"Get out of the way! The non-member nation citizens you're harboring have been requisitioned by the government!"
"Regarding the treatment of non-member nation refugees, after negotiations between our representative Captain Kuro and Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we reached a formal agreement just days ago with proper documentation that this matter would be entrusted entirely to us, the Black Cat Pirates. We cannot accept such unreasonable and unilateral demands. Please withdraw."
"You damn pirates acting all high and mighty with your negotiations! You little brat!"
Good grief... That kid pirate Daz acts more like a proper official than this government bureaucrat Spandam. The government official looks more like a pirate... no, worse than a pirate. Just a common thug. I suppose this is the state of the world in a nutshell.
Watching the standoff between both sides, the gang member allied with the Black Cat Pirates sighed in exasperation.
"Boss Father."
"Yeah?"
"What should we do?"
"If you think it's too dangerous, run. I won't blame you for it."
Bege continued smoking his cigar as usual, turning his gaze away from the crude government officials toward the Black Cat members facing them.
Unlike the government side with their crude mannerisms, not a single person among the Black Cat crew showed fear at the verbal abuse, including the rank-and-file soldiers. The Royal Guard stood firm, blocking the government agents' path forward.
The swordsman feared as the Marine Hunter waited with a fearless smile, ready for whatever might come, even as Nico Robin tugged at the hem of his clothes.
Even the youngest member, Perona, showed no fear before the shouting officials. She stood beside her Royal Guard escorts, laughing her signature "Horo horo" laugh.
No, she was clearly looking down on them.
Can't blame them... The difference in caliber is too great.
The girl, or rather young woman, had fought many enemies in actual combat and witnessed numerous battles between powerful fighters through training. Her eye for recognizing strength was well-developed.
Moreover, she was learning that there were paths that could only be opened through battle.
Do those officials think only the Marine Hunter poses a threat? Even though they're kids, the officers are naturally strong, and even the regular soldiers are more than a match for the rabble they brought along.
It was arrogance. Arrogance and negligence had clouded their judgment to a foolish degree.
While she rarely took on offensive roles, Bege could see that even Nico Robin, likely their primary target, couldn't be stopped by these officials.
Especially with the soldiers, particularly the commanding Royal Guard, all present.
"I'll take responsibility and stay. You guys... well, if you can, stick with the non-member nation refugees. That'll preserve your honor."
"Boss Father! If you fight the government, you might make enemies of the Marines here too. We can still escape now!"
At his subordinate's words, the future Big Father took hold of his cigar, exhaled purple smoke, and removed it from his mouth.
"You idiot. If my subordinates run away, that's my responsibility, but if an alliance leader tucks tail and runs, that violates our code of honor."
"Remember this for the future, all of you. A man's word, once given..."
"Only shines when he sees it through to the end."
***
One of the important duties of a commander, in my opinion, is to avoid running except during direct combat when absolutely necessary.
Even in emergencies when haste is required, unless it's truly the last moment, running would signal an emergency to subordinates and affect morale.
In other words... well, that's how it is.
"Hey Kuro! Shouldn't we hurry? The non-member nation citizens are in trouble, right?"
Calm down, Miss Hina. You're going to be a future Headquarters Captain.
Though we took a slight detour, if you're an elite whose position at the top is guaranteed, you need to learn how to use people, or rather, how to utilize positions properly.
Sometimes you need situations where reasonable people aren't present for a few minutes, if only to assess things like what direction they're trying to steer the conversation or whether they're feeling pressured!
Besides, Hancock went to deliver the message using Silent Step, and she's even mastered Cat Walk.
Daz should have already received the message and be using the results of our recent negotiations as leverage to stall, and Hancock should be using the First Fleet members to begin transferring people to the ships where Mihawk and Rayleigh arrived, just in case.
"But Kuro, if the government is taking a hard line, they must have brought personnel. Worst case, won't they clash with you guys?"
You too, Kuzan!
That's why I keep telling you their target isn't us, it's the Marines!
"We won't move until we force out the Admiral who's the highest authority. If we were to fold and hand over the refugees, that would be different, but you know Daz isn't that type."
"If they resort to force?"
"I don't think even government officials would make such a poor move, but... if a clash occurs, there's no problem as long as Daz and the Royal Guard are together."
Besides, frankly speaking, there's no reason for us to back down in terms of military strength either.
