One piece: Black Cat

Mariejois - The Holy Land

High atop the Red Line, the literal center of the world where the Celestial Dragons reside, the sacred halls of Mariejois, where all quarrels should be forbidden, now echoed with heated arguments.

"We never ordered this attack!" The voice cracked with fury. "There are still Marines being held as slaves! How can you claim the government wasn't involved?!"

"The government is currently investigating these allegations. Until our inquiry is complete—"

"Enough about the Marine slave incident!"

"Then what about Nico Robin? Was the Navy concealing the identity of that Ohara survivor?"

"This is preposterous!"

"Reports indicate that certain Marines aided Nico Robin's escape during the Buster Call. Do you intend to betray the World Government?"

"No matter how powerful you Five Elders may be, I will not tolerate further insults to the Navy!"

The Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, who controlled all military forces, faced off against the five most powerful figures in the World Government. These two parties, who should have been united, now trembled with such rage that violence seemed imminent.

This is catastrophic...

Fleet Admiral Sengoku watched anxiously as the tension escalated among the Marines summoned for this confrontation. The Commander-in-Chief shook with barely contained fury, while behind him stood Zephyr, the instructor whose expression suggested he was ready to unleash hell at any moment. And then there was...

Please, Garp, I'm begging you to stay calm! If you lose control now, everything will spiral into chaos!

Vice Admiral Tsuru discreetly restrained Garp's trembling arms, the man who had become a hero overnight after his legendary battle with Pirate King Roger. Kuzan appeared visibly unsettled, while Sakazuki's clenched fists and strained expression revealed his inner turmoil.

Meanwhile, the Five Elders maintained their composed facades, though the CP0 agents surrounding them betrayed the underlying tension. At this point, war could erupt at any moment.

Something doesn't add up. I can understand why that man would hide Nico Robin. He would certainly lend a helping hand.

In Sengoku's eyes, Kuro was undeniably a criminal, but far from being truly "evil." Given his character, it wasn't difficult to imagine that if he discovered a child like Nico Robin seeking help, he would shelter her despite her wanted status.

But why hasn't this information been released by the branch?

The revelation that Nico Robin was under Kuro's protection had surfaced just as the government seemed to be making progress in addressing the Marine slave incident.

Marshal Kong...

Sengoku glanced at Commander-in-Chief Kong, who stood alongside himself and Zephyr. Kong returned a slight nod, his eyes betraying subtle anxiety.

Damn it. Even though I was summoned by the government, I should have remained at the base...

As a precaution, Sengoku had left behind a subordinate of impeccable ability and character, but no word had come from him yet.

What's happening out there...?

•°•

West Blue - The Chase

Cannon fire erupted across the ocean as dozens of shells targeted a single pirate ship.

Yes, they were all aimed at me. Please, for the love of all that's holy, could you stop? I really, truly wish you would...

You Marines really should take a page from Bege's tactical manual.

Though my aim had been sloppy during that nearly point-blank confrontation, I now moved through the air with fluid grace, deflecting projectiles with precise kicks. Unlike before, I didn't need to worry about trajectory—despite the overwhelming numbers, this was considerably easier.

Well, that made perfect sense.

Back then, Bege had been charging around on his tank treads, deflecting my kicks with his hardened armor while unleashing a constant barrage of cannonballs and bullets from every direction.

"Captain! The enemy... where is 'Cat Step'?!"

"Damn it! Fire at his last known position! He should still be in that area!"

Actually, I'm not there anymore, I'm already aboard your ship.

Um, are you really that oblivious? I'm standing right behind you.

Oh well. Let me try out "Cat's Claw" for a moment.

"Nail Whetstone."

I gripped both "Cat's Claws" in a reverse hold, pressed them together, then forcefully separated them in a slashing motion that carved through the target.

"?! The mast, You bastard! When did you—?!"

Their reaction time was painfully slow.

First, I severed the mast, then destroyed the steering wheel for good measure. Now their vessel was completely unnavigable.

"Damn you! Everyone, attack! We must at least defeat him here—!"

"Captain, it's no use! He's gone again!"

There was no need to sink the ship outright. The strategy was to disable as many vessels as possible and create obstacles that would slow their encirclement.

