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Chapter 269: Clearing the 'Pests'
Chapter 269: Clearing the 'Pests'
The scent of blood rode the wind, reaching the nostrils of all three—Kuro, Klah, and Lida. Even Kuro and Lida, with their less sensitive noses, could detect it, so intense had it become.
Kuro scanned the area. They stood in an undeveloped temporary port, where only a small, nearly abandoned village lay ahead. Examining the buildings closely, he noticed faint streaks of black—dried blood.
Kuro crouched, pinching a handful of soil, and brought it to his nose. His expression darkened.
"No wonder the grass and flowers here grow so lushly", he muttered.
In every world, legends warned that blood-soaked soil would birth breathtaking flora the following year. This land reeked of blood so thickly it nearly choked him.
"What kind of hellhole did Gramps assign me? He said it'd be quiet!"
Klah hesitated. "Kuro, didn't you know about the situation on Pegasus Island?"
"Huh? What about Pegasus Island? Isn't it supposed to be peaceful, like Gramps said? Wait—this is quiet."
Indeed. The silence came from the absence of living people.
Kuro fixed Klah with a cold stare. "Explain. What have you been hiding?"
Klah blinked. "I assumed you understood."
Kuro's glare sharpened.
Under that pressure, Klah recounted Twin-Horse Kingdom's current turmoil and Pegasus Island's state.
"So this cursed place is still at war? And pirates have overrun it? Worse, it's near Reverse Mountain—like East Blue's Loguetown?"
Klah nodded solemnly. Kuro fell silent, staring at the clouds. The image of Gramps' leering face gradually formed in his mind.
"You call this a gift? I'll burn you some joss paper instead!" he growled.
While Kuro had no complaints about the Four Seas, this assignment was clearly a trap. According to Klah, the island was once Twin-Horse Kingdom's territory, covering a third of their realm. But relentless warfare and pirate invasions had forced the kingdom to hand control to the World Government, who established a Marine Base here.
Kuro's "peaceful life" would require first eliminating the pirates infesting the island. Without security, no one would pay taxes. With the population decimated, rebuilding would take years.
"Am I here to retire?" Kuro muttered. "I'm here to clear land for farming."
He finally understood why the Navy convoy had looked at him with such pity. The remote location meant even warships avoided the main town.
His Observation Haki spread across the island, revealing countless pirate auras. He groaned, rubbing his forehead. "This many? It's a pirate hive!"
Lida, also using Observation Haki, sensed the overwhelming energy. "Wow, there's so many!" Her voice carried excitement, though she couldn't gauge their strength.
Kuro opened his Transponder Snail, preparing to call Headquarters—but froze. His gaze locked onto something hanging from a pole at the village entrance.
"Kuro, is that person swinging on a swing?" Lida asked curiously.
Smack!
Kuro flicked her forehead. "That's a corpse."
The woman's battered body swayed in the wind, her face bruised, her neck twisted in a noose.
Kuro closed the Transponder Snail. "Klah, what did Headquarters say about my troops and supplies?"
"Supplies and Marines arrive tomorrow", Klah replied.
The cigar between Kuro's lips glowed as he inhaled deeply. "Fine. Let's start cleaning house. I plan to live here, and too many pests ruin the ambiance."
"Kuro", Klah began, "I think we should wait for the Navy—"
Lida cut him off with a frantic headshake, pointing at Kuro's retreating form. "Can't you see I'm afraid to talk when he's like this? Kuro's angry."
Klah adjusted his glasses, staring at the corpse. "Because of that? Poor bastard."
"Time to waste", Kuro snapped. "Head to the most crowded area!"
He launched skyward, snapping his fingers.
Whoosh!
Two Black Guns descended, crafted by Tina. They spiraled mid-air, catching Lida and Klah on their surfaces. The trio soared forward, blades slicing the wind.
——
Flymare Town, Pegasus Island's largest settlement, should have thrived with life. Now, trash and broken bottles littered the streets, blades rusting in gutters. Buildings sagged from neglect. Every scream and crash sent dust and sawdust raining down.
A pirate stomped on a corpse, bloodied blade in one hand, a money pouch in the other. "Hand over your cash, and you might live! Now he’s stupid."
"Stop killing!" another pirate protested. "We need survivors for supplies!"
"Survivors?" The first pirate spat. "We're leaving once we stock up. Reverse Mountain’s calling!"
"Grand Line’s a dream", a third slurred, swigging rum. "But it’s also called the ‘pirate graveyard.’"
"Hey!" A drunken pirate staggered in. "Heard the king sold this island to the World Government? It’s becoming a Marine Base!"
Laughter erupted. "A Marine Base? Us? Three thousand pirates here! Who’d dare send Marines? Admirals?"
"Whitebeard’s gone", another chuckled. "Newbloods rise daily. Who’s got time to care about this rock?"
(End of Chapter)
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