The Buggy Pirates had left.
Only Nami remained, standing silently in place.
She wanted to explode, to scream—but she knew it wouldn't do any good.
Bell-mère's face was twisted with pain, her arm wrapped in bandages as she tried to comfort Nami and Nojiko.
"It's okay. If things get worse... we'll fight them."
Bell-mère bit her lip. Around them, the villagers who had witnessed everything were burning with anger. They picked up sticks, rakes, anything that could be used as a weapon.
"It's time to fight back!!!"
Everyone in Cocoyasi Village had long been dissatisfied with the Buggy Pirates' reckless tyranny. Now that they were forcing Nami's family to the brink of despair...
Who would be next?
No one wanted to live in fear forever.
But Nami broke free from Bell-mère's arms. Her head hung low, her expression unreadable.
When she finally looked up, her face was calm—too calm.
As if it didn't matter anymore, she forced a smile and said,
"It's fine. Just double the production. As long as I can make more money, it'll be enough."
"I can do it…"
But Genzo's face hardened. He grabbed Nami by the shoulders and shouted,
"Stop pretending! Nami, you know this is a bottomless pit!!!"
"To grow the kind of tangerines they demand—we know how much it costs! You've already done more than enough!"
After all those years at sea, stealing from pirates, risking her life—Nami was still just a girl inside.
Hearing those words of comfort shattered her defenses.
Tears streamed down her face as she collapsed to the ground.
But even then, she tried to stop the others from confronting the Buggy Pirates.
She didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her.
"No more talking, Nami. We've made up our minds!"
"Let's go!!!"
Her friends and family—one by one—picked up their weapons and left.
Nami sat there on the ground, her eyes vacant.
Then suddenly, she grabbed a handful of tangerines from the nearby stand and hurled them to the ground, smashing them over and over, pounding until they turned to mush—her hands bleeding.
"Buggy! Buggy! Buggy!!!"
Her voice was hoarse and trembling, filled with fury and despair.
Tears streaked down her face.
Behind her, a young man wearing a straw hat stood silently, watching her with an unreadable expression.
Then, he stepped forward and stopped her desperate motion.
Seeing Luffy's figure, Nami froze for a moment, then lowered her head again.
"What do you want? You don't know anything…"
"Yeah. I don't."
"This has nothing to do with you. I told you to get lost!"
"Yeah, you did."
Luffy stood behind her, expressionless.
The man who had once been her captain was now standing by her side again.
Her tears blurred her vision—she had nowhere left to turn.
"Luffy…"
The man before her... was the only one she could rely on.
With tears streaming down her face, Nami turned toward him and cried,
"Help me…"
Luffy didn't answer right away.
He walked up beside her, expression dark.
Then he took off his straw hat—and placed it gently on Nami's head.
His face grew serious, his voice rising with fury as he took a deep breath.
"Of course I will!!!"
...
"Huh?! Buggy was defeated?"
Ten thousand meters above the sea, fierce winds howled.
A monstrous bird soared through the air, its enormous wings slicing apart clouds with ease.
Fully beastified, the Seagull King gripped a small wooden vessel in its talons as it flew with unwavering resolve.
A barrier of wind surrounded its body, keeping the passengers safe—it served as both mount and protector.
On its broad back, two figures sat drinking and chatting at a small table that didn't even shake from turbulence.
Orin held a newspaper in one hand, while Mihawk silently studied the stability of the Seagull King's flight—wondering if wind resistance would affect the arc of a slash.
When Orin spoke, Mihawk finally looked up.
"Is that really something to be surprised about?"
It had been a long time since he'd traveled with Orin, and Mihawk felt a faint sense of nostalgia. Folding his arms, he walked over and glanced at the newspaper.
On the front page was a blood-covered man in a straw hat, laughing wildly.
The headline read: "Straw Hat Luffy Defeats Buggy."
"But Buggy shouldn't be that weak anymore," Orin murmured, rubbing his chin.
After joining the Roger Pirates, Buggy hadn't been as lazy as in the original timeline.
Orin couldn't say for sure if Buggy had Haki, but his basic combat power should've been higher.
So how could he lose to Luffy—someone from two years ago?
Could it be... because Orin had spent some time in Foosha Village back then, and accidentally taught Luffy a few things?
Then again, he thought, protagonists always win in the end.
Even he might lose in some movie version of events if fate demanded it.
He chuckled inwardly—he couldn't even think of a way to defeat himself.
"Well, no need to worry. Buggy's always been ridiculously lucky."
Orin shook his head, uninterested in interfering.
Even if Buggy had been blasted away, with his Conqueror's Haki of luck, it wouldn't be long before he resurfaced before the world again.
Setting the newspaper down, he took a sip of fruit wine and thought for a moment.
Then he glanced at Mihawk, asking casually,
"Hey, Hawk Eyes—if the Shichibukai system really gets abolished, and you've got nothing else tying you down... what will you do?"
...
Mihawk adjusted his hat slightly, his hawk-like eyes gazing into the distance as if genuinely pondering the question.
"I don't know. Maybe... I'll find a place where no power can interfere with me. Or maybe I'll keep swinging my blade toward some goal."
For Mihawk, who had already reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, there were few things left in the world that could stir his interest.
He had once traveled with Orin to become the world's greatest swordsman. Now that he had achieved that title... he honestly didn't know what lay ahead.
"If you ever get bored—or into trouble—I can always find you something to do~" Orin said with a grin.
"You've already made me do enough over the years," Mihawk replied dryly, shooting him a sidelong glance.
"Hahaha, true enough~"
Seeing that Mihawk didn't outright refuse, Orin's smile widened.
Even if fate would eventually lead Mihawk toward Buggy's side, he figured it wouldn't hurt to plant a little seed first.
Then there was Crocodile.
She would definitely end up joining too—though she'd have to change back first.
But knowing her, she probably wouldn't agree easily.
"Well, once she gets beaten up for not being able to use Haki, she'll calm down," Orin muttered with a smirk.
Of course, if he were the one to deliver that beating, it might be a little too cruel.
Better to leave that job to a certain toolman.
Wouldn't you agree, Luffy?