"Hahaha! So you and the Royal Guard have finally become full-fledged wanted criminals! Should I be congratulating you, Toya?"
"...You're in a good mood, Mr. Rayleigh."
After a lengthy meeting, the future development plan for Mopuchi—including the expansion of ironworks and blast furnaces, the designation of new farmland, and the establishment of a water supply system—was finally decided. Or rather, that was as far as they had gotten.
With plans for Canette and the newly acquired Mogwa, as well as the reorganization of their forces, scheduled for the afternoon, the meeting broke for a recess. While the senior officers remained to organize their documents, the Royal Guard members on duty were relieved and headed to their rooms or the break area for their meal.
In the castle's central courtyard, where tables and chairs were haphazardly arranged, Crocodile, who had only attended the initial introductions, had gathered along with Rayleigh, who was a guest of the crew. Meanwhile, Mihawk, their other guest general, was in a waiting room next to the conference hall with Robin, having a light meal while poring over maps and documents they had prepared beforehand. They continued their discussion, roping in the former Marines, Bege, and Galdino who were also participating in the meeting.
"I have to say, I'm surprised to see a bounty like this on my head..."
Toya, one of the Royal Guard's most skilled Fish-Man Karate users and a chef whose skills rivaled Kuro's, scratched his cheek in front of the "Dark King," looking both pleased with his self-made lunch and slightly embarrassed.
"No, no, there's no need for humility. In fact, I think this is just a starting figure. They're actually valuing you much higher. When you're paired with someone skilled in coordination like Miakis or Cazary, you become a real threat... 'Tidal Wind.'"
"Ah, please stop, Mr. Rayleigh."
Black Cat Pirates Royal Guard, "Tidal Wind" Toya.
With a bounty of 48,000,000 Berries, he was now a major wanted man in the West Blue. He looked bashful, wearing an apron over his usual suit.
"—No, I think the old-timer is right."
Someone else approached the two. It was a woman with reddish hair, wearing the same Royal Guard suit as Toya, though in a slightly more relaxed fashion.
"Fighting on a ship means your footing is restricted. That's why the Black Cats' primary tactic against the Marines is to knock the enemy into the sea. But your Fish-Man Karate can reliably clear a wide area... so we tend to place you in key positions."
"Oh, Ms. Kika! Welcome back from your patrol."
"Yes. Sorry I'm late. May I have some food as well? A large portion. I'm on guard duty inside Mopuchi Castle this afternoon... It would be embarrassing if my stomach started growling in the quiet castle."
"Of course, please! Today's special is a root vegetable and clam stew, a direct recipe from the Captain."
"...This brings back memories of when we were hiding on that island. Ah, thank you."
Stew was a common meal for the Black Cat Pirates. It was a remnant from the days when their supplies were even more limited, a dish recommended for its ability to extract every bit of nutrition from their available ingredients.
"Still, 'Tidal Wind.' I think it's a fitting epithet for someone as cheerful as you."
"To be honest... I kind of wanted a cool epithet like yours, Ms. Kika."
"Hahaha, Kika's was... 'Sea Hawk,' wasn't it?" Rayleigh chuckled.
"Mine's not so bad. You should hear Troy's—'Sea Dragon.' He was holding his head in his hands, saying it was far too grandiose."
The Royal Guard, already respected for their combat prowess and leadership, had gained even more admiration now that they had official wanted posters. From the captain, "Sword of the King's Aid" Amis, to "Tidal Wind," "Magic Marksman," "Deathly Dance," "Silver Maiden," "Sword Witch," and more. Like the senior officers, their striking appearances and roles as protectors of the people and reliable commanders for the soldiers made them stand out.
"...Tch. I knew you had a deep bench when I was locked in that cell... but I never imagined you were all such monsters."
The pirate who had been their prisoner until just a few days ago grimaced as he listened to their conversation nearby.
"Now, now, Mr. Crocodile. It's rude to call a woman a monster."
"And you're the least pirate-like person in this whole crew. 'Tidal Wind,' was it?"
