The red sun completely broke free from the horizon, casting pale golden sunlight that sparkled across the surface of the sea.
Waves crashed against the shore, washing over the reefs, as the sheep-headed caravel swayed gently with the tide.
"So, you stole the treasure from our ship to gather a hundred million Berries so you could buy back your village from that Fish-Man named Arlong?"
"That's right..."
Inside the second-floor dining room, several figures sat around the table.
Nami looked despondent. She let out a soft sigh and said slowly, "I'm sorry for sailing off with the Going Merry, but it's all over now. I'll return the ship to you."
"Isn't that a given? Forget the treasure, the Going Merry was our ship to begin with." Usopp said, crossing his arms over his chest. Then, changing the subject, he asked, "But that Fish-Man you mentioned, Arlong... would he really keep his promise and give the village back to you?"
"To be honest, I don't really trust the words of a guy like that. After all, even Kuro hid his identity for three years just to steal a fortune. For all we know, that Arlong guy was just tricking you," Usopp questioned.
Nami shook her head with a bitter smile. "Even you could see through it at a glance. Thinking back on it now, I was such an idiot to believe anything someone like him said."
"After I came back, some other things happened on the island. As for Arlong, of course he didn't keep his end of the bargain."
"In fact, he had been colluding with the Marines all along, using them to confiscate all the wealth I had saved up over the years."
As soon as Nami finished speaking, Luffy stood up on the spot, slammed his large hand on the table, and shouted indignantly, "What the heck! That bastard Arlong went way too far!"
"Yeah, he really was a damn bastard. But it's all over now. Arlong has already been defeated," Nami said with a sense of relief.
"Eh?"
"Hm?"
Luffy and Zoro were taken aback.
In contrast, Johnny and Yosaku looked utterly astonished, crying out in disbelief, "Wait a minute, Big Sis Nami! Did you say Arlong was defeated?!"
"That's the most wanted man in the East Blue! The Fish-Man Arlong, who was once as famous as the Warlord Jinbe!"
"Arlong was terrifying, that's true, but without a doubt, he has now been defeated," Nami nodded in reply, then turned her gaze to Luffy. "And the man who defeated Arlong, Allen, is now my captain."
"Captain? Eh! What's going on, Nami? Did you join another pirate crew?" Luffy and Usopp's eyes widened in shock.
Zoro, however, furrowed his brow. "Allen? I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before."
"That's right. I'm truly touched that you guys came looking for me, but unfortunately, I won't be returning to your ship." Nami pressed her hands against the table and stood up. Sweeping her gaze over them, she said, "Anyway, I'm already a member of the Demon Lion Pirates now. I'm giving the Going Merry back to you. If there's nothing else, you should leave here quickly."
With that, Nami turned to leave.
Usopp reached out, wanting to make her stay, but the words caught in his throat, unsure of what to say.
Zoro remained silent, merely casting a faint glance at Luffy.
Watching this made Johnny and Yosaku burn with anxiety.
"Wait a minute, Nami!" Luffy suddenly called out to her. He raised his hand to press down on his straw hat, lowering the brim, and said calmly, "Have you really made up your mind? To join that guy's pirate crew."
Nami stopped in her tracks, looked back at Luffy, and smiled sweetly. "I know what you're worried about, Luffy. Don't worry, Allen is a really good guy."
"Is that so..."
Gazing into Nami's eyes, Luffy remained silent for a moment before lifting his head and grinning. "That's great then. It's a shame, but I guess we were just too late."
"Maybe that really is the case. Thank you, Luffy." Nami responded with a smile, then turned and walked away as the group watched her leave.
It wasn't until her silhouette completely disappeared into the distance that Usopp finally looked at Luffy. "Hey, Luffy, is this really okay? Nami..."
"Yeah, she's already found comrades she can rely on. I trust Nami's decision," Luffy said, his eyes filled with earnest resolve.
Zoro couldn't help but glance at him, the corner of his mouth curling up. "That's not what you were saying when we came here. I thought you were going to go pick a massive fight with those pirates."
"Shishishi, Nami would probably get really mad if I did that." Luffy flashed a carefree, grinning expression and strode toward the door. "Let's go."
"Wait a second, where are you going, Luffy?" Usopp asked in confusion.
"To pay a visit to that guy named Helen."
"It's Allen, you idiot! But why are you going to see them? Don't tell me you're actually going to pick a fight."
At that thought, Usopp started to panic. He was already terrified just hearing Johnny and Yosaku talk about Arlong. If this guy named Allen could defeat Arlong, it meant he was even stronger. He had absolutely no desire to fight someone like that.
"Relax, I'm not going there to pick a fight." Luffy waved his hand dismissively and grinned. "As a captain, I have to properly visit the guy who took care of my comrade. It's a matter of honor, you know?"
