"…ap… tai…" static crackled through the interception speakers, followed by a sharp voice cutting through the noise. "—Daz! Can you hear me!?"
"Cap… tain…!" The strained voice of Daz Bones replied on the other end. "I underst… copy that, you made it."
"Emergency! Emergency!" A communications officer screamed, ripping off his headset. "Intercepting transmission from the pirate 'Black Cat'!"
"There is no mistake," another analyst shouted, typing furiously. "It is Captain Kuro himself!!"
Marine Headquarters was thrown into chaos by the sudden report. The pirate who single-handedly defeated Admiral Kizaru. The boy who was the Marine's greatest benefactor, yet had become their greatest enemy.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku wore a complicated expression upon learning that the man had survived the navigational chaos of the New World and made it to a location capable of transmission. He had committed a cruel betrayal against the very person he had originally intended to form a top-secret alliance with.
Kuro's voice barked from the speakers, clear and urgent. "There is plenty I want to ask and tell you, but first, this is an order! Do you have the personnel ready!?"
"Yes," Daz replied instantly. "All the executives are present. What are your orders?"
"Maximize the number of patrol ships and their operational range immediately! And if by any chance you discover a Government ship—" Kuro paused for a fraction of a second, his voice dropping an octave. "Attack without hesitation! I won't explicitly order you to sink them, but stop them!!"
Sengoku instinctively clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
Right now! We are on the brink of determining whether the greatest threat to us will be born!
He recalled the face of the man who had recognized the utility and danger of the "Black Cat" and had come to negotiate with him directly. The very scenario feared by that man—who was still hovering between life and death in the hospital—was about to unfold.
"Captain," Daz asked, his voice hesitant, "is this… retaliation?"
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel that way, but this is far more serious than that!"
However, Sengoku noted there was no trace of anger in the voice coming through the receiver. On the contrary, there was a sense of impatience and fear. Even the soldiers intercepting the transmission seemed to sense something strange in his tone, wearing expressions of suspicion.
"Just issue the orders, Daz!" Kuro shouted. "—A catastrophic situation may be unfolding!!"
–
Upon receiving the sudden transmission and orders from the long-awaited Captain Kuro, Daz Bones and Amisu, the Captain of the Guard, who had been reviewing the schedule for the afternoon meeting, instinctively looked at each other. But in the next instant, their expressions hardened.
Amisu silently saluted, ordered the Guard to prepare for departure, and ran outside, heading straight for the harbor.
Watching her go, Daz spoke into the Transponder Snail. "Captain, Amisu has just headed out to organize the patrol units. So, what is this all about?"
"The Holy Land has been attacked," Kuro said.
"Yeah, we heard."
"We thought the pirates' objective was to raid the Holy Land, burn down facilities and supplies—including food—to incite instability within the member nations."
Indeed, just before the engagement with the Marine, back when Admiral Aokiji—Kuzan—was recalled to Headquarters, there had been talk of that. That the Holy Land required even more supplies, and that food and Berries would be collected even from countries that had been exempted from the previous levy.
"However," Kuro continued, "while that would certainly pressure the global situation, I doubted it would reach a fatal breaking point. That is why I assisted with the logistics of the Holy Land's reconstruction efforts to minimize the burden on each nation. I assumed that would largely neutralize Shiki's objective."
The executives of the Black Cat knew this as well. During scheduled communications, Kuro constantly checked on the state of the member nations in the West Blue, verifying just how much the people's livelihoods were being squeezed.
"Captain, this isn't like you," Daz said, frowning at the receiver. "What was the enemy's real goal?"
Usually, he would state the conclusion first, but Kuro was uncharacteristically rambling without organizing his thoughts. This sent a slight chill down Daz's spine.
"It's simple! The fuse was already lit by the previous levies. All they needed to do was deliver the finishing blow!!" Kuro's voice cracked with realization. "The enemy's goal... is to force the Celestial Dragons outside!!"
–
Dammit! For someone like me to overlook an off-the-board tactic of all things!
Was my mistake thinking of the Celestial Dragons as nothing more than nuisances?!
I knew that even they could be used as pawns!!
"The tyranny of the Celestial Dragons is widely known," I explained rapidly, "but the reason large-scale riots rarely occur isn't just because the Admirals are deployed. The biggest reason is that they basically never leave the Holy Land."
