On the island of Cocoyasi Village, at a certain coastal town.
"A banquet, huh. Looks like everyone has suffered a lot all these years," Tashigi murmured, walking down the street and watching as the entire village seed to have beco one large banquet venue.
"Let's go, Tashigi," Hina said, tapping Tashigi on the shoulder, speaking seriously.
"We've got a mission to do, rather than just sighing over this."
Tashigi gave a small nod and followed Hina onward. According to their original plan, they ought to have gone straight to Cocoyasi Village to find Arton. But now, they first had to try stopping Captain Nezumi. They had seen the sa content in Arton's Diary, so they knew both Captain Nezumi and a Celestial Dragon had landed on the island. Arton was likely on his way to et the Celestial Dragon, so Tashigi and Hina needed to resolve this crisis before Arton arrived.
"As long as we can arrest Captain Nezumi first, then force him to keep the Celestial Dragon from stepping foot on this island, maybe that'd work?" Tashigi mumbled. It was a rather desperate asure that she and Hina had spent a long ti hashing out on their voyage here. Though it felt like a stretch, with Doll, Kujaku, and Hibari not yet eting up with them, it was the only approach they could take.
Just then, a gunshot rang out.
"A gunshot?" Tashigi's face went stiff, looking toward where the shot had co from.
"This is bad, Tashigi—after !" Hina called, then broke into a sprint. Tashigi clutched her long sword in her arms and followed. Very soon, they stumbled upon a scene they absolutely did not want to see.
"A… a Celestial Dragon!" Tashigi gaped, dread escalating to its peak. Hina frowned and turned her gaze to Captain Nezumi, following right behind the Celestial Dragon.
"That guy's Captain Nezumi? He's staying close to the Celestial Dragon… we can't even take him down. Dammit, can we no longer stop this?" Hina muttered anxiously, fists clenching at the possible outco if they failed to avert a showdown between Arton and the Celestial Dragon.
"You worthless commoners," hissed the Celestial Dragon, Saint Charlos, wearing white attire and the iconic transparent helt, still holding a smoking pistol. He surveyed the scene with a cold glare.
At his feet lay a man groaning in agony, clutching his wounded shoulder. The earlier shot had abruptly ended the festive banquet. Seeing a Celestial Dragon, most villagers were struck silent with fear—except one woman who reacted, rushing to her injured husband.
"Hm?!" Saint Charlos glanced at the woman. "You dare not kneel? A lowly commoner is indeed a lowly commoner."
Without a mont's pause, Saint Charlos raised his pistol to fire at the woman. The villagers all widened their eyes in shock. But faced with a Celestial Dragon, they found themselves too frightened to act.
Not far away, Tashigi stared at the scene, fists long since clenched tight. She might have already charged in had Hina not been holding her back.
"Dammit… so this is a Celestial Dragon?" Tashigi bit her lip, heart twisting at the sight. Although she knew so rumors about Celestial Dragons, seeing it firsthand was an entirely different shock.
At that mont, Captain Nezumi stepped forward, pointing at the villagers.
"You pathetic commoners—don't you see Lord Saint Charlos here? Yet you're throwing so silly banquet? Kneel, all of you!"
Captain Nezumi spat the words aggressively, though inwardly, he was a bit perplexed. This was supposed to be the island under Arlong's control, right? By all accounts, the villagers shouldn't be so cheerful.
Captain Nezumi frowned at the scene.
"Hey, didn't you say there were lots of beauties here?"
"Why don't I see any?"
"Could it be you were lying to ?"
The Celestial Dragon, Saint Charlos, clad in white and wearing the trademark transparent helt, spoke icily to Nezumi.
"Lord Saint Charlos, there are beauties!"
"The ones I ntioned are in Cocoyasi Village. Also, maybe you'll find beauties inside Arlong Park."
Captain Nezumi wiped the cold sweat off his face, answering in panic.
"Oh? Then hurry up and take to them."
"S-sure thing, I'll lead the way right now."
Captain Nezumi nodded vigorously and prepared to move on.
"Wait."
"Lord Saint Charlos, is there sothing else?"
