The lively noise inside the tavern had not yet fully faded.
Sammy was enjoying this rare moment of relaxation, chatting and joking with Aldo and the others who were slumped in their chairs trying to recover from the eating contest.
BANG—!!!
The tavern door burst open.
The procurement squad leader rushed in with several crew members, all panting heavily, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Cap—Captain! Something terrible happened!"
"Wena… Wena escaped! He broke his shackles! Brother Alberto tried to stop him and was badly injured—he's… he's barely hanging on!"
Boom—
It felt as if a thunderbolt exploded over everyone's heads.
The smile on Sammy's face froze instantly.
The relaxed look in his eyes turned ice cold.
The rowdy crew members who had still been laughing moments ago fell completely silent.
"Back to the ship."
Sammy spoke only two words.
He threw a stack of Berries onto the table and rushed out of the tavern.
The drunken smiles vanished from the faces of the officers and crew.
They grabbed their weapons and followed immediately.
The once lively tavern suddenly emptied by more than half, leaving the stunned owner and remaining patrons staring in disbelief.
When Sammy and his group rushed back to the Swordfish at top speed, the thick smell of blood and the oppressive atmosphere hanging over the deck made everyone's heart sink.
The lightly wounded crew who had stayed behind were helping care for those more seriously injured.
Low groans had replaced the usual noise of the ship.
The four ship doctors were sweating profusely as they worked on the deck.
Sammy immediately pushed through the crowd toward Alberto, who lay in the center.
Alberto had been wrapped in bandages like a mummy.
The wrappings covered most of his body, yet dark red blood still seeped through in places.
His face was pale.
His eyes were closed.
His breathing was so faint it was almost impossible to notice.
Only the slight rise and fall of his chest proved he was still alive.
Sammy crouched down.
He gently placed his fingers on Alberto's cold wrist, feeling the terrifyingly weak pulse.
"How is he?"
He looked up.
His gaze first swept over the three doctors who had followed him since the West Blue, before finally settling on Dr. Hiriluk.
Hiriluk wiped sweat from his forehead.
"It's bad. Very bad."
"He's lost far too much blood. We've done everything we can—sutured the wounds, bandaged them, and used the best hemostatic medicine on board. But the blood loss is simply too severe."
"For now, we can only maintain the most basic life signs."
"Whether he survives… depends on his own will to live and his body's recovery."
"The next twelve hours are the most critical danger period."
(Hiriluk did understand some battlefield first aid and surgical treatment—after all, in the original story he had treated Chopper—but he lacked systematic medical training. His knowledge of internal injuries, infection, and disease was limited, relying mostly on experience… and some rather unconventional methods.)
Sammy slowly stood up.
He looked around at the devastated deck and the injured crew lying everywhere.
He forced down the raging anger inside him.
"What. Exactly. Happened."
Several lightly injured sailors endured their pain as they explained what had happened.
Wena had broken his shackles and suddenly attacked.
Alberto had been the first to intercept him, triggering a fierce battle.
Other crew members had tried to help, but Wena's Zoan Devil Fruit ability allowed him to overpower them one by one.
In the end, Wena had taken Alberto's sword, severely wounded him, and fled the ship.
Sammy listened silently.
Two seconds passed.
He scanned the surroundings.
"Where's Leon?"
"Isn't he here?"
"Captain, when we returned from the market, we didn't see Brother Leon anywhere near the ship!"
"Could it be… could it be Leon… maybe he made a mistake, or maybe he—"
"Shut up!"
Aldo roared, cutting him off.
"Leon isn't that kind of person!"
"Don't spout nonsense without proof!"
Sammy raised his hand, stopping the argument before it could explode.
"Don't jump to conclusions yet."
"Our priority is to find Leon and Wena."
"Alive or dead—we find them."
He began issuing orders immediately.
"Isaac. Take half of the navigation crew and stay behind."
"Assist the doctors, take care of the wounded, and reinforce the ship's defenses."
"Make sure that short-legged bastard doesn't try to come back."
"Yes, Captain!"
"Aldo, Kahelo. Take everyone who can still fight."
"Spread out from the harbor and search the city."
"Remember—Wena has a 73 million Berry bounty. He's extremely dangerous."
"If you find him, do not engage recklessly. Send a signal immediately."
"Yes, Captain!"
Soon, the scouts sent out to gather information returned with news.
"Captain! Someone saw Brother Leon at the harbor!"
"They said he fought… uh… a big dog."
"That must have been Wena's transformation."
"Brother Leon seriously wounded Wena, but that bastard caused chaos using civilians and escaped."
"And Brother Leon… was arrested by Alabasta's royal guards."
"Arrested…"
Aldo immediately shouted.
"Captain! We have to rescue Leon!"
"He only got targeted by the guards because he was chasing Wena!"
"We can't abandon him!"
"Yeah! Rescue Brother Leon!"
"We can't leave him behind!"
Sammy closed his eyes and thought for a moment.
His expression remained calm.
He raised his hand to silence the crowd.
"Aldo."
"Do you think I'm the kind of captain who abandons his brothers just to save himself?"
"Leon is our brother."
"Alberto is lying here."
"Leon has been captured."
"And that mangy mutt Wena is still running free."
"These three debts…"
"I will collect them. One by one."
"With interest."
He turned to Kahelo.
"Kahelo. Take a few sharp men."
"Change into civilian clothes and find out where the guards are holding Leon."
"Figure out the guard rotations, numbers, equipment, and patrol routes."
"Remember—reconnaissance only."
"No action. No exposure."
"Report immediately if you learn anything."
"Understood."
"Marcus. Take another team and continue searching the harbor district."
"Focus on clinics, pharmacies, abandoned houses, and sewer entrances."
"He's badly injured. He must seek treatment or a hiding place."
"Isaac. The ship's defense and care for the wounded cannot slacken."
"Hans."
"The magnetic field of Alabasta may not finish charging in time."
"Go to the market and buy a fully charged Log Pose if possible."
"Pay whatever price necessary."
"At the same time, inventory all supplies—water, food, medicine, ammunition."
"Prepare for the possibility that we may have to leave Rapeseed Port early—or even in a hurry."
Sammy paused.
He looked at the unconscious Alberto and the wounded crew around him.
"We will first find a way to rescue Leon."
"And at the same time continue searching for Wena."
"But…"
"Once Leon is rescued—or if the situation changes—we must be ready to evacuate the harbor immediately."
Then Sammy remembered something else.
"The deal with Gillian…"
"I'm afraid we'll have to play that by ear."
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