"Hey Hachi, I want three packs of takoyaki, do you have any?"
"Nyu? Oh, perfect timing, they just finished cooking. Here, three packs for 1,200 berries."
"Thanks. Your takoyaki has a good reputation even among the honest folks around here. Here, exactly 1,200 berries."
"Nyu! Thanks for your business!"
In the port town of Cocoyasi Village, which served as both the Black Cat Pirates' main base and an important stronghold for Capone Bege's crew.
A group of suited mafia members had gathered around a food stall set up on the main street in front of the port of the town the Black Cat had newly established and named Shamrock.
While the scene might look like they were extorting protection money from the outside, the octopus fishman running the stall and the gangsters were casually enjoying their conversation.
"Still, you've got guts. Opening a shop so boldly... It's strange for us mafia—well, gangsters—to say this, but fishmen attract attention."
"Nyu~. Well yeah. At first, I was scared of humans and stayed on the hidden island."
The octopus fishman used one hand to oil the iron plate the townspeople had made for takoyaki while skillfully resting his chin on another hand.
"Hidden island? Ah, the base you guys and the Black Cat had that even Father wasn't told about."
"Yeah, that place. I didn't dislike the construction work and farming on that island, but working here lets me earn money normally. Recently, more humans have been buying them as souvenirs for families living inland, and it's gradually becoming more comfortable."
The area was overflowing with not just gangsters and pirates, but also islanders from Cocoyasi who had come to work at the port or opened various shops.
Some had set up food stalls like the octopus fishman.
"Well, at least in Shamrock on this island, fishmen and mermaids aren't unusual. You can see two or three fishmen working together at the port."
"Nyu~. Thanks to that, I don't get weird looks like I did at first. You guys from Bege-san's place treat us normally too."
Throughout the town, you could occasionally spot fishmen who didn't run shops but were working diligently.
Fishmen with superhuman strength were especially popular as sailors, easily carrying barrels and boxes packed with contents that ordinary humans couldn't lift.
"There aren't many fishmen here yet, but at the place we're developing as the next base candidate, the proportion of fishmen jumps way up. Honestly, I'm getting tired of seeing them."
"Ah, Maple said she was helping out there too."
"That squid girl. Yeah, she helped us when we drove out the pirates hiding there. Like you, having multiple arms is nice. Scary at first though."
"Ahahaha! Well, even among fishmen, having multiple limbs is pretty rare."
The fishman called Hachi waved all his remaining arms playfully and laughed lightly with a "nishishishi."
"Rare? If the parents are octopus or squid fishmen, wouldn't their children be born the same way?"
"Ahahaha! I guess that's how humans would think! No, fishmen have various bloodlines, so it's normal for children to be born looking completely different from their parents. It's common for a tuna father and bonito mother to have shark or sea bream fishman children."
"Huh, fishmen are different in that way too..."
"Well, it's natural you wouldn't know. I didn't know much about humans either."
"If more humans like you guys gradually get to know us, and we gradually get to know humans... maybe places like this will increase..."
"Haha! That's certainly sound logic, Hachi."
"If it were that simple, the world would be much better."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"Damn brat! Destroying the finishing ship... you really did it!"
Just as I let that heavily wounded fishman, clearly covered in torture marks—escape, the old guy with a ship's wheel stuck in his head like a rooster's comb came flying over.
If you lost your trump card, just go home!!
"Golden Lion! Who's behind you?!"
"Huh?"
"You didn't plan this operation! Am I wrong?!"
No matter how I think about it, this isn't a plan a pirate would make.
No matter how big a pirate this guy is, this isn't a strategy or plan from a pirate's perspective.
Damn, he's really caused a seriously complicated situation!
And this guy's flying style is too unique, making it incredibly hard to land attacks!
Well, this is my first aerial battle too, so whatever!
I fire several Biting Cat barrage shots to intercept, but they don't hit, and while kicking down his slashes, he gains altitude again, dragging us into aerial combat.
Damn it, fight on the ground!
But then other forces would come flooding in, so that's impossible, I know!
"This raid is pressure against the World Government and Marines, right?! If you burn down the holy land along with food gathered from around the world for some Saint's celebration, they'll try to collect considerable amounts of lost food from member nations next time. Materials to rebuild the holy land too! That would exhaust many member nations, increasing plundering and skirmishes again! Was the West Blue incident rehearsal that also served to create kindling for that?!"
