In the end, Bell-mère didn't let Noyer lie in the hospital bed all night — he still went to the village banquet.
To be honest, the banquet culture in the pirate world is quite appealing. Growing up, Noyer would always attend one or two banquets during festivals or harvest times. These were the times when the three siblings could let loose and have fun.
Only at these times would Bell-mère allow him to drink some alcohol with the villagers. Nojiko and Nami could always use their cute looks to get lots of delicious food and fun things from the adults.
Of course, at this banquet, the injured boy who couldn't drink was destined to lose his joy.
By the time the banquet ended, it was late at night. Bell-mère and Noyer each carried one of their exhausted little sisters home.
Once home, he decided to have a talk with his mom.
"What? You want to go into seclusion and train for two years?" Bell-mère looked at her son in surprise.
Noyer nodded. He'd had this idea for a while now.
Now that he had the power of the Devil Fruit, plus his exceptional talent for Swordsmanship and Haki, it was time to focus on developing his abilities.
"Child, you're already strong enough." Bell-mère grasped his hand with concern, "Don't put so much pressure on yourself."
She had always understood that ever since she adopted him, he seemed to carry something weighing on his mind. He never relaxed in his training, as if some burden was pressing down on him.
This had once deeply troubled her.
You're my child! Don't you think I can protect you?
"Don't worry, Bell-mère. Just two years — nothing will happen." Noyer comforted her gently.
Bell-mère fell silent, but he knew she had agreed.
She would never interfere with any decision her children made. But she would always be there for them — until they succeeded, or until they felt tired and returned to her embrace.
Guilt flickered in Noyer's eyes, but he quickly hid it, silently swearing to himself.
Two years. Once I emerge and deal with Arlong, I'll spend quality time with you.
◇◆◈◆◇
After that, the villagers of Cocoyasi Village felt something was missing.
The kid no longer came around challenging people, no longer appeared stealing drinks, and no longer practiced his swordsmanship in public view. Everyone felt unaccustomed to his absence.
Noyer found an isolated island in the nearby waters. It had many fierce beasts and a harsh environment — perfect for his training.
Two years was enough time to change many things.
Two years could transform Luffy from a naive kid into the "Fifth Emperor" of the New World, turn Zoro into a formidable swordsman with few rivals, and allow Nami and Robin to grow into beautiful women.
◇◆◈◆◇
Everything changed with time.
During those two years, the East Blue — known as the "Weakest Sea" — saw the emergence of many vicious pirates. Although on the Grand Line such pirates were mostly cannon fodder, in the East Blue they could still run rampant.
The World Government's Marine forces carried out justice enforcement here, but they couldn't keep up with the speed at which pirates appeared.
From this perspective alone, Gol D. Roger, who started the Great Pirate Era, really was no good.
One sentence aroused greed in countless people, who set out to find an illusory treasure and perished at sea. It caused countless homes to be trampled and destroyed by pirates, families torn apart.
Regardless of Roger's true purpose, he bore this sin completely.
Even though some pirates weren't after the so-called great treasure at all, but simply wanted to live luxurious lives by terrorizing others.
The world would still blame this type of pirate on the Pirate King, because he gave these people an excuse — an excuse to follow the wave of a great era.
In the original story, the Marines stand opposed to the protagonist, but that doesn't mean they're the bad guys. On the contrary, without the law enforcement actions of the righteous soldiers in the Marines, there's no telling what chaos the East Blue would descend into.
But in this world, creating evil is far easier than creating goodness. Ending this chaotic Great Pirate Era won't be simple.
And within the Marines, not all soldiers represent justice for the sake of peace.
On a certain island stood the 16th Branch Base, directly under Marine Headquarters. It was just one of the branch's many outposts — Marine personnel were spread throughout the Four Seas, and they were reliable when it came to establishing bases.
The captain in charge was receiving a special guest. In his office, copper chests lay open one by one, revealing gold, silver, and jewels gleaming inside!
The quantity was enormous. The captain's eyes were instantly mesmerized.
This captain wore a mouse hat and had a gaunt, elongated face with a pointed nose. Three disgusting whiskers extended from each side of his cheeks, and his narrow eyes revealed greed.
"Captain Nezumi, are you satisfied with my gift?"
