Carina felt somewhat resigned; this time, Arton had spoken the words "Loguetown" a bit too quickly. She couldn't act in time to stop him from revealing their destination on a live video feed. Still, upon thinking about the situation, Carina decided she wasn't overly concerned. They were already very close to Loguetown's port; even if the location was leaked, Vice Admiral Gion and the others wouldn't be able to respond in time.
"Alright then, let's get ready to dock. That World Noble's corpse can finally serve its purpose," Arton said with a mischievous grin. "Hehe, Loguetown is a pretty big city. Probably a lot of reporters there. Once I hang that World Noble corpse up on Roger's execution platform and announce to the world that I plan to retaliate against that female World Noble… some journalist will definitely record it and broadcast it worldwide, right?"
"Well… even if it's about the World Nobles, there should be at least one or two brave news outlets who'll cover it."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, a hint of doubt surfacing at whether the reporters would actually publish any news related to the World Nobles. But even if they didn't, Arton's goal would be met. He trusted that the word would reach that female World Noble's ears—that the man she once ordered to be bombarded was now coming after her. Additionally, the Navy and World Government would have no choice but to slap a bounty on him at last.
Black Maria: "Arton plans to hang a World Noble's corpse in front of the whole world?"
Nico Robin: "He really is a madman."
Monet: "So this is the confidence that comes with power… Young Master, please wait a bit longer. I haven't truly betrayed you. I'm simply choosing a way that can protect our family."
Viola: "I don't care if it means opposing the World Government—I'll join the Flameblade Pirates as I wish."
Belo Betty: "Announcing it to the world, huh? He's going to stomp the World Nobles' pride into the dirt."
Boa Hancock: "Arton… you're incredible. Simply incredible."
Gion: "He's insane. Arton is a total lunatic!"
Stussy: "Fufu, what a reckless little fellow. Then again, maybe only a man this crazy could shake the world that's been under the Government's control for 800 years."
Shyarly: "Not only did he kill a World Noble, but he's also about to crush their pride—in front of the entire world, no less. Arton is even more unhinged than I imagined. If Fish-Man Island tries to ally with him, we'd have to be ready for the Government's retaliation. Princess Shirahoshi likely can't bond with Arton for his protection. As for me and Camie, maybe we can just abandon our status as residents of Fish-Man Island and join Arton as pirates. That way, the Navy and World Government won't punish Fish-Man Island on our account."
By now, Gion, Doll, Stussy, and the other Diary Copy holders fully realized how seriously Arton took his personal motto:
Repay kindness with kindness, repay hostility with vengeance. If there's a grudge, pay it back a hundredfold!
He truly wasn't bluffing. The World Nobles had wronged Arton, and he was set on paying them back in spades—hundreds, maybe thousands of times worse.
…
Inside the ship's infirmary, Tashigi wore an expression of alarm.
"M-Miss Carina… did Arton really mean what he said just now?"
"He's actually going to hang that World Noble on the execution platform?"
As soon as Arton left the infirmary, Tashigi turned to Carina, looking panicked.
"That's the captain's order—any issue with it, Tashigi?" Carina replied with a faint smile.
"B-but if we do that, Captain Smoker will definitely try to stop us. Then the Navy would clash with the Flameblade Pirates…"
Before she could finish, Carina suddenly placed both hands heavily on Tashigi's shoulders.
"Tashigi, take a good look—feel that '3' tattoo on your chest. You were the one who requested to join us. Arton agreed to free Hina at your plea, and he granted you Tier's power. Right now, you're a pirate—no longer a Marine. So before you worry about your old superior, you'd better think about us, and about our captain. If you can't do that, then even if Arton gets mad, I certainly won't forgive you."
"You once swallowed your outrage to face the World Nobles. Don't tell me you can't handle fighting the Navy now that you've become a pirate? If that's how you feel, why even join us? What are you here for—just to fool around?!"
