Because a reader said they couldn't understand who was saying what, I added brackets indicating who is speaking right next to each sentence. Is that okay, or should I remove it?
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C-cccalm ddddown dddown!! Don't ppppanic yet!!
Why!? Why does he know about Robin!!??
"Well, that barrel was heavy, wasn't it? You have to be careful—lifting something heavy thinking it's empty can hurt your back, you know?" [Kuzan]
"Is that so? I don't quite understand, and it feels like talk that's too early for me, but I'll keep it in mind." [Kuro]
"Yeah yeah, you should. You need to take care of your body."
"Ha ha ha ha." [Kuro]
You were watching!? Come to think of it, he said in the original he checked frequently! I'll knock you flat, you bastard!!
"Can I ask one more thing, Kuro-kun?"
"...What is it?"
"Oh my, you're being cautious?"
"Are there pirates who don't guard against Marines?"
"Yeah, I suppose that's true."
Since the Ohara incident just happened, it's about twenty years until the original story starts. You sneaky underhanded bastard, remember this in twenty years! I'm gonna knock you out!?
...
Luffy will!!
"Well, this is what I wanted to ask from the start." [Kuzan]
Then ask it first, I want to scream. If I threw this hot tea at him, would he melt a little?
"Why did you go this far to do something so reckless for Marines? Even if not near the base, couldn't you have just said goodbye at some random island?" [Kuzan]
"Ah, regarding that. It's simple." [Kuro]
"Simple?"
"Yes. Because I'm weak."
–
There was no falsehood in the pirate's eyes when he called himself weak. Yet Vice Admiral Kuzan was momentarily intimidated by those weak pirate's eyes.
"I'm weak. I understand that better than anyone. That's precisely why I couldn't abandon the Marines here."
The pirate didn't notice the heat that had entered the Marine's eyes watching him.
"I considered parting ways. Leaving them at the edge of some island with a town. ...Even in the initial smuggling ship raid plan, we intended to quickly get far away after plundering."
"Naturally you'd loaded only that much food. But with more mouths to feed, you couldn't go far." [Kuzan]
"But if we'd dropped the Marines off the ship, they would have likely been captured by those involved already. The moment I realized that possibility, I had no retreat." [Kuro]
"Why?"
"Because I saw myself becoming someone who keeps running away."
The Marine let out a small breath.
"Before I knew it, I had a bounty on my head. Running alone is difficult—I needed companions. But if I develop a habit of running, eventually I'll start abandoning companions for my own sake." [Kuro]
"That way of living..." [Kuzan]
The Marine found himself sympathizing with this pirate from the bottom of his heart. If the Celestial Dragons hadn't targeted him, this man could have lived a perfectly normal life. This boy dressed in a suit—if he'd just apprenticed to some merchant, he would have succeeded and lived a perfectly normal, happy life.
"That way of living... is rough." [Kuzan]
"I'm aware, but..." [Kuro]
"If I see it through, I win." [Kuro]
The Marine could only be speechless.
He'd never seen a man like this, not among pirates, not even among Marines.
Why was this boy a pirate? Why couldn't he live normally?
Why wasn't this man a Marine?
While such thoughts swirled around, the door opened without knocking.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, 'Silent Step'. We've only confirmed part of it, but the handwriting you brought definitely belongs to our Marines." [Sengoku]
Sengoku and Sakazuki who entered had stern faces. And Sakazuki's fist was somehow slightly stained with blood.
The pirate, seeing this, asked:
"Movement Already?" [Kuro]
In the moment Sengoku hesitated, Sakazuki spoke.
"There was a fool trying to dispose of the documents related to the owners of the handwriting you brought."
"During interrogation, he said it was on orders from a superior. We've sent Marines to apprehend that person as well." [Sengoku]
A strange scene was forming of Navy officers and a pirate talking as equals, but no one pointed it out.
Hearing this, the pirate showed cold sweat for the first time and muttered quietly:
"...This is bad."
Sakazuki's brow twitched in displeasure.
"What do you mean, 'Silent Step'?" [Sakazuki]
"They're trying to go underground." [Kuro]
"...So what? That's natural for criminals."
"Well, if they judge they've been caught, they'd do that... but even so, they can't completely erase traces. It should be fine, right? Kuro-kun." [Kuzan]
The pirate shook his head at the Marine's question. And Headquarters Admiral Sengoku held his hand to his head in frustration.
"If I were being pursued by the Navy, I'd dump my cargo to lighten my load." [Kuro]
Grasping what the word "cargo" meant, both their faces twisted slightly.
In the slave business, having just over twenty "products" total would be unlikely. The pirate's words that what they'd crushed was probably just one among many, caused steam from magma wrapped in rage to fill the room again.
Those weren't mere goods but humans, and they could become evidence—witnesses reaching them. There was no reason to keep them alive.
"Admiral Sengoku." [Kuro]
"Mm."
"I apologize, but may I borrow the Marines we're currently protecting for a while longer?"
Sengoku realized he'd been clenching his fist—clenched so hard blood was seeping.
"What I omitted from my earlier explanation—they didn't have Den Den Mushi. There's a high possibility they're communicating through analog methods fearing wiretaps. If so, we might still be in time."
"We have people suited for reconnaissance, so we can conduct covert operations immediately. However, for swift action and ship operation, we absolutely need personnel--" [Kuro]
"Why!!!!?" [Sengoku]
Before he knew it, he was shouting.
"Why are you helping!? You're a pirate! Yet you rescue Marines! Protect them! And now you're trying to throw yourself into an underworld battle for people you've never even met!!" [Sengoku]
Vice Admiral Kuzan recalled their conversation before the two arrived.
"Answer me! 'Silent Step' Kuro!" [Sengoku]
Vice Admiral Sakazuki was clenching his fist like Sengoku.
"What is it that drives you!!?" [Sengoku]
"--Honor and duty." [Kuro]
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