Bab 93: Marines/Kuro

In Admiral Sengoku's office at Marine Headquarters.

Sengoku was scolding Garp, who had come to visit as usual, rice crackers in hand, when Berg entered the room to deliver a report.

"Hey, Berg! How are you doing?"

Munching on a rice cracker, Garp greeted Berg before Sengoku, the actual owner of the office, could even speak.

"Garp-chūjō, I strive to be in top condition at all times," Berg replied with stiff and formal posture.

"You're still so uptight. You're a Rear Admiral now, same rank as me."

"Even so, I believe it's important to show respect to Garp-chūjō."

Berg had likely come to deliver a report. There were bloodstains on his uniform, and he seemed unusually exhausted. He was one of the strongest young officers in the Marines.

Garp, munching on another rice cracker, asked, "Who were you fighting?"

"The Twilight Pirates. Sakazuki charged in recklessly… Borsalino tried to help, but they were no match for her."

"Bwahahahaha! Even the future Admiral candidates were defeated by the Witch!"

"This is no laughing matter! …Are your injuries from protecting them?" Sengoku asked Berg.

"Yes. And… Junshi, the "Six Harmonies Great Spear," whose bounty recently increased to 600 million, and Feiyun, the "Giant Shadow," whose bounty is over 400 million, were also present. We barely managed to retreat."

"Give me the report," Sengoku said, accepting the documents.

The Twilight Pirates had expanded rapidly in recent years. It was a situation the Marines couldn't ignore, but Kanata was relatively moderate, even for a pirate.

She was preferable to Shiki, who ruled through fear and plunder, or Big Mom, who had formed alliances with the underworld.

…Of course, she was still their enemy, a significant threat to the World Government and the Marines.

"We haven't seen Dragon recently. Is it safe to assume they've parted ways?" Berg asked.

"Who knows… What do you think, Garp?" Sengoku asked, turning to him.

"How should I know?"

Sengoku, knowing Garp occasionally contacted Dragon, tried to get him to elaborate, but Garp seemed uninterested, simply sipping his tea.

He asked for more tea, and Berg immediately refilled his cup. Sengoku sighed. "He's your subordinate. Can't you show him some compassion?"

"I'm used to it," Berg replied.

"He says it's fine. And he seems energetic enough," Garp said, munching on another rice cracker.

"Kanata was already incredibly strong when we fought before. It's terrifying to even imagine how powerful she is now… How are Sakazuki and Borsalino?"

"They were seriously injured and sent to the infirmary."

Sakazuki was a Magma Devil Fruit user, and Borsalino was a Light Devil Fruit user. Both were Logia types, but… It seemed they had been effortlessly defeated by Kanata, an Ice Devil Fruit user. They had been taken to the infirmary as soon as they returned.

There were many casualties, but strangely, no fatalities.

It was a battle that could have easily resulted in deaths… but the fact that their strong Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals had managed to hold back the executives was a significant factor.

It had gone well, considering it was an unexpected encounter.

"She hasn't caused any major incidents recently, but… Considering her expanding influence and the strength of her executives, we might need to reconsider her bounty…"

"I doubt it will make much difference at this point."

Her current bounty was already record-breaking. It was unlikely that other pirates would be willing to challenge her.

She had clashed with Shiki and Big Mom occasionally, but it hadn't escalated into a full-scale war. They were likely avoiding a direct confrontation due to the potential for widespread damage.

The Celestial Dragons were pressuring them to take action, but the Marines would suffer heavy casualties if they fought her head-on. They couldn't afford to take that risk.

"I believe…" Berg said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "She seems focused on expanding her influence, but I'm curious about the source of her funds."

"…You're right. She's acquired a few territories and is collecting taxes, but it's not a significant amount."

So where was she getting her money from?

It couldn't simply appear out of thin air. There had to be a source.

"She was a merchant before becoming a pirate. We know she's involved in some kind of trade, but we don't know the details."

"…She might be more wealthy than we think."

They had been focused on her expanding influence, but considering the activity of her executives, it was likely that she was earning a substantial income through some large-scale trade.

If they could disrupt even one of her deals, they might be able to unravel her entire network.

"Hmm… I'll leave the Witch to you, Berg. Your name has been mentioned as a potential Admiral candidate. If you can resolve this, I'll recommend you personally."

