One Piece Shadow Army - Chapter 41
Until early the next day.
Lieutenant Commander Morgan, who departed from Loguetown Marine Base, led the warship to the Baratie.
Despite being prepared.
When Lieutenant Commander Morgan and the other Marines saw that the Thousand Pirates had been defeated, they were greatly shocked.
Curls recounted the general events.
But he didn’t elaborate much about the shadow soldiers, simply saying he used the Shadow-Shadow Fruit ability to defeat Redbeard.
After capturing the pirates of the Grog Pirates and loading them onto the ship, Lieutenant Commander Morgan boarded the warship and returned.
Curls had to wait for the evening cruise to return to Loguetown.
In the evening.
Another ship arrived at the Baratie.
It was neither a Marine ship nor a pirate ship, but an ordinary transport ship.
The ship was carrying some timber and paint.
The Baratie had suffered severe burns on its outer layer due to the fire yesterday and needed to replace some decorative panels and repaint.
After dinner, the cruise ship started, and the passengers began to return.
On the deck of the Baratie.
Zephyr had already replaced his right leg with an iron prosthesis.
Everything that happened yesterday made Zephyr clearly aware of himself.
He was no longer the Red-Leg Zephyr with both legs intact; to protect his Baratie, he had to use all his strength.
Zephyr suddenly felt a hunger and shouted to the blond boy next to him, “Sanji, make me some curry.”
Sanji said indifferently, “Can’t do it, the food stored in the warehouse is gone.”
Huh?
Zephyr looked puzzled.
“Are you kidding! Doesn’t the restaurant always prepare enough food?”
Faced with the old man’s unreasonable anger.
Sanji looked speechless.
“Isn’t it because you agreed to let Curls’s family eat for free? That girl named Charlotte Vilsia, her appetite is like a ‘monster,’ she consumed all the extra food.”
Zephyr knocked Sanji’s head hard, sternly teaching, “Curls saved everyone in our Baratie; no matter what the repayment is, it’s only natural.
Not to mention she finished all the restaurant’s reserve food, even if they eat for free for life, it’s not a problem, understand?”
Sixteen-year-old Sanji touched the bump on his forehead and replied, “I got it!”
Zephyr continued to shout.
“Since you understand, hurry up and move the paint from the transport ship.”
To avoid further hitting, Sanji quickly boarded the transport ship and started unloading the paint.
After moving a few buckets of paint.
Sanji’s eyes also caught a glimpse of the cruise ship that was about to disappear in the distance.
It’s hard to imagine.
The person who defeated Redbeard Barbarossa was such a handsome young Marine.
Below is the deck.
Zephyr was roaring various commands.
“From now on, the Baratie is temporarily closed, and you all start refurbishing my ship immediately.”
“No meals tonight until the walls are painted!”
“Sanji over there, did you hear me? Hurry and move the paint down, or I’ll come up and kick you down.”
Damn old man!
Sanji withdrew his gaze from the distance, and quickly moved the paint to avoid being hit.
“I’m going to sleep now. If I see the walls still black tomorrow, you all can get lost.” After Zephyr gave the order, he directly walked into the Baratie.
Then, it was the busy and troublesome renovation project of the chefs.
Their goal was only one.
To restore the Baratie to its original appearance.
……
On the cruise ship.
Both the crew and passengers felt very safe because Curls, the powerful Marine who defeated the Thousand Pirates, was on board, so they would hardly encounter any danger.
To become stronger, Curls meditated and trained in his cabin until three or four in the morning before barely sleeping.
A peaceful night.
The next day, the cruise ship returned to Loguetown port on time.
After disembarking, the Charlotte family ended their sea journey.
They took a carriage.
The three of them returned to their villa in Loguetown.
However.
When Ronald got off the carriage, he saw someone waiting outside the villa.
This person’s features were calm, with a righteous look on his face, dressed in a Marine uniform, with a Marine coat draped over his back.
“You are…”
Ronald was a bit confused, not knowing why this Marine officer came.
Curls, who got off behind, was also puzzled: “Major, how did you know I would return today?”
