Chapter 11: The Feast, The Fire, and The Farewell
When the news of the Arlong Pirates' defeat—and Arlong's very permanent death—was brought back to Cocoyasi Village by Nami, the reaction was not immediate joy. It was stunned silence. For eight years, fear had been their oxygen. They couldn't believe the nightmare was over until they saw the shark's head with their own eyes.
But once they did, the dam broke.
Villagers who had lived in shadows flooded the streets, weeping, laughing, and hugging. The suppression of nearly a decade exploded into a celebration of hard-won freedom.
Tables were dragged out of houses and lined up in the town square. People brought out their treasured food—hidden stores of dried meat, fresh fish, and casks of wine they had buried to keep away from the Fishmen. It was a feast fit for kings, hosted for two strangers who had walked out of the sea and killed a god.
Suzaku ate heartily, devouring plates of roast pork and seafood pasta with zero reservation. His enhanced metabolism demanded fuel, and he wasn't shy about taking it.
Beside him, Rem sat quietly, sipping Nojiko's special tangerine juice. Her demeanor was impeccable, yet her hands were busy, diligently peeling shrimp and pushing the most delicious morsels onto Suzaku's plate before he could even ask.
"Wow, I didn't realize I could eat this much..." Suzaku muttered, rubbing his stomach, which didn't look bulging at all despite the mountain of food he had consumed. "I've practically become a competitive eater. No wonder Luffy and Ace are such gluttons; strong bodies need fuel."
He leaned back, watching an old man dance a jig with a child on his shoulders.
"Rem," he whispered, his voice soft amidst the clamor. "Look at them. Look at the genuine smiles."
Rem followed his gaze. "It is... bright," she admitted.
"No matter the world," Suzaku mused, taking a sip of wine, "all ordinary people seek is a safe and peaceful life. A meal with family. A roof that won't be burned down."
"Rem also really likes the smiles on everyone's faces," she said, turning her head to look gently at her Master. "This is all thanks to Lord Suzaku! You have become everyone's hero."
"Hero?"
Suzaku snorted, deliberately putting on a stern, villainous face.
"Don't insult me, Rem. Heroes share their meat. I want all the meat for myself."
He stabbed a piece of steak with his fork.
"Besides, don't forget, I'm a pirate. I killed a Marine Captain yesterday. I'm currently being targeted by the World Government. Heroes don't have bounties."
He paused, chewing thoughtfully. His gaze drifted to Nami, who was laughing with her sister across the square.
"...And I didn't do it for them," he added quietly. "I only intervened for the sake of my Navigator. It was a business transaction."
Rem did not refute him. She simply smiled—a knowing, gentle expression that said she saw right through his 'villain' act.
"If Lord Suzaku says so."
Watching Suzaku's lips turn up unconsciously as he watched the villagers celebrate, her own smile deepened.
[System Notification:]
[Ding ~ Rem's Affection has stabilized and deepened.]
[Current Bond Level: Close Friend (High)]
[Ding ~ Event Complete: Liberation of Cocoyasi.]
[Host Legend Points +30!]
[Subordinate Rem Legend Points +20!]
The notification sounded in his mind. With a thought, Suzaku summoned the pale blue interface to check his progress.
[Multiverse Summoning System]
[Host: Suzaku Yareon]
[Age: 18]
[Physique: Elite Grade (Tier 1)]
[Haki Status: Armament (Beginner), Observation (Beginner), Conqueror's (Intermediate)]
[Bloodline: Vermilion Bird (Phase 1)]
[Skills: Feather of Scorching Fire, Phoenix Wing Heaven Soar]
[Legend Points: 65]
[Subordinates: Rem (Close Friend)]
"Tsk. Sixty-five points?" Suzaku frowned, closing the window. "Why hasn't the Marine bounty come out yet? Those guys are way too slow."
He and Rem had killed a Captain, looted a base, and wiped out the Arlong Pirates—a crew worth 20 million. Yet their combined Legend Points were meager. It wasn't even enough for one Normal Summon (100 Points).
"It seems reputation doesn't update in real-time," he muttered. "I need the newspapers to spread the news. I need a Wanted Poster."
He looked down at his hands, recalling the fluid, explosive power he had felt during the battle.
The skill Feather of Scorching Fire wasn't just throwing fireballs. His intuition told him that at higher levels, his body could briefly transform into pure fire elemental energy.
"That's comparable to the Elementalization of a Logia type," he realized. "Like the Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit)."
Suzaku curled his lips and couldn't help but laugh softly.
"The Mera Mera no Mi? Ace's fruit? That stuff... frankly, it's overrated. In the New World, everyone and their mother has a way to counter fire. Magma burns it. Haki hits it."
He clenched his fist. Golden-red embers danced between his fingers, hot enough to distort the air but harmless to his skin.
"But I've only just begun developing my bloodline, and I can already rival a Logia's output. If I continue to refine it... I might even surpass Marco's Phoenix fruit."
Unlike Devil Fruit users, he had no weakness to seawater. He could swim. He could touch Sea Prism Stone without collapsing.
