I. The Hollow Leader
Witnessing the clamor of Yuba, Kiri felt the stark difference from his memories wash over him.
The crowd consisted entirely of burly, hardened men. The original townspeople had all but fled, leaving the settlement depopulated of civilians; it had transformed completely into a base for the Rebel Army.
Every eye was sharp, every gaze suspicious. Many carried weapons.
In the midst of this, Kiri's presence stuck out like a sore thumb.
Though he had grown taller, his appearance hadn't changed much. Traces of childhood lingered in his features, and he walked with a massive backpack stuffed to the bursting point.
He alone seemed tranquil, weaving his way through the rough soldiers.
His reason for coming was the same as always.
Upon reaching the center of town, Kiri found the person he was looking for.
"Koza."
"Oh... Kiri?"
Koza, who had grown into a tall, rugged young man, welcomed him.
Just moments before, his face had been etched with exhaustion, but the moment he spotted Kiri, his expression shifted. A natural smile—one he rarely showed these days—graced his lips.
Thanks to that reaction, and the fact that Kiri was there to sell supplies, the rebel soldiers welcomed the boy warmly.
They offered him a chair, and he set down his heavy pack to settle in.
Koza sat opposite him. Up close, the gauntness of his face was undeniable.
"You look tired. are you sleeping properly?"
"Yeah... well, it's nothing major. I'm just glad you came. This country has become dangerous lately. I thought I might not see you again."
"It's no big deal. I'm used to walking in dangerous places."
Seeing Kiri smile just as he always had, Koza seemed to find relief.
Placing himself in the center of a rebellion that grew more violent by the day was wearing down his soul. Though their numbers increased daily, the logistical burden grew with them, and supplies were critically low. living days devoid of comfort, the visit of a friend lifted his spirits more than anything else.
"Actually, there's something I have to tell you..."
"What is it?"
"I've become the leader of the Rebel Army. Everyone recommended me."
Kiri's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly recovered his smile. Yet, there was a hint of trouble in his voice.
"I see. I suppose I can't exactly say 'congratulations,' can I?"
"I guess not... I wonder sometimes. Why do we have to fight? But once it starts, you have to see it through to the end."
Koza exhaled heavily, cutting his words short.
The fatigue was clearly accumulating. While Koza looked down, Kiri glanced around. The men nearby shook their heads slightly; telling him to rest didn't work.
"What happened to the previous leader...?"
When Kiri asked, Koza simply shook his head. That was answer enough.
It was a dangerous position. Not just anyone could fill the role, which spoke to how much trust Koza commanded.
Kiri looked contemplative as he observed his friend. Compared to the men around him, Koza alone looked drained, undoubtedly suffering under the crushing pressure of leading at such a young age.
Suddenly, Kiri's expression brightened, and he unzipped his backpack.
"That's right, I have something good for you."
He pulled out a square container. It drew the attention of everyone nearby, including Koza.
"It's just incense, but the scent will definitely calm your nerves. When you're tired, you need deep sleep."
"Kiri is right. Koza, seriously, get some rest."
"But..."
Unable to stay silent, one of the rebels chimed in, sighing as he addressed the hesitating leader.
"You taking a break won't make the sky fall. Just rest."
"...Sorry."
Accepting his comrade's words, Koza stood up to move.
Noticing the look from the man who had spoken, Kiri stood up as well. Leaving his luggage behind, he followed Koza into his house.
Perhaps due to neglect, the interior was far dirtier than in his memories.
Yet, it lacked the feeling of life. It felt like a ruin from which the inhabitants had vanished.
As if the tension had finally snapped, Koza walked with unsteady steps and collapsed onto his bed. Seeing this, Kiri lit the incense and gently placed it by the pillow.
Then, deciding to tidy up a bit, he began to clean the room.
As he worked quietly to avoid making noise, Koza, covering his eyes with his arm, muttered.
"I'm sorry..."
"Sounds like things are really tough. Where is Toto-san?"
"He left town a while ago. He kept saying to stop this 'foolish rebellion'."
"I see."
Taking off his sunglasses, Koza stared at the ceiling with weary eyes.
It was different from when they were children.
Even in the same house, the view wasn't the same.
But now, Kiri was here. Though they hadn't known each other as long as childhood friends might, Koza felt a strange ability to rely on him.
The darkness built up inside him began to spill out, drop by drop.
