Nezumi stared at Kai, an uneasy feeling creeping into his chest.
Something about this harmless-looking young man felt… dangerous.
More importantly, the brat knew his secret.
“Kill him!” Nezumi barked immediately.
This guy wasn’t part of the original plan anyway.
Just some nobody.
If he died here, nobody would care.
Kai let out a mocking laugh.
“How ironic, Captain.”
“You order executions the moment someone annoys you.
Is this what Marine justice looks like these days?”
He slowly shook his head and raised two fingers casually.
“In that case… I guess I’ll have to send all of you on your way.”
Nezumi frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“Shh.” Kai lifted a finger to his lips with a smile.
“Someone’s calling for you.”
“Calling for me?” Nezumi looked completely confused.
“What nonsense are you spewing?”
Kai’s grin widened.
“The Grim Reaper.”
The instant those words fell, his eyes sharpened.
Then he snapped his fingers.
“Boom.”
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Tiny robotic bombs that had secretly attached themselves to the Marines detonated all at once.
The explosions erupted like fireworks, instantly throwing the entire group into chaos.
Smoke, flames, and screams filled the air.
When the dust settled, only one Marine remained alive.
Kai smiled brightly at the trembling survivor.
Blood stained one side of his face, turning that warm smile into something horrifying.
To the terrified Marine, he looked less like a human and more like a devil.
“Relax,” Kai said casually.
“I’m not going to kill you.”
The Marine shook uncontrollably, barely able to stay standing.
Kai patted him lightly on the shoulder.
“Go back to your base and deliver a message.”
“Tell them that this corrupt scumbag was executed by me.”
“The future great pirate of these seas.”
Nezumi dying here was fine.
But Kai had no intention of letting Cocoyasi Village take the blame for it.
“Y-Yes…!”
“I-I understand…”
The Marine’s teeth clattered violently from fear.
His legs barely obeyed him anymore.
Kai nodded in satisfaction.
Then his expression suddenly turned cold.
“Now get lost.”
The Marine instantly stumbled away, practically crawling as he fled in terror.
Watching him disappear into the distance, Kai narrowed his eyes slightly.
Did that idiot really think he’d been spared?
Not a chance.
When Kai had patted the Marine’s shoulder earlier, he had secretly attached two tiny robots onto him.
One was a tracking robot.
The other…
Another bomb.
The moment that Marine reported everything back at headquarters, the explosive would activate.
Kai had never planned to spare any of them.
Not the soldiers.
Not the corrupt officers.
None of them.
Turning back around, Kai walked toward Nami and knelt beside her.
Ignoring Genzo’s murderous glare nearby, Kai gently pulled the trembling girl into his arms.
“Do you finally see reality now, Nami?”
Tears filled Nami’s eyes as she grabbed onto his clothes tightly.
“Why…?”
“Why did it turn out like this?!”
“I just wanted to save my village…”
That was all she had ever wanted.
For years she risked her life over and over again.
She endured fear, humiliation, loneliness…
And in the end, it had all been meaningless.
Nami clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms.
Hatred flooded her heart.
“I hate him…”
“If I’d known this would happen…”
“I should’ve fought them from the very beginning!”
Kai sighed softly.
“Arlong never intended to free any of you.”
“He only told you that because it made controlling you easier.”
“A person with hope keeps living.”
Your maps.
Your genius.
Your value.
That was why he kept her alive.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Nami’s cheeks.
Her hand suddenly grabbed the tattoo of the Arlong Pirates on her shoulder with desperate force, nails digging into her skin as if she wanted to rip it off herself.
“Arlong…”
“Arlong!”
“ARLONG!!”
Kai immediately caught her wrist, stopping her from hurting herself further.
Nami slowly raised her tear-filled eyes toward him.
“Kai…”
“Help me…”
Kai smiled gently and placed a hand on her head.
“Alright.”
“I’ll destroy this nightmare for you.”
Then he stood and looked toward Genzo.
“Take care of Nami.”
“And don’t let her rush into Arlong Park.”
Going there right now would only deepen her pain.
Genzo’s expression turned complicated.
This kid…
He actually intended to face Arlong himself?
“…Fine,” Genzo finally answered quietly.
“In that case, I’ll forgive you for hugging my daughter earlier.”
Even so, this was their village’s fight.
There was no way they could allow a single young man to challenge Arlong Park alone.
Watching Kai walk away into the distance, Genzo clenched his fists.
Then he turned toward Nami with burning determination.
“Nami.”
“I’m gathering everyone.”
“We’re ending this today.”
Nami looked startled.
“But…”
“No buts!” Genzo roared angrily.
“Arlong already destroyed our last hope!”
“There’s no reason left to keep enduring this!”
Instead of crawling through life in fear…
They would fight.
Even if they died today, they would die standing like proud people.