A Mage's Battle

Zango's false orders were naturally not just meant to make his escape easier. Such betrayal was a grave taboo aboard a pirate ship; he would be unwelcome wherever he ran.

Besides, vast as the East Blue was, it still had an end.

As long as Kuro remained alive, there was always a chance of being caught.

Rather than live every day in fear, terrified that Kuro might catch and torture him someday, Zango would naturally choose to eliminate the threat forever.

Squelch...!

The sharp blade pierced straight through him. Kuro's speed far surpassed that of ordinary humans, and with Silent Step, not even an afterimage could be seen.

By the time Sam came to his senses, cold steel was churning through his organs, snuffing out his life.

"C-Captain...?"

Even as he died, Sam did not know why Kuro had killed him. His eyes were full of confusion.

At a time like this, shouldn't they have dealt with the enemy first?

However, he had made a basic mistake. Prioritizing the enemy only mattered if Kuro still needed him!

Different people had different ways of relieving stress, and people of different standing did not do so in the same way.

Kuro's usual way of relieving stress, barring surprises, was pushing up his glasses... using that habitual little motion to focus his attention and clear away distractions.

But after being toyed with and provoked by Lowett, followed by Zango's betrayal, the double berserk debuff meant he needed to kill someone before he could calm down.

And there were only two people here for him to choose from...

Thud...!

Throwing aside Sam's corpse, whose eyes remained open in death, Kuro noticed Lowett's amused gaze. He pushed up his glasses with his palm and said flatly,

"You don't seem qualified to watch the show either, do you?"

Since Zango had prepared an escape boat in advance, he clearly had not regarded Lowett as the true killing move.

His troublesome nature had only been exposed after the two sides began fighting.

He had sabotaged the ship and even planted explosives, trapping them on this deserted island. If nothing unexpected happened, the main Marine force would arrive soon.

Kuro had guessed correctly.

A few minutes earlier, as Zango fled, inside the warship's command room—

"Colonel, someone reported that Ensign Lowett murdered Doctor Sheldon! The victim's family has brought a whole crowd of residents to Branch 153 to make trouble, demanding that we hand over the murderer!"

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Lieutenant Colonel Klimans, who had remained behind, wiped away cold sweat. He glanced through the window at the agitated crowd downstairs and hurriedly continued.

With public sentiment so inflamed, the informant clearly possessed some decisive evidence.

The kind that could turn black into white.

"What did you say?!"

Monka's pupils shrank. He suppressed the wild joy in his heart and widened his eyes.

"Ensign Lowett killed Doctor Sheldon?"

Monka remembered Doctor Sheldon. The man had operated on his shattered jaw, but after Monka's drastic change in personality, news of the doctor's sudden death from a heart attack stirred little emotion in him.

However, the good news did not end there.

"Not only that!"

Lieutenant Colonel Klimans hesitated for a moment before saying, "They also said... said..."

"Said what?!"

With rage written all over his face, Monka reached for his axe.

"They said Ensign Lowett is actually a member of the Black Cat Pirates, and that he joined Kuro's crew long before Colonel Skinner arrested him!"

What did that mean?

Lieutenant Colonel Klimans's voice was loud, and the Den Den Mushi faithfully relayed it, so Jordi and the others in the office all heard those words.

They could not understand why anyone would make such pointless slander.

Yes, slander!

Anyone could see with a little thought that such a claim could not stand. As a major criminal Marine Headquarters had repeatedly ordered captured, Lowett had been watched by Marine informants for an entire month before the operation. It had to be slander.

But if they had brought it up, there had to be some purpose behind it.

Were they afraid Monka would not take it seriously?

Lieutenant Colonel Jordi shook his head.

Just then, Lieutenant Colonel Klimans swallowed and finished the rest of the sentence. "...And the 'Hundred Schemes' Kuro we arrested was only a double. It was all an act they staged to let Lowett infiltrate the Marines."

Boom!

One stone stirred a thousand waves.

Inside the cramped cabin, everyone was left reeling by those words.

The 'Hundred Schemes' Kuro they had arrested was fake?!

Lieutenant Colonel Jordi's pupils contracted.

That was it. Now everything connected.

Although their appearance and height were nearly identical, no one could prove that the man they had arrested was the genuine "Hundred Schemes" Kuro!

Everyone who knew the truth had died in that massacre.

Only Lowett remained, along with...

Monka!

Looking up, they saw Monka staring blankly ahead, his eyes unfocused. Cold sweat continuously seeped down his back, soaking through his clothes.

As the hypnotist, Zango knew better than anyone where Monka's "vital point" lay.

"Arrest," "Kuro," and "double."

Those three words were the keys to undoing the hypnosis!

Monka remembered everything now. He remembered what had happened that day, remembered his own helplessness then, and remembered that in those newly implanted memories... Lowett had never existed!

