"No need, I'm fine like this." Instead of sitting, Robin pressed her chest even more boldly against Arton's shoulder, making Ain's expression sour at once. The rest of the Flameblade crew just looked unfazed.
Tashigi, Uta, and Kaya were used to women cozying up to Arton and didn't mind. Carina and Nami felt a twinge of displeasure at Robin's way of leaning in, but remembering how she'd helped divert Arton's attention earlier, they let it go—someone had to use "special methods" to keep Arton from blurting out destinations, and Robin hadn't actually spent the night with him.
Carina even snapped a pic of Robin's current "operation" with her diary copy and sent it to Vivi, Paula, and Mikita; the three immediately showered Robin with praise—after all, they were banking on Robin joining the Flameblade Pirates so they could gain strength from Arton through her. The more Robin captured Arton's attention, the happier they felt.
"Suit yourself," Arton said, popping a bite of cherry pizza into his mouth. "Tch, as expected—awful." He spat it right back out.
"You knew it was bad? Then why ask me to order it specifically?" Robin asked, puzzled.
"No reason, just wanted to try." Arton dabbed his mouth with a napkin. He couldn't very well say he was testing the same cherry pizza Blackbeard liked in the original. So nasty even Luffy the glutton hated it—yet Teach thought it was good. Freak.
Suddenly his brows knit. He shot to his feet, one hand bracing Robin's waist, the other snapping around a hand that had just gone for Robin's backside. "You. What do you think you're doing?"
With Arton's voice, Nami, Robin, and the others noticed the blue-haired man behind her. Faces went hard, especially Robin's.
Joke aside, even if she wasn't Arton's woman, the way she'd been pressing against his shoulder would make any onlooker assume there was something between them.
For someone to grope her here wasn't just insulting Robin—it was a slap to Arton. Arton felt the same; if he couldn't even protect the woman at his side, where was his pride?
"Huh? When did you grab my hand?" The blue-haired man glanced at Arton, then puffed himself up, swaggering. "Brat, I've taken a liking to your woman. Hand her over and I'll spare your life. Hm? The other babes by your side aren't bad either. In that case, they're all mine."
Arton's, Nami's, and everyone's expressions went black. "You've got some nerve" Arton snorted, fingers tightening on the man's wrist.
Crack.
A crisp snap. The blue-haired thug's arrogant face froze, then twisted as a wail ripped out of him. "Aaagh—damn it! Let go!"
He collapsed to his knees. The crowd of onlookers—men and women who'd been ready for a show—went stock-still, then snapped out of it.
"Bastard, let go of our vice-captain!"
"We're the Bellamy Pirates! Got a death wish?"
"Captain Bellamy's a big-name pirate with a 55,000,000-berry bounty—treating Vice-Captain Sarquiss like that will get you killed!"
"Hurry, get Captain Bellamy! Tell him someone's looking for trouble!"
Arton listened, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. Then he flipped on the diary system's recording function.
Chapter 402 - The Fall of the Bellamy Pirates
[Recording (in progress): The fall of the Bellamy Pirates.]
Baccarat: "Huh, Arton turned on the recording. Bellamy Pirates? Which crew is that—did they provoke Arton, and he's about to make a move?"
Monet: "Bellamy? How could this be?!"
Baccarat: "You know them?"
Monet: "They're a crew under the Young Master…"
Baccarat: "Tsk… that's really bad news. If the Bellamy Pirates offend Arton, he might take it out on Doflamingo. Looks like you'll have to work hard if you want to keep Doflamingo safe."
Monet: "..."
Gion: "The Bellamy Pirates? Quick, find where they are. What, all we have is 'somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line'? Damn it, keep digging!"
Viola: "Bellamy, huh—now this gets interesting."
Jewelry Bonney: "Some no-name little crew dared tick off Arton? Don't know their place at all. Still, a video will at least be something to watch."
…
Mock Town, inside a bar.
Nami, Robin, and the others noticed the diary recording too. In an instant, everyone tensed, eyes locked on Arton. This is absolutely not the time to leak coordinates.
Right then, all the women present reached silent agreement: the moment Arton so much as hinted at Mock Town or Jaya Island, each would unleash her own brand of temptation to divert his attention.
"Who is it—who dares provoke me, Bellamy?"
With Sarquiss howling in pain, the Bellamy Pirates' captain, Bellamy, finally arrived. One glance, and he saw Arton, who had crushed Sarquiss's hand to powder.
"Bastard, let him go."
Seeing his vice-captain treated like that, Bellamy didn't think—he lunged at Arton on the spot. But before his fist could even reach, Nojiko—closest to Arton—had already moved.
Boom!
A dull thud. Nojiko's heel pinned Bellamy's waist, ramming him straight into the floorboards.
"What?! You're kidding—Bellamy got floored by that woman?"
"No way, I couldn't even track the captain's speed—how did she hit him?"
"Wait, don't these people look familiar… have I seen them somewhere before?"
The Bellamy crew froze at the sight. Sarquiss, who'd been counting on his captain to save him, just stared slack-jawed.
"Pfft—how could someone like you hit me, woman?"
Bellamy spat blood, straining to turn his head toward Nojiko.
"Your shins turn into springs. So you're a Devil Fruit user," Nojiko said, lips quirking. "You're just a bit fast. What makes you think no one can tag you?"
She was smiling, but Bellamy felt nothing but crushing humiliation. He tried to rise—only for Nojiko to lean in harder. Under her foot he couldn't move an inch.
"Captain, how should we handle them?" Nojiko looked to Arton.
"Isn't it obvious? We erase them." Arton's mouth tilted. Sun Breathing flowed—an instant later, roaring flames engulfed the Sarquiss in his grip. In mere moments, Sarquiss was nothing but ash.
"N—no way?!"
Bellamy's eyes bulged red as he stared at the empty space where his vice-captain had been moments ago.
"I understand. I'll finish him."
Nojiko nodded, right hand gathering an inky surge of power. Gentle as she was, that gentleness was never for pirates. For bottom-tier scum like Bellamy and Sarquiss, she could strike without the slightest hesitation.
....
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