Chapter 492: Heart Exchange - Seven Warlords of the Sea
Chapter 492: Heart Exchange - Seven Warlords of the Sea
The warship returned to Shabondy.
Yi Xiao stayed for a few days before being formally escorted away by Kuro.
Such troublesome matters were best resolved as quickly as possible. The longer this dragged on, the greater the danger. He still remembered Gramps’ words—he couldn’t afford to delay.
Once Yi Xiao was gone, Headquarters would handle the rest.
"Alright, that’s enough. Let’s go back—we’ve delivered the man."
Kuro waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave.
"Report!"
Just then, a Navy officer came panting up, saluting Kuro. "Vice Admiral Kuro! Trafalgar Law has landed in Area 10!"
Kuro froze. "Who?"
"Trafalgar Law?"
Klah, standing nearby, frowned. "The mastermind behind the Rokkaku Port Incident? The one with a 440 million bounty?"
"Rokkaku Port?" Kuro’s brow furrowed. "What’s that about?"
"A brutal incident. Trafalgar Law gathered pirates to raid the port but suddenly turned on them, killing all the pirates involved. During that event, Koby was promoted to Commander for protecting civilians." Klah adjusted his glasses as he explained.
"So he’s here to die?" Kuro arched an eyebrow. "Where is he now?"
"Commander Wilbur has surrounded him." The Navy officer reported.
"Boroboroboro—"
The Transponder Snail rang out.
Kuro instinctively glanced at his wrist, but the device strapped there remained silent.
A communications officer nearby sprinted over, clutching an already-connected Transponder Snail. "Vice Admiral, it’s a government official."
"Huh?"
Kuro grabbed the receiver. "Hello?"
"Lucius Kro, go receive the pirate hearts Trafalgar Law is handing over. We’ll send someone down to Shabondy to collect them."
"Who the hell do you think you are? You expect me to take orders from you? Let my superior handle this!"
Kuro rolled his eyes, slammed the receiver down, and muttered, "What rotten luck."
Well, now he knew why Law was here.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea, of course.
The current Seven Warlords hadn’t changed much in composition.
Hawk-Eye, Snake Princess, Yasha, and the Tyrant were the original four, still holding their positions. Though Pacifista Bear was effectively removed, he technically still occupied a seat.
The newcomers were the newly-appointed ‘Thousand-Belli Joker’ Buggy, and Edward Weibull, who arrogantly called himself ‘Whitebeard II’.
Kuro had never found this ‘Whitebeard II’—neither had Gramps—but the World Government had still invited him to join the Seven Warlords.
That left one final seat.
Kuro knew Bear’s seat remained vacant, but no suitable candidate had emerged.
He’d heard the World Government had once invited one of Charlotte Big Mom’s sons to fill a seat, but the offer was rejected.
Anyone could see the World Government’s judgment was deteriorating. What a baffling decision.
"Vice Admiral Kuro, what should we do with Trafalgar Law?"
The Navy officer, seeing Kuro deep in thought, hurried to ask.
"What else? He’s offering hearts as a gesture of allegiance. I’ll have to meet him."
He could ignore certain World Government officials, but they were on his own territory. Whether he liked it or not, the job had to be done.
As Kuro made his way toward Area 10 with his men, Trafalgar Law stood at the port, surrounded by Navy forces.
"Trafalgar Law!"
Wilbur stood at the forefront of the Navy ranks, shouting. "What do you want here?!"
Though the Navy outnumbered him, guns raised, Wilbur couldn’t stop his cold sweat from flowing.
This man was a ruthless pirate, the mastermind behind the infamous Rokkaku Port Incident. With just their numbers, they might not be able to take him down.
But hesitation wasn’t an option!
I’ll become the spearhead before Vice Admiral Kuro’s path!
Even if my opponent is a notorious pirate, I won’t retreat!
Even if I die, I’ll make him pay dearly! Let the pirates see the Navy’s courage!
"Hey, no need to be so hostile. I’m here to pledge allegiance."
Law held his Yokai Blade ‘Ghost Cry’ in one hand, the other in his pocket, kicking the wooden crate before him. "This is proof of my allegiance."
Truthfully, he was terrified.
Not of these Navy men.
But of the existence guarding Shabondy.
The truth of the Rokkaku Port Incident wasn’t as the World Government reported—he wasn’t the villain. He’d merely protected civilians alongside that pink-haired Navy officer and extracted the pirates’ hearts.
But the World Government would never report a pirate’s truth. Not that Law cared.
He was using this as a stepping stone to claim the vacant seat.
Mariejois loomed above Shabondy.
And precisely because of that, Law feared this place.
That man stood like a guardian deity at the gateway to Mariejois.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Footsteps echoed from behind.
Wilbur turned, eyes lighting up. "Vice Admiral Kuro!"
From the rear, Kuro approached, his Navy cloak billowing, golden dress uniform gleaming, a cigar dangling from his lips.
Seeing the approaching figure, Law instinctively stepped back, sweat beading his temple.
That man—Lucius Kro!
He’s here!
Unlike the rumors, most pirates only knew a Navy officer defeated Lucius Kro. Fewer knew his name, and even fewer had ever encountered him.
Law was one of the rare few who had.
And he could feel that despair—the kind no one could surpass!
Even now, Law believed he’d grown stronger since a year and a half ago. Yet the stronger he became, the more he sensed the abyssal pressure in Kuro’s aura.
Kuro was even more terrifying than before!
"Trafalgar Law."
Kuro approached, eyeing him up and down. "Strange. Your peers have already gone to the New World. Why are you still lingering in the Grand Line? Aren’t you going to compete for the One Piece?"
"My ambitions lie elsewhere." Law swallowed hard, his earlier composure toward the Navy now gone.
He glanced at the figures around Kuro.
‘White Butterfly’ Lida. ‘Black Wolf’ Klah. Two rising stars of the Navy.
Either of them alone would be a headache.
And then there was Kuro himself.
"I’m here to pledge allegiance."
Law kicked open the wooden crate. Inside lay a pile of hearts, each encased in a square membrane, still pulsing strongly.
"One hundred pirate hearts."
"These are for the World Government", Law said. "To claim my position among the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
(End of Chapter)
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