Chapter 125: Dawn Arrives
Abu, Vice-Commander of the Happo Navy, and Capone Bege, the Godfather of the West Blue—both fell at the hands of the same person.
This news spread at lightning speed throughout all major cities in the Kano Country and rippled outward to the surrounding seas. The underground world of the West Blue, in particular, buzzed with the revelation.
Capone Bege and his organization were both renowned figures throughout the vast West Blue—people that most individuals respected or feared. That they both fell on the same day, at the hands of the same person, was naturally shocking beyond measure.
Beyond the initial shock, everyone couldn't help but feel a sense of dark anticipation—because this matter was guaranteed to have consequences. With the Vice-Commander dead, the Happo Navy would never let this transgression go unanswered.
As the scene of the incident, Black Harbor was nearly completely evacuated within a single day. Seventy to eighty percent of the population fled directly. Most who remained were either unable to escape or gambling on improbable luck.
They understood the situation all too well.
While the Happo Navy served as guardians of the Kano Country, protecting it from external pirate threats, they were still fundamentally a pirate organization themselves. With their Vice-Commander killed here, the Happo Navy in their rage could very well resort to wholesale slaughter.
Consequently, almost everyone capable of fleeing Black Harbor had departed overnight.
At the Revolutionary Army base, Rhodes was on the phone with West Army Commander Morley.
"Commander Rhodes, please withdraw with your forces immediately. I'll send reinforcements right away."
At this juncture, Morley clearly had no viable way to resolve the conflict peacefully. He could only attempt to minimize casualties and preserve Rhodes and other valuable Revolutionary Army members.
Morley sighed heavily.
Dragon's original intention had been to temper Rhodes's character through assignments across the Grand Line, then have him participate in and eventually lead revolutionary operations in the Kano Country—training him for a future leadership role.
"I'm afraid the Supreme Commander didn't anticipate this young man would flip the entire table the moment he arrived in the Kano Country," Morley thought with a mixture of exasperation and reluctant admiration.
Unexpectedly, Rhodes made a startling declaration:
"My strength has hit a plateau recently. I need some powerful opponents to push me past this barrier."
"Sai, the current pillar of the Happo Navy, and their former leader Don Chinjao would be perfect challenges."
Following these words, absolute silence fell on both ends of the connection.
Everyone—from Hela to Larry and the other subordinates, to West Army Commander Morley and his own lieutenants—was utterly stunned.
Seeking breakthroughs when one's strength plateaus was perfectly normal.
But who were Sai and Chinjao?
These were pirates renowned throughout the New World a generation ago—supreme masters of combat!
While there had been few reports of them taking action in recent years, legends were still legends and shouldn't be underestimated so casually!
Even West Army Commander Morley, a powerhouse in his own right, held them in fundamental respect.
Yet Rhodes seemed completely unaware of the gravity of his opponents, saying casually:
"Hela, take your subordinates and retreat first. I'll go alone."
"It's decided, Commander Morley. Please send someone to retrieve them."
After awakening his Conqueror's Haki, Rhodes alone possessed power equivalent to an entire army. Subordinates of Hela's caliber, following him into such a confrontation, would only hinder him and serve no practical purpose.
Morley fell silent.
Rhodes's tone carried an undeniable sense of finality. Although he still used respectful forms of address, Morley somehow felt as if he were the subordinate in this exchange.
"Conqueror's Haki..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, suddenly feeling profoundly uncertain about how to proceed.
While Conqueror's Haki wasn't necessarily a combat multiplier in terms of raw power, its possessors were invariably individuals of tremendous determination and unshakeable conviction.
Once such a person set their mind on something, outsiders found it virtually impossible to change their course.
"How confident are you? This is literally life or death—don't be reckless."
"Heh."
Rhodes smiled at that and said with absolute calm: "If I die in a place like this, it only proves I never amounted to anything in the first place."
"..."
Morley was silent for a long moment, his expression complex. Then his eyes gleamed with resolve as he suddenly spoke: "Hela, you and the others should retreat first."
"young Lord Rhodes... please ensure you return alive. The Revolutionary Army needs you for its future."
He'd addressed Rhodes as "Young Lord"—a subtle shift showing genuine respect.
This would have been unimaginable before.
Who was Morley?
The West Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army, second in authority only to Supreme Commander Dragon himself, and a formidable figure feared across the seas!
Yet here he was, showing deference to a seventeen-year-old youth.
"Understood!"
Hela and the others responded immediately. Though they harbored concerns for Rhodes's safety, since Commander Morley had given the order, they dared not object. They quickly gathered their belongings and prepared to depart.
Before leaving, Hela glanced back at the young man in white sitting composed in his chair. After a moment's hesitation, she said nothing, silently closing the door behind her.
Come back alive... Rhodes.
Looking at the now-empty conference room, Rhodes slowly stood and walked to the window, gazing eastward across the seas.
Out there, a future Pirate King was probably about to set sail on his journey.
I can't afford to fall behind.
Happo Navy Headquarters, Mokomo
Located at the mouth of the Kano Country's largest river, it boasted a supremely strategic position—connecting the capital to both northern and southern territories, and serving as the nerve center for the Kano Country's entire naval defense.
Thanks to the overwhelming might of their former leader Don Chinjao, the Happo Navy had reigned supreme for years, commanding the Kano Country's military forces and dominating the entire region.
The news of Abu's death naturally enraged the entire Happo Navy, with many clamoring to tear Rhodes to pieces, pillage the so-called Black Harbor, and slaughter its populace as an example.
Just as their emotions reached a boiling point, a young man in white arrived outside Mokomo.
It was Rhodes.
Black Harbor was quite distant from Mokomo, and the journey by sea would normally take considerable time. However, Rhodes's physical abilities were exceptional—crossing mountains and traversing waterways with ease.
By dawn of the next day, Rhodes had overcome all obstacles and arrived via the most direct route possible.
At this moment, the Happo Navy was still in the midst of war preparations.
"Yukiko should be somewhere in this city too. I hope nothing's happened to her," Rhodes murmured, glancing at the rows of large warships docked in the distant harbor before averting his gaze.
This was precisely why he'd decided to take the initiative rather than retreat.
He had few friends, which made him treasure them all the more dearly.
If anything had happened to Yukiko and the others, this entire city would be reduced to ashes by wrathful thunder...
Mokomo hadn't imposed martial law, but the number of residents moving about the streets had noticeably decreased—evidently fearful of becoming collateral damage in the Happo Navy's coming rage.
This actually made things easier for Rhodes. He followed the main streets and soon arrived at a modest compound.
The gate was plain and unadorned, devoid of ostentatious decoration—far from splendid.
It didn't look like the residence of the West Blue's wealthiest merchant at all.
"Interesting."
Standing at the entrance, Rhodes extended his Observation Haki across the property. Sensing something noteworthy, a knowing smile curved his lips.
However, he paid it no immediate attention and simply knocked on the door.
Before long, footsteps approached from within.
Then an elderly man dressed as a butler opened the door. He visibly startled upon seeing Rhodes, then quickly ushered him inside with obvious urgency.
"Sir Rhodes, please come this way," he said, his voice trembling with barely suppressed panic.
"There's no need for such concern. While I'm here, no one can harm you."
Rhodes's tone was utterly calm, yet somehow profoundly convincing. The elderly butler visibly relaxed somewhat, smiled bitterly at his own anxiety, and offered a small bow of apology.
Who could have possibly imagined that this man—so despised by the entire Happo Navy that they wanted him dead—would actually appear at their headquarters of his own volition?
Absolutely unbelievable.
(End of Chapter)
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