Chapter 565 - 736 – I’ll Help You Grow Stronger, Hina [BONUS]

Hina stared into Ain's eyes. She knew the red gleam flashing through them meant Ain was using Observation Haki.

Since Ain had said the same thing as Arton, there really were bugs following them.

"Captain, are we going to deal with them?"

Ain looked eagerly at Arton.

She had not found any opportunity to fight on the way through Enies Lobby. Even Spandam had merely been grabbed by Arton and had his head smashed against the wall several times.

To be honest, the ease of this mission had exceeded Ain's expectations, leaving her with a faint sense of emptiness.

She had finally obtained an opportunity from Arton. How could she not find some enemies to properly test its power against?

"Well... just don't kill them."

After thinking briefly, Arton spoke.

His Observation Haki was stronger than Ain's. From the hidden people's conversation, he had already determined that these bugs were CP9 agents.

Arton did not care about these CP9 agents.

Even if he killed them, he would not feel the slightest emotional fluctuation.

However, these CP9 agents were Kalifa's companions.

They had grown up together.

Although Arton had not necessarily decided to invite Kalifa aboard his ship, he still held that hope until he truly met her.

If he killed Kalifa's companions now, it would be tantamount to cutting off any possibility of Kalifa joining his crew.

That was not what Arton wanted.

Although he had yet to find a way to invite Kalifa aboard, he felt he should at least preserve the possibility.

"Ain, bring those hidden pieces of trash over here."

"We'll take them back to the ship with us first."

Arton spoke.

Since they could not deal with these CP9 agents here, they could only take them away.

Leaving them on Enies Lobby would allow them to contact the Marines and the World Government at any moment, which Arton did not want.

His choice was to take them away for now and release them at an appropriate time later.

"Understood, Captain."

Ain placed the bag containing the two Devil Fruits into Hina's hands, then vanished from Hina's sight in a flash.

"So fast!"

Hina's eyes widened.

"Ain really has become much faster. It seems she was highly compatible with the power I gave her."

Arton strongly agreed with Hina's assessment.

Ain was indeed fast.

What Arton did not know was that her speed did not come solely from her compatibility with the opportunity she had obtained.

Long before now, Ain had already begun using all sorts of methods to accumulate points through Arton.

After training with those points, she had gained her current speed.

"There's no need to envy Ain too much."

"Since you've decided to remain by my side, I'll find a way to help you become stronger too, Miss Hina."

Arton patted Hina's shoulder with a smile.

"Mm, Hina believes in you, Captain."

Hina placed a hand over her chest, a captivating smile appearing on her face.

"Um, Captain... Hina is a little thirsty. May Hina find something to drink from you?"

"Ain just left. She may need some time before she returns."

"Aren't you underestimating Ain a little too much—and overestimating those bugs following us?"

Arton wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at Hina helplessly.

He was joking. Ain's current strength was already far beyond what those CP9 agents could contend with.

It would not take her long at all to capture them.

How could the conditions in Arton's body possibly give Hina enough time to prepare something to drink?

With his abilities, no matter how one looked at it, preparing that would take quite some time.

"That's true."

Hina nodded and sighed.

As expected, she would have to wait until they returned to the ship and had enough time alone together.

However, the thought that Arton might draw the attention of the other members of the Flameblade Pirates once they returned still made Hina somewhat anxious.

"Although Hina doesn't know what you're thinking, you should have more confidence in yourself."

"The Miss Hina I like is a very confident woman."

"Even after becoming a pirate in the future, please continue to retain that confidence."

Arton spoke.

"Captain..."

Hina raised her head, deeply moved.

So in Arton's eyes, she was actually a confident woman.

That was true. Compared to the past, she really had become less confident.

"You're right, Captain. Hina needs to be more confident."

"Even after we return to the pirate ship, Hina will definitely find an opportunity to repay Captain."

Thinking this, a smile once again blossomed across her face.

Seeing that, Arton breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he did not know what Hina was thinking, seeing her work through it was enough to make him happy.

...

"That bastard must be Arton, Fukurou."

The CP9 agent Jabra hid behind a massive boulder, staring into the distance at Arton and Hina.

He nudged the similarly enormous Fukurou beside him and asked,

"Mm. I could never mistake that bastard's face."

"I never expected him to appear here—and even take Chief Spandam away."

Fukurou nodded.

Although he was normally extremely confident in his own abilities, he did not dare show himself before Arton. He could only hide his enormous body as well as possible behind the boulder to avoid being discovered.

There was nothing else he could do. Arton's reputation had already spread throughout the seas.

Even Marine Admiral Zephyr had been unable to keep Arton from leaving.

No current Marine admiral would be able to stop him either.

No matter how confident Fukurou was, he did not believe he could detain Arton.

"Could it be that we can only watch helplessly as Chief Spandam is taken away?"

Another CP9 agent frowned.

"Could we still rescue him somehow?"

"Even if all of us attacked together, we wouldn't be able to affect Arton in the slightest."

Jabra sighed.

He also hoped to see Spandam taught a lesson, but being utterly incapable of resisting Arton left him feeling frustrated.

Had he and Fukurou known this would happen after completing their mission and returning, they should have remained outside a little longer.

Perhaps after some time had passed, they would not have encountered such a difficult situation.

Then, even if Spandam truly had been taken by Arton, the responsibility would not have fallen on them.

...

For every 2 reviews → +1 extra chapter.

For every 50 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.

Read 50+ chapters ahead on Patreon! [patreon.com/METARLN]