Chapter 55: A Person Must Live at Least Once for Themselves

“Replace everyone with your own people?”

Baudog’s gaze flickered, deeply tempted by the suggestion yet unwilling to go too far.

Seven stepped before Baudog.

“Now I understand why Bekoli became king. You’re so timid, hesitant, and indecisive—no wonder you were ousted.”

Patting the old man on the shoulder, Seven spoke one last line before heading to the kingdom’s prison.

“A person must live at least once for themselves.”

Watching Seven depart, Baudog clenched his teeth; his once hesitant eyes gradually hardened.

“I’ve enjoyed what I could, endured what I had to—let me go mad one last time. I won’t let myself be worse than that brat Bekoli.”

When Bekoli split the kingdom in two, Baudog had paced in panic, powerless—never imagining justice would descend and erase Bekoli outright.

“Do it—for the common folk.”

When a good man snaps, you don’t even get a chance to apologize.

During Baudog’s reign, the nation was poor but its people spiritually rich—he was, overall, a democratic, kind, yet limited king.

When Baudog reclaimed the throne and resolved to change, the nobles’ end began.

Solbe Kingdom, Capital Prison.

Seven stood silently outside the cell, his gaze piercing the iron bars to rest on the chained Bear—through this scene, he had already read Bear’s heart with near-perfect clarity.

How could such tiny chains possibly hold back one of the Seven Warlords’ top two? He hadn’t escaped because he still clung to hope.

“Hello, Mr. Bear.”

Bear lifted his head; even seated, his height surpassed Seven’s standing frame.

“You… hello.”

Jin Ni sat beside Bear, curiously studying the newcomer: “Why would a great pirate like you come looking for us?”

Seven used the gentlest tone he’d ever mustered.

“I’m Barzab Seven, captain of the Morning Star Pirates. I’ve come to invite you, Mr. Bear, and Miss Jin Ni, to join my crew.”

Jin Ni burst out laughing, her eyes curling into two crescent moons.

"Sorry, great pirate sir, but me and Bear have no intention of becoming pirates."

Rejection was expected—pirates, after all, had a terrible reputation.

But the crew I want? You won’t escape.

“To show my sincerity, I resolved Solbe Kingdom’s crisis—Bekoli is dead, and former king Baudog has returned to power.”

At this, Jin Ni and Bear exchanged a glance, then shook their heads.

“It won’t help, Mr. Seven. Even with a new king, the nobles remain. King Baudog… he’s too weak. He lacks the courage to defy them.”

Within Seven’s Observation Haki range: Baudog had physically purged every noble heading to the palace.

“There are no nobles left in this country.”

Jin Ni and Bear fell silent.

Seven raised the stakes further—flaming wings of feathers bloomed behind him, visible to Bear and Jin Ni.

“Bear, everything you’ve feared in the past and present—I’ve lived through it all.”

Two years ago, Seven despised the World Government because of Roger’s execution.

Two years later, to grow stronger, to carve a place for himself on this sea, to survive in this world of tooth and claw with a smile.

The moment Seven chose the Lunaria bloodline, he stood utterly opposed to the World Government.

Even if he wished to reconcile, the moment his Lunaria blood was exposed, the World Government had only one choice—to crush him utterly.

Of course, without exposure, he could continue developing for a long time.

Bear’s eyes burned fixedly on the blazing wings behind Seven—

If the Bakania were unfortunate, the Lunaria were tragic: once gods, now utterly erased by the World Government.

In the silence of the three, Seven’s peach-colored eyes shone with deep, sincere emotion.

“Bear-san, I dared to storm the World Government’s Holy War order for scholars of Ohara I’d never met—how much more so for my own comrades?”

From now on, you need never hide because of your Bakania blood. I will block every World Government bounty.

From now on, you can hold Jin Ni’s hand, walk side by side with her under the sun, through the storms, toward your own future.

Do you want her to spend her life alone?

Bear-san, you don’t want that, do you?”

After speaking, Seven waited quietly for Bear and Jin Ni’s choice. If he still couldn’t move Bear, he’d wait ten years.

Perhaps because of the filter of his past life, Seven had been unusually gentle.

Hearing those descriptions of a better life, Jin Ni’s eyes grew brighter, as if she already saw the bright future she and Bear shared.

If she could be with Bear, becoming a pirate wasn’t so bad—especially following a sea emperor like Barzab.

Sensing this, Bear took a deep breath.

Before being imprisoned by the king, he and Jin Ni had both seen news of the Morning Star Pirates—the seventeen-year-old Barzab who had stormed the Marines’ Holy War fleet.

If he didn’t act recklessly, his future was limitless.

So then—

Continue living in fearful hiding, or accept the invitation, and stay with Jin Ni forever?

“Bear-san, a person must live at least once for themselves.”

“Isn’t that right?”

Bear lowered his head; memories flashed before him like slides: at five, he and his parents became slaves of the Celestial Dragons, watching his parents die before his eyes.

At nine, sent to the Valley of the Gods, forced to be prey in the Celestial Dragons’ hunting games.

Ate the Meat-Meat Fruit in the Valley of the Gods, saved five hundred civilians and slaves, returned to Solbe Kingdom to hide—rejected Jin Ni’s proposal out of fear his Bakania blood would endanger her…

Twenty-five years of suffering—had he ever, even once, truly lived for himself?

Silence hung heavy in the air. Slowly, Bear’s lips curved upward; his eyes shimmered with a light never seen before.

“Captain, I want to live differently.”

Seven gestured: “Please.”

Seven could have simply opened the cell door—but breaking a door is easy; breaking the door within the heart is hard. He wanted Bear to understand clearly—

Kicking open the door is truly simple.

If you never take that step, you’ll forever stand still, hesitating, overthinking, paralyzed. But when you bravely take that first step, you’ll realize: everything was already prepared.

Bear kicked open the cell door, stepped out, and silently turned aside, revealing Jin Ni behind him.

“Captain, I look forward to your guidance.”

“Welcome to the Morning Star Pirates.”

Seven smiled with deep satisfaction—perhaps the gentlest moment of his life. All the crew he wanted were now here. From now on—

You can join or not, for all I care.

I don’t take trash on my ship.

Wait—there’s still that blue fat guy as helmsman.

…

Solbe Kingdom, southern seas.

Inside a medium-sized ship’s cabin, Ivankov was whispering into a Den Den Mushi.

“Dragon, how long until you arrive?”

Den Den Mushi: “About three days, Ivank. You’d better not show yourself yet—don’t let the Marines or World Government spot your location.”

Ivankov’s heavily made-up face sagged: “Understood. I’ll try again to contact Bear and Jin Ni.”

Den Den Mushi: “Stay in constant contact.”