Chapter 23 Luffy Raises the Sea to Destroy Arlong, Nami Returns to the TeamThe entire island's villagers stared in stunned disbelief at the spectacle in the sky; it was nothing short of a miracle.
"That's... Lord Luffy lifting up the sea?"
"Arlong's trapped inside! He's running away like a stray dog!"
Nami covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. She had never imagined that the mighty Arlong would be in such a sorry state.
Within the water prison, Luffy moved with the agility of a fish.
"Arlong, feel the true terror of the deep sea."
Luffy slammed his hands against the water's surface: "Summoning Jutsu: Thousand Sharks!"
Instantly, hundreds upon hundreds of bloodthirsty summoned sharks appeared out of thin air within the water prison.
These were not ordinary beasts, but ninja beasts enhanced with chakra.
The fish-men, once the rulers of the water, had now become prey for the sharks.
"No! Don't come any closer!!"
Arlong let out a desperate scream, the sound carrying across the entire island through the water.
Before everyone's eyes, the demon who had ruled twenty villages and towns in the East Blue was torn apart and devoured by countless sharks.
Blood instantly stained the massive water prison crimson, like a blood-red sun hanging in the sky.
As the final scream faded, the Arlong Pirates were annihilated!
"BOOM—!!"
Luffy released his ninjutsu, and a giant water sphere, carrying countless fish-men's severed limbs, crashed into the sea, creating a towering wave.
All was calm.
Luffy deactivated his Samehada fusion form and walked ashore shirtless.
Under the sunlight, his well-defined muscles were clearly visible, and the dampness of the seawater still lingered on his body, giving him a wild, almost divine aura.
He walked up to the stunned Nami, took her straw hat from her head, and put it back on his own.
"Welcome back, my navigator."
Nami could no longer hold back, bursting into tears and throwing herself into Luffy's arms, sobbing like a child.
At that moment, all the grievances, fears, and burdens vanished.
"Arlong is dead!!"
"We're free!!"
"Long live Luffy! Long live the Marines!"
The villagers frantically threw their farm tools into the air, their cheers echoing through the sky, even startling the seagulls into flight.
Luffy, with one arm around the weeping Nami, raised the other high, laughing loudly, "Guys! Let's have a feast! I want meat! And ten beautiful ladies to drink with me!"
Nami, who had been moved, instantly lost her composure, punching him in the chest: "Go to hell!"
...
"Look everyone! These are the legendary teeth that can crush rocks!"
At the feast, Usopp stood on the table, boasting about a huge set of shark teeth—Arlong's only keepsake.
"That scene was absolutely earth-shattering, but Captain Usopp remained fearless in the face of danger..."
Below, a group of children listened with rapt attention, their eyes filled with admiration.
Meanwhile, Sanji was practically fainting with happiness, surrounded by beautiful women, his nose bleeding profusely.
Zoro, however, was in the worst shape, held down on the hospital bed by the village's old doctor.
"Let me go! I'm a swordsman! This little injury will be fine with some wine!"
"Shut up! Your intestines are practically spilling out, and you want to drink? Lie down!"
The entire village of Cocoyasi erupted into a sea of revelry.
The banquet lasted for three days and three nights.
Luffy was like a bottomless pit, eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating.
Thanks to his "Life Return" ability and the superhuman digestive power of the Gum-Gum Fruit, he quickly replenished his energy from the battle.
When the banquet ended, everyone was passed out drunk.
Luffy stretched, looking around energetically, but couldn't find the orange-haired figure.
"Huh? Where's Nami?"
Luffy subtly released his Observation Haki, quickly pinpointing a location on the back hill.
On the hillside beside the orange grove, a simple grave stood quietly.
Nami was kneeling before Bellemere's grave, gazing at the shimmering sea in the distance, a smile of unprecedented ease on her face.
Beside her, her sister Nojiko was already asleep on the grass, exhausted.
"The scenery here is really nice."
Luffy tiptoed over and plopped down next to Nami.
"Luffy?" Nami turned around in surprise, seemingly not expecting him to come.
"Do you think Bellemere, if she were alive, would be furious and jump out to beat me up if she knew I'd become a Marine?" Nami asked half-jokingly.
Luffy grinned, looking at the tombstone: "How could she? I heard you say she was a true warrior who never bowed to pirates until her death. Seeing you like this, she'd only be proud of you."
Nami's eyes reddened, and she gently rested her head on Luffy's shoulder, whispering, "Thank you, Luffy."
A gentle sea breeze carried the scent of oranges.
Luffy put his arm around Nami's shoulder, but his mind was already considering something far more significant.
