Chapter 1359: Ideals Are So Enchanting
Chapter 1359: Ideals Are So Enchanting
Several Capital Ships navigated across the sea surface, their Warships packed with elite Navy personnel—every single one holding a military rank no lower than Vice Admiral.
There were seven ships in total, with the lead vessel being a Gigantic Warship radiating golden light.
Kuro was aboard the Golden Lion.
After concluding the Headquarters battle, Kuro had dispatched some subordinates to clean up the aftermath—checking for survivors to Finish Off—before proceeding toward Mariejois with the remaining Navy forces.
Within the fortress cluster on the Golden Lion’s deck, Kuro’s office occupied the upper level of the largest fortress. Now seated at the head position, he remained fused with the Yokai Blade, allowing its Restoration of physical strength without disengaging.
But honestly, it hardly mattered anymore. The top-tier opponents were already eliminated. Even if some stubborn pirates and escaped Impel Down prisoners regrouped, their strength was negligible. The forces Kuro had brought were more than sufficient to handle them—no need for him to lift a finger personally.
His presence alone was enough to suppress any resistance.
“Klah, any news updates? Confirmed yet?”
Kuro glanced toward Klah, who seemed unusually excited.
“No!”
Klah shook his head emphatically, his expression brightening. “Mr. Kuro, Mariejois has lost contact. The Transponder Snail isn’t working either—the inside and outside seem completely severed.”
“Severed? Like cutting off a signal?”
Kuro stroked his chin, musing, “That Flamingo must’ve escaped. What cowardice—going straight to Mariejois.”
Ordinary pirates couldn’t breach Mariejois. If it were that vulnerable, someone would’ve attacked it eight hundred times already.
The ability to cut communications did exist, but Kuro didn’t recognize those responsible. The only one he knew capable was locked up in Impel Down. Now that Impel Down had been breached, that Flamingo—possessing flight ability—might’ve seized the chance to escape.
And attacking Mariejois?
He had the motive.
“Forget it. We’ll deal with everything at once when the time comes,” Kuro shrugged indifferently.
After all, he had six of the Seven Warlords of the Sea aboard!
Well… Buggy didn’t count.
Six combat-capable Warlords—even if their physical strength was halved due to Lida’s absorption—were more than enough to handle Donquixote Doflamingo, even overwhelmingly so.
With Kas’s Conqueror’s Haki and his own abilities, fighting pirates was like slicing through melons.
“Speaking of which, you two don’t seem surprised,” Kuro observed, eyeing Klah and Lida, who was munching snacks to replenish her physical strength beside him. His eyes narrowed slightly.
“You knew beforehand, didn’t you?”
“Knew it,” Lida confirmed casually, stuffing a small cake whole into her mouth. “He’s had it for ages. Didn’t you know?”
“How would I know?!”
“If I knew, would I be this shocked?!”
Kuro rolled his White Eye, then cleared his throat. “I just… wanted to test you. After all, we’re comrades who’ve worked together closely. One should have a general understanding of their comrades. Don’t tell me you only found out now?”
“Long ago. Like…”
Lida tilted her head, continuing to stuff snacks into her mouth as she pondered. “Like…”
She scrunched her brows, thinking for ages before shaking her head. “Forget it. I can’t remember. But it was definitely a long time ago. I thought you knew all along.”
“I’ve always known,” Kuro repeated firmly.
Lida rolled her White Eye. “Whatever. That’s how it is.”
“Conqueror’s Haki,” Kuro sighed. “The probability of Conqueror’s Haki appearing in the Navy is truly rare.”
The only one he knew of was Sengoku. Now there was Kas.
How come we never noticed this guy’s potential before? With more training, he might become a pillar of the Navy.
As Kuro mused, Kas and Wilbur stood on the Golden Lion’s deck, gazing upward at the sky’s position.
“Are they ready?” Kas asked.