"I told you to just call me by my name! —Ah, wait, Mr. Crocodile, if you'd like seconds, I'll serve the stew for you... Excuse me, I'll take your old plate."
"...That's what I'm talking about. Yeah, thanks."
As a rule, a pirate considers every pirate outside their own crew an enemy. Moreover, Crocodile was the man who had targeted one of their own officers, Robin. The Royal Guard was naturally wary of him, but Toya, while still cautious, was making an effort to connect with him.
"Wahahaha! I can't believe you're here, too! To think the man who fought with Bullet would wash up here and join the Black Cats."
"...Dark King. Damn it, what is this absurd fighting force? Are you trying to form the next generation of the Roger Pirates?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Our adventure is over. I came here on a trivial errand... and out of curiosity."
The right hand of the Pirate King, having long since finished the stew Toya had made, was now enjoying some liquor. He grinned and looked around at the Royal Guard and soldiers enjoying their meals.
"The boy who built this crew in less than half a year, a boy who is the complete opposite of Roger, is just too interesting. I can't help but meddle in his affairs."
"...You mean he's your student?"
"Mihawk is the one teaching him the fundamentals of fighting. I'm merely providing support."
This courtyard, furnished with a good number of tables and benches and serving as a break area and kitchen, was the de facto station for the Royal Guard and a hub for information exchange. Crocodile followed Rayleigh's lead and scanned his surroundings. Being this close, he could feel it on his skin. Defeating any one of the Royal Guard members here would be a difficult task. In fact, he could identify several soldiers whose movements were so refined that he felt a one-on-one fight would be dangerous, depending on the opponent. He could sense a Haki that guaranteed a tough fight.
"By the way, Crocodile, what's the status of the Marine forces we trapped at that base?" Kika asked.
"They've called for rescue, but their movements are slower than expected. ...Between that and the size of the initial force they sent, it seems the Marines are in disarray. Kuhahaha, to think they'd make such a grand move only to end up in this state."
"...That's good news for us. It gives us time to reinforce our strength."
"I was just talking with Troy about this," Kika continued. "Now that we've repelled an attack from some of the Marines' finest, their next move will likely be to throw overwhelming numbers at us without any regard for tactics."
"That means it'll be a large-scale, conspicuous movement from the start. ...If we spot them, our only choice is to disrupt them by hitting their supply bases before the fighting truly begins."
"Yes. We need to prepare our military as much as possible while also making the first move. The Captain and Miakis should be proposing an increase in reconnaissance on Marine bases, and requesting permission to conduct probing attacks or pre-emptive strikes based on the results. How is that progressing?"
"That's one of the topics for this afternoon... During the last operation, pirate and bandit activity flared up again in our territory. We'll need soldiers to deal with that as well, so allocating our forces will be..."
"Even with all our new strength, we're still short-handed against such a powerful enemy."
"Military power is... a truly troublesome thing to manage."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"Devil Fruit users really are something else..."
The men who had been cheating the blind man out of his money had been effortlessly scattered by their victim. —No, that's not quite right.
"S-Sorry about that. I kinda overdid it and put a giant hole in your shop..."
"Ah, it's alright, we'll handle the repairs. Is that acceptable, owner?"
"Well, yes, if you're going to fix it... You've already filled in most of the hole, anyway."
He had slammed them through the floor and deep into the earth—and destroyed the shop in the process. Now, the pirate who had done it was commanding the soldiers we'd left on the ship to repair the tavern we had effectively occupied. No, he should be called a Great Pirate now. He sat at a table in the corner, rereading the documents he'd received from the Fleet Admiral and the newspapers from the past few days.
"Did you figure anything out?" I asked. My superior, Colonel Wired, had ordered me to stick with the pirate as much as possible. I placed a hand on Kuro's shoulder, who was sitting at a table with the blind Devil Fruit user, Mr. Issho, and peered at what he was reading. As always, books and letters suited him more than weapons.
"A little," he replied. "...Although, that's just raised a mountain of new questions."