"I don't like these people. Have them all killed."
"Wha— all… all of them?"
"Yes, I dislike the way they're having a banquet. So kill them all."
Nezumi blinked, then quickly ca to his senses.
"All of you! Why are you just standing there?"
"Take out your weapons!"
He ordered the Marines under his command. They, having served under Captain Nezumi for so ti, had already grown accustod to coldly shooting ordinary civilians—if it ant not offending a Celestial Dragon, a few dead villagers ant nothing to them.
"Stop!"
At this mont, Tashigi could no longer stay silent and cried out.
"Damn it!" Hina groaned inwardly, sensing trouble—but it was too late.
"Who's there?!"
Nezumi and his Marines imdiately swung their guns around, aiming at Hina and Tashigi, who had been hiding behind so trees. Even Saint Charlos's gaze shifted over.
"Hehe, these two aren't bad at all," Saint Charlos said, stepping forward a couple of paces for a better look at Hina and Tashigi. "Are they the beauties you told about?"
"Eh?" Captain Nezumi was montarily startled, then nodded at once. "Yes indeed, Lord Saint Charlos. Two of the won I ntioned. There are others as well."
At the mont, Hina and Tashigi weren't wearing Marine uniforms. Nezumi had never t either woman in person, so he did not realize they were Marines.
"Very good. So this trip won't be a total waste after all."
"You there—bring them to . I want them to be my twentieth and twenty-first wives."
Grinning, Saint Charlos was obviously satisfied with how Hina and Tashigi looked.
Seeing the Celestial Dragon smile, Nezumi also relaxed sowhat.
'Damn it, do we really have to handle it like this when facing a Celestial Dragon?' Hina thought, frowning deeply as she wondered whether to retreat with Tashigi for now. Yet, to her surprise, Tashigi spoke up first.
"I'll go with you, but can't you spare the others? They're all innocent people."
Tashigi pursed her lips, laid her weapon aside, and raised both hands in surrender, voluntarily walking toward Captain Nezumi. Hina sighed at the sight. Under these circumstances, she had no choice but to follow Tashigi's lead.
'All we can do is play it by ear,' Hina reflected. 'Maybe we can get the Celestial Dragon to leave. If we reveal our identities, maybe he won't harass us further.'
As she had these thoughts, Hina discreetly opened her Diary Copy.
[Hina: Vice Admiral Doll, Rear Admiral Kujaku, we're on-site now and have encountered the Celestial Dragon. He wants us to be his wives. If you arrive, be extrely cautious of him. We'll try to keep the Celestial Dragon away from Cocoyasi Village.]
[Hibari: What?! He wants you both to be his wives?!]
[Kujaku: These Celestial Dragons… Hina, are you sure you can handle this?]
[Hina: We'll do what we can, at least to prevent the situation from escalating. Maybe once we reveal we're Marines, the Celestial Dragon won't cause too much trouble…]
[Ain: In a pinch, you could run, couldn't you?]
[Hina: Not so easily! Hina earned so points from Arton, so Hina have grown stronger, especially in perception. Hina can sense that there are powerful bodyguards around the Celestial Dragon. If we attempt escape, they might stop us.]
[Gion: I'll see what I can do. Please hang in there.]
[Doll: I'll hurry up and get there. With being a Vice Admiral, maybe I can do sothing.]
[Hina: Got it. In the worst case, Hina can try talking to those bodyguards—maybe if they learn Arton is here, they'll choose to leave with the Celestial Dragon.]
[Gion: …I suppose that's our only option.]
"What? You dare give orders, woman?"
Saint Charlos heard Tashigi's attempt to bargain for the villagers and imdiately scowled. Suddenly, he raised his pistol to fire at Tashigi.
She widened her eyes, reflexively dodging to the side, letting the bullet skim past her arm. She avoided injury, but that bullet struck a villager who had been kneeling behind her.
Hearing the man cry out in pain, Tashigi whipped her head around and looked.
"H-how…?"
Hand over her mouth, Tashigi stood aghast. By instinctively moving, she had unwittingly let a villager take the bullet instead—his life or death now uncertain.
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