The Terrifying World Line Constricting Power

After parting ways with Tiger and the others, Arias returned to Forchart Island, intending to lure Koala over. Upon docking the Dawn at the island's port, he was surprised to find a Marine warship present. The sound of gunshots echoed, causing Arias's heart to tighten with worry.

Wondering why Arlong's arrest was still happening despite rescuing Tiger, Arias halted the ship and left Yamato and Hiyori to guard it. Accompanied by Hancock, he went ashore and was greeted by a golden light—the appearance of Admiral Kizaru.

"Hey, isn't this Arias? Why are you here?" Kizaru inquired casually.

Arias, wary, explained, "I have been studying the Stone of Life on this island in the past few months."

Realizing Kizaru's presence meant he had been nearby during recent events, Arias refrained from direct conflict with the Marines.

As the conversation continued, screams in the distance caught their attention. Kizaru, losing interest in their conversation, swiftly disappeared in a flash of golden light.

"Let's go and have a look!" Arias urged Hancock, leading her toward the source of gunfire. Upon arrival, they witnessed Arlong lying on the ground, bloodied, with Kizaru nonchalantly standing over him.

When Arlong saw Arias, he was on the verge of screaming, but Arias shook his head discreetly, signaling for silence. Despite altering the future, the inexplicable binding power of this world line left Arias questioning why.

Puzzled in his heart, Arias hesitated to intervene and save Arlong at this moment. Surveying the scene, he noticed a significant change despite Arlong's appearance aligning with the original plot.

His eyes caught sight of a girl with orange hair and a beautiful skirt standing there with a vacant expression. In front of her lay a woman covered in blood, likely her mother. The unexpected presence of Koala puzzled Arias, as she was not supposed to be here at this point in the timeline.

Addressing Vice Admiral Porusalino, Arias sought clarity on the situation. Kizaru, just arriving, wasn't fully informed. An Ensign explained that Arlong had come to massacre the villagers, but the little girl, Koala, went to protect the fish-man. Koala's mother tried to take her away but was tragically shot by Marine forces.

Arias, realizing the tragic turn of events, observed Koala's blank expression. Escaping from the clutches of the Celestial Dragons, Koala had found friends among the merfolk, only to witness betrayal by the villagers. Now, her mother lay dead at the hands of Marine forces.

Kizaru ordered Arlong's capture and then led the Marines away. Arias approached Koala, kneeling down beside her and gazing down at the lifeless woman. The fatal shot to the heart left no chance for salvation.

In the distance, villagers observed silently, too afraid to intervene. Arias gently stroked Koala's hair and called out softly, "Koala." However, the little girl stood there as if she hadn't heard anything. Her face wore a blank expression, like a walking zombie.

Arias knelt beside Koala, reflecting on the cruelty of the world. Despite his efforts to change the future, some tragedies seemed inevitable. The fake smile he had received from the Celestial Dragons adorned his face once again.

Arias sighed and gently whispered in the girl's ear, "Tiger is not dead."

At the mention of "Tiger," the girl snapped back to reality, looking at Arias with a blank expression. Although he appeared kind, she didn't recognize him.

"Tiger is alive?" she asked, her voice trembling. "But Arlong said that Tiger was dead, and he sought revenge on the villagers who betrayed them."

Arias reassured her, "I can take you to meet Tiger."

The prospect of reuniting with Tiger brought a glimmer of hope to the girl's eyes. "Really?" she inquired.

However, her joy was short-lived as she remembered her mother's death. Tearfully, she said, "Let's go bury Mom."

Arias took her to the back of the island, where the villagers' coffins were buried. Borrowing a shovel from one of them, he dug a hole and gently placed the woman's body in it. He fashioned a simple tombstone from a small tree, engraving the woman's name on it.

Koala, her eyes fixed on her mother's body, watched silently. When the tombstone was finished, she collapsed on the ground, hugging it, and cried inconsolably. The villagers observed in silence and then left.

After a while, the girl fainted from exhaustion. Arias picked her up and said to Hancock, "Let's go; it's time to leave here."

On the boat, Yamato and Hiyori were curious to see Arias approaching with the girl in his arms.

"Who is she?" they inquired.

Arias explained, "Koala, she is the little girl that Tiger and others escorted before..."

"It's her!" they exclaimed.

Finding a new room, Arias placed Koala on the bed, where she fell into a deep sleep. The journey continued, and in the middle of the night, Koala woke up in an unfamiliar environment. She curled up, feeling disoriented.

It wasn't until early morning when Hiyori visited her that Koala, timidly asked, "Where is this place?"

"This is the Dawn! Brother Ye's ship!" Hiyori exclaimed.

To help Koala recognize Arias, Hiyori added, "He is the man who helped your mother bury the body yesterday."

Upon realizing the connection, Koala wondered if Arias's words about Tiger's survival were true.

Hiyori, gently taking Koala's hand, reassured her and said, "Come out to eat; you've slept enough."

When Koala walked out of the room, a table of sumptuous meals awaited, prepared by Hiyori. Despite being a princess, Hiyori had learned to cook due to her wandering life and Arias's preference for Sea Kings' meat.

The food was delicious, but Koala found no interest in it. Only when she saw Arias did some light return to her eyes. She asked eagerly, "Is Boss Tiger really not dead?"

Arias nodded, "According to the plan, Tiger should return to the Fish Men Island. I will take you there to meet him."

Heading toward the Red Line, the Daybreak raised a 1.9 air film and sailed straight into the Fish Men Island. Upon arriving at the port, Princess Shirahoshi came excitedly with a group of guards. Standing beside her was the tall red snapper fishman, Fisher Tiger.

"Boss Tiger!" Koala exclaimed in joy, running over to tightly hug Tiger's thick thigh.

Although Shirahoshi didn't know who Koala was, witnessing her familiarity with Tiger made her consider Koala a good friend.

"Brother Ye, I'll leave a pair of guards to protect your ship, so you don't have to worry about it being destroyed!" Shirahoshi offered, remembering the Dawn's previous destruction by fishmen. After receiving Arias's call this time, she arranged for an extra team of guards to protect his ship.

Everyone entered Dragon Palace City, and after Fischer Tiger's narration, they learned why Arlong had appeared again on Forchart Island.