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-Royal Ship of Alabasta-
"Why didn't you keep her with you?"
"Hancock will surely grow into a stunning beauty. Even now, at fifteen or sixteen, she's already showing the features of great beauty,"
Eveya said, gazing at the Sabaody coastline, her tone carrying a hint of something unspoken.
"Letting her go will give her a better future," Arashi replied faintly.
He had long since grown accustomed to the subtle jealousy in the words of his trusted adjutant. After years of working together, they understood each other deeply.
"Sometimes, I wonder what kind of woman could possibly spend her life with a man like you," Eveya sighed, her voice tinged with melancholy.
"I haven't thought about it," Arashi said, shaking his head.
"What about Hancock?" Eveya pressed further.
Arashi smiled knowingly. "I can hear the jealousy in your voice loud and clear."
"Vice Admiral!" Eveya's face turned red with embarrassment.
"Go handle what needs to be done! There's still a pile of work waiting in the West Blue,"
Arashi said, his tone shifting to seriousness. He paused, then sighed deeply, his brows furrowing. "We also need to start paying attention to Alabasta."
"Notify Bullet to select a group of instructors, disguise them, and start training the kingdom's forces here," he added.
After a moment of hesitation, Arashi continued, "Forget it. Have Bullet personally oversee the mission for a while."
"The strength of Alabasta's royal army must be improved as soon as possible. We may need them in the future."
The mention of work snapped Eveya back to focus. "Understood!" she responded with determination.
As Eveya turned to leave, Arashi's gaze became contemplative.
The trip to the Holy Land had heightened his sense of urgency and provided a glimpse into the immense power of the World Government.
"How much more time will it take to train my subordinates to the level where they can rival such forces?"
Arashi muttered to himself, then sighed again. "Probably not in the near future."
He leaned back, deep in thought. "Relying solely on training might not be enough."
"Recruiting, allying with, and winning over people with potential seems like a more reliable approach. If only I could take full control of the Marines…"
His eyes gleamed with ambition as the idea unfolded in his mind.
While it might be nearly impossible under Kong's leadership, the next era under Sengoku—given their unbreakable bond—presented a real opportunity.
If he could seize control of the Marines, he would instantly command an immense pool of elite forces: legends like Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru, along with rising stars such as Kizaru and Kuzan.
"And with Vegapunk's science and his artificial soldiers…" Arashi's eyes shone with excitement.
"But this is a long-term plan. Before that, I'll need to gain the Marines' trust, lay low, and quietly build up strength. No reckless moves."
He whispered these words softly, as if reminding himself, before letting the thought fade into silence.
-One Month Later, Alabasta-
The ship arrived in Alabasta, where Arashi bid farewell to Cobra. The king appeared visibly sorrowful and reluctant to part ways.
"I will assign people to train the royal guard," Arashi reassured him.
"This will enhance Alabasta's top-tier combat power. As for your needs regarding weapons, I'll arrange for them to be handled discreetly."
Cobra sighed and nodded. "I leave it to you, then. If our family's secret is exposed, we will be at odds with them."
"Before that happens, we must strengthen our forces in every way possible."
Arashi smiled and gave a slight nod before the two parted ways. His warship quickly set sail, cutting through the Calm Belt toward the West Blue.
As the Supreme Commander of the West Blue, there were numerous affairs waiting for his attention.
-Fish-Man Island-
"Big Brother Tiger is back!"
"Really? He escaped from the Celestial Dragons?"
"That's incredible! Big Brother Tiger is a hero!"
Excited voices filled the streets as countless figures rushed out to surround Fisher Tiger, who stood in the center of the crowd.
The fish-men's faces were lit with joy and admiration.
As a long-standing leader in Fish-Man District, Fisher Tiger had earned the love and respect of many through his strength and unwavering character.
"Big Brother Tiger, how did you escape?" a simple-looking figure asked curiously from the crowd.
Fisher Tiger frowned but relaxed slightly when he saw who had spoken. "Jinbe, we'll talk about it later."
"You must have suffered terribly there!" another voice shouted.
"It's all humanity's fault. Please lead us out to sea so that we can teach those hateful humans a lesson!"
"Arlong, rein in your hatred," Fisher Tiger rebuked sternly. "Not all humans are bad!"
"Are you going to act this time? If you do, please take us with you!" a voice from the left exclaimed passionately.
"Hody Jones, you're not wrong," Fisher Tiger replied.
"I do have plans this time. But first, I need to head to Ryugu Palace to meet with King Neptune and Queen Otohime."
