One day, Ryuuto was weeding the tangerine grove with Nojiko.
"Nojiko!" A clear voice called out from the distance. The sound grew closer, its owner clearly running toward them.
Nojiko, obviously familiar with the voice, didn't even look up, her focus remaining on the weeds beneath the tangerine trees.
"Nojiko! Nojiko!"
Finally, the owner of the voice arrived at the grove.
Orange hair cut short framed a beaming, enthusiastic face. It was Nami, and she was practically shouting at Nojiko in her excitement.
"Look! Look, I got another 6,000,000 Belly!"
Nami's bandaged right hand tightly clutched a bag of blood-stained gold coins, which she waved excitedly at her sister.
"Only ten million Belly to go!"
Her expression was pure joy, her words filled with hope for the future.
Nojiko couldn't help but be swept up in Nami's elation, allowing herself to dream of a better life.
"Our Nami is the best. You've worked so hard all this time," Nojiko said, rolling up her sleeves as she stood. She looked at her sister with an expression of pure, doting affection.
"Wait, who's the man in the grove?"
Nami had finally noticed Ryuuto on the other side.
He was wearing a loose-fitting short-sleeved shirt and a pair of flip-flops. His hands moved between the weeds with incredible speed, blurring into afterimages. In just a few moments, he had uprooted all the weeds around him.
Ryuuto heard Nami's question and was about to stand up, but Nojiko spoke first.
"This is Ryuuto. He's from Drum Town. He was caught in a storm at sea and happened to wash up here."
"Ryuuto?" As Nojiko finished speaking, Nami's gaze fell upon him.
"Hello, Miss Nami," Ryuuto said, walking over and extending a hand. "I'm the captain of the Ryuuto Pirates, and I'd like to invite you to join my crew." To show his sincerity, he'd even come up with a little speech on the spot.
"The Ryuuto Pirates? I bet it's a one-man crew..." Nami thought, utterly unimpressed. She rolled her eyes at him.
"I'm a member of the Arlong Pirates! If you want me to join your so-called Ryuuto Pirates, go defeat Arlong and his men first!" Nami's expression suddenly turned cold, and she spoke with a sly, challenging look.
"I'm starving! Tonight, I'm going to eat back everything I've missed!" With that, Nami ignored Ryuuto's outstretched hand and walked straight into the house.
Ryuuto, unfazed, pretended nothing had happened and lowered his hand.
He then turned to Nojiko. "We'd better get back to it. Let's finish all of this today!"
"Honestly, Nami!" Nojiko said with a sigh of mild exasperation. But she understood. Under the thumb of the Arlong Pirates, Nami carried the burden of saving Cocoyasi Village with one hundred million Belly; there was no way she could go to sea with Mr. Ryuuto.
Having found a way to save face, Ryuuto dissolved into a blur of afterimages, darting between the tangerine trees. In moments, the entire grove was cleared of weeds.
"Mr. Ryuuto..."
Nojiko stared at the sight, her mouth agape in astonishment.
...
Meanwhile, in the center of Cocoyasi Village, Genzo was being forced by Captain Nezumi to lead him toward Nami's house.
Nami, still oblivious to what was about to happen, was carefully stowing away the 6,000,000 Belly in gold coins she had just acquired.
When Nami stepped out of the house in high spirits, she ran right into the newly arrived Captain Nezumi and Genzo.
"Chee-chee-chee, you must be Nami! The thief!" Captain Nezumi declared, pointing a finger at her as Genzo looked on in shock.
"Thief?" Nami had assumed the Marine Captain was on the island because he'd discovered Arlong's crimes. She never imagined Nezumi would come straight for her.
"Search this place for the one hundred million Belly in stolen goods!"
Before Nami could react, Captain Nezumi ordered his Marines to storm the house and search it.
That ninety million Belly was the fruit of her painstaking labor, something worth protecting with her life. Wielding her staff, Nami viciously struck down every Marine who tried to get near the house.
But there were simply too many Marines. In the end, Nami could only watch helplessly as Captain Nezumi had a chest filled with her life's work carried out and placed before her.
It was then that Nami understood. Captain Nezumi was in league with Arlong, and they were conspiring to steal the Belly she had worked so hard to save.
"No! Don't!"
Nami screamed, tears streaming down her face.
She lunged wildly for the chest of Belly!
But the Marines blocked her path, and she couldn't get close.
Seeing her like this, Genzo's eyes went wide with fury. He drew his sword and charged at Captain Nezumi.
But Nezumi didn't even spare him a glance, simply drawing his pistol and firing at Genzo.
Bang! Bang!
Two shots rang out. Bullets tore through Genzo's abdomen and thigh.
Even as he collapsed to the ground, Genzo's gaze remained fixed on Captain Nezumi, burning with hatred. The man who was like a father to Nami would not allow Nezumi to torment the girl who had shouldered everything, even if he was gravely injured.
"You bastard!" Nami cried, watching the scene unfold in despair.
Her heart was now filled with hopelessness. She desperately wished for someone, anyone, to save her from this bottomless abyss.
The commotion had, of course, attracted the attention of Nojiko and Ryuuto.
Nojiko rushed out, but Ryuuto was faster. Using Soru multiple times, he appeared behind Nami in an instant.
"Miss Nami, I'll take care of this for you. In exchange, you join the Ryuuto Pirates. Do you agree?" Ryuuto, still in his flip-flops, shot a calm glance at Captain Nezumi before turning back to Nami with a smile.
"I'll join!"
Overwhelmed by anger and grief, Nami wiped the tears from her face. She was past the point of caring about the details and agreed without hesitation.
"Captain Nezumi, is it? Get your filthy hands off that Belly. It represents years of our Miss Nami's blood, sweat, and tears," Ryuuto's voice was sharp as he addressed the Marine captain.
"Where did you crawl out from? Kill him!" Nezumi's face darkened at Ryuuto's rebuke, and he immediately ordered his soldiers to attack.
"Disgusting vermin."
"Soru!"
In a flash, Ryuuto appeared behind Captain Nezumi. A swift kick sent the corrupt Marine flying into the air.
"Rankyaku!"
He then raised his leg and unleashed a slashing kick at Nezumi.
A blade of pale blue vacuum energy engulfed Captain Nezumi, slicing him cleanly in two.
Genzo, Nojiko, and Nami watched in stunned silence.
The once-unassailable Captain Nezumi had been utterly powerless against Ryuuto's attack.
A moment later, the ugly, repulsive captain lay silent on the ground.
"So strong!"
The three of them gasped in unison.
As for Captain Nezumi's Marines, they were petrified by the sight. Dropping their weapons, they scattered in every direction, running for their lives.