"Seriously? Where did you even learn that?" Usopp was highly skeptical.
Zoro chuckled with amusement, grabbed his swords, and followed along. "To think this idiot actually understands something like that. The sun really must be rising from the west."
"That's so cool, Bro Luffy!"
"The honor of a pirate!"
Behind them, Johnny and Yosaku clenched their fists, tears and snot streaming down their faces, looking utterly moved and full of admiration.
...
Fish-Man Park.
"Nami-san? Did you go somewhere?" Seeing Nami just returning, Sanji looked puzzled for a moment before breaking into a smile, eagerly leaning in with a face full of devotion. "Are you hungry, Nami-san? I'll go prepare a lovely breakfast for you right away!"
"Mhm, thank you. I'll leave it to you then, Sanji." Nami smiled and nodded.
A single word of thanks instantly sent Sanji into a frenzy of excitement, and he practically floated away to cook.
Afterward, Nami continued walking inside and approached Allen. "So, the weather is pretty good today. Are we preparing to set sail right away?"
Allen had just woken up. He stood up, draped his captain's coat over his shoulders, and groggily patted his head. "Seriously, I've lost track of how many banquets we've had this past week."
Glancing at the mess scattered across the park, Allen slapped his cheeks to sober up a bit, then looked at Nami. "Get ready to set sail. I want to find a place to buy a new ship, so let's head to Loguetown."
"Loguetown, huh." Nami furrowed her brow slightly. "Loguetown is indeed one of the most prosperous places in the East Blue, but it's not exactly friendly to pirates. Buying a ship isn't something that can be done in a short amount of time. The longer we stay, the greater the risk. Are you sure you want to go there?"
"My goal is to buy a massive ship that can hold five hundred people. There aren't many places in the East Blue where you can buy a ship that big." Allen continued, "Loguetown is the only bustling major town nearby, and it's also very close to the entrance of the Grand Line."
The risk of staying in Loguetown for too long was incredibly high. This risk didn't refer to Smoker, but rather the major Marine branches in the Grand Line overseen by Vice Admirals. Marine battleships didn't need to cross Reverse Mountain to reach the East Blue; they had the ability to traverse the Calm Belt. If they hurried, they could arrive in less than a day.
Loguetown was also a crucial location near the Grand Line. If they were going to stay there for two days, Allen would have to keep a low profile. If they caused too much of a scene, heaven knows what kind of big shots they might attract.
However, while the risk existed, as long as they didn't trigger a battle with massive casualties, the Grand Line branches generally wouldn't casually leave their bases to deploy large numbers of troops to the East Blue. It was a risk that could be actively managed.
"It's settled then. We're going to Loguetown to buy a ship. Just tell everyone not to mess around when we get there. If things look bad, we'll just leave. There shouldn't be any major problems." Allen waved his hand and said, "Let's go. We'll head back to the ship first. I'll introduce you to the Third Division later."
"The Third Division?"
"Yeah, a division made up of half-baked navigators and helmsmen." Allen smiled at Nami. "From now on, I'm leaving that bunch in your care."
"Boss! Some guy named Luffy says he wants to see you!"
A loud shout suddenly rang out from the distance. A pirate ran over quickly, stopping in front of Allen, and said, "Boss, there's a skinny monkey outside claiming to be the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates who says he wants to pay you a visit."
"Luffy?"
Hearing that name, Nami was startled and couldn't help but feel worried. Given Luffy's level of idiocy, she was genuinely afraid that he would end up provoking Allen if he came in.
Allen was equally bewildered. He cast a strange glance at Nami, pondered for a moment, and then told the pirate, "Tell them to come aboard the ship."
"Understood, Boss."
...
A short while later, inside the captain's cabin, Allen lay back in the center of the sofa, biting down on a cigar.
Nami sat on another sofa to the side, looking somewhat restless.
Outside, on the second-floor walkway, Gin was leading five people toward the captain's cabin.
"Hey, Luffy, we agreed on this. Whatever happens, absolutely do not start a fight with them, got it?" Usopp tried his best to keep his voice down, glancing around nervously.
Looking at the hundred or so pirates on the deck below made his heart pound with panic, especially after Johnny and Yosaku had quietly informed him: The pirate leading the way was Gin the Demon Man, who had a bounty of 12 million Berries. Usopp felt like his 'I'll-die-if-I-board-this-ship disease' was about to act up.
Faced with his repeated warnings, Luffy just grinned dismissively, clutching a few pieces of meat he had just snagged from the banquet leftovers. "Relax, relax, there won't be any problems. This guy seems pretty nice."
"You're only saying that because you got something to eat," Zoro said with a look of disgust.
Finally arriving at the door, Gin stopped and gestured with his hand. "We're here. The captain is inside. You can go in."