"I... killed someone."
Kiri turned around. The smile was gone.
Covering his eyes with his right palm, Koza let out a deep, trembling breath.
"It was to protect a comrade. He survived because of it, but... I didn't want to kill anyone. This isn't what I wanted to do. Nothing goes the way you think it will, does it?"
"No. But I know that you care about this country, Koza."
"Do I? I don't even know anymore."
His quiet, exhausted voice was heavy with emotion. It was the sound of deep regret.
"I worried about the future of this country. I wanted to do something. But before I knew it, the citizens are hurting each other everywhere. Is this... is this really what I wanted?"
"It can't be helped. Moving people's hearts isn't easy."
"Still, I wonder. Was there another way? Every time a comrade dies, every time a Royal Army soldier dies, my resolve wavers. I think, 'I didn't want to be a murderer'."
To focus on Koza's words, Kiri brought a chair over and sat by the bed.
Noticing this, Koza lowered his hand and looked at the boy beside him.
He alone hadn't changed. Gentle, pure, living true to himself. Regardless of what Kiri actually thought, that was how Koza saw him.
I have changed completely. It had been only a few years, yet it felt like a lifetime.
Seeing Kiri like this brought back memories of the past, bringing peace to his heart.
At the same time, he envied Kiri for remaining unchanged.
It was like this before. He spoke into those eyes that accepted every weakness.
Kiri smiled gently to reassure him, simply watching over him in silence.
"But I can't go back now. For the sake of those who died, and for the sake of those I killed, I have to change this country. I have no choice but to move forward."
"Yeah. I know."
"If possible... I want to make this a country where you can walk without being afraid..."
Covering his eyes with his arm again, Koza finally closed them to sleep. He might not have realized it, but the scent of the incense was indeed soothing his mind.
Confiding in Kiri had likely played a large part, too.
Despite his chronic insomnia, today he fell asleep easily. Before long, the sound of quiet, rhythmic breathing filled the room. He was safe for now.
Kiri sat in the chair, unmoving.
His usual smile was gone. In its place was a strange expression—one of intense, puzzled tension.
Lately, he was aware of a strange sensation. But he couldn't pinpoint the reason.
Without realizing it, the operative within him and the friend of Koza were beginning to dissociate. There was a part of him that genuinely worried for Koza, and another part that moved to escalate the rebellion. Both existed separately.
It felt as though he had split into two people. He was unaware of the rift.
He no longer found it strange that he worried for Koza from the bottom of his heart.
By voluntarily discarding his will to live and becoming a vessel for another's ideology, his mind was beginning to fracture.
He was breaking. The person he used to be was being painted over.
Past memories were blurring, and he could no longer even recognize his former self.
Kiri remained by Koza's side for a while, troubled by the swirling strangeness inside him, sinking into silence. His thoughts grew chaotic; he could no longer tell if he was worried about Koza or thinking about himself.
Having worn so many faces in so many places was the likely cause.
However, the boy himself understood neither the change nor its cause.
II. Shadows in the Alley
It happened late at night, on a certain island.
A man was running desperately, his breath ragged.
He sprinted through empty, narrow back alleys, legs pumping as if fleeing a demon. He kicked over trash cans in his wake, refusing to stop.
Eventually, he halted, realizing he was in a place even he didn't recognize.
With a terrified expression, he scanned his surroundings, sweat pouring down his face.
"Kyahahaha! Too bad, you couldn't get away."
A voice came from overhead. The man snapped his gaze upward. But there was no one there, no disturbance on the rooftops. The man stepped back, shaken.
Immediately after, a sense of dread washed over him, and he whirled around.
A man was standing there, having approached without a sound.
He flicked a finger, launching something difficult to see in the darkness.
"Nose Fancy Cannon!"
The fleeing man's body became the epicenter of an explosion. In an instant, his flesh was charred black as he was blown away.
Confirming that the charred lump rolling on the ground wasn't moving, Mr. 5 shoved both hands into his pockets.
From the roof above, Miss Valentine floated down, landing on the ground as light as a feather.
"Mission complete. Where did the Unluckies go?"
"Kyaha, easy work. Hardly a challenge."
"Obviously. It's a target whose only skill was running away."
As they spoke, a voice suddenly called out from behind them.
"Easy is fine, but I'd prefer you do it a little more quietly. You'll wake everyone up."
Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine leaped back instantly. Eliminating all wasted movement, they turned their eyes to the rear, landing in combat stances ready to strike. It was a subtle action, but their speed and expressions betrayed their elite combat skills.
However, upon confirming the owner of the voice, the tension instantly drained out of them.
Standing there, hood pulled up, was Kiri.
They had met many times. He was a member of the same organization.
It was through his training and instruction that their Devil Fruit abilities had been strengthened.
Dropping their guard, the two stood up straight.
Only his mouth was visible under the hood, but Kiri waved his hand casually. The soft smile was there, as always.
The pair didn't act particularly friendly, but they were more relaxed than before.
"You two aren't suited for assassination, are you? Maybe I should have asked someone else?"
"Is there anyone else who can do the job? Besides us?"
"Don't worry, there's no one around here. No one noticed."
"I hope so."
Kiri shrugged and immediately cut to the chase.
"Next mission. Apparently, the Rebel Army is short on weapons. I want you to go get some."
"Another errand boy job?"
"Boring mission~. Is there anything else?"
"Now, don't say that. This is important work, too."
Miss Valentine pursed her lips in boredom, and Mr. 5 snorted.
They felt no amusement in it, but the job had to be done. Mr. 5 asked Kiri:
"The target?"
"There are bad people in this world, you know. Seems there are smugglers dealing weapons."
"So we're to steal from them?"
"'Bad people'... coming from you? Kyahaha!"
Kiri turned his back to them, waving as he began to walk away.
"You can go wild this time. It would be helpful if you erased them without a trace."
"That's what I was waiting for."
"Kyahahaha! Finally, something fun."
Kiri's figure vanished into the darkness once more.
After watching him leave, Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine walked off in the opposite direction, leaving the scene behind.
III. The Gambler and the Pawn
Alabasta Kingdom, Rainbase.
In a VIP room of the casino that boasted huge crowds day after day, Crocodile sat facing Kiri.
Between them lay a chessboard, displaying the remnants of a fierce battle.
Both studied the board with calm faces—Crocodile expressionless, Kiri wearing a faint smile as he moved a piece.
"Koza became the leader of the Rebel Army, as planned. He's working well for us."
"Everything is proceeding according to plan. We might be able to move the schedule up."
Crocodile moved a black piece.
Seeing the move, Kiri showed a gesture of slight hesitation.
"Still, you do like to make things complicated. I never thought the preparation would take this long."
"That is the nature of a perfect plan. Success is a given. The problem is what comes after. The true beginning is only after we have acquired everything."
"Is that so?"
Kiri moved a white piece.
Prompted by a thought, a thin smile curled Crocodile's lips.
"There has been movement on this end as well. Princess Vivi and the Captain of the Guard, Igaram, have infiltrated our company."
"The Princess? Why?"
"Most likely trying to find the cause of the rebellion. They've sniffed out our existence."
"How did they manage to infiltrate? How did they do it?"
"Nothing impressive. Miss All Sunday simply guided them in."
"I see."
When Crocodile revealed his next move, Kiri finally groaned as if in pain.
It seemed the shape of his defeat was now visible, and he was struggling.
Still, he didn't give up, glaring at the board as the conversation continued.
"Surveillance?"
"Unnecessary. They aren't worth that much trouble."
"Then why let them in?"
"I have an idea. I believe they will have some utility down the line."
"I don't really get that kind of stuff."
Though he moved his pieces one after another, the situation remained thoroughly hopeless. Finally, the match reached its conclusion.
The result was Kiri's defeat.
He had never won a single game against the man. In other words, today was the same result as always. However, growth was evident. Crocodile's smirk likely signified his acknowledgement of that fact.
Kiri lowered his eyes and leaned back into his chair.
He had become so accustomed to losing that he no longer felt frustration. He closed his eyes, pondering his mistakes in today's game.
At that moment, a thought crossed his mind.
He asked Crocodile a question, keeping his eyes closed, his body completely relaxed.
In that state, Kiri seemed unusually at ease, looking very much like a child.
"That doesn't seem like the cautious Boss I know. You might get tripped up if you're not careful, you know?"
"Hmph. If that happens, you handle it."
"Asking the impossible again... I'm already working pretty hard, you know."
Muttering his complaint with a dissatisfied look, Kiri suddenly let out a huge yawn.
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