Yet Who Is Without Feelings?

"Ship, ship, ship, ship!" Aaron sprinted through the streets.

He looked up. The sky was already covered in dark clouds, and a torrential downpour looked imminent.

"Gotta find the ship fast..." Aaron muttered, suddenly skidding to a stop. "Ah! I should find Luffy first!"

"Execution platform, execution platform, execution platform!" He spun around and ran back toward the center of town.

"But where is the execution platform..." Aaron ran with his head down for a while before suddenly stopping and scratching his head with a foolish grin.

"..." The snail tucked beneath Aaron's clothes rolled its eyes without reservation upon hearing that.

This idiot! What was the point of running around when he did not even know where he was going?!

"This is when I should ask the Magic Conch!" As he spoke, Aaron placed the snail on his head and fumbled around inside his clothes. "Great Magic Conch~"

"!!" The moment Aaron pulled out the conch, the snail beside him, with its dead-fish eyes, immediately widened its huge eyes. The muscular foot beneath its body began to exert force as it pushed against Aaron's scalp, trying to crawl forward.

The tremendous force even made Aaron's head tilt back involuntarily.

What is this?! Why does this thing carry such an intense aura of the sea?! It is practically the sea itself! the snail screamed inwardly.

But Aaron could not hear the snail's thoughts. Its actions had startled him.

"Ah! Snail, what are you doing?!" Caught off guard, Aaron failed to react in time. His body tipped backward, and he was about to fall.

Smack!

A large hand caught him steadily.

"Be careful." A deep, muffled voice sounded, and the large hand exerted force to pull Aaron back upright.

"Thank you, thank you..." "Meow!"

"Snail, stop messing around!" Aaron looked at the snail that kept trying to climb onto his arm with a headache.

"This Den Den Mushi looks a little unusual..." Smoker stared darkly at the snail that kept charging forward, trying to crawl onto Aaron's hand. There was a hint of curiosity in his voice.

The snail noticed someone watching him and raised its eyes.

Then Smoker's terrifying gaze scared it straight into its shell.

It would not be coming out anytime soon.

"Thank you, sir..." Aaron wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, stuffed the snail into his pocket, and bowed to Smoker in thanks.

"It's nothing. But where are you heading? This place is about to get a little dangerous." Smoker spoke through the two large cigars clenched between his teeth, exhaling clouds of smoke.

"I'm going to the execution platform, but I don't know where it is, so I wanted to ask the Magic Conch." As he spoke, Aaron raised both hands high, exposing the Magic Conch in his palms.

"..." Smoker did not understand what Aaron meant, but he still said, "Ah, the execution platform should be that way. I happen to be heading there too. How about we go together?"

"Oh, okay, sir. Thank you, sir..."

"So the Pirate King was executed here..." Luffy said quietly, looking up at the execution platform as tall as a three-story building.

He swallowed, staring up at the platform as though no one else existed, and murmured, "The place where the greatest pirate in history died. The place where everything began."

"Alright! Let's go up and see what the Pirate King looked like after he died!" Luffy shouted, returning to his usual energetic self.

"Hey! Kid!" Before Luffy could act, someone nearby called out to him.

"Huh?" Luffy turned around and saw a white-haired man wearing a Marine coat. He asked curiously, "What is it?"

"Are you the highest-bounty criminal in the East Blue?"

"My name is Luffy. Did you need something from me?" Luffy replied.

"Ah, Luffy, you came to the execution platform too?" Aaron, who had been blocked behind Smoker, heard Luffy's voice and poked his head out.

"Yo! Aaron, why are you here?" Luffy greeted him.

"I wanted to buy a better fishing net, but this place doesn't seem to have what I wanted..." Aaron lowered his head somewhat dejectedly. "But I bought this!" As he spoke, he pulled out the snail from his pocket. "His name is Snail. He'll be our ship's mascot from now on, right?"

"Oh, he looks pretty festive. Sure, I approve! Hehehehe..." Luffy said with a laugh.

"Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy, bounty of 30 million Beli." Smoker suddenly cut in. Then he looked down at Aaron, his expression a little strange. "...Demonic Muscle Man Copperfield Aaron, awarded an exceptional bounty of 30 million Beli for killing Marine Sixteenth Branch Colonel Nezumi."

He had not expected Aaron to look like this. He was completely different from the description in the photo!

Those photographers had to be insulting the Marines' intelligence. He was obviously a delicate-looking boy, yet they somehow took a photo of a hulking musclebound brute!

When he got back, he would have Headquarters dock those photographers' pay! Smoker thought to himself.

But he needed to settle this first. With that in mind, Smoker said, "I am Smoker, the Marine colonel in charge of Loguetown. I am placing you under arrest."

"Huh? Arrest? I refuse." "Arrest? That won't do, sir." Luffy and Aaron spoke in unison.

"I'm about to enter the Grand Line and become the Pirate King. How could I possibly let you arrest me?" Luffy said as though it were only natural.

"Exactly, Mr. Smoker. I still need to help Luffy become the Pirate King, so I can't let you arrest me," Aaron said, sounding slightly troubled.

