OPKOTW: Chapter 307/308

Chapter 307 – Fudging Kuzan into Joining CP-X?

Claudius listened to Kuzan's words, looking at him in mild surprise but saying nothing.

Kuzan was the first to smile, but gradually, his expression turned dull, and his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Hey, do you two seriously want to kick me out? At least have some ethics! Even if you're thinking that, couldn't you wait until after the mission to bring it up? Aren't you afraid I'll just give up halfway?" Kuzan grumbled in dissatisfaction.

Claudius laughed, clapped Kuzan on the shoulder, and said, "Ahahahaha! Look at you, acting all scared. Do I really seem that heartless?"

Kuzan glanced at the oily handprint now imprinted on his clean white vest, then nodded with a look of pure disgust. "Without a doubt, yes."

Borsalino, sipping his drink, chuckled happily.

As a leading figure of the Marine neutral faction, he rarely participated in drinking sessions like this. Tonight was an exception.

And in the midst of it, he found his perception of Saint Claudius shifting yet again.

In the past, even though Claudius was easygoing, he still carried the air of a Celestial Dragon—reserved, untouchable.

That feeling had been unmistakable.

But this time, Borsalino didn't sense it at all. It truly felt like a group of friends sitting together, eating and drinking.

"Has he let go of something?" Borsalino mused.

He wasn't sure what had changed, but it seemed like Saint Claudius had broken free from some kind of invisible shackle yet again.

"I think Your Highness makes a good point," Borsalino said with a smile.

Kuzan fell silent. Though he hadn't made any concrete decisions yet, he wasn't ruling out the idea of leaving the Marines. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like the only way forward.

Claudius smiled at Kuzan and said, "Relax. No need to overthink this."

"I'm the one at risk of being unemployed, not you," Kuzan muttered helplessly.

Claudius seemed to relate to those words. He murmured softly, "Unemployment wouldn't be too bad for you… But if I end up unemployed, I might have to immigrate to the moon…"

Because if his plans failed, there wouldn't be a place for him in this world.

Turn to piracy? The World Government would hunt him down relentlessly. And the major pirate crews wouldn't let him off either.

Maybe his only option would be to take Enel and a few others, find a way to the moon, and see if he could somehow make a comeback from there.

Thinking about it, Claudius did feel some pressure. How could he not?

Kuzan and Borsalino both caught on to the weight behind Claudius' words and fell silent.

As Marine Admirals, they were highly attuned to these kinds of shifts in power. Even if the World Government hadn't realized it yet, they had.

But this was the kind of thing that, unless Claudius spoke about it himself, the Marines couldn't bring up first.

If they were wrong, it'd be embarrassing for everyone involved.

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Claudius took another sip of his drink, suppressing his thoughts. With a smile, he said, "Let's talk about you instead."

"If you're seriously considering changing platforms, I actually have a plan prepared for you."

"Of course, it's just an option."

"If you're not interested, I won't force it."

After a brief pause, Claudius added, "We may have our differences when it comes to ideals and goals, but outside of that, we're still friends, aren't we?"

Kuzan nodded. "Of course. That much is obvious. We each have our own beliefs and aspirations, that's not strange at all."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at Borsalino.

Borsalino, still chewing on a skewer, hummed a little tune. But when he noticed Kuzan looking at him, he immediately scowled.

"Oi, do you have to pick a fight with me to feel good?" Borsalino asked, clearly annoyed.

"Cough cough, misunderstanding, misunderstanding."

Kuzan awkwardly cleared his throat and continued, "Having different pursuits means opposition is inevitable. But like you said, public matters are public, and private matters are private. I am not some petty man who can't move past things."

Claudius nodded. He believed that. Otherwise, Kuzan wouldn't still be sitting here drinking with him.

If he truly couldn't accept it, he would've walked away the moment he realized Claudius had chosen to support Sakazuki.

After finishing another drink, Kuzan finally asked, "So, what exactly is your plan?"

Claudius smirked and said, "How about joining CP-X?"

Kuzan was momentarily stunned, then let out a small chuckle. "Figures. It's pretty much what I expected."

"Hahahahaha, I knew you'd already thought about this! But hey, at least I was the one to bring it up first, doesn't that show I respect you?" Claudius laughed.

Kuzan smiled and nodded. "It's a solid plan. I'll seriously consider it."

