When Nami first heard what the captain had just said, she froze for a moment.
She had never imagined that her sister would ever set sail as a pirate.
After all, Nojiko had always looked up to their adoptive mother, Bellemere, as her role model, and she'd even confessed more than once how guilty she felt for not being able to carry on Bellemere's will.
"Nojiko… actually became a pirate?!"
Coming back to her senses, Nami's face was full of shock.
"They should be somewhere near Drum Island right now," Arima said casually. "I plan to meet this kid named Luffy myself. Would you like to come along?"
"Hehe, of course I'd love to! …I still can't believe Nojiko became a pirate, and she even picked up her dream of becoming a navigator again! Captain, can I bring her some books?"
Nami looked up at him with pleading eyes, her expression soft and pitiful.
Arima chuckled, amused. He nodded and said, "There are plenty of books in the library. Take whatever you like."
"Thank you, Captain! You're the best!"
As soon as she got the captain's approval, Nami jumped up, cheering with delight.
Tsunade, who had been listening quietly, caught on to something in Arima's tone.
With a curious expression, she asked, "Arima, you seem rather interested in that boy named Luffy. Is it because of Shanks?"
Arima asked in return, "Tell me, Tsunade… if we hadn't come to the world of pirates, how do you think things here would've turned out?"
"Well, if we hadn't shown up, the Big Mom Pirates probably wouldn't have been wiped out so early.
That thunder fruit from Sky Island, the one you mentioned, would have been eaten by that long-eared boy, and he'd rule all of Skypiea.
Dressrosa would still be under Doflamingo's control, and that little girl Sugar would be his trump card. Oh, and Nami might have ended up joining that Luffy's crew!"
Tsunade made a rough deduction based on their current activities in this world.
At that moment, Robin looked up at everyone around her and said gratefully, "Your arrival completely changed my fate.
Otherwise, I'd still be on the run, living in fear for the rest of my life. Thank you."
Kushina clapped Robin on the shoulder, smiling warmly. "Come on, Robin, we're family now!"
"That's right, we're all family!" Robin smiled brightly. For the first time in years, she felt she finally had someone to rely on, and nothing to fear.
"Mm-hmm! We're family! Isn't that right, Sugar?!"
Yuna grinned at her childhood friend.
Sugar was busy devouring the desserts Natsuka had specially made for her. She didn't even lift her head, just kept nodding in agreement.
Yuna, seeing Sugar's response, beamed happily. To her, Sugar wasn't just a friend, she was like an older sister.
Monet, too, had come to feel deeply connected to Konoha.
And more than anything, seeing her little sister living freely and joyfully, that was her greatest wish. Compared to their past life under the Donquixote Family, this was heaven.
Though Nami hadn't been with them for long, her sense of belonging to Konoha was no weaker than Monet's.
Arima hadn't just rescued her and her villagers from a life of suffering, he had also given her the chance to see the wider world. She had carved that kindness deep into her heart.
Seeing everyone so full of emotion, Arima smiled. "No matter what happens, fate brought us together. For Konoha, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Maybe it was because he'd been in the pirate world too long, but Arima had grown to love throwing parties, and drinking with his family even more.
Life in the ninja world was far too suffocating. If this journey weren't nearing its end, he would've happily stayed for another ten years.
The next day, Arima received new intelligence about the Straw Hat crew.
According to the report, they had already arrived at Drum Island, and had taken in a temporary crewmate: Princess Nefeltari Vivi of Alabasta. Also, the navigator Nojiko had fallen gravely ill.
Since Nami's sister was sick, Arima didn't waste a second. He set off for Drum Island with Nono and Nami.
Drum Island was blanketed in eternal snow, its name derived from the drum-shaped peaks rising from its center.
The three of them, dressed in thick winter robes, descended upon the royal Drum Castle. Seeing unfamiliar intruders in the palace, the guards immediately surrounded them.
Sensing Nojiko's faint life force, Arima didn't bother with explanations. He activated his Kamui technique, and in an instant, the three vanished from the encirclement.
When they reappeared, they were standing right beside Nojiko's sickbed.
Nami's eyes widened as she saw her sister lying unconscious. Panic rose within her, and she instinctively turned to Nono.
Nono stepped forward without hesitation to examine the patient.
"How is she, Nono? Is my sister going to be okay?" Nami's voice trembled.
"Don't worry. She's already been treated and her condition is stable. I'll give you a recovery serum I made, it'll help strengthen her body."
Nono pulled out a vial of blue-green liquid from her small medical kit and handed it to Nami.
Nami gently lifted her sister and carefully fed her the serum, drop by drop.
Just then, the door creaked open, and someone walked in slowly.
The newcomer pulled back the curtain, only to freeze upon seeing three strangers standing beside Nojiko's bed.
"Who are you? What are you doing to my patient?"
The speaker was an elderly woman with long pale-yellow hair, goggles perched atop her head, and a purple leather jacket. Despite her age, her energy was palpable.
"Dr. Kureha," Arima greeted calmly, recognizing her immediately.
"I'm Arima of Konoha. These two are my crewmates and family, Nono and Nami. We came here to treat Nojiko, who happens to be Nami's sister."
Dr. Kureha put down the food tray she was carrying and approached Nojiko's bedside.
She had noticed the blue-green liquid Nami had just fed Nojiko, and out of professional caution, began to check the patient's vitals herself.
To her surprise, Nojiko's condition was improving rapidly, her vital signs stabilizing at an astonishing rate. It wouldn't be long before she regained consciousness.
"Incredible… What kind of medicine did you give her?" Dr. Kureha asked, her curiosity piqued.
As a fellow doctor, Nono understood that curiosity all too well. Without hesitation, she took out another vial and handed it to Kureha.
"How did you make something like this?" Kureha pressed, determined to know.
"I'm the wielder of the Heal-Heal Fruit," Nono explained with a smile.
"To make this serum, I have to extract and purify a variety of herbs, then balance them with precise ratios.
Without my ability, it would be nearly impossible. Even a trace of impurity would drastically weaken its effectiveness."
"What a shame," Dr. Kureha sighed, reluctantly handing the vial back.
"Please, keep it. I have plenty more." Nono smiled and pushed it gently into her hands.
Just then, the door burst open again, this time, with a whole group rushing in.
Before they even entered, a loud, carefree voice boomed through the room.
"Hey, Granny! Is Nojiko awake yet?!"
"Luffy! Shhh! Keep it down, she's a patient!" another voice hissed.
"Oh? My bad, Usopp!" The loud one apologized, though his tone, and volume, barely changed.
"Nojiko-chan, try this! I made you some special food for sick people," said a third voice, soft and gentle.
"Pervert," came a cold, mocking reply.
"What was that, moss-head?!" the once-gentle voice snapped back, now sharp and irritated.
And so, the noisy group barged right in.
Dr. Kureha, who had just been about to discuss medical techniques with Nono, was instantly interrupted. Irritated, she yanked the curtain open and barked, "Quiet down, you brats!"
And at that very instant, Arima and Luffy came face-to-face for the first time.
"Hello there, Luffy," Arima greeted, smiling faintly.
Luffy adjusted his straw hat and stared at him for a few seconds. Then, with a puzzled expression, he asked.
"White-haired old guy… who are you?"