At a local bar somewhere on the archipelago, the evening buzzed with noise. Laughter mixed with drunken shouting, clinking glasses, the scent of grilled seafood, and the thick haze of tobacco lingering in the air. The place was crowded, wild, and just chaotic enough to feel like the heart of a pirate-infested island.
"Ehh, so many things have changed in just two years," sighed a strikingly beautiful woman as the bartender placed a fresh, cold glass of beer in front of her. She rested her cheek upon her palm, her fingers lightly brushing her soft orange hair while she gazed across the tavern with a distant look. The corners of her mouth twitched with mild irritation. "It seriously feels like there are more pirates crawling around here now than the last time I visited."
"You're absolutely right, young lady," the bartender replied with a knowing nod as he polished another glass with a faded cloth. His age-worn hands moved with the experience of someone who had dealt with too many rowdy customers. "It is almost like this place transformed into a pirate playground overnight."
"Oh? And what caused that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in curiosity as she recalled how many loud, drunken men swaggered around outside, boasting as if they each owned a slice of the archipelago.
"Well, did you hear? The Marines changed their headquarters."
That statement immediately caught her attention. "Wait, hold on. I thought their main base was here at Marineford?"
The bartender shook his head. "Not anymore. They traded places with their G1 branch, which is located on the other side of the Red Line. This was the very first major decision made by the new Fleet Admiral after Sengoku stepped down. The idea is to position their headquarters closer to the Yonko territories, especially the region where the Uzukage operates."
Her amber eyes brightened with a spark of interest when he mentioned that particular name, the one that had echoed through the seas for two years straight.
"Because of that move, the looming threat of Marineford being right beside us has somewhat faded," he continued. "But in exchange, the number of lawless zones around this island has skyrocketed."
"I see," she murmured before lifting her glass and taking a delicate sip. The cold bitterness coated her tongue, soothing her parched throat and grounding her nerves a little. "I have heard the name Uzukage plenty of times, but I do not really know much about her. Got any juicy information to share?"
"Oh, plenty!" The bartender leaned in, lowering his voice like he was about to spill a state secret. "That woman? She's a total tyrant!"
She raised an amused brow. "Oh? And what makes you say that?"
"Well, for starters… you probably haven't noticed yet, but there are no more slave markets or auction houses here," he whispered conspiratorially. "Even the World Nobles have practically stopped coming because of it."
Nami's expression darkened slightly as haunting memories from two years ago replayed vividly in her mind. "I didn't notice…"
"Yeah, that's because Monkey D. Naru personally abolished every slave market, whether legal or illegal, around a year ago," he said, almost reverently. "The World Nobles were outraged beyond belief, but since it was her who did it… none of them dared to retaliate."
He exhaled and glanced around the bar as though recalling much darker times. "And unlike the Yonkos who mostly stick to maintaining their own territories, she is exceptionally bold. She has robbed multiple kingdoms under World Government control without the slightest hesitation. And here is something even more wild. Every territory that used to be under Whitebeard's protection now flies her flag. That is not even the end of it. Rumor has it, though it is not confirmed, that she also reclaimed all the territory Blackbeard snatched after the war."
"What happened to the Whitebeard Pirates?" she asked, leaning a little closer to the counter. Her small shift in posture did not go unnoticed. The bartender briefly stared at her silhouette before forcing his gaze away, flustered.
"W-well, after the Payback War, none of them ever showed up again," he said with a shrug. "It's like they vanished off the face of the earth."
"That's not true," a rough voice said from a nearby table. A heavyset man and his companion, who had clearly been eavesdropping from the beginning, decided to join the conversation. "You know Fire Fist Ace, right? He's in Uzu now."
"Not really shocking, is it?" the second man added with a smug grin. "He and the Uzukage are siblings, yeah? Of course he would run to his sister for safety."
While the four of them were still caught up in their animated conversation, a loud commotion suddenly erupted on the other side of the bar.
A gunshot rang out.
Nami instinctively turned her head. A man collapsed onto the floor, blood pooling beneath him, spreading across the wooden planks of the tavern.
"55 million bounty?" A massive, muscle packed man in a red vest and a straw hat sneered at the corpse, his voice filled with absolute contempt. "Go read the damn flyer properly. I said at least 70 million! I don't deal with weaklings. What idiot told you that you could walk into my territory with a pathetic little bounty like that?"
