Chapter 141: Extermination

The Bear Claw Tribe, at first glance, seemed no different from ordinary humans. They spoke the common tongue, carried their own weapons, and wore clothing. As the Navy had marked them as cannibals, Uta initially imagined them to be primitive and savage.

But now, seeing them in person, she found them unexpectedly civilized. And where there was civilization, there was the potential for communication.

Confident from meeting fans in person, Uta was sure her music could bring joy and happiness, even to strangers. In her mind, she envisioned a future where all people, even from different tribes, would cast aside their hatred, sit around a campfire, sing songs, and dance together. And she was ready to start this movement with the seemingly fearsome Bear Claw Tribe.

Uta imagined how these islanders would lay down their weapons upon hearing her songs, and they'd all end up feasting and celebrating together.

"Friends?" she asked hopefully.

The Bear Claw warriors looked at each other before bursting into hearty laughter, as if they'd just heard a very amusing joke.

"How funny! An outsider who wants to be friends with us!" one of them said, grinning widely. He stared at Uta with eyes that showed undisguised admiration, like he was looking at a precious treasure.

The cannibals let out cheerful laughs, lowering their swords and bows. A few kids and a Navy ship? Hardly a threat. As for the Navy itself… they saw the seagull emblem on the ship's flag. It was indeed a Navy vessel, but so what? There was no army with them. If they sank the ship, no one would know what happened here; they'd simply disappeared on their own accord.

"Stop looking at my songstress like that," Luffy said, stepping in front of the girls with his sword at the ready. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Oh, we like you too," said the Bear Claw chief. "Little boy, you shouldn't be playing with a weapon like that—it looks a bit oversized for you. Is it the weapon of that sleeping woman over there?"

"Don't think of us as savages. The Bear Claw Tribe is known for our culinary expertise. We're skilled at marinating with red wine and spices."

"Really?" Nami, clutching Luffy's sleeve, looked at them with curiosity.

"Why don't you come try it? We've got a big pot here," said one of the Bear Claw warriors, slowly inching toward their camp.

Luffy took Nami's hand, urging her to let go of his clothes—it was a dangerous habit that could cause her to stumble if things escalated. Already, some of the tribesmen had gone to retrieve their massive cooking pot. It stood nearly two meters high and was wide enough to fit several grown men, and the air around it was filled with a strange, meaty aroma.

"Stay where you are," Luffy warned, positioning his sword in front of him. "Come any closer, and I won't be able to hold back."

Luffy knew nothing about the Bear Claw Tribe. They were like the Longarm Tribe—just a vague concept, something he'd heard of but never learned about in detail. Not knowing made him cautious, and he didn't want to make the first move recklessly.

Despite his reservations, Uta was eager to give her concert idea a try.

"Alright, I'll sing for you!" she said, bravely stepping forward.

"Oh, little girl, please sing for us," one of the Bear Claw men responded, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Several of them wiped drool from their mouths, while others let it drip unabashedly to the ground.

"I can't take this smell anymore," Nami whispered, burying her face into Nojiko's shoulder to block out the pungent stench.

Uta, despite being just as cleanliness-minded, forced herself to endure for the sake of her performance. She started to sing, her beautiful voice lighting up the atmosphere, making even the Bear Claw warriors pause in admiration.

Soon, they began clapping in rhythm, some even pulling out white instruments to play along. Luffy recognized one as a horn but didn't know the others.

Uta relaxed a little. Music, it seemed, really could connect different cultures.

"Could it be that Uta actually managed to befriend them?" Nami murmured, amazed.

"We're friends now, right?" Uta asked hopefully after her song ended.

"Friends! Friends!" the Bear Claw Tribe cheered, dancing and performing their tribal dance, while others pulled out lighters to start a fire and heat the pot.

"You look delicious, young lady," said a Bear Claw warrior holding a bow, speaking to Uta. "My people have never been so pleased by an outsider."

"They're preparing a meal for you to welcome you properly. It's the first time this has happened," he added, raising a calloused, bear-like paw for a handshake.

"So… that means you don't eat people, right?" Uta asked, her eyes bright with hope.

The warrior eyed Uta's neck, arms, and pale legs. "Sure, we're friends now… the finest of delicacies. I'll try to resist eating you—maybe just a little lick each day," he replied, his stomach rumbling.

At this time, it was prime hunting season for them.

"Why didn't you shake my hand? Isn't this hand gesture something outsiders use to signify friendship? It feels a bit awkward just holding it in the air..."

Uta had already retreated back behind Luffy. She bowed ninety degrees to the Bearclaw tribe leader while holding her microphone.

"I really can't do it. Let's not be friends."

"Huh? Are you messing with me? I even agreed not to eat you!"

The Bearclaw leader angrily withdrew his hand. "I've decided—I'm going to eat all of you!"

"Luffy—"

Uta looked towards Luffy, who was already struggling to hold back.

"Got it!"

Red light spread across his eyes, and an invisible gust of Conqueror's Haki slashed outward. The minds of the Bearclaw tribe members went blank as they fell backward. Some were lucky enough to remain conscious, yet they were completely immobilized by the overwhelming pressure, unable to move an inch.

