"...I certainly know about it, but... my, you've caught me completely off guard."
What do you mean by "off guard"?
"If I may say so, I was aboard Roger's ship. So honestly, I was absolutely certain you'd ask about how to reach One Piece, the treasure at the end of the world."
I don't need something like that!! I might need to see it eventually, but still!! And besides!!!
"A treasure that people who go around asking for easy answers could never obtain, don't you think?"
A treasure on an island you can't reach without being able to read the Poneglyphs is practically screaming "dangerous backstory" from the start.
Robin's here too, and if we can't reunite with Straw Hat, we'll probably have to go there eventually. But if we just rush straight to Laugh Tale, we'll either get a painful comeuppance or completely miss the point!!
I love finding shortcuts and secret routes in games, but there's nothing more infuriating than hitting a progression-stopping bug because you skipped too many flags and have to reset the whole game!
"Wa-hahahahahahahahaha!!!"
...Um, that aside, you seem awfully pleased about something, Rayleigh?
You don't need to laugh so hard that everyone's getting uncomfortable.
"No, my apologies. Ha ha ha... I see, well now... To think such a man would be born in the West Blue."
"I was actually born in the East Blue though..."
In the end, I've gotten pretty comfortable in this sea, but if I'd become a wanted man around this time, I wouldn't have been underestimated so much.
"Oh... the East Blue..."
This is strange. I'm the one who asked the question, but somehow I'm the one being interrogated.
"Then how did you cross the Red Line? Coming from the East, you'd have to break through Mariejois."
"I ran. When crossing Mariejois, I ran up the wall."
"Hahahahahahahahaha!!!"
...Yeah, well, there you have it.
Apparently my stories make the sake go down smoother... He sure looks like he's enjoying it... Well, whatever.
"Now then, I'd love to hear more, but I'll save that pleasure for later. ...Ah, yes, I know about Jaya. It's a summer island located roughly in the middle section of the first half of the Grand Line. It's also a pirate island where hot-blooded pirates tend to gather."
"Right. There's a bird there with a distinctive call, isn't there?"
"Ah, the South Bird. Yes, I remember it well because Roger kept getting into fights with it."
"Fights..."
Oh right, the South Bird was incredibly intelligent, wasn't it?
...Should I ask Doctrina and Chopper from Drum to help with negotiations and translation?
By then I should have earned a decent amount of money.
"Is it true that the bird can only face south?"
Daz stood up and asked.
Come to think of it, he was the one who'd discussed this matter with me the most.
"Exactly right, it can only face south. We also used one to reach a certain location."
"...So it really was fact."
Robin was whispering with Amis about something, while Bege's eyes were sparkling as if he'd caught the scent of gold.
That's just like you guys.
"Now, with all that in mind, I'd like you to hear what I have to say."
"My goal is the liberation of the Grand Line."
***
Both I and those who had followed the pirate called 'Silent Step', with a few exceptions, found ourselves gaping with open mouths.
"As you just heard, the South Bird is a natural compass. Using this, we can add flexibility to navigation in the Grand Line, where magnetic interference makes it difficult to determine direction. Of course, we'd still have to deal with unpredictable storms and unusual currents..."
The Great Age of Pirates, triggered by the words that former captain left behind on his deathbed.
Everyone who becomes a pirate sets out to sea seeking the 'treasure' that man left behind.
Some rot away in the process.
Some drop out, others develop a taste for plunder. And some simply become drunk on violence.
"The Grand Line, with its routes somewhat restricted by special environmental conditions, and the Calm Belt, which serves as a major barrier to entry. If we could master the techniques to freely navigate both of these, the current situation would change dramatically."
But even though this new era had only just begun, this was the first time she'd seen a pirate trying to walk a completely different path from all the others she'd encountered.
"I know what's needed for the Calm Belt. Large quantities of seastone, and ships that can move without wind, paddle ships."
"And in the Grand Line, you'd use those birds."
"...That's right. Well, more accurately, at least in the beginning. We'd use them, but they are living creatures after all. There's always the possibility they could die along the way. That's why we need backup plans. Well, I'll explain that part another time..."
"Travel through the Calm Belt using seastone ships, and free navigation routes through the Grand Line created using South Birds."
"Using these two pillars, we'll spread the advanced technology and culture of the closed environment that is the Grand Line far and wide, and change the world!"
"The collision of technologies and knowledge that have developed in isolation will inevitably spark innovation, and the spread of cultural customs will bring new richness to the world!"
"And the trade routes that carry all of this will greatly stimulate markets, accelerate commerce, and bring each island greater opportunities for prosperity!"
The boy vice-governor, who probably knew the details, and the girl playing with her folded ghost-shaped parasol were both smiling quietly.