Carina's tone was cold. Tashigi looked up in a daze, staring at her. Despite the time that had passed since she'd first been taken captive, Tashigi had never seen Carina appear this stern and unyielding. Even when Tashigi had been a prisoner, Carina had treated her with a friendly smile.
What Tashigi didn't realize was that Carina, as the crew's first member, had a deep attachment to this pirate band—second only to Arton. Though Arton had designated her the crew's thief, Carina quietly thought of herself as its vice-captain. So she felt obliged to help Arton protect the Flameblade Pirates.
Kaya, who had remained in the room, also spoke in a firm voice:
"Miss Tashigi, Carina is right. You're a pirate now. I understand that you still care about your former colleagues, but if we really do end up in battle, please remember your new identity. Didn't you speak with me before about seeing the world from a different perspective, seeking new ways to pursue justice? If so, that journey may come with sacrifices."
Hearing that, Tashigi turned to Kaya. Kaya's kindness was clear—despite being a pirate, she always acted like a real doctor, trying her best to help the sick. And yet, here she was, ready to fight the righteous Navy if it came down to it—so long as they were Arton's enemy.
Gazing at this seemingly gentle woman whose eyes glimmered with conviction, Tashigi's turbulent emotions began to settle.
Tier's aspect includes the concept of sacrifice. Perhaps, if I want to find justice, I have to sacrifice something…
"I understand," Tashigi said at last. "Miss Kaya, Miss Carina—I'll do my best as a pirate. However, if the Flameblade Pirates really do clash with Loguetown's Marines, please let me handle it."
She placed her hand over her chest, looking at Carina and Kaya resolutely.
"Hehe, that's more like it," Carina said, smiling as she patted Tashigi's shoulder. "That's the same Tashigi who dared stab a World Noble in front of the other Diary holders a few days ago. Granted, you haven't had that template for very long, but you've probably collected at least some points by now. As long as you don't transform into Tier's Resurreción form, your body should be able to handle Tier's powers in a fight against Loguetown's Marines. So, you can deal with your old Captain Smoker. Oh, and you can take that World Noble along, too."
Carina pointed at the male World Noble's corpse, which had been stuffed into a shabby burlap sack. In Arton's words, "Scum like the World Nobles only deserve a crummy cloth bag."
"Alright… Understood, Carina," Tashigi answered, taking a deep breath. She hefted the sack and exited the room. Her footsteps soon faded into the distance.
"Carina, are we sure it's okay to let Tashigi handle this?" Kaya asked after she left, concern evident in her tone.
"Hehe, what's there to worry about? Even though Tashigi once stabbed a World Noble in front of the other Diary Copy holders, she hasn't done so before the entire world. I don't think her resolve is truly set in stone, so I need to force her hand a bit," Carina said, folding her arms with a light laugh.
"Ah, I see…" Kaya murmured. She wasn't foolish—she quickly grasped Carina's meaning. If Tashigi appeared publicly helping Arton hoist a World Noble's corpse onto the scaffold, that would leave no escape route. Even if the female Marines with Diary Copies wanted to hide it, there would be no way.
"Let's go, Kaya," Carina said. "We have errands to run in Loguetown, restocking supplies before sailing to the Grand Line. Also, while it's unlikely, Gion and Garp are in the East Blue. If we run into them, we might face a tough fight."
Kaya nodded and was about to follow Carina out when both noticed a new message on their respective Diary Copies. Exchanging glances, they stepped through the door while turning their attention to the texts displayed on the Diaries.
[Photo: Loguetown!]
[At last, we've arrived in this Town of Beginning and End.]
[If I do a Lucky Draw right now, I bet my luck won't be too bad.]
[I've scraped together 1,000+ points these past few days – gotta be some big prize in store, right?]
"Arton's planning a lottery draw?" Carina raised her eyebrows, immediately grabbing Kaya's hand and rushing toward the deck. After all, it was an opportunity to witness Arton gaining more power, and as members of the Flameblade Pirates, they certainly didn't want to miss it.
...
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