"Get out here!"
A survivor?
Nami's brief relief turned back into razor-sharp alertness as thunderous power rippled through her.
"Who's there?!"
One second.
Two seconds.
…
No answer.
Reno's lips curled faintly. He casually flicked a bolt of lightning into the ruins to the east.
"Wait! Wait! I'll come out!"
A panicked voice pleaded from the rubble. Moments later, Captain Nezumi of the Navy crawled out from a crack in the debris, covered in dust, clutching a large chest.
Nami's face froze over with ice.
The reason Arlong had been able to terrorize Cocoyasi Village for so many years was because of Nezumi—covering for him, taking his bribes. In her eyes, his evil was no less than Arlong's. Both deserved to die.
"Don't kill me! I'm a Navy captain! Please, I'm begging you!"
Nezumi scrambled to her feet, only to collapse into a pitiful kneel at Nami's feet, all dignity gone.
Hiding had seemed safe—until now.
"Now you know you were wrong?!" Nami spat. "What about when you were protecting Arlong?!"
Reno shot him a cold glance. Even now, the man clung to his chest of money.
"I was… misled by that bastard Arlong! I'll change! I swear!" Nezumi's head bobbed like a drumbeat.
Heh.
People like him only "changed" when the blade was at their neck.
Killing him would be a service to the people.
Without another word, Reno ended Nezumi's life and took the chest.
They left the ruins of Arlong Park together, where villagers had gathered, still stunned into silence by what they had witnessed.
Not long after Reno and the women departed, the shaken villagers crept into the wreckage. Once they confirmed Arlong and all his fish-men were truly dead, word spread like wildfire.
In minutes, Cocoyasi Village erupted into celebration.
"Hahaha! Arlong is gone! We're free!"
"No more chains! No more fear!"
"It's all thanks to Nami—she fought like a goddess of war!"
"The sky… it's finally clear!"
Preparations began for a grand feast. That night, Cocoyasi would not sleep.
Meanwhile, Reno followed Nami back to her home.
At the door, they were greeted by a young woman with short blue hair and a heroic air—Nojiko, Nami's sister.
"Nami?!" Nojiko's eyes lit up. She rushed forward, embracing her long-lost sister.
"Big sister…" Nami's voice trembled as she clung to her.
"What happened?" Nojiko asked, confused.
"Let's go inside," Nami said. Without waiting, Reno stepped in like he owned the place.
Nojiko blinked. Wait—this is my house… right?
Nami led Reno in by the hand, with Kaya and Makino following.
"What? You killed Arlong?!" Nojiko could hardly believe it. Not because she doubted Nami, but because the idea was earth-shattering.
"It's true, sis! I destroyed Arlong Park too. The whole village should know by now." Nami lifted her chin proudly—then hooked an arm through Reno's. "It's all thanks to Reno. He gave me a Devil Fruit, and with its power, I beat Arlong."
Nojiko blinked, surprised by the closeness between them. Since Nami arrived, she had glanced at Reno after nearly every sentence. And those two other girls? Their eyes had never left him, brimming with tender warmth.
"Ahem," Nojiko cleared her throat. "So… you and Reno…?"
A blush spread across Nami's cheeks. "He's my captain. I'm part of the Reno Pirates…"
"She's my woman," Reno cut in.
Nami's blush deepened.
"Me too," Kaya chimed in, raising a playful hand.
In Nojiko's stunned gaze, Makino smiled and nodded.
Three women. All breathtaking. And all his.
If they had Nami's trust, then Reno's character was beyond doubt.
"Thank you for taking care of my sister," Nojiko said politely.
"She's my woman. Taking care of her is natural," Reno replied easily.
Then Nojiko turned to Nami. "Now that Arlong is gone, will you be leaving with Reno?"
"Of course. I'm his navigator—he needs me."
It was plain to see Nami trusted Reno absolutely.
Nojiko's smile was bittersweet. "You've found your place, Nami. Go with him. I'll watch over the home."
But Nami shook her head. "Sister, I also came here to invite you to join the Reno Pirates."
Nojiko: "???"
Reno: "???"
He glanced at Nami, pleasantly surprised. He'd planned to recruit Nojiko eventually—but for Nami to bring it up herself?
Truly considerate.
She knew he liked sisters.