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The Strongest Frost Loli (136)
🕑 Added 2024-10-04 17:00:09 +0000 UTCChapter 136 - Anger and Resentment
The journey to Foolshout Island was a relatively short one.
The Fish-men crew members had grown quite fond of Koala and treated her with kindness. Koala, who had once been a slave, was deeply touched by Tiger's unwavering refusal to kill unnecessarily. Gradually, she opened up her heart to them, shedding the ingrained behaviors of a slave.
…Though Arlong still held a deep hatred and disdain for humans, he never once raised a hand against Koala. While he wasn’t opposed to killing a defenseless opponent, he wouldn’t disobey Tiger’s orders.
Meanwhile, Jinbe found himself dwelling on Kanata’s parting words.
“Jinbe, what are you doing up so late? Can’t you sleep?”
“Aladdin, huh? Well…”
A merman, a former slave like Koala – Aladdin, sat down across from Jinbe in the galley.
It was late. They would reach Foolshout Island by tomorrow.
Aladdin placed a bottle of sake in front of the contemplative Jinbe, poured a cup, and said, “Keep me company for a bit before we turn in,” with a smile.
“What’s got you so preoccupied? Is it about that Warlord from the other day?”
“Yeah… I owe her a debt from a while back. And knowing how busy she is, I doubt she came to see Tiger without a reason."
“You think it was a warning?”
Jinbe, unable to make sense of it, sighed and took a swig of sake. He had retired from the Neptune Army and become a pirate to support Tiger. He was confident that he was helpful in terms of combat strength, but he wasn’t so sure about anything else.
Having served in the Neptune Army, he could offer advice on battle tactics. But Tiger had traveled across the seas and gained vast knowledge. There wasn’t much Jinbe could teach him.
So, he had decided to use this opportunity to learn new things, but…
“I just don’t get it. Can you make sense of it?”
“Possibly… I think that woman was trying to say that taking Koala back to her home island is a trap.”
“A trap? Why?”
“Think about it. We happened to stop at an island, we happened to meet a former slave child, and when we offered, they asked us to take her home. It doesn’t seem like a trap on the surface, but what if the islanders who entrusted Koala to us reported our location? They could easily set a trap on Koala’s home island."
Since the dawn of the Great Pirate Era, there had been a constant shortage of manpower to deal with pirates. But even then, they couldn’t simply ignore a pirate like Tiger, who had openly defied the World Government.
Informants were paid a handsome reward. So, for a struggling island, desperate for even a small sum of money… It wouldn't be surprising if they provided information for a reward.
The exorbitant Heavenly Tribute paid to the World Government was used to fund the Marines, including rewards for informants. Perhaps due to Twilight’s influence, fewer countries were being destroyed by the Heavenly Tribute, but with ample funds at their disposal, the Marines were able to maintain a constant stream of information about high-bounty pirates by offering rewards.
If their destination had been compromised, then the Marines might be waiting for them.
“Then we need to tell Tiger immediately–!”
“What good will that do? He’s probably already aware of it. And even if he knows, he can’t return Koala without going to the island."
“Damn…”
Their journey had been aimless, but now they had a purpose – to return Koala to her home. Even if they knew there was a trap on Foolshout Island, they had no way of knowing when the Marines would withdraw.
They couldn’t just keep sailing with Koala forever. Unfamiliar voyages could make anyone sick, especially a child.
“Kanata-san said she would take care of it, but…”
“I don’t know her like you and Tiger. I can’t say how much we can trust her.”
She was a Warlord. She should be their enemy.
Aladdin watched as Jinbe, lost in thought, took another gulp of sake. He, too, had been a slave in the past. He couldn’t trust humans, but he also respected those who saved others, regardless of their race, like Tiger.
Should he trust Kanata or not?
“What are you going to do, Jinbe?”
“I… want to believe her.”
She had traveled the world with Tiger. While Tiger seemed reluctant to rely on her, Jinbe owed her a debt of gratitude for an incident that had occurred shortly after the Great Pirate Era began.
He couldn't fault her.
“I see… That’s fine. All I can do is pray that nothing happens."
Aladdin collected the empty cups and left the galley.
They had an early start tomorrow. Jinbe drained his cup and returned to his quarters.
***
“Awww… You’re such a good girl, Koala! Come travel with us!!”
Macro, one of the crew members, was shedding tears.
He was told to "Stop crying!" by the others, but no one tried to stop Koala as she disembarked.
The Fish-men and merfolk crew members waved goodbye, and Tiger accompanied Koala to the village.
“I’ll tell everyone in the village! There are good Fish-men out there!!”
It was a bittersweet farewell, but not a final one. They would meet again someday, if fate allowed it.
Koala hugged Tiger, and Tiger tried to pull her off, but she clung to him tightly. Eventually, Tiger relented, letting her do as she pleased.
They walked in silence for a while, but then Tiger turned to face Koala.
“Koala.”
“? What is it?”
