In the vast blue ocean, a sailboat drifted steadily, carrying an orange-haired girl with a worried expression as she sat deep in thought.
"I don't know what happened to that straw hat fool and the green algae head... No, no, Nami, pull yourself together. You can't get distracted! Cocoyasi Village is still waiting for you to save it."
She turned her gaze toward the distant island, releasing a long sigh of relief as it finally came into view.
For years, the thought of her hometown had been the driving force behind her survival, navigating the treacherous world of pirates, bounty hunters, and even the navy. She had danced on the edge of danger countless times, all for the sake of those she left behind.
But now that she was back, Nami hesitated. Should she even set foot in the village that had raised her? "The villagers must hate me for working with Arlong... No matter what, I'll just take a look from a distance."
However, as she climbed up the familiar hillside and peered down at the village, what she saw was entirely different from what she had imagined.
She rubbed her eyes, blinked, and then looked again, utterly dumbfounded.
The villagers were having a banquet!?
"What the... How can they be celebrating?" Nami muttered in shock. "Did the Marines arrest the Arlong Pirates? No way."
The very idea was laughable. Expecting the Marines to take down Arlong was as absurd as hoping a miracle would fall from the sky.
She knew exactly what kind of person Colonel Nezumi was. That cowardly, corrupt marine would never dare stand against Arlong. In fact, he was colluding with the fishmen!
For years, the people of Cocoyasi Village had lived under Arlong's iron rule, barely scraping by. They couldn't even afford to spend extra money on celebrations, let alone throw a grand feast. A banquet like this? It had to mean something was terribly wrong.
Nami's steps faltered. She had originally planned to return to Arlong Park first. But now, she changed course.
"No... I have to see what's going on. If the villagers are celebrating while knowing they're about to die, then I have to stop them!"
As she moved closer, her eyes finally locked onto something at the center of the village, placed atop a high platform.
Heads.
She stopped in her tracks, breath caught in her throat.
"That... That's Arlong's head?! And those... aren't those the heads of his officers?!"
Nami rubbed her eyes furiously, convinced she was hallucinating. But no, no matter how many times she looked, the scene remained unchanged.
Arlong and his top officers had been slain. And their heads were proudly displayed for all to see.
Suddenly, the sound of her name snapped her out of her shock.
"Nami! Nami is back!"
"It's little Nami!"
"Nami, you've worked so hard all these years!"
"Come join the banquet, Nami!"
The villagers, noticing her presence, rushed forward with joyous smiles, their voices filled with warmth.
"You... you all..." Nami stammered, overwhelmed. At that moment, her older sister, Nojiko, stepped forward.
"Nami, welcome home."
That was all it took. The walls Nami had carefully built around her heart crumbled, and she collapsed into Nojiko's embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.
"So... everyone knew? I thought I was hiding it so well..." Nami sniffled, managing a teary smile.
"Do you think we're fools? We saw your struggle every day."
"Ever since you joined the Arlong Pirates, Nami, things changed. If someone couldn't afford Arlong's tax, they weren't slaughtered like before. We saw that. We knew why."
"We just never said anything because we didn't want to make things harder for you. But we knew, Nami. You are our hero."
Hearing those words, Nami laughed through her tears, finally feeling the weight lift from her shoulders.
That night, the banquet lasted until the early hours.
On the quiet moonlit harbor, the Going Merry gently rocked with the waves.
Shin stood near the shore, gazing at the ship with an unreadable expression. "So this is the Going Merry... the most famous ship in the world of One Piece."
"Thank you for saving Cocoyasi Village," Nami's voice was soft as she approached.
Shin waved her off dismissively. "I only got rid of some pirates who were doomed to die sooner or later."
"The Arlong Pirates were no ordinary crew..." Nami started, but Shin interrupted her with a scoff.
"To me, they were nothing more than minor nuisances. Now, tell me about this ship."
Hearing his words, Nami's excitement dimmed, replaced with a bitter smile. "It's not a particularly happy story. The more I remember the beginning, the more disgusting I feel about how it ended..."
Shin folded his arms. "That's not necessarily true. If your crewmates are as good as you believe, they'll understand."
Nami paused, then chuckled softly. "Yeah... knowing them, they really would."
"Then tell me."
Standing against the cool ocean breeze, Nami finally began recounting her journey with Luffy and the Straw Hat crew.
For Shin, it was like reliving the events of the manga through the perspective of the protagonist.
It was different from reading a comic. The way Nami told the story, the misadventures of Luffy and the others felt even more ridiculous. The absurdity made Shin laugh more than once, and Nami, lost in the memories, couldn't help but laugh along with him.
However, when she finally reached the part where she left them behind at the Baratie, her expression darkened. A deep sadness flickered in her eyes, and silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I don't know... those idiots... what are they doing now..."
"Don't worry." Shin's voice was calm, but it carried an almost prophetic certainty. "I have a feeling they'll be coming for you soon."
Nami's shoulders tensed. "But what do I even say to them? The Arlong Pirates are gone now. I don't have an excuse anymore."
Shin smirked. "I'd be more worried about how you explain everything to them. None of your companions have ordinary backgrounds."