Karn explained, “I already know about the Baratie incident. I heard you took a cruise, so according to the time, you would return to Loguetown this morning, so I came to wait at your house.”
Curls suddenly understood.
Ronald couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Who is he?”
Curls answered concisely, “This is my direct superior at the Loguetown Marine Base, Major Karn.”
Upon hearing this, Ronald’s face immediately lit up with a smile, and hurriedly shook hands.
“So it’s Major. Hello, hello! Thank you for taking care of my son, Curls. He often talks about you.”
Ronald’s words were not false.
During these two days of vacation, Curls had told his father and sister about his training as a recruit and the upright Marine major in front of them.
Karn also politely extended his hand to shake Ronald’s, speaking calmly.
“Hello, don’t be too formal. I’m here in a personal capacity. I have some matters to discuss with Curls alone, is that okay?”
Ronald quickly had the gatekeeper open the door and led the major into the villa.
“Of course, please come in.”
……
In Curls’s room.
Karn and Curls entered.
“Major, are your injuries healed?” Curls asked as soon as they entered the villa.
Karn shook his head, “Not fully yet, but I can move normally, and I should be fully recovered in two or three days.”
Curls understood, then asked, “What brings you to talk to me alone?”
Karn walked to the window, listening quietly to the surroundings, making sure no one was eavesdropping, then slowly closed the window.
He then turned and asked.
“Why did you credit me for defeating Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates when you woke up in the infirmary?”
Curls took out his sketchbook drawn at sea and handed it to Major Karn.
Karn took the sketchbook.
Somewhat puzzled, he opened it.
Inside were vivid sketches, showing the sea, ships, Ronald they had just met at the gate, the blonde girl Vilsia…
Curls calmly answered Major Karn’s question, “Actually, I don’t care about military merits.”
“I care about my family.”
“Defeating Giant Fist Pirate Euron’s merit is enough to elevate me to a decent position, but if I add Kuro’s credit, I’ll definitely be noticed by the Marine Headquarters.”
“Major, you know, once noticed by the Marine Headquarters, I’ll probably be transferred to the Grand Line for training, making it hard to take care of my family here.”
“Because I want to stay here and spend more time with my family, I gave Kuro’s credit to you, Major.”
After hearing Curls’s explanation, Karn raised an eyebrow, quickly spotting the issue.
“But won’t a formal Marine just out of recruit training defeating a thousand-strong pirate group attract the Marine Headquarters’ attention? Don’t you find your statement contradictory?”
Curls held his forehead with one hand, sighing, “That’s indeed something I can’t help with! After all, I couldn’t just watch Redbeard Barbarossa kill innocents without doing anything.”
Karn fell silent.
After a moment.
Karn looked seriously into the young man’s eyes, speaking gravely.
“Curls, I know you’re not lying, but there must be other reasons for giving me Kuro’s credit.”
“So, tell me!”
The atmosphere became quiet.
Karn’s expression was very serious; he needed to know the other reasons Curls gave him the credit because it related to his secret mission within the Marine Headquarters.
If he couldn’t know the real reason, Karn would always feel uneasy, which was why he came to Curls.
“Sure enough, I can’t hide from you, Major!”
After confirming the major’s attitude, Curls sighed helplessly and didn’t hide anymore.
“There are multiple factors in giving you Kuro’s credit; what I said was just one of them.”
“On the first day of recruit training, it was you, Major, who blocked William’s killing blow for me.”
“In teaching, both your conduct and guidance made me respect you.”
“On the ghost ship, if it weren’t for your intervention, Major, I wouldn’t have summoned the [Shadow Knight] and [Lanloth]; your help, Major, is something I’ll never forget.”
“Moreover, if you hadn’t blocked Lanloth’s attack for me, I would have died. You saved me twice, Major.”
“If you weren’t injured, you could easily have defeated Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates, so I just replaced you in slaying those pirates.”
“The ultimate reason for giving you the credit, Major, is my gratitude and respect.”
“If I have to be more specific.”
“Major, you are the first hero I’ve seen in this world!”
……
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