Noon
On the village road of Cocoyasi Village, the crowd was bustling and lively.
The villagers, ruled by the Arlong Pirates in the Dragon Domain, quickly gathered towards Cocoyasi Village after receiving the news of the Arlong Pirates' downfall.
Arlong, who had oppressed them for six years, was finally defeated.
They brought out their meager provisions of grains, fruits, and meat, intending to host their heroes with the grandest feast.
At the same time, they declared their farewell to the past and their embrace of a new beginning.
After Kōta and Kuina annihilated Arlong, they returned to the ship, found Ah Hua and the other two, and scoured Arlong Park, finding hundreds of millions of Berries.
As for the two Marines who came to Arlong Park with Nezumi, Kōta didn't give them a chance, sending them to hell without much suffering.
He didn't believe for a moment that Nezumi would bring two unrelated Marines to trade with Arlong!
Even if these two Marines weren't key figures, they were Nezumi's trusted accomplices.
He didn't bother with the warship docked offshore, as most of the lower ranks had no idea what the higher-ups were doing.
Even if they knew their superiors were committing crimes, they were powerless.
They had no connections and dared not expose the matter.
Because countless examples had shown them that if they were discovered, not only would they suffer terribly, but their families would also be implicated.
Therefore, Kōta wouldn't trouble the lowest-ranking Marines.
Everyone was just trying to make a living for their families!
Arlong Park, meanwhile, had been reduced to ashes by him.
When he saw the maps piled up in the room on the fifth floor, and the blood-stained pen on the desk, he could imagine a small, thin figure in that cage-like room, doing work she once loved but now detested.
A person's dreams should not be confined to a small room, but should soar across the boundless sea.
All he could do was add fuel to the fire, burning down the cage in the girl's heart.
Allowing her to truly pursue what she loved and the dream she had held since childhood.
...
On the village road, in the small police box, Ah Hua and the other two were distributing money to the villagers.
Unusually, they had all set aside their usual playful demeanor and become serious.
From the joy overflowing in their eyes and on their faces, it was evident they were thoroughly enjoying themselves at this moment.
Enjoying the gaze of the villagers, who looked upon them as heroes.
Although they all knew they hadn't helped much this time, it didn't stop them from savoring the fruits of victory!
After all, they were a team!
Villagers lined up orderly, excitedly entering the police box to receive their share of the money.
Though the amount wasn't much, it was better than nothing, wasn't it?
The treasure the Arlong Pirates had plundered over the years was certainly more than this, but it couldn't withstand these guys' extravagant spending!
These guys did nothing but party, eat, and drink every day.
It was quite remarkable that hundreds of millions of Berries remained.
Under the eaves of a house behind the police box, Kōta was lying on a chair, lost in thought.
He was contemplating whether to hoist a flag, as they had killed a Marine officer this time.
Even if they didn't hoist one, the Marines would still consider them pirates and issue bounties.
As for the collusion between Nezumi and Arlong, he knew it was a given.
The World Government and the Marines, for the sake of their reputation, would definitely not publicize it and would try their best to cover it up.
They might even declare Nezumi as having died in the line of duty!
Therefore, whether they hoisted a flag or not wouldn't change the fact that they would be classified as pirates by the Marines.
And this would be publicized worldwide.
He shook his head, took down the gourd of wine from his waist, and took a gulp, abandoning those thoughts.
Turning to look at Kuina, who was busy with Nojiko among the crowd, a smile appeared on his face.
"It's been a while since Kuina was this happy!"
Seeing her slightly flushed face, brimming with an irrepressible smile, a tender look flickered in Kōta's eyes.
"It seems Kuina truly enjoys being treated as a hero!"
Then let's be heroes!
After all, he had no other goals in this world.
He wouldn't participate in any revolution.
Because the world was like this, cyclical. One couldn't expect a feudal society to achieve socialism.
Even if the World Government and the Celestial Dragons were overthrown, wouldn't the current Revolutionary Army change?
He could answer with absolute certainty.
They would change.
They definitely would.
Once the victors savored the supreme power, like world rulers, they would become the very evil they had overthrown.
Unless the common people were completely liberated, this would be a continuous cycle.
No one could break it.
He could be a hero, but not a great person.
Great people were too tiring; he couldn't bear it.
And this hero was not a hero of the world, nor a hero of the people, but his own hero in his heart.
He was inherently a lazy person, unwilling to do anything great.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have become a shut-in in his previous life.
Since he had come to this world, what he wanted most was to live as he pleased, freely and at ease.
To allow himself and those around him to live carefree lives, fully appreciating the beauty of this world.
Of course.
His freedom of will was not the lawlessness of pirates.
After all, they were partners of justice!
"What are you thinking about, Kōta?"
Just then, Ajiken, with a windmill on his head, walked over with a beaming smile.
The excitement in his eyes hadn't subsided yet.
He looked at Kōta and chuckled, "Everyone is busy with the banquet, and our hero is here daydreaming."
"This is not how we treat our guests!"
He had been helping to butcher meat when the villagers, finding him clumsy, asked him to go and talk to Kōta.
Glancing at Kōta, he understood the villagers' intentions.
They were so grateful to Kōta and his group that they didn't want to slight any of their heroes.
Upon hearing this, Kōta looked up and stared at the spinning windmill on Ajiken's head, a moment of surprise. This windmill seemed to be something he wore to amuse Nami!
He had worn it for over a decade; what a gentle fellow he was!
He raised the wine gourd, took a sip, frowned slightly, and spoke.
"Nothing much, just thinking about how to draw our ship's flag."
"You're planning to hoist a pirate flag?"
Ajiken first asked in surprise, then as if he had realized something, nodded with understanding and said.
"That's right. Colonel Nezumi died in Arlong Park, and the Marines will need some reason."
He paused, then said seriously to Kōta.
"And you are the best reason. Even if you don't become pirates, they will classify you as pirates and issue bounties."
Kōta already knew all these analyses from Ajiken.
He shrugged indifferently, a slight smile curling his lips, and said to Ajiken with a smile.
"Alright, Uncle Ajiken, stop analyzing. I think hoisting a flag isn't about being pirates."
"We are an adventure group."
"An adventure group?"
"Mmm—!"
"An adventure group is a team that adventures and travels around the world."
"There's such a thing? Isn't that just a pirate crew?"
In Ajiken's understanding, as long as one sailed out to sea and hoisted a flag, they were either pirates or Marines.
He had never heard of any such thing as an adventure group.
"Uh...!"
Kōta stared at Ajiken, speechless.
Then he leaned back on the chair and said helplessly, "If you say it's a pirate crew, then it's a pirate crew!"
The concept of an adventure group simply didn't exist in this world.
He couldn't change people's deeply ingrained perceptions.
"I knew it. It's just a pirate crew."
Ajiken, sensing Kōta's slightly dejected mood, patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"Don't worry, Kōta. We just hate pirate crews like Arlong's. Even if you hoist a pirate flag, you are still our heroes."
Kōta looked up at Ajiken, who seemed to understand everything, and wordlessly raised his wine gourd for a large gulp.
If Ajiken didn't understand, then Ah Hua and the other two would even less understand what an adventure group was.
"Forget it, forget it. If it's a pirate crew, then it's a pirate crew!"
Since they had come to the pirate world and set sail, how could they not have a pirate flag!