"Alright, I've checked this cruise ship," Franky grinned. "It's completely fine for sailing!"
"That's good," the Marine Lieutenant Commander sighed in relief.
He had been worried earlier that the terrifying explosion might have affected the ship, but it turned out to be fine... that's great!
Then, a hint of emotion appeared in the Marine Lieutenant Commander's eyes.
That man with sunglasses was truly impressive.
"When are you planning to set off?" Luffy inquired.
"What's the matter?"
The Marine Lieutenant Commander glanced curiously at Luffy. Why was he asking this question?
Was it important when they left?
"Nami said we need to watch the children leave this island before we can go," Luffy, chewing on a bone-in piece of meat, said. "So we need to see you take the children away first."
Hearing this, the Marine Lieutenant Commander immediately smiled.
"So that's how it is."
It seems this Cat Burglar is even kinder than he imagined...
He really wondered if they were truly pirates, the Marine Lieutenant Commander thought with emotion.
Then, as if remembering something, the Marine Lieutenant Commander's eyes flickered.
No wonder Vice Admiral Smoker had that attitude earlier—was it because the Straw Hat Pirates were special?
Thinking this, the Marine Lieutenant Commander nodded in understanding and continued, "Then let's do this."
"We'll take one group to escort the children away from here first, and the remaining group will stay here to wait for Vice Admiral Smoker."
"Huh?"
"Is that old smoke guy coming here too?" Luffy exclaimed in surprise.
He heard that guy is really strong now!
If someone like that gets involved, it would definitely be troublesome.
Thinking this, Luffy wrinkled his nose.
Hearing this, the Marine Lieutenant Commander hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to reveal the information.
"That's right, Vice Admiral Smoker is on his way here," the Marine Lieutenant Commander said. "As for when he'll arrive, I don't know."
Because Vice Admiral Smoker hadn't mentioned when he would reach this place.
However... when he was speaking, that machine-like rumbling sound suddenly stopped, though he didn't know why.
"I see, I understand," Luffy nodded.
Franky grinned and said, "Then you should hurry and take these children away."
That way, they could smoothly leave this place.
"Leave it to us with confidence!" the Marine Lieutenant Commander laughed.
Then, he turned to instruct his subordinates, signaling them to take the children to the cruise ship.
The children obediently followed the Marines toward the ship. At that moment, several Marines once again took out large brushes and began drawing the so-called boundary line on the ground.
"Straw Hat Crew!" the Marines said. "You are not allowed to cross this boundary line!"
"That's right, this is the line between justice and evil—you are not allowed to cross!"
Franky looked at the Marines somewhat speechlessly and said, "Here we go again..."
"Yeah."
Luffy also said, "We just had a meal together earlier, why are you starting this again now?"
"Uh... well...
"About that meal...
"
The Marines cleared their throats, then bowed together and said, "Anyway, thank you for the hospitality."
"But!"
"You are pirates!"
"You are the shame of humanity!"
"So you are not allowed to come over!"
"Ooh!!"
The Marines shouted together, as if that could convince themselves.
"How ridiculous."
Perona gave the Marines a disdainful look. What were they playing at? How childish.
"Let's give them some face," Meiser said with a chuckle.
Nico Robin, on the other hand, smiled, as she could actually understand what these guys were thinking.
"Anyway... we Marines are the ones who represent justice!" the Marines shouted.
With that, these guys pulled out a banner, using a long cloth painted with Marine symbols to block Luffy and the others' view.
At the same time... it also blocked the children's view.
"Orange Sister!"
"Princess Sister?!"
"Chopper?"
"Hey, why can't we see anymore?"
The children's eyes were filled with confusion. Why did they suddenly disappear?
"You guys are too much of a nuisance," Sanji said, looking exasperated at the Marines blocking them. "Can you move aside?"
"No!"
"Children, you must not look at pirates!"
"That's right, looking at pirates is harmful to your eyes!"
"Ooh!!"
"You've really gone too far, G5," Franky said.
"Although I don't know what these guys are doing, as long as the children can board the ship safely, it's fine," Nami said with a smile.
As for these Marines' attitude toward their Straw Hat Pirates?
She didn't really care.
After all, the two sides are enemies, aren't they?
"That's true~" Perona laughed.
With that, Perona waved happily to the children on the cruise ship, but she was quickly blocked by the Marines' banner.
Perona: .
Suddenly, I feel like punching them. What's going on?
"Huh?"
"I just saw Princess Sister, but why did she suddenly disappear again?"
"Darn it, don't block us!"
"No!"
The Marines roared, "Pirates are evil! You must not look at them!"
"That's right, we must kill all the pirates who bully the people!"
"Pirates are the worst people in the world. We Marines are the ones who represent justice!"
"Exactly, exactly, don't look at them!"
"Darn it, why are you getting in our way?!" the children said, looking dissatisfied at the Marines blocking their view. "You're too much of a nuisance!"
"Move aside!"
Seeing the children's emotions growing more and more agitated, a Marine raised his weapon and fired a shot into the sky.
After the children all fell silent, he said, "Children who greet pirates are bad children!"
"That's right!"
"If you dare greet them, we'll leave you on the island!"
Hearing these words from the Marines, the children were immediately frightened into covering their mouths, not daring to say a word.
"That's right, just like that!" the Marine put down his weapon and said. "That's how good children behave."
"Children, listen to me!" another Marine shouted. "Pirates are evil! Marines are the ones who represent justice!"
"You kids should also know how much fear and disaster pirates have brought to the world!"
"We absolutely won't forgive pirates!"
"That's right!"
"Pirates are scum, they're villains!"
"Woo!!"
The Marines began shouting incessantly, all of them looking upward as if trying to avoid something.
"But... but..." Mocha said through tears, "When we asked them for help, they came to save us."