“…Did you enjoy our journey together?”
“Yes! Everyone was so kind to me. And you took me home! The journey was so much fun!!”
“I see… That’s good.”
“We’re here,” Tiger said, looking towards the village.
The villagers were overjoyed to see Koala return.
Tiger sighed in relief, smiling faintly. He turned to return to the ship.
Koala wanted to call out to him, but she noticed something different about him. His aura had changed.
She couldn't see his face, but somehow… Koala felt an overwhelming sense of unease looking at his back.
***
On his way back to the ship, Tiger stopped in his tracks, his eyes widened in disbelief at the devastation.
“She’s faster than I thought.”
Marines lay unconscious all around him. None of them seemed to be injured. They simply lay there, weapons in hand, foaming at the mouth.
And in the midst of it all, a woman sat on one of the fallen Marines, using him as a chair.
The woman from the other day – Kanata.
Only the Marine serving as her chair seemed to be injured. There wasn’t a scratch on Kanata. The outcome of their battle was self-evident.
“Kanata… What are you doing here?”
“You came here unprepared, even knowing it was a trap. That’s not like you, Tiger. Or were you planning on being captured?”
Kanata stood up, brushing off her clothes. She was wearing a stylish pantsuit – an unusual choice for her. If not for the unconscious Marines, one might have asked if she was going out for a stroll. She wasn’t carrying any weapons. She had come to this island unarmed.
“Won't this jeopardize your position?”
“Don’t worry about my position. It’s insignificant – This is about you.”
Her red eyes pierced through him. She hadn’t changed since they parted ways on Fish-Man Island. Time seemed to have stopped for her. Tiger, who had changed so much since then, quietly spoke.
“…What about me?”
“Did you really think I wouldn't know? The Marines have received orders to capture Fisher Tiger. The charges are “assault” and “desertion” –”
“…”
Tiger remained silent.
Kanata’s disgust for the World Government clear in her voice. “If I had known, I could have intervened. But they never told me. They knew I would intervene if I knew about it… Are you angry that I didn’t help you? That I’ve become a government dog?”
“…I once saw humans.”
He had seen humans like a bright star, shining even in the midst of a storm, never fading. He had seen humans like mud, wallowing in discrimination and contempt, committing atrocities without even realizing it.
If he had seen only one of those sides, his emotions wouldn’t be so complex.
They were both the same in the sense of humans. But he couldn’t bring himself to see them as the same.
“I don’t hate you. I consider you… a friend.”
“Consider?”
“I was… a slave…!! I saw the Celestial Dragons! I know you’re different, but… I can’t help but be wary of you… just because you’re human!”
He gritted his teeth, confessing his deepest fear. He didn’t know who he was angry at anymore.
Was he angry at being treated like something less than human? At the Celestial Dragons who didn’t see him as human? At himself, for being angry at humans?
He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't help it.
“What am I supposed to do?!”
“You’re consumed by anger because you’re weak. Anger can give you a temporary burst of strength, but it won’t last. You can’t solve anything with anger."
Kanata herself had fought fueled by anger before. She had been enraged when she learned about Tiger’s incident, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything.
The world rarely moved based on emotions. Tiger knew that as well, but even then, his anger was overwhelming.
Mary Geoise was filled with that much “madness."
“You can say that because you don’t know what it’s like! That place is filled with madness! Slaves treated like less than human! Celestial Dragons who laugh as they torture them! You don’t know that hell!!”
“That's true. I don't know that place."
While rarely spoken of now, Kanata had also defied the Celestial Dragons.
If she had lost to Sengoku back then. Or if she had been defeated by the Marines somewhere else, she might have been subjected to unimaginable humiliation and abuse in Mary Geoise instead of being imprisoned in Impel Down.
If she had lost to Big Mom or Shiki. Or to any other pirate, a different kind of hell awaited her.
They weren't the type to show mercy, especially to someone like Kanata. Considering they knew about her lineage, her fate might have been even more gruesome.
Kanata, unfazed by Tiger’s furious outburst, calmly replied, “No matter how dangerous it was, no matter how much suffering you endured, you chose to go to sea. It was your decision.”
Boom!
The sound of cannon fire echoed in the distance.
The Marines had surrounded the island to capture the Sun Pirates. It seemed they had planned to attack the ship once Tiger’s diversion succeeded, but with the Rear Admiral in charge knocked unconscious, they hadn't received the signal. The Fish-men had discovered them and a battle had begun.
The Marines’ plan had failed. Jinbe and the others would be here soon.
“I’m sure what you did was right. You saved many slaves, and broke the world’s unspoken rule by defying the Celestial Dragons. But you also weakened Fish-Man Island’s position and delayed the day humans and Fish-men could coexist.”
“Then!! What was I supposed to do?!”
Tiger, overcome with rage, grabbed Kanata by the collar and punched her in the face.
Kanata didn't even flinch. She took his blows without resistance.
