One piece: Black Cat

"Excuse me for interrupting your conversation."

The voice cut through the tense atmosphere of the meeting room like a blade. Every head turned toward the doorway where a figure stood with unnerving composure, Nico Robin's protector, though none here knew that connection.

I'd never met him before, but everyone present recognized his face from the wanted posters.

"I never thought a pirate would have the audacity to infiltrate a naval base single-handedly," Admiral Sengoku observed, his voice carrying both surprise and grudging respect.

The young man stood calmly before them, as poised as any invited guest rather than a criminal who should have been in shackles, or worse, headless.

"My, my. What remarkable courage for someone so young. How old are you, boy?" Sengoku's eyes narrowed with curiosity.

"He's fourteen," Vice Admiral Sakazuki interjected, his voice dripping with contempt. "A fourteen-year-old rookie with a bounty of sixty-five million berries. 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans.'"

(This isn't the kind of presence a fourteen-year-old should possess...) I thought, studying the boy's unnaturally calm demeanor.

Perhaps thinking they were merely testing him, Sakazuki, fresh from his controversial decision to sink an evacuation ship, now radiated genuine killing intent. The murderous aura rolling off him would have sent most pirates scrambling for cover, yet this child didn't even break a sweat.

Even experienced Marines would be intimidated by such pressure.

(What's more, he managed to infiltrate this deep into our headquarters undetected. If he were a Marine, he'd already be fast-tracked to HQ by now.) The sixty-five million berry bounty suddenly seemed entirely justified.

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, Vice Admiral Kuzan..." The boy's gaze swept the room before settling on the highest-ranking officer present. "And you must be Fleet Admiral Sengoku."

Despite the overwhelming presence of the three high-ranking officers, no trace of fear emanated from the young pirate. The acrid scent of danger that typically clung to criminals was notably absent.

"I came here after hearing tales of upstanding Marines who walk the path of justice. If you'll permit me, I'd like to share something that requires your immediate attention."

Though his black suit was slightly wrinkled from travel, it was well-tailored. Draped with a Marine coat, he could easily pass for a naval officer.

"Don't get cocky with us, you little pirate scum!" Sakazuki snarled, magma beginning to bubble beneath his skin.

"Now, now, Sakazuki. Perhaps we should hear what he has to say." Sengoku raised a restraining hand, his strategic mind already working. "I'm particularly curious about those neatly folded Marine uniforms you're carrying."

The Fleet Admiral's intervention surprised everyone. His colleague's immediate aggression was typical, but Sengoku's willingness to listen suggested genuine intrigue with 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans.'

The boy maintained his respectful facade despite facing three of the Navy's most dangerous officers, but his eyes remained sharp and calculating.

"Very well. I'll hear your story, Kuro of a Hundred Plans. What business brought you to infiltrate the heart of this district headquarters?" Sengoku leaned forward, genuinely intrigued by the Marine uniforms the pirate handled with such reverence.

"Thank you for your consideration. First, I swear on my honor that everything I'm about to tell you is completely true."

The moment a pirate made a direct appeal to a Fleet Admiral, it could only mean one of two things: either this was an elaborate joke, or something catastrophically dangerous was about to be revealed.

"In these West Blue waters, certain Marines have formed alliances with criminal organizations, conducting secret transactions they call 'Marine Slaves.'"

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet as the gates of hell suddenly yawned open before them.

•~•

"JUST HOW ROTTEN ARE THOSE BASTARDS?!"

It's getting hot in here!

Hey, Sengoku-san, Kuzan-san, somebody stop this guy!

The murderous intent that had briefly subsided when I explained the smuggling ship incident now returned with volcanic fury. Sakazuki's rage filled the room like molten rock, and I could feel the walls beginning to smolder.

Look, even Sengoku's goat is terrified and has scurried over to hide behind me!

Superheated air leaked from cracks in Sakazuki's skin, and parts of the room started smoking.

Are the autographs we collected from everyone still intact? They're proof we're alive!

"I had suspected something was amiss with the mysterious accidents plaguing the Four Blues in recent years. I planned to begin my investigation in West Blue following the Ohara incident, but this... Marines volunteering for duty, knowing the risks, to protect world order, and they're being sold as slaves?!"

Heavy thuds echoed near the door as several Marines collapsed in succession.

Ah, right. The guards who came to investigate the sudden shouting got caught in the crossfire of these two powerhouses' combined rage.

My condolences to them.

I don't know if it's Conqueror's Haki or just their overwhelming presence, but I've been feeling lightheaded for a while now. If I let my guard down, I might lose consciousness too.

No wonder the Marines, who had no context for what was happening, couldn't withstand it.

...Kuzan, hey, Aokiji.

Don't just stand there staring at me while these two lose control. We have work to do, and we haven't even made progress yet. I'm about to wet myself from the pressure.

Is that really okay? I'll end up making a complete fool of myself.

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, I understand your anger, but please refrain from using your Devil Fruit powers for now." I pulled out a carefully preserved bundle. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, here's a complete set of signatures I had the captured Marines write in their own handwriting before they departed."

When I mentioned the evidence, Sakazuki surprisingly suppressed his ability, recognizing that the documents could serve as crucial proof for handwriting comparison.

He even bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment!

