"This is some rough rocking… The sea is really churning out there."
Even though the coldest days of the year had passed, we were still in the dead of winter. It wasn't so bad for Hina and me, waiting here in the cabin, but it had to be tough for the marines working on deck.
The ship pitched and rolled in the violent waves, but inside the cabin, I was being treated like a guest of honor, relaxing while Hina poured me tea.
I need to work on our winter gear, I thought. The officers are probably having the troops train to endure the elements, but it's my job as the captain—or rather, the Director—to provide the right environment.
This was my first winter since I had begun living a life centered around the sea. I was on a Marine warship, not a pirate vessel, but there were still things I noticed, things I wanted to improve.
"Well, this is normal for this time of year. It's not enough to make seasoned sailors like us sick, so it's not a problem."
"I suppose not… Anyway, Kuro. What have you been reading this whole time?"
"Books and documents from Fleet Admiral Sengoku. The books are mostly on agriculture, the environment, economics, and some journals and papers published by legal scholars. The documents are mainly summaries of laws and policy trends in the various member nations, along with related national statistics."
"You should read something more pirate-like."
"What exactly is 'pirate-like' reading material?"
"…Treasure maps? Nautical charts?"
"To me, this is a treasure map and a nautical chart."
"What kind of pirate says that!?"
"One right here," I said, raising a finger.
"Oh, honestly…"
This was work I had planned to lead myself during the winter, especially the legislative matters. And Hina, could you please stop leaning over my shoulder to peek at everything?
Bege told me that by the time I left, there were already non-affiliated nations showing interest in joining the Black Cat's territory. I ordered Tesoro to start researching and analyzing the cultures of our neighboring countries. I had wanted to hear his report and then establish Mopuchi's political system by early spring, or summer at the latest. But for now, it seems the strong arm of the Black Cat's military might is still necessary…
I had made sure the Princess was kept fully informed of the situation in Mopuchi, with no omissions. We'd been operating under a system where she would provide a general direction for the country, and Tesoro and I would give it shape. But we were probably reaching the limits of that approach. We needed to build a foundation for Mopuchi, one that would eventually support its own body of retainers. However, depending on the next move from the Navy, the Government, and the various factions maneuvering in the shadows…
And depending on how much Robin and Mihawk have developed Canette, we could be entering the Grand Line in a year.
So much had happened in the West Blue that Mopuchi had become a vital base I couldn't afford to lose. If it were to fall now, our reputation would take a massive hit.
"Even with the plunder from the Pirate Alliance, we've managed to secure enough food production to get through the winter and establish a transport system to support daily life. If we can expand this year, cultivate and develop famine-relief crops, and reinforce the infrastructure, the Black Cat's most immediate problems will be solved."
Losing a base of this scale would directly damage our prestige, so strengthening our defenses was also essential. I wanted to look at the budget and pour as much funding and manpower into it as I possibly could, right up to the very limit.
"Kuro."
"Hm?"
"That's why you should all just quit being pirates."
"And I've told you so many times, don't ask the impossible…"
How many times have you said that now? We've privatized a piece of land and are doing whatever we please. If that's not a pirate, what is? If we tried to claim, "Oh, we're not pirates," the Five Elders' heads would probably explode.
…Then again, if that's what would happen, the idea is extremely tempting.
"Let me be blunt. As someone on the side that issues bounties, my feelings toward you are complicated. Especially after the defense of the Holy Land."
"You should stand firm. I am an enemy of the Government, there's no doubt about that."
"…When we get back to the West Blue, will I have to fight you?"
"About that…"
I had heard from Daz in a scheduled report that Kuzan had apparently returned to Marineford, and most of the Mogwa unit, including Commodore Taki, had been reassigned.
Is it about time for them to start sending in people from the Government faction to fill the gaps in the Marine ranks? That will make things even more difficult for Sengoku…
In reality, the chances of an immediate battle were low. Very low… I think. Better to just say low, just in case. A fight here and now would benefit neither the Navy nor the Government. In fact, it would probably make it harder for them to consolidate their forces at Marine HQ. Unless they did something drastic like a massive officer shuffle… but that would just create more chaos.
