Chapter 31: Arlong Reneges on the Deal
Nami and Nojiko talked for nearly two hours.
When they finished, Nami went to the tangerine grove, dug up the treasure she had buried there, and stuffed in everything she'd earned on this trip. It came to just over 100 million Berries.
Carrying the fortune she had scraped together over ten years, Nami headed for Arlong's domain.
"Boss Arlong, Nami's here," a long-snouted fishman reported.
"Oh? She's back?" Arlong sneered. "She's been gone over a month. I thought she'd died out there. And now she remembers to come back. Let her in."
Soon Nami strode up with a heavy sack on her shoulder.
Seeing the bag, Arlong suddenly realized she might have gathered the full 100 million Berries. A chill glint flashed in his eyes.
"Arlong, you remember the deal between us," Nami said bluntly.
"Our deal?" Arlong asked lazily.
"When I gathered 100 million Berries, you'd let me redeem Cocoyasi Village. You said that yourself. You're not going back on it, are you?" Nami's tone hardened.
"Oh, that? Right, there was something like that," Arlong said with a smirk. "Funny you should bring it up out of nowhere. So—you got the 100 million?"
"Of course. There's just over a hundred million Berries in here."
She set the sack down in front of him. "Do you need to count it?"
"Of course I do. It's a hundred million—we're not talking pocket change. If it's off by a few thousand or ten thousand, maybe I won't make a fuss. But if it's way short, that's a sign of disrespect," Arlong said with a grin.
"Hachi, Chuu, Kuroobi—count it."
"Got it, Boss Arlong!"
Octopus Hachi stepped up and poured out the contents. Along with Berries, there were gold bars and various jewels.
Arlong's smile widened. He shot the fishmen a knowing look.
They started counting the Berries. About twenty minutes later they finished adding it up and produced an exact figure.
"Boss Arlong, there's only 68 million in cash. We're short 32 million from a hundred," Chuu reported.
"But there's gold and jewelry—that's included," Nami said, face blanching.
"Sorry, we don't accept gold here. Jewelry, neither," Arlong laughed.
"Nami, you came to redeem Cocoyasi, and I agreed. But you only brought 68 million. What's that supposed to mean? Doesn't feel very respectful to me," he growled.
"Gold is hard currency—it's money. If I exchange the gold and jewelry, the total far exceeds a hundred million. You're playing games with me!" Nami shouted, furious.
"I said I don't take gold. Do you not understand plain speech?" Arlong snorted.
"Fine. I'll go exchange it for Berries right now. Wait here for me!" Nami gathered the Berries, gold, and jewelry back into the sack and moved to leave Arlong's compound.
But Arlong signaled, and his fishmen blocked her path.
"What do you mean by this?" Nami demanded, anger spiking.
"What do I mean? Simple. You said a hundred million, then tried to fob me off with sixty-eight. You think I'll pretend nothing happened?" Arlong said coldly.
"Then what do you want?" Nami asked, a cold weight settling in her chest.
"Easy. I'm confiscating what you brought—as an apology for trying to make a fool of me," he said.
Two fishmen thugs stepped in and snatched away the fortune Nami had carried.
"Arlong, this is too much!" Nami's eyes reddened in an instant.
In a heartbeat, ten years flashed before her eyes: wind and rain, early mornings and late nights, risking death, stealing from the tiger's mouth. Ten years to pile up that money—only to have it ripped away so easily now.
"If you're going to rant, rant at yourself. You crossed the line first. I'm just handing out a lesson—so next time you don't try to pad the sum with gold and baubles," Arlong said, voice like ice. "All right, you can go. Bring the full hundred million next time, and my promise still stands."
Nami glared daggers at him but said nothing and didn't move. She just stared him down, trembling with rage.
"Get out!" Arlong barked, impatient.
Nami knew that if she kept provoking him now, she'd gain nothing and might make things even worse. She scrubbed at her tears, then turned and left Arlong's territory without looking back.
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