Even after the fighting, he had been busy, taking overall command, catching fish to preserve our rations, hunting Sea Kings that tried to sink our ship, and even cooking. After rescuing the thugs from the bottom of the hole, he had been directing the procurement of soil and lumber. He sighed.
"The complex cipher was just a warning about the Government's actions. The remaining code was simpler; it was about the details of an agreement between the World Government and the Marines."
Kuro adjusted his glasses with the palm of his hand and continued. "Most of it was about reparations and other compensations... but this is the key part."
He spread out a stack of new wanted posters for the members of the Black Cat Pirates.
"You're at 2.8 billion, and on top of that, you have 'Steel Blade,' 'The Devil of Ohara,' 'Pirate Empress,' and 'Teacher of Death' all in the hundred-million range..."
"But they're overwhelmingly cheap."
"Compared to you, I suppose so."
"No, according to Sengoku's intel, two Admirals were sent. For defeating them, these bounties are too low. And it's precisely because they're too low that we can start to see what's really going on."
Captain Kuro. Also known as "He of a Thousand Visions and Ten Thousand Plans." The man the Marines quietly called "The Tactician." He twisted his neck, a grim look on his face.
"The Government is probably planning to reset the West Blue... I think."
"What do you mean?"
"The West Blue is the sea where the news of the Marine slave incident spread the most. ...From the Government's perspective, its very existence is probably an irritation."
"Don't tell me—they're trying to incite an uprising on purpose!?"
"No, not that. If the Marines split and a rebellion broke out now, they wouldn't be able to cover it up for long. However... they might resort to assassinating officers who are conspicuously opposed to the Government. It wouldn't be surprising if the royalty of member nations were included as targets."
"...So, the reason your subordinates' bounties are low compared to yours isn't because they're just starting out, but because..."
"They wanted to leak as little as possible about what's going to happen in the West Blue, so they set the bounties at the highest plausible amount. If they were too high, it would draw strange attention to the West Blue."
The words of the man who sees a thousand events and meets them with ten thousand plans were convincing. —But.
"You know, with this many people in the hundred-million range, I think they're already drawing plenty of attention..."
"...Ah, yeah, well... you're not wrong."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
(In the first place, by sending two Marine Admirals, the Government must have been fully intent on crushing the forces we left in Mopuchi.)
My reading was too optimistic... or perhaps, I've just discovered another of the Government's weaknesses. They probably judge situations based only on superficial numbers and maps. That's likely one of the reasons for the inconsistencies in their policies. They've been doing whatever they want, relying on the numbers they've gathered, but they have zero grasp of the situation on the ground, neither politically nor militarily.
(In that case, Daz and the others may have won a more overwhelming victory than I anticipated.)
I can't be sure until I hear their voices, but the anti-Marine tactics I prepared consisted of three basic strategies for an enemy fleet of fifteen to twenty ships, plus a sub-plan and contingencies for surprise tactics. If the Government organized their forces with an emphasis on stealth... and secretly used the five bases near the Red Port as military supply hubs... their maximum integrated force... After securing patrol forces to protect the surrounding member nations, they could probably deploy ten to fifteen ships. They can't commit too much of their Headquarters' strength either. Even if they prioritized us, they would absolutely need to keep Shiki and other pirates in check.
Against a force of that size, we can win with minimal casualties. And if they managed to take down an Admiral-class opponent this time, they'll be able to hold off even if Kuzan comes at them with overwhelming numbers. Just in case, I've also formulated a strategy to cut their supply lines and discussed it with Tesoro. Once the troop reorganization and situation assessment are complete, Daz or Amis will act according to the conditions on the ground. In the worst-case scenario, we might have to incorporate Rayleigh into our defense, but no matter how things develop, as long as the Marines don't abandon the other seas to throw a massive force at us, we have a good chance of winning. Even if we lose, we have thorough withdrawal plans in place, so a complete, devastating defeat is almost impossible.
(The only question left is how to get back...)
I looked up at Hina, who was peering over my left shoulder at the documents. She had that inquisitive look she always gets when she has a lot of questions. Alright, the next question is—
"Excuse me, sir."