Even if there was some reason for it, considering the exhaustion of the member nations and the need to cooperate with the Navy to defend them, I don't think they'd make such a reckless move. But then again, I'm not entirely sure how seriously they take the member nations.
I helped arrange the second transport convoy, which should solve the housing problems for good. But the other issues… there was no telling how much food and other goods the Celestial Dragons would demand. That was a big part of why I decided it was too dangerous to stay by the Government's side any longer. If Admiral Zephyr and the others made their moves correctly, Genetta and her team should be able to keep a healthy distance from the Government. I'd already told Spandam about the weaknesses I had confirmed in their former superiors, which should at least check their movements, and if things went well, it could even lead to their downfall. Lord Pinscher also promised his cooperation, so establishing the new department and getting them transferred shouldn't be a problem.
In the documents related to slaves, there were sections where the numbers and origins were clearly falsified. They probably weren't marines, but there must be a considerable number of unlisted slaves.
I wouldn't be surprised if they'd even laid hands on the royalty of member nations, not just non-affiliated ones. It was utterly disgusting.
…Yeah. Sending Hina away from the Holy Land on this ship with me might have been the right call after all.
They've likely suppressed any moves to enslave marines, but what if it was framed as taking one for a wife… It's hard to say.
In fact, some idiot had suggested just that during the reconstruction work. It was an absolute nightmare to shut him down.
"Hina, what are your orders?"
"I'm to protect you until you reach the West Blue, and after that, I'm to stick as close to the Black Cats as possible and focus on gathering intelligence."
"I know I'm the one who asked, but are you really allowed to say that!?"
That took me by surprise! Kuro is surprised! I mean, I suspected her orders were something along those lines, but I never thought she'd just state them so bluntly, with zero sugar-coating!
"It's fine. You'd already figured it out, hadn't you?"
"…Well, yes, but you…"
Honestly, she fit in as well as Daz, Perona, or Robin, members of the old guard—though you could hardly call it that for a pirate crew that was less than a year old. Being a former marine, she had also gotten along surprisingly well with Amis and the Royal Guard, and she had built a good rapport with Daz and the other officers. Was she really okay with that, as a marine?
"…Hm?"
"What? Is something wrong?"
"No, I just felt something strange on my fingertips…"
I was about to read a document summarizing the laws currently in effect on Sandy Island—that is, Alabasta. It was less a book and more a bundle of papers tied together with string. The moment I turned the first page, I felt a series of raised bumps, like braille.
He pricked it with a needle.
I recalled the face of the man who had prepared this. A brilliant strategist, wearing glasses, younger than the version I knew from the comics. Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
It doesn't go all the way through the paper. It's not a watermark, so it must be the positioning.
For a second, I thought it might be poisoned, but I didn't sense anything like that. My fingertips weren't numb, and it didn't feel like my skin had been pierced. Holding it up to the light, I could see that all the pricks were made from underneath the printed text. At first glance, it looked like a random mess of bumps, but…
Not a watermark, then. If I read the letters from the top left, it's the same cipher Sengoku used in his letters… no, some of the phrasing is odd. Reading it the old way leads to fake information. It's a variation. There are twelve possible reading patterns, and of those, the one that makes sense is… what a pain. Alright, yes, if I read it this way, it all fits.
Sengoku had sent me a secret message. The moment I realized it, sensors in my brain started flashing and blaring alarms. I had completed a mountain of monumental tasks perfectly and within the deadline, so why was this happening!? Please, life, give me a proper reward for once!
Alright, the contents… are…
"Kyaa!? Hey, what are you doing, suddenly grabbing my arm—!?"
"Sorry! I didn't think they'd go this far!"
I yanked Hina behind me, shielding her with my body. It was coming!
Blade Shot!
"Biting Cat!"
In the same instant, the thin cabin door was shredded by a blade-like attack. It continued towards us—aiming for both me and Hina—but I struck it down with a slash of my own. That was way too close! Damn it, Sengoku, you could have been a little clearer—no, that would have endangered you, so I guess it couldn't be helped! Dammit all! What do they even gain from this!?
"…Very well. I have confirmed the will of the World Government."