"I think you should just accept it," Borsalino suddenly chimed in.

The normally indifferent Admiral rarely voiced his opinions so openly, so Kuzan became intrigued.

"Oh? And why's that?" he asked.

Borsalino grinned. "Think about it. CP-X is equivalent to Marine Headquarters, right? But everyone assumes CP-X holds higher authority than us. Doesn't that mean you'd technically be getting a promotion? In a way, wouldn't that make you Sakazuki's equal?"

Kuzan froze.

At their level, ideals, beliefs, and personal philosophies were the driving forces behind their decisions.

But now?

That argument actually made a weird kind of sense!

After his initial surprise, Kuzan couldn't help but think, Damn… that's actually a solid point.

Claudius laughed, thoroughly amused by Borsalino's unique perspective. "Man, Borsalino, I gotta hand it to you. You really do have the most… unique way of looking at things."

Grinning, Claudius suddenly asked, "Hey, why don't you just switch over to CP-X too? We've got great benefits—full coverage, paid vacations, the works!"

Borsalino chuckled, then said meaningfully, "Maybe I won't even need to switch jobs. I could still follow Your Highness just fine, couldn't I?"

Claudius had to admit, this guy was a slippery one.

He hadn't made any real commitments. He hadn't taken any risks. He'd just implied his loyalty in a way that made it sound like a done deal.

But, in the end, it was still a form of allegiance.

Among the top figures in the Marines, aside from the veterans like Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru, Sengoku had no choice but to remain neutral.

Sakazuki didn't need much convincing, his ambitions and beliefs aligned with what Claudius could offer.

That left only Kuzan and Borsalino.

For Kuzan, Claudius truly planned to bring him into CP-X. If Kuzan agreed, he'd naturally become an ally.

As for Borsalino, Claudius had never bothered trying to recruit him. He always seemed too lazy, too disinterested.

But now, with just a few words, Borsalino had subtly declared his stance. And that put Claudius at ease.

Claudius reached out to pat Kuzan on the shoulder only for Kuzan to dodge effortlessly.

Pointing at the napkins on the table, Kuzan said, "Hey, there's paper right there. Use that to wipe your hands."

Claudius looked embarrassed. Then he said, "Fine, fine. I doubt you'll decide so quickly anyway. Take your time."

Kuzan nodded. "Yeah. Either way, thanks. I'll think it over and give you an answer."

___________
Chapter 308: Edward Weevil’s Ability?

The plan to establish a global sea train network had been proposed by Claudius during the last Reverie which was also the only Reverie he had ever attended. Many years had passed since then.

Sea trains had indeed brought significant benefits to various countries. They had even helped curb the arrogance of certain revolutionary factions while boosting economic development.

With the success of the initial batch of sea trains, demand skyrocketed, and orders had been backlogged for years.

Even though sea trains had already been deployed in multiple locations, they still covered only a fraction of the vast ocean.

This was an epic project, one that could take decades, centuries, or even longer to fully integrate into the world.

Fortunately, Polani Island, where Claudius and the others were heading, was one of the places where sea trains had already been established.

Polani was a well-known tourist island, attracting countless visitors each year. It had a unique cultural charm, complete with hot springs, amusement parks, and other attractions.

"Shall we hit the hot springs together?" Claudius suddenly suggested with a grin.

At that moment, Claudius, Kuzan, and Borsalino were all riding the sea train.

For Kuzan and Borsalino, this was a rare experience. As Marine Admirals, they usually traveled by warship.

Now, the two of them looked like curious children, staring out the window, watching the sea rush past. Occasionally, they caught glimpses of fish leaping from the water or distant ships sailing along their routes.

The three of them were seated in one of the private first-class compartments at the front of the train.

Not because they insisted on extravagance, but because it was actually the low-key choice.

Yes, low-key.

The regular train cars were packed with ordinary passengers, and Marine Admirals had a high public profile.

Kuzan and Sakazuki were both well-known figures.

Claudius wasn't far behind.

If all three of them were seen traveling together, it was guaranteed to be headline news the next day.

The private compartments were designed for figures like them, keeping them separate from the general public and avoiding unnecessary trouble.

Hearing Claudius' suggestion, Borsalino turned his head slowly, smiled, and said, "I'm fine with it, but… if Iceman goes to the hot springs, won't he melt? I swear I read about that somewhere."