"Oh, thanks, bandana guy." Luffy waved in thanks, then walked in with a wide, toothy grin. "You must be Helen, right? Hello there."
Stepping into the captain's cabin and seeing the person sitting in the middle, Luffy instinctively raised his hand and smiled.
Allen: "..."
Whatever.
Allen shifted his gaze to the two of them with a teasing look. "Straw Hat Luffy, and Roronoa. It's been a while."
"Eh? Allen, do you know them?" Nami asked, her expression filled with shock.
Hearing this, Zoro furrowed his brow.
Luffy was also momentarily stunned. Soon after, both of their gazes scrutinized Allen.
The moment the face before them merged with a certain figure in their memories...
"Eh!"
Luffy's eyes widened in shock. He pointed a finger at Allen and shouted angrily, "It's the ship thief!!"
"It's actually you!" Zoro gritted his teeth in anger.
Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku looked completely bewildered. The three of them turned to look at Nami in unison, utterly confused.
"Ship thief?"
Nami rolled her eyes and yelled at them, "They're not talking about me, you idiots!!"
The scene instantly descended into chaos.
Luffy snorted angrily from his nostrils, slapping his bicep and clenching his fist.
"You damn ship thief! You almost left us without a ship to set sail!"
"Don't stop me, Usopp! Let me beat this bastard to a pulp!"
Zoro also glared furiously, ready to draw his swords on the spot.
Seeing this posture, Nami exploded in anger and smashed her fists into Luffy and the others' heads!
"Calm down, you idiots!"
*Whack! Whack! Whack!*
"So much pain!"
"Damn woman!"
"Why did you hit me too!"
The three of them clutched their heads, which now sported massive lumps. Usopp, who had been caught in the crossfire, shed innocent tears.
"What is wrong with you guys?! Didn't I tell you to leave? Why did you come running over here!" Nami scowled at them, clearly irritated.
This was exactly what she had feared—these reckless blockheads coming over and inexplicably provoking Allen. But of course, these idiots just couldn't understand human speech!
"Sowwy, Nami! We're not here to cause trouble!"
After being thoroughly beaten by Nami, a bruised and swollen Luffy obediently apologized. He then pointed at Allen and mumbled, "I just came over to thank him."
"Thank me?" Allen dug his pinky into his ear with a look of disdain and retorted, "Thank me for what? For stealing your ship?"
Hearing this, Luffy and Zoro instantly flared up, ready to rush forward and fight Allen to the death.
"Don't stop me! Let me beat him to a pulp!"
"I'm going to slice this bastard up today!"
"Wait a minute, Luffy! Didn't we agree not to cause trouble?!"
"Please don't do anything stupid, Bro Zoro!"
Usopp and the Johnny brothers hurriedly grabbed the two from behind, so anxious that tears were practically flying from their eyes.
Nami put her hands on her hips and glared back at Allen in exasperation. "Can you stop messing around!"
A smug smirk tugged at the corner of Allen's mouth as he spread his hands and shrugged.
Seeing him put away his playful attitude, Nami turned her glare back to Luffy. "And you guys stop messing around too!"
"Hmph!" Luffy snorted angrily like a bull, but he finally settled down.
Allen leaned back on the sofa, biting his cigar, and said, "Alright, you're here for Nami, right? I'll treat you as guests this time. Say whatever you came to say."
Getting back to the main topic, Luffy reined in his expression, stepped forward, and said seriously, "Even though Nami never officially joined our pirate crew, we already consider her our comrade. So!"
Saying this, Luffy held out his right hand toward Allen, palm facing up, and declared, "Thank you for taking care of Nami! She's a fantastic navigator, and I hope you'll continue to look after her from now on!"
"Luffy..."
Nami stared blankly at Luffy, never expecting the usually careless guy to pull something like this. A hint of genuine emotion inevitably surfaced in Nami's eyes.
Allen fixed his gaze on him for a moment.
Allen stood up, walked over to Luffy, and said calmly, "I understand why you came. Is there anything else you want to say?"
"Yes!" Luffy shouted loudly. Then, putting his hands on his hips, he looked at Allen with absolute seriousness and proclaimed, "My name is Monkey D. Luffy! The man who will find the One Piece is me!"
His resounding voice echoed through the room. Rather than just expressing a dream, it felt more like a declaration to the entire world.
Everyone present couldn't help but focus their gazes on Luffy.
"You want to be the Pirate King?" Allen's lips curled up as he looked down at Luffy from above. "Not bad. In that case, I'm going to be the King of the World!"
"Damn it...!" Hearing this, Luffy gritted his teeth in frustration and shouted back at him, "Then I'm going to be the King of the Universe!"
"You two are way too childish!!"
Nami and the others standing nearby rolled their eyes and shouted their complaints in unison.