“Almost. Most attention is focused on Red Port. Kuzan led some Kingdom Army forces to seize Mariejois’s Staircase first, but someone stopped them. The last news was Donquixote Doflamingo releasing the ‘Birdcage,’ then we lost contact.”
Wilbur explained.
“I see. Lost contact… No wonder the World Government hasn’t reacted. Forget it. We’ve already announced to the world. When we arrive at Mariejois, it’ll be the same.”
“All factions are prepared. The moment we announced globally, that became the signal. The broadcast is likely already underway.”
Yes, they were no longer hiding.
“Ending is the new beginning,” Kuro Mr. had once said.
By leveraging the prestige of victory in the Second Top War—his greatest triumph before the world—he’d commanded the Navy, eliminating their final weakness.
Kuro Mr. must’ve endured until now, waiting for this war to decide everything in one move.
If they lost, all was lost. If they couldn’t even defeat pirates, how could they Delude themselves into challenging the World Government?
But if they won, they’d show the world their strength and determination to eradicate all pirates, compelling most of the Navy to remain Immobile while inspiring others to follow Kuro Mr. scheme.
This was the tactic!
Only by securing the Grand Line’s supreme ruler—the Navy—on their side could they gain true core strength.
Their conversation wasn’t hidden. Behind them stood several Navy officers with complex expressions, including Smoker, Tina, Aokiji, and Yi Xiao.
But after exchanging glances, they had no time to dwell on the two. Something more shocking awaited them.
Yi Xiao held two books. One had a golden cover inscribed with Justicefaith. The other, even more opulent, featured a thick cover inlaid with gold and gemstones, its pages seemingly sparse.
Yet when opened, it revealed a single sheet spanning the inner cover, bearing one line of text:
Justice Seven-Step Straw Hat Principles.
For these high-ranking Navy officers—virtual regional warlords—Kuro’s words alone wouldn’t suffice.
They’d boarded the ship reluctantly, swayed by Kuro’s current combat power and record, but now, with their initial shock faded, they pondered deeply.
Kuro's words—could they truly be realized?
They wanted to confront Kuro, to demand answers about his intentions, but Kas and Wilbur blocked their path. They dropped two books before them and gestured for them to start reading.
Yi Xiao, though a blind man, had someone nearby reading the text aloud for him.
Soon enough...
The shocking revelations within the books left them stunned and unable to recover.
Yi Xiao's five fingers trembled slightly as they clutched the book. His knuckles were visibly strained from gripping too hard, his excitement barely restrained. Yet he seemed terrified of damaging the precious pages, forcing himself to suppress his trembling until his entire body quivered.
He lifted his head, those pale, sclera-filled eyes opening wide. He opened his mouth to speak but found his mind flooded with the words of The Justice Seven-Step Straw Hat Principles, especially the final declaration.
"No more exploitation, no more war, children no longer fearing homelessness, elderly individuals no longer fearing abandonment, youth freely choosing their own paths, all races peacefully integrating together."
This oath made Yi Xiao instinctively recall the moment that man had joined the Navy, silently swearing to fulfill this long-cherished wish. The memory stirred his soul.
It was...
"A declaration that stirs my very being!" Yi Xiao exclaimed, his voice trembling. "How I long to see such a world! If only these eyes hadn't gone blind—would I truly witness it?"
Smoker pressed his lips together, gripping his Jutte so tightly that blue veins bulged on his arms. His body shook violently.
He had joined the Navy to pursue justice, yet even now, he still didn't understand what justice truly meant.
When Luffy was in Arabasta, he was justice—so Smoker had refused to capture him.
But at Impel Down...
Humanity's dual nature had left Smoker unable to judge right from wrong.
Yet this declaration of justice struck him like a thunderclap.
Yes, wasn't justice exactly this? Hadn't the Navy always strived for this ideal? Capturing pirates prevented chaos, and protecting peace across the Grand Line had achieved that effect. But it wasn't enough. Because there were still those above who perpetuated such "chaos." If they were eliminated, wouldn't true justice and peace finally arrive?
