"How dare you go back on your word?!" Nami's anger flared, but she instinctively glanced at her treasure chest.
It was empty.
"Impossible!" she cried. "I checked it just now—it was all here!"
Confusion gave way to panic.
The chest should've held treasure worth over 100 million Berries—her years of toil, near-death escapes, all to buy back her village.
With that money, she could've freed Cocoyasi, sparing its people their suffering.
But now, it was gone.
"Nami~" Arlong grabbed her hair, lifting her as she writhed in pain. His heart swelled with sadistic pleasure.
He remembered Fish-Man Island, where humans dragged his kin away, ignoring their screams, selling them as lab specimens, slaves, or mutilated "art pieces" for amusement.
Perfect art pieces! Arlong thought, leaning close to Nami's ear. "I'll let you off this time, but next time, the price to buy your village doubles!"
"You!" Nami gritted her teeth, glaring. "You stole my treasure!"
"Are you delusional?" Arlong mocked. "I've been with you or meeting Mouse. When would I have time to steal?"
"Think hard about who it really was."
Nami froze, then spat a name she hated to believe: "Carina!"
"It's her!"
Arlong's grin widened, patting her cheek. "You've got half a month. If you don't find it, the price to buy Cocoyasi…"
He raised two fingers. "Two hundred million Berries!"
"That's impossible!" Nami's voice rose.
Arlong sneered, raising a third finger. "Changed my mind. If you fail, it's triple—300 million Berries!"
"I…"
"Four—!"
"I'll get it back!" Nami bit her lip, ignoring the pain in her scalp, agreeing instantly.
She couldn't risk Arlong raising the price further into despair. But did she have a choice?
It was an unfair deal from the start.
As long as she refused to let Cocoyasi's people die, she had no choice.
"Shahahahaha!" Arlong's signature laugh rang out as he tossed Nami into the dirt pit and walked away.
Minutes later, as he faded into the distance, Nami's anguished screams echoed from the orange grove.
"Arlong!"
"Arlong!"
"Arlong!"
…
Nojiko rushed over but froze at Nami's despair, feeling it without knowing the cause.
Half an hour later, Nami crawled from the pit, teeth clenched.
Nojiko said nothing, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Nami," she whispered through gritted teeth, "if you're tired, run. You'd only lose people who resent you."
"We… aren't worth it."
Nami didn't respond, just held Nojiko tighter.
Nojiko patted her back, trembling slightly as she felt Nami's tears soak her chest.
"Cry," she said. "Let it out."
…
The next morning, Nojiko woke to find Nami gone. A letter with a smiley face and oranges lay on the bedside.
"I'll find that treasure, even if it means breaking with my best friend."
Nojiko, reading it, felt her breath catch.
She tucked the letter away and headed to the sheriff's office, knocking firmly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Seconds later, a lean, scarred man with a pinwheel on his hat opened the door—Ajiken, Cocoyasi's sheriff.
Since Arlong's crew and the Marines' corruption took over, his role had become a joke.
Yet he never gave up, risking his life to protect the village and his two surrogate daughters.
"Ajiken, Nami hasn't given up. I don't know what happened, but she's lost everything overnight…"
"Even if she meets Arlong's terms, will he really hand over Cocoyasi?"
Ajiken shook his head. "How could a pirate's word be trusted?"
"I'll find out what happened."
"Be careful," Nojiko said, then hesitated. "I don't get it. Everyone knows what Nami's doing, yet they curse her. I've even seen kids insult her."
Ajiken paused. "Nojiko, every kindness we show her only ties her more to this village."
"If she gets tired and wants to leave, how will she overcome the guilt?"
With that, he hurried off, leaving Nojiko stunned at the door.
…
At the same time, in Arlong Park's top-floor room, a pile of dirt-stained treasure sat on Arlong's desk.
He wiped each piece clean with a handkerchief.
Each item brought back Nami's expression from the previous night, fueling his twisted joy.
"Nami~" he murmured. "My navigator, my toy."
"What face will you make when you realize this was all a scam, that you can never buy your village?"
"Will it be like my kin, pitiful enough to stir sympathy?"
"Why don't humans feel that?"
Crack!
Arlong crushed a gem in his hand, his face contorted with rage. "Heartless humans are the lowest, most wretched creatures!"
A knock interrupted. Expressionless, he said, "Come in."
Chew entered. "Arlong, Mouse sent word. We need to watch a pirate crew active in the East Blue."
"Who?"
"The Gawain Pirates. Their captain, Gawain, has an 85-million-Berry bounty—high even for the Grand Line."
"Shahahahaha!"
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