One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #54

Shachi's expression went blank as he absorbed Blake's words. "I see... so we're robbing a vice admiral... makes sen-- eeh? EEEEEEH?!" He let out an exclamation of surprise halfway through his sentence, his jaw hanging open and eyes wide in disbelief.

"By a vice admiral... you don't mean a vice admiral from Marine HQ? As in, one of those terrifying fellows who are only less terrifying than admirals?" Penguin asked nervously, his voice shaky.

Blake merely nodded, a calm smile on his face.

Penguin gulped at the confirmation. "You know, now that I think of it, we do actually need some money, and Lvneel Island is rather rich..." he said with a fake smile, shifting uneasily in his place.

Bepo, on the other hand, said nothing. He simply opted to throw himself to the ground and play dead as usual, his head turned to the side dramatically, and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Only Double Six and Sif remained oblivious to the ramifications of confronting a marine vice admiral. Sif tilted her head in confusion while Double Six rubbed his chin, trying to put on a contemplative expression as if he knew what was happening.

Law leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the reactions of the others with a calm, unreadable expression. Unlike Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin, he had no qualms about taking on a vice admiral, even if the odds seemed stacked against them. 

He welcomed the chance to test his mettle in a challenging fight and grow stronger. However, it wasn't his job to convince the others to see things his way; that responsibility fell to Blake. A captain needed to be more than just strong and capable—he had to inspire and lead his crew, or so Law believed.

Blake observed everyone's reactions with a confident grin. "No need to panic," he declared. "Law and I will handle the vice admiral. The rest of you just need to keep the small fries busy," he said, his voice brimming with assurance. 

"You've all seen what we can do. If we work together, there's hardly anyone who can stand in our way... and besides, we have a plan," he added, his words drawing everyone's attention.

Shachi gulped nervously, his face paling slightly. "And what exactly is that plan?" he asked, his voice shaky but curious.

Blake's grin widened even more, his eyes sparkling with confidence. "Law here will explain it," he said, causing the doctor to nearly faceplant in surprise and exasperation.

Law sighed before stepping forward, retrieving a map of North Blue from the drawers and spreading it over the table. "Alright, look here," he began, pointing to an island shaped like a misshapen circle at the edge of the map, surrounded by two more islands. 

"We've just departed Spider Miles," he said, indicating its position. The nearby islands were the deserted Flevence and the rich Lvneel Island.

"On the other hand, the Marine ship will have come from the other side of North Blue after crossing the Calm Belt..." Law continued, his finger moving to the opposite side of the map. "Their first stop will undoubtedly be at Notice Island since it's the only place in that area where they can resupply and give the sailors a chance to rest."

He traced a path with his finger. "Once they resupply, they'll head to the Marine Branch near Flevence, but they'll stop here first..." His hand moved to three islands at the center: Swallow Island, Rubeck Island, and Minion Island. 

"Swallow Island and Rubeck Island are rather small and lack resources, so the likelihood of the marines stopping there is minuscule," he explained. "Minion Island is the most likely place for them to stop. Normally, it would be best to strike there, but the island is quite large, and I have reason to believe the marines might have gotten wind of our plans."

Double leaned in, studying the map intently. "So, what's our best move?" he asked.

Law looked up, meeting Blake's gaze. "We intercept them while they're isolated, somewhere where they can't receive reinforcement before they reach Minion Island, more realistically after," he suggested. "That area of the sea is dotted with gigantic boulders sticking out of the water's surface, we can hide our ship there and wait..."

Double Six nodded along, trying to keep up. "I'm not sure I understand any of this... but it sounds like a plan," he said, putting on a thoughtful expression. Law felt the urge to curse at Double Six and kick him out of the captain's quarters, but Blake interjected before he could lash out.

"It's a plan alright, but I'm not so sure about it," Blake admitted with a sigh. "A vice admiral's battleship will be carrying a lot of men and cannons. We don't have the firepower to take them head-on in a naval battle. Our ship will surely suffer if we do." 

He shook his head and turned to Law. "You can use your devil fruit power to protect it, but then I'll be facing the vice admiral alone. I like a good fight as much as the next idiot, but everyone's lives will be hanging in the balance." He rubbed his chin in thought.

Law raised an eyebrow at Blake's words. "It's a risk we'll have to take. It's either that or we give up on the score," he stated firmly. "That said, you shouldn't underestimate your crewmates' resolve. We're under no illusion that we can breeze through the seas without putting our lives on the line," he added in a grave tone.

Shachi and Penguin nodded eagerly at his words. "That's right, that's right! We can fight!" they said in unison. Bepo, on the other hand, continued to play dead, cold sweat running down his face.

Blake chuckled at their reactions, understanding their concerns. "I don't doubt your ability or courage... but as captains, your lives are my responsibility. I refuse to let them hang on a fight I'm not sure I could win," he stated firmly, shaking his head. 

"That said, I have no plans of giving up on the score without trying... we just have to use a different plan," he added, his gaze shifting to the map spread atop the desk.

Law raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I assume you have a plan then?" he asked, leaning in slightly.

Blake shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I do... though I'm not sure you'd like it," he said with a grin. "Instead of ambushing the Marines on Minnion Island where we might not even find them or confronting them at sea where we're at a disadvantage... we can wait for them at their destination," he explained.

Law's expression mirrored his incredulity. "Their destination? As in the marine branch?" he inquired, unable to hide his doubt.

Blake's grin widened. "That's right... we take over the marine branch, neutralize the soldiers, and pose as them," he declared confidently. "It'll give us a chance to get close to the vice admiral and strike first... the rest will also fall more easily if we hit them while they're unloading their cargo," he reasoned, tapping his fingers on the map spread before them.

Law rubbed his chin in thought. "Theoretically... it might work. The one presiding over the branch is just a commodore, not even an HQ elite," he noted. "However, taking down the base commander and his men is one thing. Doing it without alerting HQ and the approaching vice admiral is another challenge altogether," he added, shaking his head skeptically.

Blake didn't dismiss Law's concerns. "You're not wrong, but we simply need to cut them off from the outside world. If someone were to sneak in and neutralize the base's communication center, we'd be able to take over the place without anyone being the wiser," he suggested, trailing off at the end of his sentence, leaving the implications hanging in the air.

Law crossed his arms, a skeptical expression on his face. "And how do you suggest we do that?" he inquired, his voice laced with doubt.

Blake didn't respond immediately, his eyes fixated on the map spread out before him as he pondered the problem. After a thoughtful pause, his grin widened mischievously as he turned back to Law. "Just get me a mask and a white suit... I have an idea," he said cryptically, his tone suggesting confidence in his unconventional plan.