"Tiger, are you sure we're supposed to climb up from here?"
Fisher Tiger was a steady, reserved man. He rarely spoke, usually expressing himself through simple gestures, but that wouldn't work with Barn, who couldn't see. So he merely answered with a quiet "Mm."
Barn could only shrug, feeling rather foolish. To him, Tiger was like a block of wood. Then he spoke again.
"Tiger, you know I can't see. If I climb on my own, who knows where I'll end up?"
Tiger gave another "Mm," then fell silent again.
Barn rolled his eyes and continued.
"Oh, Tiger, you should know what I'm getting at."
This time, Tiger glanced at Barn and answered with another "Mm," though his tone was questioning.
"You could carry me up! With your physique, climbing up with one extra person should be easy, right, Tiger?"
As he spoke, Barn swung himself onto Tiger's back and wrapped his arms around his neck. Although Barn stood 1.9 meters tall, that was hardly impressive in this world of the Pirate King, where giants were everywhere. Tiger was much larger than him, so Barn could hang comfortably from his neck.
Tiger gave another "Mm," this time tinged with resignation. No one noticed the dark look on his face. Perhaps he had never imagined that the notorious pirate with a 230-million bounty, the legendary vice-captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, "Asura" Barn, would be this sort of person...
It was night, and they were on the shadowed side of Mary Geoise. Tiger and Barn were hidden in darkness, in a blind spot in the Marines' patrol routes. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to spot them.
Barn had long since grown accustomed to darkness, but Tiger could precisely grasp every rock protruding from the wall as he slowly climbed upward. Perhaps Fish-Men had excellent night vision.
"Why do you and I have to climb up from here? Wouldn't it be better to charge straight in?"
Barn asked, his arms still around Tiger's neck.
"You and I are here to rescue slaves, not to cause trouble, Barn."
For once, Tiger didn't answer with an "Mm," but explained himself instead.
"All right, all right. Take your time climbing, then."
"Mm."
Barn rolled his eyes again.
Tiger was agile, and the two soon reached Mary Geoise. Marines were everywhere, and more than a dozen watchtowers stood above them. This was only the perimeter, yet they could already see the outrageously lavish buildings in the center of Mary Geoise-the Celestial Dragon Residence.
"Barn, we're here."
Barn climbed off Tiger's back and tapped his own back with Nidai Kitetsu's scabbard.
"So, Tiger, what do we do now?"
"Follow me. We need to get around the Marines' security first."
Tiger spoke in a low voice. Barn nodded and followed him.
The two soon reached the Celestial Dragon Residence. Tiger led Barn in taking out the guards, and they arrived at the place where the Celestial Dragons "kept" their slaves.
It was like a prison, filthy and reeking of a nauseating stench. Tiger clenched his fists fiercely as he looked at the despairing faces locked in cages. His words came out almost as a roar.
"Those scum!"
Barn covered his nose against the sickening smell hanging in the air, his brow deeply furrowed.
Tiger punched open a cell door and spoke to the people inside.
"I've come to rescue you. You're free now!"
But their reaction shocked Tiger.
They didn't move at all. They merely raised their despair-filled faces and looked at Tiger and Barn.
"You're free!"
Tiger roared again.
This time, a spark appeared in their eyes as they looked at him and Barn. That feeling slowly grew, and the entire room erupted into noise. The slaves who hadn't yet been freed shook the iron cages imprisoning them, until they began racing out of the place where they had been "kept."
As they watched the slaves flee frantically, neither Barn nor Tiger showed any joy. Barn asked Tiger coldly.
"Tiger, what are you going to do next?"
Tiger picked up a torch from nearby and stared at him. His eyes seemed to burn as well-with the fire of rage!
He spoke in a low voice.
"I'm going to destroy this place! The chaos will help the slaves escape!"
Barn shrugged and said.
"Suit yourself, but I came here for my own reasons, too. I'm going to the Celestial Dragon Treasury. Leave those Celestial Dragons to me. By the way, do you know how to get there?"
Just then, three small figures emerged from the fleeing crowd. Two younger girls hid behind a slightly older girl.
The older girl approached Barn and spoke timidly.
"I... I know where the Celestial Dragon Treasury is."
Barn couldn't see them, but he could hear their voices. He crouched down and spoke to the girl who had addressed him.
"Really? Little girl, could you take me there?"
"Um... is the necklace you're wearing the Snake God's Fang?"
At the girl's words, Barn instinctively touched the necklace around his neck, the Snake God's Fang.
"You're from Amazon Lily? What's your name?"
"It really is! You're Lord Barn, the hero of Amazon Lily! My name is Hancock! Boa Hancock. These two are my younger sisters."
"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Lord Barn! I forgot you couldn't see!"
Barn affectionately stroked Hancock's head.
Just as I thought. Is this fate?
That was what Barn thought, but aloud he said.
"It's all right. I'm used to it. Can you take me to the Celestial Dragon Treasury now?"
"Yes!"
