This talk of crossing an already dangerous bridge has just become even more dangerous.
I hear the sound of Robin forcefully opening the door.
Bege also went to rouse his subordinates, who are staying at the port facilities.
Now, I have to explain just what a troublesome bunch these enemies are.
I was prepared to be chased even more by the Marines after the incident at Perona's village, but...
A full-scale war with a World Government member nation is about to begin.
Back when I had just picked up Robin, when we were a small group, it would have been manageable.
But now I'm leading a large number of subordinates, starting with Amisu, and with security in the waters around Reverse Mountain being strengthened, if I consider the worst-case scenario... if we don't demonstrate enough power to make the Marines—the World Government—hesitate to act, our options will dwindle even further.
We'll end up just like Ohara, surrounded by a massive force and annihilated.
Directionally... it's just about straight ahead from here, isn't it?
I place my hand on the balcony railing—it's so worn out I'm a little uneasy about putting my weight on it—and look out toward the sea.
Over there is Ohara.
That island, which I thought... they certainly hurried, but it didn't deserve to be destroyed.
I murmur, "Robin... Your actions, preparing for death, having to leave that child behind... To call them 'splendid'... I cannot do that."
For some reason, I find myself speaking to her—the woman who shared Ohara's fate and is surely sleeping there now.
Honestly, if Olvia had just escaped with Robin, wouldn't Robin's life have been a little more saved?
Perona doted on Robin, whether out of sympathy or empathy, but even then, during our first voyage, Robin was a bundle of vigilance far beyond her years.
She seemed obedient and compliant on the surface, but she was afraid to even sleep.
If Perona hadn't been there, on a ship full of men, she would have been even more guarded, or she might have run away at some point.
I continue, my voice low, "But... you must be filled with regret. You must have so many lingering attachments. She's such a lovely daughter. You must have wanted to be more of a 'mother' to her."
"I am not her original protector, and the twenty years that should have led to her happiness are now practically non-existent, but..."
Honestly, it's terrifying not knowing where this story is heading anymore...
"At the very least, until her true protector emerges twenty years from now, I will risk my life to protect your daughter."
No, really, if Luffy and the others would just start their rampage, I could rest easy in so many ways.
Then I could start planning a roadmap to meet the Straw Hat crew without it being strang—
―― Please... please, take care of my daughter...!
I spin around.
I look back at the only doorway connecting this balcony to the indoors, the one Bege and Robin had just left through.
No one is there.
Robin, who should be the closest, is probably waking up Sandersonia and the others she was sleeping with right now.
But for a fleeting moment, I felt like... there was an adult woman standing there, one who resembled Robin.
A woman whose height, clothes, and most of all, hair color were completely different... I felt like she was there.
"Captain, Robin is making a fuss about an emergency, what's—What's wrong?"
Daz appeared in the doorway.
Our eyes met, and he tilted his head in confusion, but...
"Ah... Don't mind me. I was just... shouldering the burden again."
Well, in this One Piece world, I guess things like that happen.
A being like Brook exists, after all.
In any case, this is no time for that.
"It's just as you heard. Gather the executives and have them assemble in the conference room. Bege's group is coming too."
Seemingly recognizing anew that this was a true emergency, Daz quickly turned and ran off.
Well then... time to go.
I wear the coat bearing the Black Cat mark, leave the balcony... and turn back to bow my head once more.
Towards Ohara.
--
"Germa... the evil empire from that story?"
"It wasn't just a fairy tale?"
Well, this is the reaction I expected.
My executives are skeptical, and the mafia executives are smirking, probably looking down on the situation.
Well, it can't be helped.
The only one who understands this is a seriously dangerous opponent is Bege. Mihawk... he's probably thinking they're not so much 'dangerous' as 'an enjoyable opponent.'
Hack and the Fish-Man group, and Hancock's group, have no knowledge of them in the first place.
I begin to explain, "Some of the former Marines might know, but there was a group of scientists called MADS. They were arrested and disbanded the other day."
"Is one of those 'scientists' among the enemy?" Bege asks this, furrowing his brow.
Hmm, in one sense that would be better... no, maybe not.
"The enemy's leader is one of those scientists."
"The leader is?" Bege pressed. "What a pain... Kuro, if it's Germa, that means it's an empire, right? So the leader is a king."
"Yeah."
"Tch," Bege spat, "if he's a king, he should just be satisfied living in luxury... What's his name? Germa the somethingth, like that?"
"No, that's not it."
Bege leads an organization himself. Sensing his men were getting complacent, he starts organizing the information and giving shape to the situation by asking questions.
I stated clearly, "The family name is Vinsmoke. Vinsmoke Judge. That is the enemy's name."
Honestly, if you ask whether Judge himself is strong, I get the feeling it's debatable.
No, I should assume he's at least at the level of a Yonko Commander, as letting my guard down would be bad.
Besides, the Judge I know is only the one on paper.
Right now... it's probably that time. Around the time his children are, or are about to be, born.
Is his wife perhaps here too?
"Judge is a man who primarily advances research concerning clones and their modification."
"So," Daz surmised, "these enhanced clones are the enemy's main force?"
