💖 If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon. I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/DragonOP
--------------------
The night had fallen, but the streets of Cocoyasi Village were ablaze with light. For the first time in eight years, every villager had gathered in the streets, clinking glasses and wearing smiles that refused to fade.
Uncle Genzo, the village sheriff, climbed onto a large stone, his face flushed with more than just the celebratory wine. The usually stern man was transformed; he gripped a megaphone and shouted with a voice that shook his very soul:
"Today is the happiest day this village has seen in years! Because the Arlong Pirates—who occupied us, exploited us, and made our little Nami-san suffer for eight years—have finally been defeated!"
The veins on Genzo's neck bulged as he poured every ounce of his strength into that final declaration. The street fell silent for a heartbeat before erupting into a roar of cheers that seemed to vibrate the very ground. People cried, laughed, and embraced, finally free from the suppressed agony of Arlong's reign.
Genzo took a long, tearful gulp from his flask, looking toward the heavens. Belle-Mere, do you see? The monster is gone. Nami is finally free to live her own life. You can rest in peace now.
The Village Heroes
When the noise subsided, Genzo raised the megaphone again. "So! Who gave us this freedom? Who was it that saved us?!"
"Nami's companions!" the crowd roared back.
Genzo pointed a shaking finger toward a corner of the street. There, Satori was single-mindedly gnawing on a roasted suckling pig, completely oblivious to the fact that he was the guest of honor. "He is one of them! Sun Wukong! He is the one who took down Arlong himself!"
"Huh? Is someone calling me?" Satori looked up, grease on his face and a look of adorable confusion in his eyes.
Before he could take another bite, a group of men rushed forward, hoisted him into the air, and began tossing him up in celebration. "Whoa! What are you doing? I haven't finished my pig yet!" Satori cried out, his mind entirely on his lost meal. When the men finally set him down, a crowd of women instantly swarmed him, vying for hugs and covering his face in affectionate kisses. "Ahhh! He's so cute!" they squealed, ignoring the grease on his cheeks.
Watching from a distance, Sanji felt his heart hammer against his ribs. Quick! It's my turn! Say my name!
Genzo did not disappoint. He pointed at Sanji and yelled, "And look! Nami's other companion, Sanji! He single-handedly defeated the Fishmen officers, making a huge contribution to our victory!"
"Sanji! Sanji! Sanji!" the villagers cheered. Just like Satori, Sanji was tossed high into the air. But while Satori had worried about his food, Sanji was busy scanning the crowd, lost in a fantasy of which beautiful women would throw themselves at him next. He wore a silly, expectant grin, eyes closed and arms outstretched as he waited for his reward.
Whoosh...
A chilly wind blew past. After a long silence, Sanji opened one eye only to find himself standing completely alone. The villagers had already returned to their wine and delicacies. A thick, black cloud of gloom settled over him as he hung his head. Why?! Heaven is unfair!
A Quiet Farewell
On the other side of the square, Satori finally broke free from the crowd of women. His face was no longer covered in grease, but rather a dozen red lipstick marks. He wiped his face with a look of pure distaste. "Why do women like doing that? It's just saliva," he muttered. If Sanji had heard him, he surely would have grabbed the boy's collar and roared, "If you don't want it, give it to me!"
"Here, Satori," Nami said, walking over with a beaming smile. She held a massive roasted beef leg. "You didn't get to finish your pig. This is a secret recipe; you have to try it."
"Wow! Nami, you're the best!" Satori's eyes lit up. He took a massive, satisfied bite. Seeing him happy, Nami watched him for a quiet moment before slipping away from the festivities.
She walked until the noise of the village faded, reaching a quiet cliff by the sea where a simple cross stood over a mound of earth. Uncle Genzo was already there, his windmill spinning in the moonlight.
"You're here, Nami," he said softly.
"Mhm." Nami sat cross-legged before the grave of Belle-Mere. She sat in the silver moonlight, her eyes wistful as she began to speak to the cross. She told her mother everything: about setting sail, meeting the strange boy with the tail, their battles on the sea, and how they had ultimately come to the Conomi Islands to break her chains.
She laughed at the memories of her new companions and shed quiet tears of relief. Genzo eventually slipped away, leaving her alone with her mother. A small windmill on the grave spun with a whoosh, and a blade of grass swayed in the wind, as if Belle-Mere were smiling back at her.