Chapter 127: To Kill or Not to Kill

Robin’s words instantly reminded Garen of "spoiled brats," "monster parents," and the "juvenile delinquency protection laws" that existed only in the memories of his homeland. He nearly couldn't resist unleashing a standard "public transport justice combo" to uphold righteousness.

Robin could not fathom Garen’s inexplicable resistance; in her mind, protecting a child was simply a matter of course. However, having grasped Garen’s displeasure, she immediately changed her tone and recounted the experiences of Miss Goldenweek.

Miss Goldenweek was not actually a Devil Fruit user, but a prodigiously talented plein air painter. Through her superb artistic skills, she could mix colors to create hues and patterns capable of influencing human emotions, much like hypnosis. Because of this bizarre ability, she had been targeted by Baroque Works at a young age and forced to join the assassin organization, where she was assigned as a partner to Mr. 3, a Wax-Wax Fruit user whose abilities complemented her own.

In just a few words, Robin sketched the image of an inspirational young girl trapped in a den of demons yet still holding onto her dreams of painting.

Looking at Miss Goldenweek herself: a little girl with braided pigtails, wearing a small red hat, a simple summer shirt, and a sketching kit slung over her shoulder. She looked for all the world like a primary school student who had just finished class, making it truly difficult for anyone to bring themselves to strike.

Garen nodded, sighing with a hint of helplessness, "Couldn't you have said that earlier?"

"I wouldn't kill a helpless little girl like that."

The tense Robin and Mr. 2 Bon Kurei both let out a sigh of relief.

"However..." Garen rubbed his chin and added, "A girl who has strayed is still a girl who has strayed; labor reform is unavoidable."

"What is 'labor reform'?" Robin asked, puzzled.

"It means working for me—room and board provided, but no salary," Garen explained casually, glancing at Miss Goldenweek again. "Wallace is just discussing issuing some art books in the East Blue to boost publicity; you can work as a professional painter under me."

"You want me to paint?" Miss Goldenweek completely ignored the crucial point about the lack of a salary and replied with a flat expression and concise words: "No problem."

"You agreed so readily?" Garen asked, somewhat confused. "I just killed your partner."

"It doesn't matter," Miss Goldenweek’s emotions were unnervingly calm. "Mr. 3 only wanted me to help him fight; I don't care about his life or death. For me, painting is the only thing worth caring about."

"But..." her expression finally showed a slight tremor as she turned to look at Mr. 2 Bon Kurei. "I... I don't want him to die."

"Bon Kurei?" Garen followed Miss Goldenweek’s gaze to Mr. 2, who was slumped back on the floor due to his severe injuries.

Bon Kurei’s previous act of risking his life to cover Miss Goldenweek’s escape had indeed allowed Garen to see a spark of merit in him. Thus, Garen decided to give him a chance.

"Demacian Justice!"

It was the second time Robin had witnessed that magnificent, dazzling, and imposing pillar of light, yet she still could not guess its true function. Garen ignored her questioning gaze and muttered to himself, "Approaching 70 percent..."

"As expected, black is black."

"No matter how many sparks of light there are, it can never truly shine." As Garen muttered, the edge of the sword in his hand drew closer and closer to Bon Kurei.

"No!" For once, Miss Goldenweek erupted with intense emotion, her small body trembling as she tried to rush forward. However, her body was suddenly bound tight by several arms that sprouted from nowhere, rendering her unable to move.

Robin stepped forward and gently pulled the delicate little girl into her embrace. "Don't go over there."

"Why?" Miss Goldenweek asked, uncomprehending. "You spoke up for me just now; can't you help Bon Kurei as well..."

"I cannot." Robin shook her head gently. Having seen Garen spare Miss Goldenweek after her words, she understood his behavioral patterns and did not believe she could help Bon Kurei further.

Miss Goldenweek was confused, but Garen soon answered her doubt. He walked slowly to Bon Kurei and sighed softly, "I will give you one more chance."

"Can you say something about your past, like Miss Goldenweek did, that would make me show mercy?"

