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Chapter 1095: The First Call After Taking Office as Admiral
Chapter 1095: The First Call After Taking Office as Admiral
Establishing an orphanage within the Navy used to be the kind of decision Kuro, now an Admiral, could only rubber-stamp. Rights and delegated authority were two different matters entirely. Back then, even with Gramps as his pillar, he still had to consult him before taking action.
But now that he held the position, it came with corresponding authority. If he didn’t act, others would step in to fill the void. Once that happened, his authority as Admiral would erode. He’d lose respect, be belittled, and no one would take his words seriously. After all, he no longer represented just himself, but the entire Navy faction that had risen alongside him. A damaged reputation would tarnish the whole faction’s credibility.
This was one reason Kuro had hesitated to become Admiral. Every move he made now no longer belonged solely to him.
Yet he understood that "power and titles must never be lent to others." Authority must be exercised and its presence asserted—this was his duty while in office.
As for personal matters, those were trivial. He could afford to mimic Gramps by sipping tea and trimming his nails, or copy Kuzan by napping or biking around recklessly. Besides making decisions, the Admiral’s life was surprisingly leisurely.
Admirals rarely left Headquarters unless for critical moments, and those were rare. Most of the time, they stayed seated in office. This was how Gramps and Kuzan had gradually grown complacent. Thinking this way, being Admiral didn’t seem so bad after all.
The New Marine Headquarters was now absolutely secure. He could relax and issue orders from his office while Klah handled paperwork. With Klah and numerous faction members executing his commands, his words carried weight across the entire Navy. When he put it all together, the job had its perks.
Watching Klah buried in documents, Kuro stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I should develop an industrial zone behind Headquarters. The current entertainment options here are too limited. It’d benefit everyone—myself included. I could enjoy myself here without leaving Headquarters."
He preferred a comfortable environment. If he was to settle down here long-term, a few renovations to Headquarters were reasonable. On this point, Gramps and Kuzan had performed poorly. Their entertainment habits were worlds apart from his.
What was the point of riding a bicycle recklessly through the Grand Line? He didn’t need a bike to create chaos—he could do it right here in Headquarters.
"Kuro!"
A white blur crashed through the door, landing like a whirlwind on the nearest sofa. The small white creature bounced up and down, glancing around curiously. "Huh! So this is the Admiral’s office? Doesn’t look much different."
Kuro rolled his eyes. "For heaven’s sake, I’m Admiral now. Can’t you even call me ‘Dad Admiral’ and show a bit of respect?"
"Eh?" Lida turned his head. "What are you talking about? Oh, do you want something to eat? I heard the Headquarters’ Dining Hall just hired new chefs—their noodles and seafood are amazing."
"Not hungry!" Kuro snapped. "All you think about is food! You’re a Vice Admiral now. If you’ve got free time, go raise your reputation on the Grand Line!"
"Eh? But that’s so much work. Nothing big’s been happening lately anyway. The Seven Warlords of the Sea have already crushed most pirates in the Grand Line’s first half."
"That’s because of Old Man’s brilliance!" Kuro boasted. "Letting those dogs fight each other? Of course I’d use them! See, just tweaking the rules a bit forces them to work hard for me. It cuts our workload dramatically."
"Boroboroboro—"
The Transponder Snail rang suddenly.
Kuro answered reflexively. "Hello, this is Golden Lion."
This was the first Transponder Snail to ring in the Admiral’s office since his promotion.
He’d answered too casually. After all, he’d just become Admiral and overlooked one key detail: Calls to the Admiral’s office weren’t for trivial matters.
"Admiral, this is Commander Lefei under your command! Urgent news! Big trouble!!"
The voice exploded through the snail, accompanied by distant shouts and the thunder of cannon fire. But Kuro’s attention fixated elsewhere.
"Kuro.Commander?"
Kuro raised an eyebrow, glancing at Klah. "We have another Kuro in the ranks?"
"Kuro?!" Klah shot to his feet. "How dare someone use that name! Who’s the fool using ‘Kuro’?! I’ll have him change it immediately!"
"That is…"
The voice on the Transponder Snail faltered. "It’s Sazil·Kuro."
"Sazil, ah."
Klah sat back down, slightly embarrassed. He’d forgotten. It had been a while since he’d unleashed his frustration on Sazil during training. Lately, he’d grown accustomed to calling him "Sazil" and forgot the man shared Kuro’s surname.
"What’s the emergency?" Kuro asked curiously. "How did you even get through?"
"It’s… it’s the World Noble!!" The voice cracked with urgency.
"World Noble?!" Kuro stiffened. "Where’s Sazil now? Shabondy? Didn’t we tell them to stay low? No matter what happens, contain the situation first. Wait for me before acting!"
"No, no, no— it’s the World Noble, and they’re almost—ah!!"
A loud crash echoed through the snail, followed by a scream. Then, silence.
"Huh? Hello?"
Kuro tapped the receiver twice, clicked his tongue, and hung up. "What was that about? The World Noble again? Where’s Sazil now?"
Klah, Sazil’s direct superior, looked up. "He was on patrol in the Grand Line’s first half. As a Commander, he has some autonomy. I’m not entirely sure. If it involves World Nobles, maybe Shabondy? They might’ve encountered an unsolvable crisis."
The mention of World Nobles soured Klah’s mood. Back when they’d been stationed at Shabondy, dealing with World Noble affairs had been a constant humiliation. The day they’d freed enslaved civilians was the day Klah had truly pledged his loyalty to the Navy. How soon would these problems resurface?
Still, such matters were best handled by Kuro alone. Only he had the experience to deal with World Nobles. Others, including himself, weren’t ready to face their tyranny.
Klah still feared the World Nobles, a reputation they’d earned. That was why he respected Kuro so deeply—the Admiral treated World Nobles no differently than anyone else. Whether facing a stray cat or a World Noble, his gaze remained equal.
Only when confronting true power did Kuro’s demeanor shift.
"Bororo—!"
The Transponder Snail rang again.
Kuro answered with a sigh. "I said I’m heading to Shabondy—what’s all the shouting ab—"
"Kuro. Old man here—Sakazuki."
The voice on the snail now belonged to a rugged figure with a cigar clenched between his teeth. "Forget Shabondy. Head to the Dominican Kingdom immediately. A World Noble’s been ambushed there. Deploy the Pacifista—the entire archipelago must be wiped out without discrimination!"
Kuro’s eyes widened.
"What?!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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