บท 84: "The Bonds of Blood and Betrayal"

The crew's arrival at Cocoyasi Village had been anything but quiet. With their ship unceremoniously grounded in the middle of a paddy field, it wasn't long before trouble found them once again.

As Luffy, Raja, Zoro, Sanji, and, Nami appeared, striding toward them with a fierce expression. Her voice cut through the awkward silence.

"You all need to leave," she said firmly, her eyes hard and unyielding. "Arlong won't let you roam free on this island. If you don't leave now, you're all going to get captured."

Luffy, with his usual mix of stubbornness and simplicity, shook his head. "No way. I need you as my navigator, Nami. I'm not leaving without you." And, as if to solidify his defiance, he lay down right there on the road, folding his hands behind his head and closing his eyes as if to nap.

Johnny and Yosaku, watching this scene unfold, felt the tension building. They exchanged glances, nervous at the thought of facing the dangerous Arlong Pirates. "Well… I think this is where we say goodbye," Johnny muttered, turning to Zoro. "We'd love to help, but we've done all we can."

Yosaku nodded, both of them tipping their hats as they bid Zoro farewell and began their walk away from the village.

Meanwhile, Usopp stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention. He looked at the others, his usual confidence returning. "Surprise!" he announced, showing them the back of his hand. There was a small cut there. "Nami didn't actually hurt me. She stabbed her own hand so I could escape unharmed."

The crew shared a collective sigh of relief. But before any further words could be exchanged, a distant rumbling grew louder from the horizon. The Marine 77th Branch, led by the imposing Commodore Pudding Pudding, was closing in on the island, their ships loaded with soldiers sent to investigate the destruction of Gosa Village and to confront the Arlong Pirates.

In Arlong Park, Arlong received word of the approaching Marines and was unfazed. "Let them come," he growled with a sneer. "Chew, Kuroobi, Hatchan! Go and show those fools what happens when they mess with the Arlong Pirates."

With a nod, Chew led the charge, his powerful intimidation tactics on full display as he glared down at the Marines, exuding confidence. The Marines on board hesitated, their fear growing as they witnessed the infamous Chew's strength firsthand. Meanwhile, Kuroobi grinned, diving into the water and tearing off the ship's rudder in one swift motion, leaving the Marine ship helpless and adrift. As the Marines struggled to maintain control, Hatchan moved in, using his many arms to create an artificial maelstrom, sinking the Marine ship and sending it to the depths, presumably with all soldiers aboard.

In a mere matter of minutes, the Marines' assault was quashed, leaving only a few survivors scattered along the shore.

As dawn approached, Arlong concocted a new scheme. He dispatched Captain Nezumi of the Marine 16th Branch to Cocoyasi Village, aiming to keep Nami in his clutches and prevent her from buying her freedom with the village's ransom. At Arlong's behest, Nezumi and his men set out for Nami's house, ready to seize what she had worked so hard to protect.

At Nami's house, her sister, Nojiko, had come to visit. Nojiko sat across from her, sensing the turmoil brewing within her.

"Nojiko," Nami murmured, her gaze distant, "I built something with them—Luffy and the others. They weren't just allies. They… were friends."

Nojiko, understanding the weight of Nami's words, decided to tell Luffy and his crew the story behind Nami's life in Cocoyasi Village.

As Nojiko joined the crew back at the paddy field, she drew in a deep breath and began to recount their shared past.

"Nami and I were both orphans," she began softly. "We grew up here in Cocoyasi Village, raised by a woman named Bell-mère."

She painted a picture of their childhood—Bell-mère, a former Marine, had discovered Nami and Nojiko during her service. She found them abandoned overseas and, against all odds, decided to raise them as her own. Bell-mère's love was boundless, even though she had little to offer. She provided for them with what little she had, often going hungry herself, eating only mikans so Nami and Nojiko could be fed.

Nami's passion for cartography became clear from a young age, as she often stole books to study the art of mapmaking. Her dreams reached beyond the island, even though their lives were difficult. Frustrated by the harshness of their poverty, Nami ran away once, seeking refuge at Genzo's office, where she learned the story of her adoption. Bell-mère had chosen them, not out of obligation, but out of love.

"Even with nothing," Nojiko whispered, "Bell-mère loved us fiercely. She raised us with all the strength she had."

But that peace was shattered the day the Arlong Pirates invaded Cocoyasi Village.

Arlong and his men came ashore, declaring the village part of his territory and demanding a monthly tribute from the villagers in exchange for their "protection." Smoke rose from the outskirts of the village as Nami and Nojiko raced toward their home, fearing for Bell-mère's safety. When they arrived, they found Arlong standing menacingly in front of their house, demanding Bell-mère's tribute.

Bell-mère, ever defiant, didn't have enough money to pay for herself and her daughters. She only had 100,000 bellies—a sum that could cover her two daughters' safety but not her own. The townspeople tried to help by hiding Nami and Nojiko, hoping Bell-mère could pay the tribute for herself, but Bell-mère refused. She would not deny her family, even if it meant paying with her life.

In her final moments, Bell-mère hugged her daughters tightly, leaving them with words of love and pride. She looked at Nami and Nojiko one last time before Arlong ruthlessly shot her dead, shattering the girls' world.

Nojiko's voice trembled as she continued, "Arlong… saw something in Nami that day. He found a map she had drawn and was impressed by her skill. So instead of killing her, he made her an offer."

Arlong offered Nami a deal: if she could raise a hundred million bellies, he would sell the village back to her, freeing them from his rule. Desperate and without options, Nami accepted, beginning her life as a pirate thief, stealing from other pirates to save her village. She buried every belly she earned, dreaming of the day she could buy back their freedom.

As Nojiko's tale concluded, the crew sat in stunned silence, the weight of Nami's past heavy on their hearts. But before they could process everything they'd heard, the sound of footsteps echoed from the path. It was Captain Nezumi, marching toward Nami's house with his men.

Inside, Nami had barely settled in when Nezumi barged in, a smirk plastered on his face. He'd come to seize her treasure, claiming it as government property since it was "stolen goods."

Nami's heart sank as she watched the Marines rifle through her things, taking away all she had sacrificed for. The dream she had fought for so long began to crumble before her eyes, and a sense of despair settled over her.

Outside, Luffy and the crew exchanged looks of steely determination. They had heard Nami's story, and now they understood her pain and the weight of her burden.

Luffy clenched his fists, his voice low but filled with resolve. "We're going to help Nami," he said, the fire in his eyes blazing stronger than ever.

Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and even the normally laid-back Raja were now ready to fight—not just against Arlong but against anyone who would dare to stand in the way of Nami's freedom.

Nami wasn't alone anymore. She had her crew, and they were going to face down any storm to see her dream fulfilled.