"That cannot be helped. You slaughtered a Marine colonel. No matter the reason, I must bring you both to justice," Smoker said calmly.

Then the white smoke slowly rising from the large cigars in his mouth suddenly surged against the wind toward Aaron, surrounding him in an instant.

"You stay here for now!" Smoker said flatly. Then his thoughts shifted, and he controlled the white smoke, intending to lift Aaron up!

...Nothing happened.

"Hm?" Smoker looked at Aaron in confusion and increased his control over the white smoke. Yet whenever it touched Aaron, the smoke would become uncontrollable, only returning to his command once it moved away from Aaron's body.

Refusing to believe it, Smoker kept puffing on his cigars. The smoke grew so thick that Aaron was nearly impossible to see.

"Um... Mr. Smoker, I don't smoke," Aaron said awkwardly, looking at the white smoke surrounding him from all sides.

And even if I did smoke, why am I being forced to inhale secondhand smoke? Aaron silently complained.

"..." Smoker silently drew his jitte from behind his back. "It seems you have something special about you..." As he spoke, he swung the jitte fiercely at Aaron.

Whoosh!

Luffy suddenly stretched out his arm and pulled Aaron over.

"Hehehe, Aaron, stay here for now. I'll deal with this smoke guy." Luffy grinned, lowered the brim of his hat, and rolled up his sleeves. "Gum-Gum Pistol!"

His fist smashed toward Smoker.

Smoker dodged with ease. "Are you trying to be funny?"

"It's not over yet!" Luffy chuckled. He suddenly leaned back and swung his extended arm backward, intending to give Smoker a surprise return strike.

Unfortunately, he had clearly failed to account for the fountain standing directly in the path of his returning arm.

"Whoa! Crap!" Caught off guard, Luffy's arm wrapped around the fountain. The recoil then launched him into the sky, and he disappeared beyond the horizon.

Smoker: "..."

Aaron: "...Um, I have something to do, so I'll be going now!" With that, he turned and ran with all the strength he could muster.

"..." Smoker watched Aaron's fleeing figure, clenched his fist, and slammed it viciously toward Aaron's back.

White smoke burst forth, and his fist shot out like a cannonball.

Hiss!

But the instant it touched Aaron, it dispersed into white smoke.

"..." Smoker silently withdrew his fist and watched Aaron run farther away. "As expected, this kid is a little strange," he murmured.

Then wind gathered beneath Smoker's feet as he moved to cut Aaron off.

Unfortunately, Aaron was short with short legs. Three of his strides did not even equal one of Smoker's, so he was quickly about to be caught.

"Meow!" At that moment, Snail in Aaron's pocket finally woke up. The instant he extended his feelers and opened his eyes, he discovered Aaron trapped amid smoke. Within that smoke, Snail sensed the aura of the bastard who had scared him unconscious. He immediately woke up fully, his mind racing. In mere seconds, he calculated the best escape route. Then he rammed Aaron's waist hard with one eyeball to get his attention before angling it toward another direction.

"Meow!"

"Hm? Snail, do you know how to escape?" "Why are you running so urgently? How about coming to Marine Headquarters for a cup of tea?" By then, Smoker's old-man voice was already drifting eerily beside Aaron's ear.

"Meow!" Snail cried urgently again, his feelers stretched so far they were almost about to tear off.

"Alright, I'll listen to you!" Aaron hurriedly ran in the direction Snail indicated.

Aaron, whose movements had originally been garbage, now seemed divinely aided under Snail's feeler-guided commands. With serpentine footwork, he utterly dazzled Smoker. Using crowds and buildings as turning points, he darted left and right until he shook Smoker off completely.

"..." Smoker's expression darkened and brightened uncertainly as he watched Aaron disappear, smoke curling from his mouth. After watching for a while, he turned and strode back toward Headquarters.

After running for a long time, Aaron finally stopped. He lowered his head toward Snail. "I didn't expect you to have that kind of skill, Snail. Thank you."

"Meow!" Snail rolled his eyes, then wanted to curl up in Aaron's pocket and never show his face again.

"Hehe, you want this, right? Here, Snail. Don't forget to give it back to me." As he spoke, Aaron pulled out the Magic Conch and tucked it into his pocket.

"Meow?" Snail widened his huge eyes and looked up at Aaron in disbelief. After seeing Aaron's dazzling sixteen-toothed smile, he gave another indignant "Meow!"

Then he burrowed into Aaron's pocket and refused to come out.

Seeing this, Aaron scratched his head and chuckled.

"Nami!" Aaron looked around as he walked. When he spotted Nami and Usopp gathered together and looking at something nearby, he waved his arms and walked over.

"Aaron? Are you done shopping? Did you get the giant net?" Nami asked, looking down at him.

"No... But I bought Snail. He's in my pocket right now!" Aaron opened his pocket for Nami and Usopp to see.

"A Den Den Mushi..." Nami looked somewhat strangely at the Den Den Mushi, which was wary upon seeing strangers. "I didn't expect you to like Den Den Mushi, Aaron..."

"They're okay... But what are you doing here?"

