Hearing this, Dante and the other two pretty much figured out what had happened.
Viola frowned, asking directly, "Your meeting with that Marine Admiral was discovered by Teach? No wonder."
"That makes things dangerous." Robin crossed her arms. "If Teach discovers our connection..."
"Um... Boss Robin, Boss Viola." Mock gave a dry laugh through the Den Den Mushi. "Well... actually, it wasn't Teach."
Mock nodded seriously. Without any hesitation, he stated directly, "It was Red Nose."
"Rear Admiral Buggy?"
"Red Nose Bro?"
"I told you, don't call me Red Nose! And strictly speaking, I'm your Senpai!"
Hearing Mock's words, Buggy rounded on him, shouting despite the fear that had him shivering moments before. But under the weight of two pairs of staring eyes, he shuddered again. His face drained of color, and his knees knocked together.
"A-Admiral Kuzan, I didn't see anything! Please don't kill me to silence me!"
He had only stepped out for a break and a drink. He never expected to stumble upon such an massive secret. A Marine Admiral colluding with the East Blue Overlord. No, not just a Marine Admiral, but his direct superior, Vice Admiral Garp. The Son of the Pirate King, a Marine Admiral, and the Hero of the Marines all in one place.
He even suspected the Fleet Admiral was involved. That "Boss" they just mentioned had to be Fleet Admiral Sengoku. After all, back at the East Blue Bar, he had heard Sengoku himself preparing to go to Romance Dawn with Mock.
What an massive secret. What exactly were the Marines trying to do? Even though curiosity burned within him, he wanted no part of this knowledge. Especially not with that hardened expression on the Marine Admiral's face. Terror gripped Buggy tighter. He knew there was no escaping an Admiral's pursuit.
Was he really done for? His dream...
Buggy hesitated no longer. He slid forward on the damp cobblestones and threw himself in front of Kuzan.
Kuzan flinched, muscles tensed as he expected an attack. Instead, Buggy dropped straight to his knees.
*Thud.*
Buggy hugged Kuzan's thigh, sobbing with snot and tears streaming down his face. "Admiral Kuzan! I'm one of us! Really, I'm on your side too! You know my superior, right? I know about his collusion with Mock too! Please believe me, I will absolutely never tell anyone about this! If you don't believe me, ask Mock! Mock, you know me, I was a crewmate under your old man! Explain it to Boss Kuzan!"
"That's right, Boss Kuzan." Mock nodded. "Red Nose Bro has indeed met me. He should be on our side... I guess? Of course, it's fine if you want to take him out. I'll listen to you."
Silence fell over the alleyway.
Both Buggy and Kuzan scowled at Mock. Buggy cursed his most respected Captain in his mind. 'Damn it, Captain, how can your son be so ruthless?'
Ultimately, Kuzan sighed deeply, his tone carrying a complicated edge. "Ara ara. Get up. Rear Admiral Buggy, I won't kill you. But..." He paused slightly. "About today's matter... you know what you must do, right?"
Buggy held significant strategic value to the Marines. Despite the various problems plaguing the organization, Kuzan did not want to watch Marine HQ decline. Actually, after seeing Dante's talent at first glance, Kuzan had planned to have the boy return to HQ. He intended to recommend him directly for promotion to Admiral within a few years, securing a powerful voice within the ranks. By then, with the two of them joining forces, or even if just one of them became the next Fleet Admiral, perhaps they would have the chance to change the Marines.
But he never expected that brat wanted to start a rebellion.
Kuzan gathered himself. His voice hardened, and a chilling aura radiated from his body, frosting the ground beneath his boots. "If I find out you told anyone..."
Though the sentence went unfinished, the delivery terrified Buggy even more. He nodded repeatedly. "I understand, I understand!"
He was already on this path. To guarantee his own safety, he couldn't keep going like this. He had to deepen their relationship.
Buggy quickly put on an earnest expression and looked up at Kuzan. "Boss Kuzan, don't worry, I absolutely won't tell anyone, but please let me join too."
He had no choice but to see this through to the bitter end. His dream was getting closer and closer.
"Even though I know some secrets, Boss Garp has been keeping me in the dark, refusing to tell me about our organization's plan."
Organization? Plan? He didn't have a damn plan.
Kuzan looked at Buggy, staring awkwardly. "What do you know?"
"I know that you and Boss Garp are preparing to use Mock to hold back the World Government's attention, right? Oh, and Boss Sengoku too. I also know that Boss Sengoku is our boss behind the scenes."
