Although Darian had planned to set out and make his mark on the world, he found himself so engrossed in the gentle embrace of the sisters that he was in no rush to leave. The past two days had been pure bliss.
Two days later, early in the morning.
Slap!
"Darian, wake up! Get up! Something terrible has happened!"
Darian, fast asleep on the floor, was slapped awake.
Because of his absorption abilities, Darian could passively absorb sound waves to block out external noise, giving him excellent sleep quality. However, Nami's "Fist of Love" carried kinetic energy, which jolted him awake.
He opened his eyes groggily, rubbing his face. Between having an affair with Nojiko in the dead of night and Nami making him do chores during the day, he hadn't slept well at all.
"Nami, what's wrong?" he mumbled.
"Look!" Nami shoved a piece of paper directly into his face.
Darian squinted. It was a photo of himself. Nami held it so close he couldn't read the text beneath it.
"It's just a photo," Darian yawned. "What's the big deal?"
Smack!
Nami punched him on the head. "Idiot! Look carefully! You have a bounty!"
Darian froze. The sleep vanished from his eyes. He sat up and took the paper from her.
He didn't understand. Why did he have a bounty? He hadn't attacked the Marines!
Well, he corrected himself mentally. I didn't attack them directly. I just caused a tsunami that sent them to the bottom of the ocean.
But only he, Nami, and Nojiko knew he caused that tsunami. Where did the World Government get their information?
"Nami, what did they pin on us?" Darian asked, puzzled.
Nami sighed, rubbing her temples. "You can read the poster. It was probably a frame-up by Colonel Nezumi before he sank. I just didn't expect Marine Headquarters to act so quickly."
Darian examined the wanted poster.
The photo was taken against the backdrop of the orange grove. Darian was standing with his hands in his pockets, activating his ability, with thick blue-and-white arcs of electricity crackling around his body.
How did they get this picture? Darian wondered. The stealth of the World Government's photographers (like Attaché) was truly a mystery. If they could get a clear shot of Luffy in Gear Fifth fighting Kaido on a floating island, getting a shot of Darian was child's play.
Darian read the text below the photo.
"The White Emperor" - Darian
Bounty: 66,000,000 Berries
(Note: 66 Million for Dead, 500 Million for Alive)
Darian blinked. The allure of Devil Fruits was truly powerful. Even in a candid shot, he had to admit he looked incredibly handsome. But the bounty conditions were strange. 500 million if captured alive? Someone in Mariejois or Marineford was very interested in his "God-like" powers—or perhaps his face.
And the title... "The White Emperor."
Darian winced. It sounded so arrogant.
"Nami?" Darian looked up, but Nami was already handing him the morning edition of the World Economic Journal.
The newspaper detailed his exploits. It credited him with killing the Black Cat Kuro, single-handedly wiping out the Arlong Pirates, and destroying a Marine warship.
Because of his godlike appearance, wielding blue and white lightning, and his unparalleled beauty—which the paper claimed rivaled the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock—Big News Morgans had dubbed him the "White Emperor."
To maximize sales, Morgans had printed massive photos of both Darian and Hancock side-by-side on the front page.
Darian groaned, rubbing his forehead. Morgans, you old bird. You're turning me into a celebrity to sell papers.
Before, Morgans sold papers to men using Hancock. Now, with Darian, he had secured the female demographic as well.
"Looks like we have to leave," Darian said helplessly. Cocoyasi Village wasn't safe for him—or them—anymore.
Nami didn't seem upset. In fact, she looked excited. "Perfect! Staying on land for so long makes me feel stiff. I belong on the sea. We're going to draw a map of the whole world!"
She paused, looking at him thoughtfully.
"Speaking of which," Nami asked. "What is your dream?"
"A dream?"
Darian was stunned. If she had asked him a week ago, he wouldn't have had an answer. In his past life, people were too tired just trying to survive to have grand dreams. Only in a manga world did people shout their life goals at the sky.
But after his realizations with Nojiko, Darian had found his goal.
"I want money," Darian said, his eyes darkening with ambition. "I want power. I want to pocket all the world's treasures... and I want to become the King of the Sea."
