Kuro's ideals and temperament represented a profound anomaly within the original manga's vibrant, adventure-driven universe.
The antagonists that the Straw Hat crew encountered throughout the East Blue—regardless of their later significance—uniformly possessed grandiose ambitions despite their brutality or cunning.
"Clown" Buggy relentlessly pursued his quest to plunder the world's treasures, displaying remarkable persistence despite repeated setbacks. Krieg, even after witnessing his armada's annihilation by "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk, stubbornly maintained his determination to reconquer the Grand Line and claim the title of King of the Seas. The Arlong Pirates meticulously charted nautical maps while laboring to establish their maritime empire.
Yet Kuro alone—among the formidable East Blue pirates encountered by the Straw Hats—harbored an ambition so mundane as to be revolutionary: to live as a wealthy gentleman in an obscure coastal village. To achieve this modest goal, he willingly endured years of calculated deception and self-imposed servitude, despite ranking among the East Blue's most formidable pirates. His exceptional combat prowess had even enabled him to independently develop a technique remarkably similar to Shave from the Six Powers (Rokushiki), demonstrating extraordinary innate talent.
A man of such disposition would naturally find Golden Lion Shiki's character fundamentally incompatible with his own. More precisely, Kuro found Shiki's needlessly provocative, ostentatious, and stereotypically piratical behavior profoundly distasteful.
Moreover, Shiki's domineering personality repelled Kuro. With the exception of a select few whose talents rendered them indispensable, Shiki never treated his subordinates as genuine comrades. His cruelty and casual bloodthirst were evident daily—Kuro had witnessed numerous instances where Shiki's subordinates were summarily executed for trivial errors or merely for inadvertently provoking his displeasure.
William, while similarly possessing an authoritative nature, demonstrated exceptional skill in concealing it. He consistently projected an approachable demeanor and displayed genuine respect toward talented individuals, ensuring they maintained dignity both publicly and privately. Among other subordinates, those in William's service were accorded proper respect.
Comparing the two, Kuro—who valued stability and dignity—naturally preferred serving under William.
Of course, if Shiki truly possessed the strength to dominate the world as he claimed, then regardless of Kuro's personal preferences, pragmatism would compel him to abandon William, who would be destined for defeat.
But Kuro harbored profound skepticism regarding Shiki's prospects. At seventy years of age, Shiki had already entered the twilight of his life. Among Shiki's inner circle, Kuro had identified no individual qualified to serve as a genuine second-in-command—no one capable of assuming control should misfortune befall Shiki himself.
Dr. Indigo clearly failed to meet these requirements. Though an invaluable scientific asset, he lacked both the martial prowess and charismatic authority necessary for effective leadership.
Kuro recognized that even if Shiki successfully perfected the IQ formula within the next few years and established regional dominance, his influence would inevitably dissipate shortly thereafter. Shiki's advanced age represented an insurmountable limitation.
Moreover, at over seventy, Shiki might still possess sufficient strength to create significant upheaval, but his aspiration to rule the world amounted to nothing more than delusional fantasy. Kuro placed no confidence in such unrealistic ambitions.
During his time in Shiki's proximity, Kuro had observed unmistakable signs of cognitive and visual deterioration. On multiple occasions, Shiki had confused objects—mistaking a gorilla for a family member or distant storm clouds for an afro hairstyle.
Comical? Perhaps to casual observers such behavior might appear amusing. But for Kuro, who was expected to entrust his life and future to such a man—to join him in "conquering the world"—these episodes inspired nothing but cold dread.
How could a leader whose faculties were already deteriorating possibly command the respect of someone with Kuro's intellectual acuity?
Shiki's legendary status remained undeniable. His global reputation far eclipsed William's. Yet from Kuro's analytical perspective, William's developmental trajectory and future potential vastly exceeded Shiki's.
Over the preceding days, Kuro had accumulated substantial intelligence while in Shiki's proximity. His primary challenge now involved determining how to transmit this critical information to William.
Naturally, Kuro had no intention of sharing these thoughts with Krieg. However, just as he prepared to dismiss his visitor, Krieg unexpectedly broached a similar topic.
"Have you considered our next move?" Krieg inquired in a hushed tone.
Kuro raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "What next move?"
Krieg fixed Kuro with an intent gaze, his expression betraying mild contempt. "Don't play obtuse, Kuro. Your 'Hundred Plans' intellect is renowned throughout the Navia Kingdom and across the East Blue. Surely you recognize that the bald old man's grandiose proclamations amount to nothing more than a madman's delusions. It's merely his overwhelming strength and casual brutality that prevent us from contradicting him openly."
In the original narrative, Krieg had maintained his arrogance even after Mihawk decimated his fleet with superior strength. Though cunning and manipulative, Krieg remained fundamentally indomitable—Shiki's formidable reputation alone was insufficient to command his genuine allegiance.
"I simply wish to avoid the meaningless death that befell the others," Krieg declared disdainfully. "But to suggest I would sincerely pledge loyalty to that senile lunatic? Impossible!"
"Aren't you concerned I might report this conversation to Shiki?" Kuro adjusted his spectacles, his tone deliberately neutral. "I've already provided him with considerable intelligence."
"If you hadn't done so, I would have pursued the same strategy," Krieg replied with a subdued chuckle. "To escape this place intact, gaining his confidence represents our optimal approach."
"I suspect we share similar objectives—both seeking departure from this place. What remains unclear is your motivation for directing Shiki's attention toward the East Blue," Krieg probed.
Rather than responding directly, Kuro posed a counter-question: "Your expression suggests you've been contemplating escape. Have you formulated a viable strategy?"
After scrutinizing Kuro's cautious demeanor, Krieg hesitated momentarily before carefully glancing through the window to confirm they weren't being observed. Satisfied with their privacy, he lowered his voice further.
"Our steamship... While you've remained in Shiki's proximity these past days, the rest of us have been assisting their researchers in studying the vessel and sharing technical specifications. Progress has been minimal, however, as they lack qualified shipwrights—and those from our original crew were executed by Shiki."
The shipwrights William had selected were idealistic young talents—volunteers whose willingness to leave the relatively peaceful East Blue for the chaotic dangers of the Grand Line demonstrated exceptional courage.
Consequently, they had formed the vanguard of resistance alongside Harden when confronting Shiki. Those of lesser ability who nevertheless voiced opposition were subsequently executed during Shiki's wrathful purge.
This left Shiki without the expertise to properly utilize the captured steamship. However, given their current trajectory toward the East Blue—birthplace of steam technology—this single vessel had diminished in strategic importance.
"Do you recall the hot air balloons aboard our ship?" Krieg's eyes widened meaningfully. "Several were equipped with parachute systems. The personnel here have never encountered such devices and remain ignorant of their function. I managed to conceal the parachutes while unobserved."
Parachutes represented no technological novelty to William, a time-traveler. Their development posed minimal challenge—William had commissioned their research concurrent with the introduction of manned hot air balloons to ensure the safety of aerial personnel.
Kuro's eyes brightened perceptibly. Observing Krieg's apparently genuine expression, he suddenly smiled with calculated warmth.
"You're right, Krieg. Shiki represents nothing more than a paper tiger. My proximity these past days has afforded deeper insight into his condition. He has grown old—regardless of his former might, time proves a thousand times more formidable adversary. He stands destined for obsolescence in this evolving era. To borrow William's terminology, he embodies the concept of a 'paper tiger.' The critical question becomes: who will expose his true vulnerability?"
Kuro locked eyes with Krieg, his gaze penetrating. "Tell me, Krieg—do you aspire to join William's inner circle of strategic decision-makers?"
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