I can't be sure about unknown Class 0 agents, but unless they're among the cream of the crop Class 9 agents who've mastered the Six Powers, there's no reason for the current Daz to lose. Mihawk is with him too.
Moreover, right now we have not just Hancock leading the First Fleet, but all our combat forces except Mopt's defensive strength gathered here.
Additionally, if they try to sink the ship, Rayleigh will definitely move.
Depending on the situation and timing of the battle, even if we end up facing the two Admirals here, we should be able to fight effectively if we play our cards right.
"Anyway, what is the government thinking, unilaterally taking away civilians, even if they are non-member nation citizens!"
"One reason is to set a precedent."
Also, Admiral Kizaru, please say something.
You're following behind us, but somehow... I feel like I'm being observed.
The feeling is so strong it's making my stomach heavy.
"Securing cheap labor in large quantities to compensate for and deal with this massive damage isn't wrong in itself. Reports are already coming in that population reduction has begun in member nations too."
"But still!"
"So if you had to choose between tolerating member nation citizens starving to death or forced requisition, could you answer immediately?"
"That's..."
Kuzan can't answer immediately either. Of course he can't.
Especially for those who've been to sea, they understand the terror of hunger well.
Even among acquaintances, friends, and family, hunger is a disaster that can easily lead to conflicts that escalate into deadly fights.
Though we barely managed to protect the most important granary region, the situation in the West Blue is still in a precarious state.
And the World Government has the legitimate justification that they must protect member nations by any means necessary.
Though looking at their actions so far, it's questionable how much they actually intend to protect member nations...
"And if the Marines fold this time, it creates the unwritten rule that such actions are permissible during emergencies."
Well, they probably also intend to preemptively confiscate personnel who might become part of our strength or workforce, but...
Really, depending on the timing and location of the pirate alliance uprising, they might have directed the forces meant to crush the pirate alliance straight at us...
"What if we don't fold? There are people in the Marines who won't tolerate this sort of thing. If they all rise up at once!"
"Could people who consider the weak, given the reasons I just mentioned, resort to force?"
That would be people like Kuzan or Hina's superior, Major General Dalmatian.
Well, there's also that hero Garp who might actually rise up, but... hmm, that type seems subtly intellectual too.
"Even if they don't rise up, they might quit afterward. If that happens, the government's military strength would drop significantly!"
"That's exactly what the government wants."
"Why? Pirates keep increasing! In that case, the member nations paying money to the government would suffer too!"
"No, that's why..."
Look. If you've gotten that far, just look at it from the World Government's perspective...
No, what's with that face?
Even if you look at me like that...
Hey, don't pull on my jacket.
"Oh my... Just as you said, it looks like government personnel and your people are in a standoff."
When I heard the commotion, I saw Daz facing off against some incredibly ill-mannered suit-wearing old man.
Hey, that's Span... Spanda...
I forgot the name, but isn't that Spandam's father? Wait, which one is the father's name?
Whatever. Either way.
Amazing, his hairstyle is more serious than his son's, but he's 100% pure thug.
***
"Listen up! You pirates are nothing but social scum! Understand that everything until now has been mere oversight! What meaning does that piece of paper have! Huh?"
"I'd give it some consideration if you could bark those same words at Fleet Admiral Sengoku, but what do you say? The Den Den Mushi line is right here."
"You bastard!"
This is getting nowhere...
Daz Bones was half-ignoring the threats from a man whose presence was inferior to any member of the Black Cat Pirates while calmly assessing the situation.
But he shows no signs of resorting to force, nor is he presenting any concrete proposals. Even if he's a government official, he shouldn't be such a fool that he can only serve as a minimum-level messenger... I'd like to think.
The Marines also seem unable to move carelessly.
No wonder. Apparently, this man holds considerable power, at least in title.
Daz could sense that much atmosphere.
If this is a stalling tactic, he's waiting for something... either the Captain or the Headquarters Admiral?
As Vice-Governor, Daz Bones often discussed the direction of their activities and the management and development of their territory with Kuro, who served as Governor.
Therefore, despite his age, he had particularly excellent analytical and judgment skills among the Black Cat Pirates.
Facing the official who continued shouting with a red face, he quietly let his thoughts run.
Naturally, while remaining alert for surprise attacks or separate units.
The Captain previously said that the Marine slave incident made the Marines an organization that the government couldn't ignore as a political enemy. This incident might also be a strategy crafted for that purpose.
