"Could it be... that Germa, that army led by Judge, has been defeated..."
Despite being one of the World Government's member nations, Germa possesses no territory and is not permitted to have any, yet its military strength is unmatched among the member nations. The news of its defeat was shocking, even awe-inspiring, to the Five Elders.
"The only threats were Kuro himself, the marine hunters accompanying him, and the three Devil Fruit users led by Nico Robin... yet this pirate crew has grown so much in such a short time."
As the Five Elders reviewed the battle records brought back by the Germa Kingdom, some furrowed their brows, others wore grim expressions, and still others clutched their heads in frustration.
"Kuro is a man targeted by the underworld. Most of the allies he leads are also from their ranks."
"It's difficult to increase numbers and power within their ranks."
"We had planned to seal off the West Blue, surround them as soon as we found them, and eliminate Nico Robin along with them..."
"How could he turn a man with little more than his appearance as his only asset into such a formidable force?"
Among them, the ones drawing the most attention are the roughly twenty former marines who remained with Kuro during the naval battle at the regional headquarters, where he faced off against the Den Den Mushi.
"Those who were returned by him and still remain in the Navy are all training diligently and receiving good evaluations, according to reports from the Navy and CP."
"But they're not as strong as those under Kuro..."
"I think it's because there are Kuja Pirates under him... but I never thought he'd already be using Haki..."
"They are no longer a group that can be matched by the branch's forces."
The Five Elders did not consider Kuro himself to be a threat.
Based on the personal guidelines and actual actions observed in their conversations, the five shared the common understanding that he was an unusual pirate who could get along well with the ruling side.
The problem was that the knowledge of Ohara, the will of Ohara, was being protected under this unusual pirate, whose actions when hostile were unpredictable.
"Should we issue another Buster Call?"
"Regardless of Ohara, this time the pirate in question has a good reputation with Navy Headquarters. Could this become a source of division between the military and the Navy?"
"However..."
It was clear that they had achieved remarkable growth in a short period of time, and if left unchecked, they would become even more unmanageable.
They couldn't just let them go, especially as they would become harder to track down, so the five were discussing their options when the door was knocked.
***
"Since the regional headquarters naval battle several months ago, the group known as 'The Stealthy Ones,' now calling themselves the 'Black Cat Pirates,' has significantly strengthened its forces."
At Navy Headquarters, a regular meeting of senior officers was underway.
The topic of discussion was the gang of men who had been causing trouble for the Navy in various ways.
A large bulletin board, designed for easy viewing by many, was covered with a white curtain. Projected onto it was the battle record brought back by the defeated Germa Kingdom, a document that was supposed to serve as a reference for strengthening troops after a victory.
"We'll crush them."
"Understood."
"The two most powerful members of this group are the leader, 'Silent Step' Kuro, and the bounty hunter who has been causing trouble recently, 'Marine Hunter' Dracule Mihawk."
The headquarters personnel, who had only known the details of the battle at the regional headquarters through reports and testimonies, now saw the leader, Kuro the Silent, and another man swinging his sword alongside him, slicing through the soldiers, the clone soldiers of the Germa Kingdom.
"Oh dear, you've gotten involved with another troublemaker... As usual, you have a knack for attracting big shots."
Following the resignation of the Fleet Admiral, who took responsibility for the Marine Slave Incident, a reorganization was underway within the Navy.
The new Fleet Admiral was Kong, and the Admiral was Sengoku.
Additionally, three new individuals, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino, were granted the titles of "Akainu," "Aokiji," and "Kizaru," respectively, and were appointed as Admirals, representing the Navy's highest combat strength.
Aokiji, watching the recorded battle footage, recalled the days when he had fought side by side with this pirate.
"Alright, let's step it up. Show me what you've got, you soldiers of science."
The footage shifts to a scene of Mihawk fighting alone, and even the elite of Navy Headquarters look troubled by the intensity of the battle.
"...Unlike the others, he's not wearing a uniform with the three-clawed mark. He's not part of the group, but... however, 'Marine Hunter' and 'Silent Step'..."
Akainu watches the scene with a complex expression.
"After reviewing the entire battle records, the 'Marine Hunters' served as guerrilla fighters alongside their leader Kuro, overwhelming numerous Germa soldiers almost single-handedly. And..."
Navy Headquarters Commodore Brannew, who is hosting the event, operates a special Den Den Mushi to switch to the next video.
"Personal Guard, draw your swords! Expand the front lines! Forward!"
"Hah!!!"
"And the main force of the group's combat power is... well, it's hard to say, but they were rescued by 'Silent Step' and later became pirates."
Everyone present knew the details of the Marine Slave Incident.
And none of them could blame those who had decided to follow 'Silent Step.'
Instead, they were tormented by their own inadequacy for not having understood the situation.