...Unfortunately, several ships failed to adjust course in the strong winds and capsized, but that was simply bad luck on their part.

Honestly, it worked in our favor since rescue operations kept quite a few ships occupied and out of the pursuit.

"Robin, are the Den Den Mushi still experiencing interference?"

While running through the air, I spoke to an ear that had sprouted from the back of my hand. A mouth appeared on the corresponding surface to respond.

"Yes, there's been nothing but static since the battle began."

"I thought so... The Marines have been using semaphore signals for communication."

"Why? Den Den Mushi are more reliable, and semaphore signals are difficult to see in these conditions..."

"They're trying to block all telepathic waves."

I was certain now, there was definitely someone manipulating that corrupt Branch Director from behind the scenes. Probably some scheming, arrogant old fool with delusions of grandeur.

Otherwise, none of this made sense.

Restricting information flow is fundamental to any strategy.

I had a pretty good grasp of the situation now.

That headquarters Vice Admiral, Momonga, was most likely someone Sengoku had left behind. Whether he'd sensed something amiss or was simply being cautious, he still maintained communication channels with Sengoku.

That's probably why things had escalated to this point.

Maybe he was ordered to interfere because saying the wrong thing now would make it difficult for him to escape.

That Director was remarkable, carrying his own coffin while sprinting toward the graveyard, digging his own grave with impressive efficiency.

Still, there was some logic to it.

If Sengoku and Sakazuki discovered what was truly happening, they'd arrive and ruin everything.

Viewed from that perspective, it was convenient for us, since our goal was simply to escape.

"Robin, tell Daz we're switching to Plan C. I'll hold them off from a bit further back, then return."

"Plan C? Isn't that the most dangerous route?"

"True, but..."

I deflected a shell that seemed destined for a direct hit, using the recoil to launch myself toward an approaching ship's mast... but I couldn't cut through it at this distance. The blade only sliced through the sail.

...Well, that would suffice. We were closing in on the enemy's main formation, so artillery fire would likely decrease to avoid friendly fire incidents. As long as we could slow them down, there wouldn't be any problems.

Glancing at their ship's deck, I noticed a Marine who had managed to board was attacking Amis with his saber, but the strike was blocked. Amis and another crew member, the young man who had been training so diligently in defense—subdued the attacker and threw him overboard.

Good, that was handled well.

If the situation had gone poorly, it would have left a bitter taste and affected the morale of Amis and the other former Marines.

Daz's guidance? He's developing in a positive direction.

Normally an assassin who operated alone, he was beginning to learn how to effectively utilize others.

"We'll return momentarily to intercept enemies on deck, but set course for them now. That should surprise them. Understood?"

"Y-Yes!"

"I'm ordering you to set course directly for the enemy flagship! ...Is that acceptable?"

"Oh, that's fine."

Now then, I'm terribly sorry to intrude as I pass by, but I have some business to attend to.

Would you mind if I borrowed the Branch Director's ship for a brief moment?

•°•

Aboard Kuro's Ship

"First mate! We've cleared all enemies from the deck."

"Any casualties on our side?"

"None! I've taken roll call, everyone's accounted for!"

"Understood. We'll begin full combat operations soon. Take positions and prepare for any emergencies until the Captain returns."

Daz smiled wryly as Amis saluted him, a habit from her Navy days, and surveyed the group before him.

Their course would take them directly past the enemy flagship.

Naturally, the enemy's main forces were concentrated there.

There might even be Devil Fruit users among them.

"Perona."

"Horo horo, I know. You want me to demoralize them from the start, right?"

"Exactly. From this point forward, even the slightest steering error will cost us valuable time getting back on course."

"Then the Marine reinforcements will catch up. Don't worry, leave it to me. I'll at least ease their fighting spirit."

Perona floated gracefully beside Daz, ghostly apparitions swirling around her.

This also served as a warning against any enemies who might attempt to board using their astral projection abilities.

If attacked, the strikes would naturally pass through her, alerting attackers to the presence of a Devil Fruit user.

At the level of the Four Blues, the presence or absence of supernatural abilities could dramatically affect battle outcomes.