"Speaking of which, the World Government mentions requisition, but where and for what do you intend to use them? Do you have specific plans?"
"Hah? Pirates like you don't need to know such things!"
This is bad. I can't tell if he genuinely doesn't intend to inform us or simply doesn't know. If it's meant as disruption, then it's quite something.
Even when dealing with enemies, if you intend to exchange words, you must choose your words so they can be understood, according to Governor Kuro. Only now did Daz truly understand how important that was.
"Vice-Governor."
Just then, a girl in a modified suit appeared silently beside Daz.
"Hancock."
"Just in case, I've gotten all the refugees onto the ships. I've prepared them so we can force our way out if necessary."
"That helps. Good work."
"What should I do?"
The government officials in front of them were surprised by Hancock's soundless appearance.
The soldiers and even those in different suits from the Royal Guard could clearly tell she was a key fighter, Daz calculated.
"How's the ship's defense?"
"From the Royal Guard, Miakis and Amelia are there with two small squads under their command plus 30 trainees, and I left half the First Fleet soldiers there. My sisters are commanding that group."
"Good, join the standoff here. The mobility you just demonstrated will serve as good leverage."
"Understood."
With two people who had Mihawk's seal of approval for defensive warfare and 80 trained soldiers, they wouldn't be overwhelmed one-sidedly, and with Hancock's soldiers there too, there should be no problems, Daz judged.
In this place where a fierce battle might occur in the worst case, Hancock's presence, combining speed second only to Kuro with suppression power rivaling Perona's, could serve as a trump card.
"What's with this kid... reinforcements?"
"When did she get here..."
"Is she that Nine Snakes child!"
"Do these fools intend to face us with such mediocre skills that they're surprised by this much?"
"There are about ten people hiding their presence in the back. Don't let your guard down."
"I certainly don't intend to, but... it shouldn't be a problem. They've arrived."
While the government officials were agitated by Hancock's sudden appearance, the commotion grew even louder.
"Daz, Hancock. Sorry to keep you waiting."
A single pirate walked leisurely forward, seemingly escorting two of the Navy's highest military assets, the Headquarters Admirals, along with a young female Marine.
***
"Well well, the government really is throwing its weight around out here."
"Good grief, what in the world is happening..."
"Gah! Admiral Kuzan..."
Hey, you two, please stop making statements that could be taken as provocative.
Hey, Miss Hina. Hina, stop pushing me forward.
What's this? Do you want me to say something too?
"Thank you for waiting. You must be the gentleman from the government?"
Hina, stop kicking me where others can't see.
What? Is being polite not allowed?
"Yeah... You're the one! That ridiculous pirate called Black Cat!"
"Yes. By the way, what exactly brings you here today? I heard something about confiscating non-member nation citizens?"
Now then... First, how should I approach this?
Should I go with a straightforward attack, or should I add a little poison to it?
"That's right. Today, orders came from the World Government! Urgently..."
"Urgently secure labor. The means don't matter. Is that it?"
"Muhahaha, exactly!"
He confirmed it.
Alright, I'll go with the latter.
"I see. So in effect, no specific orders were actually issued?"
"What?"
I thought he'd continue acting like a thug as he had with Daz and the others, but the moment he noticed the Admirals, his attitude became somewhat more subdued.
As expected, even with two Admirals present, he changes his behavior.
So he's weak to authority. He has ambition for advancement and will use others to achieve it, but he fears opponents with an absolute difference in status. In that case...
"Excuse me. Mister..."
"Spandam."
Oh, so I got the name right.
"Mister Spandam. Despite being a person of standing, you've personally come all the way to this West Blue. You must be a high-ranking official who has earned the trust of the Five Elders."
"Yeah."
This type responds well to being built up, even if it's small.
"Then perhaps you also commanded the Ohara incident?"
"Muhahaha! That's right, that island was destroyed on my orders! Everything burned to the ground without exception!"
Kuzan, please stop giving off that disgusted vibe. You too, Hina.
This type is cowardly at heart, so they're quick to pick up on atmosphere, just like they are at running away.
Someone like Borsalino who quietly maintains presence is just right for this.
Mihawk, I'll praise you for pulling Robin back and stepping forward.
One-on-one, I'll take you on in a sword fight for as many days as you want, you bastard.
"Then you should have already fulfilled your duty. There's no need to further provoke us or the Marines."
"What?"