Meanwhile, the female captain of the 'Black Cat' pirate's personal guard was glowing with excitement alongside the survivor of Ohara.
"This is the plan I've been considering for some time. There are a few parts that need adjustment, but... what do you think?"
"You bastard, Kuro!!"
The boy pirate who could easily be underestimated at first glance, and the mafioso who had built an equal relationship with him, shouted as he stood up.
"If you've got such an interesting story, why didn't you tell us sooner?!"
"Sorry, Bege. You see, my timing for entering the Grand Line kept getting completely disrupted, so I never really had a chance to bring it up."
And so he laughed while shouting back.
A group that was utterly unpirate-like was laughing in a thoroughly pirate-like manner.
Just like the crew on that ship he used to sail with.
"...I see."
The man was now certain.
He couldn't say whether this pirate's plan would succeed.
But...
"The seeds of the next era are already beginning to sprout."
This pirate crew would grow even larger. The reason why a young ability user, a New World swordsman, a man abandoned by the times, and the surviving will of Ohara had all gathered together.
He felt like he was beginning to understand.
***
After Captain Kuro's announcement ended, the salon naturally became the venue for an impromptu banquet.
The personal guard who had been waiting in separate rooms and Capone Bege's subordinates also gathered, ordering various dishes and drinks from the wait staff while chatting amongst themselves.
While picking at food that was more modest than usual, Captain Kuro was talking with Bege and Mihawk.
Behind them, Nico Robin was diligently running a comb through Kuro's long hair and braiding it for some reason.
Hancock was watching this scene with her sisters when members of the personal guard came over with fruit to chat.
Perona was deep in discussion with the fish-men and mermaids about developing their hidden harbor base.
"Still, you've all become quite the pirates at your age. Your support staff must have their work cut out for them."
"Yeah... Though it helps that all our subordinates understand their roles."
"That's right. All our crew members understand what it means to hold their positions... Conversely, the personal guard's roles are starting to become more scattered, so we might need to reconsider the structure."
At the salon's counter, the Pirate King's right hand was sharing drinks with two people who could truly be called the main pillars supporting the 'Black Cat': Vice-Governor Daz and Personal Guard Captain Amis. Well, one was drinking tea.
"No, even from my perspective, the personal guard is quite elite. If you continue training their Haki, they'll develop into a formidable unit that won't easily crumble even in the New World... I'm envious, really."
"Envious?"
"Including your regular crew members, I've never seen such a well-organized pirate crew... If I'd had subordinates like yours, I might have had an easier time."
At those words, Daz's iron mask expression softened slightly.
"Now that you mention it, all the pirates we've sunk so far just rampaged around without any tactics or strategy."
"Ha ha ha! That's normal. To organize pirates like Kuro and you have done, then operate with more strategy and tactics than even the Navy..."
"More than the Navy?"
"That's how it seems to me. During Hancock's training breaks, I observed the remaining personal guard and crew training, and it was quite fascinating."
Capone Bege had procured and Kuro had purchased some rather fine sake for the salon. The 'Dark King' Rayleigh was drinking this sake, which he rarely had occasion to taste, with obvious relish as he continued:
"In the New World, the second half especially, it's a world of individual martial prowess and numbers. A group trained to the level where they can use Haki at a level that would be somewhat viable even there, while emphasizing group movement over individual action... my, that's frightening."
"Even when we attack as a group, we still can't match Mihawk-sensei or the Captain."
"The Captain has apparently gotten even faster since learning Armament Haki... or so I hear."
"...Vice-Governor, is that really true?"
"Apparently, if he coats his feet with Armament Haki during acceleration, it protects his feet and allows for quieter acceleration. You can't tell from the outside though."
"...Impossible. I can't keep up."
"Ha ha ha!!!"
The two who knew Captain Kuro's speed all too well felt both reassured by their governor's continued growth and got headaches thinking about how he'd need to hold back considerably for even mock battles to work at this point.
"You train with that 'Marine Hunter' as well?"
"Yes, all of the personal guard. Plus any crew members that sensei takes an interest in..."
"Mostly we just repeatedly attack in groups of five from among the training participants and get taken down."
Both Daz and Amis grimaced remembering their usual hell.
Since the two often took command roles, they didn't participate every time, but whenever they did join in, they'd remember the previous session's exchanges and devise improvements, only to be scattered again as if being told "that's not it."
Through repeated challenges, they'd finally reached the point where individually they could last over fifteen minutes without being instantly defeated, and with proper coordination they could maintain a sword fight for over twenty minutes.
The other squad members, except for the defense-specialized Miakis, would be knocked unconscious much faster.
