Chapter 44
Arthur's Return (2)
Arthur slowly opened his eyes, and at that very moment the death energy that had been enveloping his body faded away. The dark aura shrank and vanished, and the giant sword transformed once more into a semi-cloth-like bracelet that wrapped around his right wrist, as though it had never existed just seconds before.
He looked ahead…
Luffy was standing in front of him, shouting at the top of his lungs as he tried to stop him.
Luffy was pushing him back with all the strength he had, but the difference between them was obvious. Arthur was stronger, and his stance did not move an inch. And even if Luffy managed to push him, he fundamentally could not bring himself to harm his crewmate—and never would.
In Luffy's mind, this was his crewmate who had been missing for three whole months.
Arthur's mind gradually calmed, the sharpness in his gaze fading as he focused on Luffy's face.
His expression was a strange mixture of emotions:
deep sorrow, unmistakable joy, suppressed anger, and a scream born from fear and longing.
All those feelings had gathered at once.
Arthur smiled gently, a smile completely free of hostility.
"How have you been, Luffy?
It's been a long time since the last time I saw you."
Arthur had not intended to say that, but it was how he truly felt.
For him, it had not been merely months.
In his mind… years had passed.
Every punch, every movement, every second he spent fighting Cthulhu had pressed upon his body and mind like long years. That was why Luffy now seemed like someone he had not seen for a very, very long time.
Arthur did not know how much time had passed since he had been transported to Cthulhu's world.
Luffy did not answer.
Instead, he suddenly jumped forward and hugged Arthur tightly, as if afraid he might disappear again.
"You really came back!
Everyone had already lost hope that you'd return!
They said you ran away from the ship, or that you didn't want to be part of the crew anymore!
Where did you go? Why did you take so long, Arthur?!"
Luffy shouted while clinging to him.
Arthur smiled quietly and gently pulled Luffy away, then jumped down from the giant's head that was buried in the ground.
Moments later, Luffy suddenly remembered the giant, his eyes widening. He rushed toward him, trying to pull his head out of the pit.
Arthur intervened immediately.
"Tell me, Luffy… is he a friend or an enemy?"
"He's a friend! Damn it!
Why did you fight Mr. Giant?
He's nice! He gave me meat!"
Arthur smiled at Luffy's naive words and walked toward the giant.
His head was severely crushed, and blood had begun to seep from deep within the pit.
Arthur placed his hand on the giant's chest, over the heart, and closed his eyes briefly.
The heart was still beating…
But very slowly.
Perhaps he only had seconds left.
Arthur jumped back and pulled out a miraculous healing potion, then tossed it directly into the giant's mouth.
Moments later, the ground trembled violently.
The giant pushed against the earth and pulled his head out of the pit.
His head was completely intact, without the slightest trace of injury, and his body had returned as though it had never been harmed.
Luffy smiled happily and rushed to talk to the giant with excitement. Meanwhile, the giant held his head, trying to recall what had happened.
Arthur suddenly turned and noticed a strangely shaped duck standing not far away.
"Ooooi, Luffy… what's that?"
"Ooooh, that's Vivi's companion."
Arthur's expression changed; he truly did not remember.
"Vivi? Who is Vivi?"
"She's the princess of Alabasta!
Don't tell me you forgot her, Arthur!"
Arthur tried to remember, but his memories were somewhat hazy.
Then, from behind one of the trees, a blue-haired girl stepped out.
She was looking at Arthur with unmistakable fear—fear that could not be hidden.
Arthur looked at her for a few seconds… then remembered.
"Oh… it's her."
At that moment, the giant suddenly stood up after fully regaining his senses and recalling what had happened.
Luffy tried to calm him down, but to no avail.
The giant approached Arthur.
Arthur smiled, jumped high into the air, and remained standing there, suspended as he looked down at him.
"I don't like it when someone looks at me with condescension.
Tell me… what do you want?"
The giant laughed strangely—loud and deep.
"You're strong, boy…
Not just strong for a human, but very, very strong.
Tell me, are you sure you're human?"
"Of course.
I'm human."
"Hm… I thought you were a monster, with the blood of the greatest giant ruler flowing through your body."
"No.
I'm one hundred percent human."
The giant laughed at Arthur's answer, then calmly sat down.
Luffy sat beside Arthur, and Vivi sat beside Luffy, while the giant began roasting meat.
Arthur looked at the dancing flames before him and spoke quietly:
"Luffy…
Tell me what happened after…
after I disappeared."
Luffy sighed in frustration, then began speaking in a low voice:
"When we set sail toward Whiskey Peak, you entered your room and said you wanted to train.
No one disturbed you like you asked, but you stayed inside your room and never came out for two whole days."
He paused briefly before continuing:
"After the second day, everyone started to worry.
You didn't come out to eat, or drink, or for anything at all.
Zoro lost his patience and entered your room… but you weren't there."
Luffy fell silent for a moment, as if the memories were weighing heavily on his chest, then continued and told Arthur everything that had happened afterward.
The crew searched for him on the ship, then across the island.
They stayed at Whiskey Peak for an entire month with no results.
After a month, Luffy wanted to return to Reverse Mountain to search for him, but the crew stopped him—the idea no longer made sense.
Another month passed.
At that point, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami lost hope of ever finding Arthur.
Only Luffy and Zoro still clung to hope.
But Arthur never returned.
And in the end…
it was declared that Arthur had either left the crew—or died somehow.
After two and a half months had passed, the crew set sail once again toward a new adventure…
without their crewmate, Arthur.
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