"You're too kind. I'm still inexperienced. I can't accept the position of Admiral yet… but I'll do my best."

Sengoku believed Berg was capable of becoming an Admiral, but he lacked experience. Once he had a few more achievements under his belt, he would be ready.

The Marines were trying to avoid leaving the Admiral position vacant, especially considering the rise of powerful pirates after the fall of Rocks.

Garp would be a suitable candidate, but he had no interest in the position.

His reason – "I don't want to be under the direct command of the Celestial Dragons" – was understandable, but it was astonishing that he could be so openly defiant and not be reprimanded.

The conversation ended, and Sengoku, sipping his tea, munched on a rice cracker.

"You must be tired after returning from your mission. Get some treatment and go home."

"Is that alright?"

"You're newly married. Spend some time with your wife."

"Thank you… I'm grateful." Berg bowed and left the room.

Garp, sipping his tea, chuckled. "You're so soft. I don't remember ever going home to see my family."

"That's why your son turned out the way he did… But you should cherish your family. Especially after what happened to Zephyr."

"Yes…"

Zephyr had resigned from his position as Admiral after his wife and child were killed in an attack. It was a tragedy that shouldn't have happened, considering the families of Marines also lived in Marineford, but… it was just bad luck.

Sengoku had also taken in a child a few years ago, raising him like his own son. He understood Zephyr's pain.

"Well, there haven't been any major incidents recently. Nothing will happen if we take a day or two off."

Sengoku munched on a rice cracker and sipped his tea. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the room.

The door burst open, and one of Sengoku's subordinates rushed in with a piece of paper in hand. "Urgent message!" he shouted.

"Urgent? What happened?!"

"Th-The Golden Lion and the Reverberation have made contact! They've clashed near Dressrosa!"

Sengoku and Garp both choked on their tea.

***

In a diner on a certain island in the New World. Several men were threatening the owner. Perhaps due to the island's poor security, unsavory characters were common.

"We're in charge of this island, appointed by the Twilight Pirates! If you defy us, you're defying the Witch! Do you understand?!"

The chubby owner, sweating profusely, looked around, seeking help. But everyone else in the diner seemed to want to avoid getting involved. Some quickly left.

The men, armed with guns and swords, intimidated the remaining customers, driving them out, and cornered the owner.

"We're asking for money. We're protecting you. You should be paying us more."

"B-But… I just paid recently…"

"The amount has changed! You think you can get away with paying such a paltry sum for our protection?!"

"Eek!"

The owner trembled, alone in the empty diner.

This wasn't what he had heard. The Twilight Pirates were known for their discipline. They had said that as long as he paid the agreed-upon amount, he would be safe.

He decided to give up and pay them – when the door opened.

It was late at night. The only people who would come at this hour were drunkards… The men, assuming it was nothing important, glanced at the entrance and saw a small girl enter.

She had a large scythe strapped to her back, but the men ignored it, sighing.

"Hey, kid, what do you want? We're in the middle of something important. Get out of here."

"I heard your conversation. You're not directly under the Twilight Pirates, are you? Which crew are you from?"

"What?"

She was spouting nonsense, the men thought.

One of them, the leader, ordered his subordinates to throw her out. But before they could react, she swept their legs, sending them crashing to the floor.

"I don't recognize this mark… Are you new recruits?"

She examined the skull mark on the back of their jackets, then took out a notebook. She flipped through the pages and found the same mark. "I thought so," she muttered, putting the notebook away.

"We don't need pirates who can't follow the rules. You're being expelled. Choose – come quietly, or we'll have to use force."

"What?! You little brat…! Don't mess with us! Shut her up!"

The men attacked, but Kaie effortlessly defeated them. She called out to Kuro, who was waiting outside with Teach.

Kuro entered the diner, laughing. "Wow, you really did a number on them."

"What do we do with them?" Teach asked.

"Hmm? Take them to our holding cell… and call the captain. We'll question them. If they resist, well…"

Kuro tapped his neck. Teach nodded in understanding.

"How are we going to take them?" he asked.

There were too many to drag away. Kuro decided to call for reinforcements and took out his Baby Den Den Mushi.

Meanwhile, Kaie had helped the owner to his feet. "Are you hurt?" she asked.

"I-I'm fine… Who are you…?"

"We're the Twilight Pirates. Our subordinates caused you trouble."

Kaie bowed apologetically. The owner, bewildered, stared at her.