"Mister. Do you know the reason for the conflict between us Black Cat Pirates and the government?"
"It's about that backroom deal, isn't it?"
"No, that's incorrect."
That was the trigger, not the reason.
"It's nothing other than the fact that we're protecting Nico Robin, the knowledge of Ohara."
"Then just hurry up and kill that brat! She's worthless social garbage just like you guys!"
Kuzan, stay. Daz is staying put, but please restrain Hancock who looks ready to deliver a flying kick with her powers at any moment.
Everyone needs to stay put at full power, stay... Hina, stop secretly kicking my feet every chance you get.
It would be bad if we or the Marines struck first here.
"Perhaps that might have been the case. But it seems the situation has changed."
"Hah?"
"Think about it. If Nico Robin's priority were still high, why wouldn't assassination orders for Nico Robin be issued to you, who have come close enough to make contact with us and have the personnel to serve as adequate military force? I believe those hiding behind you and positioned left and right with concealed presence are members of the renowned CP9?"
"Tch."
I actually think her priority remains high. This man probably senses that to some degree too.
The fact that even with CP9 present, they show no signs of moving toward assassination means they're only serving as bodyguards in case the Marines or we attack.
Now then, and it's almost certain no assassination orders were issued. Additionally, while this man is a World Government official, he's not a Celestial Dragon, and though he may receive orders from the Five Elders, he's not close to them.
From my knowledge of the original story, he was also left out during the Ohara questioning, so there's no mistake.
"Mister. You are the Director of CP9, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Then the assassination attempts on Nico Robin that occurred during the current anti-pirate alliance operation were all individual acts of violence, and you as their leader received no official orders. Is that correct?"
"Yeah, that's right."
His pulse was rapid from excitement, but he's calming down a bit from the conversation, with no major irregularities now.
His breathing is the same. His gaze is scattered, but this comes from anxiety about the situation suddenly becoming unclear.
At least there are no lies in this exchange. Good.
"The government seems to have found some value in us Black Cat Pirates after observing this recent turmoil. Whether that's in a positive or negative sense remains unclear."
"Don't be ridiculous! The government wouldn't find value in some upstart pirate crew..."
"Then why was someone of your caliber dispatched directly to the West Blue once again?"
"No, we came to this island to negotiate with the Marines..."
"You knew we were also based here, didn't you?"
He held back a bit there.
So the orders he officially received were... use Robin and other matters as material to pressure the recently prominent Black Cat Pirates?
To make someone think it's not a big deal when they receive orders with some ulterior motives, that would be about right.
"Moreover, the Five Elders know that we negotiated with the Marines and were entrusted with handling rescued people and future non-member nation citizens to be rescued. I heard from the Fleet Admiral that copies of our agreement were submitted during strategy meetings."
"..."
He's started thinking.
In reality, being able to advance in rank means he should be skilled in internal politics.
He should be able to sense the situation from limited clues.
"Though we are pirates, we currently have a friendly relationship with the Marines. That's an unchangeable fact."
"..."
"In other words, depending on how things go, we could even obtain a role like the Seven Warlords."
Actually, I'm not sure how serious it was, but we were recruited.
"What becomes problematic there is Nico Robin's existence. The conflict between the government and Ohara."
"Ohara was a criminal nation. They were researching forbidden ancient scripts."
"Who investigated that?"
"I did."
"Who managed the scene and requested the Buster Call?"
"I did. What are you trying to say?"
"You are both the person responsible for all authority regarding Ohara and now burdened with the responsibility of negotiating with the Marines."
He reacts sharply to the word 'responsibility.' Good, just as I thought.
He's obsessed with power, definitely the type who wants to wield power. He recognizes power as that kind of force. In other words...
Somewhere, this man also harbors fear toward power.
He believes in the existence of unreasonable whims from higher authorities.
He fears both having power wielded against him and having it taken away.
But that doesn't make him just a small fry.
The title of CP Director isn't something a mere yes-man could obtain... though his son was pretty useless.
Well, conversely, you could say that by the time of the original story, this guy had solidified his position enough that even such a useless person could become Director.
"As you euphemistically called it a 'backroom deal,' the Marine slave incident became the government's Achilles' heel."
"? Achil...?"
"Excuse me, I mean weakness."
Damn, I need to be careful about these things too...