Hearing "world's treasures," Nami's eyes instantly turned into Berry symbols ($$). She completely ignored the "King" part. If Darian wanted the world's treasure, he needed the best navigator and thief in the world.
"Well then," Nami clapped her hands. "We better start packing."
Later that morning.
Bellemere's Orange Grove.
While Nami was inside tearing the house apart looking for her mapping tools, Darian quietly slipped into the orchard.
Nojiko was already awake and working.
Despite being relentlessly ravaged by Darian every night, Nojiko showed no signs of fatigue. The "Dual Cultivation" nourished her, leaving her skin glowing and her movements energetic.
As she reached up to pluck a tangerine, Darian stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Nojiko gasped, dropping the fruit. Darian's passive absorption muffled his footsteps; she hadn't heard him coming.
"It's just me," Darian murmured, kissing the side of her neck.
Nojiko relaxed slightly, but then she panicked, trying to pry his hands off her breasts. "Darian, stop! What are you doing? Nami is right inside!"
"You let me take you while Nami was sleeping in the same bed," Darian teased, his hands kneading her soft flesh through her shirt. "Are you really scared of the daylight?"
Nojiko's face flushed a deep, violent red. She managed to break his grip and spun around to face him. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving. She felt so weak around him. The moment he touched her, her resistance evaporated.
"Sister," Darian said, his tone turning serious. "We're setting sail today. Are you sure you don't want to come?"
Nojiko froze. She knew this day was coming, but the reality of it hit her hard. She looked at Darian, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She loved her sister. She loved her home. And god help her, she had fallen for this dangerous, shameless man.
She swallowed hard, mustering her courage.
"No," she said softly. "My place is here."
Darian felt a pang of genuine disappointment. He stepped forward and pulled her into a tight, gentle hug. This time, she didn't resist. She rested her head against his chest.
"If you miss me," Darian whispered into her hair, "I'll buy a long-distance Den Den Mushi. You can call us anytime. And I promise... I'll come back for you."
Nojiko nodded silently, tears pricking her eyes. Darian just held her tighter.
Noon. The Docks.
The waves gently lapped against the shore. A sleek, sturdy sloop, a gift from the grateful villagers, was moored at the dock.
The dock was packed. The entire village had come to see them off. They had piled the boat high with fresh food, water, and supplies—a token of their immense gratitude to the hero who had killed Arlong.
Darian was already on the boat, organizing the cargo.
Nami, true to her nature, decided to say goodbye in a very "Nami" way.
Genzo and Nojiko stood at the front of the crowd, looking troubled. Nami had insisted on leaving all her stolen money (minus a small travel fund) behind for the village. The villagers felt they couldn't possibly accept it.
"Darian, set sail!" Nami shouted from the dock.
Hearing her cue, Darian immediately dropped the main sail.
"Wait! Is she leaving without letting us thank her properly?"
"Nami, stop!"
The villagers rushed forward, trying to grab her. But Nami was too fast. She weaved through the crowd with practiced ease, laughing as they tried to catch her.
She leaped gracefully from the pier, landing lightly on the deck of the moving boat.
As the villagers sighed in defeat, Nami turned to face them. She lifted her shirt slightly, revealing dozens of wallets falling from her pockets onto the deck.
The villagers checked their pockets in shock. She had pickpocketed everyone in the crowd on her way to the boat.
"Take care of yourselves!" Nami laughed, waving the stolen wallets.
The villagers, annoyed but deeply amused by her mischief, erupted into laughter. They waved back, shouting their thanks and wishing them a safe journey.
As the boat pulled away, Darian caught Nojiko's eye in the crowd. He gave her a subtle, specific hand gesture—a private joke from their nights together.
Nojiko's face turned bright red, and she quickly looked down, though a small smile played on her lips.
The sails caught the sea breeze, and the small boat picked up speed. The scenery of Cocoyasi Village slowly faded into the horizon, replaced by the vast, endless blue of the open ocean.
Nami ran to the bow of the ship, the wind whipping through her short orange hair.
"Darian!" she shouted, throwing her arms wide to embrace the sea. "I'm free! I can finally fulfill my dream! Thank you!"
Darian walked up beside her, looking out at the horizon where his own ambitions lay waiting.
"You're welcome," he smiled. "Miss Navigator."
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