Ch. 261The Flying Pirates Make Their Move
Key plot points
- In the Pleasure District, a pirate captain with an 80-million-Beli bounty refuses to pay and threatens the staff. Aramaki dodges the captain’s attack, then uses his plant-based powers to drain the captain and his crew to death.
- Aramaki suspects the pirates’ bold behavior is part of a larger plan. Guards search their ship and find a black flag bearing a golden-haired skull and a red ship’s wheel.
- At a southern construction site, another group of pirates steals valuable Memory Alloy steel. They catch a local boy who witnesses them and threaten to sell him.
- Fisher Tiger intervenes with Fish-Man Karate and leads Fish-Man warriors in defeating the thieves. Federation patrol officers arrive afterward and find the same distinctive flag on the pirates’ ship.
Character developments and interactions
- Aramaki shows greater discipline in combat: rather than relying on his Logia powers to absorb an attack, he deliberately dodges. After killing the pirates, his suspicion about their unusual recklessness prompts an investigation.
- Fisher Tiger protects the boy and the community, reflecting the Fish-Man group’s gratitude toward local residents. His warriors cooperate despite their differing beliefs: moderates restrain their force, while extremists attack with relish.
- The boy’s fear and attempted escape expose the pirates’ cruelty; Aramaki’s guards and the Federation patrol respond through formal investigations.
Significant themes
- Protection and community: Aramaki’s security force and Fisher Tiger’s group both defend residents from predatory outsiders.
- Cooperation despite division: Fish-Man moderates and extremists fight together, though their motives and methods differ.
- A coordinated threat: The matching flags at both crime scenes suggest the pirates belong to the same force, setting up a wider confrontation.