One piece: Black Cat

Part I: The Retreat

"Cough... Ah... It's you." Capone Bege's voice was hoarse, blood still coating his lips from their brutal encounter.

"Boss, are you conscious?" His subordinate's voice carried barely concealed relief.

"I'm fine..." Bege waved off the concern, though his body protested every movement. "What's our current situation?"

"We received a warning from the Nukiashi crew, so I ordered everyone back to the ship. We're withdrawing from these waters now. Their vessel is still visible on the horizon, but..." The subordinate's words trailed off uncertainly.

A slow grin spread across Bege's battered face as he processed the report. Despite the pain coursing through his ribs, satisfaction warmed his chest.

"I knew it. You sensed it too, didn't you, Kuro?" He struggled to his feet, inwardly thanking the black-clad pirate who had spared his life. "Good. Let's withdraw immediately."

"Boss, where exactly are 'they'?" The subordinate's confusion was evident.

"The slippery ones, you fool."

"Who else could there be?"

Bege studied his subordinate's blank expression with growing frustration. The man's lack of intuition reminded him painfully of what he'd just witnessed—a pirate barely past boyhood who possessed the tactical mind of a seasoned admiral.

That kid understood the entire situation with just a glance. He had the courage to see his plan through, the ability to command respect from his crew, and the charisma to make even enemies acknowledge his strength.

No ordinary fifteen-year-old could handle pressure like that.

"They appear to have set sail after collecting the slaves and other cargo. The ship is still within sight... Should we change course and engage them?" The subordinate's eagerness was palpable.

"You idiot! Stop spouting such reckless nonsense!" Bege's roar echoed across the deck.

"Y-Yes sir! My apologies!!" The man's face went pale as he bowed deeply, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Watching his subordinate cower, Bege felt the weight of his decision settle in his gut. The fish he'd let escape was indeed a big one—perhaps bigger than he'd initially realized.

With practiced movements, he withdrew a cigar from his coat, bit off the tip, and placed it between his lips. The familiar ritual helped calm his nerves as he struck a match and drew in the first lungful of smoke.

"—And their ship?" he asked through the haze.

"Y-Yes! Off the port side! It's already quite distant..."

"Bring me a telescope."

Bege strode onto the deck with renewed purpose. Taking the offered spyglass from his trembling subordinate, he extended it toward the faint silhouette dancing on the horizon.

Through the lens, details emerged that made his breath catch. On the distant deck, liberated sailors wept openly—not from sorrow, but from overwhelming relief and freedom. Their necks and wrists, raw and bloodied from prolonged chains, were being tended by a bald, muscular man and an unfamiliar girl with gentle hands.

A smaller vessel trailed behind the main ship, undoubtedly the former slave transport now repurposed for their plundered goods.

But it was the figure at the bow that captured Bege's complete attention.

There stood the man who had thoroughly defeated him, gazing out at the endless sea with a serene smile playing at his lips. The ocean breeze caught his dark hair, and even from this impossible distance, Bege could sense the quiet confidence radiating from his posture.

"...So this is what a true pirate looks like, Kuro." The words escaped as barely a whisper.

The young captain surveyed the waves with the ease of someone born to the sea, his small smile suggesting he was already planning his next move.

"Yes... the sea truly suits you."

Then Bege—the man who would one day earn the title "Gang"—drew in a deep breath and shouted across the water with everything he had:

"You refused my invitation, Kuro!!"

"In that case, I won't tolerate any half-hearted efforts from you! Rise up and show the world your strength!"

"—Climb to the very heights!!"

•~•

Part II: Safe Harbor

"Alright, this island should be secure for now."

It had taken five days of careful navigation to reach waters far enough from the Family's influence. They'd managed to stretch their food supplies by combining their remaining stores with provisions scavenged from the smuggling vessel, but resources remained tight.

The nearby islands with established towns were likely under the Family's control, making any attempt to dock a dangerous gamble. With nearly twenty Marines under his protection, Kuro couldn't afford to let them be spotted by the wrong eyes.

