https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1070-Wielding-a-Blade-the-Heart-Turns-to-Bloodshed/13540947/
Chapter 1069: Lively and Chaotic, Perfectly Fine
Chapter 1069: Lively and Chaotic, Perfectly Fine
Moer was too wild for his own good, always acting like a know-it-all just because he was older and had more experience. He strutted around with that smug "playing the game" attitude, and except for Kuro, no one could keep him in line. Even Klah, the head steward who outranked him militarily by a mile, couldn't issue direct orders to this troublemaker. He had to treat him like a friend instead of a subordinate.
There were times when Kuro's commands – if not important enough – might get botched on purpose. The guy was unreliable and carried the kind of physical constitution that seemed to attract bad luck like a magnet. Every single establishment he'd visited, whether he'd paid his tab or not, inevitably suffered at least a month-long slump in business. No one could figure out how he pulled that off.
"Seven days? Not a problem!" Moer said, glancing at the bustling area around him as he nodded confidently. "Absolutely no problem! I'm already so broke I can't even afford meals. If you let me grab a few free meals here, that'd be even better."
"Don't embarrass yourself like that!" Klah groaned, covering his forehead. "This isn't just about me – you'd be embarrassing Kuro himself! He won't let you off the hook for that!"
"Fine, I take it back", Moer shrugged, turning toward the street's deeper end. "Eat first, deal with it later."
"Unbelievable... One after another, none of them make my life easy", Klah muttered, spotting Fen Ni approaching. "Oh, and you came too, Fen Ni?"
Fen Ni had fully mastered her ability to suppress her plague aura, allowing normal physical contact without gloves. The Plague-Plague Devil Fruit, despite its immense potential, was notoriously difficult to develop. For someone with her innate talent to already have full control over her plague meant she was doing just fine. This Devil Fruit had an extremely high ceiling – from the moment she'd obtained it, both her strength and her figure had become absolute powerhouses.
"By the way, has anyone seen Sazil?" Klah scanned the area but found no sign of his junior.
The three women all tilted their heads in unison, expressions asking "Who?"
Klah sighed. He shouldn't have expected answers. Lidamiss only cared about eating and shadowing Kuro. Ju Geng selectively heard things depending on their gender. Fen Ni was a reclusive noblewoman who never asked about anything. With these three, it was a miracle they survived at all – and proof only Kuro could manage them. Those who could handle him obeyed him, and those who couldn't? Well, they simply didn't.
"Hey! What's going on down there?!"
A sudden voice echoed from above. A figure streaked down from the sky at extreme speed. Kuro, cigar clenched in his teeth, landed beside Lida.
"Kuro!" Lida swallowed her food and grabbed his coat hem with her oily, snack-crumble-covered hand, rubbing it against his sleeve.
"Yuck, you're filthy! Go wash your hands!" Kuro rolled his eyes but didn't shake off her grip as he turned to Klah. "Did you finish setting everything up?"
"Yes, the largest banquet hall is ready. We'll start promptly at seven o'clock", Klah confirmed.
"Good. Have all the guests been invited?"
"All the important ones are covered. Headquarters personnel confirmed they'll arrive on time. Others have already arrived early."
The early birds were self-explanatory, but Kuro's "important guests" were the real Vips. This sudden birthday celebration for Gramps came right after Headquarters meetings, with only Lucius Krofaction and other high-ranking officials present. But the heavy hitters were all here – that was what mattered most.
"Then it's time to take our seats. What about the gift I had you prepare?"
"There wasn't enough time to make something new, so I picked one from the existing gold accessories", Klah explained.
Gift-giving was customary for elders' birthdays – the gesture mattered more than the value. Kuro had plenty of gold reserves, both raw materials and finished accessories. Some were still untouched in his personal treasury, while others were stored on the ship or at this Headquarters. Choosing a gift naturally fell to Klah's expertise.
"Fine. Let's get seated then."
Kuro nodded and strode down the street. This area was familiar territory – he'd spent plenty of time here during his time at Headquarters. The largest restaurant? He knew exactly where it was.
New World's Headquarters naturally couldn't match Marineford's population density or commercial vibrancy. Marineford had held its status as Headquarters for decades, while this place had only recently transitioned from G-1 fortress status. Back then, only a few families operated businesses here. Now, with Headquarters established, commerce had naturally grown – not as rich as Marineford, but still decent enough.
The restaurant Kuro entered was the tallest building behind Headquarters – a grand dining hall with a balcony on the top floor, designed similarly to the main Headquarters' Castle Tower.
"Vice Admiral Golden Lion", the restaurant owner bowed with an ingratiating smile. "As soon as I received your instructions, I cleared the premises completely – no uninvited guests will disturb this event!"
"Enough with the formalities", Kuro waved him off. "Show me upstairs. Did you hang up the banners?"
"Everything's ready", the owner replied.
Kuro nodded and followed him up. This floor was specially reserved for Lucius Krofaction's several hundred subordinates – the main celebration for their commander's birthday.
When he reached the top, a massive golden banner greeted him: "Lucius Krofaction Admiral Birthday Celebration."
Simple and to the point – no need for excessive extravagance.
"Good. Go handle the other guests now. I'll manage things up here."
Kuro waved the owner away and surveyed the elegant dining arrangements before stepping onto the balcony. From this high vantage point, he looked down at the brightly lit streets below.
The square below was a lively scene of lanterns and white-uniformed personnel bustling about. The vibrant atmosphere brought a rare smile to Kuro's face.
"Ah, so lively! Uncle, I absolutely love this kind of atmosphere!"
A blinding white light flashed beside him as Moer appeared. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Kuro, he grinned. "You really enjoy scenes like this?"
"Of course", Kuro smiled, eyes fixed on the celebration below. "What's wrong with some liveliness? I hope it never stops – as long as we're this vibrant, the Navy's vitality will never fade."
(End of Chapter)
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