What the heck? Since when was Fleet Admiral Sengoku on their side?
Just as Kuzan stood there completely bewildered, Buggy held nothing back. To truly join, he directly voiced his conjectures.
"But if that's the case, why make me step forward to debunk the rumors?" He frowned, an edge of confusion in his tone. "Could it be that you want the World Government to stop suspecting the Marines? And to create the illusion for them that the seas have fallen into great chaos?"
Speaking, he looked back up at Kuzan. "Boss Kuzan, am I right?"
Buggy really had an imagination.
Kuzan's face stiffened. He suppressed the blank look in his eyes and nodded. "It... it should be."
Only, Buggy felt a surge of anxiety. Even at this stage, Kuzan still refused to tell him. This was a lack of trust.
He hurriedly added, "Boss Kuzan, I'm really one of you! I will absolutely never betray our organization. Please believe me and tell me our organization's goal. That way I can know what to do."
"...What to do?"
Kuzan paused. He didn't know what to do either. But seeing the sincere look in Buggy's eyes, Kuzan stopped brushing him off. He sighed, his tone flattening. "Just complete the tasks issued to you by Marine HQ. As for the rest, we'll talk about it when the time comes."
"Tasks issued by Marine HQ? Opposing Mock to confuse the World Government's attention? I understand!"
Did he say all that? But seeing that Buggy finally stopped pestering him, Kuzan suppressed his questions, and he just nodded. He spoke with a note of resignation. "Let's leave it at that. We should head back, and Mock, get the hell out of here."
"Yes, Boss Kuzan."
"Understood, Boss Kuzan."
Hearing their responses, Kuzan sighed again, but he didn't want to say anything more. He walked straight out of the alleyway, while Mock and Buggy followed behind him with their heads held high.
However, just as they were about to step out of the alleyway, another familiar figure jumped out, panting frantically.
"Mock, thank goodness, I finally found you! We need to run! Ace has been found by the Hero of the Marines!"
Three pairs of eyes stared at the single pair of eyes opposite them. The atmosphere instantly fell silent.
"And that's what happened," Mock spoke through the Den Den Mushi with a note of resignation. "Teach's face almost turned green at the time. Seriously, what was he doing coming to find me for?"
He finished speaking.
A heavy silence settled over the office. Dante stared at the snail, while Robin and Viola exchanged speechless glances.
Now they understood exactly what had happened. What massive karma Teach had wrought.
"After Teach showed up, Boss Kuzan moved immediately. Looks like Ace got exposed too," Mock said, helplessness thick in his voice. "We had no choice but to run. I was heading for the hidden ship when I bumped into Ace, so we fled together. Pity I still haven't found my two underlings."
"You and Ace both ran?"
"Yes."
"So Teach was the only one who didn't get away?"
"Ah... actually, Teach almost made it. We'd just set sail, barely clear of the pier, when he arrived. If he'd been a fraction faster, his strength would have gotten him aboard for sure." An apologetic grin split Mock's face as he scratched his head. "But I blasted him right back."
"..."
"Even though he called me 'brother' back then, I felt he'd already figured out the secret that Boss Kuzan and I are working together." Mock frowned, his honest face turning serious. "Plus, that group of Marines caught up. So many of them, it startled me. Apple Head had just upgraded my armor, so I stripped it off and launched it straight for the shore. And let me tell you..." His voice pitched up with excitement. "The power was absolutely thrilling! It blasted Teach sky-high. I wonder if Teach is okay?"
So Teach getting caught was Mock's fault after all. But before Dante could speak, Mock hesitated.
"Boss. Should I still go save him this time?"
"Save my ass. Hide first, and we'll see later," Dante snapped. He hung up the Den Den Mushi and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
Robin pondered beside him. She looked up at Dante, frowning. "Do we need to arrange an assassination for Teach? He's already discovered Mock's relationship with Kuzan."
"That is a problem." Viola nodded, her expression grave. "But if we want to assassinate him, we must move before he gets sent to Marine HQ."
As both secretaries looked to him, Dante waved a casual hand. "No need to rush. There are people more nervous than us right now."
The words hung in the air. Hearing Dante, the two fell silent. They exchanged a measured glance.
True. Someone was in a bigger rush than they were.
===============
Dear Readers and Fans,
For those eager to dive into next chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further.
pat reo n.co m /8Ashes8
(no space)
You can read upto 30 Chapters in advance.