"Captain Kuro, I must apologize for all the trouble we've caused you..." The Marine's voice carried genuine remorse.

"...It feels strange hearing Marines address a pirate as 'Captain.'" Kuro's dry observation hung in the salt air.

The constant use of his title throughout their journey had been an ongoing source of bewilderment. Despite his protests, the Marines seemed determined to treat him with military respect.

"However, if we don't show proper respect here, we'll have no honor left to stand on." The female Marine who spoke bore a striking resemblance to Tashigi, though her hair was a different shade entirely. She snapped off a crisp salute as she spoke.

Even her gesture reminded him of the sword-loving Marine... though this woman showed no intention of retracting the title she'd bestowed upon him.

Seriously? They're really going to stick with this?

"...Very well, I'll accept it. Do any of you have wilderness survival training?"

"Yes sir! We all completed basic emergency protocols during our academy training."

That's something, at least.

"Good. Let's establish shelter immediately. Staying cramped aboard the ship won't help anyone recover properly. We need to secure a sustainable food source on this island."

"Understood! We'll begin construction right away!"

They're actually saluting a pirate... and I'm younger than most of them.

Well, whatever worked.

Perona and Daz had already departed to hunt for fresh meat. Fortunately, Kuro's initial reconnaissance had confirmed this sizeable island was uninhabited, rich with edible nuts and fruits, and home to abundant wildlife.

Whether through hunting or gathering, feeding their expanded group shouldn't prove impossible. With nearly twenty additional mouths depending on them, establishing a reliable food supply was their top priority.

Once they'd secured basic survival needs, he could focus on their next move.

•~•

Part III: Hidden Treasures

Kuro made his way back to the ship, now concealed behind the rocky outcropping at the cove's rear. Robin was inside, meticulously cataloging their seized cargo.

"Robin, how's the inventory coming along?"

"Ah, Captain. I've finished cleaning and organizing everything."

In one corner of the largest cabin—now serving as their makeshift warehouse—expensive plates and silverware gleamed alongside valuable paintings and luxurious furs, all arranged like museum pieces.

"Excellent work... Now, what about the weapons?"

"Of course."

Robin was currently sorting through the arsenal carried by the armed smugglers during their raid. Her findings had raised troubling questions.

"The situation is quite peculiar. These weapons bear the maker's mark of Davitt & Company, while these others are stamped with Cromwell Iron's seal. But the remainder have no markings whatsoever."

"...Are you suggesting they deliberately removed the stamps for smuggling purposes?"

"There's no evidence of alteration. These appear to be completely unauthorized copies."

Damn.

Another mystery to unravel.

"Could they have been manufactured by one of the Five Families?"

"...I don't believe so."

Using her Devil Fruit powers, Robin levitated several swords and a katana—all apparent forgeries—bringing them closer for detailed examination.

"The leather wrapping on these sword grips and the use of single mekugi pins instead of the traditional double pins connecting blade to handle... these are distinctly North Blue crafting techniques."

"...North Blue."

Speaking of the North Blue... that's where certain dangerous individuals operate in the shadows.

"You're thinking these are bootleg weapons specifically for smuggling operations, Robin?"

"Possibly... But if profit were the only motive, this seems remarkably inefficient..."

"Because money isn't their sole objective."

The parallel to Alabasta's situation in the original timeline was impossible to ignore. An oversupply of weapons could serve as the spark needed to ignite existing tensions. Throw them onto smoldering conflicts, and flames would spread rapidly.

"Robin."

"Yes?"

"Can you imagine the consequences if the Marine slavery operation had been exposed?"

"...Depending on the scale, it could have triggered open warfare."

"A conflict between the Navy and..."

"More precisely, the Navy might have declared independence from the World Government."

The realization struck him like cold seawater. Cipher Pol operated as a separate entity directly under the World Government's control, independent of Naval command structure.

A war with the Navy wouldn't necessarily destroy the Celestial Dragons' power base.

Those fools who orchestrated the Marine enslavement might have been gambling on exactly these kinds of political fractures.

"...We could simply release the Marines near a Naval base and let them return to their normal lives..."

