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Chapter 783: Your Father Is Dead
Chapter 783: Your Father Is Dead
"This kind of strength..."
Kaku swallowed hard. "Though I knew Golden Lion was powerful, this kind of strength..."
Lucci replied calmly, "Perfectly normal. Among Navy's younger generation, only he can be considered a 'Monster.'"
The Three Admirals had also been called 'Monsters' in their early days at the New Recruit Training Camp.
But since their rise, whether it was Smoker, Tashigi, or newer names like Koby, the hero of the 'Rokkaku Port Incident,' or Grant, the Marine rumored to have a demon sealed in his left arm stationed near Big Mom's territory—
Before this man, no one could claim to be a 'Monster.'
Lucius Kro was the first Monster within traditional Navy ranks to emerge since the Three Admirals, someone whose strength could rival them. Lucci wasn't surprised in the least.
"Mr. Kuro..."
Klah transformed back into human form, his voice tinged with bitterness. "I could handle him. He's not my match."
Kuro exhaled a stream of smoke. "True, he's not. But by the time you finished playing around, I could have flooded this entire island. We're here to investigate World Government member states and retrieve the target. Our time is limited—this isn't a playground."
"Yes." Klah pressed his lips together, lowering his head.
Forget it. Doesn't matter.
As long as Mr. Kuro believes I can win, that's enough.
He, Klah, had already earned Kuro's recognition, taking another step toward becoming his trusted right-hand man.
Can Kas do that?
Or Wilbur?
No, neither threatens my position!
Only he, Klah, remained as solid as a mountain!
Kuro ignored Klah's thoughts, flicking his fingers at the severed pirate heads. A wisp of howling wind surged forth, lifting the heads and carrying them toward a distant direction.
He had promised a certain dead young man to offer pirate heads as tribute.
"Let's go back."
Kuro turned, glancing at the fallen corpse of Noardi. After a moment's thought, he added, "Bring his body."
Several Marines obeyed, hoisting Noardi's corpse onto their shoulders as they marched toward Stone King City.
...
Two hours later, in Stone King City, Ajitan waited anxiously.
Though the Navy had deployed—an astonishing sight in itself, watching that lazy middle-aged Marine vanish in a flash of white light with his entire unit—Ajitan felt shocked at the sudden display.
But they faced rebellious pirates. If they failed... what then?
Having ruled as prince for years, he understood the kingdom's situation well. These pirates weren't all nobodies. While some major names had left with Luffy, others remained powerful within the island.
Could these Marines handle them?
If they failed...
Ajitan clenched his fists. "Even if we fail, I won't surrender!"
He had already resolved himself to die for his country.
As king, he would never kneel.
"They're back! They're back!"
Suddenly, an attendant came running, shouting.
"The Marines are back!"
"Back already?!"
Ajitan blinked, stunned. It had only been two hours. Why return so quickly?
Had they failed to eradicate the pirates?
Or suffered a collapse?
Before he could think further, a white-clad force approached. As they drew closer, Ajitan noticed none of the Marines bore residual combat energy.
He opened his mouth to ask if they had even fought, when the lead officer—a Golden Lion Vice Admiral—spoke coldly:
"Your father is dead."
"???" Ajitan's mouth twitched.
What kind of insult was this?!
He felt a surge of anger and indignation rising from his chest.
They had been given the best food and hospitality, treated with nothing but respect. Yet these Marines were going too far!
Even if they were World Government investigators, they had no right to treat him this way!
He came to join as a member state, not become a vassal!
"I—"
Ajitan's brow furrowed, his frustration boiling over. Just as he prepared to speak, he noticed several Marines behind the ranks carrying a familiar body toward him.
"Fa—Father!"
Eyes wide, he stared at the lifeless, closed-eyed Noardi, frozen in disbelief.
The Golden Lion Vice Admiral hadn't insulted him. He had spoken the truth?
"How could this happen? He—he—"
Pointing at Noardi's corpse, Ajitan shouted at the man before him. "How could he possibly die?! My father was strong! He fought Luffy himself for a long time before falling!"
His eyes turned crimson with rage.
"Don't you know something?! Golden Lion—no, Kuro! Did you delay going there because you already knew my father would die? Was it intentional?! Why?! Why?!"
His fists clenched until his hands turned red, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Watch your tone, Ajitan." Klah adjusted his glasses, warning him.
"How dare you tell me to watch my words now?! I'm a person too! I have my dignity!!" Ajitan roared.
Kuro puffed his cigar, regarding Ajitan calmly. "Your father died in battle. He got his wish."
Those words froze Ajitan's body.
Like a thunderclap, a memory flashed through his mind—his childhood.
"Father, what was your ideal?"
Three-year-old him had asked his then-young-looking father.
"My ideal?"
His father had smiled. "First, to bring peace to Kolf Kingdom. Second, if possible, to die in battle."
"Eh? Die in battle? What does that mean?"
"Dying in battle..."
His father had looked toward the setting sun, pausing before gently stroking his head. "It means dying with your ideals intact."
"This country needs change. I don't want them becoming pirates—it would only let Kolf wither away slowly. But I can't change that alone. There are many peaceful paths, but only my ability suits Kolf. They'll hate me, but they'll grow used to it, until one day they're citizens like any other kingdom."
"When that day comes, my duty as king will end. But as a pirate, I still wish to fight my enemies and die for my ideals. That's the destiny of most pirates. I can't escape it. Unfortunately, these two ideals clash. I can only fulfill one. Perhaps you can complete the first, while I take the second."
Back then, young Ajitan hadn't understood. He'd only thought his father talked too much.
As he grew, he forgot those words. His father no longer smiled, no longer spoke softly, but grew tyrannical—a tyranny that bred fear and hatred.
When had he forgotten?
He remembered seeing his father command doctors to brew medicine for sick miners. But those miners lived so far away—how did his father know?
No one reported such information. All citizens saw themselves as slaves—no one would show compassion.
When had he forgotten?
Was it his father's long silences? Or his own rebelliousness as he matured? Or perhaps the moment Luffy arrived?
Noardi, his father, who had ruled the kingdom for over two decades.
Before seeing his father's corpse, he had believed he could live free of his shadow. He was the new king, free from control.
But now, seeing that lifeless face—no longer angry, no longer frowning, no longer discontented—Ajitan realized how small he truly felt.
Because even if his father had failed, he had existed. As long as that existence remained, a towering tree had always stood in Ajitan's heart, no matter how much he denied it.
Now the tree had fallen.
He lacked his father's methods, his strength, his two-decade dominance over the kingdom.
The pirates had risen, yet hadn't stormed Stone King City—wasn't that only because his father existed?
With his father gone, he truly was king, no longer oppressed.
Ajitan knelt, staring at Noardi's peaceful face. A smile crossed his lips, but tears rolled down as he whispered, "I am king now."
From this moment, he would bear the lives and hopes of his people as their king.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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