Break Them Up

"Really..."

"Really..."

Sig and Bellemere spoke at the same time, and instinctively picked up the little girl in front of them.

Bellemere was facing Nami. Upon realizing they were speaking in unison, Bellemere glanced to the side, feeling embarrassed and somewhat annoyed.

Sig pretended nothing had happened and simply placed Nojiko on his shoulder, saying, "Daughter of the sea, how can you fight with your sister?"

"What were you and your sister arguing about again?" Bellemere asked, slightly sobering up.

"It's all her fault!" the two sisters exclaimed in unison, then glared at each other before each saying, "She said the One Piece / Fleet Admiral is the strongest!"

Upon hearing what the two sisters said, Bellemere's head practically formed a "well" shape as she yelled at Sig, "It's all your fault! Why did you talk to the children about pirates?"

If it weren't for Sig, how could her "daughter" possibly have the idea that "the One Piece is amazing"?

This guy is so good at winning over kids!

It's only been a few days, Nojiko thinks One Piece is amazing?

Sig keenly noticed that although Shanks didn't show anything, he was actually quite concerned from his emotions—after all, they were talking about his old Captain!

"Hmm... I think One Piece is still more powerful," Sig said seriously.

Nojiko immediately adopted an arrogant attitude, but after being glared at by Bellemere, he wilted and secretly stuck out his tongue.

"Huh? Then why was he executed? And... if it weren't for that last sentence he left behind, how could the sea be in such a state now..." Bellemere glared angrily at Sig.

"Roger surrendered himself when he was seriously ill, and as for the reason... I think it was to leave behind that one sentence!"

"My treasure? You can have it if you want it! Go find it—I've left everything in the world there!" Gol D. Roger's last words before his execution inspired people all over the world to flock to the sea, thus beginning the Great Pirate Era.

"Is there anything worse than this?" Bellemere said boldly.

Well, in her opinion, cursing the pirates in front of this room full of scattered pirates wasn't a big deal. Even if she couldn't beat them, wasn't there Sig?

Although Bellemere was in front of him, Sig's attention was entirely focused on the Red-Hair beside him...

Fortunately, Red-Hair only sighed and was immersed in her memories.

"Worse? Let me think, probably being a dog for the Celestial Dragons... for orders, protecting the powerful and wealthy by forcing good people into slavery and slaughtering innocents," Sig sarcastically remarked without hesitation.

Hitting someone in the face clearly goes beyond the scope of "argument".

"You're just as lousy as a pirate!" Bellemere said, her eyes reddening.

I felt angry, aggrieved... but more importantly, helpless, because Sig's words were harsh and hit my sore spot.

When Nojiko and Nami saw Aunt Bellemere and Uncle Sig arguing, they were so frightened that they tried to mediate, forgetting about the little argument that had just happened between the two sisters.

Nami grabbed Sig's trouser leg from below, while Nojiko jumped down and grabbed Bellemere's hand, about to say something...

Sig looked at Bellemere and smiled in return, saying, "Thank you for the compliment. You're more upright than most of the navy, little girl."

The next moment, a bottle of ale was smeared on that smug smiling face, but Sig ignored the glass shards and smiled even more broadly—perhaps in remembrance, or perhaps in self-mockery.

Because... Bellemere's emotions at this moment reminded Sig Fisher Tiger before him, and of himself not long ago.

Angry, yet powerless.

Bellemere, however, took this as a mockery from Sig and turned to leave the tavern. Sig nudged Nami and Nojiko, signaling them to hurry up and catch up—in a child's worldview, Sig, who had just been hit with a bottle, might need some comforting, but in reality, he didn't.

The tavern owner expertly handed over a clean towel to wipe Sig's face...

Because Sig helped the village "deal with" a group of pirates, his popularity in Cocoyasi Village has increased. In addition, Bellemere has often been drinking or arguing with Sig in the tavern these past few days, which has diminished some of the fear people have of Sig. Now, the tavern owner no longer cowers in front of Sig.

Sig casually wiped his face, and at the same time... the burst of laughter around him almost blew the roof off the bar!

"They're arguing! They're arguing!"

"Women are such a hassle, aren't they?"

"Dude, how did you even get a girlfriend?"

"By the way, your girlfriend seems to be older than you? Doesn't she know how to be considerate of you... I suggest you break up with her!"

Why does your daughter call you "uncle"?

The unscrupulous crew members of the Red-Hair Pirates, without any hesitation, started jeering.

Actually, there were many sensitive points when the two had their argument – Bellemere repeatedly insulted "pirates," and Sig indirectly mentioned that Bellemere had once been a Marine...

However, these words did not attract much attention from the Red-Hair Pirates; they simply treated this chance encounter and argument as "fun."

Using the spilled alcohol on his face as an excuse, Sig casually slicked back his hair to lessen the embarrassment of being hit by a bottle by a woman. "Shut up! You single dogs! I'm a man who has killed Shichibukai, do I have the arrogance of you guys?"

Sig's words silenced the Red-Hair Pirates —after all, apart from Red-Hair, the others were just there to "watch the little pirates have a good time."

But now that Sig has said he "also killed Shichibukai," it's clear he knows they defeated the Shichibukai!

Thinking about it this way, it becomes difficult for them to maintain their previous cynical attitude.

Would a typical "small-time pirate" still act this way after knowing their crew's true identities?

And...

He claimed to have killed Shichibukai?

The Shichibukai have only been around for a few years, and it seems that only two have died— Red-Hair only defeated Redfield but did not take his life; it was the Marines who arrived later and imprisoned him. The only ones who killed the Shichibukai were the Sun Pirates and Dracule Mihawk!

Hawk Eyes and the others know him, and they're quite familiar with their leader, so... the Sun Pirates?

Or is this a pirate who fears nothing and dares to boast even in front of the Red-Hair Pirates?

"Hahaha..."

The others fell silent, but the Red-Hair burst out laughing.

"I see, Half Fish-Man... huh? He's quite special after all. Can he be my companion?" Shanks burst into a strange laugh, then looked at Sig with a sincere yet abrupt expression.

Sig:???

Sig had been paying attention to Shanks' emotions, but... Sig couldn't quite understand this change in his emotions at this moment!