Kuro, having contacted his subordinates, approached them. He was shirtless, his body covered in tattoos. He was an intimidating figure, but his demeanor was surprisingly cheerful. "Sorry about that, owner!" he said with a grin.

"Here, this is for the trouble our crew caused."

"H-Huh…?"

He placed a wad of bills on the counter. The owner, even more confused, looked back and forth between the money and Kuro.

"Well, we're done here. See ya."

"Y-Yes… Thank you…"

Before the owner could even process what had happened, Kuro and the others left. Their subordinates entered the diner and dragged the men away.

The owner stood there for a while, stunned.

***

"It seems discipline is lacking with all these new recruits."

"Kanata said it was inevitable, but it's a pain to be called out every day," Kaie said, sighing.

Kuro and Kaie were enjoying some grilled skewers and juice after finishing their work. It was late at night. The streets were filled with food stalls, and Kuro was eyeing them with interest.

"…Don't even think about it," Kaie warned.

"I know, I know… But Kaie, I'm curious about those fried water water meat skewers…"

"You said we were going straight back."

"It won't be a problem if we're a little late. Right, Teach?"

"I don't know…" Teach replied, looking troubled.

Kuro was his superior, but Teach and Kaie were also tasked with keeping an eye on him. It was their job to prevent him from causing trouble.

It was supposed to be the adults looking after the children, but their roles were completely reversed.

"Kanata's been working us hard. Don't we deserve a little reward? Let's go get some good food."

"Well… I guess…"

The rapid expansion of their organization had instilled a sense of urgency in the Marines, but internally, it was putting a strain on their discipline.

They were pirates, after all – a group of unruly individuals. And the pirates who had reached the New World were especially strong-willed.

They generally accepted anyone who wanted to join, but some argued that they should be more selective to maintain order.

Kuro wasn't concerned. It was Kanata's decision. But he wanted to enjoy some good food and unwind after a long day.

He figured Kaie wouldn't report him if he took her with him.

"What about you, Kaie?"

"…Fine. But we're working after this."

Teach was older than Kaie, but he addressed her with respect, acknowledging her seniority in the crew.

He silenced Kuro with a single word, and Kaie took out a small device that resembled a Baby Den Den Mushi and pressed a button.

"What's that?" Kuro asked.

"I'm supposed to press this if you say anything unnecessary or try to do anything weird," Kaie explained.

"…Does it contact someone?"

"I don't know the details, but I heard there's a receiver somewhere."

It seemed to be a device similar to a Golden Den Den Mushi or a Silver Den Den Mushi. The receiver would record the number of times the button was pressed.

Every press meant a penalty for Kuro.

"What the hell is that?! Who made it?!"

"Caterina."

"That brat is always making strange things!"

Kuro could practically see Caterina sticking her tongue out at him. He tried to snatch the device from Kaie.

Teach considered stopping him, but Kaie easily dodged, making it unnecessary.

It had originally been developed as an emergency communication device for their branch offices to contact Hachinosu, but Caterina had a knack for creating strange and useful gadgets.

Kuro and Samuel were often her test subjects.

"Come on, Teach, help me out here."

"I don't know…"

Kuro was serious about trying to take the device from Kaie, but her agility was beyond his reach.

Teach, who had been ordered by Kanata to keep a close eye on Kuro, simply watched, munching on his grilled skewers, waiting for him to give up.

Kuro eventually sighed, defeated. "I guess we have no choice but to go back."

"Why do you always wander off like that? You don't want to cause trouble for Kanata, do you?"

"Well, if I'm curious about something, I have to check it out. Life is short, and I believe in living without regrets."

"…I don't understand."

"Hihihi, I figured. But it's human nature to explore the unknown. We're… afraid… of… things… we… don't… understand."

"Do you understand, Teach?" Kuro asked, turning to him.

Teach thought for a moment, then replied, "A little."

"That's promising. A real man explores the wilderness."

"What does that even mean?" Kaie asked, tilting her head.

Kuro ruffled her hair and the three of them headed back to their quarters.

They had clashed with the Marines recently, and there were a few injured crew members. They had stopped at this island to resupply, but they would be leaving tomorrow.

Their next destination was the North Blue.

They were seeking to expand their trade and gather information about Devil Fruits – and Kuro was excited about exploring a sea he had never seen before.