"Captain, I've re-established the connection. It's back to normal, only those in the Black Cat Hall are listening now."
"Thanks, Daz. ...By the way, how is it?"
"How is what?"
"The atmosphere."
"Ah, so that's what you were worried about..."
Daz smiled faintly, proud that his assumption—that Kuro feared the crew would harbor excessive hostility toward the Celestial Dragons and the World Government—had been correct.
"It should be fine. At the very least, the anger and killing intent have lessened considerably. ...You can hear them, can't you?"
Even without the doors open, their voices were surely reaching the Den Den Mushi.
—CAPTAIN KURO!! CAPTAIN KURO!! CAPTAIN KURO!!
The fervor born from hostility and despair had changed into one of hope.
Perona looked amused; Robin was smiling with what looked like joy. The same went for the elite guard remaining in the hall.
"Yeah. ...It's kind of embarrassing to hear my own name chanted like this."
"As you can see—no, as you can hear—morale is extremely high."
"Good, looks like it's fine. I'm leaving command to you as always. Make good use of Tesoro and the others."
"Captain, do you have a way to return?"
"I have one. But... if possible, I'd like to make a detour first."
"...A detour?"
At those words, Hancock nodded faintly. "Ah..."
Having become a fleet admiral after the battle with Germa, she was maturing beyond her years. She had likely guessed where Kuro's "detour" would be.
"Sorry. I know I should hurry back to West Blue, but there's something I want to check on."
"If you say so, Captain, it must be important. But..."
"You all have made it this far, so it'll be fine. In the first place, I've organized and operated the crew so that it wouldn't be a problem even if I were caught or killed. It's fine."
This. This was what was truly terrifying about the Captain.
Daz had no complaints about being treated as a pawn, a necessity for a commander, but Kuro also treated himself as a pawn.
He wouldn't use himself recklessly, but if he judged that he should be used, he wouldn't hesitate.
Just as he did when he headed to the Holy Land alone.
Mihawk, on the other hand, seemed to like that part of him, and even Crocodile, who had only agreed to temporary cooperation, looked amused.
"...Captain."
"Hm?"
"We'll manage West Blue until you return."
"Yeah."
"But do you have any final orders regarding that policy?"
"...Policy, huh. Honestly, I don't have anything particular to say..."
Well, that was true.
At the very least, their task was clear.
They would lead their forces to occupy and pacify 'Superior,' which was surely in chaos after the Celestial Dragons' attack.
There was the concern that if left alone, it would become a target for plunder by pirates—or the neighboring country, Rigalo—but that land also had vast, fertile farmland that the "Black Cat" crew would kill for.
It was a prize on par with treasure, and now they could acquire it along with the goodwill of the people, an even harder-to-get commodity.
The units they had organized for large-scale patrols against Government ships would become the advance force for Superior's pacification.
(...I spoke carelessly.)
This transmission was, by design, being monitored.
The talk of the Celestial Dragons' depravity was a warning to the Marines.
And the speech was, simultaneously, a way to guide the Black Cat pirates' direction and the first wedge driven between the Marines and the Government.
(In that case, I can't carelessly state specific strategies...)
If he mentioned concrete objectives, they might take countermeasures. As chaotic as they must be, the World Government was still a formidable enemy.
"Daz."
"Yeah."
The Captain's voice came after a short pause, as if he was deciding what to say.
"From here on, follow your heart."
It was an unusually abstract thing for the Captain to say, but there was no deception in his words.
"You overcame the battle with the Marines, and the fact that you did means you also managed to govern Mopuchi during the whole 'Kuro joining the Celestial Dragons' fiasco. ...If so, you must have seen many things during that time."
"...That's true."
When the news of the Captain joining the Celestial Dragons broke, some had rejoiced that this would become an important member nation, while others feared they would be enslaved.
Still others had panicked, fearing that the land would be abandoned...
"If you saw those things and felt indignation, pity, or a desire to act, then those feelings are correct. That's why you mustn't think in terms of 'can' or 'cannot.'"
"...Isn't that important?"
"The staff who do judge 'can' or 'cannot' were already in place, barely, before I left for the Holy Land. Now that we have talented personnel from the Marines as well, it's even less of a problem."
Daz instinctively glanced at Tesoro, Taki, and the First Fleet's Galdino.
"What's more important is that the one in command doesn't shrink back."
"Shrink back, huh."
"That's right. When you start thinking in terms of 'can we' or 'can't we,' your range of action and speed of execution inevitably drop. Precisely because you are the commander, you must be bold. Assembling the path and making the final call on what's possible, or finding alternatives, is Tesoro and the others' job."
"It's fine. I have no anxiety about making you my second-in-command."
"That's why—run the organization by following your heart."
"You can do it."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
I returned the receiver and let out a sigh. Immediately, a glass of water was offered from the side.
"Good work, Kuro."
"Oh... Thanks, Hina."
