The sea breeze that drifted along the coast of the Conomi Islands carried with it the scent of salt and blood.
At the jagged ruins of Arlong Park's courtyard, bodies of unconscious fishmen lay strewn across the tiles, slash marks carved into walls and bullet holes marking shattered pillars. Among the quiet, two figures sat like sentinels.
Zoro, leaning against a cracked column, nursed his sake gourd with visible irritation, his wounds from Mihawk still fresh and limiting his movements. His shirt was torn and stained with drying blood, but his spirit refused to bend. Beside him, seated on a chunk of broken masonry, Dez methodically cleaned and checked his pistols, the faint smell of gun oil mixing with the tang of gunpowder. A cigarette dangled from his lips, glowing faintly as he exhaled a thin line of smoke into the air.
They weren't speaking much, both waiting for Arlong's main force to return. Both men understood: what they had cut through so far were only grunts. The real storm had yet to make landfall.
-----
Their stillness was interrupted by the echo of boots on sand and the faint clang of rifles. From the coastline, a detachment of Marines marched onto the island, their sails marked with justice, led by a sharp-nosed man with a smug expression: Captain Nezumi.
Dez flicked ash from his cigarette and muttered,
"Marines, huh? Figures they'd slither in when the air's already thick with smoke. They smell blood and profit, not justice."
Zoro smirked without humor, lifting the sake gourd.
"Doesn't matter. As long as they don't get in the way."
The Marines didn't even glance toward the park. Their leader barked orders and pushed the villagers' sheriff, Genzo, into guiding them toward a small household on the outskirts. The two pirates watched with narrowed eyes as the procession cut through the fearful streets.
-----
At Nami and Nojiko's home, Nezumi's men stormed inside, tossing aside furniture and overturning jars and floorboards until they uncovered bags of meticulously saved money.
Nami's face went pale.
"Wait! Don't touch that, it's mine!" She lunged forward, desperation in every word.
The Marines restrained her roughly, shoving her to the ground. Nezumi sneered, his voice oily and mocking.
"You've been hiding illegal treasure, haven't you? A little thief pretending to be clean. Justice will confiscate this."
Nami's nails dug into the soil as she fought back tears.
"It's not for me! That money—it's for the village! For their freedom!"
From behind her, Genzo stepped forward, his fists clenched. His weathered voice broke the silence.
"We know. We've always known. We knew what you were doing… all this time."
Nami froze, her eyes widening in shock.
"You… you knew?"
Her body trembled. All those years of pretending to betray her village, of shouldering their hatred and cold glares, only to learn they had understood the truth all along.
Her chest tightened as tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but before she could respond, a gunshot cracked through the air.
Nojiko gasped, staggering as blood blossomed from her stomach. She collapsed to the ground, her hands clutching the wound.
"N-Nojiko!"
Nami screamed, rushing to her sister's side, but the Marines shoved her back. Nezumi's expression never changed; the greed in his eyes was cold and detached.
"Justice has no sympathy for traitors. Take the money."
And just like that, they dragged the bags of Berries away.
-----
Nami's body shook violently. She bolted from the house, sprinting across the dirt paths with tears streaking her face, until she reached the towering shadow of Arlong Park.
The laughter of the Fishman captain greeted her. Arlong leaned lazily against the railings, his jagged saw-toothed nose gleaming under the sun. His crew stood at his sides, their hulking bodies dripping with menace.
"You sent them, didn't you?!" Nami screamed, her voice breaking as she clutched her chest.
"You betrayed me! You took it all back, you took everything from me!"
Arlong tilted his head, his grin stretching unnaturally wide.
"Don't be ridiculous, girl. Our deal still stands. I never ordered those Marines. What they took? That's just fate's cruelty. If you want your little village back…" His sharp teeth gleamed.
"Then start again. Save it all over again."
And then he laughed. The guttural, mocking sound rang out like a hammer against her soul.
Nami's legs gave out beneath her. She stumbled back, clutching her arm as despair threatened to swallow her whole.
-----
Back at Cocoyashi, Genzo rallied the villagers. His voice was hoarse, but it carried the fire of years of pain.
"We can't live like this anymore! Arlong has broken us, and he'll never stop. Even if it costs our lives, we will fight!"
The villagers clutched pitchforks, spears, anything they could wield. Faces carved by fear now hardened into resolve. They knew the cost, but they had already been paying it in silence for too long.
Nami ran after them, screaming for them to stop, her voice torn apart by desperation.
"You'll all die! Don't throw away your lives like this!"
But they pushed past her, their decision unshakable.
-----
Her tears blinded her as she stumbled to the ground, her hands trembling violently. Rage and despair exploded inside her chest. With a cry of anguish, she tore a dagger from her belt and stabbed it into her arm....right at the tattoo that marked her as Arlong's property.
"GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" she screamed, stabbing again, blood staining her skin as if she could rip the brand away through pain alone.
But her hand was suddenly caught.
Luffy stood there, his expression deadly calm. His hand closed around hers, halting her self-destruction.
"Stop."
Her lips trembled. The dam finally broke.
"Please… help me."
The plea tore out of her like a child's cry. Years of loneliness, hatred, and sacrifice condensed into those words.
Luffy's jaw tightened. He slowly took off his straw hat, the most precious treasure of his life—and gently placed it on Nami's head.
"Of course I will."
The weight of those words was absolute.
-----
Luffy turned without another word. His steps were heavy with intent, his shadow long in the setting sun. Behind him, Sanji lit a cigarette, flicking the lighter shut with a grim smile.
"About time."
Usopp adjusted his slingshot nervously, but the fear in his eyes was tempered with determination.
"Guess… there's no turning back now."
The three of them began walking toward Arlong Park.
Back at the park, Zoro closed his sake gourd with a faint smirk, overhearing the distant cries.
"Sounds like the real fight's finally coming."
Dez slid his pistols into his holsters with a metallic click, smoke trailing from his lips.
"'Bout damn time. Let's see what these fish bastards are really made of."
The stage was set. The confrontation with the Arlong Pirates was inevitable.