Simultaneous Transmigration: From Japanese Anime to American Comics

Tiger asked softly, "Why?"

"That little girl you brought back," Strawberry replied. "Anyone branded as a slave by the Celestial Dragons remains a slave for life."

Tiger understood. It turned out that his life was the price of Koala's freedom.

Rage filled Tiger's heart—rage at human selfishness and hatred for the Celestial Dragons.

"Send him to the next world."

Strawberry gave the order. The air was deafened by the sound of gunfire.

Tiger spread his arms wide, laughing bitterly in despair, ready to embrace death.

Just then, the ground beneath him surged upward. Tree trunks as thick as a man's waist broke through the soil, shielding Tiger.

The bullets failed to penetrate the trees, bouncing off with metallic clangs.

"This..."

Tiger froze. He recognized this ability and a figure flashed through his mind.

"Sir, what should we do now?" a nearby Marine captain asked in a low voice.

"Keep firing!"

Strawberry gritted his teeth.

More intense gunfire poured onto Tiger's location, but the trees around him grew even taller and thicker, shielding him. Simultaneously, their roots spread rapidly beneath the Marines' feet.

In mere moments, a dense forest of trees and vines surrounded Strawberry and his soldiers.

"Sir, I think I've heard of this ability before..."

The Marine captain suddenly recalled someone and began trembling. Stammering, he said, "Isn't this the power of the one they call the 'left arm of the Four Emperors' on Red-Haired Shanks' ship...?"

"Shut up!"

Strawberry's furious shout silenced the captain, who quickly shrank back. But he couldn't help noticing that Strawberry was trembling even more than he was.

Of course, Strawberry knew exactly who his subordinate was referring to.

Just six months ago, while patrolling the New World alongside Vice Admiral Kizaru and other officers, they had encountered the Red-Haired Pirates.

The battle was completely one-sided. Only two members of the Red-Haired Pirates had acted: Vice-Captain Benn Beckman fought Kizaru to a standstill, while the other obliterated several Marine officers in an instant.

Shanks himself had not even joined the fray.

Strawberry still vividly remembered the terrifying sight of towering trees sprouting across the deck, his comrades being strangled one after another, and their blood staining the ship red.

That young man had wielded a wooden sword, advancing step by step toward him.

Just like now.

Strawberry froze in terror as he raised his head. Standing before him, Chu Yang lifted his wooden sword.

One slash, and Strawberry's head flew skyward.

Amid the dense forest, the screams of the Marines echoed briefly before falling silent.

All the Marines had become nourishment for the trees.

---

"Yang?" Tiger exclaimed in surprise and delight at the sight of the newcomer.

"I told you I would come back to see you all."

Chu Yang helped Tiger to his feet, healing his wounds with pure life energy.

"If not for you showing up, I would've been dead for sure." Tiger gave a wry smile. "I never thought my kindness toward humans would nearly cost me my life."

"Kindness isn't wrong; the problem lies with those who exploit it." Chu Yang glanced back toward the village. "What do you plan to do with them?"

Tiger was silent for a moment before shaking his head slowly. "After going through so much to bring her home, I can't destroy her village myself."

Chu Yang sighed. "Tiger, you're still the same as ever."

"No," Tiger said earnestly. "If you hadn't come today, I would have died hating humans with all my heart."

"Ultimately, you didn't let me down."

"But today taught me something: for those who were once slaves of the Celestial Dragons, true freedom isn't as simple as removing their marks."

Chu Yang listened quietly, sensing where Tiger's thoughts were leading.

"Unless the root cause—the Celestial Dragons—is eradicated," Tiger said.

Chu Yang nodded slightly, and Tiger smiled bitterly.

For years, Tiger's goal had been to rescue slaves, clashing with the Celestial Dragons only when unavoidable.

But now, he realized that as long as the Celestial Dragons existed, no matter how many slaves he freed, more would always take their place.

The only solution was to overthrow the Celestial Dragons entirely.

"Yang, will you help me? I want to try changing the world," Tiger asked, his eyes full of hope.

Chu Yang had no interest in changing the world. He had only one goal—revenge.

Even after all this time, he could still feel the lingering heat of the branding iron on his chest.

"Anything that harms the Celestial Dragons interests me," Chu Yang replied.

Hearing this, Tiger's eyes lit up.

Later that evening, the Sun Pirates celebrated Chu Yang's return with a grand banquet. While everyone partied, Tiger and Chu Yang sat by the fire, discussing their next steps.

"Tiger, have you heard of the Revolutionary Army?"

"Somewhat. They're active on land, right?"

"That's right. Their main focus is liberating nations oppressed by the World Government."

"The ones who can't afford the 'Heavenly Tribute'?"

"Exactly. Those nations not only lose the Navy's protection but also face threats of annihilation from the Celestial Dragons."

"Damn those Celestial Dragons." Tiger cursed angrily before asking, "Are you suggesting we work with the Revolutionary Army?"

"Yes." Chu Yang nodded. "Though they're still in their early stages, I believe they'll become a major force against the World Government in the future."

Tiger fell into deep thought.

He didn't mind collaborating with other forces as long as they upheld basic principles.

"How can we contact the Revolutionary Army?" Tiger finally asked.

"Their headquarters is in Baltigo," Chu Yang answered.

"You know a lot about them—enough to know their headquarters?" Tiger asked, half-surprised, half-skeptical.

"Well, as a crewmember of a Yonko, I have access to certain information," Chu Yang replied with a grin.

Tiger privately doubted that even the Yonko knew the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, but he chose not to press the matter. Everyone had their secrets, and he simply needed to decide whether to trust Chu Yang.

"What about Shanks? If you openly oppose the Celestial Dragons, what will he do?" Tiger asked curiously.

"The captain has no ambitions. He didn't seek the Yonko title; it came to him. He probably won't interfere. However..."

"However?"

"If I ever face a threat I can't handle, those guys will definitely come to help me."

Tiger understood that the "those guys" Chu Yang referred to were the crew members of the Red-Haired Pirates.

"In other words, we'll maintain temporary neutrality," Tiger nodded. "Got it. Let's focus on finding a way to contact the Revolutionary Army first."

A figure suddenly approached.

"While everyone else is enjoying the banquet, what are you two secretly chatting about here?"

"Brother Tiger!"

"Yang!"

A slightly tipsy Jinbe wobbled as he walked over, grumbling about how the two were being unsociable.

Chu Yang and Tiger exchanged glances.

Tiger smiled and pulled Jinbe to sit down beside him. He leaned in and whispered something into Jinbe's ear.

Jinbe was momentarily stunned.

Then his expression slowly froze, and a flicker of panic flashed in his eyes.

What?!

Big Brother wants to fight the Celestial Dragons?

I must be drunk…

Jinbe suddenly felt his lips go dry and his throat itch. He wanted to say something, but no words came out.

Chu Yang observed Jinbe's reaction silently.

If this had been Jinbe ten years later, he might have slammed the table and declared, "Let's do it!" But the Jinbe of today lacked the resolve to challenge a Yonko, let alone the Celestial Dragons.

After taking a while to process the news, Jinbe couldn't help but ask, "Brother Tiger, why are you telling me this?"

Tiger squinted and smiled. "The Navy has been keeping a close eye on me. If I head to Baltigo rashly, it could bring unnecessary trouble to the Revolutionary Army. That's why I hope you, as a representative of the Sun Pirates, can establish contact with them."

Jinbe was both shocked and hesitant. Normally, he would agree without a second thought, but given the gravity of the task, he feared he might not succeed and potentially ruin Tiger's plans.