"Report! Major Nezumi, a private warship has been spotted one nautical mile to the east, heading toward the island!"
A trembling sailor stood at attention, saluting as he delivered the message.
The man he addressed—short, narrow-eyed, and with teeth that jutted forward like a rat's—sat comfortably in his padded chair. His uniform was crisp, his medals polished, and his smirk reeked of arrogance.
Nezumi didn't even look up from his drink.
"I heard you the first time. Keep an eye on it. Report any changes."
"Yes, sir!"
As the sailor hurried out, Nezumi leaned back, swirling the wine in his glass. His beady eyes gleamed with cunning self-satisfaction.
"Ahh… the East Blue truly is paradise," he muttered. "No Admirals, no paperwork, no damn Celestial Dragons breathing down my neck. Here, I'm the law."
He grinned, revealing his rodent-like teeth.
For Nezumi, the East Blue was more than a post—it was his personal kingdom. The Navy was supposed to be an arm of justice, but here? Justice was whatever he said it was.
And today's performance—his "battle" with the Fishman pirate Arlong—was just another carefully rehearsed farce.
He chuckled to himself, tapping the desk with one gloved finger.
"Everything's in place. We shoot a few cannons, Arlong pretends to flee, and I report a glorious victory against a dangerous fugitive. Headquarters will shower me in praise, and I'll collect a nice share of tribute money afterward. Hahaha! Rank up, rewards, women… ah, life's good."
He sipped from his glass again and laughed in his shrill, nasal voice.
"Report, sir!" another sailor called, barging in. "The dragon-shaped warship is approaching fast—it looks like it intends to dock! Should we signal them to stay clear of the combat zone?"
Nezumi's expression twisted with irritation. His narrow eyes flared.
"Signal? You fool, if they're dumb enough to walk into danger, let them. Saves me the trouble of telling them twice."
"But, sir," the sailor stammered, "if they interfere, it could complicate—"
Nezumi slammed his hand down on the desk, his shrill voice rising.
"Are you the Major, or am I? Do you want to trade ranks? Obey orders!"
The sailor flinched. "N-No, sir! Understood!"
He fled the room like a frightened mouse.
Nezumi leaned back again, muttering under his breath.
"Idiots. Surrounded by idiots. Let the stranger walk into the fire if he wants. One less fool to worry about."
His grin returned—sleazy and smug. "Now then… time to wrap this up. The audience has seen enough of our little 'battle.' Prepare to retreat. Arlong has 'escaped.' Let's get our report ready."
"Yes, Major!"
His adjutant saluted eagerly, clearly just as corrupt as his superior.
On the Eternal Life, Tina stood by the helm, her gaze fixed on the three Navy warships still puffing black smoke in the distance. The sound of gunfire had begun to fade.
She sighed quietly. "The Navy... disappointing as ever. They didn't even signal us to stay back. If that's how they handle civilians…" She shook her head. "No wonder people fear them more than pirates."
The wind carried her words away, but her expression softened into something reflective. Since her argument with Jin earlier, her thoughts had been restless. But the quiet sea gave her time to think—and perhaps, to accept.
He was harsh, yes. But he wasn't wrong.
He's right, she admitted inwardly. I'm no longer a Navy officer. That uniform is gone. I have a new crew… a new home.
She looked toward the shore, where Jin's silhouette had already leapt onto the island.
A faint smile tugged at her lips, tinged with both affection and irritation.
"He really told me off like I was a child… hmph. I'll make him pay for that later. Let's see if he can ignore me then."
Meanwhile, on the island, Jin walked calmly through the jungle path, the faint scent of salt and damp earth in the air. He could still hear faint echoes of the Navy's cannons offshore, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
He rubbed his temple. "Maybe I was too sharp with her," he muttered. "I just don't want her dragging that uniform's ghost around forever."
His reflection was cut short by the sharp click of a gun's safety being released.
"Don't move!"
A sharp female voice rang out from the treeline. A group of villagers appeared, weapons raised—rifles, pitchforks, even butcher knives.
At their head stood a striking woman with short red hair, a cigarette dangling from her lips. She wore a checkered shirt, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"State your name and purpose!" she demanded. "And don't try anything funny!"
Jin raised his hands in mock surrender, an amused smirk curving his lips. "Relax. I'm not looking for trouble. My ship's been sailing for weeks without resupply. We just need food and basic supplies."
