OPTC Chapter 325: No Allegiance Feels Pretty Good
Not only Rui Meng Meng found it familiar—everyone except Wendy and Carla did. They had seen this island before, though not on the sea, but in the sky.
It was one of the islands the Golden Lion had brought to the East Blue—Merveille.
The island's most distinctive features were the poisonous Daft-Green trees and the detoxifying I.Q plants.
At that time, the Marines had asked Issho to help move the islands. The residents, unwilling to return to the dangerous Grand Line, chose to stay in the East Blue instead. Thus, the island was placed near Shells Town, home to the Marine 153rd Branch.
Perona frowned. "That's not right. I remember that uncle returned the same day he moved this island, so why did it take us so long to get here?"
"Because we didn't sail this way at first," Shark Chili explained. "We went treasure hunting, sightseeing—basically circled around the East Blue. If we head about fifteen degrees southeast from here, we'll reach the frozen sea from before in three days."
"So we're revisiting an old place," Zhang Da Ye said. "Let's take a look. I wonder how the villagers are doing here now. We fought for them against the Golden Lion but never actually met them—everything we knew came from the Flag Spirits' recon reports."
Perona turned to Wendy, her eyes lighting up. "This is where I did parkour on the island last time! Riding a mammoth while leading a horde of enemies around the island—it was awesome!"
"I wonder how that mammoth's doing," Perona added wistfully. "We released it afterward."
"It's probably dead," Ye Yan said, wearing a bright red apple suit, complete with a brown stem and green leaf on top of his head. His arms and legs stuck out like an apple spirit come to life.
Ignoring Perona's glare, Ye Yan continued, "The Marines said they'd help the villagers hunt down the mutated beasts. That mammoth was probably on the list."
Perona deflated. "That's terrible…"
Zhang Da Ye added casually, "A shame, really. We should've roasted it ourselves."
Perona's eyes widened. "You're a monster!"
"I'm just curious what mammoth meat tastes like," Zhang Da Ye said. He noticed Artoria and Tom both look slightly disappointed, and he wondered if he should try roasting Drought Jack next time.
They steered the Amber toward Merveille's side.
Merveille was now physically connected to Shells Town. From above, it looked like a giant gourd. The two landmasses weren't linked by a bridge but by land reclamation—someone had literally filled the sea between them with material to form a wide causeway.
As for the filler… after diving to investigate, Shark Chili concluded it was made from massive spherical objects, likely meteors, broken apart and packed into the gap. Some spots even showed marks of molten rock cooling rapidly.
Zhang Da Ye whistled. "Uncle Issho really goes above and beyond. The Marines better have paid him tens of millions for this."
Artoria tilted her head. "Uncle Issho did this?"
"Most likely. He probably used Observation Haki to locate meteors and then his Gravity Fruit powers to pull them down," Zhang Da Ye said. "He's basically a walking natural disaster—just like the other Admirals."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Wendy hugged Carla, her eyes wide with awe. This was only the second time she'd heard about Issho. The ability to control gravity, summon meteors, and move islands—he sounded incredible. But she couldn't understand why Artoria called him someone who always loses at gambling.
Ye Yan sniffed. "Using meteors to pave roads… isn't that dangerous? What about radiation?"
Zhang Da Ye shrugged. "Maybe not. The space in this world is weird anyway. Enel flew to the moon on a golden ship, and a bunch of robots got there using balloons. There's probably air up there. So these meteors are likely harmless."
Shells Town and Merveille each had a port. The Amber docked at Merveille's, where a merchant ship was unloading goods and dozens of workers were carrying bundles to and from the docks.
As soon as Zhang Da Ye's crew disembarked, a few laborers came over to offer their services as porters. After he politely refused, they walked away, a bit disappointed.
"Looks like we've made a name for ourselves," Zhang Da Ye said. "But not a famous one yet."
"That's not true! In our village, everyone knows our benefactors!" a man nearby suddenly said.
He was a middle-aged man—not particularly strong, wearing worn clothes with frayed shoulders. Despite the cold season, his outfit looked suited for summer, and a towel hung around his neck for wiping sweat.
Zhang Da Ye and the others looked at him curiously. "And you are?"
The man looked both excited and nervous. "My name's Paul. I was one of the villagers enslaved by the Golden Lion for nearly ten years. Thanks to you and the Marines defeating him, I'm finally free!"
Apparently, Vice Admiral Strawberry had been fair when reporting the aftermath—he gave the Marines their credit but hadn't erased the Amber crew's role.
"The man who just approached you earlier was from Shells Town, so he didn't recognize you," Paul said earnestly. "But everyone in our village knows the Amber Travel Group!" He bowed deeply. "Thank you—thank you for saving us!"
"Oh, no need to be so formal," Zhang Da Ye said. "We did take quite a bit of bounty money after all. How's life here in the East Blue treating you?"
"It's wonderful! As long as we're willing to work, we can live comfortably. My family no longer fears beast attacks—all thanks to you!" Paul's eyes shone with gratitude. "Please, let us host you for a meal!"
"That's not necessary, and you still have work," Zhang Da Ye said, trying to decline. He didn't care much about formalities—they could just grab food later in Shells Town.