Laughter echoed behind him as his crew burst into mocking cackles, their eyes glinting with cruelty as they jeered at the dying man.
"Get lost, you garbage!" the man bellowed. "I'm the son of Dragon the Revolutionary, and the Uzukage is my older sister! We don't need weaklings dragging us down. We are the chosen pirates! We're built different! We're on a level above the rest!"
Naturally, all eyes turned toward the group causing the scene. Nami, the bartender, and the two men beside her all frowned. But Nami's expression in particular twisted into one of unfiltered annoyance, disbelief, and sharp mockery. Her lips curled into a half-smile that didn't reach her eyes.
'Oi oi... someone as wrinkled and crusty as you calling a younger woman your older sister? Seriously?' she thought, seething internally. 'You're probably older than Dragon himself!'
The bartender groaned softly. "Oh, right. How could we forget that pompous idiot. Must be nice to shout nonsense when you have a monster family covering you."
"That Straw Hat Luffy sure is ruthless."
"Well, what did you expect? They've achieved a lot," another murmured, voice tinged with envy.
Hearing all these muttered praises for a man who was clearly an imposter made Nami even more annoyed, but she restrained herself from saying anything.
'If you are going to pretend to be someone, at least avoid being a complete embarrassment,' she thought bitterly. She glared particularly hard at the hag desperately trying to imitate her own appearance, although the resemblance was so bad it might as well have been a joke.
To Nami, these people were nothing more than cheap knock offs. Low quality counterfeits. Flimsy imitations wearing stolen names that did not belong to them.
She sighed heavily and returned her attention to her beer, just as the fake Luffy launched into another ridiculous rant about some supposed pirate captains joining his crew.
She did not care in the slightest.
Her thoughts drifted far from the noisy tavern, wandering instead toward the familiar and beloved faces of her real crew. A gentle ache filled her chest, growing heavier with each passing second. Longing, joy, nostalgia, and a fiery anticipation swirled together so vividly that she could almost hear her friends laughing again.
Two years.
Two whole years.
It felt unreal.
"…And you over there!"
The sudden shout snapped her right out of her daydream. The fake Luffy was pointing directly at her, his chest puffed out like a slightly overfed rooster. His voice echoed across the bar with an arrogance that grated on every nerve in her body. Nami rolled her eyes so hard she wondered for a moment if she might hurt her eyes.
"Don't just sit there looking mopey and mysterious. Get over here already!"
"No thanks," she responded, her tone cool and dismissive as she lifted her glass for another sip. She did not even bother turning toward him. "I am waiting for someone."
A hush fell over the room. It rolled across the bar like a wave as countless heads turned to watch the scene unfold. Even the bartender tensed, as if expecting her to be struck down for her audacity.
But the fake Luffy laughed, loud and boisterous, brushing off her refusal as though it was nothing more than a cute joke.
"Waiting for someone? Lady, whoever it is probably ran away crying the moment he heard my name! Come on already! Captain Luffy never waits for anyone!"
Her patience instantly began evaporating. She slowly turned her head and locked eyes with him, her amber gaze sharp enough to slice through his confidence. "I'm only going to say this once. I'm not interested in drinking with you, and I'm definitely not joining you. Understand, Straw Hat… whoever you think you are."
"H-hey! Miss, don't say things like that!" the bartender whispered in a panic. "That is Straw Hat Luffy!"
She ignored him completely. The elegant wave of her hand dismissing the fake Luffy held more contempt than any insult could have expressed. That quiet, effortless rejection was what made the imposters bristle with anger.
Just as the tension began to thicken, the so called Nami imposter stepped forward, hips swaying as if she believed she was the center of the world. Her expression oozed fake confidence, and she approached with the swagger of a performer playing a role she had absolutely no talent for. With shameless boldness, she flung an arm over Nami's shoulder, acting like they were old friends reunited.
Big mistake.
Nami did not even look at her. Her expression stayed frozen in a mask of calm boredom. Not a flinch, not a twitch, not a single muscle shifting. Only absolute disinterest.
The imposter grew irritated by the lack of reaction and yanked a gun from her belt, pointing it directly at Nami's temple. Still, Nami did not blink. She remained perfectly still, perfectly composed, while her fingers twitched ever so slightly, preparing to unleash a storm at a moment's notice.
Everyone in the bar watched with bated breath.
