The human trafficking incident that began unexpectedly, followed by the joint operation launched by the Black Cat and Marines, had spread rapidly throughout the West Blue.
The liberation operation, which also served as the first battle for the Black Cat's new fleet that had grown significantly during winter, was going surprisingly well alongside the Marine ships.
Those who had become pirates because they couldn't find food and were subsequently absorbed by the Black Cat were engaged in rescue operations, land clearing, and development work under the discipline drilled into them through short-term but intensive training.
Perhaps because many had originally been farmers, they adapted to the work faster than the initial Marine recruits, and even now they were unloading lumber brought by Capone Bege's ship, processing it at workshops prepared in a corner of the port, and transporting it.
While some carried firewood, others bundled processed wooden planks with rope and loaded them onto Marine-prepared wagons, while still others wrapped large quantities of bricks in straw and loaded them onto carts bound for the castle town under reconstruction.
"Geez... It really is a strange sight, seeing pirates working earnestly."
"Why do you make such a gloomy face, Kuzan? An Admiral should not wear such an expression."
At a corner of Arlong Park port, once the battlefield where a Marine Admiral and the Black Cat fought together, scattering the pirate alliance's advance guard, Kuzan sat grumbling when Boa Hancock, the Black Cat Pirates' First Fleet Admiral in her usual suit with an overskirt, stood before him.
"Hancock-chan, you're back."
"Stop adding '-chan.' ...Indeed, it was as the man who surrendered to us said. We captured the engineering ship and secured all the nearby hideouts."
Hancock lightly shook a small wine bottle in one hand.
"Here, this is the liquor you like, isn't it?"
"Oh my, isn't this sherry? Where did you get it?"
"There was a large liquor storage at one of the bases we raided. This was among them."
The Admiral accepted what the pirate fleet admiral offered him.
"You recommended this to our master before, didn't you? Saying it was liquor that suited him."
"...Ah. My teacher was fond of this."
Before opening it, Kuzan transformed his hand to ice, further cooling the bottle that was already reasonably chilled by the winter air, looking nostalgic.
"He said it was the coolest liquor in the world."
"Hah hah, it certainly seems like it would suit our master."
Hancock also sat down next to Kuzan with a water bottle in hand.
"So?"
"Mm?"
"Why were you making such a gloomy face?"
"Oh my... you're going to ask that?"
"I may as well observe the complexion of our cooperation partner. I am an executive of the Black Cat after all."
"...Well, I suppose that's true."
Having reached the right temperature, Kuzan returned his hand to normal and opened the bottle, sipping the contents while speaking.
"You know Kuro went to Area A—the region we designated as highest priority defense and successfully protected—to request aid from the member nations, right?"
"I know. That's why he returned, isn't it? Well, it seems he brought back extra trouble too."
"Sorry about that, Hancock-chan."
"I told you to stop calling me that!"
While remaining seated, she skillfully delivered a light blow to Kuzan's knee, but he continued drinking from the wine bottle without changing expression.
"Hmph. From your expression, I take it the aid couldn't be secured?"
"Yeah. ...Did you expect that?"
"Our master did. He said there was an extremely high possibility that those who managed to preserve their wealth would become arrogant toward those who couldn't."
Perhaps thinking of similar situations within their own non-member nation territories, Hancock frowned while moistening her throat with water.
"If so, he wrote in his notes the possibility that people would try to drive up prices of food including grain, or conversely, hoard it out of anxiety. He left instructions to be careful when managing and redistributing supplies."
"Is he really a pirate..."
"Even crew members, let alone executives, tilt their heads at this. It's nothing new."
The two wearing similar suits in different colors, sitting side by side, looked like nothing more than a brother and sister from the outside.
"But... I could still understand that sort of thing. I was prepared to buy it even if it cost more berries, and I'd already submitted the budget application."
"Ah, so that's what you were unusually glued to your desk for."
"Yeah. But... it didn't work out."
"Refusing a Marine request would require considerable reason. What was it?"
To Hancock's natural question, Kuzan let out a big sigh.
"—Celestial Dragons."
At those words, Hancock's already frowning face twisted with even more displeasure.
"Those bastards again."
To words that could be condemned as disrespectful, Kuzan simply nodded without saying anything.
"Apparently every year around this time there's a celebration for the head of a certain Celestial Dragon family... I think it was Saint Rosward?"
"So it's like a festival?"