Anyone in the Navy reading this would be shaken to their core.
Unconsciously, they imagined that world. Even the cold-hearted Aokiji found himself smiling, a rare, genuine expression.
Hadn't they all joined the Navy for justice in the first place?
Without the heart to eradicate wickedness, what right did they have to call themselves Navy? They might as well become pirates.
Even Aokiji, extreme enough to accept killing subordinates, had always done so to eliminate evil—justifying any means necessary.
But in such a world...
Perhaps even he could lay down his sword.
Click.
Smoker pulled a Coiled Snake cigar from the strap on his arm, biting it between his teeth. He lit it with a lighter, inhaling deeply before exhaling a thick plume of smoke.
"Let's do it", he gritted out, his voice sharp with determination. "I'll follow that bastard to Mariejois!"
"Tina."
Tina clenched her cigarette between her teeth, murmuring to herself for a moment. Then she bit down hard, nearly crushing the filter.
"Tina wants to see it too!"
That world held an irresistible allure for them.
No—more than irresistible. It was the dream of every Navy officer. No, it surpassed their wildest dreams of peace by countless times.
If such a world existed...
Would pirates still plague the Grand Line? Even if some remained, wouldn't it be a thousand times better than now? A completely different scale of existence.
They were Navy, their duty to capture pirates. In that future, they'd continue their work, free from bureaucratic interference, no need for compromises. Just the pure, simple pursuit of justice.
If the world could be reformed as Kuro envisioned—even if just slightly—it would be a breathtaking sight they'd never imagined.
"What are they doing?" Helmeppo asked curiously from another ship.
Koby, meanwhile, remained hunched over in grief over Luffy's fate.
As lower-ranking officers, they couldn't join the delegation aboard the Golden Lion. Koby didn't even know why they were going there.
Though both were Vice Admirals, not all Vice Admirals were equal. Koby was a newly promoted, unestablished officer. Garp had no legacy to pass down, and most of his influence had shifted to Kuzan after his return.
Only those with seniority or status could board that ship.
Soon, Helmeppo heard passionate voices from the Golden Lion—shouting, arguing, yet sounding like oaths. He couldn't tell what was happening.
"Though I say this..."
Smoker bit down on his cigar, glaring at the bearded man. "Hey, Kas, can you really guarantee that the world will become like that after we win? You know there's a high chance the world will descend into chaos."
Without the World Government, the Grand Line would surely collapse into chaos—undoubtedly.
"We don't know."
Kas shook his head honestly. "All we can do is act. What's the point of endless speculation before we even begin?"
Wilbur added, "The World Government ruled for eight hundred years. Perhaps their original intent was good, but they've undeniably decayed. Maybe we'll decay too someday, but that's the future—unpredictable. No matter what..."
He closed his eyes, raising his arms in a reverent embrace. "Perhaps we're already walking the wrong path, heading into the unknown. But at least now, we believe in that ideal, and we'll fight for it."
"That ideal itself can't be wrong. If anything fails, it's us. So it will be realized—whether in eight hundred years, eight thousand years!!"
He opened his eyes as sunlight poured through the window, illuminating him like a divine figure, forcing others to shield their eyes.
"To fight for the right ideal—that's our purpose. That's enough, because..."
"That ideal is so captivating."
The ideal was so captivating.
"I see", Smoker said, looking down at Yi Xiao. "Then I have no objections. Let's just do it—fight first."
Yes, that ideal was truly captivating.
Even if irreversible events occurred in the future, their current intentions were pure. Their ideal was good. They had never sought to rule the world—that was enough.
They were simply Navy, fighting for peace.
"Let's go", Kas suddenly declared as they approached the Red Line. "I hear pirates declare their ideals when reaching the Red Line. Let's swear our oath too. Unlike pirates with countless ideals, we Navy have only one."
Kas extended his hand toward the group, his voice resolute. "For world peace."
(End of Chapter)
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