The white slashes of energy resembled a blooming white lotus. Within two seconds, every Bearclaw tribe member encircling the camp was wiped out.

Luffy slowly sheathed his King's Sword.

"Luffy—"

With a choked cry, Uta threw herself at him.

"That was so disgusting, just so disgusting—"

She wrapped her arms around Luffy's neck, hanging all her weight onto him and burrowing her face into his chest, sobbing softly.

"There, there, it's all over. I'll protect you." Luffy patted her back gently.

"That feeling…"

Nami, slightly shaken, leaned against Nojiko. Although she hadn't fainted from the Haki, she'd felt the residual pressure, which left her a bit weak. Nojiko, however, seemed unaffected, as if the Conqueror's Haki was merely a gust of wind that messed up her hair.

Nami looked at Luffy with a shining gaze.

"Sleeping next to Luffy always felt like this, surrounded by an odd, safe feeling…only this time, it was so much stronger."

"Really?" Uta looked up in surprise. "I slept next to Luffy before and didn't feel anything like that."

"Wait, you've both slept with him?" Nojiko, holding Nami, looked at them both in astonishment.

This weird sensation of being left out, like she was being treated differently.

"It was only because we had to," Uta explained with a laugh. She recalled how, back on Shanks' ship, she'd often stay in the dream world to conserve her energy and shared a room with him because of that.

Sleeping next to Luffy wasn't new. She liked snuggling up to him; he was warm. Still, she had recently grown to prefer sleeping alone because...

A dangerous thought suddenly surfaced in Uta's mind. Realizing what she was thinking, she quickly dismissed it, curling her toes inward.

No, Shanks had always warned her—girls must protect themselves…

"Let's leave this island, honestly. I can't stand it anymore. The New World doesn't need cannibalistic tribes like this."

"Agreed…" Nojiko glanced at the scene of bodies and spreading blood.

They quickly gathered their things and headed back to the ship. The island was unbearable even for a second longer.

Since Bell-mère was still asleep, Luffy lifted her recliner, carrying her and her things in one go. Nojiko made her way to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"Let me help." Luffy rolled up his sleeves and picked up a cleaver, bringing it down on a piece of rib.

The chop split it in two, but it felt resistant.

After getting used to the King's Sword, using an ordinary knife was honestly frustrating.

"No need; I'm the one getting paid!" Nojiko flexed her arm with a playful grin.

"Don't worry, we've got plenty of money. Besides, you could teach me how to make those special dishes. Leave all the heavy work to me."

Luffy talked as he prepared the ingredients alongside her.

"Uh… sure."

The rhythmic, rapid sounds of chopping filled the kitchen.

Such swift knife skills... Nojiko glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, mesmerized by his technique.

It was almost captivating...

"Nami, Uta, come help out!"

The two girls joined in.

By the evening, Bell-mère finally woke up. She realized it was already dark and that she was on the Navy ship.

"What's going on? How did I end up here?"

She was flooded with questions, her memory cutting off at the point when she'd been getting a massage.

Massage… Bell-mère suddenly realized her body felt fantastic.

"Hehe, Bell-mère, you fell asleep because you were so relaxed!" Nami and Nojiko giggled.

"No way…" Bell-mère instinctively denied it, grabbing her arm in doubt.

Facing the undeniable truth made her feel a little overwhelmed. Was she really that tired?

"You two, you're hiding something from me, aren't you?"

Bell-mère crossed her arms and tried to assert her adult authority.

"It's a secret—" The two girls ran off, laughing. "Come eat, Bell-mère! It's dinner, made by Nojiko and Luffy!"

"Why didn't you cook?" Bell-mère looked at the spread of delicious dishes.

"That's unfair, Bell-mère. Nami made her favorite dish, orange-glazed duck breast…"

"And Uta made her famous cream-baked pancakes."

"You two… Only made what you like to eat, huh?"

…

After the laughter died down, Luffy followed his routine, calling Commodore Pudding Pudding to maintain their connection.

"Does a tribe like the Bearclaw have any reason to exist?" Luffy asked.

"They attacked me, so I eliminated them all. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"Wait, you took them all out?" Commodore Pudding Pudding asked, shocked.

"All who attacked me, yes. It was my first time encountering a tribe that practices cannibalism."

"Incredible! The Navy had considered clearing out those savages before, but they hide in the mountains. Sending a search party would've caused too many casualties, so we never followed through on it…"

"I see."

"With your help, Prince, it's a perfect time to finish the Bearclaw tribe for good. Typically, they use about half of their forces in hunting groups. Since you've already taken care of one group, wiping out the rest should be a lot easier."

The commodore sounded thrilled, as though another victory was already in his grasp.

"That'd be fantastic if you could pull it off," Luffy replied.

"Yes! A man-eating tribe shouldn't exist in this world. In the name of justice, we'll erase them from the map!"

Commodore Pudding Pudding marked an X on the map over Bearclaw Island.

Since the island was vast and heavily forested, he organized a coalition of nearby naval bases, determined to exterminate the entire cannibalistic tribe.

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