"Yeah. ...And they're gathering food for it."
"...Don't tell me, from the West Blue too?"
"Fortunately, no such request has been made to the West Blue."
"Of course not. Do they realize how many people are starving..."
The First Fleet, due to its characteristics, had an aggressive composition, but naturally also conducted civilian rescue operations.
Hancock had naturally grasped the situation through her own eyes and report numbers.
"But if no request was made, then why?"
"If they delay their annual tribute, they'll fall out of favor with the Celestial Dragons... apparently."
"...For such a reason, they ignore the starving around them? Bandits will increase, making the burden even worse."
"Yeah. I said the same thing."
"And what did the ruler of that nation say?"
"...That it's the Marines' job and not their concern..."
"Fools. They're worse than bandits."
"Haha, if a pirate says that, it's really over."
The pirate, who apart from the Kuja era had only plundered from other pirates and mafia since joining the Black Cat, changed from a displeased expression to something indescribably complex.
"Pirates understand the situation and cooperate with everything from supplies to manpower, while the member nations we're supposed to protect won't lend food or labor even in this situation, thinking only of themselves... It makes me wonder what we're fighting for."
Downing more sherry and sighing, Kuzan gazed absently at the port scene.
Groups in suits bearing the three-clawed cat were working together to carry barrel after barrel filled with contents from ships.
And from the darkening sea, Marine ships and pirate vessels were returning to port one after another.
They communicated and confirmed their courses with each other using flag signals.
"Hey, Kuzan."
"Mm?"
"I've been thinking about it in my own way since then."
".....About what?"
"Fool. You asked me before, didn't you?"
The young but increasingly mature pirate girl brushed back her proud hair.
"About justice."
"...Ah."
Before they reunited like this, just before Kuzan departed for the member nations, he had casually asked Hancock that question.
Only when reminded did Kuzan remember those words he'd spoken somewhat thoughtlessly.
"I've been thinking about it ever since you said that."
"...Right. And?"
"I don't know."
"Hey now."
When Kuzan lightly tapped her shoulder asking why she'd brought it up then, Hancock retorted with "Hey, listen!" and tapped him back.
"As you know, I was a member of the Kuja."
"Yeah. One of the Grand Line's premier pirates. So renowned that even when merchant ships had skilled escort vessels, they'd flee the moment they saw your flag."
"Indeed. ...Looking back now, it was a convenient word, but we were a warrior tribe... borrowing our master's words... yes, culture. Warrior culture."
Hancock and her sisters had stopped using the bow they'd made before eating their Devil Fruits.
She'd given that well-made bow to one of the guard members who handled bows most skillfully.
Even so, perhaps from habits formed through their activities, she placed her hand on the shoulder strap of the leather chest guard she wore as usual under her blouse beneath her jacket, and for some reason looked sad.
"Therefore, I had no reservations about plundering. The strong take everything. Those who achieve merit receive the largest share of plunder. ...It was natural."
"For pirates, anyway."
"Exactly. ...No, sorry. That wasn't sarcasm. That was Kuja justice."
The girl who commanded town reconstruction while conducting raids against pirates sighed once more.
"When I was captured and ever since being saved by our master and the others, I've been constantly amazed by cultural differences."
"...Is the Black Cat like that too?"
"I'm amazed and bewildered every day. ...Well, it's certainly comfortable in a strange way."
If Hancock had remained an ordinary Black Cat soldier, she wouldn't have had such thoughts.
This current state resulted from being entrusted with soldiers, assigned territory, and given responsibility for civilians.
"Now I believe civilians must be protected. Partly due to our master's influence in valuing productive capacity over organizational military power, but the common people who support production are irreplaceable. They're absolutely not something to be used up and discarded."
Kuzan looked at the girl sitting beside him as if seeing something dazzling.
She was a pirate.
But her will had become something far removed from that of a plunderer.
"What the common people have built up—no, the people themselves are never light things. Technology, experience, and above all, their sense of belonging somewhere are extremely heavy and therefore valuable. ...However."
Nevertheless, the girl called Boa Hancock was still a pirate.
"Even so, I also think it's natural for the weak to be plundered. If you're not strong, you'll be robbed, and to avoid being robbed, you must become strong. Even for common people who have neither time nor leisure to train."
"...That's the strong person's logic."
"Indeed. I think so too. But it's undoubtedly also truth. Without power, you can do nothing. I too... that's why I was captured and nearly sold. ...Because I was weak."