“I became a slave, and I saw other slaves! I couldn’t ignore it, so I attacked Mary Geoise and freed them! What’s wrong with that?! Are you saying I should have just obeyed the Celestial Dragons?! After seeing what those bastards did, how can you even say that?!”
Tiger continued to punch her repeatedly.
There was no technique, no skill. Just brute force. But Kanata remained unmoved.
Eventually, exhausted, Tiger lowered his head and, collapsing to his knees, grabbed her by the collar again, as if pleading with her.
“…I know. I know what I did was just a temporary solution. The Celestial Dragons will simply buy more slaves. And I ruined Fish-Man Island’s chances of participating in the Reverie… I ruined Queen Otohime’s dream… Her dream of peace.”
Tiger shed tears, confessing his sins.
“What was I supposed to do…!”
There was no right answer.
The slaves would be replaced. Tiger’s actions were a temporary solution. Considering Fish-Man Island’s exclusion from the Reverie, it might have been a net loss overall.
But, even then…
What Tiger had done wasn't wrong.
Even if the slaves were replaced, the fact that he had freed those who had been enslaved wouldn't disappear.
“No one can say if what you did was right or wrong. That's for future historians to decide – All you can do now is decide what you’re going to do next."
He could stay near Sabaody Archipelago to rescue potential slaves.
He could hide somewhere, avoiding Otohime’s efforts.
Or perhaps there was another path, but… They were out of time.
Kanata released Tiger’s grip on her collar and turned away. It wasn’t because she had lost interest, but because a new presence had arrived – Admiral Borsalino.
A tall man with a cigarette in his mouth and a hat pulled low over his eyes.
Kanata crossed her arms, facing Borsalino, who sighed at the troublesome situation.
“Honestly, give me a break. Even for you, this is a major problem.”
“Indeed. Even Warlords have been ordered to capture Tiger. It’s a problem, to say the least.”
"If you understand, then I wish you would just hand it over obediently.”
Asking about something that was already obvious was simply a confirmation. But even after hearing Borsalino’s words, Kanata continued to stand before him.
“I can’t let you have him. Go home, Borsalino.”
“You know I can’t do that. This is an order from the Celestial Dragons, and an official directive from the government. We can’t ignore it.”
“I’ll deal with the Celestial Dragons. Tell Sengoku that.”
“…And you think I can trust you? I’m the one who’ll get yelled at.”
“I won’t stop you if you insist on capturing him. But in that case… Shall we see who’s still standing at the end?”
Kanata formed a fist, and a faint black lightning surrounded around it.
Borsalino was a Light Human, the user of the Glint-Glint Fruit, a Natural Logia – He was one of the strongest Vice Admirals, nominated for a promotion to Admiral.
But even he wasn’t reckless enough to challenge Kanata.
Perhaps if Sakazuki or Berg, the other Admiral candidates, were here, things might have been different, but such hypotheticals were meaningless.
“I’ll pass.”
Borsalino, lacking motivation, raised his hands in surrender. Escalating the situation would only lead to more problems, and against someone like Kanata, there was nothing he could do.
He would need to consult with Sengoku or the Five Elders.
The Sun Pirates’ ship was approaching, and he had to consider his unconscious subordinates. He had no choice but to retreat.
Kanata dispersed the black lightning, “What, you’re not going to fight?”
“Tiger.” She turned to face him.
“I’m going to take custody of you for a while. Because of the Celestial Dragons.”
“Are you sure? I’ll just be a burden.”
“I don’t mind. I consider you a friend, so this is my decision.”
For Kanata, Tiger was a dear friend. That was enough.
Even if he couldn't see humans in a positive light because of his experiences as a slave, even if he couldn’t trust her, she wouldn't reject him.
“You want peace, right? I don't know much about Queen Otohime, but… I’ll help you if I can."
Fish-Man Island was Whitebeard’s territory, so intervening would be troublesome, but not impossible.
Silencing the Celestial Dragons, allowing Fish-Man Island to participate in the Reverie again – it would take some work, but it was doable.
Anger and tragedy wouldn't solve anything, even if you shared them with someone.
All they needed was hope for the future.
“…Yeah, you’re right.”
But Kanata would only help.
The will to build a better future was something Tiger and Otohime had to have. It was their duty to strive for a better Fish-Man Island, a world where Fish-men and merfolk could live on the surface.
Tiger stood up, clenching his fist.
“Kanata, hit me.”
“What?”
“I hit you so much earlier. So hit me back.”
He wanted some closure, or perhaps he was hoping to start anew by letting her hit him.
Tiger lowered his stance, and Kanata, figuring he was tough enough to handle it, pulled back her fist, putting some strength into it.
“Oh.”
A dull thud echoed, and Tiger went spinning through the air. He had been sent flying by a single blow.
As his consciousness faded, Tiger thought, “I forgot she’s strong enough to rival a giant, even though she’s so small.” It was a detached thought, as if he was observing the situation from afar.