A rough voice sounded as the guest grinned, showing sharp teeth.
Sea-blue skin. A saw-like long nose. A shark-like face, webbed hands. He wore shorts and a short-sleeved shirt left open, sitting with his legs crossed brazenly before the Marine captain.
This was a fish-man — none other than Arlong, whom Noyer had always been wary of!
"Satisfied! Of course I'm satisfied!" Captain Nezumi seemed possessed, pressing his face against the treasures. He picked up a gemstone and kissed it several times, "You've already attacked over a dozen villages. Isn't that enough?"
Arlong laughed and shook his head, "How could this be enough? My Arlong Empire is far more than this! Don't worry — as long as you help me cover this up, there's plenty of money!"
Captain Nezumi chuckled slyly, "Of course, of course."
Disdain flashed in Arlong's eyes. He lifted his tall, sturdy body, "Well, I'll be going then. Good luck to both of us!"
"Haha, take care!"
Leaving the branch base, Arlong came to the shore where his pirate ship was docked.
On the black pirate flag, a red sawshark sat atop two skulls — this was the ship that accompanied Arlong in his misdeeds, the Shark Superb.
Arlong returned to the Shark Superb. The fish-men on board watched him approach.
"Did you handle it?"
"Of course!" Arlong replied, but thought disdainfully, 'Just a greedy little human. If I weren't afraid of alerting the higher-ups in the Marines, I wouldn't give money to disgusting humans!'
Ever since a Vice Admiral on the Grand Line easily defeated him years ago, Arlong had become more cunning and cautious.
Otherwise, trash like Captain Nezumi? He could crush ten of them with one hand!
After mourning the lost money, he looked at the sea chart on the table. His massive webbed palm slammed down, his vicious face hidden in shadow as he grinned wickedly.
"The Arlong Empire begins here!"
When he lifted his hand, the chart revealed his target — Noyer's hometown, Cocoyasi Village!
◇◆◈◆◇
Rumble Rumble!!
Cocoyasi Village's normally peaceful streets had become ruins and rubble, with villagers fleeing in terror.
Another house collapsed with a thunderous crash. Beside it, a fish-man casually withdrew his hand.
"Hahahaha!!"
A group of burly fish-men watched the fleeing humans and laughed maniacally.
"As expected of an inferior species — no ability to fight back at all!" Arlong, leader of the Arlong Pirates, stared at the villagers with brutal eyes and mocked them.
"Silence!! You despicable pirates!" Genzō, the village officer, stepped forward and shouted angrily.
Behind him stood a group of villagers holding weapons. Though fear showed on their faces, they still stood before the fish-men.
They were afraid, but they had no choice.
Two years ago, a child had protected the village. Though no one showed it outwardly, guilt still weighed on them. They had to protect their own homeland!
Genzō mustered his courage, grabbed an iron rod, and led everyone in a charge!
But the innate differences between races weren't something ordinary people could overcome.
Arlong looked disdainfully at the humans attempting to resist and said flatly, "Chew! Show them what we're made of!"
Beside Arlong, a tall, thin kissing gourami fish-man stepped forward. His long mouth resembled an archerfish, with lipstick applied to it.
The fish-man called Chew stared with listless dead-fish eyes, then lowered his head. From his long mouth, he rapidly shot out several water bullets!
◇ Hyappatsu Mizudeppo ⥤ Hundred-Shot Water Gun ◇
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The rapid strikes rang out. Genzō and the others fell to the ground one after another like dominoes, hit by the water bullets.
The villagers clutched their wounds, faces contorted in pain as they groaned. Genzō's twisted expression showed nothing but unwillingness!
Why?! Are all fish-men this strong?!
Without even getting serious, they instantly defeated all of us!
Bell-mère stood with the villagers, anger burning in her eyes. She held Nami and Nojiko's hands, the two little girls cowering fearfully behind her legs.
Nojiko thought worriedly: 'Big brother, where are you…'
Seeing the fear on everyone's faces, Arlong felt even more satisfied and laughed triumphantly.