Kuzan opened his mouth to object, but ultimately no words came out.
Because he belonged to the Marines where power decided everything, he understood all too well that Hancock's words were also truth.
"I believe the Kuja culture and Kuja justice, where the strong take everything, is correct. But there's also part of me that thinks our master's justice—where we try to properly utilize everyone's power, no, abilities and experience, viewing strength and weakness in combat as just one aspect of individuality—is how things should be."
Hancock inverted the nearly empty water bottle over a weakly blooming wildflower in front of them and shook it lightly.
"I too am in the midst of confusion about the duty I should uphold as a member of the 'Black Cat' crew."
Then, placing the completely empty bottle beside her, she looked straight at Kuzan.
"Just like you, Kuzan."
"...You're saying I'm confused?"
"In that recent incident, you said you got lost trying to come consult with us, didn't you? Fool, there's no way you'd get lost in a place like that."
Kuzan awkwardly brought the bottle to his lips and tilted it, but rather than swallowing the contents, he just moistened his lips slightly before pulling it away.
"You were probably hesitating about whether it was right to involve us 'Black Cat' in the slave problem. Whether you should solve it alone as a Marine... that's when I called out to you, right? Because of what happened with Amis and the others... you fool."
"How many times are you going to call me a fool..."
"I'll call you that as many times as you worry about trivial things. But including that—"
"I will never laugh at your confusion."
Hancock looked straight at Kuzan—Admiral Aokiji—who wore an atmosphere of guilt, with young but sharp eyes.
"Whether Kuja or Black Cat, I only know pirate justice. So I have no idea how your worries look from the perspective of Marine justice."
Inwardly thinking that Kuro, their leader, might understand, Hancock continued with "However—"
"Yours is a search for your justice, for the pride you should carry in your chest, isn't it? That's never something others should laugh at or defile."
"....."
Kuzan finally fell completely silent, staring intently at his half-finished wine bottle.
Perhaps three minutes passed.
The Admiral, who had remained wordless, finally spoke.
"Have you been trying to encourage me this whole time?"
"...Fool, don't say such things aloud."
Standing up and lightly brushing sand and pebbles from her slacks and overskirt, Hancock looked down at Kuzan.
While some might find this action unpleasant, Kuzan just smiled slightly with a troubled expression.
"Things were fine for a while after our master departed, but especially recently you seemed out of sorts."
"Sorry. For worrying you."
"If you're sorry, then pull yourself together."
"Our master's friend shouldn't make such gloomy faces."
"When nothing goes right, you can't help making faces like that."
"Soldiers follow officers who can enjoy themselves even in unfavorable situations. Look—"
—Horohorohoroho! You've got good sense!
—Fuhfuhfuhfuh! I'm honored you'd say so!
—Keep it up with the houses! We can't use fire, but with walls this thick, we should be able to ward off the cold sufficiently!
—If you can handle the window glass on your side, I can mass-produce this level of work indefinitely!
—Horohoroho! Keep it up!
"Like those guys."
"Is it okay for someone who just surrendered and is essentially a prisoner to be like that?"
"If there's practical benefit, it's fine. It's actually helpful."
"...Yeah, well, I suppose... that's true."
—Horohorohorohoroho!!!!!
—Fuhhahahahahahahaha!!!!!
"They're really enjoying life, those guys..."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
(Something's wrong...)
It's been quite some time since I came to Marie Geoise.
The negotiations between the Marines and Government have at least managed to arrange additional material transport to the West Blue, increased survivor benefits for families of the victims, and special pensions for survivors who can barely work anymore.
That's fine.
That's fine.
The problem is our plan.
(The Five Elders are coordinating far beyond expectations)
In the room prepared for me, I can sense Marines and someone from Cipher Pol outside serving as both surveillance and protection, I tear up pieces of paper and prepare five fragments on the table as memos.
(The original objective was to understand the Five Elders' internal situation. If possible, to create cracks in the Five Elders system itself, but...)
I had thought there would be some degree of opposition among the Five Elders, given their roles and numbers.
Actually, that should be natural.
(Even supreme rulers have their respective roles, and among them are those who control money. Then conflicts must inevitably arise in governing activities)
From what I've heard, the one with the katana handles finances. If so, all the more...
(Whether practical or interpersonal, the common structure in such cases is three versus two)
I arrange the five paper fragments with three on the left and two on the right.
