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Chapter 1287: Old Man Isn't Leaving!
Chapter 1287: Old Man Isn't Leaving!
Behind the New World.
Boom!!
A massive laser cannon blast erupted from the sea surface, striking an island ahead. Amidst a deafening roar of destruction, the island's center was carved away, leaving only its two flanking sides standing while seawater surged through the middle.
As the laser's glow faded, a golden warship emerged on the horizon.
Inside the Golden Lion.
"Oh? What the hell is this?"
Moer leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out in amusement. "Split in two with water gushing through, flooding everywhere. Slippery and treacherous, huh?"
Kuro, seated in the captain's chair, rolled his eyes and snapped, "If you've got nothing better to do, go take a nap! You've been yapping nonstop since you woke up, and there are kids around!"
"Kids?"
Lida popped her head up from where she was about to taste a bunch of grapes. "Where are the kids? Isn't Baohuang here?"
Klah kept observing through the telescope for a moment before turning around. "Kuro, sir, we've mostly cleared it. There are some surviving pirates left. Should we arrest them?"
"Kuro, try this, it's delicious!" Lida took a bite of grape, her eyes lighting up as she plucked another one to feed him.
"Is that so?" Kuro opened his mouth obediently as Lida popped the grape in. After chewing twice, he puckered his lips and spat out the skin. "Not bad."
Then he addressed Klah, "No time for that. Send a message to Kas and Wilbur. They're already on their way, right? Tell them to follow our navigational route. Let them capture whoever they can. Kill those with serious crimes, and release the minor ones."
"Understood, Kuro, sir. I'll send the transponder message right away." Klah nodded, pulling out a small Transponder Snail from his coat before running off to a corner to make the call.
After Eustass Kid and Law died, they'd been wandering around for a week. Kuro had handled captured pirates the same way back on Law's main island since he only had one ship. Hauling prisoners around would've been a hassle, so he simply sent them off for processing.
The mission he'd taken was only about the four main targets. Maybe some silver-tier competitors from surrounding areas too, but pirate crews were like that—once the core was gone, the rest scattered naturally. Who had time to deal with every random nobody?
There were too many pirates on the Grand Line. Even the undersea prisons wouldn't hold them all.
"Boroboroboro."
The Transponder Snail on the desk suddenly rang loudly, jolting the dormant device awake.
"Lida." Kuro called out.
Lida pouted as she got up from the sofa, grumbling, "You've got your own messenger, why do I always end up taking these calls?"
Moer, their "messenger" who was actually a Navy officer recently promoted from Commander to Rear Admiral (though still the same old slacker who never did real work and was rarely seen), had been lounging around as usual. He'd pop out once in a while to crack jokes while yawning.
So annoying. Deserved a punch.
Just like he said—might as well find a cushy job and coast through life?
Don't ask, he'd say he was off to comfort distressed maidens, help lonely older women, or explore the inner struggles of confused matrons. Reasons were always bizarre and varied, but the only constant was Moer always running out of money and coming to Kuro for handouts. Kuro would grumble and curse but still hand over the cash.
Sometimes Lida felt Kuro was even more lenient with Moer than with her.
Could it be... homophily?
Muttering to herself, Lida walked to the desk and stood on tiptoe to grab the receiver. "Hello, this is Vice Admiral Lida of the White Butterfly."
The Transponder Snail's face morphed into a rugged, grizzled yakuza lookalike with a cigar clenched between his teeth, his voice deep and raspy:
"White Whale? Put Kuro on. This is Fleet Admiral Sakazuki."
Lida's temple throbbed with a blue vein as she snapped, "It's White Butterfly! White Butterfly! You..."
She raised the receiver like she'd throw it, but Kuro snatched it away, pressing his palm on Lida's head as he spoke. "Hello, Fleet Admiral. What do you need?"
"Ah."
The Transponder Snail exhaled a long plume of smoke, pausing before growling, "Come back."
The words stunned not just Kuro but everyone else in the room.
After a long silence, Kuro's forehead scrunched up with confusion. "Huh?"
Come back?
Come back where?
"Don't understand? The old man wants you back." Sakazuki's voice rumbled.
"Wait, wait." Kuro released Lida's head, pushing forward in his seat. "You mean... you want me to return? Stop fighting pirates?"
A pause on the other end. "Due to special circumstances, you're to retreat. Fall back to Marineford."
That made Kuro chuckle. He plopped back into his main seat, one leg propped on the armrest, smirking. "What? Mariejois got taken down? Who's that strong? Dragon? Marshall D. Teach? Or Luffy? Did they abandon Wano Country already?"
