Stoker truly lived up to being a trusted subordinate of Monkey D. Garp—his actions were swift, decisive, and ruthlessly efficient.
No sooner had Major Nezumi and his group been taken away than the pirate gang led by the middle-aged man was completely wiped out—every last one of them arrested and imprisoned.
What followed was a sweeping internal purge of the Marines in the East Blue.
And this—
Was no ordinary cleanup.
Stoker hadn't come to Loguetown just to serve as a Colonel.
After the incident at Syrup Village, Garp had been furious. Once the Devil Fruits were delivered back to Marine Headquarters, he immediately pushed for a full-scale reform of the East Blue Marines.
After deliberation, the higher-ups approved it.
And Stoker—
Was the one chosen to carry it out.
He arrived in Loguetown with full authority—nothing less than a "license to act first and report later."
Any Marine who refused cooperation—
Soldier or officer—
Could be dealt with on the spot.
And the moment he arrived, he uncovered corruption between Marines and pirates.
That alone proved one thing:
This reform… was long overdue.
After intense interrogation, Stoker gathered overwhelming evidence against Nezumi.
His verdict was immediate.
Execution.
A public beheading—to serve as a warning.
Terrified, the captured pirate leader confessed everything—bribery records, names of corrupt officers, crimes committed over the years.
Once Stoker learned this man had been a pirate captain responsible for slaughtering Marines years ago—
He didn't hesitate.
Execution.
Then—
With lightning speed—
Every corrupt Marine named in the confession was arrested.
Fruit Street, Loguetown
The citrus stock from Cocoyasi Village was nearly sold out.
Boxes disappeared one after another as buyers rushed in.
Villagers beamed with joy.
For the first time—
They were truly profiting.
Standing at the storefront, Bell-mère stared at Arashi.
Her gaze…
Soft.
Unhidden.
Almost… captivated.
She knew he was younger than her.
But this man—
This traveler—
Had something irresistible.
It wasn't because he knew Dracule Mihawk.
Not because a Marine Colonel respected him.
Not because he saved the village's economy.
No—
It was simpler than that.
She liked him.
Somewhere along the way…
She had started relying on him.
Falling for him.
And she didn't care what came after.
Even if he left.
Even if he didn't feel the same.
Her feelings were real.
And that was enough.
Just then—
A villager ran over excitedly.
"Mr. Arashi!!! The citrus is almost sold out!"
"Looks like Cocoyasi oranges are quite popular."
Arashi smiled.
"Once everything is sold, I'll speak to the Marine Colonel about establishing a safe trade route between Cocoyasi Village and Loguetown."
"If possible, we might even arrange naval escorts during harvest season."
"Really?!"
"That would be incredible!"
"Then all our farming efforts will truly pay off!"
"Mr. Arashi, how can we ever repay you? Maybe… we could each give you a piece of land?"
"Haha, no need for that."
Arashi waved it off lightly.
Then—
Calmly—
"I won't be returning to Cocoyasi Village after this."
Silence.
Bell-mère froze.
The villagers fell quiet.
"What…?"
She stood abruptly, staring at him.
"Why so shocked?"
Arashi glanced at her and smiled.
"I'm a traveler. My journey in Cocoyasi Village is over."
"It's time to move on."
Bell-mère said nothing.
She just looked at him.
Because she already knew.
This day would come.
But she didn't expect—
It would come like this.
So suddenly.
"So sudden…"
She tried to steady herself.
"Nami… she's still waiting for you to teach her navigation…"
"And Nojiko… she's waiting for your sword lessons…"
Her voice trembled.
Her eyes reddened.
And then—
Tears fell.
Bell-mère—
The strong, fearless woman—
Was crying.
For the first time.
Seeing her like this, even Arashi felt a twinge in his chest.
This was exactly why he chose to leave this way.
Not from the village directly—
But through this journey.
Because he knew—
Nami depended on him.
Nojiko looked up to him.
And Bell-mère…
Had grown attached.
Those days in Cocoyasi Village—
Working in the orange groves.
Playing by the sea.
Teaching navigation.
Training swordsmanship.
Laughing, drinking, living simply—
They were peaceful.
Warm.
Too warm.
And that was the problem.
Because if he stayed—
He might not want to leave.
But that wasn't his path.
He didn't cross into this world just to settle down.
This was the world of Gol D. Roger—
A sea of adventure.
If he didn't explore it—
Wouldn't that be the real regret?
Looking at Bell-mère, now in tears, Arashi suddenly smiled.
"You know… Bell-mère looks pretty when she cries."
"—?!"
The villagers burst out laughing.
"That's because she never cries!"
"This is our first time seeing it!"
"She's the one who can't bear you leaving the most!"
"Shut up!!"
Bell-mère snapped, flustered.
"Do you all want to die?!"
"Hahaha!"
Another villager stepped forward, grinning.
"Alright, alright, stop teasing her."
"We'll miss Mr. Arashi too."
"But he said it himself—he's a traveler."
"So let's not hold him back."
The laughter softened the moment.
But beneath it—
Everyone understood.
This wasn't just a farewell.
It was the end of something rare.
Something warm.
Something that felt like…
Home.
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