Nami, with her shaky and raspy voice, said, "I-it's o-okay. I-it's my fault for coming i-in."
But the bandage man wasn't hearing her words. He kept apologizing.
"I-I'm s-sorry. I-I w-will pa-pay f-for m-my s-sin. H-hope f-fully y-you'll f-forgive m-me… I-I'll g-give y-you m-my h-head."
Nami and Zoro heard the man's terrified voice. They didn't understand what he was talking about—until they saw it.
He pulled out his katana, sliding it free from its scabbard.
Nami saw the man straighten up to face her and press the katana against his own neck. The blade dug into the bandage-wrapped skin, and with just that pressure, blood began to seep through. Red stained the white bandages around his neck.
Nami was terrified at how things had turned out. Fear froze her mind, stopping her from thinking or processing anything.
"H-hey, w-what are you doing, b-bandage man?!" Luffy shouted.
But Zoro was the first to move.
He unsheathed Wado Ichimonji and parried the blade, stopping the katana before it could slice all the way through the man's neck.
Zoro couldn't believe it—not just because the man had truly been about to cut off his own head, but because of the katana he was holding. Zoro could feel it: an uneasy sensation, death lingering within its black, obsidian-like blade. He knew that if he had tried to stop it with an ordinary sword, it would have been cut straight through. That was why he used Wado Ichimonji.
Then Zoro shouted at the man beside him,
"Hey! Didn't you hear her? She said it's okay!"
Luffy stretched out his hand and grabbed the man's wrist—the one holding the katana.
"Hey, bandage man, that's enough."
Nami was still terrified and couldn't speak.
The bandage man completely stopped his apologizing as his wrist was restrained. Then—
Baaaaang—
He slammed his head into the deck. A web-like crack spread across the floor as he continued apologizing.
"I-I'm s-so-sorry. I-I d-di—"
But he was cut off when Luffy chopped him on the head.
"Hey, stop. You're noisy. I hate crying," Luffy said.
The bandage man heard Luffy's words and stopped. His forehead remained pressed against the deck.
"I-I'll g-go b-back t-to s-sle-sleep."
All three of them watched as he stood up. He towered over them. With a precise movement, he sheathed his black katana into its red-black scabbard.
Then he slowly strode toward the inner part of the merchant ship, his head still bowed.
Zoro's eyes never left the man's back.
That man… he was really going to kill himself.
And that katana…
"Huu, finally, he stopped," said Luffy, grinning as he held his straw hat.
Nami watched the man leave, and only then did her senses return. She stared at his retreating back, her mind still trying to catch up. A man had almost cut off his own head just to apologize to her. If that had really happened, it would have left a deep toll on her conscience.
Zoro sheathed Wado Ichimonji and asked Luffy,
"Hey, Luffy… where'd you find that guy?"
"Hmmm… he just boooom… then creaaak… then baaaang… now he's here," Luffy said, making gestures with his hands as he explained.
Zoro shook his head. "This is unbelievable. Speak human language," he said.
Nami tried to get up, but her legs gave out, and she fell to the floor again. She needed time to rest if she wanted to leave on this ship and still be able to walk.
Luffy laughed. "Okay, let's set sail," he said, his hands on his waist.
Zoro shook his head again. "Where are we going?"
Nami had something more important to do. She needed to infiltrate the Buggy Pirates, who had stolen the Grand Line chart.
Then she had an idea. With a shaky voice, she said, "If I remember right… you're heading there, right?"
"Hm?" Luffy looked at Nami. "Oh, how did you know?"
Nami didn't bother to reply. She just said, "And if you're going there, you'll need a map of the Grand Line. I know where it can be found."
"Ohh, as expected from our navigator!" said Luffy, bumping his fist.
"I told you I'm not your navigator!" Nami shouted. Then she added, "Go prepare the sail. I'll lead this ship to the location."
"Ay… ay…" said Luffy.