That bastard's making a weird laugh, so I was right!
It all makes sense! That transported island that could have become a powerful strategic base should have had no proper commanders or forces!
The main objective was to observe the movements of countries that lost significant materials and food, and how the Marines would move to protect them!
And after all that, this holy land raid!
I was trying to subtly, indirectly convey the disadvantages of further damage to the West Blue, hoping to resolve the West Blue problem without playing my negotiation cards, but he's made everything blank again!
Big pirate or not, I don't care, stop messing around! I won't be satisfied until I kick you away!
"And since the holy land was attacked, the Celestial Dragons will definitely want an Admiral or equivalent force stationed permanently! That would drastically reduce response capability to pirates and rebellions increasing everywhere else!"
"Plus slaves. Dropping this much debris like hail probably killed quite a few slaves too."
"...On top of already gathering slaves through human hunting!"
"The Celestial Dragons basically have excellent guards! Even if some get seriously injured in this chaos, not that many will die!"
"Meaning those who want slaves haven't decreased at all?! You're really..."
"Jihahahaha! Those high and mighty Celestial Dragon-samas don't care where stuff comes from if they want it. It'll be a windfall for slave traders."
This bastard with his rooster-like wheel, and between him and Pink Glasses, bird bastards are really seriously...!!
Large-scale rebellions and skirmishes create refugees with nowhere to go, and underworld forces like kidnappers and slave brokers gain enormous funds and power!
Plus this guy can hide in the sky, so if the Marines can't move freely, he can focus on expanding his influence as much as he wants!
I need to take down at least this guy here, or the world will seriously be in danger!
"That would make public despair and hatred and backlash against the Celestial Dragons—no, against visible leaders like nations—skyrocket! Are you planning to incite chaotic rebellion and confusion?!"
"Jihaha, good reading. You're mostly right about this operation too."
.....
Mostly?
"Kuro, wasn't it? You, become my subordinate."
Stop screwing around, you damn fool!!!
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"I refuse. I could never see eye to eye with someone who wields power in ways that cause such damage."
"Jihahahaha, don't say that."
The Golden Lion grinned while talking to the young pirate dressed like a bureaucrat in his suit.
Neither showed an opening.
But the Black Cat's expression lacked composure, while the Golden Lion showed not a trace of tension.
"You're strong. Maybe about thirty percent of the power compared to that Linlin woman, but to think you'd imitate giant techniques with such high precision is impressive. You already have top-tier strength even on the Grand Line. Under me, you'd never lack for places to use that power."
The Golden Lion, not hiding his leisurely attitude, took out a cigar from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and lit it.
"And above all... you're my kind. You'd develop better abilities if you joined me, you know?"
"My kind? Don't lump me together with someone who resorts to chaotic destruction."
"No, we're the same."
"Both you and I are here. That's the answer."
Letting aromatic smoke curl up, the Golden Lion continued.
"I came here for the plan as you said. So what about you?"
"For the reconstruction of the West Blue that you guys ravaged."
"Jihahahaha! What a serious guy!"
"Because you bastards did whatever you wanted!"
"True enough. But that's not what I'm getting at."
"Huh?"
"I don't know what it is exactly, but you were trying to cleverly win over the Celestial Dragons' power for your own benefit. Otherwise, no matter how well-regarded by the Government and Marines a pirate might be, there'd be no reason to come this far or protect the holy land."
"Kuro, you're a pirate who understands the value of domination."
The Black Cat clicked his tongue softly.
"You understand that the world only has two types: those who rule and those who are ruled. That's precisely why you came all the way to the holy land, trying to maneuver cleverly for your own benefit."
"...And you're here to crack the current ruling system?"
"Jihahahahaha! You get it!"
"Come with me, Kuro! Your military power and strategy are for dominating people! If my ability and your 'Black Cat' forces combine, we could create a pirate crew that even the Government couldn't easily touch!"
"Let's rule this sea together and create the next era!"
Spreading his arms welcomingly, the pirate shouted loudly.
Declaring his aim for what comes after the Great Pirate Era begun by the Pirate King.
"I'm not interested."
But the Black Cat remained unchanged.
"In domination, or rather... I'm not interested in you."
Having caught his breath during the conversation, he relaxed his body slightly and adjusted his glasses while making his declaration.
