Chapter 55: Five Vice Admirals
Chapter 55: Five Vice Admirals
That gaze was impossible to withstand.
If Blueno were weaker, he might have simply found Kuro’s eyes terrifying. But he was a "superhuman" trained in the Six Styles, already considered a formidable warrior. And to a stronger presence like this one, he felt even more vulnerable.
This man is stronger—stronger than Lucci!
If he wanted to kill me, I wouldn’t stand a chance.
“What are you planning?”
Blueno’s throat bobbed as he forced down his unease and asked.
“You listen yourself.”
Kuro twitched his ear, shifted aside, and let Blueno see the broadcast Transponder Snail on the plaza.
As soon as he finished speaking, the central Transponder Snail crackled to life. Sure enough, that idiot Spandam had activated the Pacifista.
“Pacifista?!”
Blueno’s pupils constricted. He roared, “How is this possible?! That idiot officer!”
Pacifista—the World Government’s national-level combat force—would indiscriminately attack any island marked on its map, obliterating all life, human or beast.
But in practice, things varied.
It depended on who commanded them.
A moderate general would evacuate innocents first, destroying only the island.
A radical general would leave no survivors at all.
Kuro couldn’t recall which faction the incoming admirals belonged to—only that both moderates and radicals were coming. He couldn’t guarantee which type would arrive first. If it was a moderate, he wouldn’t need Blueno—their forces would handle evacuations themselves.
But if it wasn’t… trouble.
Kuro said, “Blueno, this is why I sought you out. Your Air Door can effectively evacuate people to Pacifista’s warships. Once you finish this, you’re free to do as you please.”
Blueno was silent for a moment. “I understand.”
They stood in an empty cluster of buildings—Kuro had deliberately brought him here to avoid witnesses and complications.
Blueno stepped out of the structure. As he reached the plaza, a government official spotted him and rushed over, trembling as he asked,
“Officer Blueno, is it really Pacifista?!”
Blueno nodded grimly. “Gather the civilians. I’ll wait at the harbor to evacuate them.”
“Understood! We’ll gather everyone right away!”
The official saluted, then ran off shouting, rushing into buildings to round up civilians toward the harbor. As for the captured shipwrights and others, nobody cared about them anymore.
Survival came first.
Half an hour later, the harbor was packed with people.
“Are they all here?”
Blueno surveyed the dense crowd, turning back to ask.
“Yes, Officer! All civilians from Enies Lobby have been gathered!”
A Navy officer reported.
Hearing this, Blueno looked at Kuro. “I’ve done what I needed.”
“Mm.”
Kuro gazed toward the Gate of Justice through the harbor. Enies Lobby was the gateway to the first Gate of Justice, and this Pacifista force would likely deploy directly from Marine Headquarters.
Sure enough, he soon spotted the silhouettes of several massive warships in the distance.
Vice Admiral-level flagships!
Kuro’s eyes flickered with red dots—his Observation Haki activating, scanning the ships.
“Ah, it’s them… Smoker, Jozu, Stortebei, Doberman, Garp.”
Kuro closed his eyes, murmuring, “All five veteran Vice Admirals are here. So they really came from Headquarters.”
Marine Vice Admirals varied greatly in strength. But these five—alongside Dalmatian—were the elite among Vice Admirals.
Excluding Garp—who didn’t count—plus the two Admiral candidates, these six were the most experienced and battle-hardened Vice Admirals in the Navy.
“That one. Open a door there.”
Kuro pointed to Stortebei’s flagship.
“Understood.”
Blueno opened an Air Door and dove through. From Kuro’s Haki perception, Blueno appeared aboard Stortebei’s ship.
“Who’s there?!”
The Marines aboard heard the door open and raised their guns, seeing a figure materialize.
“I’m CP9’s Blueno. About the Pacifista… these islanders are innocent. Please let them evacuate.” Blueno faced Stortebei directly.
Stortebei hesitated, then nodded. “Let them aboard.”
Blueno didn’t need to return to report. Kuro addressed the crowd, “Civilians first through the Air Door. Marines and officials stay back.”
The group entered the Air Door, arriving on Stortebei’s warship.
These colossal ships—the Navy’s largest—could hold 800–1,000 regular Marines. Fitting Enies Lobby’s civilians was no problem.
And there weren’t just one.
Excepting Garp’s and Doberman’s ships, the other warships could accommodate evacuees.
As for Garp and Doberman—the radicals—Kuro didn’t expect mercy.
Truthfully, Blueno didn’t need to visit other ships. Three warships had already anchored at the harbor, lowering ladders instead of opening fire.
Blueno exited the Air Door, giving Kuro a long look. “My task is done. I’ll leave first.”
He closed the Air Door, vanishing from sight.
Kuro didn’t bother chasing him. Keeping that fool company any longer might give him a headache.
“Let’s go. Board the ship.”
Several people climbed aboard Stortebei’s ship, settling in.
Enies Lobby was nearly empty now. Even if the island was destroyed, the World Government was rich enough to rebuild it.
Stortebei was a man with a tall hat, long beard, and perpetually narrowed eyes. Before becoming a Vice Admiral, he’d served directly under Lucius Kro.
But Stortebei didn’t recognize Kuro—Lucius Kro hadn’t mentioned him.
Good. The old man seems to have kept his promise.
Kuro smiled faintly, leaning against the ship’s deck, lazily puffing a cigar.
The people were saved—through Blueno, of course. He himself hadn’t revealed anything.
After this CP9 incident, Spandam would surely take CP9 down with him. Who knew when they’d return? Blueno’s forced cooperation wouldn’t be exposed.
As for the mess ahead—he wouldn’t interfere.
Several elite Vice Admirals wouldn’t act. Why should he, an Ensign, meddle?
He couldn’t interfere anyway.
When the battle reached the Bridge of Hesitation, they’d announce, “All ranks below Major are forbidden to participate.” The elite force assigned to surround and annihilate Luffy's crew consisted of Headquarters Commanders and Headquarters Captains.
Kuro was a Headquarters Ensign. Lida and Klah were recruits. They had no right to join such an elite operation.
“Still… they really are strong.”
Leaning on the deck railing, Kuro watched the battle unfold on the bridge.
Headquarters Commanders and Captains weren’t weaklings—they were the Navy’s elite, including several Devil Fruit users. Yet Luffy’s crew held them off, maintaining a stalemate.
Compared to their days in Loguetown, they’d grown significantly.
(End of Chapter)
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