The fire, the materials, the ritual—everything was ready.
The air carried the faint scent of revenge, calming everyone who watched the flames rise.
"So this is your idea of 'stargazing'?"
Nojiko asked softly as she stood beside Ren, her eyes fixed on the burning pyre.
"Yeah. When it's done, I'll bury their ashes along the path leading to the barren hill. Since Arlong believed so strongly in Fish-Man superiority, I'll make sure that, even in death, they're trampled under human feet."
Ren watched the dancing flames, a faint smile touching his lips. "Isn't that fair? Or do you prefer a gentler ending?"
"No," Nojiko replied sharply. "This is perfect. That's exactly what those bastards deserve."
Her voice dripped with hatred. Then she added, "But I came to talk to you about something else. You're setting sail soon, aren't you?"
"Yes," Ren admitted. "I want to see the world's wonders. And then… ah, forget it. That dream's still far away."
He turned to her, sensing there was more. "If you've got something to say, go ahead."
"I want to ask—do you have a cook on your ship?"
Ren blinked. "?"
He looked at her in disbelief. "We don't, but… wait, you're saying you want to come with me? What about the orange grove?"
"If it's to be rebuilt, it'll take ages. The Marines were brutal, and for some reason, the house suddenly collapsed. Maybe it's because it hadn't been properly maintained for years."
Nojiko sighed. "Besides, my sister's carrying a four-hundred-million debt. I might as well come aboard and help her out. You're not planning to make me work for free, are you?"
She batted her eyes at him playfully.
The sisters really were alike—both knew how to use their charms.
Ren turned his head awkwardly, guilt flickering across his face. It wasn't hard to guess that her house's sudden collapse probably had something to do with his gigantification.
After a moment's thought, he said, "You do realize I'm officially a pirate in the Marines' eyes, right?"
"My sister's a pirate too. I've even seen her wanted poster," Nojiko said with a light laugh. "I've been stuck here long enough. I want to see the world for myself—especially since the person I care about is leaving."
Ren frowned slightly. "Still, think it over carefully. Life at sea isn't child's play."
Nojiko didn't answer. She simply gazed silently at the flames.
When the fire finally died down, all that remained were ashes and bones.
Ren helped gather what was left, handing them to the villagers of Cocoyasi who had come with torches to assist. They were eager to help bury the Fish-Men's remains—an act of cleansing for their own pain.
In the end, Ren only took one small piece of Arlong's bone—and buried it beside the graves of Keya's parents.
Zoro, who had been standing nearby, began to dig a small hole a short distance away.
"What are you doing?" Ren asked curiously.
"I heard what happened here," Zoro said, pressing his palms together before his forehead. "I was looking for a resting place for one of my companions. Let him stay here—to watch over your mountain."
He bowed respectfully toward the small grave. "Consider this my offering in place of my own."
A swordsman through and through, Ren thought, amused. Even in death, he carries a sense of romance.
Looking down the hill, Ren saw the villagers working tirelessly in the dark, torches flickering in their hands. Not a hint of fear—only determination.
And rightly so.
This was their family's resting ground.
Ren thought of his previous life—how he had once passed through heroes' cemeteries and felt not fear, but reverence.
By the time dawn crept over the barren hill, everything was done.
Ren and Zoro made their way back to Arlong Park to collect their spoils.
The treasure of the Arlong Pirates was hidden not above ground but below—in a reinforced cellar beneath the main building.
No wonder the explosion had been so clean.
Nami came along as well, claiming she could help appraise the treasure's value.
Before long, under her guidance, they found the location amid the rubble. The entrance was sealed by a heavy iron door welded to the ground.
Ren smashed through the surrounding stone tiles, and the door—losing its support—collapsed into the cellar with a crash.
Perhaps even the door itself gave up after realizing it had failed its purpose.
The trio descended into the underground vault with torches in hand.
There it was—Arlong's treasure hoard.
Chest after chest filled the room. Some contained piles of Beli, though surprisingly few; most held gold, silver, and precious jewelry, while others were packed with antiques.
The sight was dazzling.
After a long while counting, Nami gave her verdict: "Roughly seven hundred million Beli."
"Only seven hundred million? Didn't Arlong rule over twenty villages?" Ren frowned, a little disappointed. "Ten billion would've sounded better."
Ten billion Beli—the jackpot of jackpots!
"Many fled, others died, and some villages barely had a hundred people left," Nami said exasperatedly, stamping her foot. "And don't forget, the Arlong Pirates had expenses too!"
She gestured at the ruins around them. "For example—Arlong Park itself. He modeled it after a place from the Grand Line, spent billions on construction, and it still wasn't finished."
"Arlong Park wasn't just this building and bay—it had training grounds, an amusement area, all sorts of facilities. That's why it was built outside Cocoyasi Village. Why do you think only part of the treasure's in Beli? The rest was spent here!"
"…Fine, fine. A harvest's still a harvest," Ren conceded with a sigh. He turned to Zoro. "Want a share? I'll give you ten percent. You held off Arlong in direct combat—couldn't have gone this smoothly without you."
"I was only doing my duty. Besides," Zoro replied, shaking his head, "I made a mistake back then."
Money had never mattered much to him.
"What about me?!" Nami piped up, eyes sparkling like gold coins.
She struck a cute pose, swaying slightly—as if wagging an invisible tail.
Ren groaned inwardly. She's like a puppy begging for treats.
"Ten million Beli," he said firmly. "Not a single coin more. You'll get your bonus later when the time's right."
Nami's greed clashed perfectly with his own obsession with money—that was why he'd proposed their wager in the first place.
Morality aside, logic had to stand.
As for training her into a prodigy navigator? No—people's time and resources were limited.
Better to chase a bigger prize so everyone could have a slice.
"Cheapskate! Hmph!" Nami pouted, but her eyes gleamed mischievously.
When Ren started organizing the loot, she quickly snatched up ten million Beli—and, on impulse, slipped a golden bracelet onto her wrist.
"Consider this a gift," she said, already dashing away to deliver the money back to Cocoyasi Village.
Ren didn't bother stopping her.
Zoro, seeing his employer unfazed, leaned against the wall and dozed off.
Ren, long familiar with Nami's antics, sorted the treasures by type and began feeding them piece by piece into Chester's gaping maw.
That's when he noticed a flaw in Chester's design.
Weight and volume didn't matter—but the items still had to fit inside.
And Chester's mouth was only about as wide as Ren's waist. There was no way to fit a full treasure chest through it.
Much like Giant Ren trying to match pace with Nami—it just didn't fit.
(End of Chapter)