"True, I think domination is necessary. People are weak and can break mentally and physically over trivial reasons. That's why people gather and cooperate, but when people gather, roles inevitably emerge, roles transform into hierarchies, creating differences for better or worse, and that structure becomes a ruling system with one great leader at the top. Even more so for pirates outside the law."
"Exactly, the essence of piracy is domination!!"
"I don't deny that. But domination for what purpose?"
"...What?"
While frowning, the Golden Lion secretly used his ability to keep watch so he could manipulate debris at any time.
Every time the Black Cat pirate opened his mouth, every word he spoke, he felt the Haki cloaking his body strengthen without stiffening.
"I too am a pirate and a ruler. I suppress the populace with military force as backing, impose labor, and collect taxes."
"...I can roughly tell what that's like from talking to you, but fine. There's no doubt that's your essence."
"But you and I aim for different things. What you describe sounds like domination for the sake of domination. Continuing to rule, simply continuing to reign."
"What's wrong with that!"
"Then your essence is no different from those beneath our feet. You said you'd create an era, but that's fundamentally impossible. All you can do is simply inherit a role."
"Then—what are you fighting for?!"
"For freedom."
Night ended and the sun rose.
Sunlight began illuminating everything: the still-burning town and debris continuing to fall toward the ground.
"As long as humans rule humans, perfect domination is impossible. Domination always has flaws, and people who fall through those cracks inevitably emerge. Those satisfied with domination are fine, but those who can't fully adapt to domination yet lack strong will or military power become the weak and are driven away."
A single man's figure rose in the Golden Lion's mind.
"Yet why do most of the weak endure? Why do those who don't accept domination or those driven away by domination endure and pass their will... their ideology to the next generation?"
A man who was also a pirate like the boy before him, but the complete opposite of the 'Black Cat.'
If the pirate before him was a man of intellect, that pirate was a man of the wild.
But—
"It's to reach for the freedom that will someday come. Because they've been driven to weak positions, they entrust hope for freedom to the next generation."
There stood a pirate who spoke similar words in a quiet voice opposite to that pirate, yet contrary to him.
"My role is to stand beside as many people as possible, and those deemed weak, showing them the path to freedom and peace for some future day. For the sake of those I've already taken responsibility for, I decided that this is how this body should be."
"If you're going to interfere with that—"
It's coming.
The Golden Lion felt it with his skin.
The Black Cat's Haki, which had been slightly disturbed, began flowing again.
Contrary to his quiet tone, he could sense fighting spirit surging within the Black Cat.
"I swear by the pride I pledged to these three claws, I'll push through!"
"Big words! Then die!"
The pirate snapped his fingers with a pleasant sound, and debris floating around rushed toward the Black Cat.
"Tch..."
But in terms of speed alone, the Black Cat was far superior.
Running across colliding ships and their wreckage as if racing through the air, sometimes at speeds that made him impossible to track, he dodged everything.
"Jihaha, I guess this level won't be enough to catch you. ...But!"
The Golden Lion used his ability to make debris of various sizes float around Kuro.
The Black Cat, standing on the largest ship wreckage and observing the situation, tilted his head slightly, but the Golden Lion just grinned.
"Your Elbaf Spear is impressive. Firing countless flying slashes from kicks in less than a blink, then making all those slashes collide to transform into a penetrating 'thrust'—that's impossible for ordinary people! But!"
When the Golden Lion rotated his palm, more debris of various sizes gathered on the battlefield.
At first glance, it seemed to hinder even the Golden Lion, not just the Black Cat, but—
"Your Elbaf Spear can only be fired in empty air without obstacles, right?!"
At the Golden Lion's words, the Black Cat grimaced.
"To combine slashes into a clean 'thrust,' you need to kick over a wide area almost simultaneously, making the slashes collide and form!"
The Black Cat clenched his burned hands for some reason.
"On the ground, the ground gets in the way. Kicking the ground wastes slashes, and trying to create the same phenomenon at a high position to avoid that puts strain on your legs! That's why you can only fire it in empty air, but with this many obstacles, the poor conditions when you try to kick are worse than on the ground!"
"Now one of your trump cards is crushed! Jihahahahahaha!!"
Confident of his advantage and laughing loudly, the Golden Lion found the Black Cat staring at him in bewilderment.
And then—
"—So that's why it was dislocation after dislocation in practice."
"You didn't realize that?!"
***
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