Hancock nodded eagerly. The people of Amazon Lily had grown up regarding Barn as a hero, and Hancock was no exception.
Now she was seeing her idol in the flesh, rather than as a stone statue, and he had become her savior as well. Hancock's admiration for Barn instantly reached unimaginable heights, making her forget even her current predicament.
Hancock led Barn to an exceptionally lavish building.
She said to Barn.
"This is the residence of Saint Belikov, whose family is the greatest among the Celestial Dragons. The treasury is in the basement."
Barn patted Hancock's head and smiled.
"Thank you, little Hancock. Now go find the Fish-Man who came with me. Leave this place to me."
"Then please be careful, Lord Barn!"
Hancock knew she would only get in the way if she stayed, so she readily agreed and went off to find Tiger.
"Mm. Don't worry."
Barn smiled at Hancock. As he heard her footsteps recede, he felt that the temperature around him had risen a few degrees. Wood cracked and burst from time to time nearby. He knew Tiger had begun.
Barn placed his hand on Nidai Kitetsu and activated Mind's Eye. Coldly observing the Celestial Dragon sleeping soundly inside the building, he said.
"I'd better hurry things up here, too."
A red light flashed, and Nidai Kitetsu was out of its sheath.
"Slash!"
Barn swung Nidai Kitetsu fiercely at the building! The entrance and the wall around it were cleaved apart. The tremendous crash woke the sleeping Celestial Dragon, Saint Belikov.
"Who goes there?! Who dares break into my palace, the palace of Saint Belikov?!"
Barn's figure gradually emerged through the smoke. The Celestial Dragon swallowed at the sight of him and immediately grabbed the sword beside his bed. It was Demon Moon, the Demon Blade he had purchased at auction that very morning for seventy million Beli!
At that moment, Nidai Kitetsu trembled in Barn's hand.
Barn frowned and directed his Mind's Eye toward the sword in the Celestial Dragon's grip.
"A Demon Blade? Have you found one of your own kind, Kitetsu?"
Nidai Kitetsu trembled again in response.
Seeing Barn remain motionless, the Celestial Dragon foolishly raised his sword and charged!
"You despicable commoner! Die!"
The Celestial Dragon hacked wildly through the air with the Demon Blade, without the slightest technique, but not a single swing landed.
Barn caught the blade with Nidai Kitetsu. His brow deeply furrowed, he spoke coldly.
"Stop, you stupid pig! This sword is crying."
Hearing Barn call him a stupid pig, Saint Belikov screamed in fury.
"You dare insult the noble Saint Belikov?! Die, you lowly commoner!"
The answer was a flash of blood-red steel!
The Celestial Dragon collapsed, clutching his throat, while Barn caught his sword.
It was a black sword, but its edge was an eerie purple. Although Barn couldn't see what it looked like, he could sense its aura.
"You really are a Demon Blade! Adam doesn't have a suitable sword yet. At least you won't gather dust if I give you to him!"
A gleam flashed across Demon Moon's blade, perhaps expressing its gratitude to Barn, though he couldn't see it...
After sheathing the sword, Barn entered Saint Belikov's treasury.
The plundering had only just begun...
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku, who had only recently become Fleet Admiral, was flying into a rage.
"What?! Two people invaded Mary Geoise?! You useless fools! Who are they?"
"There... there are two of them. One is 'Asura' Barn, whom you've mentioned before. The other's identity is unknown."
At the name, Sengoku clenched his fists and slammed them onto his desk, instantly shattering it. He spoke coldly.
"Barn, I knew you weren't the sort to behave yourself!"
Beside Sengoku, a burly man was eating rice crackers as though nothing had happened.
Seeing the Fleet Admiral's fury, the young Marine fled as soon as he finished his report.
Sengoku fed the report to a goat, then spoke in a low voice to the man eating rice crackers.
"Garp, come with me."
The man ignored Sengoku and continued pouring rice crackers into his mouth.
A vein bulged on Sengoku's forehead. He stormed over, snatched the rice crackers away, and poured them all into his own mouth, chewing furiously.
"Aaaah! What are you doing, Sengoku?!"
Sengoku swallowed the crackers and said to Garp.
"I said, come with me!"
"Why? Can't you just go yourself?"
Another vein bulged on Sengoku's forehead, and he spoke coldly.
"He's the man who gravely wounded Zephyr, Garp!"
Garp turned and gave Sengoku a look filled with mixed emotions.
Meanwhile, Barn was carrying an enormous bundle on his back, taller than a person and packed with treasure he had looted from the Celestial Dragons. Tiger came to meet him and was startled by the massive bundle.
"Barn, what are you going to do with all that money?"
"Heh, you'll find out. Tiger, I need to ask you a favor."
Tiger looked at Barn in confusion and said.
"Go ahead."
"Help me take all this to the East Blue and give it to Adam."
Tiger's eyes widened slightly as he asked in surprise.
"You're not coming with me?"
Barn gave a bitter smile.
"I can't leave now. Sengoku and Garp are already here. Remember, get these things to him for me. Oh, and this sword, too."