Those who recognized faces of people they had personally trained as instructors or mentors in the footage all darkened their expressions. Zephyr, the Special Admiral of Headquarters, who had participated in the joint training of the new recruits and remembered all their faces, watched the footage of them fighting in what was considered the "ideal way for marines" with a mix of anger, sadness, and a hint of pride.
"This unit, known as the 'Guard,' composed of twenty-one former marines, is highly skilled. In certain situations, individual members have been observed leading and commanding other ordinary crew members. From this, it is believed that 'Black Cat' conducts command training, education, and research."
The audience murmurs in confusion, "Pirates?"
However, the rapidly changing footage shows combat that is far too disciplined to be that of pirates.
Even against the superior soldiers of Germa, the crew members, who appear to be ordinary sailors, form ranks, defend well, and respond to the situation with clear understanding.
"...Impressive."
Zephyr murmurs softly.
What Zephyr had been teaching the marines, what he wanted to teach them, was all there in those images.
Even the vice admiral known as the Great Strategist nodded silently at those words.
There was still much to be done. But the basic movements of marines who protect the weak were there.
The irony was that they had acquired those skills after becoming pirates.
"The one leading the unit is Amis, a former Seaman Third Class. She didn't stand out in any way during her training, and she joined the Marines mainly for financial stability. After completing her basic training, she was supposed to be assigned to the supply department..."
At that explanation, Brannew looked awkwardly at Zephyr.
"...It takes time for people to grow... no, to truly succeed, there are certain things they need."
Zephyr. Zephyr of the Black Arms.
With his purple hair neatly trimmed in a marine's style and wearing glasses, he was a massive figure.
The headquarters admiral who had trained many marines spoke solemnly.
"Superiors who can teach skills. The will to learn and rise up. And... the greater purpose that guides that will to grow."
Those who have fought alongside Zephyr and those he has trained nod slightly, seeming to understand.
"The fear and despair born from being captured and sold into slavery, the gratitude and loyalty toward 'Silent Step' born from being saved and rebuilding one's heart... or perhaps... affection..."
Zephyr has never spoken directly to Kuro.
He had only once exchanged letters through Kuzan.
"I speculate that the character and actions of the pirate Kuro filled in the necessary elements for those who fight."
Even though it's an agency of the government, the navy is full of rough-and-tumble types, so this kind of writing is something you rarely see.
The report was written in neat, uniform characters, as if by a merchant, bureaucrat, or teacher, filled with concern for the well-being of the marines under his protection.
You can't truly understand a person until you meet them, but there was definitely something conveyed through that single letter.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, who also received a letter from Kuro, shares a similar impression of him, comparing him to a pirate named "Silent Step."
"I don't know what Kuro the pirate is aiming for. But I think he gave something to Amis, the former Seaman Third Class... If that's the case, they will grow at an astonishing rate from here on."
Zephyr concluded his words, and everyone present turned their attention back to the screen.
A group of combatants with terrifying discipline.
Their cunning and ferocity caused many of the officers present to grimace.
"And it was likely he who taught them the concept of 'Haki.'"
"Continue! Let us cut down the enemy and inspire the troops! Show the pride of the Kuja warriors!"
The footage shifts again, showing a young girl in slacks with deep slits and a blouse bearing a three-clawed mark, wearing a leather chest guard over it, handling a bow and inspiring her unit.
On either side of her are two even younger girls wielding weapons disproportionate to their size, using their Haki to strip down Germa soldiers.
"While details are currently unclear, these three, apparently sisters, appear to be members of the 'Kuja' group. Among them, the girl called Hancock is known to be one of the highest-ranked Haki users within the group."
Imbuing projectiles like bullets or arrows with Haki is one of the advanced techniques.
However, the girl in the footage fires arrows imbued with Haki, piercing numerous soldiers, then strikes them with her bow and kicks them down with her feet.
"...This girl is probably learning martial arts from Kuro instead of Haki training..."
Kuzan murmurs confidently.
The movements of the girl holding the bow, though lacking in speed, bear a resemblance to his own.
To Kuzan, who once fought alongside Kuro, it was clear.
"In addition, there's Perona, the 'Ghost Princess,' who uses the Hollow-Hollow Fruit to perform wide-area bombings and mental attacks. Her role is unclear at this point, but there's also Nico Robin, the archaeologist with the Flower-Flower Fruit ability. And for some reason, the gangster Capone Bege is cooperating with them. Though their forms couldn't be confirmed in the footage, it's certain that fishmen assisted with their movement."
Brannew swiftly switches between the footage.
A swarm of small ghosts, soldiers unable to touch or counter the overwhelming number of pursuing bombs, sustaining severe damage though not fatal.
Suddenly, a castle appears beside Hancock and her group, and soldiers are cut down by cannon fire from within the castle.
A large wooden plank with a group believed to be the royal guard stands atop a sudden water column.
And...
"Above all, the one who stood out the most in this battle was 'Steel Blade' Daz Bonez."
The king of the Germa Kingdom.
The strength of the king of a nation known as a "warring state" is by no means weak.
