Chapter 312: The Matter-of-Factly Lost Swordsman and Tears of Hope
At that moment, every eye in the room settled on Nami, each gaze tinged with a strange, knowing quality. Zoro hesitated, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, before finally speaking up. "Um... I think what you said is actually... really useful."
Nami's breath hitched. If even this intimidating swordsman was saying that, did it mean the impossibly handsome and beautiful people before her were truly as formidable as they appeared?
She swallowed, her voice barely a whisper. "You are..."
"You could say there's a Queen of Hell here," Lucifer offered with a lazy smile, "and a few others who are practically gods in their own worlds."
The words didn't fully register, but the weight behind them sent a shockwave through Nami's system. What? The Queen of Hell? People who are almost gods? Here?
"The Queen of Hell... beings close to gods..." Nami repeated, her voice hollow with disbelief. "Are you... are you serious?"
Lucifer nodded, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "There's no point in deceiving you. What would we possibly gain from it? Besides," she added, her tone dry, "it seems you wouldn't believe us anyway."
Clow Reed offered a gentle, reassuring smile. "So, Miss Nami, if you find yourself in difficulty, please feel free to speak of it. At the very least, it might relieve some of the burden on your heart, would it not?"
A woman seated nearby let out a soft, exasperated sound. "I never expected to hear words like that from you, of all people."
"When a man faces his end, his words gain a certain sincerity," Clow Reed replied with a placid smile. "And I have always spoken this way."
"Tsk..."
Nami's eyelids twitched. She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. "Alright... You're right. Whether it helps or not, at least I can get it all out."
And so, she told them everything. As Nami recounted the painful tale of her village, of Arlong's tyranny and her desperate struggle, a quiet respect grew among her listeners. They saw not just a victim, but a young woman who, despite being trapped in a nightmare, still chose to face each day with a defiant spark of optimism.
When she finished, Zoro crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. "Cocoyasi Village... Cocoyasi Village..."
Lucifer tilted her head. "What is it? You know the place?"
Zoro closed his eyes, pondering the name for a long, silent moment. Then, he opened them, his expression utterly, unshakably certain as he declared, "Nope. Never heard of it."
A collective, sharp intake of breath hissed through the room.
Six pairs of eyes, including the three heads of Cerberus, stared at him in stunned silence. It wasn't his ignorance that shocked them; it was the sheer, unadulterated confidence with which he announced it. The absolute matter-of-factness of his cluelessness was so deep it somehow broke the tension completely.
Zoro cleared his throat, unfazed. "It's just some guy named Arlong. Leave him to me."
Hearing this, Nami's hope warred with her fear. "I'm grateful, really, but... Arlong isn't as easy to deal with as you think."
"I'll just give you some buffs," Lucifer said with a casual wave of her hand.
Zoro's voice dropped, connecting with conviction. "A true swordsman relies only on his own blade and his own strength to claim victory! I will absolutely not accept such assistance! I can defeat Arlong with nothing but my swords and my own power!"
Lucifer tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "The buff I'm talking about is for Nami. What does a big man like you need a buff for? If you wanted one, I'd have to make a proper deal for it."
A muscle in Zoro's jaw twitched, but knowing better than to argue with the woman before him, he fell silent.
Nami, on the other hand, leaned forward, her eyes wide with a dawning excitement. "A buff? What kind of buff?"
"Don't get too worked up. It's just a little magic," Lucifer said, her tone dismissive of her own power. "In our current state, we can't cross over to your world just yet, but we can add some... effects. For example..."
She lifted a hand, her fingers dancing in a subtle, complex motion. A faint shimmer, almost invisible, pulsed in the air. "There. The buff is active."
Everyone stared, momentarily confused. Even Clow Reed and Yuuka Kazami looked as if they hadn't quite processed what had just happened. It was done? Just like that? But what did it do?
Nami clenched her fists, feeling no different than before. "Um... Miss Lucifer... what happened?"
"It's just a protective ward," Lucifer explained, a hint of laziness in her voice. "Think of it as absolute immunity to injury, disease, curses, bad luck, that sort of thing. The effect only lasts for three days on my end. But, going by Zoro's time, one day here is equivalent to a long time where you are, correct?"
Zoro thought for a moment. "Roughly a month... No, a little more than a month."
Lucifer nodded, satisfied. "In that case, you have more than enough time. As for your sister, don't worry. As long as you touch her, she'll receive the same protection. It only works if you make contact with the person you wish to shield. With this," she added, a dangerous glint in her eyes, "you might even be able to kill Arlong yourself."
Nami stared, her mind blank. "So... so amazing! But... is it really impossible for me to be harmed?"
"You can be harmed," Lucifer clarified, "but the prerequisite is that the attack must reach a certain, very high level of power. The 'can't be harmed no matter what' kind of magic is high-tier stuff. If I used that, I'd be discovered, and Cerberus can't quite manage it yet. But for dealing with that Arlong fellow in your world? It's more than enough."
Clow Reed looked genuinely surprised. "It can even block curses and bad luck?"
Lucifer was already back to fiddling with her phone, answering without looking up. "Respect the profession, would you? I'm a demon. Curses and hexes are part of the trade. And if I can cast them, it's only natural I know how to defend against them."
Clow Reed nodded slowly. Her logic was sound. For beings like demons and fallen angels, such knowledge was simply a matter of course.
Nami's gaze darted around the room, finally landing on the swords at Zoro's waist. He understood immediately, unclasping one of his katanas and tossing it to her. She caught it, the cold steel a heavy, terrifying weight in her hands. Closing her eyes, she took a shaky breath and bravely swiped the razor-sharp edge across her forearm.
The blade stopped dead, inches from her skin, as if hitting an invisible shield. She couldn't even touch herself.
Nami stood frozen, the sword held limply in her hand.
Just minutes ago, she was the Cat Burglar, a girl who knew nothing but theft and desperation, fleeing for her life after stealing from a pirate captain. Now, in an instant, she had become someone who no longer had to fear Arlong. It might only last for a few months of her time, but in those months, she had the power to change everything.
Zoro's voice cut through her daze, deep and resolute. "No matter what, this Arlong must be completely eradicated! I'll tell Luffy about this! Let this fish-man be the first step in my conquest of the world!"
Clang.
The katana slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the floor. The sound broke the dam within her. Tears streamed down Nami's face, but a brilliant, watery smile bloomed through them.
"Thank you... Thank you, everyone! I... Wuwuwu... Eh?"
As she cried and laughed, a wave of sobs shaking her small frame, she felt something cool press against her cheek. She looked up through blurry eyes to see Ren holding out a glass of chilled juice.
He smiled gently. "No matter what, this story has a happy ending now, doesn't it? In a moment like this, you should just smile."
"Mm! Thank you, Shopkeeper! But... but I can't stop..."
Ren didn't do anything as dramatic as patting her head. He simply pulled a few tissues from a box and handed them to her. "I know how you feel," he said softly. "But if you cry all your tears out now, won't it seem a little strange when Arlong is truly defeated and your village is free, and you have no tears left to shed?"
A watery chuckle escaped her. "Pfft... Of course not."
"That's true," he mused. "They say women are made of water, after all, especially girls who grew up by the sea. So, go on, you can keep crying. There are plenty of tissues."
Hearing that, Nami found she couldn't cry anymore. A genuine laugh bubbled up instead. "Shopkeeper, if you say things like that, how am I supposed to cry?"
"Then continue to walk forward with a smile," he said, his own smile widening. "Besides, crying won't let you eat things like this."
"Eh?! That smells amazing!"
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