If the enemy knew about them, and that they had no countermeasures, it would deal a devastating blow to morale.

"We don't have a single cannon. The plan isn't to sink enemy ships, but to disable them and use them as obstacles..."

"If it comes to that, I'll sink them with my special Hollow technique. I've been practicing since our last encounter, it's much more powerful now."

Daz nodded at Perona's words and looked back toward their wake.

Several well-organized fleets had attempted to surround and board them, but all had ended up stranded.

In the distance, other ships had their sails shredded by Kuro's aerial techniques, causing delays in their pursuit. Some had capsized after losing steering control.

And now, another sail was being torn apart—

"Right, so no one's been injured?"

Almost simultaneously, their captain silently landed in the center of the deck.

"Captain, that was remarkably quick."

"The soldiers were weaker than expected. The Marines from the Perona incident seemed to be elite troops."

"Horo horo, maybe you've just gotten even faster?"

Perona suggested this, but Kuro didn't seem convinced and simply shrugged.

"The problem is that there's a high probability elite reinforcements will arrive soon. Everyone, stay alert. From now on, we'll need precision in addition to speed."

The former Marine at the helm nervously stared toward their destination.

"It was useful studying the surrounding terrain during our original infiltration planning. Helmsman, do you have the nautical charts memorized?"

"Yes! No problems!"

The helmsman, one of the few men who, at first glance, appeared feminine, was particularly dedicated among the remaining ex-Marines.

Even during his Navy service, he had been one of the soldiers most committed to training on their temporary base island. Daz remembered how he had held the front line without faltering during their recent battle against the zombie army.

"The worst outcome would be losing momentum. The moment we stop, the Marines will swarm us in overwhelming numbers."

Amis and the other combat personnel tensed with anticipation.

"So we'll push through any hesitation in enemy movements. Spotters will monitor the ocean surface closely, and if you detect anything unusual, immediately inform the helmsman. Combat personnel will protect the navigation crew with your lives."

"This is where the real battle begins."

•°•

The Branch Director's Flagship

"What the hell are you doing?!"

The man who had previously boasted of ruling these seas now cried out in humiliation at the sheer futility of their situation.

"We're facing a single ship! Just one vessel without any weapons!"

Before their eyes, a warship attempting to board the enemy vessel, which was heading straight for them, had its mast severed, and soldiers were falling from its deck one by one.

The enemy ship, a carrack flying no flag but catching the wind from behind the pirate vessel, suddenly lost balance and capsized from an enormous ghostly explosion that erupted from its side.

This created an obstacle preventing other ships from approaching.

"Hurry up and stop him! There are only children and weaklings aboard!"

"B-but, Branch Director! We're facing 'Cat Step' with a bounty nearly reaching 100 million!"

"Reports indicate the other pirates aboard work together seamlessly and are extremely difficult to separate!"

"It's hopeless! The detachment's mast and steering have been damaged! They're signaling they're unable to navigate!"

"Captain Jace's unit was also defeated! They boarded successfully but were intercepted and everyone was thrown overboard!"

This is absurd! Isn't his high bounty only because of his knowledge of that incident?

"Where's Momonga? If it's a Vice Admiral from headquarters—"

"He's currently maintaining security around the ceremony venue!"

"Why is he in a place like that?!"

The Branch Director had given that order himself, but had already forgotten.

He barely remembered because he simply wanted to keep intruders away from the area.

"Listen! Ram any available ship directly into theirs!"

"Sir?"

"If he's this strong, then Cat Step must have some kind of Devil Fruit ability! If we take down the entire ship, he won't be able to fight effectively!"

"But what about Nico Robin?"

"We'll deal with that later! Right now, we just need to eliminate that brat—"

I'll figure something out.

The man never finished that thought.

The moment he was about to speak, he and the surrounding Marines were struck by a sudden blow to the jaw and collapsed instantly.

•°•

"All right, everything is proceeding according to plan. Now, if the timing works out, it'll be simple to escape..."

"Now then, Branch Director. I apologize for the sudden visit, but could you please tell me the location of the Den Den Mushi that's emitting those disruptive telepathic waves..."

"Ah—"

***

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