"Stop it, Nami is using that money to save the lives of everyone in the village!"
At this moment, Genzo suddenly shouted to Colonel Nezumi.
Hearing this, Nami looked at Genzo in shock:
"Ah... Mr. Genzo, when did you know..."
"I... and everyone in the town already knew about it. After you took refuge with Arlong, we couldn't help but ask Nojiko, and she told us everything about you."
"Because we were worried that when you chose to run away, our expectations would become a burden to you, we pretended not to know."
Genzo clenched his fists and told this matter to Colonel Nezumi, thinking that Nezumi would give up searching for the money Nami had hidden.
However, Colonel Nezumi not only did not stop his subordinates from searching, but also mocked them.
"What? You mean to say that all of you in this village are thieves, and you want me to arrest you all?"
At this moment, Nojiko came back and shouted at Colonel Nezumi:
"It's all because of you, incompetent navy!"
"If you don't want to help this village, then leave here immediately."
"If you keep dawdling, be careful that Arlong will kill you."
"Jijijiji, Arlong, this is hard to say."
Colonel Nezumi sneered and then shouted to his men:
"Haven't you found it yet? It's not just a grain of rice, it's 100 million Berries!"
!!!
Hearing this, Genzo, Nami, and Nojiko were all stunned...
Nami's pupils dilated again, and she froze in place as she remembered Arlong's promise to her.
"How... how did you know that the amount was 100 million?"
Genzo asked loudly to Colonel Nezumi.
Nezumi spread his hands and said:
"One hundred million. I know roughly this number."
Nami widened her eyes and glared fiercely at him:
"Arlong... did Arlong tell you?"
"Who knows..."
"Colonel, I found it!"
Creak—
Hearing this, Nezumi hurried to open the box.
He stroked the banknotes in the box and sneered:
"It's amazing that a little girl can get so much money."
Thirty percent of this is mine, Colonel Nezumi thought happily in his heart.
"Let go... let go... let go!"
Nami yelled angrily and rushed towards the marines with a stick.
Boom—
Whoosh—
Seeing this, Nezumi pulled out his pistol and shot at Nami.
!
"Nami!" ×2
Nami looked at the bullets coming towards her and subconsciously closed her eyes.
Nojiko and Genzo didn't dare to look at the scene, both closing their eyes.
Hum—
Rustle—
Just as the bullet was about to hit Nami, the pendant on her neck suddenly flashed a blue light...
The imagined pain did not come, so Nami slowly opened her eyes.
She saw the bullet half a meter away slowly disappearing in the air.
Nami looked at the pendant on her chest that was glowing faintly in surprise:
"This... this pendant... is it protecting me?"
[The "Morning Light" pendant. Ability: It defends against all attacks harmful to the wearer. Activates automatically when worn. Weakness: it does not work if the wearer is harmed.]
"What... what's going on?"
"The bullet disappeared out of thin air!"
"Hey, you guys, quickly stop that woman, and the rest of you move the treasure back!"
Nezumi was surprised at first, then barked orders to his subordinates.
"Yes!"
"Stop, don't even think about leaving!"
Nami picked up her staff again and was about to rush forward.
"Don't go, Nami... I don't know how you made the bullet disappear just now, but I guess you can't use this ability many times."
Just as Nami was about to charge, Genzo and Nojiko stopped her.
Nami didn't know how many attacks the pendant Lock had given her could withstand, but she still wanted to take back the 100 million Berries.
...
At Arlong Park—
"But Arlong, you are so cruel. You let that colonel snatch the money Nami saved."
"In this case, she'll have to collect 100 million again."
Kuroobi and Chew sneered.
"What if we push her into a corner and she runs away?" Hachi asked doubtfully.
"Why worry? She cares about that village too much. She won't run."
Arlong grinned, explaining why he wasn't worried.
"But I'm not a devil. As long as Nami draws charts of all the seas in the world for me, I'll let her and the villagers of Cocoyasi Village go."
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
The fish-men burst into laughter, finding it amusing.
"A chart of the world's oceans? That will take decades... maybe a hundred years!"