"There, look." Nami pointed to the side. "Sanji is competing with someone."

"Oh? Where, where?" Aaron craned his neck, but all he could see were pale legs and hairy legs. "Usopp, help me up!"

After Usopp lifted Aaron, the first thing Aaron noticed was the large fish laid out on the table in the center.

"Elephant Tuna..." Aaron murmured as he looked at the fish's long trunk-like nose.

"Hm? Aaron, have you seen this kind of fish before?" Usopp asked.

"Yeah, my father used to cook it for me all the time when I was home..." Aaron recalled.

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard you mention your parents..." Usopp said curiously.

"They went to heaven to enjoy themselves seven or eight years ago," Aaron said nonchalantly.

"Uh... Sorry, Aaron. I didn't know..."

"It's okay, Usopp. My parents were good people. I'm sure they're doing very well in heaven," Aaron said with a smile.

"...You really have a good attitude." Usopp could tell from Aaron's eyes that he truly believed his parents had gone to heaven.

"Of course! That's what they always taught me!" Aaron said proudly. "Alright, put me down now."

Usopp did as he was told and set him down.

"I'm done shopping, so I'll go wait for you all on the ship," Aaron said with a smile before turning to leave.

"Hey! Aaron, the ship hasn't docked yet!" Usopp shouted, trying to stop him.

"Don't call after him." Nami patted Usopp's shoulder. "What you said just now hurt him."

"What? But he clearly..."

"Honestly, what child wouldn't be saddened by their parents' deaths?" Nami rolled her eyes, deeply worried by Usopp's lack of emotional intelligence. "Anyway, once we get on the ship, go apologize to him immediately! Do you hear me?" As she spoke, she tightened her grip on his shoulder until it creaked.

"It hurts, it hurts! Let go already! I will! I will!" Usopp pleaded loudly.

"Snail... Do you think my dad and mom really went to heaven?" Aaron leaned against the ship's railing, hugging his knees as he lowered his head to ask Snail in his pocket.

Aaron had lost his usual smile. His lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes darted in their sockets, and his body trembled faintly without his control.

Stop bothering me while I study the conch! Snail thought.

"Meow!" he cried impatiently.

Drip, drip.

Suddenly, drops of water landed on Snail.

Hm? Is it raining? Snail raised his head in confusion.

It was not raining.

They were only Aaron's tears.

Snail stared blankly at Aaron, whose eyes were tightly shut as he forced himself not to make a sound, though tears still kept falling uncontrollably. He sighed inwardly.

What a pain!

He slowly crawled onto Aaron's shoulder and gently touched Aaron's cheek with his eyeball. In a soft voice, he said, "Meow..."

"Snail..." Aaron raised his head to look at Snail, his voice trembling.

"Meow!" If you want to cry, then cry, idiot!

"Snail!" Aaron could no longer hold it back. He grabbed Snail and burst into tears. "Dad... Mom... They're gone... Waaahhh... They're all gone!! I don't have parents anymore! I don't have any anymore!"

No one was ever truly heartless.

Perhaps they truly did not care that much in that instant, but like floodwaters gathering behind a dam, the feelings would not disappear. They would only accumulate with time, eventually erupting with even greater force at some point!

Aaron was in exactly that state now.

What an annoying little brat... Snail rolled his eyes wildly.

So what if he has no parents? Is it really worth all this? So childish. He ranted inwardly.

Cry, cry. You'll feel better once you cry it out. Once you feel better, you can properly be my test subject... It's definitely not because I pity you. Definitely not! Snail repeated to himself.

Why is this damn kid getting stronger and stronger? What the hell?! Don't squeeze my shell! Don't squeeze it! Stop! Aah! Somebody help! This snail is going to die! Snail rolled his eyes wildly again.

After crying for nearly half an hour, Aaron finally calmed his rampaging emotions and regained his usual smile.

Looking at the mess everywhere, he scratched his head sheepishly. "That's a lot of water... I need to clean this up properly."

At that moment, the entire deck was covered in tears Aaron had cried.

...His tear glands were abnormally developed too.

"Hm? Snail, why did you fall asleep? Honestly, you'll catch a cold sleeping in water!" Aaron saw Snail lying crookedly on the deck, his feelers limp, his two huge eyes rolled upward, looking utterly dead inside.

"Being this sleepy isn't a good sign. I need to train Snail's energy in the future!" Though he said that, Aaron quickly picked Snail up, carried him into the cabin, and tucked him beneath a blanket.

"Alright! I'll finish cleaning before they get back!" Aaron rolled up his sleeves, ready to get to work.

"Hm? What's that?" Then he spotted another dark cloud in the distance. This time, it did not disappear like the last one. Instead, it grew larger and larger. Within minutes, it had spread over the Going Merry, and bean-sized raindrops came pouring down.

"Looks like I don't need to clean after all..." Aaron said with a foolish grin. "Then I'll wait for them to come aboard. Hmm... I'll make a few hamburgers first."

In the distance, lightning flashed and thunder boomed as wind and clouds surged.

One look was enough to tell that someone was stirring up trouble.