raphael nodded, slightly disappointed. He had hoped for more action, as fighting against different pirate groups had invigorated his spirit and helped him grow stronger.

Once aboard their ship, they set course and sailed out of the port into the vast sea. Over the last six months, due to the cooperation between the Sky Island and the Marines, the new wind propulsion technology had been integrated into Marine warships throughout the New World and the Grand Line. 

This was all part of Arthur's influence.

However, Arthur did not want this. If the warships of the Four Seas were equipped with wind shells as propulsion devices, it would be exceedingly difficult for any pirate group from the Four Seas to navigate through the Reverse Mountain and overcome the challenges to enter the New World.

While Arthur's partnership with the Marines had enhanced their speed, his dealings with Doflamingo allowed wind shells to be available in the underground market. Consequently, pirates and other factions could obtain this technology and modify their ships, circumventing Marine advantages.

The Marines were aware of this, but without evidence, they couldn't act against Arthur, who had orchestrated these developments in secret. They speculated that the emergence of the Angel Empire had drawn attention to the resources found in the sky islands.

Three days later, Jessica's ship was in pursuit of a small, agile pirate vessel.

The enemy ship's speed was impressive, and Jessica's warship struggled to close the distance. Growing impatient, Jessica decided to unleash her powers, lifting the warship out of the water and transforming it into a spacecraft, rapidly accelerating toward the fleeing pirate ship.

Thanks to Jessica's abilities, her chases rarely ended in failure. This had been true during her time in the first half of the Grand Line, where pirates found it nearly impossible to evade capture. Jessica's swift promotion to major general was a testament to her fruit abilities and military prowess. Had she been with the Marines longer, she would likely have been promoted to Lieutenant General by now.

Within minutes, realizing escape was futile, the pirate crew stopped and prepared to fight.

As Jessica's warship descended from the sky, the war angels of the Flame Legion deployed from the ship, swiftly surrounding the pirates. In less than ten minutes, the little pirate crew was entirely apprehended without Jessica needing to lift a finger.

The captain of the opposing crew found himself face-to-face with Jessica.

Jessica frowned, studying the pirate captain closely. She recalled the known and undetained pirates in the New World and found it odd that someone of his stature could roam freely under a pirate's flag. It struck her as strange that a person with no significant bounty could be causing trouble in the New World. *Is he part of a new rookie pirate group that just emerged?* 

Her curiosity deepened as she observed the captain again. He didn't appear to be a newcomer. When she caught him smiling, her confusion turned to irritation.

"What are you laughing at? Are you some rookie pirate just starting out?" Jessica said, her tone sharp as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You woman, you'll regret this! I've been a pirate in the New World for seven or eight years! Even if you've captured me, I've sent word back. My lord will be here soon!" The pirate laughed wildly, a glint of menace in his eyes.

Feeling a growing sense of unease, Jessica waved for two war angels to escort the captain to the ship's small prison. *What is going on? He seems to have some conspiracy brewing against me,* she thought, trying to shake off her anxiety but failing.

With a cautious mindset, she resolved to avoid confrontation for the time being. The New World was far more perilous than the first half of the Grand Line. If she encountered a powerful adversary, it was better to be prudent. 

"Alright, let's head back!" Jessica ordered.

Wald, her subordinate, nodded and instructed the crew to adjust the sails without delay. Although the pursuit had been swift, it had consumed a considerable amount of wind power, and it seemed the ship's reserves were dwindling.

Raphael, observing the change in direction, asked, "Major General, are we really going back now?"

"Yes," Jessica confirmed, her tone serious. "I don't know why, but after what that guy said, I've felt an unsettling anxiety. We need to return. The New World is more dangerous than we can fathom."

"Huh?" Raphael raised an eyebrow, wanting to voice his concerns but choosing silence instead. To him, it felt like a mere threat from an unknown foe, but he understood Jessica's instincts often ran deeper.

Half a day later, as her unease grew, the warship quickly returned to the G-5 branch.

"Major General Jessica? You're back early today!" one of the marines called out.

"Welcome back, Major General!" another chimed in, all smiles as they waved.

Normally, Jessica would have acknowledged them with a nod, but today she hurried past, lost in her thoughts.

"Something seems off with Major General Jessica," one marine remarked. 

"Yeah, it's unusual for her not to greet us," another added. "Did you notice her expression? It doesn't look good."

"Is that so? I thought she looked as beautiful as ever," one replied, oblivious to the underlying tension.

While the marines speculated about Jessica's demeanor, an unseen danger loomed closer.

Later that day, in her dojo, Jessica practiced kendo, but her inner turmoil made it impossible to focus.

"What is happening!?" she shouted in frustration, sheathing her sword. Suddenly, her gaze flickered to the sky. "What's that power?! Is that... Kaido?!"

Her eyes widened in disbelief as realization dawned on her. *Kaido! Is he coming for me because of Arthur?* Jessica's expression shifted from shock to determination. She quickly changed into her Marine uniform, grabbed her sword, and bolted outside.

The ground trembled with a deafening roar, shaking the island, followed by a thunderous voice echoing across the land: "Where is that angel girl? Get out here, now!"