https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1288-Why-Did-I-Join-the-Navy-in-the-First-Place-/13542394/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1290-The-World-Government-Has-No-Shame-It-s-None-of-My-Business/13542524/
Chapter 1289: Activate All CP Units
Chapter 1289: Activate All CP Units
A few days later.
As Kuro made his way back, eliminating the fleeing criminals and pirates along the route, no news of retreat reached him from the frontlines. The war continued unabated, and Kuro received no urgent messages.
Meanwhile, at the Red Line...
Mariejois, the city at the heart of the world, separated the Grand Line’s first half from its second. This was also the center of the World Government’s highest authority.
In the central area stood a colossal castle known as the "Pangu Palace."
Rights Chamber.
WP.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy with silence. Five elderly men, each frozen in dramatic poses, sat in tense stillness. An outsider might mistake them for statues.
"Damn that Sakazuki!!"
The bespectacled elderly man’s glasses glinted as he tightened his grip on his sword, grinding his teeth. "How dare he defy our orders? He’s grown too arrogant!"
"The fool thinks being Fleet Admiral makes him untouchable", the curly-haired elderly man sneered coldly. "He needs a harsh lesson!"
"Strip him of his position!" the red-skinned elder barked.
But the group soon fell into contemplation.
"Not yet", the bearded elder interjected. "Sakazuki insists on finishing this battle with the pirates. Removing him now would destabilize the Navy and make matters worse."
"Why not? Replace him with someone obedient! Kuro’s done an excellent job!" the blade-wielding elderly man argued.
"He’s needed in Wano Country", the map-wielding elder shook his head. "Recalling him now would be worse than maintaining the current frontlines. We cannot afford to lose Wano."
"Hmph! We’ve grown too reliant on him over the years. Didn’t we manage fine without Donquixote Doflamingo back then?" the blade-wielding elder scoffed.
"Not exactly ‘fine’", the map-wielding elder countered. "We had to rely on the underworld then, which was far less stable. We can’t abandon Wano Country. Their weapons and Seastone technology are indispensable. Now that we’ve secured control, we won’t let it slip away."
The red-skinned elder nodded. "Agreed. The real problem is Dragon! Timing his moves so perfectly!"
"Of course", the bearded elder said gravely. "This is an ideal window for breakthroughs. Our forces are tied up in the New World, leaving the Revolutionary Army free to strike. If we don’t recall the Navy to counter them, things could spiral out of control."
Indeed, the situation was dire. The Marine’s elite forces were entrenched in the New World, while the remaining fleets in the Four Seas were preoccupied with local pirates. There were no spare hands to deal with the Revolutionary Army.
This wasn’t like the Summit War. This was a full-scale conflict between the Navy and pirates across the New World. The pirates had united on a scale far surpassing the Whitebeard Pirates, with the silver-tier crews forming the new vanguard.
The Five Elders had authorized this war, fully aware of its gravity.
The map-wielding elder spoke slowly. "Ultimately, those reckless brats are to blame. If not for the battle at Mizu Saki Island, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Now we’re stuck cleaning up. Sakazuki’s refusal to obey orders and his push for a decisive battle leave us no choice but to wait. We’ll deal with him once the situation stabilizes."
Even then, finding a suitable replacement for Marineford’s scale was no easy task. The only viable candidate, Kuro, was indispensable in Wano Country. They wouldn’t risk replacing him until Wano’s stability was assured.
Where else could they find a Navy commander with unshakable loyalty, formidable strength, and a stellar reputation among the World Nobles? Only Lucius Kro had proven his allegiance through his operations.
"Are there truly no other options?" the red-skinned elder pressed. "What about Vegapunk?"
The blade-wielding elder shook his head first. "No one would accept him. The World Nobles would revolt if Kuro was replaced by someone from World Recruitment. The Navy would descend into chaos."
Vegapunk was an enigma. Though Sakazuki had recruited him, his true loyalties to the World Government remained uncertain.
"And Tatsumaki?" the map-wielding elder added. "Though stationed in Mariejois, he’s eccentric—often fasting, living like a vegetable. We’ve never trusted him."
"True", the map-wielding elder agreed. "We must consider the Navy’s stability. Kuro’s our best bet. We know his strengths and his quirks—his love of wealth, his business acumen, his vast fortune. These are trivial matters, mere formalities in the Navy. His real ‘minor issues’ are territorial—he treats every region he governs as his personal domain, collecting taxes wherever he goes. But compared to his loyalty and strength, these are negligible."
Kuro’s habits were well-known. His pirate-like tendencies to claim territories and levy taxes were dismissed as minor infractions—mere taxation of a few islands. Compared to his merits, they were irrelevant.
Sakazuki’s defiance had sparked thoughts of replacing him, and Kuro was the inevitable choice. This was a consensus not just among the Five Elders, but within the Navy itself.
Kuro was rare—a man respected by both the Navy and the World Government. Appointing him would ease their burdens far more than Sengoku’s tenure ever did. Even Sengoku, for all his competence, occasionally ignored their orders.
This was the Navy’s chronic issue, one they’d long acknowledged. Could those wielding immense power ever truly be docile?
But Kuro’s alignment with their interests made him a rare exception.
The curly-haired elder nodded. "Neither Admiral would unify the Navy. As for the rest—surely we’re not considering dragging Sengoku out of retirement?"
"He’d refuse", the bearded elder said. "This war has slipped beyond control. We’ll have to wait for stability."
"Activate the CP units", the red-skinned elder sighed. "All of them. Deploy them against the Revolutionary Army. The World Summit is less than a year away—we can’t afford failures now."
"Activating all CP units will cripple our intelligence network", the curly-haired elder frowned. "It’s a risky move."
"We have no choice", the blade-wielding elder declared. "I agree."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
The red-skinned elder hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. Seconded."
"Activate all CP units—focus solely on eliminating the Revolutionary Army!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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