"Helper?"
Vivi stared at Nico Robin's message, momentarily at a loss. She still hadn't fully recovered from the shocking information Arton had revealed.
Just then, another new message appeared before her eyes:
[Zala: Greetings, brave Princess.]
[Mikita: I never imagined you'd infiltrate Arabasta—let alone end up as Hiss Wednesday!]
"Miss Doublefinger and Miss Valentine?"
"Robin actually managed to get those two on her side?!"
Vivi blinked in surprise, then felt a surge of relief.
After Arton revealed what Imu was up to, Vivi had grown all the more determined to find him. If recruiting more women to join Arton's side would increase the chances of getting his help, then Vivi didn't mind doing exactly that.
"As long as I can become Arton's crewmate, keep my father alive, and keep Arabasta safe… Even serving Arton alongside Robin and Mikita wouldn't be a problem."
Taking a deep breath, Vivi quickly typed out a reply in the group chat.
[Nefertari D. Vivi: Hello, Miss Zala and Miss Mikita. I'm glad to be working with you both.]
[Nefertari D. Vivi: Huh?! Why did my name change?!]
[Mikita: Changed? Isn't that the name you've always had?]
[Nico Robin: Hehe, how intriguing. Before, when I chatted with Princess Vivi through the Diary copy, her name only showed up as Nefertari Vivi. Now, it's become Nefertari D. Vivi.]
[Zala: That just goes to show the Nefertari line is indeed part of the Clan of D. Looks like we really have a royal princess as our comrade now.]
[Nefertari D. Vivi: …]
…
Aboard the Sylvan.
Saint Charlos was still wailing under Arton's relentless blows. To make him feel the height of agony, Arton intentionally controlled his strength.
Thanks to his Yoriichi Tsugikuni template and mastery of the Transparent World, finely tuning his blows to inflict maximum pain without knocking his target out was child's play. He could see precisely how a person's muscles and organs were functioning, where each strike would hurt the most without forcing unconsciousness.
For a moment, even Sadi and Domino—both from Impel Down—felt a chill in their hearts as they watched Arton's execution. They couldn't help thinking that they fell short compared to his ferocity.
"Damn you… damn you… You will be punished for this!"
"God's wrath will destroy everything you have… everything!"
"Ahhh! It hurts! It hurts so much!"
"You two women are in the Navy, aren't you? Hurry and save me! Otherwise, I'll make sure you suffer the harshest penalty!"
"I'll cut off your arms and legs and throw you into the slave pens for countless people to trample on!"
"This pain… Why won't you act?!"
"I'm going to file a complaint, no…I'll have the Celestial Dragon's hoof branded on you…"
"Not just you, but your families too!"
"You're finished… finished!"
Splayed on the deck, the World Noble reached out desperately toward Tashigi and Hina for help. However, the two of them were currently being restrained by Nami, Carina, and the others, so they couldn't move at all.
At the same time, their expressions grew complicated at Saint Charlos's threats. Tashigi, in particular, looked noticeably grim.
"S-Stop… please stop! Help me, Marines!"
"Aaah, I'm begging you, don't hit me anymore!"
"I—I can forgive your insolence!"
"I won't let the Navy hunt you down anymore!"
"I—I'm sorry, just please stop beating me!"
Finally, under Arton's merciless strikes, Saint Charlos completely cracked. His arrogant façade had vanished, replaced by tearful pleas to Tashigi, Hina, and—most of all—begging Arton to spare him.
This sight stunned both Tashigi and Hina; they never imagined a World Noble would stoop to such depths. The same was true for everyone else watching via the Diary's live broadcast.
Boa Hancock: "Fufufu… so World Nobles beg for mercy too, do they?"
Smoothie: "Tsk. He threatened Tashigi and Hina, only to grovel before the Navy that serves him. Pathetic."
Ulti: "World Nobles aren't all that different from normal people—when they're in danger, they still beg for their lives."
