https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-397-One-Slash-Severing-All-Resolve-White-Tiger-Slaughter/13537065/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-399-Are-They-Asking-Us-to-Spread-the-Word-/13537067/
Chapter 398: I Don't Care—He's Just an Ordinary Pirate
Chapter 398: I Don’t Care—He’s Just an Ordinary Pirate
The old-generation Legend, Lucius, had finally fallen.
Kuro stood silently before Lucius’s corpse for a long time before turning to walk toward Lida.
“Hmm? Why haven’t you all left yet?”
He asked, glancing at the Vinsmoke Family lying motionless on the ground as if they’d been there for hours.
Gajeel pursed his lips. What could he say?
Could he admit that he’d been hoping the two powerhouses would clash and cripple each other, leaving him to claim the four-nation Treasure Map and eliminate “Solitary Crimson” in one stroke?
But looking at Kuro now—
His body was tattered and torn, bruises and wounds visible despite his Haki shielding. Yet his posture remained relaxed, his aura still commanding.
Gajeel fell silent. He planted his spear and retreated step by step. The others, seeing his withdrawal, followed suit without a word.
Not a single soul dared to provoke Kuro further.
They feared he might unleash that terrifying ferocity again and leave them all here to rot.
A living Vinsmoke still held influence over the World Government. A dead one was worthless.
They reached the shore quickly. Gajeel pulled out a Transponder Snail, faced the sea, and spoke into the receiver: “Come pick me up.”
As he turned to glance back at Kuro’s distant silhouette, he finally spat out his threat:
“Just wait—this won’t end well for you!”
Only now, far away, did he dare to speak his defiance.
“The Navy will always answer to the World Government. You’ve cost me dearly, and I’ll make sure the World Government hears of this!”
Kuro couldn’t hear Gajeel’s words, nor did he care to. His Observation Haki had dissipated, and after such a grueling battle, all he wanted was rest.
“Navy! Navy officer!”
Suddenly, a group of soldiers rushed over, supporting four crowned Kings.
“Thank you so much—thank you!”
The four Kings bowed deeply to Kuro: “You’ve saved our nations! If you’d arrived just a moment later, Vinsmoke would’ve wiped us all out!”
“This has nothing to do with me,” Kuro replied flatly. “Don’t pin every problem on me. I was just here to gather intelligence when I ran into a pirate. That’s all—just a pirate. I don’t know anything about this ‘Solitary Crimson’ or some Red Baron title. Don’t go spreading rumors, or…”
He raised his hand. The clear sky abruptly darkened. Everyone looked up, mouths agape, trembling in terror.
A massive island, vast enough to blot out the heavens, loomed overhead, its dense network of landmasses sending chills down their spines.
“Or your nations might face this someday!” Kuro growled, feigning menace.
“I—I understand!” the four Kings stammered obediently.
Kuro activated his Observation Haki to confirm their sincerity before nodding in satisfaction. With a wave of his palm, the colossal island ascended into the stratosphere, restoring the sky’s clarity.
“Oh, and one more thing—explain why the Navy vanished. I need to file a report.”
Seeing the Navy officer return to normal, the Kings began their complaints in unison, each interrupting the other.
They hadn’t witnessed Vinsmoke executing the Navy, nor had they even seen the Navy itself. The war had started because their four nations clashed over resource distribution, escalating into a two-on-two conflict. Two nations had hired Vinsmoke for aid, but the family had betrayed them, turning the battle into a one-sided onslaught against all four.
The most infuriating part? They hadn’t even stood a chance.
If Kuro hadn’t arrived, they’d all be dead by now.
As for Vinsmoke’s true goal—
“I remember our four nations were once a single kingdom… Could this be it?”
One King pulled out an ancient, yellowed Treasure Map fragment from his robes.
“I’ve carried mine for years,” another added. “My father passed it to me, saying it came from his father, who inherited it from his grandfather.”
The other two Kings quickly produced identical fragments.
When pieced together, the four maps formed a complete Treasure Map.
“I thought it was fake—a mere legend,” one King mused.
“A cursed artifact,” another muttered. He snatched the map and thrust it toward Kuro. “Since Vinsmoke and ‘Solitary Crimson’ both want it, we can’t keep it safely. Take it. With it gone, we’ll have nothing left to tempt others.”
A wise choice.
If the map invited powerful threats, discarding it was the safest path. They’d inherited these fragments for generations without understanding their purpose, and they cared little for their meaning. Their thrones were their true priority—everything else was negotiable.
If Vinsmoke had just asked earlier, they’d have surrendered the map without a fight.
But the Vinsmoke family seemed to want their heads instead…
“Treasure Map?”
Kuro raised an eyebrow as he accepted the map, glancing at it briefly.
“…Kas?”
He couldn’t read it.
How could he? His entire youth had been spent cultivating strength, not deciphering ancient scripts. Back in East Blue, he’d kept Kas around precisely for this—why else would he tolerate that hotheaded idiot as a subordinate?
Kas had already dismissed his white Colossal Shield, watching Kuro’s duel with Lucius earlier but hesitating to intervene due to his own inferior power.
“Commodore Kuro, your words ring true!” Kas declared, tears welling in his eyes. “I, Dogleg Kas, will follow your ideals! Justice knows no class!”
He approached, voice trembling with emotion.
Yes! Justice had no hierarchy!
His life’s beacon, his mentor of righteousness—becoming an Admiral was still his dream!
“Stop blubbering and take a look—where does this map point?” Kuro tossed him the map.
Kas studied it for a long while before shaking his head. “Commodore Kuro, this isn’t a map of the Four Seas or the Grand Line’s first half. It might be from the New World.”
“The New World?”
Kuro reclaimed the map, pulled out a lighter, and set it ablaze.
“Then forget it.”
He knew what the map led to—nothing but the mythical “Vampire Devil Fruit.” If it had been in the Four Seas or the Grand Line’s early stretches, he might’ve pursued it as a backup plan, a power to leave for a subordinate.
But he had no intention of forcing it. He’d never cared much.
Partly because he avoided the New World, but mostly because he couldn’t read the Poneglyphs required to locate it.
Only a few could decipher those ancient texts now. He knew of only one—Nico Robin.
He had no interest in involving himself with her. Unlike that pedophile Kuzan, he didn’t stalk eight-year-olds.
Better to burn it. If the map fell into the wrong hands, it might draw trouble.
“Lucky break,” Kuro muttered, exhaling in relief.
If that old man had gotten the Devil Fruit, Kuro might’ve lost.
And if he’d encountered that Bug-level tanuki (raccoon dog) from his memories—the one whose Transformation Leaf could replicate anyone, including their abilities, at 80% strength (though fragile, vanishing with a heavy hit)—things would’ve gotten worse.
Like a shadow clone, but worse.
Even with those flaws, if the tanuki copied their Navy’s memories and replicated the Three Admirals, Kuro would’ve been doomed.
And this was after aging himself to exhaustion.
What? Just cut it down with one strike?
Are you blind? Didn’t you see the battle lasted all night?
His body was bruised and battered. Without superior physical strength, who knows how long the fight would’ve dragged on?
(End of Chapter)
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