章 152: Quitting The Revolutionary Army, The Ultimate Dog-Licking Bear

"Tsk, tsk, what a great show!"

Arias's spirit detached from his body, transforming into invisible energy that swiftly traveled to the Solbe Kingdom in South Blue, where Big Bear and Ginny were hiding.

When he arrived at the port, he noticed that Dragon and Crow had just departed. Chuckling to himself, he approached Big Bear's room and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Big Bear's deep voice echoed, wondering if Dragon had returned. Perhaps he still cared about their Revolutionary Army comradeship. However, when he opened the door, he was greeted by a stranger.

"Who are you?" Big Bear asked cautiously.

Arias smiled and introduced himself. "Arias."

Big Bear's expression grew serious. He recognized the name; it was Arias's men who had rescued Ginny and freed the slaves of Mariejois.

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Big Bear said solemnly, bowing in gratitude. The last time they met, it had been through a puppet; now, he was finally meeting the real person.

Arias got straight to the point. "Ginny's terminal illness has no conventional cure," he said, his tone blunt. "But Bonney's Jade Scales can be healed."

Big Bear's eyes lit up with hope. "Are you serious?"

"For Bonney, I'm willing to do anything, even if it means being transformed by the World Government and having my consciousness erased to become a slave to the Celestial Dragons," Big Bear thought, his resolve unwavering.

Arias continued, "There are only two people in the world who can cure the terminal illness of Jade Scales."

He held up two fingers. "First, Vegapunk. But the cost of surgery is exorbitant, and he's currently working for the World Government. Going to him would be equivalent to making a deal with the World Government."

Big Bear knew what that would entail. Ginny was a former slave of the Celestial Dragons, and they were members of the Revolutionary Army. Making a deal with the World Government was unthinkable.

"And the second way?" Big Bear asked, hoping against hope. Since Arias was the one bringing this up, the second option had to be connected to him.

Arias pointed to himself. "The second option is me. I can cure all terminal illnesses in the world."

Big Bear's breathing became rapid. "Is that true?"

"Absolutely," Arias affirmed. "But nothing in this world is free. If I intervene, you'll need to pay a corresponding price."

This was expected. Big Bear, desperate to save Ginny, replied eagerly, "I'm willing to pay any price!"

Arias shook his head with a smile. "Not so fast. What if I asked you to leave the Revolutionary Army?"

Big Bear froze. The Revolutionary Army had given hope to him and Ginny. It was where his comrades were. How could he leave?

But Dragon's earlier words lingered in his mind, filling him with sorrow. As he wrestled with his thoughts, Ginny's voice called out from inside the house, "Big Bear, who's there?"

Ginny's voice solidified his resolve. For Ginny's sake, he was willing to leave the Revolutionary Army if that was what it took.

"Alright, I agree," Big Bear said firmly. Then, in a gentler tone, he called back to Ginny, "A guest has come, and he says he can cure your illness. Rest easy, Ginny. You'll be cured soon."

Arias wasn't surprised by Big Bear's choice. He knew Big Bear would do anything for Ginny.

"Leave the Revolutionary Army and serve me," Arias stated. "In return, I'll make you a few promises."

"First, although our paths differ from the Revolutionary Army, you won't have to oppose them directly.

"Second, our goal is the same: to overthrow the World Government and eliminate the Celestial Dragons—except for Bonney, of course. From now on, you're her father.

"Third, I only need your assistance. Ginny and Bonney won't have to do anything for me."

Big Bear agreed without hesitation. "No problem. When can we begin treating Ginny?"

"I need to prepare a few things. I'll come back tomorrow to treat her," Arias replied.

With that, he dissipated into the air, his spirit form vanishing. While his spiritual form was convenient, he still needed to be physically present to perform the treatment.

In an instant, Arias returned to Nine Snakes City. From Hancock's perspective, it appeared as though he had merely been lost in thought for a moment.

She assumed Arias was contemplating how to refine something. But as soon as Arias's spirit returned to his body, he closed his eyes and directed his consciousness to his puppet.

He had already sent Monet, Sugar, and the others on errands, leaving only Solomon on the boat, which now seemed rather empty.

"I should arrange for someone to assist the puppet, or perhaps develop an intelligent navigation system for the ship," Arias mused. "The puppet itself is somewhat intelligent, capable of simple tasks like guarding the self-cultivation furnace or handling household chores. However, it's not equipped to handle conversations or make decisions in unexpected situations."

"The easiest solution would be to use Big Mom's Soul-Soul Fruit to give the puppet a soul through Homies, granting it self-awareness. Or, I could use Moria's Shadow-Shadow Fruit to add a strong shadow, which would not only enhance the puppet's strength but also give it the ability to think."

Obtaining the shadow of a strong individual wasn't impossible, especially if they were seriously injured and unable to protect themselves.

"Haha, Garp, it's a good thing I didn't kill you!" Arias laughed internally, realizing that Garp was the perfect candidate.

As for whether the shadow would be obedient, Arias had his methods.

"The red hand modifies the body, the blue hand modifies the soul. The shadow contains part of the soul, allowing it to inherit the original owner's strength. Modifying it, infusing it with new cognition, and ensuring its obedience isn't difficult."

Arias contemplated the risk of being pursued by Moria but dismissed the thought. He could easily alter Moria's appearance, making him disappear from the world. As long as no major disturbances occurred, the World Government wouldn't notice.

Arias then instructed Solomon to set sail for South Blue. Treating Ginny required minimal preparation, but he intended to have Big Bear join his puppet's crew and enter the underground world.

With that decision made, Arias's consciousness returned to his body. He once again detached his spirit, equipped with a special capsule, and instantly arrived at Marineford.

Despite Marineford's tight security, Arias's spirit form was invisible and intangible, allowing him to evade detection.

It didn't take long to locate Garp's ward. Thanks to the Marine medical team, Garp's injuries had stabilized, and he was now fast asleep.

Arias materialized in the ward, drawing a special symbol on his palm that deepened Garp's unconscious state. He then aimed the capsule at Garp's body and, in a swift motion, captured the Marine hero within it.