Chapter 713: Those Old Men—He's Taking Them Down!
Chapter 713: Those Old Men—He’s Taking Them Down!
Kuro glanced at them, nodded, then gestured toward Klah.
Klah nodded in return and handed two Devil Fruits to Sazil and Fen Ni.
“Thank you, Mr. Kuro!”
Sazil beamed with excitement. Finally, finally he had a Devil Fruit suited for him!
The Punch-Punch Devil Fruit’s effect could deflect any incoming attack! Even attacks! If even attacks could be rebounded, it meant he would feel less pain from getting hit in the future!
What? Does this Devil Fruit suit my fist technique?
Who cares about that! What matters is not getting hit at all!
“Alright, eat it and get familiar with your ability. Also, Ju Geng, notify all chefs—I’m hosting a feast for the entire G-3 Navy. Prepare a grand meal,” Kuro waved his hand.
“You’re going to squat in a latrine?”
Ju Geng asked, puzzled. “Doesn’t the Fortress have proper toilets?”
Kuro: “……”
Why did he even bother talking to this guy?
Lida repeated the instructions, and Ju Geng finally nodded.
The group dispersed, leaving only three in the office.
Kuro sat back in his chair, lit a cigar, and gazed at the skyline beyond the skyscraper. Smoke curled around him as he fell into a daze, lost in thought.
“I couldn’t care less about fame,” he murmured after a while.
“Huh?”
Klah turned to Kuro, lips pressed together.
Is Mr. Kuro asking for advice again?
But right now, besides halting operations and lowering their profile, there were no good options.
“Send a message to Headquarters—get me all the files on those escaped old men,” Kuro said.
Klah’s expression froze initially before he replied, “But Mr. Kuro, they might not release those files. The World Government hides this information externally, and Headquarters won’t easily share it either.”
Take Smiths for example—his escape news wasn’t even circulated among Navy high-ups, classified as one of the “vanished.”
“What status do these old men hold? Just request it. They’ll give it to you,” Kuro shook his head. “I finally want to take action. No one will make this difficult for me. If Gramps won’t give it, ask Sakazuki. If Sakazuki won’t, go to Mariejois. Guessing based on vague clues isn’t sustainable—we’d never catch up.”
This time, we only learned about their breakthrough into our sea area at the last moment. Too slow, too careless.
“Understood. I’ll make the call right away, Mr. Kuro,” Klah nodded.
“Go ahead. Attend the banquet first.”
Kuro stood and walked downstairs.
The banquet, of course, was held in the Dining Hall.
Besides the Navy Dining Hall, there was no other space large enough to accommodate thousands of Navy personnel.
By now, the Navy crowd had gathered, seated at rows of tables. The Dining Hall was eerily silent, broken only by the clatter from the kitchen. The Dougleg Navy’s naturally taciturn nature, combined with the solemn mood after mourning fallen comrades, created an atmosphere thick with silence.
This changed when Kuro entered.
The crowd sprang up in unison, saluting sharply. Against the crisp white uniforms, the display radiated disciplined force.
Kuro nodded, taking the central seat. His direct subordinates—or their direct subordinates—were already seated there.
The food had been served, but others sat motionless, hesitating to begin.
“Eat! Why are you all frozen?” Kuro swept his gaze across the room. “Food’s meant to be eaten, not admired. No need to hold back—I’ve officially permitted this feast. Eat your fill!”
“At the Vice Admiral’s command—let’s eat!” a commander shouted from a nearby table.
Still, no one moved.
All eyes remained fixed on their plates, uncertain.
Kuro sighed, raising his wine glass as he stood.
The room turned to him as he lifted the glass.
“Before joining the Navy, we were all ordinary people. We joined for many reasons—”
“To uphold Justice, protect civilians, gain power, or seek security. None of these motives are lesser. We joined to contribute to the Navy’s cause.”
“We came from across the world, from all corners of the sea, united by a shared goal.”
“We’ve made sacrifices. In our battles against pirates, we’ve lost many, but that won’t weaken our resolve. This is the New World—a gathering place for elites!”
The words stirred the G-3 Navy members to lift their heads.
Yes! This is the New World. They were battle-hardened warriors, hardened into elites with hardened Haki!
“We’ve seen sacrifice countless times. Feeling grief is good—I’m glad you remember those we lost. But carry that grief forward. Honor their legacy. We may not cleanse the world or bring absolute peace, but we’ll fulfill our Navy duty.”
“Hold your heads high. We owe nothing to anyone. We’ll keep doing what’s right, no matter how this world changes. The Navy’s pursuit of Justice will never waver!”
Kuro drained his glass, holding it up as he finished. “Comrades, thank you. Cheers!”
“Yes!!”
The Navy roared, lifting their glasses and drinking deeply.
Finally, they settled, picking up chopsticks and utensils to dig into the feast.
The once-silent Dining Hall erupted into noise.
“Mmmph! Mmph! Mmph!”
Lida shoveled food into his mouth, plates stacking high beside him.
“Mr. Klah.”
Sazil sat beside Klah, clinking glasses with him. “Now that I’ve eaten the Devil Fruit, I need special training. After dinner, could you train me?”
He said it with a smug grin.
After consuming the Devil Fruit, its ability surged through him. He already grasped its use, mastering it instinctively.
After all, his strength was formidable. Unlike raw beginners, his skills amplified the Devil Fruit’s power.
An ordinary person might gain strength from a Devil Fruit, but their limited abilities would restrict its potential—child’s play compared to a trained user.
Logia types excepted, of course. Even a dog eating a Logia would still gain a Logia ability.
Sazil wasn’t just boasting about ‘special training’—he’d been beaten enough to know self-defense was critical. But his recent experiments proved that mastering this ability could deflect even Klah’s attacks!
Once he could block Mr. Klah’s strikes, he’d never fear getting beaten again!
“Oh?”
Klah glanced at him, sipping his wine. “No problem. I’ll give you special training after dinner.”
“Dear Uncle, this is my first time dining with you all! Please guide me in the future!”
Meanwhile, Moer raised his glass with Donald.
Fen Ni whispered with Ai En, glancing at Kuro occasionally.
The atmosphere warmed.
“Eat slower—don’t choke,” Kuro warned Lida, watching the lively scene with a faint smile.
This was how it should be—comfortable, natural.
To keep this peace, he needed absolute security and stability.
Those old men? He was taking them down!
(End of Chapter)
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