Arlong Pirates: Invincible from the Start-The Windmill of Freedom

On the village road, Ahua and the other two were handing out money to the villagers inside the small police kiosk.

For once, they had all put aside their usual goofball personas and become completely serious.

Judging by the smiles nearly spilling from their eyes and faces, they were clearly enjoying themselves immensely.

They were enjoying the way the villagers looked at them as if they were heroes.

Although they all knew they hadn't helped with anything this time, that didn't stop them from enjoying the fruits of victory!

After all, they were a team!

The villagers lined up in orderly queues and excitedly entered the kiosk to collect their shares.

The money wasn't much, but having something was better than having nothing, right?

The Arlong Pirates had certainly plundered more than this over the years, but these people were far too extravagant!

Every day, they did nothing but hold banquets, eat, drink, and have fun.

Being left with several hundred million Beli was already quite good.

Under the eaves of a house behind the kiosk,

Kuta was lying on a chair, lost in thought.

He was considering whether they should put up a flag. After all, they had killed a naval officer this time.

Even if they didn't put one up, the Marines would still treat them as pirates and issue a bounty for them.

As for Nezumi's collusion with Arlong, he didn't even need to think about it.

The World Government and the Marines would definitely keep it secret for the sake of their reputation, and do their best to cover it up.

They might even announce that Nezumi had died in the line of duty!

So whether they put up a flag or not, it wouldn't change the fact that the Marines had already classified them as a group of pirates.

They would even publicize it throughout the world.

He shook his head, pulled the gourd from his waist, and took a swig, no longer thinking about it.

Turning his head, he looked at Kuina working among the crowd with Nojiko, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Kuina hasn't been this happy in a long time, has she?"

Seeing the irrepressible smile spread across her slightly flushed face, tenderness flashed through Kuta's eyes.

"Looks like Kuina really enjoys being treated like a hero!"

Then let her be a hero!

In any case, he had no particular goals in this world.

He wouldn't join any revolution.

Because that was simply how the world worked. It went around in circles, and one couldn't expect a feudal world to create socialism.

Even if they overthrew the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, would the current Revolutionary Army really remain unchanged?

He could answer that with certainty.

It would change.

It definitely would.

Once the victors had enjoyed that supreme authority, as if they were the masters of the world, they would become the very evils they had once overthrown.

Unless the people at the bottom were completely liberated, this would be an endless cycle.

No one could break it.

He could be a hero, but he could never be a great man.

Great men had it too hard. He couldn't bear that burden.

And this hero wasn't a hero of the world or a hero of the people. He was the hero of his own heart.

Deep down, he was a lazy person. He didn't want to accomplish anything grand.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have become a shut-in in his previous life.

Now that he had come to this world, what he wanted most was to follow his heart and live freely.

He wanted the people around him and himself to live without worries and enjoy the beauty of this world to the fullest.

Of course,

following his heart didn't mean being lawless like pirates.

After all, they were the Partners of Justice!

"What are you thinking about, Kuta?"

Just then, Genzo came over with a windmill on his head, his face covered in smiles.

The excitement in his eyes still hadn't faded.

Looking at Kuta, he said with a grin, "Everyone's busy preparing the banquet, but our hero is sitting here daydreaming."

"That isn't how we treat our guests!"

He had originally been helping butcher the meat, but the villagers had found him too clumsy and sent him over to keep Kuta company.

After taking one look at Kuta, how could he not understand what the villagers were planning?

They were so grateful to Kuta and the others that they didn't want to neglect a single hero.

Hearing this, Kuta looked up at the windmill spinning above Genzo's head and froze for a moment. That windmill seemed to have been worn to amuse Nami, hadn't it?

And he had kept wearing it for over a decade. He really was a gentle man.

He raised his gourd and took a drink. Then, with his brows slightly furrowed, he spoke.

"Nothing much. I was just thinking about how to draw the flag for our ship."

"Are you planning to put up a pirate flag?"