I knew it.
It was pretty much like this when we were at the Holy Land.
"Still, you're as silver-tongued as ever. It makes sense you could argue with the Five Elders."
"Back in my secretary days, drafting speeches and checking them was a daily task. Well, this was improvised, so I missed a few key words..."
When I get back to West Blue, I'll need to confer with Daz and Tesoro... and now Hancock and Taki... re-examine the text, and issue a formal statement as the Black Cat crew. From here on, showing the organization's will to the world, even a little, will be a huge asset.
"You were doing that even back when you were a merchant?"
"...More or less."
In my previous life, is more accurate, but whatever.
"Hey."
"Hm?"
"What's going to happen to the world now? You said a large-scale rebellion would break out."
"...It's just as I said... but is it still hard to imagine?"
When I asked, Hina nodded.
"I'm curious as well. Kuro, was it? How do you see the world moving from here?"
Issho, who had finally started on his sake, joined in.
(Honestly, since he has an ability that could get him back across the Calm Belt, I'd like to network here... but I'm a pirate.)
He was a man who rejected the Shichibukai. He obviously wouldn't look kindly on pirates...
(For now, I'll just answer what I can.)
"You said there's no easy way to fix this... but if you were the Government, what would you do?"
"...Even if you ask me that..."
"Of course, if it's hard to say as a pirate—an enemy of the Government—that's fine, but..."
No, I don't really mind.
I have almost noth—no, zero—things to hide from you...
"Assuming the level of chaos won't change no matter what, I think the flow will change depending on what the Government prioritizes."
"...What they... prioritize?"
"I don't know the scale, but Marine defections will happen to some extent in every sea. Superior is a perfect example; there are definitely Marines whose hometowns were affected. Their families, too. Depending on the scale, entire bases could defect and go independent..."
It really depends on how far they went.
I was genuinely appalled when I went to the Holy Land; the number of slaves is insane.
Not just high, but their turnover is high.
They're not just worked to death; they're likely killed on a whim.
You can tell just by looking at the Marines who returned from the Holy Land.
"From the Government's perspective, there are broadly three options. One: suppress or persuade the defecting nations and Marines. Two: reinforce their response to the increase in pirates. Three: tighten control over the remaining nations."
I'd choose the last one, tightening control.
(Though how I, as a mere official, would persuade my superiors and the Five Elders is another problem entirely.)
"Hina gets the first two, but tightening control of the remaining nations... You mean stopping the looting by hiring pirates and such?"
"No, there's a problem with the remaining member nations before that."
Out of habit, I went to use the leftover chicken bones and fries to make a diagram, but then I remembered Issho is here.
(If I use a diagram, he might not be able to follow...)
No choice. I'll have to explain it all verbally.
"First, the defecting nations. They won't just act separately."
"...They all have grievances with the World Government."
"Right. They are all nations whose dissatisfaction with the Government has exploded. This means that, sooner or later, the nations in each sea that left the World Government will try to connect with one another."
A part of what the Government has been doing in the shadows has been revealed. They will undoubtedly conclude that trying to deal with this alone is suicide.
"The same goes for the defecting Marines. In fact, for the defecting nations, Marines who have stopped being the Government's 'dogs'—pardon the term—and gone independent are a reliable military force they'd kill for."
Defecting at this timing proves they aren't Government spies, and above all, they have ample combat experience.
In West Blue, they flowed to us, the "Black Cat" crew, but...
"If each country starts to absorb defecting Marines, the horizontal connections between those former Marines will also become a factor in linking the countries."
"...In other words, the non-affiliated nations will band together very easily."
"Exactly."
Depending on the scale, a new power might form that rivals the Revolutionary Army... or, more likely, merges with it.
If that kind of movement starts in West Blue, I'll fan the flames with all my might...
(...For better or worse, it's highly likely we will end up being the vessel that accepts them...)
"The problem is the remaining member nations—and I don't mean those who stayed out of hesitation or lack of information, but the countries that know everything and are still sucking up to the Celestial Dragons... who is the enemy to them?"
"...The pirates attacking them?"
"That's one. And—"
"I see."
Just as I was about to name the threat I was thinking of, Issho spoke.
"For the kings who want to be favored by the Celestial Dragons more than anyone, the other member nations trying to curry favor are a bigger concern than the countries and armies outside the Government's framework. Is that it?"
"Yes, that's right. ...I believe that's how they'll think."
That's the heart of it.
The World Government, whatever its name, is not an alliance or a federation.
It's just a group that "recognizes certain human rights as long as you join and pay vast sums."
That's what it's become.
Whatever the pretext, that's the reality.
That's why this emergency, where even that premise has been blown away, will make things even messier.
They will never fall in line, nor can they be made to.
It's absolutely impossible.
"If they aren't favored by the Celestial Dragons, their country will be burned. So they increase their tribute. That's a normal line of thought. But as that progresses, I think countries will emerge that think, 'Let's sabotage the countries that look like they'll become special favorites.'"