Daz and the others, who hadn't grasped the situation, finally seemed to get a picture of the enemy, and their expressions tightened.
"Their specific performance... no, their abilities are unknown," I said, "but we can assume they undoubtedly surpass those of a normal human."
No, I don't really know for sure, but twenty years from now, they were scattering the Big Mom Pirates' soldiers.
He said they were on a totally different level compared to twenty years ago—when Sanji was a kid—but at the same time, wasn't there a story about how they were dangerous even back then... I... think?
That's about as far as I read, so my memory is completely hazy.
"Considering the size of the ships... two thousand... or if things are bad, even more?"
Bege spreads all the photos of the ships on the table, reasoning out the crew size based on other things in the pictures.
"It's different from a sailing ship," Bege noted. "If this Den Den Mushi is the power source itself, they don't need a sailing crew. Most of them are likely soldiers."
This is bad. I don't know the capabilities of those Den Den Mushi ships.
I know they can stick to the cliffs of the Red Line, but... no, wait. That's it.
I realized aloud, "They can probably move on land, too. If we let them get close to the island, they could become landing craft... or worse, land battleships."
Daz's voice was grim, "...In that case, we have no choice but to fight at sea. What's the call, Captain?"
The problem is, how effective will our specialty—cannon bombardment—be?
The enemy is Germa.
Or rather, Vinsmoke Judge.
A man who was in MADS, engaged in research on biological modification, including clones.
He has probably applied his own technology to all his equipment, including his ships.
Assuming that those Den Den Mushi, which make for huge targets, are 'soft' is a bad move. In that case...
"Bege, can you send out a reconnaissance ship right now? I'll attach our 6th and 7th ships to it."
We need information, whatever it takes.
If we push in to investigate their detailed troop strength, we'll obviously be spotted, but at the very least, we need to grasp the enemy ships' movements, or we're in trouble.
Bege questioned, "The 6th and 7th... aren't those the ships your shipwrights were working on so obsessively? Are you sure?"
"They were remodeled as escort ships for our main combat ships. In other words, they're shields for an emergency. This is their time to shine."
Ever since we got this island, the shipwright team has been working every single day, running trial and error, sacrificing numerous captured ships, to create vessels loaded with the absolute maximum limit of extra armor and cannons that can still keep up with the fleet.
Against Germa, we might lose them, but thinking of the future, I can't afford to lose too many of Bege's soldiers.
Even after we get through this, there's a chance of conflict with the Five Great Families.
At that time, Bege's forces, who are well-versed in navigating the underworld, will be crucial.
If we can maintain this cooperative relationship, nothing would be better.
Well, the moment he decides we're on the decline, he'll gleefully move to absorb us, but...
It's Bege, after all.
I can already picture it.
We have to cooperate in the best way possible, while simultaneously showing no weakness, and on top of that, produce visible results to advertise our future potential.
Otherwise, we'll be eaten alive.
We've been on a death march for a long time, but from here on out, it's going to be an even worse death march.
I laid out the plan. "As soon as we confirm the enemy ships have set sail, we will move out."
"Focusing on cannon fire, as usual?"
Daz, who has been steadily building up his fleet command experience, asks for confirmation.
Man... he's gotten so reliable...
That time he sank five enemy pirate ships with just two of ours, using only cannon fire, I was seriously impressed.
"That's the plan for now. I'll start putting together the strategy for it, but I see a high probability that it will turn into a close-quarters boarding battle ...Mihawk."
I call out to Mihawk, who is smiling fearlessly at the photos of the Germa ships, and his smile deepens as if he's been waiting for this.
"It feels wrong to ask this of you, our guest, but I need to borrow your strength."
In reality, I fully expect him to go on a rampage, but I lost to this guy, and on top of that, he's a guest who's been training my soldiers.
It's only natural that I bow my head and ask.
"...Raise your head, Kuro."
This whole thing would be over if he just said "Understood," so what's this?
When I raise my head, Mihawk is looking at me with a strangely serious face.
"It is true, I am a guest. I do not bear the Black Cat, the mark of your crew."
Oh, that's right.
But when you're working, you definitely wear our crew's overalls.
The other day, the old ladies in the evacuation zone were talking about you, calling you "the man in the overalls."
"Even so, I do not consider myself a mere guest, but a guest general. After all, I have never in my life had such fulfilling days."
Oh, that's right.
You've been sparring with me every day lately.
While I'm working, you're either farming or sparring with the Imperial Guards, and the second I try to take a break, you draw your sword and come for me.
At this point, as long as my limbs are intact, I could probably keep fighting for three days straight without sleep, you bastard.
"Give the order, Kuro. Wielding my sword under your command... that doesn't sound so bad."
Seriously?
...
Seriously...
Fine. I'll steel myself. Not that I haven't already.
I met his gaze, my voice firm, "Mihawk, this time, if we shift to a close-quarters battle, I authorize you to act independently. In that case—"
"Just cut. No need to pick your targets. Cut, cut, and keep cutting them all down."
Mihawk laughed, a sharp, genuinely pleased sound. "Hahaha! Ah. Ah, good."
"Leave it to me."
--
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