Chapter 57: Doing Bad Things Behind The Wife's Back!
"You've cried enough, let's talk about the fish-men now."
As the words fell, the air on the deck seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Clatter—"
Nami had been counting the salvaged treasures, but now her hand froze mid-air, several gold coins slipping through her loosened fingers.
"Ah... I suddenly feel so hungry!"
"Sanji-kun! Shouldn't you start preparing dinner now? I'm starving!"
"Your cooking is amazing! Way better than certain people!"
As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Ralph.
The moment Sanji heard Nami's praise, he instantly sprang up as if injected with adrenaline.
"Na-Nami-san!"
Sanji's eyes turned into hearts, his body swaying, voice filled with rapture,
"Indeed, while I dare not claim to be the world's best chef, every dish I make is absolutely infused with love and passion!"
He knelt on one knee, taking Nami's hand:
"Please wait just a moment! I shall immediately prepare the most perfect dinner for the beautiful Nami-san! You will surely feel the ocean's bounty and a chef's devotion!"
Ralph's face darkened.
He couldn't quite tell whether he was angry because Nami was deliberately changing the subject, or because she had casually disparaged his cooking skills.
"Nami, stop changing the subject."
He walked up to Nami, "During our fight with Krieg, we noticed you trying to escape! And your unusual interest in the Arlong Pirates has also raised our suspicions!"
"Explain yourself clearly now, so you might receive lenient treatment from us."
Nami's expression shifted.
Then she suddenly let out a delicate "Oh my," weakly collapsing to sit on the floor, one hand covering her chest while the other gently wiped at nonexistent tears at the corner of her eye.
"I... I even protected you during the previous battle..."
Nami's voice carried a sob, "I even got injured... and you're yelling at me with such a harsh tone... how utterly cruel..."
She secretly glanced up to observe everyone's reactions.
Ralph remained expressionless: "Cut it out. Nobody on this ship is falling for that act."
Unfortunately, his assessment was based on the past.
Now, there were three additional people on board.
Johnny and Yosaku stood nearby, both blushing and fidgeting uncomfortably as they watched Nami's pitiful display.
As for Sanji...
"RALPH!!!"
Sanji rushed over in a flash, positioning himself protectively in front of Nami, "How dare you be so rude to a beautiful lady?! Nami-san has her own difficulties, her own secrets! A true gentleman would never pry relentlessly!"
He spread his arms wide, "A lady's tears are pearls! A lady's secrets are treasures! Forcing a lady to speak what she doesn't wish to say is worse than being a pirate!!"
Ralph rubbed his temples.
"First," he said, "I'm not a gentleman, so why should I follow your gentlemanly rules?"
"Second, Sanji, since you can't refuse a lady's requests. Let's see how you refuse when I have Lufia speak up?"
"Lufia," Ralph asked, "do you want to know the secret between Nami and the fish-men?"
Lufia tilted her head.
She thought for a few seconds, then asked a question that left everyone stunned:
"Fish-men... are they delicious?"
On the deck, dead silence fell.
Seagulls flew overhead, letting out "caw—" cries.
Ralph opened his mouth, his mind blank for a moment.
The angle of this question... was just so Lufia.
And he had actually been led astray by it.
"Removing the human parts," Ralph stroked his chin, seriously contemplating, "keeping the fish parts... should be possible, right? But I heard fish-men have ten times the muscle density of humans, the meat might be too tough, requiring long stewing..."
"You two!!!"
Nami jumped up from the ground, "Stop discussing such a terrifying topic, okay?! Fish-men aren't food!!!"
Sanji also looked horrified: "Miss Lufia! Please stop this dangerous imagination!"
Zoro leaned against the mast, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Usopp had already crouched down, holding his head: "Too scary... eating fish-men... we'll be cursed..."
Johnny and Yosaku looked at each other, unsure what to say.
But Lufia was completely unaware of how shocking her question was.
She pulled out a small notebook from her bosom, then fished out a charcoal pencil, and began scribbling "swish swish swish."
A few seconds later, she held up the notebook to show everyone.
On the paper was a simple drawing: a fish's body with four slender legs underneath.
"Fish-man," Lufia asked seriously, "do they look like this?"
Silence.
Then...
"Pffft—hahahahaha!!!"
Zoro was the first to burst out laughing.
Followed by Usopp, who was rolling on the ground laughing: "A fish with four legs! Hahahaha!"
Sanji clutched his stomach: "Miss Lufia... you're just too adorable..."
Even Johnny and Yosaku couldn't hold back, their shoulders shaking.
Ralph couldn't help it either.
Nami looked at the drawing, her originally tense expression softening.
She covered her face, her shoulders trembling slightly.
It was unclear whether she was laughing or crying.
The first to break free from the comical atmosphere were Johnny and Yosaku.
The two wiped their tears of laughter, exchanged a glance, then pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from their bosoms.
It was a wanted poster.
"Big Sis Lufia," Johnny handed over the wanted poster, "fish-men... should look like this."
Lufia took the wanted poster and brought it close to her eyes.