No, well, never mind that. This isn't the time to be shocked, we need to work out the details immediately.

"My apologies, Kuro of a Hundred Plans. I'll cross-reference these with our enlistment documents right away," Sengoku said briskly.

"Also, if possible, I'd like you to confirm the safety of the Marines' families and arrange protection for them."

"...Of course, but... if this is true, it will surely alert those criminals that we're aware of the situation."

I had the same concern.

In one sense, it would be simple to eliminate the captured Marines to maintain secrecy, but considering they might escape, someone would definitely think to monitor their families as insurance.

"These 'accidents' have only begun happening to the Marines I've rescued in the past few months."

"I've forced you to endure this humiliation for months...!" Sakazuki's fists clenched, magma dripping between his fingers.

"Yes, but wouldn't it seem suspicious for high-ranking officers to suddenly offer condolences to families of low-ranking Marines who died in the line of duty?"

"...Even so, some people will find it suspicious, but—"

"At least we can slow their initial reaction to some extent."

That's all I could think of at the moment.

However, Sengoku-san earned his reputation as 'The Brilliant Tactician' for good reason.

"I'll take the lead in organizing a memorial ceremony for all families of Marines who have died in the line of duty in recent years."

"...Ah, I see. If we can honestly explain our reasons for offering protection, we can assign proper guards while making it harder for unwanted interference."

"But Sengoku-san, is it really appropriate to force through budget allocations and venue reservations as a Fleet Admiral?" Vice Admiral Kuzan interjected from the side.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku raised his voice defiantly: "I'll make it work!"

"'Kuro of a Hundred Plans,' the intelligence you've brought appears genuine. It's not something you'd risk infiltrating here just to spread false information. However, I need to verify several details, including the Marine uniforms and signatures you've provided. Wait here for a while."

For a Marine to tell a pirate to 'wait' usually meant a death sentence.

I suppose this time will be different.

Sengoku then departed with Sakazuki in tow.

Sakazuki-san, what did that murderous glare mean as you left?

Anyway, what remained was—

"Well, I apologize for the commotion when you came all this way to share something so important. Would you like some rice crackers? They're Sengoku's favorite."

He's not completely laid-back yet, but this is the Marine who will one day uphold 'Lazy Justice.'

"Yes, I'd appreciate that."

•~•

At first, I thought a sixty-five million berry bounty was fitting, given the courage and skill required to reach us here.

But now I have to retract that assessment.

(Judging by ability alone, he'd be worth at least a billion. Though I suppose that would considerably lower his risk assessment.)

He was unlike any pirate I'd ever encountered, I couldn't imagine him becoming our enemy.

At this Marine base, he must have sensed the other two's abilities from the power that leaked during their outburst, yet here he sat, calmly munching rice crackers and sipping tea as if nothing had happened.

(I don't know how else to describe it... what incredible nerve.)

It's not that he lacks fear.

You can sense it if you look closely, but he's remarkably skilled at concealing it.

What must he have looked like to those two men trembling with rage?

(First of all, it's unusual to find someone in the Four Blues who can withstand Sengoku's Haki.)

"Vice Admiral Kuzan."

"Yeah?"

"I'm simply enjoying the tea and sweets here, but shouldn't I be in a cell?"

"You're too mature for your age."

My honest observation slipped out, but he laughed humbly and said, "Not at all."

"You had no reason to flee in the first place. Besides, those two... they might have forgotten you're a pirate."

"...That's a bit much."

Even as I said it, it might actually be possible.

This pirate, strangely enough, seemed more Marine-like than many corrupt Marines I'd encountered.

"Honestly, when you say you're a pirate, it doesn't quite register with me."

"I've done my share of plundering as well..."

"Against innocent islanders?"

"...I might, someday, if it becomes necessary."

"I see."

No.

This boy would never do such a thing.

I believe he would take action to prevent such situations from arising in the first place.

While he may have committed acts of piracy, it's unlikely he targeted civilians.

He lacks the callous hardness typical of those who repeatedly prey on the innocent.

I've heard there are some notable exceptions among pirates, but is this boy one of them?

(No, he's already a notable figure.)

"By the way, why did Fleet Admiral Sengoku believe my story so readily? I thought he was being somewhat hasty."

"Ah, there was some discussion about you with the World Government recently."

"...About me?"

"After raising your bounty, they requested the condition be changed to 'Dead Only.' It was obviously suspicious, so the Fleet Admiral declined. But there might have been more happening behind the scenes."

"...Was the World Government aware of this situation?"

"...It's possible."

The pirate's expression darkened with displeasure, and I could sense pure anger radiating from him.

(Oh, I should be angry too.)

Somehow, instead of feeling rage toward the Celestial Dragons, the Mafia, and the traitorous Marines, I found myself more... impressed.

"You're Kuro-kun, aren't you?"

"...Well, yes."

"Is Nico Robin doing well?"

But there's nothing I can do about it.

After all, he's the man who could become the protector of the last survivor that Jaguar D. Saul left behind.

The pirate didn't respond immediately to my question, but looked my way with a small, enigmatic smile.

You can't tell anything from that smile.

"I'm sorry, but who are you talking about?"

He really does have incredible nerve.

Ahahahahaha...

---

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