https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-571-Are-You-Trying-to-Become-the-One-Piece-/13538566/
Chapter 527: Wilbur's Rampage
Chapter 527: Wilbur's Rampage
Marine Headquarters.
"Kuromr. needs the finest materials for his Flagship! Hurry up and list all the best materials!"
"What?! You don’t know who Kuromr. is?! He’s Lucius Kro’s direct subordinate—the Golden Lion Vice Admiral, Admiral candidate, the man who defeated Shanks, Lucius, and Buggy the Clown! How do you not know him?!"
Wilbur ran around headquarters spreading the news.
"Hey, you! Marine officer! Do you know Lucius Kro? The Golden Lion Vice Admiral wants to build a Flagship—the grandest, most magnificent one possible! Can you find a top-tier designer? If you do, Kuromr. won’t forget your contribution!"
"Who am I? I’m Wilbur! [Big Gun] Wilbur, a humble Commander under Kuromr.’s command! But don’t underestimate me—I’ll become Kuromr.’s spear someday! Right now, he’s entrusted me with this critical mission, so my words speak for his will!"
"Hello, I’m a subordinate of the Golden Lion Vice Admiral. He wants to build the ultimate Flagship—do you have any connections? If the Flagship succeeds and Kuromr. is satisfied, you’ll be richly rewarded! I, Wilbur, will personally take you under my wing!"
"What? You’re a Vice Admiral who wants to join Kuromr.’s ranks? I can’t promise anything, but I’ll gladly ask on your behalf!"
Wilbur rampaged through Headquarters like a storm.
The entire Marine Headquarters was thrown into chaos.
Kuromr. wanting a top-tier Flagship was a monumental matter, and Wilbur was determined to handle it personally.
But soon, he discovered that even using all the materials Headquarters could provide fell short of his expectations. Even if they used every resource available, the result would only be slightly better than other Vice Admirals’ Flagships.
Absolutely unacceptable!
Kuromr. demanded the best materials!
If they couldn’t achieve this alone…
Then he’d swallow his pride and seek help from his Marine colleagues!
From the lowest-ranking Marines to the highest brass, everyone learned that Kuro wanted to build a Vice Admiral Flagship with unparalleled materials and a striking design.
Common Marines could only gossip about it, but mid-level officers saw an opportunity.
Especially those aware of the Marine’s factional divisions—those without strong allegiances saw this as more than just a shipbuilding project. To them, this was a chance to rally under Kuro’s banner.
Some fringe officers who preferred to keep their heads down still wanted to stay on good terms with Kuro—the Crown Prince of Lucius Kro, a future Admiral—and eagerly offered their treasured resources.
Others, eager to join Kuro’s ranks, threw themselves into the effort with even greater zeal.
The wealthy donated funds, the capable offered labor, and those with neither money nor skills but wanting to avoid offending Kuro simply spread the word. Within days, the entire Marine Headquarters knew:
A legendary Flagship was coming.
In other words, the Golden Lion Vice Admiral was about to unleash his might in the New World.
After all, a Flagship, like a pirate’s Pirate Ship, was a unique symbol of a Marine’s philosophy.
Sailing into the New World with such a vessel was a declaration of war against its pirates.
A matter of Marine honor—naturally, everyone lent a hand.
Eventually, the news even reached the Admirals.
"Oh~ Kuro, changed your mind?" Lucius Kro mused thoughtfully as he picked up his Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
...
Mariejois.
"Nothing fun happening lately—so boring."
Charloss the Holy, a World Noble lounging in his opulent residence, swirled his red wine and whined to his attendant, "Is the martial law on Shabondy still ongoing? Why hasn’t Kurobrother contacted me?"
If not for the snot dripping from his nose, he might have looked almost elegant.
"Charloss the Holy", the black-clad attendant replied respectfully, "The Golden Lion Vice Admiral has already been deployed to the New World. Commander Sengoku is currently enforcing martial law on Shabondy. There’s no update yet on its lifting. However, there was an incident—Luffy’s Crew appeared there and were driven off by the Golden Lion Vice Admiral."
"What?!! That damned Luffy again? Unforgivable! He’s still alive?! No, no, no—I must inform the Five Elders immediately! They must capture and execute them!" Charloss gritted his teeth, remembering the punch Luffy once landed on him.
"Kurobrother went to the New World? Pity I couldn’t see him off. He’s such an amusing and loyal fellow—so respectful to me too. Hmm… I should send him a gift. Does he like slaves?"
The attendant’s face paled.
Though a World Noble’s guard, he wasn’t foolish.
Who didn’t know that man despised slavery? During Shabondy’s martial law, he’d even freed countless slaves under the banner of justice. Offering him slaves now?
You might be fine, but the giver would certainly suffer.
Thinking quickly, the attendant recalled recent rumors: "The Golden Lion Vice Admiral is reportedly building a Flagship at Headquarters—a grand, unparalleled Flagship. Perhaps, Charloss the Holy, you could offer assistance in this matter? He would surely appreciate the gesture."
"A Flagship? A ship?"
Charloss pondered, "What could I give him?"
"Several years ago, you purchased a log of the Treasure Tree [Adam] at an auction, intending to build a pleasure boat. However, you found it too large and abandoned the idea", the attendant reminded him.
"Do I still have that?" Charloss scratched his head.
"Yes, you do", the attendant confirmed.
That auction was legendary—the World Nobles had fought fiercely for that Adam log, a treasure capable of withstanding the Grand Line’s fiercest storms. But Charloss, finding it too large for a mere lake boat, had discarded it.
A Treasure Tree material wasted on a pleasure craft? Dismissed as too big?
A crime against craftsmanship!
"Fine, if it’s useful, dig it out and send it to Kurobrother."
Charloss waved dismissively, then added, "But that’s not enough! A rotten log isn’t much—throw in some gold too! Send Kurobrother some gold!"
"Understood, I’ll arrange it immediately."
The attendant exhaled in relief.
While the Treasure Tree Adam was priceless, and the gold would certainly be substantial, for a World Noble, these were trivial expenses.
Better than sending slaves.
If he’d actually sent slaves, he’d be the one getting sent—straight to the afterlife.
His predecessor had died after offending that man. Not by his hand directly, but something far worse—no traceable blame.
Let that man stay in the New World, slaughtering pirates alongside other monsters. Better him than having him return to the first half of the Grand Line or Shabondy or Mariejois. At least World Nobles might survive—but their subordinates? Not so much.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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