Two weeks have passed since the surprise fight with Gekko Moria.
We went back to the island that was our base after the Marines were strong enough to sail again.
I thought Kuzan would take the Marines home, but I then remembered he froze the sea and rode a bicycle here. He wouldn't have a ship to carry a lot of people. Plus, he was acting in secret.
Well, I worry a bit that he acts so fast that he needs to hide it...
Kuzan went back to the District Headquarters because he was busy with things like reporting the fight with Gekko Moria and checking on the Marines he saved. He said he had to go back to Mariejois right after.
"Okay, take care of the Marines for me." [Kuzan]
That's strange, right?
A Marine who leaves his crew in danger with a pirate is strange, right?
Anyway, I looked around and found a ship that seemed to belong to a Family. I put the rescued Marines on it and sailed away. We plan to wait at the temporary base until it's time to leave for the ceremony.
"Rookie Marines who were lost in a training accident work together to live through a hard time, and they arrive at the District Headquarters on the day of the memorial for their accident— Miracle Marines... huh?"
"Do you think it's too simple, Daz?"
"...I don't hate the story itself."
I sent two main things in the letter to Sengoku with the sea chart.
One was to stop the Marines who might go wild—in my knowledge, only Garp might do that—Sakazuki might also get angry, but... well, to stop those kinds of Marines.
The other was to create a fake story about this whole thing.
We really need a story to bring back Marines who are thought to be dead.
Since this only happened in the West Blue, a different plan would be needed for other places.
It seems like the same kind of thing happened in other seas, because Sengoku and, surprisingly, Tsuru sent me thank you letters through Kuzan.
One more person, an instructor named Zephyr, sent me a very, very long letter separately... It was full of so much anger toward the Celestial Dragons and happiness that the Marines were saved, and it was really scary.
Who is this person? Kuzan said he was his instructor.
...Oh, right. Since he's an instructor, he must care a lot about the new recruits, so it makes sense he feels this strongly...
Anyway, I wrote a reply to everyone. I talked about how the Marines were doing, and about the kid who said he would become a good Marine, and I gave the letters to Kuzan.
I hope this cools them down a bit...
If the world gets too crazy right now, I don't know what will happen.
"Luckily, we don't have a pirate flag yet. We'll sneak up... that sounds bad... but we'll drop the Marines off and be done with it."
"...Yeah."
On the beach, the Marines are in two groups, training with wooden swords.
Perona and Robin are sitting near a bonfire, watching them.
Since a kettle is hanging over the fire, Perona must have wanted hot cocoa.
"Are you sad to see them go?"
Daz spent a long time with those kids as a training partner, after all.
"...They gave me a valuable experience."
"Training?"
"That too, but fighting by using followers was new." [Daz]
"Haha. It must have felt annoying, right?"
"...It's bad for the heart." [Daz]
Someone with Daz's strength could win by just rushing in alone.
Especially against those Zombies.
But when you have people to protect behind you and many enemies, you have to use your followers well to manage the situation.
The pirate way is probably to let each person use their own skills... but that doesn't fit with what I like.
If Daz improves those skills, our future Pirate Crew will be like that, too.
"What did you really think?"
"...Just having fighters who wouldn't break made a big difference. If I get followers later, I want to train them from that point." [Daz]
Oh, right. The times when someone got hurt and the group broke apart were a little risky.
I was focused entirely on making sure Moria didn't make any sudden moves, so I didn't watch that side much. But the kid who got hurt looked very sorry to the others.
Ah, that kid. The one who's training to block attacks while two people attack him.
"Training them now is just making hard enemies for the future, though."
"Even with a little training, they won't be able to fight me or the Captain." [Daz]
"Hahaha. Well, that's true."
And half a month more passed, and we sailed away.
We had two ships. I put the Marines who have been with us since the fight with Capone Bege on my original ship, and I put the Marines from the Moria fight on the other ship. We sailed to the District Headquarters.
When we arrived, there were a lot of Marine ships lined up, just like a ceremony should have.
...
Hey, why are all of them facing us?
For a ceremony, ships usually face the District Headquarters, right?
"Pirate, Kuro of the Silent Step!! We know you are on that ship!!"
Who are you? That's not a voice I know.
Where is Sengoku? Kuzan? At this point, even Sakazuki—sorry, forget I said that.
"And we know your crime! You are a great criminal—"
Isn't it rude to say that to a pirate?
I'm someone whose very existence is a crime, in a way—
"We have found out that you are hiding Nico Robin!!"
..............................................................................................
"Hand over the Demon of Ohara, Kuro of the Silent Step! If you do, we will let you go just this once!!"
"Or we will sink you and your ships!!"
"No matter who! Or how many people are on those ships!!!"
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