Chapter 286: Dying on the Battlefield vs. Dying in a Bed
Chapter 286: Dying on the Battlefield vs. Dying in a Bed
"Flower Country?"
Kuro blinked in surprise, watching Lida devour her food with such intensity that she'd already exhausted several chefs.
"You don't know?" Zeff glanced at him. "If white hair was just a rare color, maybe someone with white hair who could eat would just be another Grand Line oddity. But this girl's unarmed combat techniques are exceptionally strong."
"That's true." Kuro nodded.
Lida's unarmed combat techniques weren't just unusually strong—they surpassed even Kuro's own abilities. She could master any unarmed combat technique simply by watching it once.
Zeff could tell this girl had extraordinary talent for unarmed combat.
"White hair, overeating ability, and unmatched unarmed combat talent. There's only one possibility then—she must belong to the 'Luo' family of Flower Country."
Kuro's expression turned strange. "But Lida's overeating ability is because of her Haki-type Devil Fruit, right?"
"The Devil Fruit ability makes her eat so much", Zeff corrected. "Wait, she's a Devil Fruit user too?"
Zeff paused, then continued, "Whether she's a Devil Fruit user or not, the Luo family members are naturally born with overeating abilities. You should know what this means."
The overeating ability represented superior energy absorption. The so-called 'Life Return' technique merely stored energy for critical moments—boosting combat power or extending physical endurance.
If someone was naturally born with this ability, it meant the Luo family possessed innate Life Return capacity—the ultimate unarmed combat talent.
Moreover, the Haki-type Devil Fruit couldn't grant the ability to master techniques by observation. That required absorbing essence through other means.
Considering this, Lida had survived alone since age eight. Childhood memories might have faded, even her name possibly changed.
"If she's from the Luo family", Zeff warned, "you should avoid getting involved, Kuro. That family's trouble."
"Old Man Zeff, you're overreacting", Kuro waved him off. "Lida's just a normal girl who eats more than average. How much trouble could she bring? And even if she did—" His tone hardened. "I'll handle it."
Zeff chuckled. "It's admirable, this youthful confidence. I'm too old to act like you now." He stayed silent for a moment, watching Lida eat before his face soured again.
She was devouring food at an alarming rate!
At this rate, his warship would run out of supplies.
Thankfully, they were in the West Blue, not the Grand Line's unpredictable weather. They could reach the next town through the navigational route to resupply.
Eventually, he let Lida eat until she was full.
After all, she called him "grandpa"—he'd have to endure it.
The next morning, the warships finally departed. Klah had returned with his crew—no pirates remained on the island. He'd even rescued the survivors, bringing them all back to Pegasus Town.
"Mr. Kuro", Klah reported, "I brought everyone back. Since numbers are low, and Pegasus Town needs population, we should consolidate here first to revive the town."
Kuro appreciated this suggestion.
Losing people while holding territory meant losing both.
The pirates' reign had reduced the population. Scattering survivors elsewhere would worsen productivity and safety. Only by concentrating them in Pegasus Town could he maintain control.
Bringing everyone back would strengthen the town. With plenty of vacant houses, new residents could settle anywhere. This population boost provided the foundation for Pegasus Town's revival.
"Kid Kuro", Zeff said as Navy personnel boarded the warships. Standing with his back to Kuro, he added, "If I ever falter, take Ai En and Binz with you. They're like Ehrnando. I don't want them to become like him."
Kuro narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I can do that."
"Good." Zeff smiled. "Then I'll leave them to you. Let's hope we never cross paths again."
Watching Zeff board the warship, Kuro sighed. "Did he see this coming?"
"The old man's eyes were already empty", Lida commented casually.
"You call someone grandpa when you're eating their food, but switch to 'old man' when you're not? Are you a cat or something?"
Kuro smirked. "Ever since his family died, half his purpose in living vanished. When his beloved student walked the path between life and death years ago, his meaning halved again. Now he persists only because he's still Navy—Justice hasn't betrayed him yet."
"If Justice betrays him, he'll question his entire life. He's dedicated everything to the Navy. That would be catastrophic."
Especially with Ehrnando—though Zeff didn't kill him personally, the event still shook his beliefs.
But such things couldn't be avoided. From the beginning, Zeff was a tragic figure. His ideals and the path he pursued had diverged completely.
When your direction is wrong, everything follows suit.
Because the Navy wasn't entirely independent—it answered to the World Government.
To resolve this contradiction, he'd have to leave the Navy.
Yet quitting would mean Zeff's entire belief system collapsing. That was the paradox.
For Kuro to discuss this with Zeff would be disrespectful, like telling a former Admiral and mentor to abandon his life's work.
Did he really want to quit?
Kuro had no such burdens. He just wanted to live comfortably until death. Heroes deserved respect, and cunning heroes deserved admiration.
As long as they didn't provoke him.
But if they did, who cared about their status? If he didn't send them away with a broken nose, would people still call him Lucius Kro?
"Since you trained me, Old Man, if something happens to you, I'll take your innocent subordinates under my wing. And I'll burn a stick of incense for you."
Kuro lit a cigar, exhaling smoke.
Just as Ehrnando trying to forcefully change Zeff's beliefs was disrespectful, interfering with Zeff's life path would be equally so. This old generation deserved the right to be stubborn.
After all, dying gloriously on the battlefield was far more interesting than fading away in a bed.
(End of Chapter)
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