"Fish-men are naturally the superior race. Filthy creatures like humans shouldn't even exist! Mere humans resisting fish-man rule is like defying the laws of nature!" Arlong's pleasure grew as he watched the despised humans before him looking so helpless. He held up five fingers, "If you want to live, buy your lives with money! ฿50,000 for a child, ฿100,000 for an adult — that's fair, isn't it? Being allowed to live in my Arlong Empire is the greatest honor of your lives!"
The villagers lowered their heads in humiliation.
Genzō roared furiously, "Damn fish-men! That's impossible!"
Arlong's thick eyebrows furrowed. Beside him, the cartilaginous fish-man Kuroobi shot out like lightning.
With a fierce punch, Genzō's body flew backward, blood spurting uncontrollably from his mouth.
Barely alive, the old man collapsed to his knees.
Kuroobi stared at him expressionlessly, "Do not resist fish-men!"
Watching Genzō fall and stay down, someone finally couldn't withstand the pressure.
"We're no match for them at all… we should just give them money."
"You! What are you saying!"
"Everyone is completely powerless. If we don't give them money, we're just throwing away our lives…"
"No one can possibly beat them…"
Arlong watched the crowd gradually give up resistance, the corners of his mouth curling up.
"You're lying!"
A childish voice rang out, and Arlong's smile immediately froze.
Nami had somehow run out from behind Bell-mère, "My Onii-chan is the strongest! You stinking fish-men — Noyer won't let you get away with this!"
Noyer… that name couldn't be more familiar.
The villagers suddenly remembered: there was a child who, at just ten years old, had defeated a pirate worth ฿15,000,000 with his sword and sunk a pirate ship.
A ray of conviction flashed in Genzō's eyes as he muttered and struggled to his feet, "That's right, Noyer is still out there… If that brat comes back and finds things like this, he'll mock me for sure!"
The villagers seemed to have rekindled their fighting spirit. Arlong stared intently at Nami, puzzled.
Who's Noyer, some strongman from this village? What kind of powerful person could possibly come from a tiny village!
Bell-mère quickly pulled Nami back, shielding her from Arlong's murderous gaze.
Arlong looked at Kuroobi, "Kill that man. Let them see some blood!"
"Yes!"
Kuroobi picked up a knife that had fallen nearby, raised the blade, and with a cold expression swung it down!
"Genzō-san!"
"Genzō!"
The villagers roared in fury, but the blade's descent didn't slow.
At the critical moment, a gust of wind rushed in, and a figure flashed into view!
Clang!!
The expected spray of blood never came. Instead, a crisp sound of clashing metal rang out. Kuroobi stared in shock at the hand that had caught the blade — black as ink!
Haki? How could this be?!
{T/N: There are discussions about the visibility of Armament Haki, with me personally believing that visualization is only possible if you are also a Haki user. But let's make the visibility of it canon here in this novel.}
Looking to the side, he saw someone wearing a tightly wrapped cloak. Beneath the hood was an impossibly young face!
What?!
Arlong's eyes widened as he stared at the newcomer.
"Genzō-san, I just got back — how did so much trash get into the village? You're not managing things properly, are you?"
Genzō looked at the cloaked man with delight. He'd recognize that voice even if it turned to ash!
When this guy was little, the damn brat had plucked who knows how many of his leg hairs!
Slowly removing his hood, he revealed a handsome, dashing face.
Sleek black hair, sharp eyebrows like blades, starry eyes deep as black holes — mysterious yet fatally attractive!
It was none other than that handsome devil, Noyer!
"Noyer!"
"Onii-chan!"
"You brat!"
"My precious boy!"
Hearing the villagers' delighted cheers, Noyer broke into a satisfied grin.
As expected, my popularity is as strong as ever!
Wait a minute! Did a strange form of address get mixed in there?
In the crowd, a certain orange-haired loli who wished to remain anonymous shrank her neck…
Watching the villagers act like star-struck fans, Arlong wanted to point at Noyer's nose and curse — who the hell do you think you are?!
This atmosphere? This reception?
Who do you think you are? Some kind of returning king?
The returning king Noyer turned his head and locked eyes with Arlong, who glared at him hatefully, then revealed a cold smile.
He raised his hand and pointed at Arlong's long saw-toothed nose.
"Quit staring, Arlong! I'm about to come over there and kick your ass straight to hell!"
◈◈◈
T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want to enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations: MrBlackWing
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)