Bon Kurei froze, offering no reply. Garen looked back at Robin, then at Miss Goldenweek. Robin was expressionless, while Miss Goldenweek hung her little head in defeat; she couldn't say it either.

No one could, because there was nothing to say. Bon Kurei was no good person, nor was he a wayward youth forced into an assassin organization. Aside from Robin, the secretary to the boss, all high-ranking agents of Baroque Works were field operatives; their hierarchy was not just based on strength, but on their track record of "performance." Bon Kurei had sat in the second-in-command seat among these killers, with countless blood-stained corpses of his victims hidden behind his chair.

"Can't you say it?" Garen scrutinized the three of them, receiving only silence in return.

"Kill me then," Bon Kurei’s expression had calmed down. "Like everyone else, I am a professional assassin. In our line of work, what right do we have to hope for the pity of others before we die?"

"No, I do pity you." Garen tightened his grip on his greatsword and said in a low voice, "I’ve met people like you in the East Blue. You only care about loyalty, not right or wrong. If you had followed a good boss from the start, you wouldn't have fallen this far. If we could have been friends, it certainly would have been a pleasure."

Garen shook his head gently, and golden-red flames reignited on the edge of his blade. "It’s a real shame... I am neither your boss nor your friend."

As he spoke, the flames of "Judgment" prepared to consume Bon Kurei’s life. But at the critical moment, the usually expressionless Robin stepped out, blocking Garen’s flaming blade as it was about to descend upon Bon Kurei’s neck.

"Wait!"

Garen halted his attack and asked suspiciously, "What, did you help him recall some glorious deeds?"

"No." Robin simply placed her hand lightly on Garen’s, using physical contact to try and steady his mood. "But you also said he just followed the wrong person. If you give him a chance, he can certainly turn over a new leaf."

"Cough, cough..." Garen did not loosen his grip on the greatsword in the slightest. "Don't twist my words. If you keep going, you’ll turn this top-tier assassin into a middle-aged man who just took a wrong turn."

"No." Robin understood Garen’s mindset and tried a different approach. "I mean, Bon Kurei is still useful to you."

"Useful for what?" Garen asked, puzzled. "As a hired thug?"

Robin continued to explain, "Within Baroque Works, except for a small number of elite members directly under Mr. 0, the vast majority of agents are managed by the high-ranking agents. Bon Kurei has the ability of the Clone-Clone Fruit; he can disguise himself as those deceased high-ranking agents. As long as you can subdue him..."

"You could truly control the entire Baroque Works organization."

"What would I want with Baroque Works?" Garen laughed, shaking his head. "Money? I am the owner of the largest shipping company in the East Blue; money is just a number to me. People? I don't want the scum from that organization mixing in and polluting the purity of my own cadres."

As he spoke, Garen’s voice trailed off. He suddenly remembered that Baroque Works also had over a dozen mid-level agents, two hundred high-level grunts known as "Billions," and eighteen hundred ordinary grunts known as "Millions." He had just used Robin, the vice-president, to lure a group of high-ranking agents here to serve as experience points, and the effect had been quite significant.

If he could use Bon Kurei to lure in the mid-level agents, then use the mid-level agents to lure in the "Billions," and use the "Billions" to lure in... forget it, those cheap low-level grunts were a waste of time.

"That’s not bad at all!" Garen’s eyes lit up with the realization. He suddenly plunged his greatsword into the ground in front of Bon Kurei, startling the man who had been resigned to his death.

Garen got straight to the point: "Your company is about to go bankrupt, and your boss's secretary has run off with me. If you still want to be loyal to that boss who is too scared to show his face and let you subordinates get cleaned up by me..."

"Then go ahead and lean your neck into the blade yourself, and save me the effort."

"I..." Bon Kurei looked at the sharp blade inches away and couldn't help but gulp nervously. The resolve to die gallantly was something that faded once the initial momentum was lost.

Then, Bon Kurei quietly called out to Garen: "Boss."