"Even though they didn't understand the situation at all, they never treated us as burdens when we grew bigger. They did everything they could to bring us out."
Hearing this little girl's words, the Marine Lieutenant Commander's body visibly trembled.
Then, his hands began shaking uncontrollably.
"Children..."
"That's right!"
Raid also cried out through tears, "If it weren't for them, we might never have been able to leave this island that has nothing."
"Let alone see our parents!"
By the end, the children burst into loud sobs, tears streaming down their faces.
The Marine Lieutenant Commander fell silent, his eyes gradually reddening.
After a moment of silence, the Lieutenant Commander roared, "Shut up, all of you fools!"
The Marines who heard the Lieutenant Commander's roar immediately stopped their actions, looking as if they had been hit by a paralysis Technique.
Moments later, tears began flowing uncontrollably from these Marines' eyes, their expressions starting to crack.
"But Lieutenant Commander... if we don't keep saying bad things about them..."
"We're going to start liking these lawless guys!"
"They're pirates after all!"
By the end, the Marines completely broke down, one after another beginning to wail loudly.
At this moment, scenes of their time with the Straw Hat Pirates appeared one by one in their minds.
If it weren't for Miss Merry, at least half of them would have died in Caesar's poison gas!
If it weren't for Black Leg Brother, they would have all died at the hands of that fake Vice Admiral Vergo.
If it weren't...
Recalling each previous scene, these Marines began crying even harder.
Who would have thought that they, as Marines, would come to like a group of lawless pirates?
"What a bunch of fools..." the Marine Lieutenant Commander said while wiping his tears.
But it seemed he was one of those fools too.
Thinking this, the Marine Lieutenant Commander raised his head, trying hard not to let his tears fall, but... he couldn't stop them.
"These guys..." Usopp said with a laugh, "They're really not honest."
Even though each of them clearly liked the Straw Hat Pirates very much, they ended up putting on such an act. It's really...
"After all, we are pirates," Nami said with a smile.
"That's true~"
The others exchanged glances, then began laughing heartily.
After the Marines' emotions stabilized, they began slowly maneuvering the cruise ship, clearly intending to take the children away from here.
Seeing this, the Straw Hat Pirates members immediately waved their arms at the children with smiles.
Seeing this, the children began waving back.
"Big brother and sister pirates, thank you for saving us!"
"When we grow up, we'll definitely..."
"Become pirates!"
Marines: ??
"Absolutely not!"
What do you mean you'll definitely become pirates when you grow up?!
Most pirates are evil, you brats!!
"Hahahaha~"
"What an interesting bunch of kids," Perona laughed.
To end up saying something like that... it really wasn't a waste saving them!
"Take care, everyone!" Nami called out with a smile.
"That's right, make sure to get plenty of rest!"
"Once you're home, be sure to act spoiled with your parents~"
"Kids, remember to eat lots of nutritious food when you get back!"
"We know!"
Mocha waved her arms and shouted, "Remember to say goodbye to Merry and the others for us!"
"Okay!"
Everyone waved and smiled at the children on the distant cruise ship, then watched with smiles as they gradually left the area.
"It's a shame Merry and the others didn't make it in time to see them off," Usopp said somewhat helplessly.
They actually missed this final scene, what a pity...
"Huh?"
Luffy suddenly realized something and said, "Oh yeah, why haven't Merry and the others come back yet?"
"You're a bit slow on the uptake," Usopp teased.
How long has it been, and only now does this guy notice?
"Now that you mention it, that's true."
Sanji glanced back in the direction Merry and the others had gone and said, "Why haven't they come over yet?"
"The food's going to get cold."
In this freezing, snowy environment, food cools down very quickly.
Thinking this, Sanji turned and walked toward the food, clearly intending to reheat the portions they had specifically set aside so that when Merry and the others returned, they could have a hot meal.
Watching Sanji leave, Franky frowned and said, "Could something have gone wrong?"
Could there be enemies over there?
But that doesn't seem right either—it's very quiet over there.
"It probably isn't enemies," Nami said. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be so quiet over there."
With Zoro's strength, no one could kill him instantly.
Besides... Merry, who has the Power of Wind, is over there too, so Nami doesn't think it's a fight.
"Could poison gas have spread over there?" Perona guessed.
"That's even less likely," Meiser shook his head. "Don't forget Merry's ability."
Merry is a Ship Spirit who has mastered the Power of Wind—how could she be taken out by poison gas?
So that theory is definitely wrong.
"Then what's going on?"
"I'm not sure either."
Meiser thought for a moment, then said, "I'll go over there and take a look."
Although he didn't know what had happened, he still needed to go and understand the situation.
At the very least, he needed to know why Merry and the others hadn't returned.
"Let me go," Perona said. "I can fly."
Since it's not a fight, there's no need for Meiser, a high-level combatant, to go. She can just fly over and check the situation.
"Alright."
Meiser nodded and said, "But if a fight breaks out over there, notify us immediately with a Negative Spirit."
"Okay."
Perona nodded, then flew up into the air.
But just as she flew out a short distance, she suddenly stopped, clearly having noticed something.
"What's wrong?"
"They're back!" Perona shouted.
"Back?" Usopp sighed in relief. "That's good."
It seemed nothing dangerous had happened, so everything was fine.
Meanwhile, Law looked at Luffy and said, "Straw Hat-ya, we can leave now, right?"
He really didn't want to run into Doflamingo or Smoker, that Vice Admiral, in this place, so it was better to leave sooner rather than later.
"Yeah, no problem," Luffy said with a laugh. "Once Merry comes back and releases the Thousand Sunny, we'll all leave here together."
"Alright," Law nodded.
Come to think of it, the pirate ship really was in that little girl's hands.
Ninjutsu... what an enviable ability!!