"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak... Is anyone here?"
Suddenly hearing the voice from outside the door, Nami and Nojiko exchanged glances, both filled with doubt.
The two opened the door and walked out, only to see a Navy Captain, dressed and looking like a mouse, leading a group of Marine soldiers, standing outside their wooden house.
Nami frowned, her eyes filled with anger and disgust.
Arlong's crew had been wantonly destroying and extorting money in Cocoyasi Village and dozens of nearby villages, yet this Navy Captain, who was responsible for governing this area, had never intervened to stop them.
Therefore, Nami's aversion to Captain Nezumi was no less than her dislike for Arlong.
Nami murmured in a deep voice.
"Is there something you need?"
Colonel Nezumi smiled obscenely, then revealed a strange grin and said,
"Chee chee chee chee… We received reports from the public saying there's a thief here."
"They stole a large amount of treasure from others, and it's hidden in this orange grove."
"Now, we must, according to the law, confiscate all this ill-gotten wealth."
"Chee chee chee chee…"
Colonel Nezumi smiled obscenely again, then ordered the Marines behind him,
"Search for me."
"Turn this orange grove upside down; you must find the treasure."
Upon hearing this, the subordinate Marines immediately prepared to act.
Just then, Nami pulled two iron rods from her chest, combined them, and stood in front of everyone.
At this moment, her face was incredibly grim, and the anger in her eyes seemed ready to tear everyone in front of her to shreds.
She roared in a low voice,
"No one is allowed to come closer!"
Seeing this, Colonel Nezumi narrowed his eyes and said with a hint of threat,
"Miss, are you trying to oppose our Marine?"
As he spoke, dozens of gun muzzles were aimed at Nami.
"Nami!"
Nojiko, beside her, called Nami's name, her eyes filled with worry.
Nami, however, did not retreat at all and said in a low voice,
"Arlong sent you, didn't he?"
Colonel Nezumi did nothing about Arlong's evil deeds; even if Nami hadn't witnessed their transaction, she could guess what was happening.
Colonel Nezumi feigned confusion in the face of the questioning, saying,
"Arlong? What Arlong?"
"I came here after receiving public reports."
"Miss, please step aside quickly, or don't blame us for being impolite."
As he spoke, Colonel Nezumi raised a hand, and all the Marines simultaneously cocked their weapons.
At this moment, Nojiko panicked, immediately rushed over, embraced the distraught Nami, and pulled her aside.
She apologized to Colonel Nezumi with a forced smile,
"I'm sorry, Colonel Sir."
"My sister is ignorant; please don't hold it against her."
"You can go ahead and search."
"However, we have nothing to do with the thief you mentioned."
"Whether there's a thief hiding treasure here, we don't know either."
Colonel Nezumi smiled arrogantly at the sight, triumph in his eyes.
He then gestured to the Marines behind him, and everyone rushed into the orange grove.
...
A moment later.
"Treasure found, Colonel Nezumi!"
"Roughly estimated, it's close to one hundred million Berries!"
A Marine soldier's report suddenly came from the orange grove.
Hearing the words "one hundred million Berries," Colonel Nezumi's eyes went wide.
Arlong had promised to split the treasure fifty-fifty with him, meaning he would get fifty million Berries from this haul.
Thinking of this number, Colonel Nezumi's breathing became heavier.
After forcefully suppressing the excitement in his heart, Colonel Nezumi loudly gave orders.
"Take all the treasure! We're retreating!"
"Chee chee chee chee… We're rich now!"
The last sentence was whispered by Colonel Nezumi to himself, but it was still heard by Nami and Nojiko.
Suddenly, the distraught Nami broke free from Nojiko's embrace and rushed out.
In the air, a few drops of tears fell as she ran.
"Nami?!"
Nojiko called out to Nami worriedly, but the other party didn't look back and quickly disappeared from Nojiko's sight.
...
Cocoyasi Village.
Hundreds of villagers, all furious, held shovels, hoes, wooden clubs, and other weapons, following a man in a guard uniform with a windmill on his hat and a scar on his face—Akin.
Led by Akin, all these people arrived in front of the wooden house surrounded by orange trees.
Looking at Nojiko, who was sitting on the ground with a worried and sad expression, Akin frowned and asked,
"Did those guys take away the money Nami saved to buy the village?"
Earlier, they had seen a group of Marines inexplicably appear in the village, and when they left, they carried large bags and bundles from which golden light shone.
Thus, everyone, in a fit of rage, followed Akin to inquire about the situation.
Nojiko's eyes were blank; she just sat on the ground, silently nodding.
Immediately, all the villagers became agitated and said angrily,
"Those bastard Marines are too detestable! They actually took away the money Nami painstakingly saved to buy the village!"
"That must have been ordered by that Arlong; they never intended to let Nami go."
"Nami has suffered for eight years for our village; we cannot let Nami continue to suffer."
"Let's go fight those detestable Fishman to free Nami."
"Let's fight them, for Nami!"
...
For a moment, all the villagers held their weapons and cheered with raised arms, full of momentum.
They had watched Nami suffer for so many years, living for them and for this village.
They usually didn't even dare to see Nami, afraid of putting pressure on her.
But now, that group of Fishman had gone back on their word and conspired to snatch away Nami's hope.
They could no longer endure it.
Nojiko looked at the agitated villagers and bit her teeth tightly.
She had heard Nami talk about those happy things, and she no longer wanted to see Nami continue to suffer.
She wanted to see Nami happy.
"Let's fight Arlong's group!"
Nojiko angrily got up from the ground and joined the villagers' ranks.
Cocoyasi Village, near the coast.
"Oh?! I see it, I see it, it's the merry go!"
Usopp stood at the bow, looking at the going merry anchored on the shore ahead, shouting in surprise.
"We've finally arrived!"
Luffy looked at the island they were about to reach, the corners of his mouth curving upwards.
"Wait for me, my idiotic navigator."