The celebration filled the night with laughter and music.
Ron stood at the center of it all, surrounded by smiling villagers.
He had become their hero.
Men lifted him high into the air again and again, their cheers echoing through the square.
Everywhere he turned, there were hands offering cups of wine, grateful faces, and words of thanks.
He accepted each toast politely, returning their gestures with equal warmth.
Then someone in the crowd suddenly shouted,
"Nami is so lucky to have such an amazing man! What a perfect match!"
The crowd roared in agreement.
"Ron, from now on, you're officially the son-in-law of Cocoyasi Village!"
"Take good care of Nami, or you'll answer to all of us!"
"And when you have kids, don't forget to bring them home for us to see!"
Ron only smiled quietly. He didn't need to say a word.
But Nami, standing nearby, turned bright red.
Under Nojiko's teasing, she covered her face and fled from the crowd, her heart pounding.
Nojiko watched her go, a tender smile on her lips.
There was joy in her eyes, but also a flicker of envy she could not quite hide.
Nami had found her safe harbor.
And she wondered… would she ever find hers?
Later that night, the two sisters climbed the hill behind the village, where their adoptive mother, Belle-Mère, was buried.
The moonlight washed over the simple gravestone, and the orange trees around it swayed gently in the night breeze.
They knelt before the grave in silence.
Memories of that tragic day—the moment Belle-Mère fell to Arlong's bullet—rose vividly before their eyes.
Their hearts still ached, but the hatred was gone.
Only peace remained.
"If Mom could see all this," Nami whispered, "she'd be so happy."
Nojiko nodded, her eyes glistening.
"She can rest easy now. Everything she hoped for… it's finally come true."
The sisters embraced, tears streaming down their cheeks, tears not of grief but of release.
A few steps away, Ron and Genzo quietly watched them from a distance.
When the sisters turned around, Genzo smiled and asked gently,
"Nojiko, have you thought about what you'll do next?"
He wasn't worried about Nami.
Everyone knew she would leave with Ron and chase her dream across the seas.
But Nojiko…
She had always stayed in Cocoyasi Village, guarding the orange grove Belle-Mère left behind.
She used to say that when Nami came home, she wanted her to taste the oranges planted by their mother's hands.
That devotion and strength had always earned Genzo's respect.
Still, Ron's casual remark hit him harder than he expected.
"She's only twenty," Ron said with a small smile. "It's rare to see such courage at that age."
Genzo's heart stirred.
He looked at Nojiko again—the warmth in her eyes, the quiet determination on her face.
Twenty years old.
Such a young age to carry so much responsibility.
Should her life really remain bound to this little grove forever?
The oranges carried memories, yes—but memories shouldn't be chains.
"Nojiko," Genzo said suddenly, "have you ever thought about seeing the world?"
She looked at him in surprise, at a loss for words.
"I know you can't bear to leave the orchard," he said softly, "but you're still young. The world is vast, and your life shouldn't be confined to this one place."
He paused, his gaze steady.
"And don't worry. I'll take care of the orchard for you."
He smiled faintly.
"Belle-Mère was my closest friend. I'll protect what she left behind. Whenever you wish to return, this will always be your home."
Nojiko's eyes wavered. She wanted to speak, but emotion caught in her throat.
Then Ron spoke up, his voice calm but inviting.
"Or," he said, "you could come with us."
Both sisters turned to him in surprise.
"At the moment, our crew only has two people—me and Nami," Ron continued. "We could use someone like you."
He looked at Nojiko with an encouraging smile.
"You'd fit right in. And besides…" He glanced toward Nami, whose eyes were shining. "Your sister would love it."
"Come with us, Nojiko," Nami said eagerly. "Let's explore the world together! The sea is so vast, so full of wonders. If we don't see it while we're young, won't that be a waste?"
Nojiko looked between them—their hopeful faces, their unwavering conviction.
Genzo nodded in agreement, his voice firm.
"You've spent your life protecting others, Nojiko. Maybe it's time you chased something for yourself."
Her heart trembled.
And then she smiled.
"Alright," she said softly. "I'll go."
Just like that, the Ron Crew gained its third member.
A few days later, the grand celebration came to an end.
The villagers helped restore Arlong's massive ship—the "Shark Submerge III"—but when they were done, it was unrecognizable.
The jagged, fearsome shark head that once terrorized the seas had been replaced with a smooth, humble prow.
The vessel no longer looked like a weapon of oppression, but a symbol of new beginnings.
Ron and his crew were not pirates, so they did not raise a Jolly Roger.
Instead, a new flag flew from the mast—one depicting a scale and a sword.
It was simple, perhaps even ordinary, but it suited them perfectly.
They were bounty hunters, walking the line between law and chaos.
They named the ship Themis, after the goddess of justice.
A symbol of fairness and balance.
Whether facing pirates or the Marines, they would act by their own code.
As long as the price was right, they would deliver justice on their own terms.
Before departure, Nami and Nojiko secretly left half of Arlong's treasure—more than ten billion berries—for Cocoyasi Village's reconstruction.
It was their gift to the people who had suffered with them.
Ron didn't question it.
He only smiled. "It's your money. Use it as you wish."
When everything was ready, the villagers gathered at the shore to see them off.
Tears mixed with laughter as the ship's sails caught the wind.
Slowly, the Themis drifted away from the coast, gliding into the morning light.
Three figures stood at the bow, facing the horizon.
Ron. Nami. Nojiko.
Their next stop—the Marines's Sixteenth Branch, before the real adventure began.
And beyond that, the Grand Line awaited.
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