The Windmill of Freedom

On the village road, the Ahua Trio were handing out money to the villagers inside the small guardhouse.

Rarely, they had all put aside their usual goofy selves and become completely serious.

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

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

Although they all knew they had not helped with anything this time, that did not stop them from enjoying the fruits of victory!

After all, they were one group!

The villagers lined up in orderly queues, excitedly entering the guardhouse to collect their share of the money.

It was not a lot, but having something was better than having nothing, right?

The Arlong Pirates had looted far more money than this over the years, of course, but they could not withstand these people's extravagant spending!

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

Being able to save several hundred million Beli was already quite impressive.

Under the eaves of a house behind the guardhouse.

Kuta was lying on a chair, lost in thought.

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

Even if they did not hang one up, the Marines would still treat them as Pirates and issue a Wanted Poster for them.

As for the collusion between Nezumi and Arlong, he knew exactly what had happened without even thinking about it.

For the sake of their reputation, the World Government and the Marines certainly would not make it public. They would do their best to cover it up.

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

So whether they hung up a Flag or not, it would not change the fact that the Marines had already decided they were a group of Pirates.

And they would spread the news throughout the world.

He shook his head, pulled the Wine Gourd from his waist, and took a sip, no longer dwelling on the matter.

Turning his head, he looked at Kuina, who was busy 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 on her slightly flushed face, tenderness flashed through Kuta's eyes.

"Looks like Kuina is really enjoying being treated like a hero!"

Then let her be a hero!

He had no particular goal in this world anyway.

He was not going to join the Revolutionaries.

Because that was simply how the world worked. Things went around in circles. You could not expect a feudal world to produce socialism.

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

He could answer that with certainty.

It would change.

It definitely would.

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

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

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 could not bear that burden.

And this hero was not a hero of the world or of the people. He was the hero of his own heart.

Deep down, he was actually a lazy person. He had no desire to accomplish anything grand.

Otherwise, he would not 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 to live without worries and enjoy the beauty of this world to their hearts' content.

Of course.

Following his heart did not mean lawlessness like a Pirate.

After all, they were the Partners of Justice!

"What are you thinking about, Kuta?"

Just then, Uncle Genzo came over with a windmill balanced on his head, his face beaming.

The excitement in his eyes had still not faded.

Looking at Kuta, he said with a smile, "Everyone is busy preparing the banquet, but our hero is standing around here daydreaming."

"That's not how we treat our guests!"

He had been helping butcher the meat when the villagers suddenly complained that he was clumsy and sent him over to keep Kuta company.

After taking one look at Kuta, he immediately understood the villagers' intentions.

They were so grateful to Kuta's group that they did not want to neglect a single hero.

Hearing this, Kuta looked up at the spinning windmill on Genzo's head and froze for a moment. This windmill seemed to have been something he had worn to amuse Nami, right?

He had worn it for more than a decade. What a gentle man.

He raised the Wine Gourd, took a sip, furrowed his brow slightly, and spoke.

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

"Are you planning to hang up a Pirate Flag?"

Uncle Genzo asked in surprise at first. Then, as though he had thought of something, he nodded knowingly.

"True. That Captain Nezumi died at Arlong Park. The Marines have to find an excuse."

He paused, then said solemnly to Kuta,

"And you people are the perfect excuse. Even if you don't become Pirates, they'll label you as Pirates and issue Wanted Posters for you."

Uncle Genzo's analysis was something he had known long ago.

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

"All right, Uncle Genzo, you can stop analyzing it. I want to hang up a Flag, but not because I want to become a Pirate."

"We're an Adventure Crew."

"An Adventure Crew?"

"Mm!"

"An Adventure Crew is a group that travels around the world, adventuring and having fun."

"Is that really a thing? Isn't that just a Pirate Crew?"

In Genzo's understanding, anyone who went out to sea and hung up a Flag was either a Pirate or a Marine.

He had never heard of anything called 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 I guess it's a Pirate Crew!"

The concept of an Adventure Crew simply did not exist in this world.

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

"I knew it. Isn't this just a Pirate Crew?"

Sensing Kuta's slightly downcast mood, Genzo patted him on the shoulder and comforted him.

"Don't worry, Kuta. We only hate Pirate Crews like Arlong's. Even if you hang up a Pirate Flag, you'll still be our heroes."

Kuta looked up at Genzo's face, which clearly said he understood everything, and silently raised the Wine Gourd for a large gulp.

If Genzo did not understand what an Adventure Crew was, then there was even less chance that the three Ahua would understand.

"Forget it, forget it. A Pirate Crew it is!"

Now that he had come to the Pirate world and gone out to sea, how could he be without a Pirate Flag?

The Windmill of Freedom

Kuta put away the frustration in his heart.

Turning to Uncle Genzo, he said, "By the way, Uncle Genzo, why do you always keep 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 thought.

Noticing his state, Kuta asked, "Uncle Genzo, what's wrong? You can't bear to part with it?"

"It's not that I can't bear to part with it. It's just that this windmill has a special meaning to someone."

Genzo came back to himself and explained.

"Someone?"

"Mm! Someone strong and brave."

Kuta already knew who he meant, but he still pretended not to.

"Who is it, then?"

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

When he spoke of Nami and the windmill, he wore a gentle smile.

When he spoke of Nami joining the Arlong Pirates, hatred appeared on his face.

When he spoke of Nami returning to the village 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 could not help Nami in the slightest.

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

Even though they all knew that this was nothing more than a hopeless dream.

Still, it was the only hope in Nami's heart.

They could not be the ones to destroy that sliver of hope.

And if it truly had to be destroyed, 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 suppressed the hatred for the Arlong Pirates on his face.

Looking at the villagers on the road, their faces once again filled with smiles, he smiled as well.

It felt as though everything had returned to the way it had been before Arlong arrived.

"Yes, everything is over."

With Arlong gone, Nami must be very happy.

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

And she would never again have to draw those damned maps for Arlong.