...
In the town—
Genzo gathered the people on the streets.
The villagers held hammers and harpoons.
"We swore eight years ago that we would not sacrifice our lives recklessly."
"No matter how painful and humiliating their rule was."
"As long as Nami was doing well, we had to endure."
"But this is the result!"
"Those marines colluded with Arlong and took away the money Nami worked so hard to save!"
At this point, Genzo's eyes filled with anger.
"Since our only hope has been sealed... We have no choice."
Genzo's eyes reddened with fury as he shouted:
"We must never forgive those fish-men who trampled on Nami's kindness!"
"Everyone, do you have any objections?"
"How could that be possible? Let's go!"
"All villagers, prepare for battle!"
"We can't bear it any longer!"
"Go!"
The townspeople raised their weapons high.
"Wait a minute, everyone."
Just then, Nami smiled weakly and walked towards them.
Nojiko: "Nami?"
"Wait for me a little longer... I'll save money again. Anyway, I'm used to it, so it's okay. You don't need to worry."
Nami forced a smile.
Because she didn't want anyone to die, she didn't want the tragedy of eight years ago to happen again.
Hearing this, Genzo walked up to Nami and whispered:
"That's enough... You know it's useless."
"You've carried all of our lives on your shoulders. Joining them was more painful for you than dying. You tried hard."
"Mr. Genzo, wuu..."
Nami shed tears.
Genzo gently placed his hand on her shoulder:
"Just leave the village like this..."
"Eh? Mr. Genzo, everyone, you guys..."
Just when Nami was about to protest, Nojiko said:
"That's it, Nami."
"Why is this happening!" Nami cried, confused why everyone looked prepared to die.
"Nami..."
"Nojiko: Not only do you have pain, you also have dreams."
"Nojiko! Everyone!"
"I won't let you pass!"
Nami spread her arms to block the villagers.
She pulled out a knife and pointed it at Genzo:
"Everyone... stop! I don't want anyone hurt by them again."
Her hands trembled.
Genzo reached out and grasped the knife, his eyes firm:
"We know."
"It's useless. We've made up our minds!" said an elderly villager, waving his hoe.
"Get out of the way, Nami!"
Genzo shouted.
Nami flinched, stepping back in shock. Genzo had always been gentle — never raising his voice at her.
He turned around, drew his pistol, and shouted:
"Let's go, everyone!"
"Even if we can't win, we must show them our determination!"
"Oooh!"
Da-da-da...
The villagers charged past Nami.
Men, women, the elderly, even children — all ran toward Arlong Park with anger in their eyes.
Thump...
Nami collapsed to her knees, trembling as Arlong's laughter echoed in her mind.
"Arlong… Arlong!"
Nami clawed at the tattoo on her arm, tears falling.
"Aaah!"
She stabbed the tattoo with her knife, blood flowing.
"Aaah..."
Snap—
Just before she struck again, Lock grabbed her wrist.
Nami froze. She turned and saw Lock and Luffy standing there.
"Lock... and Luffy..."
"Why... are you here..."
"Of course I'm here to help you," Lock said gently.
"Yes."
Luffy nodded.
Hearing this, Nami lowered her head again:
"What? You don't know anything."
"You don't know what happened here these past eight years."
"This has nothing to do with you."
"You'd better get off this island right away!"
"Get out… get out… get out!"
She threw sand at them, desperate to make them leave.
But the two stood silently, watching her.
"Wuwu..." Nami sobbed, covering her mouth.
Finally, trembling, she cried out:
"Lock... Luffy... help me..."
Luffy placed his straw hat in Lock's hands.
"Take care of my hat. And Nami."
"Hmph, don't worry. I'll protect her," Lock said with a smile.
Luffy walked forward, opened his arms, and shouted:
"Of course!"
"Lock... Luffy..."
Luffy strode ahead.
Zoro sat polishing his sword.
Usopp sat cross-legged with his head down.
Sanji flicked away his cigarette.
The three had been waiting.
Luffy arrived.
"Let's go!"
"Oh!" ×3
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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