"The potential of the Vermilion Bird has no ceiling," he whispered, feeling the ancient beast stirring in his DNA. "This isn't just a bird. It's a God of the South. An Ancient Mythical Beast."
Nearby, away from the noise of the feast, Nojiko stood on the edge of the crowd. She looked at Nami, her eyes filled with a profound relief.
Her younger sister was laughing. Truly laughing. The weight that had bowed her shoulders for eight years was gone.
"Hey, Nami," Nojiko said softly, handing her a cup of water. "Now you can finally put your worries aside. You can sleep without one eye open."
"Nojiko, I..." Nami started, her voice thick with emotion.
Before she could finish, Genzo walked over. The sheriff had taken off his pinwheel hat for the first time in years, holding a cup of wine.
He tilted his head back and took a swig, his tone low but gentle.
"Nojiko is right. After all these years... you've worked so hard, Nami. You suffered a lot alone for the sake of those 100 million Berries, didn't you?"
Nami froze instantly. Her eyes widened in panic.
"Genzo... how... how did you know?"
She had hidden it. She had played the witch. She had made them hate her so that if she failed and died, they wouldn't mourn her.
Genzo drained the wine and let out a long, ragged sigh.
"You silly girl. You were ten years old when you joined the Arlong Pirates. Do you really think we believed you betrayed Bell-mère? We watched you grow up."
He glanced over the celebrating crowd.
"Everyone in the village knew. We knew you were risking your life to buy us back. But we also knew that if we tried to fight, Arlong would use us as hostages against you. So... we played our part."
He looked at her, his eyes glistening.
"The reason we endured the taxes, the humiliation... was because we didn't want to negate your efforts. We wanted you to survive."
He paused, his voice becoming hoarse.
"Thankfully, it was all worth it. No one else had to sacrifice themselves like Bell-mère. Nami... thank you. If she could see you today, she would be incredibly proud."
After speaking, Genzo patted Nami's shoulder with his rough hand and turned to leave, hiding his own tears.
Nami stood there, trembling. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, washing away the last of her mask.
"They knew..." she sobbed. "They all knew..."
Nojiko said nothing. She simply walked forward and hugged her sister tightly, letting her cry it out.
After a long while, when the sobs subsided to sniffles, Nojiko spoke softly.
"I can tell that Suzaku genuinely wants you on his ship. He's... different. Dangerous, yes, but he respects you."
She pulled back to look Nami in the eye.
"This debt of gratitude is significant, but don't go just because you owe him. Use this opportunity. Leave the East Blue. Go to the Grand Line. Draw your map of the world. Fulfill the dream you and Bell-mère talked about."
"What are you talking about!" Nami wiped her face vigorously, regaining some of her fire. She turned her head stubbornly.
"I'm not agreeing to join him because I owe him a favor! I'm doing it for myself! I'm going to draw the best maps in the world, and his ship just happens to be going the right way!"
She sniffed, glancing toward the dining table where Suzaku was currently trying to balance a spoon on his nose while Rem clapped politely.
"Besides," Nami muttered, a small smile tugging at her lips, "someone has to keep those idiots from sailing off the edge of the world. They can't even read a compass."
The Next Morning.
The sun rose over a liberated island. The villagers, many nursing hangovers but still high on joy, gathered at the harbor to see them off.
The battered Mad Dog was gone. In its place, docked at the pier, was the massive flagship of the Arlong Pirates—the Shark Superb.
Except it wasn't the Shark Superb anymore.
Suzaku had claimed it as spoils of war. The village carpenters had worked through the night to modify it. They tore down the fierce, spiky saw-nose prow and replaced it with a majestic figurehead carved from ironwood: a stylized Vermilion Bird spreading its wings, designed by Suzaku himself.
The ship was renamed the Vermilion wing.
The hold was packed full of food, water, and tangerines—gifts from the villagers.
Nami stood at the bow, her new log pose strapped to her wrist. She waved vigorously toward the shore, her voice carrying over the water.
"Thank you for everything! I'll come back! I promise!"
"Take care, Nami!" Nojiko shouted, waving a tangerine branch.
Suzaku and Rem stood silently behind Nami on the upper deck. Suzaku leaned against the railing, watching the scene with satisfaction.
"A good start," he murmured.
As the ship slowly sailed away from the harbor, catching the morning wind, a loud shout broke the atmosphere.
Genzo was running along the pier, his pinwheel spinning furiously. He stopped at the end of the dock, took a deep breath, and roared with all his might.
"HEY—SUZAKU!!"
Suzaku looked back, raising an eyebrow.
Genzo pointed a finger at the pirate captain, his face fierce and protective.
"If you ever make Nami lose her smile... if you ever let her cry again... I don't care if you're a King or a Demon! I will absolutely come and kill you! Do you hear me?!"
Suzaku blinked. Then, he grinned.
He didn't shout back. He simply raised a hand and gave a thumbs-up.
Don't worry, old man. She's my crew now.
The Vermilion Wing turned its bow toward the open sea, toward the Grand Line, and toward the legend that was about to begin.
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