Loguetown sits at the entrance to the East Blue of the Grand Line.
It's the hometown of Pirate King Roger, and also the place where he was executed ever since, people have called it "the town of beginnings and endings."
By the time Arima arrived in Loguetown, night had already fully fallen.
Even under the cover of darkness, Loguetown remained lively. People flowed through the streets, and Marine patrols passed by now and then to keep order.
As the group wandered the streets, Arima noticed someone tailing them. He gave Tsunade a slight nod, then slipped away from the others as if melting into the crowd.
The rest didn't make a fuss, normally this kind of thing would be handled by elders.
But since Arima had stepped forward himself, it was obvious the follower was no small fry.
Tsunade led the others straight to the clothing quarter and told them to pick whatever outfits they liked.
Kushina and Nami went into a shop that specialized in women's fashion.
"Pick whatever you want, Arima gave me plenty of pocket money!" Kushina said generously.
Nami didn't hesitate at the offer and began filling her arms with clothes. Still, she was thrifty by nature. At checkout she haggled fiercely, and her bargaining left Kushina wide-eyed.
"Nami, you're amazing! A three-million-Berries outfit, and you talked them down to one hundred thousand Berries."
Kushina stared at the piles of bags at her feet as if witnessing a miracle.
"Well, I know how things work around here. There's no way I'd let them gouge us!"
"Arima left me thirty million berries this time. With the way you spend, it'll take ages to burn through that." Kushina waved a hand.
"Wait, thirty million?!" Nami's eyes lit up; she could practically hear the jingling of Berries.
"You're such a money fiend. Alright, it's pocket money, you get a share too."
Kushina pulled out her wallet, took out a fat stack, and handed it to Nami without hesitation.
"The captain really is a good man." Nami counted her allowance carefully and couldn't stop praising Arima.
Kushina laughed. "Nami, one of these days I'll take you inside the Kamui space so you can see the world. Don't be so stingy, after all, our captain is one of the Five Emperors!"
Nami understood the logic, but money clouded her judgment; once Berries were on the table, she felt inexplicably secure.
"Kushina, how much money does our captain actually have?" Nami asked quietly.
"Just in gold alone could probably buy a thousand 'celestial dragons' at the very least! As for the rest… hey, Nami, why are you suddenly so flushed?"
Seeing Nami's face go rosy and her eyes glaze over, Kushina hurried to steady her.
Supporting herself on Kushina's arm, Nami muttered, "A thousand celestial dragons! A thousand….."
"You're such a money addict," Kushina sighed.
Tsunade and the others joined them then. Seeing Nami's odd state, Tsunade gave her a quick check-up.
'Her body's fine!' Tsunade said, puzzled.
Kushina quickly explained the whole situation, and everyone finally understood. Nami had been overwhelmed by the sheer scale of their captain's wealth.
Tsunade chuckled. "This is psychological. Looks like she needs shock therapy."
Kushina, holding the limp Nami, asked curiously, "Tsunade, what kind of shock therapy?"
Tsunade put on a theatrical air.
"Hit her with a Mangekyo Sharingan illusion, let her taste the glittering, decadent life, then drag her from heaven to hell and make her a penniless beggar.
Once she sees the true nature of money, she'll let go."
"You're a devil, Tsunade!" Kushina protested.
Tsunade shrugged. "If that fails, we'll put her bed in the Kamui space and let her sleep surrounded by gold every night. Look at it enough and she'll get sick of it."
Hearing that, Nami snapped back to life and hugged Tsunade excitedly. "Thank you, Tsunade!"
Tsunade could only shake her head. "You really are a money lover."
The little episode didn't dampen the group's shopping spirit.
Nami went on to demonstrate why she was both a miser and a money magician, the small vendors found it hard to make a profit, but Nami's silver tongue kept them dizzy and selling.
Meanwhile, Arima had already confronted the tail.
"Who are you?" he asked, stopping a man wearing a black cloak.
The man pulled off his hood to reveal his face. A strange red diamond-shaped tattoo marked the left side of his cheek. His expression was fierce and his gaze resolute.
"Monkey D. Dragon. May I be of assistance?" the man said. Arima recognized him immediately.
"You're Monkey D. Dragon! What brings you to me?"
"Arima of the Five Emperors, I've long heard of your name. I represent the Revolutionary Army, and I'm here to propose cooperation."
"Cooperation? What sort of cooperation?"
"To overthrow the World Government's rule, end the lawlessness of the pirate age, and restore fairness and freedom to everyone." Dragon described the ideal world he carried in his heart.
"Is it because I'm openly hostile to the World Government?" Arima asked.
Dragon shook his head.
"No, it's because of your mercy. Among the strong I've met, few would sacrifice themselves for civilians.
The Dressrosa affair still haunts me; I asked myself whether I could ever reach your level of selflessness."
Arima smiled faintly. "I appreciate the compliment, but I think you misunderstand me. I don't care for civilians per se, I care about my family.
My conflict with the World Government is also for my own purposes. That said, I'm willing to lend the Revolutionary Army a hand."
Dragon was surprised, then relieved. Whatever the reasons, having Arima on their side would be a major breakthrough for the Revolution.
He said solemnly, "Even hearing you say that, I must thank you for your compassion. The Revolutionary Army has been stumbling along; finding like-minded allies isn't easy."
"You're short on funds?" Arima asked.
Dragon nodded honestly.
"Since last year the World Government has stepped up attacks against us. Our funding lines were cut, and many fighters' weapons and gear aren't being replaced."
"How much do you need?"
"Two billion Berries."
Arima chuckled. "That's conveniently manageable for me. I have a proposal that benefits us both."
"Please, go on!"
"I established 'Konoha' on Sky Island. It's always been very secure there and can effectively avoid World Government tracking.
I can open a spatial channel between the surface and Sky Island. We cooperate: I provide the funds, you provide the people, and together we overthrow the World Government."
"And what do you want from us in return?"
"Nothing much, just something to do. Besides, even if you didn't come to me, I'd still stand against the World Government. They ambushed me once before; I nearly died."
Dragon thought for a long while, then said, "Hmm… I believe in your sincerity. When do we start?"
Arima replied, "Start now. Since we've already met, let's make some noise. Come with me, I'll take you to Sky Island, and you can meet your future allies, like Riku and the others."