The navy warship slid into the harbor under countless watchful eyes.
A broad gangplank, nearly three meters wide, thudded down. Two rows of marines lined its edges with rifles at the ready, their faces set in rigid discipline. A crimson carpet unfurled from the top of the plank all the way to the dock below.
And only then did a figure in a long white coat saunter lazily down.
A gaunt face, a narrow chin beard, and eyes so squinted they were little more than slits.
"Tch. Such a show," Nami muttered with a curl of her lip. "I thought someone important was coming. Turns out it's just some greasy creep. Totally looks like a bad guy."
"Shhh, Nami!" Nojiko panicked, clamping a hand over her sister's mouth. "That man's no ordinary guest. He's a big shot. Don't say such things—you'll drag brother Shanu into trouble!"
"Hm?"
Colonel Nezumi's narrow eyes flicked toward them. He didn't catch the words, but he did notice the girls' feet on the very edge of his red carpet. Unsightly.
With a lazy wave, he signaled. Two marines exchanged helpless glances and moved forward to shove the sisters aside.
But before their hands could touch them, a strong arm shot out and barred their way.
"The 16th Branch Navy?"
Shanu gently pushed the soldiers back, lifting his gaze to the officer above. "Colonel, what brings you uninvited to our village?"
"Insolence!" Nezumi snapped. "Since when does the Navy need to announce its actions to mere villagers?"
He sniffed, pacing closer. "I've heard the Conomi Islands were ravaged by the Arlong Pirates. Their last sighting was here, in Cocoyasi Village. I've come to personally lead the capture. You're a villager—surely you know where those fish-men fled?"
"I don't," Shanu replied flatly.
Nezumi's smile turned sharp. "Don't? Or won't? … Think harder."
Of course, he was lying.
Half a month ago, he had received intelligence: Arlong, once a member of the Sun Pirates and wanted for twenty million, had brought his crew into the 16th Branch's waters.
Nezumi had quailed in fear. How could he confront such a threat?
He'd immediately contacted his patron, an older superior who had once promoted him. The advice was veiled but clear—turn a blind eye. More importantly, Arlong was known to be close to the current Warlord of the Sea, Jinbei. The government's seal of legitimacy could extend to him.
So Nezumi played deaf. Pleas for aid poured into his branch day after day, and he ignored them all.
Until days ago, rumors spread: the Arlong Pirates were already dead.
At that, joy bloomed in his greedy chest. Now was his chance to swoop in.
Back in the present, Nezumi waved his men to scatter the curious crowd of villagers, leaving only Shanu before him. His voice softened, oily and coaxing.
"Then let's be frank. I have reports those fish-men perished here. Surely you've seen their bodies?"
He raised two fingers. "Don't worry. Cooperate, and you'll be rewarded for supporting the Navy's work."
"Two hundred thousand Berries?" Shanu arched a brow.
Nezumi scowled. "Two thousand! Don't get greedy, boy. Even when I take credit for such a victory, headquarters will toss me maybe a few hundred thousand at best!"
Shanu sneered inwardly. Liar. The real plan was obvious—he'd already arranged for cronies to cash in the bounties, then split the profit.
Enough. Shanu didn't intend to waste words. Yet he also couldn't risk Nezumi swaggering into the village and harassing people. So he cut cleanly:
"I killed them."
"…What did you say?" Nezumi blinked, caught off guard.
"I killed them all. Sixty-seven men. Every last one of the Arlong Pirates." Shanu's voice was cool. He turned his head. "Manba!"
"Here, boss!" came the booming reply from the ship.
"Bring out the heads. Line them up for Colonel Nezumi to see."
"Yes, boss!"
A short while later, the frozen heads of fish-men were laid out along the ship's side. Preserved in ice, their faces were grotesquely vivid—mouths open, eyes bulging, still twisted in terror.
Nezumi's jaw dropped. "Th-these… these are real…"
"Colonel," a lieutenant murmured at his side, "shall we verify them?"
"No need!" Nezumi barked hastily, cutting him off. He knew those wanted posters by heart; he'd drooled over them too often to mistake them now.
This was indeed the entire Arlong crew, every bounty accounted for.
"Unbelievable! Unbelievable!"
Laughter burst out of him, and in an instant his demeanor flipped. He reached out to clap Shanu's shoulder with syrupy warmth.
"Such promise at your age! To take down such pirates single-handedly—why, you're a hero! And here I was wondering why you lingered on the dock. Heading to claim the bounty, were you?"
"Correct. I've already contacted the 77th Branch." Shanu sidestepped neatly out of reach of the man's hand.
"77th Branch?"
Nezumi's eyes widened. He leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"My young friend, you don't understand. For famed bounty hunters, claiming the full prize is already a nightmare. For a mere villager like you? When you get there, they'll sing you sweet words but in the end you'll be lucky to walk away with a third of what you're owed."
Shanu's silence was sharp as a knife.
"…If you've got something to say, spit it out."
Nezumi chuckled, forcing lightness back into his voice. "All I mean is—why go so far? Hand the heads to me instead. Since fate has brought us together, I'll break precedent and split the reward evenly. Fifty-fifty. Fair deal, eh?"
"..."
Shanu turned away, bored. "Nojiko, Nami. We're leaving."
"Coming!" The sisters, who'd been watching with sparkling eyes, scampered to his side.
"Stop right there!"
The sudden roar froze the air. Nezumi's hand trembled with rage as he yanked a pistol free, aiming straight at their backs.
"Who gave you permission to leave?! This is insubordination! Contempt for the Navy!"
Shanu slowly turned his head. His gaze fell on the black muzzle of the gun, and his eyes narrowed to cold slits.