"This is an order, Kuro." The Transponder Snail's voice darkened. "You're Navy. You follow orders. Other matters aren't your concern!"
Kuro raised an eyebrow. "Wait, I'm an Admiral too, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki. I respect you, so I usually let you make the calls. But this vague order—just telling me to retreat? What about all the work I've done here this past year?"
Klah, who'd been stunned silent by Sakazuki's words, pressed his lips together.
You still had the nerve to mention hard work?
If you had any conscience at all, you wouldn't say that!
Kuro wasn't done yet. "We risked our lives, broke through Wano Country, took down two Emperors. What about all that? Yeah, I got lucky with Opportunity Seizing, but what if I'd failed? I might've left something behind there. Even if there's no glory, there's effort. You just say retreat and expect me to go? Where do you think my reputation stands?"
He continued, "Not to mention the reforms we've done in Wano Country. We've put down roots here. You expect me to just pack up now?"
He'd moved so many times already!
From East Blue to Grand Line, then West Blue and back to Grand Line. Every time he'd just settled in comfortably, they'd call him away.
Even ignoring the past year's reforms and local operations, Wano Country's terrain was perfect—fertile land, defensible position, hard for outsiders to enter. This was an ideal place to retire peacefully. No way he was leaving now.
Kuro stood up, pointing at the Transponder Snail. "I left East Blue, Moe Island, Pegasus Island, Shabondy too! This time I'm staying put. Not leaving, not even if you kill me!"
"Unforgivable!!!"
The Transponder Snail roared. "Regardless of your opinions, you will follow orders! That's final! Disobey at your own peril!"
Click!
A sharp sound rang out from the Transponder Snail, followed by a busy tone.
Kuro flung the receiver aside, standing up to point at the device. "Is that old man out of his mind? We're in the middle of a fight and he tells Old Man to retreat? Does he even know what'll happen if we pull out? I finally started taking initiative, and now he wants to quit on me?"
He paused, looking at Klah. "Mariejois got taken down?"
Klah shook his head furiously, sweat pouring down. "We haven't... I mean, we haven't heard anything like that."
Kuro grabbed a cigar, lit it, and exhaled a plume of smoke. "Strange. What's going on up there? That old man wouldn't order a retreat unless something's wrong. I'd be roasted alive if I even mentioned retreat before."
Klah asked cautiously, "Should we retreat, Kuro, sir?"
Kuro snapped, "Are you mad too? Retreating now would undo everything! The pirates will get even worse. Oh sure, let the newspapers keep their propaganda about Old Man being a Navy hero and era's ender. Now he's running home scared? That's not how it works!"
He kept ranting, "Why didn't he say earlier? Why now? If he knew he'd call us back, why send me to Wano Country in the first place? Just watch the show from the sidelines, right? We're already in deep—we're staying! Ignore him. Keep operations going as usual. He won't fight? Old Man will!"
"Understood, Kuro, sir!"
Klah pushed his glasses up, the lenses flashing as he pondered something.
Meanwhile, on the frontline warship in the New World's vanguard.
Sakazuki slammed down the melted receiver, his aura radiating heat as he gritted his teeth. "That brat's gotten too arrogant!"
"As expected." Crane spoke calmly. "He's right. Taking this territory cost tremendous effort. Kuro's nature is well-known—you know he won't give up Wano Country now. As for dealing with pirates..."
She glanced at Sakazuki. "Isn't that exactly what you admire about him?"
Sakazuki's lips twitched into a brief smile before fading. Back in his office, he leaned back in his chair. "Then... the battle continues."
Crane narrowed her eyes. "You'll take responsibility?"
"Old Man is Fleet Admiral!" Sakazuki declared, resolve hardening his gaze. "A subordinate wants to eliminate the Pirate Era. As Fleet Admiral, how could Old Man abandon that mission?"
Boom!
His blazing fist slammed into the newly replaced desk, burning another hole through it.
From Sakazuki's mouth came an ironclad vow: "The Pirate Era must be eliminated! The battle continues. Even if Old Man must lose this Fleet Admiral position!"
Crane sighed, gazing out the window toward the Grand Line. "So many have retreated from this line. I wonder if this old woman should step down too."
She stood, heading for the door. "You handle the higher-ups. This old woman still has work to do. I'll talk to Kuro myself. You two just had a fight—probably not best to contact him directly."
Sakazuki said nothing as Crane left, leaving him alone by the fire-scarred desk. The flames reflected in his eyes, as if burning into his very pupils.
(End of Chapter)
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