"We're fighting the clock. The disaster the Captain feared is already in progress."
The communication with Captain Kuro ended, and the meeting resumed.
The situation had changed completely.
The danger of the large-scale Marine offensive they had been wary of had lessened, but a far greater chaos was now spreading across West Blue.
"Amis, the unit you're organizing will act as the advance force for Superior."
"Sir!"
Amis, who had already headed to the port town to prepare a reconnaissance unit in anticipation of a government fleet, was now awaiting orders via the Den Den Mushi.
"Is the objective full suppression?"
"Eventually, yes, but don't overextend. That island is large enough to be called a continent. ...It's earned its name as the 'breadbasket' of West Blue."
"Then we will establish a beachhead."
"Yes, please. We'll send the main force as soon as we can, while keeping an eye on Marine movements."
Daz glanced at Mihawk. In response, Mihawk pushed his famed blade—now his favored sword—partially from its scabbard, revealing the steel before sheathing it with a deliberate click.
The Black Cat's greatest weapon was more than ready.
"First, secure a landing zone, then lock down the surrounding area. If you take a town, protect the civilians. I'm leaving the choice of location to your judgment on the ground."
"Understood."
"Daz, we should also have Bigle dispatch troops from Cannet. Whether it's for suppression or just setting up a perimeter, we can at least secure the manpower," Taki advised.
"...You're right. Bigle, can you move?"
Daz accepted Taki's counsel and posed the question to the former Marine Captain on the line to Cannet.
"Sir. Factoring in our own defenses and current provisions... I can send two medium-sized ships and 300 men immediately."
The line, now re-secured against eavesdropping, was a bit static, but the reply was nonetheless reassuring.
The man Kuro had praised as a reliable field officer during the Pirate Alliance war was, as expected, highly competent. Despite the sudden change in circumstances, he had already calculated his available forces based on his defenses and supply situation.
The number he gave matched the very figures Daz, Tesoro, and Galdino had estimated for a Cannet deployment.
"Good, I'm counting on you. Mihawk, you'll be with the First Fleet—"
"Wait, Vice-Governor."
If they could suppress and develop Superior and Rigalo, their food situation would improve drastically. If they could connect directly with the nations of West Blue, they could end the famine, even if they had to profit from trade.
Hancock interrupted Daz just as he was about to commit all available forces.
"I apologize for the timing, but I wish to borrow the flagship and its elite. I ask for a brief leave."
It was a sudden request.
And from Boa Hancock, who was nothing if not loyal to Captain Kuro.
"I will entrust command of the fleet to Sonia in my absence. Her command of the detached unit proved her more than capable."
Hancock continued before Daz could respond.
"And..."
She bowed her head to one man.
An older man in a hood. A living legend.
The one man who had been silently observing while drinking: the "Dark King," Silvers Rayleigh.
"I ask this of you. If you were able to cross into West Blue, you must be able to do the reverse—take us to the Grand Line?"
"I want you to deliver me, and a minimal elite guard, to the New World."
"If we go now, we can retrieve our Master."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"Captain Kuro, procurement of provisions is complete! As soon as we find and seize the target ship, we can load up!"
"Thank you, Private Spaniel. The rest of you, stand by here for now."
I cut the connection with Daz and the others and decided to proceed with the original plan: resupply.
Private Spaniel must have done a hell of a job with the 'disguise.' There were barrels clearly filled with actual rocks—probably to justify transport efficiency—but in total, there was enough food, water, and liquor to last one or two months.
With this, and by fishing off the side of the ship, diving for attacks, or distilling seawater, we could last even longer.
After all, we had Private Spaniel, who's been taking care of us since the Holy Land trip.
Of all the Marines I've met, he's the best cook and the most skilled at handling and managing ingredients.
So, I'm not that worried about food, but...
"Are you really coming with us? Honestly, it's extremely dangerous."
"It's only natural for a pirate's path to be dangerous. Even more so for a 'maverick' such as yourself."
