https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-271-Let-Me-Issue-You-All-Innocent-Civilian-Certificates/13536734/
Chapter 272: I knew this woman would be... Hey!
Chapter 272
I knew this woman would be... Hey!
The elderly man was the town mayor of Feima Town. After sustaining crippling injuries during the battle on Pegasus Island, when the Twin-Horse Kingdom relinquished control of the island to the World Government, the mayor’s authority had effectively vanished.
"Finally, the pirates are gone!"
"With no pirates left, our town is free!"
"Long live our freedom!"
The ground littered with pirate corpses brought rare smiles to the faces of the ragged civilians. Like withered trees sprouting tender shoots, hope flickered in their eyes.
"We apologize, Navy Officer", the town mayor bowed deeply to Kuro, who had just landed. "Life under pirate rule has been unbearably harsh. These pirates were cruel, but at least they were less reckless before the Kingdom handed the island to the World Government. Since then, our suffering has worsened."
"Afterward, a Navy officer arrived. The pirates became even more savage. Officer, we secretly sheltered this Navy member. We waited for you to fully reclaim the island before handing them over."
The mayor fixed his gaze on Kuro, his tone grave.
"Navy."
Kuro hesitated, scanning the crowd. Even the woman who had previously lashed out at the Navy wiped away tears, her resentment replaced by resolve.
"You’re saying a Navy officer arrived here, injured the pirates, but was gravely wounded in return and hidden by you all?" Klah asked, astonished.
"That’s right", Betty clenched her jaw, nodding. "We sheltered the severely injured Navy officer."
Her husband had died at the pirates’ blades after his coin pouch was stolen. Naturally, resentment lingered—had the Navy arrived sooner, their hellish ordeal might have been shorter. But regrets meant little now. From the moment they chose to shelter the officer, they’d braced for the cost.
"Remarkable", Klah murmured, his eyes flickering with awe. Though these people were weak, too timid to resist pirates, their resolve defied logic. Truly, humanity was a paradox.
Kuro closed his eyes, then nodded. "Take me to her. Keeping her alive must have been extremely difficult with your resources."
"She?" Lida blinked. "A woman?"
A female Navy officer?
"Officer, how did you know?" The town mayor asked, startled.
"The Navy officer fought for us, though she ultimately fell. Still, we deeply admire her courage", the mayor added.
"What’s her name?" Kuro pressed.
"I don’t know her name—I only know she’s... hey!" The mayor grinned, his cheeks reddening.
"Do you know which unit she belongs to?"
"I don’t know which unit—only that she’s... hey!" His eyes gleamed as he spoke.
"Did she mention reinforcements?"
"I don’t know if she did—I only know she’s..."
"Enough! Just take me to her", Kuro sighed, waving him off.
"Right away, Officer!" The mayor nodded and led the group toward a corner of the town.
The mayor wound through the town’s labyrinthine alleys, arriving at a remote temple on the outskirts. Pirates had stripped its bronze coatings and decapitated the Buddha statues, leaving the sanctuary in ruins. Inside, displaced townsfolk huddled on ragged beds, their lives reduced to mere survival.
"Officer, here", the mayor said, prying open a floorboard behind the statue. A hidden tunnel lay beneath. "We’ve hidden your comrade here."
Kuro flicked his lighter, igniting a cigar as he descended first. The dim tunnel offered little visibility. As he stepped down, a cold voice hissed, "Don’t move."
A pistol pressed against his temple.
Light pierced the darkness, revealing a makeshift warehouse lined with straw and barrels. Behind the straw, a woman with cascading blue hair aimed a large revolver at Kuro. Though her features were shadowed, Kuro recognized her instantly—yes, she was indeed... hey!
"Navy?" The female officer squinted at Kuro’s navy-hooded cloak, then lowered her weapon. "Apologies—I mistook you for pirates."
"Lida." Kuro called.
"Got it!" Lida shifted into her girl form, pressing her hand to Kuro’s back. "Energy Drain!"
In a flash, she appeared before the female officer. Before the latter could react, Lida struck her abdomen.
The impact sent the blue-haired woman flying into the wall.
"What are you doing?!" The mayor shouted.
The woman staggered up, drawing twin daggers strapped to her thighs. But as she lunged, she froze.
"I—" Her hands trembled. Her wounds—the internal injuries that had nearly killed her—were vanishing. Vitality surged through her body. She was healed!
"Never point a gun at your comrades, Navy", Lida said, shaking her hand.
"I’m sorry—I panicked. The pirates here were too many. Thank you for healing me", the woman bowed deeply.
"Sure, whatever", Lida shrugged. She’d meant to teach the woman a lesson for threatening Kuro.
"Are you alright, Navy Officer?!" The mayor asked anxiously.
"I’m fully healed—thank you! I’m Headquarters Major Ai En, part of Mr. Zeff’s 'pirate guerrilla force.' Who are you?"
"Did you say... Mr. Zeff?!" Kuro’s eyes widened.
Ai En, assuming he hadn’t heard, repeated her name.
"Kuro, Mr. Zeff is—" Klah adjusted his glasses. Though retired, the ex-Admiral, famed as the "Black Arm", now led a rogue pirate-hunting force after losing an arm during a pirate ambush on his recruit training camp.
Kuro knew more. In a year, Zeff would leave the Navy entirely to form a new faction. Ai En, a "Devil Fruit" ability user capable of reversing objects to their state twelve years prior, was one of the anomalies Kuro had marked for attention.
"Then where is Mr. Zeff now?" Kuro asked.
"Perhaps he’s resting while I recover", Ai En replied. "Let me catch my breath and—"
(End of Chapter)
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