Early the next morning, at Loguetown's harbor.
The Flame Emperor was preparing to set sail for Reverse Mountain. Ace counted supplies on deck, Chopper changed the dressings of several lightly wounded crew members, and Isuka inspected the hull.
Lin Yan stood at the bow, watching the calm sea, when he suddenly said:
"We have a visitor."
Everyone looked over.
A small speedboat was rapidly approaching, with only one person aboard-Tashigi.
She wore civilian clothes without her Marine coat, and Shigure at her waist was wrapped in cloth. After docking the speedboat, she jumped onto the pier and walked up to the Flame Emperor.
"I want to talk to you." Tashigi looked up at Lin Yan, her gaze both resolute and uncertain.
Lin Yan jumped off the ship. "Go ahead."
"This isn't a good place." Tashigi glanced around. "Can we talk aboard?"
"Sure."
The two boarded the Flame Emperor and entered the captain's cabin.
Tashigi got straight to the point. "Last night, Captain Smoker requested access to top-secret files. This morning, he received an encrypted reply. After reading it, he locked himself in his office and hasn't come out since."
"And?"
"I can guess some of what that reply said." Tashigi clenched her fists. "It was about the D. Clan and the truth about the World Government, wasn't it?"
Lin Yan neither confirmed nor denied it.
Tashigi continued, "I joined the Marines to uphold justice and protect the weak. But in Loguetown, in Cocoyasi Village, at Baratie... what I saw was the Marines protecting evil people and the government turning a blind eye to the truth."
"Captain Smoker ordered me to retreat because he knew he couldn't beat you. But more importantly... he was beginning to question whether the 'justice' he'd always upheld was right."
She raised her head and looked straight at Lin Yan.
"Tell me, what is true justice?"
Lin Yan looked at her. This young woman, who had always followed Smoker and firmly believed in Marine justice in the original story, now had eyes filled with uncertainty.
"Justice has no standard answer," Lin Yan said. "But one thing is certain: peace maintained through lies isn't justice; order maintained through oppression isn't justice; and history concealed through slaughter is even less so."
He took a photograph from inside his clothes and handed it to Tashigi.
The photograph showed a full view of Ohara-the enormous Tree of Knowledge, with scholars busily working beneath it.
"This is Ohara, a sanctuary of archaeology. Eight years ago, because its scholars studied the Poneglyphs, the World Government launched a Buster Call against it, burning the entire island to ashes. Every scholar on the island was killed except for one eight-year-old girl."
Tashigi covered her mouth. "An eight-year-old... girl..."
"Her name is Nico Robin, and she's now on my crew." Lin Yan put away the photograph. "Why does the World Government fear history? Because they know that once the truth comes out, their rule will collapse."
"B-but... aren't the Marines supposed to protect the people?"
"The Marines are the World Government's Marines," Lin Yan emphasized. "When government orders conflict with the people's interests, which side do you think the Marines will take?"
Tashigi couldn't answer.
Lin Yan stood and walked to the window. "Tashigi, I'll give you two choices."
"First, return to the Marines and keep following Smoker. You can investigate the truth, but be prepared to be silenced-Cipher Pol won't allow anyone to touch forbidden subjects."
"Second, stay aboard my ship as a 'Marine observer.' You can see for yourself what this world is really like. Then decide which path you want to take."
Tashigi froze. "You... would let me aboard? I'm a Marine..."
"So what if you're a Marine?" Lin Yan laughed. "I already have the younger brother of the Revolutionary Army's chief of staff aboard. What's one more Marine?"
His expression turned serious. "But think carefully. Once you board this ship, there's no turning back. The Marines will see you as a traitor, the World Government will put you on its wanted list, and your family might be implicated too."
Tashigi lowered her head in thought.
The captain's cabin fell quiet, with only the sound of waves lapping against the hull.
Several minutes later, Tashigi raised her head, the uncertainty gone from her eyes.
"I choose... to stay."
"Have you thought it through?"
"Yes." Tashigi nodded. "I want to see for myself what this 'truth' you speak of really is. If it's truly as you say, and the World Government is built on lies... then my sword should point at them."
Lin Yan held out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Tashigi. As for your position... let's make you our 'swordsmanship instructor' for now. Your swordsmanship looks good. You can teach the crew the basics."
Tashigi shook his hand. "I'll do my best."
