Ten familiar ships were arrayed upon the sea. A sight that should have signified friendly forces now seemed unbearably terrifying and, above all, irritating.
"Kuro…"
"The New World is unexpected, but… well, it was always a possibility."
The man, now recognized as an enemy by the very world he had unquestionably served, stared blankly at the fleet moving to surround them, his expression unchanging.
"Still… where in the world is this?"
"Kuro, is that… an Eternal Pose in your hand?" Hina asked.
"Yeah. I lifted all the personal effects from the guys who were mixed in with the marines before I stuffed them in barrels and tossed them overboard. It seems places like this really do exist."
The large compass in the pirate's hand, which at first glance resembled an oversized hourglass, should have been pointing steadily toward its recorded island. Instead, the needle was trembling erratically without making any wide swings.
"This probably was an island once. An island that… is now gone."
"…Could this be the former site of Palmiere Island?"
"You know it?"
"It was a few years ago, but an elite unit from the Navy fought Whitebeard here… They say the island was destroyed in the battle."
"…I see. So, it's a location that's generally known but rarely visited. A perfect sea for covert assassinations and operations that can't be made public."
A voice boomed across the water from the enemy fleet.
—This is a message for the pirate 'Black Cat'! Release the marines you have taken hostage and surrender peacefully! I repeat!
"…! Shameless!" Hina spat.
"Calm down, Hina. If they don't follow that script, it becomes even harder for the Navy to make a move."
Despite being framed for a crime he didn't commit, the pirate remained perfectly composed, as if he had anticipated this very scenario. He turned to face the marines he had freed, who were now standing in formation behind him.
"Officers, will you come with me?"
"Sir!" a marine responded sharply. "The orders we received came directly from Special Admiral Zephyr: to escort you to Mopuchi in the West Blue! We were also ordered that, should any obstacle arise, we are to assist you in any way possible to eliminate it, no matter what it may be!"
"…Zephyr. …Alright, I understand. In that case, prepare as I instructed earlier. It will be useful depending on the situation."
"Sir!"
Every marine on the ship, all of whom had been incapacitated by the Cipher Pol ambush, agreed without a moment's hesitation to place themselves under the pirate's command. Hina was no exception. The soldiers who had experienced the battle at headquarters, especially those who had watched this pirate from the West Blue, trusted him more than they did some of their own ranking officers.
"Lord Kuro, as you suspected, there is no ammunition on board. Most of the crates and barrels were fakes," a woman reported.
"No problem, Colonel Wired. I had no intention of returning fire with cannons anyway. Assign all hands to ship-handling duties. We won't be going for speed, but there's a high chance I'll need precise maneuvering. Get ready."
"Understood."
The female colonel, who had distinguished herself alongside Commodore Aaffen in the final, chaotic interception during the defense of the Holy Land, was particularly notable. As one of Admiral Zephyr's proteges, her loyalty was clear. She offered a crisp salute to the younger pirate, showing no condescension. No, she likely saw him as an equal to Zephyr himself—an equal to a Special Admiral of the Navy. Zephyr, a man who had trained countless marines, treated this pirate with respect. That prestige was no small part of why so many marines still trusted the pirate known as Black Cat.
"Sergeant Major Lake, continue to direct the preparations. We have plenty of empty crates and barrels now. I need it done with speed and precision."
"Sir!"
And so, in this bizarre situation where friend and foe were intermingled, they believed in him. They wanted to believe in him.
"Can we get away?" Hina asked quietly.
"It's possible. It depends on who the Navy—sorry, the Marine side—has deployed, but this unique environment, this former island, will work to our advantage. The only problem is the level of their strongest fighter—"
As Kuro was about to continue, the speaker that had been broadcasting the demand for surrender crackled with static. A new voice, different from the one that had been shouting before, came through. It was a voice no marine could ever mistake.
—Nooow… can you hear meee? Kuro-kun.
"…?"
"No… it can't be…"
It was the voice of their highest power, a symbol of the Navy itself. An Admiral of Marine Headquarters.
—I'd rather not fight you either, you knooow… Won't you surrender peacefullly?
"Admiral Kizaru!? …Kuro!" Hina grabbed the pirate's sleeve.
But in this critical situation, the pirate, though looking slightly puzzled, showed no signs of panic.
Instead, he whispered, "…I've won."
◆ ◆ ◆
I've won.
At least, the Black Cat Pirates have.
(The only problem is that I myself might die in the process, ha ha ha! I've made preparations so that if they survive, it won't be a problem, but seriously, God, I'm about to beat the hell out of you!)
Well, the fact that Borsalino came out here himself means they'd rather capture me—or rather, secure me—than kill me. For now, the worst-case scenario had been avoided.
(I'm so glad they didn't concentrate their forces! They probably sent Sakazuki after Daz's group… maybe even Zephyr and some powerful Vice Admirals. But since they can't leave the Holy Land and Marineford empty, the most tactically troublesome one, Kuzan, is definitely on babysitting duty! If so, we can manage this!)
His greatest fear had been that they would concentrate their Admirals and other special assets on one of their two groups. The worst possible scenario was them focusing their power on the West Blue, where his forces were tied to defending a specific location, and by the time he realized it, Daz and the others would have been captured and used as hostages.
