"Hey Daz, we got word that loading the spoils of war is finished. How about we load up food, tools, and seedlings next?"
"Hold on a moment, Perona. Mihawk and Robin are doing the final check right now."
At Mopchi, the base of the Black Cat Pirates, they were experiencing their first winter in a long time without any signs of raiding.
Most of the civilians were quietly staying indoors, preparing firewood, braiding rope, and spending their time peacefully.
Meanwhile, the port town was more lively than ever before.
Black Cat crew members in suits and work clothes were busy transporting supplies and maintaining ships, while Mopchi's citizens came to petition for repair materials or to take supplies for the town's restoration.
"So Robin will be going to an island called Cannet next, and Perona will head to Mogwa... This place is going to feel lonely for a while."
"Horohorohoro. Well, unlike Mihawk's group who'll be conquering from scratch, I'll come back here occasionally. I'll return once every half month. I'm counting on you until then."
"Yes. Everyone has gradually gotten used to this place."
The people boarding the ships basically wore suits or work clothes with the three-claw mark, but there were exceptions.
These were the members of the "Fishman Pioneer Group" who traveled between Mopchi and the second base.
"Speaking of which, Daz, how is Maple doing?"
The pioneer group members, who had the status of Kuro's guests, were borrowing the uninhabited island that served as the Black Cat's base. They helped with manual labor and combat support while discussing their future plans.
Some intended to arrange ships once the situation settled and set out pioneering again, while others wanted to remain cooperative with the "Black Cat" and have him create a second Fish-Man Island under his influence.
And some had decided to join the "Black Cat" directly.
"That female fishman? Amis and Toya are looking after her now. Mihawk said he'd train her once her basics are more solid, so... until then, she should be fine."
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Well, it's a good opportunity. That hothead apparently insisted on becoming the 'Black Cat's' honor guard."
There was just one fishman who, whether to negotiate for a second Fish-Man Island later or for any other reason, said it would be better to have a fishman under his command to prove that the "Fishman Pioneer Group" was a friendly force to the "Black Cat." This fishman ended up wearing a three-claw suit.
"Still, Kuro really accepted her well. Is the fishman image going to be okay?"
"We've managed to establish a cooperative relationship with the Navy, even if temporary. We all discussed it and decided there shouldn't be any problems as long as things continue as they are."
"Ah... well, that's true."
"...The liaison marines seemed to genuinely enjoy the harvest festival and Hancock's inauguration ceremony too. ...Well, I suppose they were also investigating our internal affairs."
"Ha ha ha, anyone who sees that festival would understand we're not villains, even if we're called pirates."
"Well, a pirate crew that can conduct joint operations with the Navy is certainly unique among unique cases."
This was probably the only pirate base where marines could enter openly without weapons drawn, though their numbers were limited.
They were genuinely welcomed, and they had even signed agreements allowing them to use the docks if necessary.
Looking at the port scene from the ship, several people in Navy white uniforms could be seen.
Since the Black Cat executives had started moving, they were probably heading back to the Mogwa base to report the intelligence they had gathered.
"Everyone, sorry for the wait. We finished checking the supplies and the soldiers are starting to load them now."
"My apologies. We were a bit late."
Soon, a girl and a swordsman appeared on deck.
One was technically a guest general, but both were indispensable to the Black Cat.
"Horohorohoro, you finally came. It's unusual for you two to be late. Especially you, Robin."
"I'm sorry, Perona. We investigated the situation over there to some extent, but since we don't know how long our activities there might drag on, we were discussing taking extra food and fuel just in case..."
"It is winter, after all. We got delayed talking with Tezoro about how much to take."
Behind Mihawk, who was wearing his usual jumpsuit with a coat over it instead of his combat casual clothes, having apparently been working until just before, Robin was following.
"For now, the amount of supplies the Navy can provide is more than we expected, so we decided to redirect some of that here... but at the same time, we're getting a lot more people..."
"Ah, so Mizuki and the others are definitely coming back after all."
The battle that occurred during the marine slave incident in the past.
The battle with the pirate Gecko Moria where they met and rescued over seventy marines.
The fact that most of them would eventually return to the "Black Cat" was happy news for Perona and Robin, who had cared for the marines on the abandoned uninhabited island until they recovered.
"Then it's Hack's turn to shine."
"Hmm, do those people hope to become soldiers?"
"Yeah. They say they'd be fine with odd jobs at worst, but their preference is apparently combat roles."
"Ho, they have motivation. They'll be worth training."
The current thickness of the Black Cat's general combat forces was largely due to hand-to-hand combat using Fish-Man Karate.
Since they could immediately shift to combat even when weapons weren't at hand during ship operations, Kuro had asked Hack to educate the general crew members, recognizing this as a major advantage.
"Once we get through winter, Kuro will make big moves again. I'm looking forward to that time."
"Ray said the same thing."
"Speaking of which, Ray is accompanying the pioneer team, isn't he?"
"...Hey, Mihawk. You guys better not destroy the island with your sparring, okay?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha"
"Please, I'm begging you. Really, please. Robin, you need to keep a proper eye on Mihawk, got it?"
"...Yes."
Daz, the vice-governor of the "Black Cat," watched with his iron mask expression as Perona and Robin looked troubled and Mihawk laughed like a child despite being older, letting out a small sigh.