I never thought Issho would offer to come before I even tried to persuade him...
Well, his condition was if we found a ship or some kind of useable Log Pose...
(Even on the Grand Line, where you lose all sense of direction, time still passes. This place can't be that far from the Red Line.)
With no sea chart, our options are limited.
Which is exactly why we have to move, or we'll run out of options completely.
"'Maverick,' huh... I guess I can't argue with that."
"Of course not. I've never seen a pirate crew whose morale rises from a speech praising the path of virtue instead of one inciting plunder and violence."
"...I don't know if you can call it 'virtue.'"
Hina is currently leading some soldiers with Captain Wired on a small errand for me.
I quickly scanned the island with my Observation, and it looks like I blew away anyone she couldn't handle during the first commotion, so it should be fine. I didn't teach her Stealthy Foot or its variations, but I did teach her some kicks, and she's mastered them.
(Wired is with her. If there's trouble, I'll know immediately.)
"Your men and even the Marines are helping you because they feel your path is right, aren't they?"
"...Honestly, it just feels strange."
If this were Smoker, I could understand it.
He's an 'all pirates must die' kind of guy, but he has his own justice and his own issues with the Government.
(But the one helping me is Hina, the same Hina who was always lecturing about obeying the Government...)
No, I have to stop relying on my foreknowledge.
From here on, it's a genuine battle of wits between Shiki's faction and the World Government.
...I feel bad for Sengoku, but the Marines have been spiritually and politically broken by this.
They'll inevitably be forced into the role of the World Government's dogs.
Anyone who can't stand it will quit or rebel... A moral collapse wouldn't be surprising.
(The best move for the Marines would be to distance themselves from the Government... At this point, it's not about strategy, it's about connections and political power.)
"But are you truly going, sir? If I'm being honest, even without a 'detour,' I could likely get you to West Blue if we just had some kind of guide."
"...I have to go. It may sound strange, but the World Government has lost control of its own reins. Of course, they'll try to grab them again, but..."
The problem is that even a brief lapse has too great an impact.
Plus, if my exchange with Kizaru was any indication—if this wasn't a one-time rampage, but just a repeat of what they've been hiding...
(Can even the Five Elders stop this? A precedent only becomes heavier the longer it's been set...)
If the Five Elders can't stop it, no one can.
It doesn't matter if there's a king hiding above them; if no one knows he exists, he's irrelevant.
The only people who can move—no, guide—this situation are those who step into the light and make their will known, for good or ill.
(Which means... since even the Marines are paralyzed, I have to be the one to move...)
"Well, given the location, the chances of it becoming a huge deal are low. I just... need to confirm the situation."
(To be precise, it's a coin flip between 'no impact at all' and 'an unmitigated disaster.')
"Kuro!"
"Whoa, Hina."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Looks like it. Judging by her face."
Thank goodness. I'd asked her to search, figuring an island this close to the Red Line would have one, and she did.
Now, the only question is if we found a guide...
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"You say you want to 'retrieve' Kuro... hmm."
Rayleigh glanced at Daz Bonez, the current man in command.
Daz, in turn, checked his map of West Blue and the Black Cat crew's current force deployment.
"If we split our forces, a single ship is the limit. In that sense, 'elites only' is the right call, but..."
"Indeed," Tesoro interjected. "From an internal affairs perspective... with the World Government—no, the Celestial Dragons'—movements unknown, I would honestly prefer Admiral Hancock remain to maintain and expand our sphere of influence."
This was no longer the Germa battle.
Boa Hancock. The "Pirate Princess," an officer with a bounty over 100 million and Admiral of the First Fleet.
Even with a subordinate who could act as her proxy, her name had become legendary in West Blue. Her presence alone would raise allied morale and strike fear into the enemy.
"Besides," Daz added, "I was under the impression you needed Seastone to cross in a ship of any real size?"
"I am aware," Hancock snapped. "But Rayleigh, if you were able to bring... to that island...!"
"Excuse me, may I?"