(That's why… I can't understand why Sengoku would split up his Admiral-class forces. What's his intention? Even capturing me is a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things. He shouldn't want to waste time on this…)
He knew they didn't want an all-out war with his crew, but Sengoku was a man who could set aside his emotions. And fundamentally, in war, soldiers die. Marines and pirates alike. That was why neither he nor Sengoku could betray their own men. And now that Sengoku, as Fleet Admiral, had reconciled with the Government, he would have to follow their will, at least on the surface.
…On the surface.
Yes, on the surface.
If there was some hidden intent…
(I can't be sure without a good look at the composition of their fleet. But…)
Either his hands were tied in some way, or this was all a setup for a future move.
(Well, either way, I have to get through this first.)
Ah, this feeling—it was almost nostalgic. It had been nearly half a year, maybe a little more, but this was the first real sea battle since the one at the district headquarters.
"Alright, as soon as the devices are ready, start throwing them into the sea one after another! This may be the Grand Line, but it's a sea that used to be an island. From the looks of it, the currents aren't unpredictably rough. They should flow in our direction of travel."
"Sir! All hands, deploy!"
Colonel Wired—she was the type who always anticipated what was needed, and he'd run her ragged during the defense of the Holy Land, but with a commander of her caliber leading the marines, there would be no problems. Even if it came to a boarding action, the current Hina wouldn't lose to any ordinary opponent.
(Although, it's a little scary not knowing how motivated the enemy marines will be if they do board.)
It was good that they had crushed the highly motivated Cipher Pol forces first. Even if the boarding marines were staunchly pro-government, he wouldn't misstep in his response if they came at him head-on.
"When the enemy resumes their advance, move the ship forward. I don't care about the direction after that. The absolute priority is to break through their encirclement."
"Sir!"
"There's no need to fight them unnecessarily. All we have to do is stop the movement of their ships and soldiers."
—Heeey, it would be nice if you'd answeeer?
They were clearly tossing something into the sea—the barrels and crates that had been disguised as ammunition and food. Normally, one would assume they were lightening their load to escape, and he had expected cannon fire or a beam from Borsalino to come flying at any moment, but there was nothing.
(They're aware we're stalling. Which is helpful for the moment, but this might have just gotten a lot more complicated. Damn it.)
"If the plan works, we can break through without ever engaging the enemy fleet. As for the biggest and only problem, Admiral Kizaru—"
"I'll hold him off," Hina stated.
◆ ◆ ◆
"The Navy is on the move."
The report came from Guild Tesoro, who had been overseeing the accumulation of supplies and surveying the nearby seas to bolster their forces. They had already returned their full strength to Mopuchi and were in the midst of servicing the fleet just in case.
"The number of regular patrols dealing with the remnants of the Pirate Alliance near Mogwa has been drastically reduced. Those ships have been reassigned to escort Marine transport vessels."
"I suspected something was up when we lost contact after the captain's departure from the Holy Land, but are they really going to attack? The official return of the Mopuchi royalty that was announced hasn't even happened yet," Daz Bones said, his face a mixture of disbelief and weary resignation. He had already begun preparations for an interception, just in case his bad feeling proved true. Hancock, who had been acting alongside the Navy as Kuro's proxy, wore a similar expression.
"They will likely issue some kind of statement first, probably a demand for surrender, before they attack. What shall we do? Meet them here?"
The only one who seemed to be enjoying himself was Mihawk. He had given his trainees the day off and was attending a meeting for the first time in a while. He sat elegantly in his chair, sipping tea, while Robin repeatedly smacked his crossed legs.
"…It is the same as the battle with Germa. If we engage the Navy, with its many ability users, in a defensive battle on the island, there could be massive civilian casualties." As acting Vice-Director, Daz was the one responsible for making decisions in Kuro's absence. He glanced at the sea chart and made his choice instantly. "The enemy will likely consist of the Mogwa garrison fleet and forces from Headquarters. We will immediately assemble a plan for a naval interception."
Daz's eyes went first to the commander of the First Fleet, Boa Hancock, whose forces had achieved tremendous results since their formation.
"You will be the core of our strategy, Hancock."
"But of course. Leave it to me, Lord Vice-Director. If our opponent is one who resorts to such cowardly tricks, then I shall crush their spirits from the outset and seize the initiative."
"I'm counting on you. And, Mihawk. You will…"
The man, a former enemy of the Black Cat Pirates who had once cut down their director, yet now trained their elite swordsmen, was uncharacteristically dressed in formal attire. He adjusted the fine, feathered black hat on his head—not the usual straw hat Robin made for him—and gave the pouting Robin an affectionate pat before flashing a grin.
"Will you fight?"
"Of course. You need not ask."
He removed his hand from the now-pacified Robin's head and stroked the sword at his hip in a familiar gesture, bringing a sense of relief to Daz and the Royal Guard. Though a guest commander, he was unquestionably the greatest military asset in their pirate crew.
"You are Kuro's proxy, Daz Bones. You should give your orders as such."
"Horohorohoro! If you think it's too much of a burden, I'll take over for you anytime, Daz," Perona quipped. But there was no malice in her words, and the other officers, including the newcomer Galdino, gave small nods of assent.
At their heartening words, Daz allowed himself a small smile, one only those who knew him well would recognize.
"Alright, let's begin with the outline of the operation. We will flesh out the details based on the Captain's anti-Navy interception plans."
"As the Captain is fond of saying, the most important factors in a naval battle are numbers, firepower, and…"
"Distance," Daz finished.