"Alright! I'll take the bet!"
After a moment of thought, Nami lifted her head, a sly yet determined smile forming on her face.
"But words alone don't count!"
"Of course. A handclap to seal it."
Renji Kuro extended his palm.
Smack!
Nami slapped his hand firmly, sealing this bet that would determine her future.
Deep down, she vaguely felt that what Renji Kuro said made sense—Arlong breaking his promise was far from unlikely.
But this bet—
Gave her a way out.
A hope.
"By the way, how are you planning to deal with all this gold? Your little boat probably can't carry it, right?"
Renji Kuro glanced at her bulging backpack, then at the tiny sailboat tied to the side of the ship—barely enough for one or two people.
Nami frowned.
He was right.
There was no way her small boat could carry that much gold.
And even if it could—
It would be far too conspicuous, making it extremely dangerous to travel at sea.
"Um… Mr. Can Merchant."
Nami put on a polite smile, her tone carrying a hint of flattery and negotiation.
"Could I borrow your ship? To take me—and this gold—back to Cocoyasi Village?"
"After all, you do need a navigator to sail this ship, right? I can show you my skills first!"
"And once the village is free, my sister Nojiko will cook for you with the best oranges! Her orange rice is really delicious!"
As she spoke, she had already walked over to the helm, placing her hands on the wheel—
As if saying, "I'm reliable. Leave it to me."
Renji Kuro didn't object.
He knew nothing about navigation, and the system hadn't granted him any such skills.
On this vast and unpredictable sea—
A skilled navigator was indispensable.
And Nami—
Was undoubtedly a top-tier genius.
Taking his silence as agreement, Nami quickly got to work.
She adjusted the sails with practiced ease, controlled the helm, and guided the two-masted ship smoothly, altering its course toward Cocoyasi Village.
The sea breeze brushed through her orange hair, her face glowing with a mix of urgency, hope, and relief.
"Our village isn't big, but it's really beautiful! There are lots of orange trees—Bellemere left them behind… Nojiko takes really good care of them."
As she steered, she couldn't help but talk, as if trying to let Renji Kuro feel that warmth in advance.
"Nojiko is my sister. We… we're both war orphans, adopted by Bellemere."
"She's a bit tomboyish, but she's incredibly kind and strong-willed. Sometimes I think… she's even stronger than me…"
Her voice gradually softened as she drifted into memories.
Nojiko—
The girl with short dark-blue hair and a bright, straightforward personality.
They had witnessed Bellemere's death together.
Shared that heart-wrenching pain.
But Nojiko chose a different path.
She didn't leave the village like Nami.
Instead, she stayed—
Protecting the orange grove Bellemere left behind.
Protecting the villagers.
And silently… protecting her younger sister from afar.
When Nami told her she would join the Arlong Pirates—
Drawing maps in exchange for a chance to buy back their freedom—
Nojiko had been furious for the first time.
She called her foolish.
Accused her of siding with the enemy.
But when Nami broke down and revealed the truth—
Nojiko fell silent.
After a long time—
She hugged her tightly, eyes red, and chose to support her.
She even secretly told the village elders the truth.
And so—
The entire Cocoyasi Village came to know the burden that orange-haired girl carried.
Together, they chose to pretend ignorance.
Using silence—and even occasional "misunderstandings"—
To protect Nami.
To avoid adding to her mental burden.
And every time she returned in secret—
They would comfort her in the most natural ways they could.
This heavy yet gentle protection—
Nami hadn't known about at first.
But the love of Nojiko and the villagers—
Had always been the faint yet unbreakable light that kept her going in the darkness.
Nojiko didn't have Nami's talent for navigation—
But after Bellemere was gone—
She became Nami's strongest support.
Her warmest harbor.
Whenever Nami felt hurt, exhausted, or lost—
She would return to the village.
Return to Nojiko.
And in the fragrance of the orange grove—
She would pour out her pain.
And Nojiko would always listen quietly—
Then comfort her in her own rough yet caring way.
When Nami was forced to tattoo the mark of the Arlong Pirates on her arm—
Overwhelmed by shame and pain—
Nojiko said nothing.
A few days later—
She got a tattoo herself.
A beautiful orange-and-windmill design, unrelated to Arlong.
She smiled and told Nami:
"See? Now we're the same! Pretty cool, right?"
Using her own body—
To ease her sister's pain.
It was clumsy—
But filled with burning sisterly love.
In Nami's heart—
Nojiko and Bellemere's orange grove—
Were the very meaning of "home."
Under Nami's precise control, the ship moved swiftly.
Across the blue sea—
The outline of land gradually appeared.
A quiet, ordinary coastal village—
With patches of orange groves and rooftops faintly visible.
Cocoyasi Village.
They had arrived.
The moment the ship docked at the simple pier—
Nami couldn't wait any longer.
Clutching her heavy backpack, she leapt off the ship like a gust of wind and sprinted toward the village—
Shouting as she ran.