"...By directing pirates to loot them?"
"That's one way. Or maybe slander... using rumors to drag them down."
You can't underestimate mere rumors. Especially in this ocean world, and in an age where pirates are about to surge.
(A conspiracy theory like, "I heard that country was attacked by pirates, but their neighbor was pulling the strings..." would probably gain traction.)
"Or maybe countries ganging up on a wealthy nation to stop their logistics... In short, anything goes from here on out. That's why—"
"You need to keep an eye on the remaining member nations, the very foundation?"
"Not 'keep an eye on,' more like 'be considerate of'... But yes, that's right."
Reassuring them would help with stability... but judging by the Government's actions after the Marine slave incident, they have a bad habit of resorting to cover-ups.
As a result, the World Government's framework...
...is as wobbly as a Jenga tower in its final moments.
"If it were me, I'd rebuild control first. ...But I also understand wanting to retaliate against the nations and forces that committed clear betrayal. The bigger the organization, the heavier 'face' becomes."
"In the first place, they were the ones who betrayed us first!"
Whoa, Marine.
...Well, I guess it can't be helped. This is like being betrayed twice in a row.
(The problem is... putting the slave incident aside, it's questionable if the Government even sees this incident as a betrayal...)
This is bad, I really can't see a way out of this.
Sengoku would probably try to persuade the defecting Marines, considering how hard it will be to replenish his forces, but...
...who knows if the Government will approve that.
"If they try to persuade them back, they'll need to inflict a decisive penalty on the Celestial Dragons this time. But it's unknown if the Government will allow that. And if the order comes to crush the defectors..."
"They'd be splitting their already reduced forces."
"Right. And then the pirates will get more active."
They might even use Government forces to dispose of Marines who defected...
Man, to think I'd run right into the moment a true age of chaos begins...
(How did it come to this... The original story... is probably still twenty years away. Why is it so chaotic...)
There was something—something fatal...
Something at this time that is massively obstructing the original story's flow.
Think, what's the biggest difference?
What is the fatal difference from the original—
—BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!
"What's wrong, Kuro?! Why did you suddenly start smashing your head against the pillar like you're trying to bite your tongue off?!!"
"Sorry, I'm just... really sorry for everything. I'm just going to cross the Sanzu River and apologize to everyone."
"Hey, you! Issho, help Hina restrain this fool—this isn't the time to be laughing! Hina is indignant!!"
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"My, my, that was a stormy meeting."
"Not that anything concrete was decided. What's your plan, Vice-Governor?"
At the loaded smiles from Rayleigh and Crocodile, Daz Bonez, who had just set down the receiver, gave a wry grin.
"He told me to do what I want. So, that's what I'll do."
Kuro had told him not to think in terms of "can" or "cannot."
But Daz quietly thought that with the members gathered here, there was very little they couldn't do.
"This chaos might be less than in other seas, as the Captain said, but unprecedented hardships will still strike. Avoiding it is no longer possible."
If that was the case, there was only one thing he wanted to do.
The primary objective the Captain had set for West Blue.
They had advanced this far to achieve it, even committing the un-pirate-like act of cooperating with the Marines.
"To overcome this chaos, military power and the production capacity to support it are essential. In that case, our basic policy remains unchanged."
"We will eradicate hunger from every possible island in this West Blue."
Mihawk smiled grimly, as if to say, "My turn."
He knew where they would attack and develop next. The experience of tackling the massive project of developing Cannet Island with Robin these past few months had been nourishment for the Black Cat's strongest swordsman.
(Meanwhile, Robin, seeing Mihawk's face, let out a deep sigh, and Perona patted her on the back.)
"To do that, we need land capable of food production, and the personnel and materials to support it. But kidnapping people and forcing them to work is not our way."
"—In that case, we have no choice but to have them cooperate."
Daz glanced at Robin. Understanding his intent, Robin selected one of the maps she had prepared—the largest one—and unrolled it, using her ability to affix it to the wall.
It was a map most familiar to those present.
The map of West Blue.
It was covered in scribbled notes in Kuro's characteristic upward-slanting handwriting.
The 'island' newly created in West Blue by the recent incident was also drawn in, with more notes scribbled beside it.
"In parallel with reclamation and development, we will make formal contact with the nearby non-affiliated nations, who must be feeling the crisis from this incident. We will connect them and realize the Captain's original vision."
Taki, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, wiped her face and steeled her resolve. The former Marines around her also looked at the map with motivated expressions.
A map detailing the sea's main farmlands and trade routes, prepared as a preliminary study to eradicate famine from West Blue.
"From this moment, we, the Black Cat crew, will move to realize the parting gift from Captain Kuro—"
"The 'West Blue Archipelago Alliance' concept."
"Understood?"
No one denied the words of the man recognized as Kuro's proxy.
***
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