He pointed back toward the sea, where the Eternal Life's dragon-shaped figurehead gleamed in the sun.
"See that? That's my ship. We're not pirates. Not Navy. Just travelers."
The red-haired woman's brow furrowed. Her cigarette bobbed as she spoke. "We'll see about that. You stay right there until your ship docks."
Jin shrugged with good-natured patience. "Fair enough. You've got more discipline than most Marines I've met."
The villagers murmured among themselves, still gripping their makeshift weapons nervously. The tension slowly eased as the Eternal Life neared the shore.
From the corner of his eye, Jin could see the Navy ships shifting formation further out, their "battle" clearly coming to an end. He smirked. "Putting on a show, huh? So that rat-faced officer wasn't fighting at all. Figures."
Within minutes, the distant cannons went silent. The villagers relaxed, some dropping their weapons altogether.
"Look," one man said, shading his eyes. "The pirate ship's retreating!"
"The Fishmen are leaving?" another cried. "They're gone?"
"Guess we can breathe easy for now…" someone sighed.
Jin caught fragments of their words—Fishmen, Arlong Pirates, ran away—and pieced the story together quickly.
So the tyrant hadn't landed here yet. Lucky them.
"Seems the show's over," Jin said lightly. "You can relax. I'm not your enemy."
The red-haired woman finally lowered her gun, though her stance remained guarded. Up close, her expression was strong but weary—the kind that spoke of long years spent fighting to protect something fragile.
"You talk smooth for a stranger," she said, exhaling smoke. "What's your name?"
"Jin," he replied. "And you are?"
"Nojiko," she said flatly, blowing a thin trail of smoke. "And before you ask, this island's got nothing fancy—just a small farming village."
She glanced back at her people. "Cocoyasi Village. That's what you've stumbled into."
Jin's eyes flickered with recognition at the name.
Cocoyasi... so fate brought me here, huh?
He nodded, smiling faintly. "A quiet place, then. Just what I needed."
Nojiko didn't smile back. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, measuring, judging—then she jerked her chin toward the docks.
"Fine. You can buy your supplies. But cause trouble, and you'll be dealing with me first."
Jin chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
By the time the Eternal Life anchored, the villagers had dispersed, muttering cautiously but no longer hostile.
Makino was the first to step ashore, carrying a basket filled with goods to trade. Her gentle smile disarmed even the most suspicious locals.
Tina followed behind her, more subdued now, though her eyes darted around, assessing every detail of the village.
Guina walked silently at Jin's side, one hand resting casually on her sword.
"Looks peaceful," Makino said softly, taking in the rows of orange trees that stretched beyond the huts. "Almost… too peaceful."
"Peace never lasts long in seas like this," Jin replied. His gaze flicked toward the far end of the road, where a familiar shape of a windmill turned lazily in the breeze. "But maybe… for them, it's enough."
Guina's tone was calm, almost analytical. "This place has been under someone's thumb for a long time. You can feel it in the air."
Jin gave a small nod. "Yeah. Fear has a smell."
Far off the coast, Major Nezumi's ship was already retreating, his "mission accomplished."
Below deck, he hummed a self-satisfied tune as he wrote his falsified report.
"Arlong escaped once again, but his strength was weakened by our relentless assault," he narrated smugly while writing. "Yes, yes… that sounds convincing."
His adjutant laughed. "Congratulations, sir. Another victory for justice."
Nezumi grinned. "Justice always finds a way—especially when it pays well."
Back in Cocoyasi, the sun began to dip, washing the village in gold. The Eternal Life's crew sat together outside a small inn, a table laden with fresh food and fruit.
Makino leaned over, pouring wine for Jin. "You see? Peaceful dinner, no fights, no drama."
Jin smirked. "Don't jinx it."
Tina rolled her eyes. "You're paranoid."
"Experience," Jin corrected.
As if on cue, a faint tremor rolled through the ground—a distant explosion, muffled but real. The villagers froze.
Nojiko appeared at the edge of the street, eyes wide. "They're back."
Jin rose slowly from his chair, hand resting on his sword. "Arlong didn't retreat, then. He's circling back."
He smiled—not with fear, but with the faint, dangerous joy of a man who'd been waiting for something to hit.
"Looks like our peaceful dinner's over."
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T/N :
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