"We'll set sail as soon as preparations are complete. First, we'll all head to Mogwa following the Captain and Hancock. Upon arrival, we'll receive supplies from the Navy. Activities after that will proceed according to plan."
"Please leave the home base to us. Toya and the honor guard are here, and Tezoro is quite capable in his own way."
"Yes, I'm counting on you, Hack. Since neither Perona nor Robin can stay behind, it'll be different from before, but..."
"It's just until you all return, Daz. Leave it to me."
"Understood... I'm counting on you."
***
"A message from Sengoku... excuse me, from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, for me?"
"Yeah. He said it's just a precaution since you're probably already aware and not letting your guard down, but..."
Just a precaution...
Really, ever since the marine slave incident, I've been getting more consideration from Sengoku than a single pirate like me deserves...
If the World Government would agree to conditions where they don't interfere at all and leave all policies to us and the Navy high command, I wouldn't mind playing a pseudo-Seven Warlords role.
"So, what did the Fleet Admiral say?"
"Something about 'the possibility of forceful action is increasing. Be advised.' Do you understand what that means?"
"Yes, well..."
Ah, so the World Government is finally showing signs of making their move.
Well, their target is probably...
"Admiral Aokiji, any movement from the Government transport ships?"
"They're all docked here at Mogwa, unloading their cargo on this island and having it transported by Navy ships. Just as you suggested."
"No unusual activity?"
"Nothing so far. The government officials haven't shown any particular movements beyond the supply exchanges."
...I guess we can consider the initial deterrent successful.
If they had moved freely here, our emergency response would have been delayed.
"Kuro."
"Yes."
"Are they really targeting a Buster Call?"
"..."
...Huh?
"No, that's impossible."
Why would you think that?
"Certainly, the World Government has the authority to order a Buster Call from the Navy. However, given the current major rift between them and the Navy, forcing through an action with weak justification could cause confusion or even division in the Navy, if not outright defection. Especially since we've officially signed a ceasefire agreement through proper documentation, it would be difficult for them to turn their blade on us."
Moreover, the Great Pirate Age has just begun, and from what I've heard, quite a number of countries have already been hit.
On top of that, the higher-ups shouldn't want to do anything that might needlessly weaken the national power of West Blue's member countries, which serve as a relatively stable source of income.
"W-wait a minute, Kuro. Then what about those guys who targeted Nico Robin while disguised as marines? Those were definitely government agents!"
"Certainly, that was an attack by government personnel, but all the captured individuals only demanded release by invoking the government's name, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Did the government say anything? The officials who came this time?"
"...No, nothing in particular. ...Kizaru?"
"Nah. I don't see any particularly strange movements either."
Right.
"If Robin's assassination had been ordered by the government, they should have done some groundwork with the Navy first."
To put it bluntly, making the Navy suspicious of Robin's presence, which could become a shackle for us after we gained the Navy's favor, wouldn't be impossible.
They could have dangled the possibility of my entry into the Seven Warlords by eliminating Robin, for instance. That would be entirely feasible.
We had been working hard to appeal Robin's position within the Black Cat to counter that, but it would still take much more time to establish.
In other words, the government could have struck at that weak point if they wanted to.
The fact that they didn't means...
"Instead, they carried out an almost solo assassination attempt, and when it failed, they weren't retrieved, nor did the government take any particular action. It was probably just a subordinate's rash action to gain merit."
More precisely, it was probably a disposable pawn they let act recklessly within gray areas to properly gauge how we were handling Robin.
They probably tacitly approved the reckless action, thinking it would be a bonus if it somehow succeeded... Well, it's nothing more or less than that.
Since they failed, they never actually issued any real orders, and while we might not trust them, the Navy's distrust is old news anyway.
At best, it was a disposable messenger meant to put even a little pressure on us for harboring Robin.
The lack of movement might be because they're observing how the Navy personnel handle the captured individuals, or they're planning to use them as cards somehow later...
"Then what about those reinforcements? Those guys were definitely heading for your main base, not here. Didn't the government arrange that...?"
"...Ah."
So that's what Kuzan is concerned about.
I didn't want to give the government unnecessary provocation, so I was hoping to let this slide and just have those people return with some guilt or mental debt to us...
(We may be enemies of the government, but we don't want to be antagonistic at all costs...)
This is bad. I need to find some middle ground between the Navy and the government.
At this rate, with the Revolutionary Army becoming more active lately, the world could become chaotic at an absolutely ridiculous level, and my stomach might literally burst.
If that 41-year-old causes more trouble in such a state, I'll have to bow down to the Navy and ask them to let me use Red Port to strike at the North Blue.
...
Wait? This might actually not be a bad move.
I could consider crushing them with our current forces.
...But then again, I don't have the negotiating material to get permission for that.
(Well, never mind that for now. The current situation is what matters. Based on my impression of that Manchikan Rear Admiral back then, the truth is probably...)
"Since we're here anyway, shall we go visit them together?"
"...The reinforcement group from headquarters?"
"Yes."
"Let's clear up the misunderstanding for now."
"...Misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
To be blunt, the biggest obstacle for the World Government right now isn't us "Black Cat" pirates, who are building up our forces but could probably still be crushed by overwhelming numbers if they really tried...
It's the Navy.
***
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