Putting that together with everything that had happened afterward, Monka came to a horrified realization.

He was a pawn!

A pawn Kuro had used to shed his shell, and a pawn Lowett had used to pull off a sleight of hand!

Both pirates had achieved their unspeakable goals through him.

They had played him for a fool.

There was anger, but at this moment, what Monka felt most was fear!

Once this matter was exposed, he, Monka, would be dead beyond doubt!

Yet his appearance gave Lieutenant Colonel Jordi other ideas. He exchanged a glance with Major Aiden and shook his head.

In their eyes, perhaps the truth was exactly as the informant had said. Kuro was fake.

Thinking about it now, how could someone as powerful as "Hundred Schemes," who had slaughtered everyone aboard from Branch 153 including Branch Chief Skinner, have been caught so easily?

Monka definitely knew there was something wrong with the Kuro they had arrested. Or perhaps he had made some sort of deal with him from the start and deliberately concealed the truth for the sake of his future.

And Lowett, even if he was not an accomplice, must have reached some... unspeakable agreement with him.

Now they had to set out and deal with this hidden danger, didn't they?

Jordi silently pondered.

With the matter coming to light now, no matter how he looked at it, it seemed related to Monka treating Lowett as a disposable pawn.

Perhaps Lowett had deliberately exposed it, intending for everyone to perish together.

Dogs biting dogs. Nothing more than that.

But regardless of the truth, Monka would never let Lowett live. He would certainly go "ask" him for an explanation.

It would be even better if he did not resist arrest, but resistance did not matter either.

Blades had no eyes. If they accidentally killed him during the arrest, that would be understandable, wouldn't it?

The hundred-forged battle axe slammed heavily onto the table with a thunderous crash.

Monka's eyes were bloodshot, his lips trembling with agitation.

"Absurd!!"

That was what he said.

"Do these accusations do justice to our fallen brothers? Do they do justice to Colonel Skinner?!"

"W-We're sorry!!"

Monka ignored him and set down the receiver.

"Pass down my orders. Turn the entire fleet around!!"

"I'm going to find Lowett and get an explanation!!"

Jordi and Aiden immediately stood at attention and saluted.

"Yes, sir!"

Thus, Kuro's deduction had been correct. Lowett truly was not qualified to watch the show.

A warship was far faster than a lifeboat. At most, within an hour, once the main Marine force arrived and blanketed the area with artillery fire, they would have no chance of escape.

"Well, I did underestimate him."

Lowett showed no embarrassment at being exposed. Holding his forehead, he wore a self-mocking expression.

Oda really was just a manga artist...

Look at this. Aside from Monka, even a formidable figure like Kuro—and even the more inconspicuous Zango—was no simple character!

He had stayed hidden behind the scenes the entire time, controlling everything.

Compared to what he had planned, Lowett, Kuro, and Monka had all become pawns.

Little people had their own way of living, and little people had their own shining points.

No one was born noble, and no one came into the world looking unlike a wrinkled little old man.

"But..."

"You know I possess this kind of strength, so why didn't you kill Monka on the spot?"

Kuro's gaze darkened.

So... he had no intention of cooperating?

"To survive on this sea, everyone has to decide their own place... Ordinary people have several paths to choose from, but I don't."

Lowett said, "Ever since I got involved in this troublesome affair, I knew there was only one road left before me..."

"Pirate!!"

Kuro understood. He stepped forward, slowly lowering into a crouch, his cat claws held before him, one high and one low.

"You want fame?"

Kuro was hard to find. Branch 153 was easy to find. Such a simple priority.

Lowett nodded. "Yes."

"Since I can't decide who my opponents are, I should at least decide who my allies are."

The greatest trouble at the start this time was not his severed arm, but this... pirate identity!

After saying that, he raised his eyes toward Kuro, dressed in a black casual suit, and said,

"Don't worry. Zango will definitely die. Perhaps the two of you will even get a chance to meet."

That was a lie!

Kuro shook his head. "You are too confident."

Silent Step: Shakushi!

His only five fingers clawed from his left cheek to his Adam's apple, leaving bloody trails. Blood filled the gaps beneath his nails. The pain made crimson light flicker in Lowett's eyes, and savagery gradually rose within him.

"Is that so?"

"Then let me show you a mage's battle!"

The title of Chapter Four, "Chapter Four: A Reply from Marine Headquarters," got blocked. When I changed it to "Chapter Four: Aokiji's Considerations," it appeared.

Chapter Twelve, "Chapter Twelve: All Is Fair in War," got blocked. When I changed it to "Chapter Twelve: Schemes," it appeared.

...I finally found the reason.

Those who understand, understand. Big Tree was an innocent little victim caught in an unexplained AOE.

Spitting blood like crazy.