This time, the commotion he'd caused was considerable; the information about him, a "Gum-Gum Fruit user," joining the Marines would likely soon be on the Five Elders' desks.
But he wasn't worried.
The Five Elders have coveted the "Nika Fruit" for 800 years. Now that its user has willingly joined the government's side, it's an irresistible temptation for them.
Compared to erasing the fruit and letting it revive and disappear, keeping Luffy under their watchful eyes, monitoring and even nurturing him, is the most logical choice.
This is a risky move, but also a brilliant one.
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"Burp burp burp..."
"This is Headquarters Intelligence Section."
"Report! This is Commodore Pudding of the 77th Branch! An urgent report to Headquarters!"
Pudding's excited, almost raspy voice came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"Just now, Colonel Monkey D. Luffy, single-handedly annihilated the Arlong crew, whose bounty is 20 million Berries! And he executed Colonel Rat, the leader of the 16th Branch who colluded with pirates, on the spot!"
"Mission accomplished! Requesting instructions!"
The clerk on the other end of the phone paused, and the entire office fell silent.
…
The first rays of morning sunlight streamed into the room through the window.
"Ah!!!"
A scream loud enough to shatter glass broke the morning tranquility.
Followed by a muffled thud, someone was kicked off the bed.
"Damn Luffy! What did you do to us last night?!"
Nami, wrapped tightly in the blanket, pointed at Luffy on the floor, her face flushed.
Beside her, Nojiko covered her mouth, chuckling shyly.
Luffy, rubbing his sore bottom, innocently scrambled to his feet. "I'm innocent! You two were sleeping like logs on the mountain last night, so I kindly carried you back."
"Then why were you in bed too?!" Nami was mortified.
Luffy sighed and spread his hands. "Big sister, you two clung to my arms last night, refusing to let go, shouting 'Bellmere, don't go!' What could I do? I had to reluctantly become a body pillow."
"Go to hell!!!"
With Nami's roar and Luffy's scream, a new day began amidst chaos.
"Really?" Nami's almond-shaped eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief, as she leaned close to Luffy, pressing him for an answer.
"Who cares if it's true or not? Since you can't repay my life-saving grace, why not repay me with your body? Consider it a gift."
Nojiko leaned against the doorframe, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips.
Influenced by her adoptive mother Bellemere's unrestrained style, Nojiko, in order to cooperate with Nami's act, developed a personality even more like a female rogue than Nami, the "little thief cat."
Nami rolled her eyes in annoyance, but when she turned to look at Luffy, her previously sharp gaze instantly softened.
Actually, Nojiko's words, though crude, were not without merit. The debt of gratitude for pulling the entire village back from hell meant that even if she were to sacrifice herself, it didn't seem like a big deal.
After all, the past eight years under the shadow of that evil dragon had been more agonizing than hell itself.
"Nami, are you in the house?"
A-Jen's signature voice, accompanied by footsteps, came from outside the door.
But the moment A-Jen stepped across the threshold, he saw three disheveled people inside, their atmosphere ambiguous, and he was so shocked he almost spat blood all over the wall.
"Ahem, sir, would you believe me if I said this was an utterly ridiculous misunderstanding?"
Luffy quickly straightened his clothes, putting on a righteous expression as he explained to A-Jian. After all, this uncle held a fatherly position in the two sisters' hearts.
Nojiko's eyes darted around, instantly transforming into a dramatic woman, adopting the demeanor of a wronged wife: "Some people take advantage and then try to deny it. The world is going to the dogs!"
Nami, understanding perfectly, immediately joined in with a mischievous grin, crying out to A-Jian, "That's right, Uncle A-Jian, you have to stand up for us sisters!"
Luffy's forehead instantly filled with black lines; these two women were practically Oscar-worthy.
With a whoosh, Luffy dashed out of the house.
A-Jian, his face flushed with anger, his windmill spinning wildly, roared as he chased after him, "You brat, stop right there!"
Nami and Nojiko, left inside the house, exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.
The farce finally ended when they reached a small hill behind the village.
Luffy stopped and turned back to look at A-Jian, panting heavily and slumped on the grass. "Uncle, not bad stamina, you can run pretty fast."
Luffy shrugged helplessly and chuckled sheepishly.
A-Jian, having caught his breath, remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "Nami has decided to go to sea with you. The road ahead is sure to be fraught with danger."
He paused, his tone turning unusually serious: "That was her own choice, I have nothing to say. But if you dare take away that precious smile from her, I'll kill you even if it costs me my life."