"Not to toot our own horn, but in that incident we cooperated with the Marines and gained a certain level of trust. That's why we were able to build this cooperative relationship during the West Blue crisis."
"..."
His words are decreasing.
He's begun calculating whether this affects his own interests.
"With us possessing Robin building a good relationship with the Marine organization that's beginning to distrust the government. For the government, that fact couldn't be ignored. That's probably why they ordered you to pressure us, but..."
Actually, they probably wanted Admiral Kuzan and other Marines in the West Blue to take some kind of action.
If they remained passive, it would set a precedent and create a psychological break in Marines like Kuzan.
If they rose up, it would brand the West Blue Marines as rebels.
In either case, if high-ranking officers ended up leaving the Marines...
But the World Government made one mistake.
I'm here.
I won't let them have their way so easily.
"The government has no choice but to move assuming the worst-case scenario. Material for reconciliation with the Marines after paying a price..."
"Hey, wait Black Cat! That's..."
If they're coming with politics and schemes rather than force, no matter how elaborate they are, there are never zero options to counter them.
Also, this is trivial, but could you please call me Silent Step instead?
Somehow... it feels like it somewhat overlaps with big names like Whitebeard, Red Hair, and Blackbeard, which is bad for my heart.
"The government wants to maintain superiority over the Marines. That's natural. But if they absolutely cannot avoid a breakdown, they need clear evidence that anyone can see of making concessions to the Marines. In that case, there's a possibility it might appear that way to us who have a good relationship with the Marines."
"Why would the government need to show such consideration to mere pirates!"
"Then why is there such hesitation in playing the CP9 card?"
"Guh..."
I don't know the actual situation. However, they should want to avoid full confrontation, even if a mass exodus or departure of Marines is acceptable.
Well, the fact that they can take such strategies prepared for that risk means... they probably have some kind of trump card.
It's probably not a bluff. Given the risks involved, it would be too harsh without some concrete strategy.
I don't know what it is, but it's better to assume they have some kind of card.
However, the fact that they're being so roundabout means it's not something they can use easily. Whether it's a physical card or a scheming card, if it's something they'd prefer not to play if possible, there's still room to exploit.
"With this incident, depending on the Marines' reaction, the idea of settling for a painful draw and starting over is quite plausible. The Marines would temporarily shelve the Marine slave incident and fight pirates and anti-government forces as the government's public face."
"Then what would be the government's clear sacrifice?"
No matter what the World Government does, even within their organization, there's a distinction between the Five Elders including the Celestial Dragons and everyone else.
Even those belonging to the World Government cannot escape that awe, that fear, in their hearts.
"The Ohara Buster Call that's begun to be quietly questioned within the Marines, and the head of the CP9 Director who led this labor requisition and drew the Marines' hatred. Wouldn't that make a welcome gift?"
That's where I'll strike first.
"Starting fresh on the Ohara incident, lifting Nico Robin's bounty in exchange for us joining under government authority. Can you say such a deal is impossible? From the government's perspective, it would mean directly getting Nico Robin in their hands. If this succeeds, the value of those involved in the Ohara incident would rise, for better or worse."
Because he's infatuated with power, the possibility of power being wielded becomes poisonous.
"Mister Spandam."
"! Ah, yeah."
His complexion is so bad it can't be hidden anymore.
Frankly, most of what I've said is speculation mixed with bluffs, but it must have had realism.
The World Government's might, the depth of darkness, and the existence of Celestial Dragons means anything could happen.
That fact becomes the government's greatest weakness.
"You have sufficiently fulfilled your duty. You attempted to secure labor, and as a result, we Black Cat Pirates became an obstacle. That's all. For now..."
CP9, the center of covert operations.
Sorry, but I'm going to inject the poison of distrust into that center.
Serves you right, you damn fools! Pay for the crime of bringing this shitty job at such a troublesome time, idiots!
"How about it? Could you arrange a meeting with your superiors... the Five Elders?"
"There's no way the Five Elders would listen to mere pirates!"
"Then how about consulting and reporting whether you may resort to force?"
"! Ngh... Mmm... Ugh."
Mihawk, I'm trying to avoid combat here, so stop grinning and take your hand off your sword.
No, changing the sword's direction doesn't help either.
What, the back of the blade would be fine? Of course not, you fool!
Hancock! Instead of this thug, kick that guy in the shins!
"I guarantee you won't suffer any losses."
"What do you say? Mister?"
"Wait a moment."
***
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