https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-600-Twenty-Six-Years-A-Dream-Unchanged/13538674/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-602-Rounding-Up-Makes-It-a-Thousand-Ships-/13538676/
Chapter 601: My Skin's Itching—Someone's Talking About Me
Chapter 601: My Skin's Itching—Someone's Talking About Me
The world was always unpredictable.
Take Kuro, for instance. His dream had always been simple: to become a Branch Commander or Base Commander in the East Blue, wielding a little power, pocketing a little cash, with no one daring to mess with him. He'd feast on meat every meal, maybe splurge on a visit to the East Blue's finest restaurant once in a while—preferably at Base 153, where he could lord over his domain and enjoy life to the fullest.
Even if the World Government changed, the world itself wouldn't shift much due to its geographical stability. Pirates would still exist, and the Navy would remain the Navy.
That was all Kuro had ever wanted. Yet who could have guessed he'd end up as an Admiral candidate?
Thinking about it, he almost wanted to slap himself.
Why had he gone and provoked that six-million-pirate guy for no reason?
If it weren't for that incident, he'd probably be peacefully serving as a Base Commander in the East Blue by now, enjoying his twilight years in comfort after the Summit War had ended.
Shaking his head, Kuro pushed the thought aside.
The past was the past.
What mattered now was figuring out how to stay safe in this New World, where the stakes were incomparably higher.
"You three old-timers can go to sleep. The world's fate has nothing to do with you anymore."
Kuro stubbed out his cigar, stood up, brushed off his coat, and spread his five fingers. The earth beneath him curled open, revealing a hole that swallowed him whole.
After returning to town, Kuro rested for two days before setting off toward Headquarters aboard his Warship.
This time, only one Warship returned, carrying only his crew—plus two new additions: Ai En and Binz, who now sailed with them toward Headquarters.
"Are we really going to rejoin the Navy?" Ai En asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"Relax, Ai En."
Lida proudly patted his chest. "There's absolutely no problem. No one in the Navy would dare refuse Kuro's request."
Klah adjusted his glasses, nodding in agreement.
Nowadays, Kuro wasn't just the second-in-command under Admiral Lucius Kro—he was a major faction leader in his own right. As G-3 Base Commander, backed by a group of Commanders like them, they held significant influence within the Navy. While Kuro's faction was still relatively new compared to the Navy's established powerhouses, they were still part of a major Navy faction. Getting a few nameless nobodies—people without bounties or even pirate affiliations—reinstated into the Navy? Child's play.
Especially since they'd all been Navy before.
And let's not forget—Zeff's disciple had vast connections and countless protégés, with Kuro himself among them.
If they wanted to rejoin, the Navy would surely grant Kuro this favor out of respect for their history.
"There's absolutely no need to worry about this", Klah reassured her. "Kuro probably hasn't even considered the possibility of rejection."
"Is that so, Commander Klah?" Ai En's beautiful eyes flicked toward him as she smiled. "You're the most cunning strategist under Kuro, and it seems you've got that confidence to match."
"I'd say so too!" Binz chimed in.
Klah's chest swelled with pride, his glasses adjustment growing even more dramatic.
"Flattery aside, I still have much to learn. Even though I'm a Commander now, I'll always be Kuro's subordinate." He humbly declared.
"Such humility, Commander Klah. It's rare to see a Commander still seeing himself as a lowly soldier. I should learn from this spirit too", Ai En praised.
"Same here!" Binz added.
Klah's confidence wavered slightly. "A humble heart allows one to see further. I'm truly just a small soldier under Kuro."
"Klah! Klah!"
A voice rang out from the Warship's fortress behind them.
Klah's proud tone instantly deflated, a wisp of black line flashing in his eyes. "...A small soldier."
His posture slumped like a deflated balloon.
"I'll go check."
He trudged toward the fortress, his steps dragging as if weighed down by invisible chains.
Kuro, meanwhile, hadn't spared a thought for whether Ai En's reinstatement would face obstacles. Worrying about that wasn't worth the effort—it was a done deal. He'd rather focus on a more pressing question: what to eat for lunch.
To solve this culinary dilemma, he'd summoned Klah.
"Coming, Kuro."
Klah appeared at the door, his voice flat.
"Hm? You sound exhausted. Never mind."
Kuro sat up, biting his cigar. "I'm hungry. Tell Ju Geng to make me something."
"Me too! Me too!"
Lida suddenly burst in, grinning.
Kuro's blue vein throbbed. "Eat on your own! I'm not stopping you! Why do you always steal my food?!"
He rubbed his temples. "Fine—make two portions."
"No, I want double!"
Lida plopped onto the office sofa, holding up two fingers at Klah. "Double portions."
"Understood."
Klah twitched his lips and turned to leave. The moment he left Kuro's sight, his spirit visibly drooped again.
Besides their official Navy duties of hunting pirates, his main job now was running errands for Kuro.
Of course, that's what a "small soldier" did.
"So why does it always have to be me doing this?!" Klah muttered, a blue vein popping on his forehead. "What if I become a Vice Admiral someday? Or even an Admiral? Will I still be fetching meals for Kuro? That's way beneath my rank! Kuro, I—"
"Are you done muttering to yourself?!"
Kuro's impatient shout cut through the air.
Klah pressed his lips together, quickened his pace, and lowered his head.
Worrying about the future was pointless. Better to focus on surviving the present.
Maybe he'd find Sazil later for some special training.
"Achoo!"
A sudden sneeze erupted from the cabin.
"Are you okay?" Donald asked, peering over. "Catch a cold? If you're sick, I can find Fen Nimiss for you."
"Me? A cold? Impossible!" Sazil rubbed his nose, his expression darkening. "This isn't a cold—my skin's itching! Something's wrong! This itch... it's Klah! I can feel it!"
His face turned grim.
"Huh? Your Observation Haki's gotten sharper", Donald mused, stroking his chin. "Could this be a legendary premonition? But those require mastery of Observation Haki cultivation. You're not that strong yet... This is strange. What exactly is this ability?"
(End of Chapter)
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