"Captain Nezumi, how long it has been since we last heard that infamous name!"
"I'm Nojiko—do you recognize me?"
Nojiko spoke with a faint smile directed at Nezumi.
"No… Noji… No—I don't know you!"
"Please, just let me go, alright…?"
Nezumi begged, voice trembling.
"Hehe, lying isn't a good kid's behavior."
"Oops, I forgot. You're certainly no good kid."
Nojiko shook her head, obviously not believing a word.
"But as for letting go of you… I guess I can do you that favor."
After speaking, Nojiko immediately released her talons. Nezumi's eyes went wide in terror as his body plunged downward, arms and legs flailing while he shrieked desperately.
Boom!
A violent crash echoed out as Nezumi slammed into the ground near Saint Charlos, leaving a crater in the impact's wake.
"S—save me…!"
Coughing blood, Nezumi feebly raised a hand toward the Celestial Dragon.
Saint Charlos frowned at the pitiful sight of Nezumi.
"Tch, useless. If you die, who's going to follow my orders?"
"Damn it, hurry up and stand! Or I'll shoot you myself."
He reflexively reached for his waist, only to recall that his gun had been sliced apart by Arton. Once more, he glared at Arton in fury.
Arton merely ignored him and focused on Nezumi's shape at the bottom of the crater.
"This world really is something else," he commented in a detached tone. "Even trash like him, falling over ten meters from the sky, doesn't die right away."
He thought back to Zoro's childhood friend Kuina, who died after falling down the stairs. The discrepancy struck him all the more.
"Nojiko, finish him off," Arton said, looking up at Nojiko as she descended.
"Understood." Nojiko nodded without hesitation.
Though Arton wanted revenge on Nezumi for his own sake, Nojiko—being a crewmate and equally holding a grudge—had requested she settle this personally. Arton didn't mind letting her do so. After all, he only needed to deal with the Celestial Dragon.
Another glow of light shimmered.
Nojiko's half-eagle form vanished, replaced by a towering grayish-brown bear over three meters tall.
Doll: "She turned into a bear now?"
Zala: "That power's so convenient—she can seemingly shift into any animal."
Sadi: "I'm suddenly starting to want that power. Changing into all sorts of cute animals must be pretty nice."
Ulti: "She can become so many animals… does that mean Nojiko truly is hundred beasts? Could she turn into a fish, too…?"
Gion: "If she can even become a fish, then she'd truly master land, sea, and sky. The real problem is that she can also turn into demons. Even a single maxed-out standard Zoan user is troublesome. If Nojiko pushes her ability to the extreme, she'll be even worse. We'll need to keep a close eye on her!"
"Grrroaaar!"
A thunderous roar shook the air as Nojiko, now in bear form, clutched Nezumi by the collar and hauled him upright.
"N-no—don't kill me!"
"I'm innocent, I swear—help me!!"
Nezumi thrashed in panic, but was no match for a bear's brute strength.
"Innocent? Hehe, the biggest joke I've heard all day." Nojiko sneered. "Nezumi, don't think I don't know what went on between you and Arlong's pirate gang."
"For me and Nami both—you're just as guilty. You're the one person I can never forgive."
With that, Nojiko slammed Nezumi back down into the ground. Her terrifying strength enlarged the crater another size, and this time, Arton was certain there was no surviving. Nezumi was definitely dead.
…
Meanwhile, in a certain part of the New World's seas, Black Maria's ship—tasked with finding Arton—raced across the ocean. Aboard, both Ginrummy and Black Maria kept their eyes glued to their respective Diary copies.
"That's incredible—Nojiko's power is absolutely amazing," Ginrummy breathed. "If only we could wield Take Over Magic like she does, maybe we wouldn't have to bother with artificial Devil Fruits…"
She recalled her own tension when ingesting the Squirrel SMILE Fruit. Now she only felt envy. But it wasn't just Ginrummy; Black Maria felt the same.
"Yes, Nojiko's ability is truly formidable," Black Maria said. "Unfortunately, Take Over Magic is probably exclusive to the one with Mirajane's Template. We others can't just learn it."
"When we saw Nojiko transform into an eagle-human form earlier, it reminded me of a Zoan user's hybrid form."
Ginrummy blinked. "But didn't Arton mention Marijane's Take Over was specifically to fuse with demons? Why can Nojiko also take on animal forms?"
"If that magic lets her fuse with magical creatures, devils, and so on," Black Maria explained, "then fusing with regular animals might be simple by comparison."
"Nojiko basically looks like she's got multi-animal Zoan powers. If Kaido realizes that, he'll definitely be interested in Nojiko's abilities. Then we can spend even longer cruising outside, searching for Arton while Kaido bides his time."
Hearing that, Ginrummy brightened. As someone who desired power herself, the idea of an extended mission searching for Arton was good news indeed.
"Hurry," she whispered, clasping her hands in prayer. "I want to meet Arton soon—please…"
…
Back in the East Blue…
"Hmm? That transformation is interesting. You can turn into other animals, can you?"
Saint Charlos blinked at Nojiko, both curious and impressed. As for Nezumi's death, he seemed entirely unconcerned—much like he hadn't cared that all his guards were now unconscious or worse.
Nojiko, for her part, merely rolled her eyes at Saint Charlos and turned to leave—her business was done. But just as she took a step, he reached angrily for her arm.
"Y-you there—hold it!"
"I find you very interesting. You'll be my toy from now on!"
Saint Charlos sounded both furious and intrigued as he seized at Nojiko.
Nojiko slapped his hand aside with a swipe, annoyance clear in her expression.
Watching via Livestream, Boa Hancock's eyes lit up with satisfaction, while Gion and the other Marines only looked more distressed.
"Ow! You dare strike at me, a World Noble?!"
Clutching his stinging hand, Saint Charlos gaped, dumbfounded, as Nojiko casually walked away without a word. It took him several seconds to realize what had just happened.
"You're being too brazen here, Nojiko," Hina said lightly as Nojiko approached where she stood. "That is a World Noble you just brushed off."
Nojiko snorted. "Fufu, I'm not like you Marines. You all have to serve the Celestial Dragons. I don't."
Nami, Carina, and the rest nodded firmly behind Nojiko. Hina sighed. She had hoped that maybe Arton's crewmates would worry about him provoking World Government retaliation, but it looked like not a single one of them cared about that. Even timid Kaya had evidently grown bold thanks to her new template and the diary's power.
"So all I can do now," Hina murmured, gaze drifting to Arton and the Celestial Dragon, "is stand by and watch him execute a Celestial Dragon…?"
She wasn't the only one disheartened—Gion, Doll, and the other Marine women felt much the same. In contrast, the various pirates were either calmly or gleefully spectating. Those like Boa Hancock, who already harbored hatred toward the Celestial Dragons, felt a thrilled anticipation.
Gion: "All of Arton's companions share that same attitude… They've got courage from Arton's presence."
Doll: "What a headache. Not only Arton, but all his crewmates could become truly dangerous…"
Sadi: "Well, not much else we can do. Arton's ways of bestowing power on them are quick, and they hardly fear the Celestial Dragons by now."
Ain: "Arton long ago said the Celestial Dragons are mere descendants of those 20 kingdoms that betrayed the Ancient Kingdom. As far as his friends are concerned, these false gods hold no authority. …And me? I can't stand them either. If not for those ancestors, that great kingdom might have spread joy and peace around the world—just as Arton said."
....
1 extra chapter every 100 stones