In fact, it is undoubtedly at a level that could hold its own in the New World.
That is...
"You... You're 15 million?! What kind of joke is this!!"
"I agree on that point."
He was defeated.
Using his abilities, his Haki, and his martial arts with skill, the man feared as "the man who could not be defeated" fell to the ground.
"...They didn't kill Judge because there was no benefit to risking the lives of the kings of allied nations. This was revealed to Judge, who had been captured, by 'Silent Step' himself..."
Kuzan and Sengoku, who had been listening in silence, both clutched their heads simultaneously.
That must have been humiliating for Judge.
It was as if they had said his life was worthless.
Those who had spoken directly with him knew that he was fundamentally a good-natured and polite man.
However, the fact that he could remain calm and act ruthlessly toward his enemies was something only Kuzan, who had stood shoulder to shoulder with him, understood.
"The danger level is now that of a pirate... a crew that has already set foot in the New World."
Here, Brannew glanced at Sengoku.
"We need to update the bounty on the crew's heads due to this incident, but assessing their danger level is extremely difficult due to their cooperation with us in the previous incident..."
Just as he finished explaining the crew's danger level and was about to begin discussing their bounties, there was a loud knock on the door, and a marine rushed in.
"Excuse me for interrupting the meeting! It's an emergency!"
Despite having recently been promoted to admiral, Sengoku, who possessed ample authority, asked, "Calm down, what's going on?" The marine saluted and replied,
"Sir, we've received a report from Branch 303! A large-scale pirate attack is currently underway toward the Kingdom of Mogwa! It's on the verge of falling!"
"What?!"
Some of the soldiers stood up involuntarily.
"The rescue force that was sent out has also been captured due to the overwhelming number of pirates..."
"Nonsense! How could there be so many pirates?!"
At that moment, the only thing that came to Sengoku's mind was the 'Black Cat.'
If it was the same force he had seen in the footage, it would indeed be easy to handle.
"According to the report from the branch office..."
However, the report that was brought was...
"A large number of new pirates have gathered and formed a powerful alliance. They call themselves the 'Pirate Alliance' and are expanding their raids on neighboring areas!!"
***
"I knew something like this would happen sooner or later, but why did it have to be in our nearby waters..."
After the battle with Germa, acknowledging defeat to Judge and releasing him to the sea, it had been a month.
We had been busy preparing for the harvest season, conducting surveys for navigation, and gathering stones, doing pirate work diligently, and now this!!
"Order ships one through four to prepare for departure immediately."
Thanks to quickly shifting the battlefield onto the enemy ships during the previous battle, human casualties were minimal, but the damage to the ships was significant.
At the port, everyone was in a frenzy preparing the pirate ships for departure.
"We've received intelligence that marines have been captured and their ships seized. ...They're getting more arrogant by the day, no doubt about it."
Soldiers who survived the battle with Germa shouldn't lose to ordinary pirates.
With Hancock leading the defense and Hack assisting, the island should be safe.
Just to be sure, we should move the islanders to the evacuation zone and narrow the front lines for added security.
"My lord, why have so many pirates suddenly joined forces?"
"...Probably, but..."
I have a rough idea of the reason.
I thought it would take much longer for such people to appear...
"They must have joined forces to break through the blockade fleet at Reverse Mountain."
The fleet currently blockading the waters near Reverse Mountain consists of two ships commanded by Vice Admirals from Headquarters, along with three elite ships.
Ordinary pirates wouldn't stand a chance against them.
Many pirates who have tried have already learned that the hard way.
So, the survivors among them must have gathered forces to break through the blockade.
"Then why are they attacking Mogwa? They should have been busy being pushed back by the surrounding countries they've been plundering, serving as a distraction for our activities."
That's right.
That's why Bege was working on diverting military supplies and food while making other arrangements, but it all fell apart again...
But...
"Ah, that's easy."
It wasn't entirely unforeseeable...
"They probably realized that taking what's right in front of them is easier than chasing after a dream."
Especially Mogwa, being a military state. There must have been a lot of weapons lying around.
Well, while we were fighting Germa, Bege ordered his men to leak a large amount of supplies, which we were supposed to split later...
To begin with, Mogwa used pirates as tools, so they must have earned their hatred.
That's probably why they became a target after fighting us and losing a significant portion of their forces, weakening their defensive lines.
...
Wait, is this my fault again?
No, they were the ones who attacked first this time, so I'm in the clear.
"Hancock, you earned the trust of the soldiers as a commander in the recent battle."
"...I understand that you expect me to follow your orders."
"If you understand, that's enough. Leave Perona and seven members of the personal guard as scouts. Use Hack and the remaining soldiers wisely, and rely on you for defense in case of emergency."
"Understood."
"Alright."
"Hurry up and load the weapons!"
"We're heading to Mogwa immediately! Let's scatter the pirates and show them our pride!"
I won't rest until I turn those idiots who piled on this crap job into seaweed!
***
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