Chapter 1081: Kas and Beti
Chapter 1081: Kas and Beti
As Kas and Wilbur concluded their conversation, the two Warships had already reached the port of Matru. The closer they drew, the louder the chaotic noises became.
Through the window, Wilbur saw the port city illuminated by raging fires.
"Let's go down and see what's happening", Kas said, rising to his feet. He lit a Cigarette and strode toward the exit.
Kas didn’t smoke habitually, but his superior Kuromr. was rarely seen without one. As a subordinate, it would be unwise to refuse entirely. He carried a few cigarettes casually, though they rarely burned to the end.
The two stepped outside their office just as the Warships docked. Navy personnel from both ships had already disembarked, waiting at the port. Kas and Wilbur descended the gangplank extended from their vessel.
Boom!
Hardly had they set foot on the ground when a deafening explosion erupted ahead. A plume of fire burst into the sky, as if buildings had been torn apart in a fiery detonation.
"Organize the rescue!" Kas barked. "Send everyone out there—save as many as possible!"
"Yes, sir!" Several Navy Commanders saluted and rushed forward with their crews.
Without needing explicit orders, most of the crew were from the Dougleg Squadron. Only a minority were former G-3 Navy. By the time Kas gave the command, the Dougleg sailors were already charging ahead.
The two Capital Ships carried over a thousand personnel. They surged into the inferno, quickly dragging out clusters of injured civilians. Some still breathed faintly, while others lay silent. Their garments ranged from commoner attire to the armor of the Matru Kingdom’s Army.
The Kingdom Army soldiers wore dome-shaped steel helmets, heavy armor, and clutched weapons. The civilians, in contrast, were clad in tattered rags, wielding makeshift arms—wooden sticks, bricks, and hay forks.
"This isn’t right", Wilbur muttered, his eyes narrowing as he examined a few Corpses. "Why does the residual energy feel off?"
These bodies hadn’t died from the explosion. They’d been engaged in fierce combat beforehand. Wilbur noted fatal injuries on fully armored soldiers caused by sticks and stones—impossible for ordinary civilians. Soldiers’ combat prowess far surpassed commoners, yet these wounds suggested the civilians had fought back fiercely, even gained the upper hand.
This wasn’t an isolated case. Every Corpse showed the same pattern. If these ordinary people had outmatched soldiers, they should’ve been soldiers themselves. Their frail frames and underdeveloped muscles couldn’t generate the strength to inflict such damage.
"It’s like they drained their physical strength beforehand", Wilbur frowned. "Could this be Devil Fruit abilities? Are there Devil Fruit users here?"
"I’ve seen this before", Kas said, his brow furrowed. "This situation feels familiar."
"The Navy IS Here TO Help The Kingdom Army Suppress US?!"
A thunderous roar cut through the air. In the firelight, a mass of figures emerged from the shadows, surging forward like a dark tide.
"Kill Them!"
"Resistance! WE’VE Had Enough!"
"Destroy The Navy! March Into Matru City And Topple That Tyrannical King!"
As the crowd’s frenzy peaked, Kas and Wilbur finally saw their foes clearly—civilians clutching crude weapons, their expressions resolute. Wilbur’s face darkened. The collective strength radiating from them was no joke.
"Navy!"
A crimson-cloaked woman suddenly emerged from the throng. She wore mirrored sunglasses and a bright red top hat, her short violet hair framing a face clenched around a Cigarette. Her outfit—save for a skirt, a red cropped vest, and a tie—left little to the imagination. She hefted a flagpole as she stepped forward, shouting,
"Will you side with the Wicked Kingdom Army?! I’ll never allow it! Rise up! Cowardly civilians, fight back, and they’ll never dare underestimate us!"
She froze mid-gesture, her jaw tightening as she locked eyes with the bearded man ahead. The flagpole halted mid-raise, her cigarette clenched between her teeth.
"Kas?!"
"Berou Beti?" Kas’s brow furrowed. "As expected. The Revolutionary Army’s interference explains this chaos."
"Berou Beti?" Wilbur blinked. "One of the Revolutionary Army’s officers?"
He studied her, skeptical. "I heard the Revolutionary Army’s Four Commanders and Chief of Staff Sabo perished in Mariejois. What are you doing here?"
"Sabo is still alive!" Beti snapped. "Don’t you dare speak his name!"
Beti hadn’t been among those who stormed Mariejois—only Sabo and the other three Commanders fell in that battle. At the time, she’d been operating elsewhere. Her abilities weren’t suited for covert missions.
"Seems our intelligence was flawed", Kas muttered. He turned to his men. "Ignore her. Continue rescuing survivors."
"But Vice Admiral Kas, this is the Revolutionary Army!" a Navy Commander protested.
The Revolutionary Army was the World Government’s sworn enemy!
"What is the Navy’s duty?!" Kas snapped, glaring at the Commander.
The man pressed his lips together, then silently saluted and led his crew past the civilian mob.
Soon, only Kas and Wilbur remained at the port.
Kas showed no fear of the encircling crowd. His gaze swept across the civilians—sticks, hay forks, even rolled-up newspapers in their hands. Many instinctively stepped back, heads bowed, as if shamed by his stare.
"Unacceptable Disorder!"
Kas roared. Even Beti flinched—this man had thwarted her plans before. Running into him again was pure misfortune.
But the Revolutionary Army’s ideals were righteous!
"What’s wrong with resisting? These civilians have suffered enough! This isn’t piracy you’re dealing with—this is beyond your jurisdiction!" Beti shot back defiantly.
"No, I’m asking why you’re still dressed like that!" Kas pointed at her scant attire, exasperated. "Do you not have proper uniforms in the Revolutionary Army? Or do you insist on dressing this way to ‘inspire’ your revolution?!" He stepped closer, scowling. "I warned you last time—dress decently, at least!"
(End of Chapter)
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