https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-348-I-Was-Careless-and-Unprepared/13536934/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-350-No-One-Understands-Name-Meanings-Better-Than-Me/13536936/
Chapter 349: A Rabbit? A Rabbit That Dismisses the Grand Line as Trifling?
Chapter 349: A Rabbit? A Rabbit That Dismisses the Grand Line as Trifling?
"Pass. Switch to another plan. This one won't work."
Kuro figured he couldn't find any pirate who would get him demoted.
Even pirates with high bounties but minor crimes could be dealt with easily if they joined the Navy. As for dangerous pirates, they wouldn't be allowed to join anyway.
Klah thought for a moment, uncertain. "Do you mean... getting another complaint against you?"
"I'll complain about it X's X'ing X!!" Kuro snapped, losing his temper.
He couldn't care less about filing complaints. Who knew how the World Government's twisted logic worked? He'd even violently driven people away, but the Revolutionary Army had to interfere and convince the World Government he'd "protected" some famous nobles.
Could that actually count as a merit?
Seeing Kuro's fury, Klah quickly brainstormed again. "Mr. Kuro, I have three safety strategies that'll guarantee your peace of mind."
"Let's hear them."
"I'll teach you my 'opposite approach' strategy. Take the initiative to hunt down powerful pirates. Eliminate any threats, and West Blue will finally leave you in peace. How's that?"
"Any chance this gets me demoted?"
Klah shook his head. "Nope. Catching pirates earns merit. This strategy would make you a Vice Admiral—or even higher—letting you establish your own faction at Headquarters. It's long-term security."
"Then I'd rather just transfer back to Headquarters. Next!" Kuro rolled his eyes.
Klah continued, undeterred. "How about my 'turtling' strategy? Guard Pegasus Island and ignore nearby jurisdictional waters. Pirates won't attack a Marine Base without cause. Staying cooped up there would be perfectly safe. Agree?"
"Any demotion chances?"
Still shaking his head, Klah admitted, "No. If aggressive pirates challenge the Navy, we'd still have to act. Accumulated merits would eventually push you upward."
"What a rotten idea. Next!" Kuro waved him off.
"Then my 'fake defeat' strategy! When facing minor pirates, pretend to lose—once, twice, three times. Eventually, the Navy will see you as a disgrace and stop paying attention. Simple security. Good, right?"
"Good for nothing!"
Lida rolled her eyes. "Klah, what nonsense are you spouting? Use your pig brain! Would anyone ever accept that? Kuro doesn't lose. Never has, never will!"
"I'm not using a pig brain!" Klah corrected. "I've eaten the Dogo Dogo Devil Fruit. I'm a 'dog person' now, so 'canine' brain is accurate."
Kuro gave him a deadpan look. "Why would you turn into a dog instead of staying human?"
Ignoring the jab, Klah continued, "Actually, with Admiral Kro's connections, you might get sent back to Headquarters for retraining. But that's still security."
"Another, another!" Kuro waved him off again.
Klah bared his teeth, barely resisting the urge to knock Kuro's head three times. "You reject this, you reject that. You're impossible—"
"Excuse me?"
"—absolutely impossible! I'm fresh out of ideas today. You caught me brushing off morning errands before even brushing my teeth!" Klah swallowed hard.
"If you can't think of anything today, I'll beat you senseless!" Kuro growled.
Damn it! He strolls around town chatting with locals while I can't eat or sleep properly. Those damned 'promotion' characters look wrong no matter how I stare—like they're written in blood!
Faced with Kuro's rage, Klah pursed his lips. He could already imagine being dragged to the training ground today if he failed.
Unforgivable!
Why isn't Sazil here to return the beating when I get thrashed?
Wait a minute...
"I've got it!"
Klah's glasses caught a gleam of inspiration. Adjusting them dramatically, he declared, "Mr. Kuro, we can recall Sazil·Kuro! His Headquarters training should finish soon."
"Sazil?"
Kuro blinked. "What good is he?"
"He shares your name, Mr. Kuro!" Klah grinned. "Since both are 'Kuro,' any accidental merits could be shifted to him!"
Ah, right!
Realization brightened Kuro's face.
Actually possible.
This was West Blue—few powerful pirates. With his usual low-key approach, big threats were rare. If he ever encountered someone like Insect Country's monsters again, he could just throw Sazil at them.
Unlike Kas, who insisted on taking credit through official reports, Kuro wouldn't steal merits from subordinates. Sazil might seem ordinary but had big ambitions. Time to give the kid his chance.
Let someone else take center stage while I retreat to the shadows. Another layer of safety.
As for Kas... better find opportunity to remove him. Another safeguard.
No, wait—can't remove him yet. Better to keep him under watch. Who knows what chaos he'd create otherwise?
Defying Revolutionary Army today, maybe challenging the Four Emperors tomorrow?
After weighing options, Kuro shelved Kas' fate temporarily.
"Finally a decent idea. I'll spare you today. Let's see if a better plan emerges later."
Klah's suggestion eased Kuro's anxiety by the faintest margin.
"Time to brush my teeth, Mr. Kuro."
Klah beat a hasty retreat. Better safe than sorry with Kuro's barely-contained rage.
Lida stuffed the last steak into her mouth, chewed lazily, patted her stomach with satisfaction, then turned to Kuro.
"Kuro, why resist promotion so badly? You're already strong enough."
" Strong enough? Lida, how many times must I repeat—survival here demands respect for this world! Take you for example. If you ambushed me without warning, you might drain my strength completely. What if enemies lurked nearby? Dead meat!"
"You're joking, right? Suck dry your strength?!" Lida stared at him like he'd grown a second head.
"Never mind the odds. The principle holds! Mountains beyond mountains, dangers everywhere! Can't ignore reality. Look at Grand Line's horrors! Now that I got promoted back there, I'm exhausted daily. I'm like a little rabbit, constantly on edge!"
Lida nearly rolled her eyes out of orbit.
" Little rabbit?"
"The kind whose hide gets torn open to transform into dragons or lions?"
"Or the kind that treats Grand Line's people like grass to munch?"
Against weeds and grass, a rabbit would certainly suffice.
(End of Chapter)
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