(Or a conflict structure of two versus two with one neutral party serving as mediator)
I move one of the three left fragments upward, creating something like a pentagon with the five pieces.
(If it's three versus two, I'd approach the outnumbered two; if it's two versus two versus one, I'd approach the neutral one, indirectly... creating a form where the pressure from us 'Black Cat' is needed for the Five Elders' balance construction... was the extent of the strategy, hoping it might work)
It was something modest, hoping to discover something that seemed like an opening, but I can't find anything resembling that.
No, in terms of negotiation, there are plenty of openings due to the unpredictable Celestial Dragons acting as constraints, but I can hardly find anything that could be called a flaw in the Five Elders as a unified entity.
(They might be seeing through our scheme and refusing to show openings... but even so, they're too well-coordinated)
"...Change of strategy, maybe."
I can't quite see what the Celestial Dragons, the World Government, ultimately aim for.
If it's world unification, they should abolish the wasteful discriminated classes and make non-member nations into vassal states.
Though it's harsh to say, if non-member nations have no human rights, they could theoretically take the approach of "everyone's a slave starting today!"
While it's difficult now, I can't believe there wasn't a single such opportunity in these 800 years.
Well, setting aside troublesome pirate strongholds and such.
(That unclear objective might remain in the form of documents like Poneglyphs, or perhaps as oral tradition...)
In fact, that clumsy spy Corazon in the original... what was his real name again... he said he'd been told about the D as a child.
Though it wasn't oral tradition but more like threatening words to children, the past still remained.
(However, in that case, conflicts would still arise from differences in interpretation... or rather, it's weak as a reason for no conflicts to arise. If there's a strong reason they don't conflict... or can't...)
That would mean a superior with stronger actual power is keeping watch.
Would it... be that?
(Don't tell me there's actually a king above the Five Elders?)
Among the things Hina, Special Admiral Zephyr, and Spandine taught me was something called the "Empty Throne."
If the symbol for making vows was false, it would mean the World Government is fundamentally wrong, and one wrong step could lead to serious trouble. Serious trouble.
(Besides, even if there were a king, succession would be inevitable)
Kings age too, children are born, and those children must be raised.
Raising the next king or controlling the next administration would definitely become a source of conflict.
For such conflicts not to leak outside... or rather, if such things existed, the Celestial Dragons would probably self-destruct on their own, causing terrible chaos, so probably not.
Unless the king were immortal and ageless...
—That ability is so valuable!
—The "transplant surgery" of personalities as well... one more thing!
—Do you know?! The "Ope Ope no Mi," if used by someone talented—
"..."
.....Hmm.
(Alright, let's change tactical objectives)
Let me just secure results and wrap this up quickly.
Don't think too deeply, just focus on what's in front of me.
Value life above all!!!
"The question is whether the World Government can claim to have shown sincerity to the Marines through money and materials alone..."
Even excluding people like Kuzan and Garp-san, the Marines tend to value face—or rather, emotion.
(If there were an apology from the Five Elders... no, at least from one of the Celestial Dragons who actually traded Marines behind the scenes, the story would be different...)
Words of apology are harder than words of gratitude.
The moment an attitude of "tch, how annoying" leaks through, it's over, and expecting such behavior from Celestial Dragons would be cruel.
So inevitably, only the Five Elders seem capable.
(However, the situation isn't desperate enough to make the supreme rulers bow their heads, and above all, the stage isn't set)
The pieces to end this situation aren't fitting together properly.
That's precisely why, even with Fleet Admiral Sengoku's political sense, the situation hasn't progressed this far...
(Maybe I should rest a bit)
I pour tea from the pot Hina brought (after taste-testing for poison) into an appropriate cup and drink the lukewarm liquid while looking out the window.
I could see a small orange line on the pitch-black horizon. Dawn was approaching.
I'd pulled another all-nighter.
...Well, I'd done plenty of all-nighters being chased around by Mihawk and Rayleigh with real swords, so this much isn't a big deal...
(After a light nap, should I request a meeting with the Five Elders? I need to explore how much the Five Elders can compromise individually... hm?)
There's something off about the still-dark sky.
I narrow my eyes and stare intently at the sky.
"....?"
There were ships there.
Massive ship wreckage was filling the holy land's sky.
"—Huh."
And as if my gaping mouth was the signal,
—Jihahahahahahahaha!!!
A rain of destruction began falling toward the holy land.
***
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