"? Ah, yes, my apologies. I've been neglecting you."
I turned my head back. The blind man was looking towards me with an awkward expression. Right, this man might have a way for us to get back to the West Blue. I need to be a bit more communicative.
"That young lady who spoke up for me is a Marine... but you are—"
"Yes, I'm a pirate."
"...And what might your relationship be?"
"What do you mean, 'what'..."
Um, let's see... a pirate who escaped a Marine pursuit fleet with a Marine and is now trying to get back to the West Blue...
"..."
"..."
Hina and I instinctively looked at each other. Back in the West Blue, I had just unilaterally kicked her around, and ever since we reunited during the Alliance incident, I've kind of been treating her like one of my secretaries, alongside Robin and Amis...
Hina seems to be at a loss for words, too. She opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out.
Our relationship... huh...
We both just gaped like fish for a while, and Issho started to look a little flustered, as if he'd said something wrong. After a full ten seconds, we finally came up with our respective answers.
"I'm the woman who will eventually beat this man to a pulp and work him to death as a dog of the Marines."
"I'm the man who, when this woman eventually becomes my enemy, will beat her into submission and work her to the bone as my secretary."
"...I, I see... Is that so."
Good, it seems he understands. Hina is nodding, so there's no problem.
"Getting back on topic, do you think the Fleet Admiral intended to attack you from the start?" Hina asked.
"No, that's unlikely. ...In fact, this was probably unexpected and urgent for the Government as well."
"...What do you mean?"
"Among the terms of the agreement between the Government and the Marines, there was a clause for 'more robust protection of Marine personnel and their families.'"
"...Protection?"
"It seems they're planning to create towns—or rather, special districts—within bases and neighboring countries exclusively for Marine personnel and their families, under the direct control of the Government. They're also raising the wages of all soldiers and promising a significantly higher standard of living for those who choose to live there."
"...Isn't that just a polite way of saying they're taking hostages?"
"They're apparently leaving the decision to each individual, and there have been cases in the past where pirates have targeted the families of Marines. A walled district to protect them from such threats... I'm sure that's part of the intent, but that's not the real goal."
It's just so... typical of the World Government...
"The Government's plan was likely to turn the status of 'Marine' from a mere occupation into a social class."
"...Is there... any point to that?"
"Yes. And it's quite vicious."
By guaranteeing the safety of the Marines, they're constructing a kind of gated community, separated from the lives of ordinary citizens. The Government will probably provide a fairly luxurious lifestyle for the families and permanent residents there. If this continues long enough, while the Marines on the front lines might not change, some people will start to get the wrong idea. They'll start to believe that they, inside the walls, are of a higher status than those outside.
...When that happens, friction will inevitably arise between Marine personnel and the populace. And the longer that friction continues, the more those close to the Marines will gradually, and then increasingly, look down on the common people.
"Status. Especially class and privilege... they can easily drive people mad."
"So the Government is trying to create a new upper-class 'status,' somewhere below the Celestial Dragons but above the common folk, similar to royalty or nobles, in order to repaint the Marines, who were leaning towards the people, into an organization loyal to the Government?"
"Was trying to... is probably more accurate. This is a long-term plan. That's why Sengoku also judged that the Government would remain quiet for a while. ...The fact that the Government was proceeding with such a scheme means that this incident truly was an anomaly."
That's why the coded message included a passage about wanting to hold a meeting in secret at a later date. They clearly wanted to discuss how to respond to the Government's move to seize control of the Marines, even if it was a long-term plan.
(Given that there have been a number of Marines whose families were killed by pirates, they were probably short on reasons to refuse... If they had tried to force the issue with a flimsy excuse, the Government would have seen it as a sign of rebellion.)
Sengoku doesn't blindly trust the Government, and the Government is probably at a loss as to how to handle him. They want to get rid of him if they can. And in that situation, we defeated their Admiral-level forces. Will they use that as a pretext to hold Sengoku responsible and remove him from the Marine organization, or will they argue that they're even more short-handed now and maintain the status quo...?
