"I'm a pirate!"
Shanks's muttered words were heard by Tsugikuni Yoriichi, who was repairing the roof above. Yoriichi lowered his head slightly to glance at Shanks, then called out to Buggy in the distance.
"Hey, Buggy, bring some nails up here."
As he spoke, two fists clutching nails slowly floated over to Tsugikuni Yoriichi's side.
It had to be said that Buggy's Devil Fruit ability was quite useful at times.
As Yoriichi took the nails from Buggy's hands, he asked Shanks below, "Shanks, what do you think pirates should do?"
"From the way you talk, you seem to admire pirates quite a bit. Is it because you're a pirate yourself? Are you proud of your... profession?"
"As a Marine, what you said makes me very uncomfortable."
As Tsugikuni Yoriichi spoke, he hammered the nails into the planks with a steady tap-tap-tap.
Some of the Marines working below heard this and turned their gazes toward Shanks, their expressions complicated.
Marines were instinctively hostile toward pirates. Most of Kuzan's crew were Marine recruits, young people under thirty.
These Marines had yet to be tempered by "reality" and still held the purest admiration for the Marines.
Likewise, they held the purest hatred for pirates.
Shanks had always identified himself as a pirate, which already made these Marines dislike him. But seeing even a child like Shanks take pride in being a pirate left them with mixed feelings.
"Pirates are the freest beings on this sea."
"I'll become the freest man on this sea, just like Captain Roger!"
When Shanks spoke the word "freedom," his eyes shone brightly. But before Tsugikuni Yoriichi could respond, Buggy, who was not far away, gave a disdainful snort and interrupted.
"Freedom and all that..."
"Shanks, you really are naive!"
"Pirates are supposed to hunt for treasure!"
"Treasure is