Noon.
The main road of Cocoyasi Village bustled with noise and excitement, filled with a sea of villagers.
After hearing of the Arlong Pirates' downfall, people from all the villages that had suffered under Arlong's rule gathered here as fast as they could.
The monster who had loomed over their lives for six long years had finally fallen.
They brought what little food, fruit, and meat they had—determined to throw the grandest banquet they could, to honor their heroes.
It was more than just celebration. It was a declaration.
That they were leaving the past behind, and embracing a new beginning.
After wiping out Arlong, Kouta and Kuina had returned to the ship, brought along A-Hua and the others, and turned Arlong Park inside out. They found several hundred million Berries hidden away.
As for the two Marines who had come with Nezumi to Arlong Park, Kouta didn't give them a second chance. He sent them straight to the afterlife—swiftly and painlessly.
He wasn't buying the idea that Nezumi would just bring two random soldiers along to a shady deal.
Even if they hadn't been the masterminds, they were at the very least Nezumi's loyal accomplices.
Kouta didn't bother with the Navy warship anchored offshore. After all, most of the lower-ranking Marines likely had no idea what their superiors were doing.
Even if they did, they wouldn't have had the means or the courage to report it.
Because in this world, there were too many stories warning what happened to those who tried.
If you dared to speak out, you wouldn't just suffer yourself. You could endanger your family, too.
So Kouta never went after those at the bottom.
Everyone was just trying to survive.
As for Arlong Park? He burned it to the ground.
When he saw the fifth floor's walls covered in maps, and the blood-stained pen on the desk, he could almost see it.
A small figure, trapped in that cage of a room, forced to work day and night on something she had once loved... and now loathed.
Dreams weren't meant to be confined to a cage.
They belonged to the vast, boundless sea.
And the only thing he could do was add fuel to the fire to destroy the prison in that young girl's heart.
So she could finally chase her dreams. Truly chase them.
Back on the village road, inside a tiny police booth, A-Hua and the other two were busy handing out money to the villagers.
For once, they had dropped their usual clownish antics and were acting surprisingly serious.
But judging by the smiles that practically spilled from their faces, they were clearly enjoying every second of it.
They were soaking up the villagers' admiration. People were looking at them like they were actual heroes.
Even if they knew deep down they hadn't helped much this time... it didn't stop them from enjoying the spoils of victory.
After all, they were part of the same crew, weren't they?
The villagers lined up in an orderly fashion, full of emotion, each one stepping into the booth to collect their share.
The amount wasn't massive, but something was always better than nothing.
Arlong and his crew had hoarded a fortune over the years, but their reckless spending had burned through most of it.
They did nothing but party, feast, and indulge themselves daily.
That there were still a few hundred million Berries left was honestly a miracle.
Under the eaves of a building behind the police booth, Kouta lay sprawled out in a chair, deep in thought.
He was debating whether or not to raise a flag.
After all, they had killed a Marine officer. No matter what, the Navy would now treat them as pirates and issue a bounty.
As for the collusion between Nezumi and Arlong?
Kouta didn't need to think twice.
The World Government and the Navy would never acknowledge it. To protect their reputation, they'd sweep it all under the rug.
He wouldn't be surprised if they even spun it to say that Nezumi had died honorably in the line of duty.
So whether they raised a flag or not wouldn't change the fact—they were going to be labeled pirates.
And the news would spread worldwide.
He sighed, uncorked the wine gourd at his waist, took a long swig, and decided not to think about it anymore.
His gaze drifted toward Kuina, who was helping Nojiko among the crowd.
She was smiling, face slightly flushed, and looked happier than he'd seen her in a long time.
Kouta smiled softly.
"Can't remember the last time Kuina looked this happy."
That smile on her face—it just couldn't be hidden. Her joy was written all over her.
It lit a warmth in his chest.
"Looks like she really enjoys being treated like a hero."
Then let her be one.
After all, he didn't have any grand ambitions in this world.
He wasn't joining any revolution.
Because that's just how the world worked—history repeating itself in a never-ending cycle.
You couldn't expect a feudal world to suddenly become a utopia.
Even if they overthrew the World Government and the Celestial Dragons... would the Revolutionary Army really stay pure?
He could say it with confidence.
No. They wouldn't.
Once the victors tasted supreme, god-like power, they'd become the very thing they once fought to destroy.
Unless the people at the bottom were truly liberated, this cycle would never end.
No one could break it.
He could be a hero—but not a "great man."
Being a great man was exhausting. He couldn't bear that kind of burden.
This hero wouldn't be the world's hero, or even the people's hero.
He would be the hero in his own heart.
At his core, he was a lazy soul. Not the kind of guy to change the world.
In his past life, he'd been a shut-in. A total homebody.
Now that he'd come to this world, all he wanted was to live freely, to explore at his own pace.
To enjoy this beautiful world without worries, with the people he cared about.
Of course—
His version of "freedom" didn't mean lawlessness, like a pirate.
After all, they were allies of justice.
"Whatcha thinking about, Kouta?"
A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. Aken strolled over, windmill hat spinning atop his head and a wide grin on his face.
His excitement hadn't faded one bit.
"Everyone's out preparing for the banquet, but our hero's just spacing out over here. That's not how you treat your guests!"
He had been helping break down some meat when the villagers, frustrated with his clumsy hands, told him to come talk to Kouta instead.
One look at Kouta, and he understood immediately.
The villagers were just so grateful. They didn't want to neglect a single one of their heroes.
Kouta looked up and stared at the spinning windmill on Aken's head for a moment. That thing... wasn't it something he started wearing for Nami?
He'd been wearing it for over a decade now. Truly a gentle soul.
Kouta took a swig from his gourd, frowned slightly at the taste, then spoke.
"Nothing much. Just thinking about what kind of flag we should put on the ship."
"You're planning to fly a pirate flag?"
Aken blinked in surprise, but then his eyes lit up with realization. He nodded knowingly.
"Ah, that makes sense. With Captain Nezumi dead in Arlong Park, the Navy's going to need someone to blame."
He grew serious.
"And you're the perfect target. Even if you don't act like pirates, they'll still brand you as pirates and slap bounties on your heads."
Kouta had already figured that out.
He shrugged, gave a wry smile, and replied.
"Come on, Uncle Aken. I'm not raising a flag to be a pirate."
"We're not a pirate crew. We're an adventure crew."
"Adventure crew?"
"Yeah—just a group traveling the world, exploring, having fun."
"There's a term for that? Sounds just like a pirate crew to me."
To Aken, if you sailed the seas and flew a flag, you were either a pirate or a Marine.
He'd never heard of any so-called "adventure crew."
"Ugh..."
Kouta stared at him, at a loss for words.
Then he slumped back in his chair and muttered, "Fine. If you want to call it a pirate crew, call it a pirate crew."
The concept of an adventure crew simply didn't exist in this world.
He couldn't change the way people thought overnight.
"I knew it! It's a pirate crew!" Aken chuckled, patting Kouta on the shoulder as if to comfort him.
"Don't worry, Kouta. We only hate pirate crews like Arlong's. Even if you raise a pirate flag, you'll always be our hero."
Kouta stared silently at Aken's "I-get-it-all" face and took another long drink from his gourd.
If Aken didn't get it, then A-Hua and the others definitely wouldn't.
"Fine, fine. Pirate crew it is."
If he was going to be in a pirate world... and sail the seas...
How could he not have a pirate flag?
*********
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!