After throwing down their bold claims, Luffy's group didn't stick around much longer. They swiped two plates of food from the table and left straight away.
With that, this brief and baffling visit came to an end.
...
After disembarking, the group headed back in the direction of the Going Merry.
On the way, Zoro couldn't help but glance at Luffy. "What do you think of that guy?"
"You mean Allen? That guy... he's going to be a tough opponent." Luffy's eyes were filled with nothing but smiles, carrying a hint of anticipation as he said, "We'll see him again in the Grand Line. The next time we meet, we'll be rivals. Even if he is Nami's comrade, I won't hold back."
"But Luffy, how do you know they're going to the Grand Line?" Usopp asked in confusion.
"He'll definitely go. After all, you can't become the King of the World by staying in the East Blue." Luffy's gaze was resolute. With a slight smirk, he threw his arm in the air and shouted, "Let's go! To the Grand Line, to find a cook and a musician!"
"Wait a minute, shouldn't we find a navigator first?"
"Then we'll find a navigator too!"
"I mean we need to find a navigator *before* we enter the Grand Line!"
"I'm hungry, let's eat first!"
"Listen when people are talking to you, you bastard!"
*Whack!*
Their voices gradually drifted further away.
Inside the captain's cabin, Nami leaned against the window, watching their silhouettes slowly fade into the distance.
"A bunch of idiots. Seriously, I doubt they'll even be able to make it into the Grand Line." Nami couldn't help but sigh.
Allen walked up to her and said, "If you're that worried about them, you can beg me to give you a chance to leave."
"Seriously?" Nami narrowed her eyes and gave him a sidelong glance, her face full of disbelief.
Allen, of course, didn't disappoint her. He firmly planted his hand on her head and laughed. "Of course not."
"Stop messing around." Nami rolled her eyes at him, mercilessly swatting his hand away, and snapped, "Go tell them to board the ship. The wind direction is going to change later, and it won't be suitable for sailing."
"Hey, hey, hey, are you giving orders to your captain?"
"Cut the chatter. I need to go back to the tangerine orchard to grab some things. I'm leaving this to you."
...
About an hour later, under Nami's command, the ship raised its anchor, unfurled its sails, and slowly pulled away from the shore.
On the shore, the villagers who had been removed from the crew and kicked off the ship by Allen crowded the port, waving goodbye with tears and snot streaming down their faces, reluctant to see them go.
"Goodbye, Captain!"
"Even though we couldn't go with you to conquer the Grand Line, you will always be our Captain Allen!"
"Do your best, Nami! Make sure you assist the captain well, and don't bring shame to Cocoyasi Village!"
"We hope to see you on a wanted poster soon! You will always be our pride, Nami!"
At the stern of the ship, Nami closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, her fists trembling. "Look at what you've done. What have you turned the villagers into?"
"Hahaha, aren't they full of energy?" Allen laughed loudly, waving back at the shore in response. "Goodbye, brothers! I will always remember your heroic figures in battle!"
"Wuu wuu wuu! What a heartbreaking farewell!"
The Nyaban Brothers, with snot and tears running down their faces, burst into loud, reluctant wails alongside the rest of the pirates.
"Goodbye, everyone!"
"Make sure you protect the village well, Genzo!"
"Nojiko-san! Please wait for me to return and propose to you!"
Suddenly, a strange voice chimed in, and thus, a dispute broke out in a certain corner.
"Hm? What are you talking about, you bastard! I'm the one lucky enough to catch Nojiko-san's eye!"
"Are you kidding me?! As if two ugly mugs like you deserve to win Nojiko-san's heart!"
"Have you idiots had enough?! You have absolutely no gentlemanly manners. I think you should all just sink to the bottom of the sea and feed the fishes!"
Sanji indignantly requested to join the fray.
"..."
Nami was speechless. "Is he always like this?"
Allen shook his head. "Actually, it's worse than this."
...
Amidst the reluctant cries of farewell, the ship gradually sailed further away across the sea.
On a certain hilltop, beside a simple grave marked by a cross, with a photograph and a few fresh tangerines placed beneath it.
"Did you see that, Belle-Mère? Those guys are pretty great, aren't they?"
Nojiko sat cross-legged on the grass with a smile, gazing at the silhouette of the ship that was about to disappear over the horizon.
"As a Marine, I wonder how you feel seeing Nami become a pirate."
"But, this is the path Nami chose for herself. I'm guessing you'd be happy for her too."
"...Of course."
A gentle breeze swept up a few blades of grass, carrying the faint, sweet scent of tangerines. It brushed past her bluish-purple hair, swaying her earrings.
Nojiko paused for a moment.
After a moment of silence, she let out a relieved, heartfelt smile.
"Yeah, of course..."
Want more chapters? 50+ extra chapters are available on my Patreon :
<< patreon.com/Aragai_Sama >>