"Why do you need to meet with them?" Jinbe asked, his tone filled with curiosity.
"We might share some common ground," Fisher Tiger replied, his eyes glinting as his voice lowered.
The people of Fish-Man District were puzzled. They didn't understand what their leader meant. Moments later, Fisher Tiger arrived at Ryugu Palace.
His sudden appearance shocked the fishmen guarding the gates, as almost everyone knew he had been captured by the Celestial Dragons.
Soon after, King Neptune invited Fisher Tiger inside.
"It's truly unbelievable!" Neptune exclaimed. "To enter such a place and still manage to escape!"
"Fisher Tiger, you're nothing short of a hero for the Fish-Man race!"
Neptune's words carried the sentiments of countless fishmen.
For generations, Fish-Man Island had suffered at the hands of humans, their people often enslaved.
Being taken to Mary Geoise was almost always a death sentence, marked by unimaginable torment.
Escaping from such a place made Fisher Tiger a figure of awe, even reverence—a true hero of the Fish-Man race, as Neptune put it.
"I lived through a hell on earth," Fisher Tiger said, his voice heavy. "Even now, though I've escaped, the mere thought of that place makes me tremble."
He ignored Neptune's praise, his fiery eyes, and clenched fists reflecting the pain and anger within.
"But there are still countless others who are trapped, suffering the same endless torment as I did!" he said through gritted teeth.
"I can't understand it. Humans, fishmen—we're all equal! And yet, they're capable of such unimaginable cruelty!"
Fisher Tiger growled. "I can't bear it anymore—I must act!"
His words took both Neptune and Queen Otohime by surprise.
Especially the queen, who felt the sorrow and anguish in his voice. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over in an instant.
"What do you intend to do?" Neptune asked, his voice steady as he took a deep breath.
For a moment, Fisher Tiger's gaze was lost in thought but quickly grew resolute.
He remembered the man who had saved him in Mary Geoise, the figure illuminated by the sun behind him.
"The sun!" Fisher Tiger declared. "I will bring the sun to every slave!"
The determination in his voice shook Neptune.
"This world isn't filled with only bad people," Fisher Tiger continued.
"Some believe in equality—between humans and fish-men alike!"
"I will spread the seeds of the sun! I will free every slave and liberate the minds bound by chains of ignorance!"
With those words, Fisher Tiger turned and left. Neptune and Queen Otohime watched his figure fade into the distance, their eyes filled with respect.
-Amazon Lily-
"Boa Hancock! You're finally back!"
"Where have you all been these past years?" Elder Nyon exclaimed in delight.
"We didn't go anywhere!" the three sisters replied in unison, exchanging glances.
They had decided to hide their dark history of being enslaved by the Celestial Dragons. To them, it was a lifelong shame they could never reveal.
"We're going to train hard," Boa Hancock declared, her voice resolute. "One day, we'll gain the strength to stand as equals with that man!"
"Good! Such ambition suits you!" Elder Nyon laughed. "The next ruler of Amazon Lily will be you!"
"The ruler of Amazon Lily?" Boa Hancock murmured, her heart stirred. "That should be enough to pursue that man, shouldn't it?"
Her eyes shone with newfound determination.
-The Year 1509 of the Sea Calendar-
Arashi was busy handling affairs in the West Blue while also gathering rare materials and minerals for Vegapunk, who had persistently requested them.
According to Vegapunk, the modifications on Kozuki Oden, sent years ago, were nearing completion. This left Arashi puzzled until Vegapunk explained.
"That guy's body was already at its limit. Even retaining consciousness will be a challenge," Vegapunk had said.
"I'm doing my best with the modifications. If I'm lucky, I might awaken his consciousness. If not, don't get your hopes up too much."
It was clear that Kozuki Oden had been brain-dead since he was sent to Skypiea by Zeus.
"On the other hand, the modifications to Golden Lion's body were a success," Vegapunk added.
"He's now a fully functional cyborg. I call him PX-Golden Lion—a symbol of peace!"
"The first-generation Seraphim units have also reached their fifth update," Vegapunk continued.
"Using the Lunarian bloodline factors you provided, they're capable of simple lightning and fire-based attacks. However, mass production is still out of reach."
"PX-Golden Lion and the Pacifistas will soon prove useful," Vegapunk assured.
"While they're slightly weaker than the Seraphim, their production cost is far more efficient."
Although pleased by the progress, Arashi felt a twinge of disappointment. Kozuki Oden remained incomplete, stuck in a vegetative state.
For now, all he could do was wait.
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