The one who burst into the room was a young man, slightly older than me. I didn't recognize him from Mogwa. Was he some kind of trump card? He was certainly more skilled than the men behind him.
Cipher Pol. And the marines… they're all gathered in one place. Not cooperating. They've been captured.
With that, I could guess the general script. I hadn't finished deciphering the message, but this had just become a huge mess.
"Let the battle begin."
"Come," I answered.
◆ ◆ ◆
A few days earlier.
"The gate at Red Port that Kuro and the others will depart from does not lead to the West Blue. It leads to the New World."
Inside Pangea Castle, after seeing Kuro's ship depart, Fleet Admiral Sengoku addressed Special Admiral Zephyr, his face grim as he delivered the order.
"The command given to us is to assault the main forces of the now-separated Black Cat Pirates. We are to secure their senior officers, as well as Nico Robin."
"Absurd! That is nothing but a dishonorable sneak attack! Do you think the marines will stand for it!?" Zephyr roared, slamming his fist against the wall with enough force to threaten its integrity, despite being in the Holy Land.
Sengoku waited for the tremor, strong enough to make soldiers mistake it for a small earthquake, to subside before he continued. "With the World Government's apology and substantial compensation, our conflict was resolved. It must be resolved, for the sake of appearances."
"And was he not the one most responsible for that resolution!?"
"I know that! But it is also an undeniable fact that he chose to part ways with the World Government!"
"Who was it that fought the Golden Lion to protect that same World Government!? Who was it that repeatedly risked his life for the sake of the marines!?"
In the Navy, where rank was absolute, an Admiral defying a Fleet Admiral was unforgivable. But at that moment, Special Admiral Zephyr was bearing down on Sengoku with a fury that looked as if he might strangle him.
"…It is as I said before, Zephyr. Kuro demonstrated too much value. That is why the Government fears him, and why they are now resorting to such drastic measures."
"If they continue like this, the Celestial Dragons will eventually treat even those who belong to the government as their playthings! Have you forgotten the state of the marines who returned!? Are you going to pretend the sacrifices of those who never came back meant nothing!?"
"That is precisely why we must secure every member of the Black Cat crew! With our own hands, the Navy's hands!"
The words "the Navy's hands" made Zephyr pause for a fraction of a second. Sengoku seized the opening.
"The Government… at least the Five Elders, understand Kuro's value. They want to crush him before he can expand his influence any further… which is why the Navy must take them into our custody now. Kuro, Nico Robin… and especially… the members of the Royal Guard…"
"—!"
The Royal Guard were originally meant to be sold as marine slaves. They were people the Celestial Dragons had sought to purchase. Now that they were free and had become pirates, it was no surprise that the nobles would want them back.
"…The order to attack the Black Cats will not be rescinded, is that right?"
"That is correct."
"The Celestial Dragons are demanding them?"
"…You've heard it from Garp, haven't you? A private auction is being held for the Black Cats behind the scenes. We must move faster than the Government."
"…So you let him leave the Holy Land to put some distance between him and the Celestial Dragons."
"Yes."
Sengoku's explanation did little to appease Zephyr. He clenched his jaw so hard it seemed his teeth might shatter, but in the end, he did not cross that final line. It was not because of his position as a Special Admiral of Marine Headquarters. It was because of the words he had exchanged with the pirate he had just bid farewell to.
"Whatever happens on the voyage ahead, I will ensure Corporal Hina reaches the West Blue safely."
It was a promise made with a pirate.
"In return, I have a request—."
It was a man's promise.
"Kuro… Did he… know this would happen?"
"…It was likely one of his contingency plans. I asked him about it before. He told me…" Sengoku's voice was strained. Now that he had calmed down slightly, Zephyr could see his friend's condition clearly. The Fleet Admiral's hands were clenched into fists, so tightly that blood was seeping from his palms.
"He told me not to worry about it."
"—!"
An image of the young corporal he had assigned to Kuro flashed through Zephyr's mind.
"Why did you permit Corporal Hina to go with him?"
"…"
"Was it because you calculated that her safety would be more or less guaranteed due to his character, and that even if he broke through the encirclement, she could act as a line of communication with the Navy!?"