Printed on the poster was a ferocious face.
Long nose, mouth full of sharp teeth, bluish-gray skin, fierce eyes.
Below was written the name: Arlong, bounty: 20,000,000 Berry.
Lufia stared at it for a long time.
Then, she lifted her head, eyes sparkling:
"This guy... looks so interesting!"
She pointed at the long nose on the wanted poster:
"Just like Usopp! Both have long noses!"
Usopp protested: "Hey! My nose isn't that ugly!"
Lufia continued excitedly:
"If only we could invite him onto the ship! We don't have any fish-men on our ship yet!"
The moment these words were spoken...
"Absolutely not!!!"
Nami's scream cut through the night sky like a sharp blade.
All laughter ceased abruptly.
Lufia froze, the hand holding the wanted poster suspended in mid-air.
Everyone looked at Nami.
She stood there, fists clenched tightly, nails digging deep into her palms.
Her body trembled slightly, her face etched with pain, fear, anger, and deep despair.
Ralph looked at Nami and sighed softly in his heart.
This was exactly the situation he wanted to guide—forcing Nami to stop running, exposing her pain before everyone.
"Nami," Ralph's voice softened considerably, "you can't escape anymore. Speak up, let's face this together."
He paused briefly:
"Even if you don't tell us, we'll still locate the Arlong Pirates' operational range based on Johnny and Yosaku's intel. Sooner or later, we'll find out—"
Nami slowly raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Why..." her voice was hoarse, "why do you have to go looking for them? You have no connection to the fish-men... Isn't your goal the Grand Line?"
Her voice grew louder:
"You have no idea how dangerous those fish-men are! They're incredibly strong and fast in water! Even ordinary fish-men have ten times human physical strength!"
"The officers under Arlong are all monsters!"
"You have dreams, ambitions—you could all become great pirates someday... Why go looking for those monsters? If you die by their hands... you'll lose everything!"
The sea breeze swept across the deck, stirring Nami's orange short hair.
Her tears finally fell.
Just then, Lufia walked up to Nami.
The Straw Hat Girl looked directly into the Navigator's eyes, her expression serious.
"Though I don't know what exactly connects you to the fish-men..."
Lufia's voice was gentle, "I can see that they've caused you great pain."
She paused:
"And that's something I can't accept!"
A smile spread across Lufia's face:
"You're my important crewmate! Our ship's Navigator! If you're suffering, who will guide us to the Grand Line? Without reaching the Grand Line, none of our dreams can come true!"
She patted Nami's shoulder:
"If there are things you don't want to share, we won't press. But I can't stand watching my crewmate suffer like this!"
Turning to Ralph, Lufia declared:
"Ralph! Take the helm! We're going to see what these fish-man pirates are about, and we'll learn the reason for Nami's suffering from their own mouths!"
She scanned everyone on deck:
"Any objections from the rest?"
Zoro crossed his arms: "Obviously not."
Sanji lit a cigarette: "Nami-san's pain is my enemy."
Usopp, though still trembling, nodded vigorously: "I-I'm coming too!"
Johnny and Yosaku chimed in unison: "We'll lead the way!"
Ralph smiled.
He walked to the ship's wheel, gripping the wooden handles:
"Destination—Arlong Park. Full speed ahead!"
The Going Merry changed course, heading toward the sea area marked as dangerous on East Blue's map.
Nami stood frozen in place, watching these people.
These fools who, despite knowing her for such a short time, were willing to charge into the dragon's den for her.
"You..." she bit her lip, "have no idea how brutal Arlong the fish-man really is..."
"I thought," Ralph said while steering, not turning his head, "that after spending this much time with us, you'd have come to understand everyone better, Nami."
He paused, a hint of amusement in his voice:
"The more you say that, the more it fuels everyone's fighting spirit. Especially when you mention 'brutality'?"
Ralph turned his head, his gaze profound as he looked at Nami:
"Have you forgotten how 'brutal' I can be?"
Nami was taken aback.
She recalled the look in Ralph's eyes when facing enemies.
"By the way," Ralph suddenly remembered something, "Nami, go check the weapons research lab. There's a surprise waiting that's sure to shock you."
Skeptical but curious, Nami followed Ralph down the deck to a small room at the stern.
This was Usopp's "weapons research lab"—essentially his bedroom and workshop combined.
The room was cluttered with various strange tools, components, half-finished inventions, and stacks of draft papers covered in complex diagrams.
And now, there was a new pile of items in the center of the room.
Golden metal fragments gleamed under the oil lamp.
It was Krieg's armor.
The intricate golden suit, once filled with various mechanisms, now lay scattered across the workbench, systematically disassembled and studied by Usopp.
"Wow... this mechanism's design is absolutely brilliant..."
"This latch here... so that's how it works..."
"This firing mechanism... genius!"
Usopp, wearing goggles and holding a small hammer and screwdriver, was muttering to himself while examining a piece of chest armor.
He hadn't noticed anyone entering.
"Usopp." Ralph called out.