Gildo Tesoro cut in, stopping Hancock's impassioned plea.
"If we are to suppress and hold Superior, the Marine base near the direct shipping route from here and Mogwa—erm, which one was it...?"
"Base G-46, sir," Taki supplied.
"Thank you. Yes, unless we capture G-46, it will obstruct our route and serve as an outpost for any government attempt to retake Superior."
As Tesoro spoke, Robin used her ability to draw a line on the wall map connecting Mopuchi and Superior, then circled a small island near the line—the Marine base—in red ink.
"Given its scale, this base is clearly a key location for the Marines. Records show the Governor-General himself designated it as a linchpin for Area A's defense during the Pirate Alliance incident."
The former Marines who had fought in that war nodded deeply.
"Furthermore," Tesoro continued, "according to Marine documents retrieved by the First Fleet's detached unit, a large quantity of Seastone equipment was brought here. This was around the same time Admiral Kuzan returned to Headquarters..."
The documents, analyzed down to the last handwritten memo, were from the West Blue Great War. They had laid bare everything from supply depots, patrol patterns, and transport schedules to the very names and family structures of the stationed soldiers.
Though management had grown lax since Kuzan's departure, the "Black Cat" crew had a clear grasp of what supplies had been moved where.
"If Admiral Hancock can suppress this base, it will give us breathing room in our force deployment, and we should be able to acquire Seastone, regardless of the quantity."
"...Hmph."
Daz Bonez had been thinking the same. If they could take G-46 and Superior, their immediate problems would be solved. Once Superior was taken, Mihawk would undoubtedly remain there. Everyone in the crew knew it.
(He probably knows it, too.)
Meanwhile, Cannet was slated to become the training ground for the new army, and with the stationed Marine defectors, its defenses were more than sufficient.
(...Honestly, if this means we can actually bring the Captain back, it's a prayer answered.)
It didn't matter if the Marines, other pirates, or the mafia attacked. Tactical or strategic problems could be overcome by fighting.
But the battles to come wouldn't all be like that.
They would need to move not for victory, but for resolution.
And for that, the wider their field of operations became, the more they would need Captain Kuro's knowledge.
Therefore, Daz was inclined to agree to Hancock's request, with conditions.
But—
"Even if we get the Seastone, we don't know the Captain's location. After a broadcast that risky, he's guaranteed to move immediately."
"That is true."
"Then you're saying you know where his 'detour' is?"
"Yes."
Hancock affirmed Daz's question as if it were obvious.
"I have heard his plans for the Grand Line. In this situation, there is only one place he would delay his return to confirm."
"...Because if that place were to be captured, his entire plan would have to be fundamentally reassessed."
Bege and Tesoro nodded in understanding at her conviction.
"Our Master is heading for—"
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"So, Hina. You found it?"
"Yes! Just like you said, there were several ships. And one of them is huge, more than big enough to load our cargo!"
Food, check. Drinking water, check. Medical supplies... a little thin, but check.
Cloth, including spare clothes, ropes, sewing kits for repairs...
Yep. Supplies are clear.
"Can our current personnel handle it?"
"Captain Wired is checking it now while cleaning it out, but he says it's not a problem."
Ship, check. All that's left is—
"What about a guide?"
"Yes, that's fine too. In two ways."
"...Two ways?"
"It's faster if you just see it. Here."
Hina handed me an Eternal Pose.
The needle, locked onto a single island in the Grand Line, was pointing steadily at the ground—no, through the ground, into the sea.
"...I know I asked you to look, but I'm amazed you found one."
"You'll see when you check the ship, but it was a perfect match."
"...So, you're going, right? Now that Hina has found a coated ship."
"Yeah."
Hearing my reply, Issho stood, using his concealed blade-cane for support.
"Hina. Notify all personnel."
"We are setting sail for Fish-Man Island."
"Have them expedite departure preparations."
"—Sir...!"
...
No, you don't need to salute.
Private Spaniel, you too.
***
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