Laki: "Enel might be a scumbag, but at least he's more like a god than this disgusting World Noble."
Doll: "I never thought I'd see a World Noble forced into this state."
Hibari: "If this World Noble escapes, would he really just drop any punishment toward Tashigi, Hina, or Arton's crew?"
Ain: "Heh, if he gets away, he'll do whatever it takes to get his revenge."
Whitey Bay: "With Arton's power, he'll be fine, but Tashigi and Hina might end up exactly how he threatened—limbless in a slave pen."
Gion wore a solemn look, watching the live broadcast via her Diary.
Of course, she hoped Arton might spare the Celestial Dragon, leaving room for negotiation with the Navy and the World Government. But she was well aware that if the World Noble survived, Tashigi and Hina would be in grave danger.
Even with Marine Headquarters' protection, punishing two relatively low-ranking officers would be all too easy for the World Government. Unless those two stayed in Marineford forever, government agents could take them away at any time. Even if they did stay within Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku would come under enormous pressure.
"What a mess…" Gion sighed inwardly.
On one hand, she hoped Arton would free the World Noble, preserving some possibility of talks. On the other, she didn't want Hina and Tashigi harmed—if anything happened to them, Gion would bear responsibility as the mission's coordinator. And if Tashigi and Hina were taken, the female Marines who had Diary copies would undoubtedly grow resentful, possibly causing many of them to leave the Navy altogether.
Another sigh left Gion's lips. Even she had no idea how to settle this.
…
Hina and Tashigi stared at the Celestial Dragon with equally troubled faces. They were astonished to see him groveling, but deep down, they couldn't bring themselves to trust a single word he said. Their expressions darkened all the more.
Right then, Arton suddenly halted his assault. He gave a cold snort and cast an icy gaze at the trembling Saint Charlos.
"To think a descendant of the gods would beg someone as ordinary as me for mercy."
"Tsk—truly pathetic. If you'd been more defiant, I might have at least respected that."
"As I guessed, there's no point in expecting any backbone from a World Noble."
"Not everyone can be like Donquixote Doflamingo—once a World Noble himself—who wields Conqueror's Haki, seized Dressrosa's throne, became a Warlord, and eventually rose to rule part of the Underworld."
Smoothie: "Huh? So Doflamingo really was a World Noble once?"
Black Maria: "No way. Then why is he a former World Noble?"
Monet: "Oh no… Master's secret is out! We have to find Arton fast and make sure he cooperates with our Young Master, or else people might try to use this against him."
Sugar: "Isn't that going to cause all kinds of trouble?"
Baccarat: "So that's how the Heavenly Yaksha could collaborate with the Golden Emperor and overshadow him. That background is the real deal."
Gion: "A former World Noble and an Underworld king? That man's too dangerous."
Stussy: "Mm, so Joker's identity is exposed. That's bound to hurt his business. At least Arton hasn't outed me yet."
Belo Betty: "An Underworld king who used to be a World Noble? The Revolutionary Army hasn't paid nearly enough attention to him."
"Hina, Tashigi… you two don't look so good," Arton noted.
"Are you afraid that this great World Noble might really follow through on his threat—enslaving you and your loved ones?"
"If that's your concern, you can relax."
"Now that he's in my hands, I'm certainly not letting him leave alive."
Arton paused both his Diary entry and the World Noble's beating, then turned to Hina and Tashigi.
Having heard that, Saint Charlos tensed even more, though he'd been beaten so badly that he could hardly even speak.
"Arton, you seriously intend to kill him?"
"You do realize what that would mean, don't you?"
Hina frowned, focusing intently on Arton. She still hoped—albeit faintly—that she could change his mind.
At her words, Arton let out a chilly laugh.
"Let him go?"
"Hina, you should be thanking me."
"If I really did let him escape, do you think you'd fare any better?"
"Do you think you'd still be able to keep serving as a Marine once he made it home alive?"