And because every eye was locked on the two women, absolutely no one noticed the quiet figure who had slipped through the bar's entrance.
The newcomer reached into his bag with calm precision, as if he did this a thousand times before.
"Special Attack: Green Star…"
His voice drifted through the air just loud enough for Nami to hear.
"…Devil!"
The imposter caught the motion in the corner of her eye, but it was far too late. The object soared through the air and exploded with a soft POOF.
A strange plant sprouted instantly, its wide, toothy petals snapping around the fake Nami before she could scream. It flailed wildly, carrying her away as she shrieked in panic.
"C-Captain! Help meee!"
"W-What kind of demonic plant is that?!"
"Get it away! Arghhh! Don't let it touch me!"
Absolute chaos erupted. Chairs clattered to the ground, mugs flew, and the imposters scattered like terrified cats as the angry plant chased them in circles.
Nami blinked, staring in complete disbelief at the leafy creature rampaging across the bar. "What in the world is that plant supposed to be?"
"So, young lady… do you want to have a drink with me?"
A familiar voice spoke right beside her. She turned, and when she saw who it was, her confusion instantly melted into a radiant smile.
"Usopppp!" she squealed, throwing her arms around him and practically tackling him. She hugged him so tightly that his nose ended up pressed deep into her chest, and she giggled with overflowing joy.
"I cannot believe it is really you! Look at you! You have turned into such a man!"
He had indeed changed. Gone was the skinny, jumpy boy from her memories. In his place stood a young man with sharp features, confident posture, and the aura of someone who had survived countless trials.
"Oof! Y-you've, uh... grown quite a bit yourself..." Usopp mumbled from somewhere in the depths of her embrace, nose-first in what might've been the best or worst moment of his life.
"Is that yours?" Nami asked, pointing to that plant that was still busy attacking the fake crew.
Usopp puffed out his chest with pride. "Yup! That is one of my Pop Green weapons," he declared. "I was not lounging around during the two year break, you know. I trained seriously!"
His grin widened in triumph. "And sorry to disappoint you, but I am no longer part of the Weakling Trio with you and Chopper. I am a warrior now. A truly fearless one!"
Before Nami could respond, an angry shout echoed from the corner.
"Hey! Brat! Did you do this?!"
Usopp froze, staring at the furious imposter wearing a cheap mask meant to imitate Sogeking. His eyes bulged.
"What in the world? Sogeking?! How is that even possible?!"
Before he could spiral into an identity crisis, Nami grabbed him by the wrist and began pulling him away.
"Ignore him. Let us go. We have better places to be… and I have a favor to ask."
They made their way out, but a furious shout followed them.
"Wait, you two! Who do you think we are?!"
"Huh? Luffy?" Usopp asked with exaggerated confusion, lifting a brow high in mock surprise.
And then, from behind the counter, the bartender cried out desperately, "Miss! Your tab!"
Outside, the fresh island air wrapped around them.
"Ehhh… so they really were all fakes?" Usopp asked, scratching his cheek.
Nami shot him a look dripping with sarcastic disbelief. "Of course they were fakes! Did you need a printed certificate to confirm it?"
Usopp opened his mouth to reply but immediately stopped when Nami reached into her cleavage and pulled out her trusty Clima Tact with the casual ease of someone retrieving a piece of jewelry. He watched in awe as she tossed it gently into the sky.
"What are you planning?" he asked.
She did not answer. She only murmured a soft phrase while pointing upward.
Dark clouds rolled in with unnatural speed, like a beast awakening from slumber. Lightning danced within their depths.
Usopp's eyes widened. "Oh no…"
"Troubles," she said calmly.
Behind them, frantic footsteps approached.
Then came an enormous flash. A crack of thunder shook the street, followed by a catastrophic blast that rocked the bar from top to bottom. Flames and smoke billowed outward as screams erupted in the distance.
Without even looking back at the destruction they had caused, Nami and Usopp strolled away, their conversation lighthearted and filled with laughter as they caught up on the two years they had been apart.
Behind them lay chaos, confusion, and the smoldering remains of a building that would never again serve fake pirates.
Ahead of them lay reunion, adventure, and the unstoppable force called the Straw Hat crew.
Because wherever the Straw Hat Pirates went, trouble marched proudly at their heels.
Ignoring the destruction entirely, the duo continued onward, leaving behind a glorious mess that perfectly lived up to the crew's legendary name.