That's right, it's not him who should die, but the system!
Shano has endured this for a long time!
The most troublesome aspect of this broken system is that you have to wait until the sacrifice is successful to see the value of the points and the appraisal review.
Previously, when he wasn't present, he thought this thing was just an ordinary old photo used for signatures and wasn't worth much.
Who would have thought that to Tashigi, it would have such important significance.
He quite liked the impression of this Sword Fool Girl from the manga, just like Smoker, someone who could adhere to their path of justice within the Navy.
Now, due to various coincidences, she is not very familiar with Smoker yet but has already become his devoted admirer.
It made his conscience, after a long time, feel a faint pain.
He must compensate well!
He pondered for a while and then made a plan in his mind.
He quietly got up and went to the first floor, took out a bamboo blade from his backpack slot, signed his name on it, and handed it to the female shop owner.
"Please help me keep this, and when that Navy girl comes again, give it to her. Tell her that I have kept her photo as a memento, and this is my training sword that has accompanied me for many years. As a return gift, I hope she cherishes it."
"No problem. That girl also instructed me, so rest assured!"
The female shop owner took it with a smile.
Only then did Shano feel at ease, and he returned to the window seat on the second floor and started eating heartily.
For Tashigi, this should count as an explanation, right?
As for where the bamboo blade came from...
It was just a few years ago that he happened to come across it at the trading market, and since it was cheap, he bought it as a souvenir, rarely taking it out from his backpack.
Now, it's the perfect example of putting things to good use—
[Sakata Gintoki's Lake Toya]
[Type: Equipment]
[Price: 30 points]
[Description: A typical factory-produced wooden sword that Sakata Gintoki bought for 1000 yen from a TV shopping show, including postage]
[Seller's remark: I crouched in the All-Purpose Shop's wardrobe for three days and nights, finally got my chance! Huh, why does it seem like there's someone here in the neighboring wardrobe too?]
...
After finishing lunch, it was already past one in the afternoon.
This second-floor position had a great view, almost able to capture the full view of the square, along with the execution platform.
The group didn't hurriedly leave and quietly appreciated the rainy scenery by the window.
"Hmm, strange."
Nojiko furrowed her brows, "The rain keeps getting heavier, yet the crowd gathering in the square doesn't decrease; instead, it's increasing."
The others also noticed this.
Looking across the square.
The people clustering at the execution platform keeps increasing.
Many of them carried weapons, had robust physiques, and had fierce expressions, clearly not ordinary people.
"It seems like it was eighteen years ago, during the days Roger was executed?" Zeff speculated, "During this period, it's not surprising that more and more pirates came to Log Town for pilgrimage, and they're gathering here today."
"Also, it might be related to the island's lax defense, isn't it because Colonel Smoker hasn't returned yet."
Kuina shrugged and added, "I've heard that when he's around, the pirates are terrified when they arrive on the island, afraid of revealing their identities and being caught, but now most of the Marines have been transferred to the docks to welcome some big shot coming, so naturally the pirates on the island are gathering freely without any worries."
Shano glanced, surveyed the scene, and upon not finding any familiar faces, retracted his gaze.
The purpose of his visit to Log Town has always been the execution platform itself.
As for these small fries, as long as they behave, he wouldn't bother dealing with them.
Of course.
If these pirates were mindless and took advantage of Smoker's absence to start looting and hurting the locals here...
Then he wouldn't hold back.
"Speaking of which, Captain..."
"Hmm?"
Shano turned his head, looking at the person who spoke.
It was Kuina.
She had something on her mind for a long time, now stirred by the rain, she struggled and finally couldn't help:
"It's been so long, you seem to have never mentioned it to us, what exactly is the dream you're pursuing at sea?"
Can't blame her for being curious.
Dreams pursued by youth are more precious than gold.
Shano is eighteen this year, an age naturally filled with endless aspirations and dreams.
He has indeed talked about dreams a lot, for instance, taking her around the world to face all swordsmen, to become the world's recognized Great Sword Master;
He also said he would help Mr. Zeff fulfill his lifelong dream, finding that chefs' dream sea, ALL BULE;
He even mentioned, since that little girl Nami ignorantly boasted about charting the entire world, he'd lead her to achieve it since he's her brother...
Nearly all the crew's dreams are carried on his shoulders.
Yet... he never mentioned the dream he, as the captain, himself wanted to pursue!
Nami, Nojiko, Zeff... even Ah Yin turned their gaze, fixing on Shano's face.
They too have been curious for a long time.
Under everyone's gaze.
Shano shrugged, took the post-meal tea, and took a sip.
"I've always felt that dreams are a phased thing."
He looked at Nami and Nojiko, smiling, "When I was young and ignorant, all I thought about was how to make these two mischievous brats call me brother sincerely, that was my dream then."
"Later on, the dream gradually became protecting family, becoming strong, very strong, strong enough that in the entire East Sea, any pirate coming to find trouble couldn't withstand my punch!"
"What about now! Don't think of brushing it off, Captain!"
Kuina stared straight into his eyes, "The current captain, you've already become strong, haven't you? Haven't all the previous dreams been achieved? So what are the dreams you want to pursue now and in the future?"
The current dream...
Shano fell silent for a long time.
He turned his head, gazing through the rain, looking out at the execution platform.
Wind and rain have beaten down for eighteen years, yet it still faces the sea, towering high.
The crowd is still bustling, filling the square just like eighteen years ago, making him hallucinate the time when he saw that person kneeling down but laughing freely.
"Gold Roger, the Pirate King who owned wealth, fame, power, everything in this world, said something before his execution and made people across the world flock to the sea"
"Want my treasure?"
"If you want it... go look for it out there; I left everything there!"
...
Eighteen years ago.
The Pirate King Roger, suffering from a terminal illness, after a drink under Whitebeard's cherry blossoms, surrendered himself.
Before execution, he shouted to the world with those words.
Thus, the Great Pirate Era officially began.
And now, eighteen years passed, besides the oceans becoming more tumultuous and pirates increasing, it seems nothing else changed.
The Heavenly Celestial Dragons and World Government remain high above, looking down on all beings, the civilians caught between the heavenly tax and pirate looting, suffering unspeakably.
What is everybody waiting for?
What did Roger see at Laugh Tale that made him laugh so relievedly?!
Could it be that everything really waited for that destined child from eight hundred years ago?
Waiting for him to turn white-haired six years later, no matter the circumstance, laugh madly like a lunatic to overthrow this crappy old order?!
Destiny and bloodline are bullshit!
Shano refused to believe it!!!
"Since everyone is so eager to know, I might as well say it now, my dream is..."
He glanced around the table, grinned, just about to speak—
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion of artillery shells suddenly tore through the rain, exploding in everyone's ears!