"Wah!" Usopp jumped in fright, nearly dropping his tools on his feet, "R-Ralph! Nami! What are you doing here?"
"Just checking on your progress." Ralph walked to the workbench and picked up a fragment of arm armor, "So? Can you figure it out?"
Usopp wiped his sweat and nodded excitedly:
"It's incredible! The armor looks golden, but it's actually forged from Damascus steel, making it exceptionally tough! The mechanism designs inside..."
"...each one has been an eye-opener for me!"
He pointed to the disassembled weapons on the workbench, breaking into a cold sweat with each item he described.
"Thankfully... thankfully you managed to remove this armor, Ralph. If we had to fight against this suit to the end... we'd either be dead or seriously injured."
Ralph patted Usopp on the shoulder:
"So I'm counting on you. Master these mechanisms as quickly as possible and adapt them into weapons we can use. Whether for personal use or installation on the Going Merry. These will become our tools against enemies."
Nami approached the workbench and picked up a disassembled shuriken launcher.
The cold metal felt heavy in her hands.
She shook her head and put the launcher down:
"These... won't be enough to deal with Fish-men."
Usopp's smile froze.
Nami looked at the weapon components covering the table, her voice low:
"Ordinary Fish-men have physical capabilities ten times that of humans. The Fish-men officers under Arlong's command... are even stronger. They're nearly invincible in water—their speed, strength, endurance..."
"...they're completely on another level."
She raised her head, her eyes filled with concern:
"These mechanical weapons might be useful on land. But at sea... in the Fish-men's domain... they won't mean much."
Usopp's face paled.
Trembling, he picked up a short gun he had just disassembled:
"Th-then are we really going to deal with such a terrifying monster?"
He looked at Nami, his voice pleading:
"Nami... what exactly is the conflict between you and the Fish-man Pirates? C-could it... be resolved through negotiation? Can we... avoid fighting?"
Nami watched Usopp's fearful expression and remained silent for a long time.
Then, she shook her head with a bitter smile.
"No room for negotiation."
Three words that completely shattered Usopp's fantasy.
Usopp's shoulders slumped. He sat dazed for a few seconds, then suddenly stood up and began rummaging through the workbench.
Finally, he found something and handed it to Nami.
It was a golden short rod, about the length of an arm, with a smooth surface.
"Take this." Usopp said, "I modified it based on the mechanisms in Krieg's armor. During battle—"
He pressed a hidden button.
"Click!"
Both ends of the short rod suddenly extended, transforming into a nearly two-meter-long pole!
Then Usopp demonstrated various hidden weapon functions. Though his voice still trembled, his eyes were serious:
"I... I might lack the courage for direct combat... but at least... I can help make useful weapons for you."
Nami took the golden rod.
It felt heavy.
Holding it in her hand gave her a sense of solidity.
Just like... the reliability of her companions on this ship.
She recalled how she had tried to leave alone earlier—wasn't that because she planned to face this matter by herself?
Now, there was a group of fools willing to face it with her.
Though she was worried... though she feared they might get hurt...
But...
"Thank you." Nami said softly.
She gripped the rod tightly, took a deep breath, and showed a determined expression:
"I've decided. I'll go explain everything clearly to Lufia."
Nami turned to face Ralph and Usopp:
"Since we're companions, I won't stand on ceremony. My matter... I'm counting on you!"
Usopp nodded vigorously: "Should've been like this long ago!"
Nami smiled in relief.
She tightened her grip on the rod and rushed out of the room.
The sound of her footsteps faded down the corridor.
Only Ralph and Usopp remained in the weapons research room.
Ralph walked to the workbench and dug something out from beneath a pile of parts.
It was a cannon shell.
Completely black, with no rust on the surface, it looked quite new.
Printed on the shell casing was a line of small text:
"MH5"
Usopp leaned closer and asked curiously: "This cannon shell... what's special about it?"
Ralph held up the shell, examining it carefully under the oil lamp.
"This one," he said, "is the surprise I actually wanted to give Nami."
He pointed at the text on the casing:
"MH5, the poison gas shell hidden in Krieg's armor. They say one... can poison an entire town's population."
Usopp's eyes instantly widened.
He jumped back as if electrocuted, his face pale:
"P-poison gas shell?! Such a dangerous thing, why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
Ralph shrugged:
"You never asked."
He paused, then added:
"Besides, with all the shells in this room of yours, wouldn't any one of them blowing up have the same effect? This one's just... special."
Usopp pointed at Ralph, his finger trembling:
"How... how is this the same?! Ordinary shells explode and that's it! Poison gas shells... those spread! If they leak on the ship, we'll all die!"
Ralph didn't respond.
He just stared at the poison gas shell in his hand, his gaze profound.
He was thinking about one thing.
A Fish-man with ten times human physicality...
Could it withstand poison gas?
This thought was dangerous, cruel, and completely contrary to the principle of "fair combat."
But...
It was very practical.
The corners of Ralph's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
Just thinking about hiding it from Lufia, doing what she forbade him to do...
Somehow, it gave him an inexplicable thrill. What was going on?
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