"Ah, sorry, Admiral Aokiji and Admiral Kizaru. I lost my cool for a bit."
"Oh, yeah..." Kuzan replied, "It was more than 'a bit,' but if you're okay now, it's fine."
I'm really sorry.
It took me a while to get used to a normal boat trip. No blindfolds, no earplugs, no weights or chains. No attacks or killing intent coming at me.
I was so tense, thinking an attack that could cut the ship would come if I relaxed. I think I stressed out a Sea King, because we had to fight one on the way...
When I stepped on solid ground and no one attacked me, I finally realized I wasn't in hell anymore...
Haha.
"...But still, Kuro," Kuzan said, looking me over. "Haven't you gotten a lot stronger since I last saw you?"
"I don't really feel it. But I'd be in trouble if I hadn't gotten stronger."
Seriously... If I didn't get results, what was the point of that death march I did while trying to work?
This is the downside of getting more free time, thanks to Robin, Hancock, and Gild Tesoro taking over some of my work. Damn it.
I tried my best to land at least one hit. I managed to kick Mihawk twice and Rayleigh once. But after that, they attacked me like demons. I got my face cut, and the glasses in my pocket were smashed...
It was awful! Damn it!!
"Anyway, it's been a while. Ah, and nice to meet you, Admiral Kizaru. Thank you so much for guarding the supplies you brought."
This time, a huge amount of food arrived safely. Because of that, the food prices, which were rising like crazy, have finally slowed down a bit.
Thanks to this, it should cost less to bring peace to the non-affiliated countries.
"It's fine," Kizaru drawled. "In fact, the trip here was quiet because you all have been hunting pirates."
"No. It's not just us. It's thanks to the Marines who work so hard, watching the seas like hawks every day."
My crew's skill is getting better from daily training, drills, and tough surprise training from the Guards. But when it comes to jobs that need a lot of people, the Marines are still number one.
The Marines fight, stop the enemy, and report back. This lets the area commanders send help quickly. It also helps us find the pirates who go to non-affiliated seas, so we can hit them fast.
"Like I reported earlier, Daz is defending and fixing our base. I ordered Mihawk to take Robin and build more defense points. I brought her as our new mobile force to take his place."
I step back, and my new leader steps forward.
"I will be taking Mihawk's place," Hancock announced. "I will handle the rebuilding around the Mogwa Kingdom and lead the mobile attack force."
"Ooh, the famous child of Kuja?" Kizaru said, sounding impressed.
Well, she is rare.
After all, a pirate from the Grand Line is here in the West Blue...
Wait, Grand Line pirates aren't rare here anymore.
Right. A warrior from Amazon Lily is the rare part.
"Boa Hancock. She is my subordinate. I just named her Admiral of the First Fleet."
When I introduce her, Hancock says, "I look forward to working with you," and salutes.
Just like with the Princess, she knows how to act in the situation.
This time, she's talking to Marines. Even though we have a truce, she's not as polite as she was with the Princess. She's a little rougher.
"You appointed her and brought her instead of Mihawk," Kuzan noted. "Does this mean she can handle internal affairs, too?"
"I won't make her farm or build things, but she is skilled enough to run our main base while we're gone."
"Oh my... So your group is just going to keep growing," Kizaru mused.
"Even so, we need people."
More refugees and people in non-affiliated countries want to join us. But they just want to be saved, they don't want to be pirates...
For now, I'm taking them in to help with rebuilding and farming, but that's not making my force stronger...
"I wouldn't be so sure, Kuro," Kuzan said.
"Hm?"
"A whole crowd of people is here waiting to see you."
"..."
Who!?
...Ah, wait, I think I remember...
--
"It's been a long time, Captain Kuro!"
"Captain Kuro! It's good to see you!"
"We heard about what you were doing, even back home, Captain!"
"...I see. It's all of you."
I followed Aokiji into the Mogwa Kingdom castle. Its owner is gone, so it's basically a Marine base now. Inside, a huge crowd of people I recognized was waiting for me.
That's right. They are the Marines I rescued during the Moria fight. The ones I left at the regional base.