[Ding-] [Bond with Tashigi established] [Current bond level: Lv.2 (Trust)] [Ability unlocked: Swordsmanship Instruction (crew melee ability improvement rate +20%)] [Hidden quest triggered: A Marine's Awakening] [Quest objective: Guide Tashigi toward understanding true justice and raise her combat strength to Rear Admiral level] [Reward: Shigure template (Skillful Grade Blade), internal Marine intelligence network (partial)]
Lin Yan's interest stirred. This was a good quest, and Tashigi certainly had potential.
"Oh, right," Tashigi suddenly said. "I also received some news this morning-Marine Headquarters has officially issued bounties for you."
She took out a fax sheet.
On it were two brand-new wanted posters.
The first:
[Monkey D. Yan] [Epithet: Flame Emperor] [Bounty: 250,000,000 Beli] [Crimes: Attacking World Government Member States, killing nobles, forming a D. Clan pirate crew, threatening the World Government's rule]
The second:
[Portgas D. Ace] [Epithet: Fire Fist] [Bounty: 120,000,000 Beli] [Crimes: Arson, destruction of public facilities, assisting the Flame Emperor]
Ace's bounty was considerably higher than at the same point in the original story, clearly thanks to Lin Yan.
"Two hundred and fifty million..." Lin Yan raised an eyebrow. "Sengoku certainly thinks highly of me."
"That's already the highest bounty in the East Blue's history," Tashigi said. "From now on, you'll be the number one target of every Marine in the East Blue."
"Couldn't ask for more." Lin Yan smiled. "Perfect timing. We should head for Reverse Mountain. Ace!"
"Here!" Ace pushed the door open and entered.
"Notify everyone to prepare to set sail. Our destination-the entrance to the Grand Line, Reverse Mountain!"
"Understood!"
Half an hour later, the Flame Emperor set sail.
On the pier, Smoker stood in the shadows, watching the departing ship and the familiar figure aboard it.
"Tashigi... have you chosen him too..."
He turned to leave, holding a secret report he had just received.
[CP9 has deployed and is expected to reach Loguetown within three days. Objective: Eliminate every member of the Flame Emperor Pirates.]
"CP9..." Smoker's gaze turned cold. "Looks like it's time I made my move too."
He walked toward the harbor, where a small speedboat was moored.
"The Loguetown branch will temporarily be left in my deputy's hands. I'm going to... Water 7."
Out at sea, the Flame Emperor sailed at full speed.
Tashigi stood on deck, looking back at Loguetown as it gradually receded, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
"Having regrets?" Lin Yan walked over.
"No." Tashigi shook her head. "Just... feeling a little reflective."
"That's normal," Lin Yan said. "Oh, right. Since you're the swordsmanship instructor, let me teach you a move first."
He drew Flame's Protection from his waist, and golden flames ignited along its blade.
"Watch closely. This move is called 'Flame Emperor Swordsmanship: First Form: Burning Fire.'"
With a gentle sweep of the blade, the flames left its edge and formed a firebird in midair, circling once before dissipating.
"Rather than coating the blade in flames, you make the flames come 'alive' and become an extension of the sword," Lin Yan explained. "Your Shigure is a Skillful Grade Blade. It should be able to withstand this technique."
Tashigi's eyes lit up. "Can I learn it?"
"Of course." Lin Yan sheathed his sword. "But first, you have to understand the essence of 'fire'-it isn't a tool of destruction, but a symbol of life."
Chopper ran over. "Captain! There's a whale up ahead! A huge whale!"
"A whale?" Lin Yan looked over and smiled. "That's not a whale, that's Laboon. We're here. Reverse Mountain."
An enormous red mountain range stretched across the horizon, its peaks covered in snow and its slopes steep. In the waters at its foot, an Island Whale hundreds of meters long was frantically ramming the mountainside.
That was Laboon, the loyal companion who had waited fifty years for the Rumbar Pirates to return.
"It looks like it's in so much pain..." Chopper's eyes brimmed with tears.
"It's waiting for its companions," Lin Yan said. "It's waited its whole life."
"Then its companions..."
"Most of them are dead," Lin Yan said calmly. "But one is still alive. He's become a skeleton and is drifting through the Florian Triangle."
Ace leaned closer. "A skeleton? Seriously?"
"Seriously." Lin Yan looked at Laboon. "So, let's go help it."
Before you continue