"It's fine, I was about to finish for the day anyway. My home's humble, but please don't mind!" Paul insisted.
The group exchanged looks, then decided to accept—might as well see how the island had changed.
As they walked, a crowd naturally gathered. Some people recoiled when they saw Brook, but after glancing at Ye Yan and Shark Chili, they assumed it was just a convincing skeleton mask—though a bit too realistic.
"This port was just built last month," Paul explained. "A lot of us work here—the pay's good. Even people from Shells Town come over."
The crew noticed many changes. The island's dense jungle had been cleared in parts, replaced with a wide road from the port to the village.
Many Daft-Green trees had been cut down or stripped of bark, and workers in protective suits were busy among them.
"Ugh, it smells awful," Wendy said, covering her nose. Dragon Slayers had sharp senses, and the Daft-Green odor made her dizzy.
Carla grimaced. "Just smelling it makes me want to run away."
Paul gave an apologetic smile. "Those trees were originally used to repel wild beasts, but yes—their smell is bad. Walking near them's fine, but inhaling too much can cause poisoning. Animals avoid it completely, so maybe that's why the cats don't like it?"
Tom looked around, realizing that as a cat, he should probably dislike it too, and quickly covered his nose as well.
Zhang Da Ye patted Tom's head, rummaged behind him, and pulled out two gas masks, handing them to Wendy and Carla. Somehow, they were the perfect size.
Tom, catching on, immediately put one on too.
"What are those people in suits doing?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
"They're clearing out the trees," Paul said. "With the beasts gone, the poisonous ones became a danger. But someone from the nearby town said the bark can be used in medicine, so we sell it and share the profit."
Rui Meng Meng asked, "But stripping the bark kills the tree, doesn't it? What happens when they're all gone?"
"Then they're gone," Paul said simply. "They're poisonous anyway. The village chief said anyone brave enough to replant them can have a corner of land, but we'll mostly sow I.Q seeds around the island—they help prevent poisoning and can be sold as medicine too."
Paul's eyes shone with hope. Having suffered so long, he cherished peace all the more.
His home wasn't far from the village entrance, and the house looked new—probably recently built.
"I'm home!" Paul called as he opened the door.
A woman's voice answered, "You're back early today."
"I brought guests—our saviors!"
"What saviors—" she started, then gasped as she ran out. Seeing the group, her eyes went wide and fixed on Tom. "It really is them! Please, come in!"
"Sorry to intrude!" everyone chorused.
"This is my wife, Daya," Paul said proudly. "We've been married ten years, but not long after the wedding, every man in our village was taken by the Golden Lion for labor. We barely ever saw home."
If not for the Golden Lion's defeat, they might still be apart. After thanking the crew again, Paul added enthusiastically, "That's why we still don't have children—but I've been working hard at it lately!"
Daya blushed and smacked him on the arm, mortified. Saying such things in front of guests! She forced a smile and hurried to pour tea.
Perona gave Paul a look of utter disgust. "Pervert. Definitely one of that skeleton's kind."
Wendy's face turned bright red—redder than Ye Yan's apple suit—steam practically rising from her head.
Zhang Da Ye didn't know how to respond. He awkwardly held his teacup, wondering if he should at least say "good luck."
He glanced at Wendy and Perona. Kids these days sure knew a lot.
"Yohohoho~!" And of course, Brook had to make it worse. His empty sockets fixed on Daya as he said cheerfully, "Miss Daya, may I—"
Zhang Da Ye, Ye Yan, and Shark Chili all leapt up at once and pummeled him mercilessly.
"Ow ow ow! At least let me finish my sentence!"
Ye Yan rolled over him, squashing him flat. "If you finished, we'd be doing more than just punching! Some habits really die hard, you milk-loving skeleton!"
Paul and Daya froze. "Uh… what's happening?"
Zhang Da Ye stomped down righteously. "It's fine! He's got osteoporosis. Just wanted to ask if he could have milk. We're helping loosen up his bones!"
"Ah… of course," Daya said blankly, heading to the kitchen. Though she couldn't understand why someone with weak bones needed "loosening."
The chaos at least broke the tension. Mostly.
Brook, battered but content, drank his milk and instantly recovered. He was used to this—if he made a lewd request and didn't get beaten up, it just meant his friends weren't around. And that wouldn't be any fun.
During the conversation, Zhang Da Ye learned the villagers were doing quite well. They could farm, gather herbs, work at the docks, or even find jobs in Shells Town.
Their hardest times had been eased thanks to the money from selling the slain beasts. Now with the Daft-Green bark trade, anyone willing to work could live decently—a good life for ordinary people.
Especially for those who'd suffered a decade of slavery, this peace felt like a dream. They were truly grateful—to the Marines, to the Amber Travel Group, and to that unnamed person in the papers.
When word spread that the Amber crew was visiting Paul's house, villagers flocked over. After some lively debate, the village chief proposed a grand banquet for everyone. The suggestion was met with unanimous cheers.
Though things had turned out differently than expected, Zhang Da Ye accepted gladly. At least this way, they wouldn't bankrupt one poor family.
As he watched the smiling villagers, a small sigh escaped him. He had rescued people who hated the World Government, and now he'd saved those who supported the Marines.
No sides, no politics.
No allegiance felt pretty good.
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