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Chapter 1108: This Burden, I'll Take It Myself!
Chapter 1108: This Burden, I’ll Take It Myself!
“You’re scared!”
Brant screamed, “That’s affirmation you’re scared! Otherwise, you wouldn’t have used your ability to bind them!”
“Think whatever you want.”
Kuro, chewing on a cigar, eyed Brant up and down before glancing at the bound figures still shouting furiously. “Looks like your ability really is just affecting people’s emotions. Beyond that, it can’t even touch combat power.”
But the simpler the ability, the more dangerous it became.
The narrower the ability’s scope, the more potent its effect.
This Devil Fruit ability didn’t enhance combat power—Kuro’s own body was already gone—but its sole function of manipulating emotions was terrifying in its simplicity. If even William had been affected, it was truly something. Yet this indiscriminate attack, while unable to target specific enemies, guaranteed Brant’s own advantage.
Brant’s expression grew complex as he stared at Kuro’s calm face. He couldn’t tell if the man was lying or not, but it hardly mattered. The only thing he wanted to know was—
“Don’t you feel guilty?!”
Brant roared, eyes bloodshot. “So many innocent people—you slaughtered them all! Don’t you feel guilty?! You’re a Navy officer, sworn to protect civilians! How can you do this?! Don’t you have a conscience?!”
“Right, protecting civilians,” Kuro said, nodding casually. “But you didn’t give me any conscience to begin with. Why should I show you any? You used civilians to threaten me, so I should just let myself be threatened? Why don’t you save us both the trouble and let me stand still while you kill me?”
“I don’t accept threats from enemies, and I don’t expect mercy from them either. If you’re willing to sacrifice these people, I’ll sacrifice myself with them. That’s the kind of person I am—I make decisions.”
Kuro gestured at the bound crowd. “How many people are on this island? Fifty thousand? A hundred thousand? Plenty of numbers, but when I kill, I don’t hesitate.”
Brant froze, stunned by Kuro’s words.
The island was vast, its population massive. Under Brant’s ability, everyone had gathered into this city—tens of thousands of people now in chaos.
Could he really go through with this?!
Brant’s ability had only caused thousands of casualties so far. But if the Navy acted, it would be tens of thousands dead—without hesitation, without guilt.
Not a trace of hesitation?! Not a shred of guilt?!
Staring at Kuro’s resolute face, Brant’s mind flickered back to a moment over twenty years ago, during the nation’s salvation struggles.
Back then, out of helplessness, they’d played the World Noble’s “cannon fire game,” letting many die. When the World Noble reneged on their deal, they’d dared seize him—but only seized him. They’d never considered killing him.
Yet in the end, the World Noble died anyway for revenge.
But what if they’d been crueler back then? What if they’d executed the World Noble and handed the supplies to the Commander? Would the outcome have changed?
That was a World Noble’s life!
If the World Noble had died, the Commander—who secretly defected—wouldn’t have dared defect again. Failure would mean exposing the Commander, making him a target of the Navy despite any rewards he gained. He’d have no choice but to win, to guarantee Kemorike’s victory!
If Kemorike had won, their lives wouldn’t have mattered. They could’ve fled to an unknown sea area, taken the World Noble’s head to lure the Navy, and taken all the blame themselves. Wouldn’t that have been victory?
Even if Kemorike lost, they might’ve used the World Noble’s head to force Dominica not to invade. After all, who would want to be implicated in a World Noble’s death?
If only they’d had the resolve back then…
“If only” was meaningless now!
Brant shook his head violently, dispelling the chaotic thoughts. He glared at Kuro, hatred blazing. “If you’ve got the guts, come on then!”
Kuro ignored him, turning to Klah. “Evacuate the wounded onto the ships.”
“Aye.”
Klah nodded, then glanced at Sazil lying on the ground and snorted. “Sazil, get up and work! We’ll settle our score later!”
Sazil jolted upright, body snapping to attention. “Yes, Mr. Kuro!”
He scrambled over to the unconscious Navy men he’d knocked out earlier, dragging two at a time toward the ships.
Kuro studied Brant. With a flick of his finger, a chair from the harbor floated over and settled beneath him. He sat, lit a fresh cigar, and exhaled a plume of smoke, chin lifted defiantly—though his eyes never left Brant.
That ability likely affected even him. And it probably bypassed Haki. Worse, resisting it didn’t depend on mental strength—only complete idiots might be immune.
Moer approached quietly. “Hey, Kuro… are you really going to kill them? We should be able to save them, right?”
“How?”
Kuro didn’t hide his words from Brant. “Look at them—bound and still glaring at each other. Get closer and they’d start biting. Their resentment’s so deep, seawater might help, but this old man won’t die. If he lives, they die. If he dies, they die too. At least this way, others survive. You know how many people are on Dominica?”
Moer thought. “I’ve been here. The main island’s bustling, the people gentle. Probably a million or so.”
“A million. Look at this guy’s bitter face—Dominica’s his enemy. Leave him be, and a million die. Stop him, and only tens of thousands die.”
Kuro pointed at Brant. “What choice do I have? You think I don’t know this is a moral dilemma? But my goal’s not saving all humanity. This decision’s easy to make, even if it’s regrettable. Someone has to make it, and someone has to execute it. I’m the one stuck dealing with it. How can I avoid this?”
He wished he could ignore it.
But could he really?
The matter fell under his jurisdiction. Even if he blamed the World Government or left Dominica to decide, the executor would still be him.
No difference either way. Better to issue the order myself.
This also involved Gramps. If investigations revealed Gramps had erred decades ago, things could get messy.
Especially with a World Noble’s death involved.
Pacifista was down, and this ability was proving troublesome.
So Kuro decided—this burden, he’d take himself.
(End of Chapter)
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