Kuzan scoffed, turned his head, and replied, "Don't be ridiculous. I won't melt. In fact, I love hot springs. No one knows hot springs better than me. That was fake news—next question."

Claudius paused for a moment.

…Why did that phrasing sound so familiar?

Borsalino didn't continue the joke. Instead, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, smacked his lips, and said, "I used to think sea trains were nothing special. Just another mode of transport, not much different from warships. But now…"

"Now you think it'd be great if we set up exclusive Marine routes between major islands?" Kuzan finished the thought.

"Exactly. It would massively improve troop movement and coordination," Borsalino nodded.

Claudius chuckled. "You mean like the Calm Belt routes we've already established for the Marines?"

At the mention of the Calm Belt, Kuzan and Borsalino both smiled.

Those routes were golden for the Marines, providing untold strategic advantages.

"You know that's not what I meant," Kuzan smirked.

"Relax. Sengoku is already on it," Claudius said.

"The plan is to connect G-1 Base in the New World with G-2 Base and Mariejois.

The groundwork has been set. Water 7 will be sending a team to begin construction soon."

The sea train moved swiftly, and before long, they arrived at an intermediate stop.

Passengers boarded and disembarked. The train would remain stationed for about fifteen minutes before continuing to Polani Island.

As Claudius sat in the compartment, watching people move about the platform, he felt a strange sense of nostalgia almost as if he had returned to another world.

That was, until he saw a few Longarm Tribe passengers disembarking.

He chuckled.

Right. This is a whole different world.

As Claudius was lost in thought, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," Claudius responded.

The door opened, and in stepped Spandine, clad in a black suit, his face beaming with excitement.

Spandine greeted with enthusiasm, practically groveling.

Claudius chuckled. "It's been a while, Spandine. I'm doing just fine."

"Hehehe," Spandine laughed, then greeted Kuzan and Borsalino as well.

In CP-X, Spandine held considerable power, ranking as high as a Marine Admiral.

Kuzan and Borsalino had no reason to put on airs especially since they both knew that Claudius was quite fond of Spandine.

So, the three of them exchanged polite greetings before getting down to business.

Spandine quickly reported, "Your Highness, Lucci's team is currently monitoring the target on Polani Island. We just received some updated intel as well."

As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of documents from his briefcase and placed them on the table.

"Take a look at this," Spandine pointed at a particular photograph.

"Is this his ability?" Claudius picked up the photo.

It showed Edward Weevil slaughtering a group of pirates on the island. His massive machete, resembling the legendary Twelve Supreme Grade Blade, had several ring-shaped shockwaves forming at its edge.

"Yes. This is Weevil's Devil Fruit ability," Spandine confirmed.

"Our observations indicate that he can generate powerful shockwaves.

We're unsure of its upper limit, but based on our analysis, it's neither Logia nor Zoan.

Instead, it appears to be a Paramecia ability."

"That said, this particular power isn't recorded in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.

So we can't determine just how strong it truly is," Spandine explained.

"No doubt, it's very strong," Borsalino said, his expression serious.

Kuzan nodded in agreement, and so did Claudius.

Unlike Spandine, who wasn't a frontline fighter, Claudius, Kuzan, and Borsalino were among the world's strongest combatants. Their understanding of power far surpassed that of ordinary people.

A shockwave-based Paramecia might seem simple but simplicity often meant devastating potential.

Some of the most feared Devil Fruits were deceptively straightforward.

Take the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, or the Buff-Buff Fruit—all of them exemplified the principle that the simplest abilities often held the greatest raw power.

And if Weevil's ability was as straightforward as "shockwaves," who knew how destructive it could be?

"Garp mentioned that Weevil is unnaturally durable. Could his ability also absorb some of the impact?" Kuzan speculated.

Claudius thought for a moment. "It's possible. If he can convert impact into strength, paired with his natural physique, that would make him exceptionally dangerous."

"Shockwave-based abilities are all about high explosiveness, raw offense, and incredible endurance. He's definitely a tough opponent," Borsalino mused.

But then, Spandine suddenly grinned and said, "There are three of you here. No matter how difficult he is, does it really matter?"

At that, Claudius, Kuzan, and Borsalino all laughed.

Weevil's ability might be tricky but in the face of three of the world's strongest, it simply wasn't a real problem.