I heard they were gathering, but... isn't this almost everyone from that day?
A few are missing, but there are also new faces I don't recognize. They look like the Marines, or seem close to them.
Family, friends, or maybe sweethearts.
"It's been a while," I said. "I'm glad to see you are all well. But... why are you here?"
And why are you all in regular clothes?
"Aren't you here on Marine duty?"
"After you rescued us, we returned to the Marines, but..."
"We all felt bad that we left without getting to say anything to you, Captain."
"I'm sorry," I apologized. "The situation was bad, but I should have paid more attention to you."
At that time, I put my Guards, who knew how to sail, on the main ship. We were towing the ship that held the people we rescued from Moria.
And because of that unplanned fight, I had that one Captain from HQ take the whole ship.
Then Amisu made her surprise announcement, and the main ship members who were supposed to move to that ship ended up joining me instead. It was completely unexpected.
"No, not at all! ...We just didn't know what to do back then..."
Well, it's normal to panic.
Even though they knew about Robin, who would expect an idiot to do something so stupid at that exact moment...
Ah.
"Come to think of it," I asked, "what happened to that Regional Manager? I got so busy, I completely forgot about him..."
I really forgot.
After that, I was just focused on how to slow down the government's next move.
"After that, Captain Momonga arrested him and took him to HQ. It seems the order to arrest him came from HQ—"
"We heard they made him tell them everything, and then they threw him into Impel Down."
Oof...
So he got thrown in there.
He's a former Marine. I wonder if the other prisoners are beating him up? Probably...
Not that I care. I really hope he's suffering as much as possible.
Because of that idiot's stupid mistake, my crew got too famous. It delayed my plans to enter the Grand Line again and again...
Come to think of it, that bastard passed out from one kick before he told me where the jamming Transponder Snail was. He wouldn't wake up even when I hit him... I should have kicked him more.
"I see... Well, if they got all the information from him, the investigation must have moved forward."
"Yes. The people taken before us... the ones who could come back... were set free.
...I think. ...Probably."
This is it. This is the problem.
With cases like this, you can't see what the World Nobles are doing. It makes you suspicious. You can't stop wondering if some people were left behind.
They would never show it, but I bet the leaders, including Sengoku, are having a hard time controlling those doubts.
In fact, it's very possible there are still many Marine slaves being hidden... The Marines' distrust of the World Nobles won't stop easily. ...And that means the World Government will want to tighten its leash.
They are probably using all kinds of tricks to fight for political control.
Sengoku must be running around dealing with this on top of his real job. If I could, I'd send him a gift.
The one thing the Marines need most right now is a political officer. They never really needed that job before.
In the original story, they were just dangerous sea police. Now, for better or worse, things are changing too fast.
...No, not for better or worse. It's just bad.
The world is becoming so unstable. I've had enough.
"We saw that incident... we saw that empty base... and we heard about everything you've done, Captain," one of the saved Marines said. "We've made up our minds."
Hm?
"There are 63 former Marines. And 22 helpers. A total of 85 people. We've brought two large transport ships, one medium caravel ship, and our own food and supplies."
...
Wait a minute. This is a Marine base. There are two Marine Admirals standing right behind me—!
Shouldn't you two be a little more worried or surprised!? You're the core of the Marines!
"Please, let us join the 'Black Cat' crew!" they all shouted.
I've been dying to get new members who are ready to fight! But not like this!
Oh... come on...
For now, I'll just have to push them onto Toya and Hack and drill them in close combat...
Damn it, when the group gets this big, it's harder to move... Help me. Somebody, help me...
--
Captain: Captain Kuro
Vice-Captain: Daz
Leader: Perona (Scout)
Leader: Nico Robin (Operator)
Guard Captain: Amisu (And 21 Guard members)
Internal Affairs Officer: Gild Tesoro
First Fleet Admiral: Boa Hancock
– First Fleet Assistants: Sandersonia : Marigold
(Current fleet: 3 pirate ships, 2 transport ships)
Close Combat Teacher: Hack
Guest General: Dracule Mihawk
Guest: Silvers Rayleigh