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Black Maria: "Well, that was simple—Arton dealt with the Navy in a snap."
Ulti: "That Marine woman who withstood Arton's Conqueror's Haki isn't some pushover, but he used drugs instead of his fists? Tch, that's shameful. A real man should talk with his knuckles!"
Stussy: "Is Arton… sparing the fairer sex?"
Ain: "His treatment of Vice Admiral Doll and the others is different from how he handled Vice Admiral Gion. Maybe Doll never left him a bad impression."
Reiju: "That scene must have been snapped easily by the press. I wonder how the Marines will react when they see their elite felled so fast. If Father hears of it… what will he think of Arton?"
Galette: "Whatever the case, those women Marines going down is good news. Now the Navy should give up trying to cozy up to Arton—he'll never be their ally."
Gion: "Just where does Arton plan to take Doll and the others?"
Sadi: "Don't tell me he's going to capture Doll's group the same way he did Hina's?"
Many diary-holders wore mocking smiles at how easily Doll and the rest were dropped and hauled off by Kaya, while the women Marines were deeply worried—especially ex-Marine Tashigi.
She had only just persuaded Arton to let Hina go here in Loguetown; must she now figure out how to make him release Doll and the others as well?
The thought filled her with anxiety—and Hina too.
…
Inside the café, Hina looked at the unconscious Doll, Kujaku, and Hibari just delivered by Kaya, and turned a troubled gaze to Carina lounging beside her.
"What do you intend to do with them?" Hina asked.
Carina twirled her coffee cup. "It's not what I intend to do to them—but what you intended to do to us."
"You girls really can't let go. Gion already failed once, yet you still tried to sneak to Captain Arton's side? Honestly… do you think that's possible? Arton may not know about diary replicas, but we do. Or do you take us for idiots you can fool so easily?"
Hina lowered her head; the women Marines knew full well how hard infiltration was.
But with Arton knowing both past and future and holding power to reshape the world, they had to try for the Navy's sake, no matter the odds.
"My advice—drop the idea of slipping into the Flameblade Pirates. Keep pushing, and I can't promise we won't resort to… extreme measures."
Carina patted Hina's shoulder and looked out through the café window—out there, with no Marines left to interfere, Arton could continue telling the reporters exactly why he killed a World Noble.
…
Ellie, swallowing hard, verified. "So—you fired back because that World Noble ordered a bombardment on you, sank your ship… and that's why you took revenge and killed him?"
Arton folded his arms. "That's right."
Reporters felt their worldview implode.
Anyone else shelled by a World Noble would hide and thank heaven to be alive; Arton not only struck back, he succeeded—despite every World Noble being guarded. Still, remembering Arton's power—strong enough to fell Shiki and Mihawk—they found it believable.
"There's another thing. I founded a pirate crew, killed Shiki, beat Mihawk—yet the Navy still hasn't issued a single bounty on me. Honestly, it hurts my feelings. I took out big names—don't I deserve at least a poster?"
Arton spread his hands in mock grievance.
"So, while killing that World Noble, I was also venting at Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Now that I've offed a World Noble, surely he'll slap a bounty on me."
Ellie nearly froze—was he implying he killed a World Noble because Sengoku ignored him? If the World Government believed that, Sengoku would be chewed out royally.
Ellie forced herself calm: Arton hates fake news; twisting it onto Sengoku could anger him and the Navy. She must stick to the facts.
"And… the other World Noble? You said a female World Noble also gave the order to shell you—what will you do about her?"
Arton grinned, patted Ellie's shoulder, then vaulted back onto the scaffold.
"I'm a petty man—can't stomach grudges. Those two World Nobles blew up the ship I spent a fortune to rent, and I lost piles of… documents—no, spiritual treasures. Of course I'll have words with both."
Arton pointed at the corpse skewered behind him.
"As you see, this male World Noble had a very pleasant talk with me. We reached mutual understanding: I forgave him, and he bears no resentment toward me. I think such dialogue is worth promoting. I'll seek the same heart-to-heart with that female World Noble."
Reporters were dumbfounded.
A pleasant talk? One party lay dead. True, with a corpse there's no hatred left—but still.
They did grasp one thing: Arton absolutely intended to go after the other World Noble—likely to kill her, too.
Arton's smile vanished; his expression turned grim.
"World Noble Shalria, of the Rosward line—I learned your name from the late Saint Charlos. Just as he paid the price, so will you."
"Wait for me, Shalria. Until I find you—don't you dare die for any other reason."
He spoke in a low, oppressive voice, yet without using Conqueror's Haki; still, the reporters felt suffocated, as though the pressure itself were crushing them. Was Arton speaking through the press—ordering them to relay his message?
Before anyone could breathe, Arton drew the sword at his waist and swung.
Flame wrapped the corpse; within moments it was ash, gone from the world.
Arton rested the blade on his shoulder and flashed a feral grin at the lenses.
"Well then—I've made my move. How will you handle me now, World Government?"
...
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