They finally arrived and docked the ship near Cocoyasi Village.
Nami stood at the edge of the deck, staring at the familiar scenery.
Jack stepped forward, carrying a large wooden block. "Before we go ashore…"
Golden light spread from Jacs palms, he channeled the power and changed it to gold, the entire piece of wood had turned into a solid, shining bar of gold.
Though they had seen it many times that Jack had used this ability, they still excited to see it again.
"That's worth more than two hundred million beli," Jack said calmly, placing it into a sack. He turned to Nami. "Take this. Use it to pay off your village's debt to Arlong. If money can buy freedom, let's use it."
Nami lips trembled. She looked from Jack to the gold. Her whole life she had been stealing and saving to reach this goal and here Jack was, casually giving her more wealth than she had ever dreamed of holding.
Sanji stepped forward immediately. "I'll go with her." His eyes sparkled though mostly with heart. "I swear, I'll protect Nami with my life!"
Nami gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Sanji."
Luffy, of course, started to move. "I'm coming too!"
Jack grabbed him by the shoulder. "No."
"Eh?!" Luffy turned, confused.
"You have a bounty now," Jack reminded him. "If you show your face, you'll provoke Arlong pirate. He might decide to break the deal because of us, so sanji make sure nami is safe. "
Zoro nodded agreeing with him. "He's right. If we go accompanying nami, this turns into a war before the deal is over."
Usopp gulped. "I-I'm okay with not fighting fishmen yet…"
Luffy pouted, but Jack didn't budge.
"This is about Nami and the safety of the village," Jack said softly, looking at her. "If she wants to buy her village's freedom, we respect that. If it fails… then we fight. Together."
Nami tightened her grip on the bag of gold.
"…Alright," she whispered. "Thank you everyone."
Sanji escorted her dramatically. "Lead the way, my lady.
...
The villagers watched as Nami and Sanji walking towards Arlong Park, they are shocked seeing a new face on this village.
They knew Nami well since young she had sacrificed so much for the village and she doesnt' have any companion except nojiko, now she bring a boyfriend here and a bag that jingled with every move.
"Nami…" Nami sister stepped out from the crowd, shocked to see her.
Nami only gave a faint nod. "I'm here to finish this."
Sanji stood tall beside her, his usual flirtatious grin tempered by genuine determination. "Let's go meet Arlong."
15 minutes earlier...
Jack stood on the deck, watching until Nami and Sanji disappeared into the distance.
"She's strong," Jack said quietly.
Luffy grinned, fists clenched. "She'll come back. And if Arlong refuses the deal—" his grin widened, "....I'll smash him."
"Let's hope we won't have to," he muttered.
Then after a while they become boring, so Jack suggested to go round a village to look at surrounding. They separate two to team, first Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku, another is Jack alone.
They rejected it, but after seeing Jack return to ship, they then agreed with a new team.
The air was strangely quiet... no children playing, no villagers laughing. When they finally reached the center of the village, a middle age man with a mustache, the village chief, stepped forward and blocked their way.
"You strangers should leave," the chief warned, his voice roug. "Arlong's men are everywhere. If they find out you're friends with Nami, you'll bring trouble on her"
Luffy clenched his fists. "We're not leaving. We are waiting for Nami here!"
"The villagers faces darkened at his words, so that man who escorting nami are also your friend?" asked Genzo
"Yes we are pirate crew," said Luffy
"Even if you are pirate you will lose against him," said Genzo.
Before they could arguing more suddenly there was a female voice broke through the tension.
"You're Nami's friends, aren't you?" she said, her voice soft but firm. "Come with me. You need to hear the truth."
They all were invited inside Nami house.
The smell of tangerines filled the air as they sat inside. Nojiko began to speak, her expression distant.
"Nami wasn't always like this. She used to dream of making maps of the whole world. But eight years ago, Arlong came to this island. He killed our people, forced us to pay him tribute every month or he'd kill us."
Luffy jaw clenched.
"She joined him," the village chief added, his voice heavy with sadness, "not because she wanted to, but because she made a deal. If she could buy back the village for 100 million beli, Arlong swore he'd let us go free."
"She's been stealing from pirates, from Marines, from anyone she could… just to save us." Nojiko voice broke as she gripped the basket tightly. "She's carried this burden alone all these years."
Usopp swallowed hard, his fear momentarily forgotten. "So all this time… she protect the village."
"She was protecting us alone," the chief said firmly.
Luffy stood, his straw hat shadowing his eyes.
"Don't worry if Arlong dare to do anything I'll crush him."
...
Far from the village, Jack sat casually on a rock looking at the ocean. He sensed movement before he saw it, Captain Nezumi and his squad of Marines crept through the jungle with a smiling face.
Looking at them, he then remembered Nezumi came here just to steal nami treasure.
"So you're here already, huh…" Jack muttered with a smirk.
He had planned it earlier, if he coincidentally on the path where Nezumi are coming he will do this.
He pulled out a block of wood from his pocket and placed it in on the road where Captain Nezumi will walk.
Nezumi saw him blocking the way before threatening him. Jack are not afraid and he said he will fight them, then with a touch he changed the block of wood into a gold.
The sunlight reflected off the gold, catching Nezumi greedy eyes immediately.'
The Marine captain's whiskers twitched. "Gold? Here?"
"My mistake, I should I change it to metal because it will be more durable,"
Jack stood up and pretended to look surprised. "You like gold, Captain?"
Nezumi's lips curled into a hungry grin. "Why yes… yes, I do. Hand it over, civilian. For… safekeeping, of course."
Jack smirked wider. "Oh, this? I've got plenty more. Want me to make more?"
Before Nezumi could answer, Jack deliberately turned a nearby tree branch into another golden tree. The Marines gasped, their eyes shining with greed.
Jack's mind was already racing. If I play this right, I can lure these rats straight to Arlong and let them expose themselves.
"How did you change something into gold?" asked Nezumi.
"Didn't you know there exist a gold devil fruit that can manipulate gold," answered Jack.
"Do it again," ordered Nezumi.
This time Nezumi taking out snail, it looks like to record his power.
Jack smiled and show Nezumi his power.
Little did he know, this meeting will attract unnecessary attention
Nezumi's greed was now fully inflamed, he threatened Jack once more.
But with his physique he beat them and kicked them out of the island.
Before that he make sure to cripple both Nezumi and the two marines, the scar from cosmic gun will always throb with pain
Nezumi who was humiliated feel really angry, he contacted spandam from cp 9 and sent a record to him.
Spandam are another greedy bastard calling Lucci and the others to abandon the mission and take a ship towards east blue.