"Daz. You're young. Governor Kuro as well, but you're still at an age where you could properly be called boys. Why did you become pirates?"
"...Originally, after I accidentally ate a Devil Fruit, I was doing bounty hunter work. That's when I met the Captain."
"As enemies, then?"
"Yeah. At the time, the Captain had an additional bounty from the mafia on top of his regular one... Looking at the wanted poster, he seemed only slightly older than me, not by much. There was no information about him being an ability user."
Daz, the only one drinking tea, mate tea rather than alcohol, set his cup on the counter and recalled that time. Though it was still recent enough to be called recent, it felt like years ago.
"Even back then, the Captain was fast. First, I couldn't track him with my eyes, and though I took no damage, I was being kicked around one-sidedly. I thought I could cut him if I caught the moment he kicked, so I swung my blade-transformed arms, but he was never there anymore... Honestly, I was scared."
How would it be now? Daz opened and closed his palms several times.
"Well, as we were fighting like that... suddenly, he said, 'Come with me.'"
The weak are oppressed because the strong are forgetting their respect.
The strong are forgetting their respect because they're forgetting that they too were once weak.
Daz still remembered the words Kuro had said then.
Even after becoming strong enough that there were probably no real enemies left in the West Blue, that captain hadn't forgotten his respect for others.
"Really, it was such a stupid way to recruit someone."
As Daz chuckled softly, Rayleigh asked:
"What exactly did he say?"
"Ah, he started saying things like a con artist."
"Come with me and let's turn the world upside down. This meeting is fate," he said.
Amis burst out laughing.
"Vice-Governor, you fell for that kind of line?"
"After that, he told me that wild story from earlier... Well, then I shot back 'I'll only become your comrade if you're the leader,' which started another fight... and after that, well, you know how it goes."
When Daz turned to face the elderly man who had brought up this topic, the man had an astonished expression.
As if he were seeing something impossible, he looked stunned.
But then:
"Ha-hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
He set his sake on the counter, tears forming slightly at the corners of his eyes, and burst into hearty laughter.
***
"So anyway, I sent a letter to Hancock's acquaintances on Amazon Lily who were worried about them. They'll be staying with us for a while."
Don't you dare!!
Who could blame me for almost shouting that?!
This is the West Blue! And we're pirates in a complicated situation with a ceasefire agreement with the Navy!
I can't exactly tell Kuzan, "Sorry, the 'Dark King' is staying with us for a while, but please don't mind it!"
"Well, I'm interested in watching your growth too. Especially..."
Hey now, Rayleigh.
For now, could you please sheathe that saber and put it aside and have some tea? Or sake is fine too.
"You've piqued my interest quite a bit."
You don't need to be interes... Killing intent?! Behind me!!
SHING!!
"Oh, you dodged that? Just as I thought, you're shaping up nicely."
"MIHAWK, YOU BASTARD!!"
What?! What is this?! Why is the 'Dark King' holding a saber in front of me while 'Hawk Eyes' has drawn his sword behind me?!
"But Rayleigh, is this really alright? Having you help with Kuro's training."
"It's fine. As you assessed, Kuro's thoughtfulness acts as a brake when wielding Haki. If that's the case, then the fastest way is to intentionally break that brake without slowing down his thinking speed, his weapon, by pushing him beyond his limits."
"When you go beyond your limits, people die!!"
Who could blame me for shouting that?!
"Ha ha ha! Don't worry, you're quite well-trained physically and you're young. Come now, as long as your bones are intact, they'll heal properly."
"Did you just declare you're going to half-cut my limbs?!"
"Don't worry, Kuro. I guarantee it."
"Guarantee what?!"
"I can naturally cut cleanly, and so can Rayleigh. We have a ship doctor on standby too. No problem."
"Look up the word 'problem' in the dictionary!!"
I did casually mention during our chat that I wanted them to oversee my Haki training!
Since he's the master who taught the future protagonist Haki, I thought he'd give me some solid, if somewhat Spartan, training!
I even said I'd try anything, no matter how unreasonable!
But that was about my own training! Nobody asked to be executed!
"Kuro, you'll need to head to Mokwha before too long."
"This man has trained to the point where he can fight continuously for five days. A little unreasonableness won't hurt him."
Little unreasonableness doesn't extend to preparing for limb half-cutting! Please understand this! Please!
"Oh, is that so? Then let's start with something light. Let's see... six hours. Mihawk and I will keep attacking you while leaving just one opening."
"See through it and survive."
"Excuse me, but that sounds to my ears like a difficulty level where one wrong judgment means death, but that's not true, right?!"
"Let's go."
"Show me your power like that night, Kuro."
"GWAAAHHH!!"
***
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