"If we did that, they'd likely be recaptured within days. But more importantly—"

"They'd be executed to silence them."

Robin nodded grimly.

It was the logical outcome. The perpetrators would need to eliminate any witnesses to their smuggling operation, and the Marines would probably face torture during interrogation to extract information about their rescuers.

"Captain."

"Yes?"

"What drove them to this? Was it purely about money?"

"Money was probably half the motivation. The other half..." He paused, the implications settling like lead in his stomach.

If his suspicions were correct, the mastermind behind this scheme was someone utterly ruthless. Someone willing to drag everything and everyone into their web of vengeance with complete disregard for collateral damage.

Even setting aside Hawkeye and Hancock, this individual was by far the most dangerous among the Seven Warlords.

"It suggests someone wants to upset the balance of power. With malicious intent."

This is no longer a joke.

Why am I getting entangled in a West Blue incident that might involve that particular madman?

"Well, I'll figure out how to handle the Marines later. For now, let me examine the other battle spoils."

Though exchanging the currency would be challenging, they'd acquired numerous valuable items and even some significant treasure.

"Yes... I apologize for not being able to assist during the fighting, Captain."

"Don't worry about it. Devil Fruit users have natural limitations in these situations."

The ship's hold contained a stockpile of seastone that had been used to disguise the slave quarters. While Kuro battled Bege above deck, Robin had discovered an entrance to a separate cargo hold.

If I can gather enough skilled crew members and obtain proper nautical charts plus a Log Pose, we might be able to construct a vessel capable of...

The Grand Line.

•~•

Part IV: Northern Machinations

In Spider Miles, a port town nestled in the North Blue, a man sat in the shadows of a pirate hideout that served as his base of operations. He listened intently as his subordinate delivered the latest intelligence.

"I see. So the West Blue operation has encountered some setbacks."

"It appears the attackers weren't Marines as initially assumed, but pirates who stumbled upon the operation by chance... What are your orders?" The reporting subordinate—who had somehow managed to get a piece of hamburger stuck to his cheek—asked the question with complete emotional detachment.

"Either way, it was time to advance to the next phase. The outcome might have been different if the captured Marines had sparked a military uprising, but they only managed to snare small-time rookies. Simultaneously, the arms smuggling operation was losing its strategic value."

"Is it time to move?"

"Sengoku will likely make his move soon."

"...The headquarters admiral. I've heard he's called 'The Wise General.'"

"He's beginning to piece things together. Plus, the timing is problematic. The Buster Call on Ohara has resulted in a massive deployment of skilled Marines to the West Blue—exactly where our 'business' was most active."

The captain's expression soured as he glanced at his subordinate with obvious displeasure.

"Corazon."

"Yes."

"Become a Marine."

"...For intelligence gathering?"

The subordinate correctly interpreted this as an order to infiltrate and spy from within.

"No. For now, we need to establish trust and credibility. First, sever all connections with us and eliminate every trace of your pirate background."

"How long?"

"Conservatively, several years... There's also a possibility our information network has been compromised."

"But what about communication? Some level of contact will be necessary."

"...We'll establish secure channels."

"Understood. What about that pirate?"

"You already know?"

"We don't know their current location, but we've identified who they are."

The subordinate presented his captain with a wanted poster and accompanying research materials.

"The pirate Kuro. He recently defeated a branch vice admiral and his entire unit, which has elevated his reputation considerably."

"...Hmm, heh... heh heh. So he refused to become a Celestial Dragon's slave and chose piracy instead? What an unlucky bastard."

—Kuro the "Sneaky" Bounty: 65,000,000 Berries.

The pirate holding this wanted poster—the man who would eventually earn the moniker "Ten Yasha"—tossed it aside with apparent disinterest.

"You don't need to take any action."

"Those guys won't just leave it alone anyway..."

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Author's Note: The reason I'm portraying Vergo as Corazon is because he was the first to hold that position. I believe Doflamingo at this point in the timeline would be even more cautious in his operations, so he wouldn't mention Vergo by name.

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