If scoundrels of that level were constantly wreaking havoc outside, the Revolutionary Army would have been fully formed ages ago!
"Once they step outside, their tyranny is like a natural disaster. But in normal times, the rulers suppressing the populace are the kings of the member nations. The local royalty acts as a cushion for the dissatisfaction directed at the Celestial Dragons."
As long as the Heavenly Tribute is paid, the nation survives—so there are plenty of kings who think they can do whatever they want to their people to achieve that!
"Rulers who are out of reach, and rulers who are tangible and conspicuous. It's obvious which one is easier to punch!"
"...I see," Daz muttered. "So they're the cushion."
"Exactly. They act as a wedge to create division, but also as a dam to hold back discontent toward the World Government. They stem the tide of resentment born from the poverty and starvation caused by the exorbitant Heavenly Tribute, at least to a degree."
And if a king follows the Celestial Dragons like a yes-man, he is despised as a puppet and becomes the primary target of hatred. Conversely, if he harbors rebellious intent or hostility toward the Celestial Dragons, they can apply pressure via the Heavenly Tribute and other means to frame him as a 'foolish ruler who invited poverty by defying the orders.'
In the case of wealthy member nations with the foundation to pay the Heavenly Tribute, the populace likely pays little mind to the Celestial Dragons to begin with.
—Until that damage rains down directly upon them.
–
The intercepted pirate transmission echoed from the communications room into the office where the line was connected.
It was a voice that sounded like nothing more than a genuine young boy—a stark contrast to when he was barking commands against that overwhelming army of zombies. Yet, the terrifying content he spoke was enough to drain the color from the listeners' faces.
"Wait, Captain," Daz's voice came through. "Even if they are Celestial Dragons, they stand above the member nations. Surely they wouldn't do something to worsen the situation at a time like this—"
"This isn't like their usual sightseeing or inspections," Kuro countered immediately. "Humans from the 'lower world,' as they call it, have trashed the Holy Land where they live. They must harbor unpleasant feelings toward the people of the lower world."
"Pirates and civilians are completely differ... No, I see."
"Right. To a Celestial Dragon, there isn't much difference. Even if they have some discernment, it's not in their nature to care. Furthermore, right now, they possess a sense of victimization, to a greater or lesser extent."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku grimaced at the phrase "sense of victimization," and Vice Admiral Tsuru glared at the Transponder Snail with a look that said, He got us.
Because the Marine frequently deals with civilians who have suffered from pirate attacks, they understood painfully well how difficult a problem "victim mentality" is to resolve. And now, with parts of MaryGeoise—their Holy Land—burned and trampled, the Celestial Dragons were undoubtedly burning with anger.
When Kuro was assisting with the logistics of the reconstruction in the Holy Land, the Government's fear of a full breakdown with the Marine, combined with Kuro's skill and Sengoku's authority, had managed to keep the potential chaos caused by the Celestial Dragons' movements to a minimum.
But now? Now that things had come to this—
"If by any chance the Celestial Dragons start acting tyrannically here and there," Kuro warned, "it will light the very fuse that has been prepared!"
The man who could have been the greatest asset in resolving this situation had become, in name and reality, a complete enemy of the Government. As if striking at the complacency of Sengoku and Tsuru—who thought he wouldn't make such a bad move—the worst possible order had been issued.
Joining hands was now likely impossible, even with the skills of Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru.
"We have to drive the Celestial Dragons back before that happens! It's bad!" Kuro's voice rose in pitch. "They believe it is only natural for commoners to obey them unconditionally, and at the same time, they feel they are entitled to be loved! That is exactly why they will do anything...! It wouldn't be strange for them to destroy a country! The more Celestial Dragons that go outside, the harder it becomes to control information when something happens! The situation is troublesome enough as it is...!"
"...Therefore," Daz concluded grimly, "we launch an attack to make them think the lower world is unsafe and force them to withdraw."
"Exactly. If the public gets fired up in a chaotic mess right now, it won't end with just a small fire!!"
"Prepare yourself, Daz!"
"Innocent malice is about to overflow!!!"
Simultaneous with the pirate's declarative words, there was a violent knock on the room's door in the Black Cat base.