Luffy looked at the tranquil grave mound on the hilltop, gave a confident thumbs-up, and replied, "Look at me! Who has the backing on this vast ocean? I've got plenty of strength in my fists. From now on, Nami's life will be filled with nothing but happiness."
A-Jian nodded in satisfaction after hearing this, then walked towards Bellemere's tombstone.
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to Nami?"
Luffy asked with a smile, watching A-Jian's slightly forlorn figure.
"No need. The responsibility of protecting her smile no longer rests on this old man's shoulders."
A-Jian waved his hand, took down the windmill that had been with him for many years, and silently planted it in front of Bellemere's grave, letting the sea breeze blow it.
Luffy's lips curled into a slight smile. Unlike the twisted and obsessive personalities of other worlds, the common people on this sea were mostly like wildflowers, resilient and optimistic—a vitality that had deeply moved him in his past life.
At this moment, Nami looked around the familiar tables and chairs in the Orange House, memories of her time with Bellemere flooding her mind like a tide.
She clutched Bellemere's yellowed photograph tightly in her hand, her eyes slightly red as she murmured to herself.
"It's all over, Bellemere."
"Although it took eight whole years, we've finally embraced freedom again. Just like you said back then, as long as you keep living, happy things will definitely happen!"
"It really is true! Everyone in the village is smiling so brightly now."
"I'm also preparing to leave this island. Don't worry, I have nothing to worry about. My companions are all good people, they're Marines like you, and they're ridiculously strong!"
"This time, I'm going to draw a nautical chart for myself, and for my dream, I'm going to travel the world with my companions!"
Lying on the bed, Nojiko looked at Nami's excited, glowing face and smiled with relief: "You're leaving already?"
Nami nodded vigorously, her eyes resolute.
"Go. You've been living for others these past few years, now it's finally your turn to live for yourself."
Nojiko smiled gently, encouraging her sister.
"Do you want to come with me?" Nami invited hopefully. "Luffy definitely wouldn't mind having another crew member on board."
"Me?" Nojiko paused, then chuckled. "I have no ambition for sea adventures. Besides, I have to look after this orange grove left by Bellemere. When you come back tired, you'll have to eat my sour oranges."
Nami looked at her sister apologetically, feeling a little guilty.
Nojiko waved her hand dismissively: "My dream is on this land, not at sea."
Nami nodded resignedly, picked up her packed backpack, and walked briskly towards the door.
Just as she stepped out the door, Nami felt as if a warm hand gently pushed her from behind!
She turned around in surprise, only to see Nojiko still lying peacefully on the bed, unmoved.
Nami immediately understood, a blissful smile spreading across her face. She turned and ran towards the port.
"Hey! Nami! We've been waiting for you for ages!"
Luffy and the others were standing listlessly at the bow of the ship. Seeing the figure running towards them in the distance, they waved and shouted excitedly.
"Great! This supply run is excellent. All the preparations are a complete success."
Sanji looked at the ship's hold filled with food and supplies, nodding in satisfaction. A cook's happiness is that simple.
Usopp was organizing the cargo hold. As a rookie on his first official voyage, he was excitedly gesturing wildly: "Even though it was only a few days, this town is truly full of memories!"
"You jerk, you were just sitting on the sidelines watching the whole time, weren't you?"
"Nonsense! I was hiding in the shadows, providing crucial cover for you guys!"
Usopp retorted defiantly.
"Nami kept us waiting for so long, I was really worried she wouldn't want to leave and wouldn't come back."
Sanji, a cigarette dangling from his lips, watched Nami skillfully steer the ship, his eyes instantly turning into hearts.
"You idiot with curly eyebrows, are you here to be a cook or to get horny?"
Zoro raised an eyebrow, his face full of disdain as he retorted.
"Shut up, you green-haired rascal! You're just jealous of the pure love between Nami and me!"
Zoro turned away, his face darkening. "Jealous of you, you idiot? My brain isn't waterlogged."
Nami glanced down at the sea chart, then turned to Sanji with a sly smile. "How about making me a special summer iced drink?"
Hearing Nami's call, Sanji's body went limp like a noodle, his eyes turning into hearts. He raised his hands and shouted, "Yes, ma'am! My goddess!"
Nami proudly held up two fingers. "Remember, I want two!"
"No problem! It's my pleasure to serve you!" Sanji shouted excitedly and dashed into the kitchen.
A short while later, Sanji returned with a carefully prepared drink and handed it to Nami. Nami immediately handed one to Luffy, who was standing nearby.
"I'm giving one to Commander Luffy. You won't mind, will you?" Nami asked, blinking her big, bright eyes.