"…Yes."
"Sengoku!!"
Seeing it—no, because he saw it, Zephyr finally lost all restraint. Before he knew it, he had grabbed Fleet Admiral Sengoku by the collar.
"What are we…?" he choked out.
Assaulting a superior officer was a grave crime in the Navy. Yet, Fleet Admiral Sengoku said nothing, merely staring back into the face of the man many marines respectfully called "Teacher."
"The Navy! What in the world are we fighting for!?"
"For the world's…"
"For the world's order, Zephyr."
◆ ◆ ◆
In a large, well-furnished office, a man sat at his desk. He wasn't working. He was simply drinking.
"Damn it, the higher-ups and their impossible demands… It was better when Kuro was here…"
Enough empty bottles to fell a normal man lay scattered around him, but the drinker's face was only slightly flushed.
"Damn… I can't get drunk at all. And this is supposed to be good stuff…"
He chugged another bottle, tossed it carelessly onto the desk, and fumbled for the next. The room's occupant, Spandine, muttered to himself.
"Don't hate me, Kuro… We're agents of the World Government…"
"And you're a pirate!"
◆ ◆ ◆
"To be feared by the Government as a result of contributing to it as much as possible… What was it all for, really?"
Ah, right. I'm a pirate. For a pirate, I guess this is just how it goes. You could say I got mostly what I came for. The fact that the government is making this move is proof that they fear me and my power. A massive surprise test has been thrown at both me and Daz's forces, but in terms of expanding our influence, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Most importantly, the fact that the Navy is involved means that their cooperation with the Government has been restored, at least on the surface. This should prevent public order from deteriorating any further. It's not bad. No, it's not bad at all.
Assuming Daz and I can overcome this trial, that is.
"Hnngh!"
I kicked down the door to a locked room, revealing a group of marines, tied up and lying on the floor.
Mostly soldiers I had some connection with. Now, whose idea was this particular setup?
Well, if they truly wanted to crush me, they would have staffed this ship with pro-Government marines. Which means…
This is Sengoku's doing. I haven't finished deciphering his message, I need to sort out the situation—
"Kuro!"
Hina, who had been on watch on deck, burst in. "They're here! Marine Headquarters ships!"
Ah, just as I thought.
"How many?"
"Ten of them!"
"They really came prepared…"
"What are we going to do!?"
"For now, free the marines."
Even if we were to fight back, I needed to confirm the intentions of the marines who had been left here. Still…
I've thought about this over and over… There is no major benefit for either the Government or the Navy in this attack. There's no logic or advantage to it. And yet, they launched a surprise attack. This means it wasn't the Navy's decision, as they are the ones taking the actual risk.
That leaves the Government… but would the Five Elders resort to this?
I have my issues with them, and I'm 99.9% certain their core ideology is fundamentally incompatible with mine, but I can at least follow the logic behind their actions. The part where they actually go through with it is what leaves me completely cold.
But the Five Elders I met were not the type to make such a direct move. Saint Warcury, especially, would have used a much more insidious method.
Well, that almost confirms it.
There was likely no mistake. The World Government had a clear superior who stood above the Five Elders… a King of the Celestial Dragons, so to speak. Who that was and what their goal might be… I'd put that aside for now.
"The problem is the motive behind this operation."
If there was some logic or benefit I couldn't see, then once I overcame this, I could learn what it was and form a counterstrategy. But if it was something else—
"Ideology… or perhaps…"
Or perhaps… emotion?
If so, that was very bad. And if that emotion belonged to a literally unchanging, eternal being, then finding a solution would be next to impossible. Now, what to do?
"Well… for starters…"
First, a situation check. I couldn't formulate a plan without knowing our current position and what supplies we had on board. First things first—
"For now, let's just tie some floats to these guys and toss them into the sea."
I glanced at the CP agents, who were embedded in various walls throughout the ship, unable to move. There were men older than me, some my age, and even a few who looked a little younger. Sorry about that. Their movements were sharp, and they were probably Spandam's trump card, but… they were a far cry from sparring with Mihawk and Rayleigh at the same time.
"Don't hold it against me, Spandam."
"After all, I'm a pirate."
***
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