"What do you intend to do?" Hina asked.
"By engaging the Marines in battle again, the truce has been broken. ...I suppose we have no choice but to fight..."
"You don't sound enthusiastic."
"Of course not. I want no part in needlessly stirring up the world and oppressing the people."
That's why I was trying to move forward with the "Green Fox" plan and others... Now it's all back to square one, damn it.
"Still, the fact remains that both our side and the Marines have suffered casualties. ...We'll have to find some middle ground somewhere..."
"If anyone is at fault, it's our side, the Marines. We betrayed you and then lost to your 'Black Cats.' As such, the 'Black Cats' can't return to our former relationship with anything less than significant concessions."
"Exactly."
"And from the Marines' perspective, since the Government wants you eliminated, and you're a pirate, negotiations will be difficult."
"Exactly."
"Let's crush the Government."
"Hold on a moment, young Marine."
Don't go suggesting a coup so lightly! Issho! And you, stop snickering!
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"Captain, the lumber has been collected."
"The hole has been filled, with a support pillar placed in the center just in case. The work is complete."
"Good. The splintered parts of the old wood have already been cut away. Cut the new lumber to match and repair it. The nails and tools are all ready."
"Sir!"
The man I have my hand on is as reliable as he was during the Pirate Alliance incident. Even though he's just directing manual labor, he doesn't cut corners; he's thorough. Because of that, even the owner of this tavern is treating Kuro, a pirate, normally.
(Well, with a ridiculous bounty of 2.8 billion and after blowing away a fair number of pirates in public, I guess they have no choice but to acknowledge him...)
"Owner, I'm sorry to ask, but do you have a Transponder Snail? I'd like to use one if you do."
"Ah, I don't have one here, but there's one at the port authority's office. You fixed my floor and got rid of those lowlifes for me. I'll go get it for you, just wait here."
"I'm in your debt. Thank you."
He's probably going to contact his comrades in the "Black Cats"—that grim-faced Daz Bonez, the cheeky Perona, and the lovely Nico Robin.
(Even though there's a risk of being wiretapped... But yes, I suppose if he doesn't contact them, Robin might be in tears.)
The girl who was so frightened at first, but started to smile a little once she got used to us. She's probably the biggest reason Kuro stands on the front lines and fights. I wish I could have talked with her a little more.
"Hina, sorry, but could you help me put the tables and chairs back?"
"Yes, yes."
No, I'm sure I'll get the chance to talk to her if things continue like this. As a Marine, I might be looked upon with hatred... but this man will definitely return to the West Blue. And under the flag of the three claws, he will bring together the West Blue, which must be in chaos, and bring about a new order and peace.
There's not a shadow of a doubt. That's the kind of man he is.
...But the Government will never accept that. If they had the magnanimity to accept it, this situation would never have happened in the first place.
(I said what I said earlier, but if I really do have to fight you...)
I don't want to fight. I really don't. The ideals we see are too similar. We both want to protect someone, to help someone. We should be thinking the same thing. And yet, because of a slight difference, and because of the will of those who cannot forgive that difference, we must fight.
"—Hey, if you're free, you can help, you know. It's just the finishing touches."
The attack had damaged the floor in several places, so the tables and chairs had been moved outside to the terrace to clear the way for repairs. They were now sitting in a jumbled pile. Even with a few free soldiers, it would take some time to move them all back.
"Hey... are you listening, Kuro?!"
They weren't that heavy, but it was a hassle to carry them alone. I called out to the monster of stamina who was sipping tea at the only table left inside, hoping to get his help, when—
—"AAAHH!!?"
Suddenly, the pirate screamed.
"...Kuro?"
I turned around. The man I had just been chatting with was on his feet for some reason. He was standing there, staring in my direction. Issho, who was beside him, was also startled by the sudden outburst.
"...No way."
The man who had always smiled confidently, no matter the situation.
"The other objective of the Holy Land attack was—"
His face was ashen.
"...This is really bad."
***
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