Chapter 1357: Kas's Words Are My Words!
Chapter 1357: Kas's Words Are My Words!
After Kas's roar, silence fell over the battlefield. The Navy soldiers, who had been whispering nervously under Kuro's command moments ago, now stared wide-eyed at Kuro, their gazes darting between him and Kas before finally settling on Kuro.
Their eyes brimmed with extreme shock, confusion, and bewilderment, but gradually seemed to grasp something, shifting to relief and excitement.
Of course!
They could accept this!
Smokerarm's blue veins bulged from exertion, his teeth clenched tightly as he stared in shock.
His body trembled.
Not just fear or excitement, but the violent shaking caused by overwhelming shock.
What was this?
What was happening?!
"You bastard."
Smokerarm started to raise his weapon toward Kuro on the high platform, but as his arm lifted, the bearded man's earlier words echoed in his mind.
The Mariejois nobles.
They were more pirate-like than pirates themselves!
They weren't justice.
What if—just what if—
Was there a possibility that, as the bearded man claimed, wiping out those parasites in Mariejois would bring true peace to the world?
Then justice would finally be pure, no longer tainted by ulterior motives.
Just eliminate those at the top!
"Tina. Shocking", Tina murmured, her hands hanging limply.
Aokiji bit down hard on his cigar, smoke obscuring his face, but his grip on the dual blades tightened.
The other Navy soldiers' expressions shifted from shock and confusion to understanding, their faces now brimming with eager anticipation.
"How... how?!" Koby couldn't process it. He thought Kas made sense—pirates who attacked Mariejois were exactly like Kas described.
Among the Seven Warlords of the Sea, aside from Buggy's stunned expression and delayed reaction, the others wore varied expressions.
Joe Rudolph gripped his fists tightly, his face flushed with near-worshipful admiration for Kas, then even more intense reverence for Kuro on the high platform.
He understood most deeply!
Joe Rudolph, from the discriminated Half-fishman community rejected by both humans and fishmen, knew injustice better than anyone.
Why did he become a pirate? Because if they didn't resist, Half-fishmen would perish.
Joe Rudolph had traveled many places, always seeking a pure land—not necessarily a place for Half-fishmen alone, but somewhere they could integrate with other races, where others would accept them.
But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find such a place, until Kuro rose to power and the news of selecting Seven Warlords of the Sea came. He took a chance.
And it worked! It felt like a dream come true.
Now, Half-fishmen worldwide gathered under his banner. As a Seven Warlord of the Sea, he had secured survival for his people.
All thanks to Kuro.
What moved Joe Rudolph most was Kuro's complete lack of prejudice—no discrimination at all. To Kuro, all races seemed equal.
He stared blankly at the figure on the high platform, recalling words Kuro once told him during a visit:
"Do you even have a brain? Oh, you do? You think, you eat, you go home when it rains. Wait, maybe you Half-fishmen don't care about rain?"
"But that's the thing—having emotions, speaking, thinking independently, communicating, habits are similar enough. Aren't you just a person? Don't you still eat? Are you photosynthesizing or eating human flesh?"
Though crude, those words made the scolding Kuro shine like a beacon in Joe Rudolph's eyes back then!
Ah.
That Kuro who treated them equally, who never distinguished by race, bloodline, or status—Kuro was his god!
And now!
Kuro wanted to attack Mariejois, spreading this blessing across the Grand Line. This was more earth-shattering than any One Piece!
Freedom didn't need to rely on that vague, uncertain concept of One Piece. Now, someone would give them 'freedom'!
Why wouldn't he seize this opportunity!
Joe Rudolph gritted his teeth, biting out fiercely: "The enemy is in Mariejois!"
William felt dazed. He always thought Kuro was wrong—why obey the World Government so willingly with such strength and influence? All strong men had tempers. Kuzan had left the Navy over philosophical differences. Why was Kuro like a puppet?
Now he understood.
Before greater ambition, those powers were insignificant. Now he had his chance!
"I lost."
William shook his head, self-mocking.
Since childhood, he had lost.
At seven, he had psychological trauma from two-year-old Kuro. Now thirty-five, he was outdone in ambition by thirty-year-old Kuro.
A Great Pirate?
He might have achieved it, especially with all sea emperors dead. He was the Great Pirate now.
But how could a Great Pirate compare to the King of the World!
"Interesting."
Dracule Mihawk lifted his head, eagle-like eyes beneath his hat brim fixed on Kuro, a smirk tugging his lips:
"So that's your plan. It's been a while since something excited me!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Crocodile laughed heartily, his strange, staccato laughter nearly bringing tears, his pupils filled with gruesome delight.
"Truly amusing. You still harbor such ambition. Of course I'll join this."
Katakuri's lower face was hidden by his scarf, but his eyes burned with black flames. Gripping his trident tightly, though silent, his stance was clear.
How could he miss such a feast?
"Ahh!"
On the battlefield, Boa Hancock trembled violently, then slumped to her knees.
She panted heavily, her eyes dazedly fixed on Kuro.
Not because she suddenly developed feelings.
As an enemy who defeated Luffy's officer, she wanted revenge.
But that was before the bearded man spoke. After those words, even that thought was replaced by a greater vengeance.
They
Would kill the world nobles!!
Not just beating world nobles like Luffy's officer did, but thoroughly killing them, eradicating the world nobles, eliminating those sources of evil, those beings responsible for her immense trauma.
And the ones who could do this were actually the Navy themselves! Because resisting world nobles no longer meant facing destruction-oriented Pacifistas.
"Hmm?"
Kuro on the high platform swept his gaze over everyone, his brow furrowed.
What was their problem?
Didn't want to fight anymore? No way. They'd come this far. Just needed one more push.
Eliminate the pirates, and everyone would become complacent.
Thinking this, he glanced at Kas, shaking his head inwardly.
Even with Conqueror's Haki, he was still immature. His words lacked weight. He still needed to speak up to support Kas.
"Cough!"
He coughed, his voice carrying on the wind to everyone's ears, making all those with varied expressions look up.
"Just like that."
His expression turned solemn as he slowly said, "Kas's words are my words. Now, everyone, turn toward Mariejois. Eliminate those wicked bastards. Only then can justice be implemented, saving this world."
Supporting Kas's words, as the one with Conqueror's Haki, he might someday replace my position. Even if his combat power isn't enough, he could definitely take my faction's position.
Though older, if I retire early...
Not impossible.
Crack!
Calm Belt position.
Sengoku watched Kuro's words on the screen, a furious aura erupting around him, shattering his glasses into shards.
He clenched his fists tightly, staring at the screen, speechless for a long time.
Even Garp, still grieving his grandson's death, stared blankly, then burst into laughter.
"Puhahaha! Amazing, Kuro!"
"Oh~ How terrifying."
Elsewhere, Lucius Kro pushed up his chestnut-brown sunglasses, his pouting lips slowly relaxing as he looked toward Mariejois.
Sakazuki's fists nearly turned to lava, his cigar clenched between his teeth, his hat hiding his face. After a long time, he finally spoke:
"Wicked, huh?"
Sigh.
New World battlefield line position, Tsuru, the chief strategist who always commanded from the front, sighed quietly.
"No wonder they rehired Kuzan. Was this your plan all along? Your justice."
He pressed her lips, looking at the sky. "The world has changed beyond recognition."
She used to say snakes have their paths, mice have theirs, insiders understand the doorways. But even this 'insider' couldn't grasp what Kuro truly intended now.
(End of Chapter)
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