Genzo asked in surprise at first. Then, as if he had realized something, he nodded knowingly and said,

"That makes sense. Captain Nezumi died at Arlong Park. The Marines have to find an explanation."

He paused, then said seriously to Kuta,

"And you people are the perfect explanation. Even if you don't become pirates, they'll still classify you as pirates and issue bounties for you."

Kuta had known all of Genzo's analysis for a long time.

He shrugged indifferently, the corners of his mouth curling slightly as he smiled at Genzo.

"All right, Uncle Genzo, don't analyze it anymore. I don't want to put up a flag so we can become pirates."

"We're an Adventure Crew."

"An Adventure Crew?"

"Yeah!"

"An Adventure Crew is a group that travels around the world for adventure and fun."

"Is that really a thing? Isn't that just a pirate crew?"

In Genzo's understanding, anyone who went out to sea and raised a flag was either a pirate or a Marine.

He had never heard of any such thing as an Adventure Crew.

"Uh...!"

Kuta stared at Genzo, speechless.

Then he leaned back in his chair and said helplessly, "If you say it's a pirate crew, then it's a pirate crew!"

The concept of an Adventure Crew simply didn't exist in this world.

There was nothing he could do to change people's deep-rooted beliefs.

"I knew it. Isn't that just a pirate crew?"

Sensing that Kuta's mood had fallen, Genzo patted him on the shoulder and comforted him.

"Don't worry, Kuta. We only hate pirate crews like Arlong's. Even if you raise a pirate flag, you'll still be our heroes."

Kuta looked up at Genzo's face, which said I understand everything, and wordlessly raised his gourd for a large gulp.

If Genzo didn't understand what an Adventure Crew was, there was even less chance that Ahua and those other two would understand.

"Forget it, forget it. A pirate crew it is!"

Since he had come to the pirate world and set out to sea, how could he not have a pirate flag?

Chapter 30: Windmill of Freedom

Kuta put away the gloom in his heart.

Turning to Genzo, he said, "By the way, Uncle Genzo, why do you always have a windmill on your head? Can you give it to me?"

"A windmill?"

Genzo paused, then touched the windmill on his head and fell into deep thought.

Noticing his condition, Kuta asked, "Uncle Genzo, what's wrong? Are you reluctant to part with it?"

"It's not that I don't want to give it to you. It's just that this windmill has a special meaning to someone."

Genzo came back to himself and explained.

"Someone?"

"Yeah! Someone strong and brave."

By then, Kuta already knew who he was talking about, but he still pretended not to.

"Who is it, then?"

Genzo gazed toward the orange grove behind the village and slowly began telling Nami's story.

When he talked about Nami and the windmill, he wore a gentle smile.

When he talked about Nami joining the Arlong Pirates, hatred appeared on his face.

When he talked about Nami returning to the village dragging herself back covered in wounds, his expression filled with heartache.

Under the oppression of the Arlong Pirates, Nami had become the only ray of light in his heart and in the hearts of all the villagers.

In truth, they had always known why Nami had joined the Arlong Pirates. They also knew why she returned covered in wounds every time she went out.

But there was nothing they could do. They couldn't help Nami in the slightest.

All they could do was avoid causing her any trouble and let her continue doing what she believed she could do: buy the village back from Arlong.

Even though they all knew it was nothing more than an impossible hope.

But it was the only hope in Nami's heart.

They couldn't be the ones to shatter that sliver of hope.

If it truly had to be shattered, it had to happen slowly.

Because if Nami fell into despair, the only ray of light in their hearts would disappear as well.

Thinking of this, Genzo shook his head and put away the hatred for the Arlong Pirates on his face.

Seeing the smiles once again blooming across the villagers' faces on the village road, a smile appeared on his own face as well.

It felt as though they had returned to the days before Arlong arrived.

"Yes, it's all over."

Arlong was gone. Nami would surely be very happy.

She would never again have to go out to sea for money.

She would never again have to draw those damn maps for Arlong.