Streams of liquid as dark as molten silver swirled around Conis's body, glinting ominously under the sunlight.
Before Nami's wide, astonished eyes, the liquid condensed into over a dozen slender iron spikes, each one hovering nacingly around Conis like a protective barrier.
"Go."
With a casual flick of her finger, the iron spikes shot forth, transforming into streaks of black light that darted toward the Arlong Pirates outside the orange grove with blinding speed.
"Watch out!"
Hatchan bellowed, his octopus tentacles gripping his blades as he intercepted the oncoming spikes. However, the sheer number of projectiles made it impossible to block them all. The spikes twisted and danced in mid-air, moving as if guided by Conis's will.
Like scythes through a field of wheat, the spikes tore through the bodies of the Arlong Pirates. In re monts, over a dozen ruthless crew mbers were skewered, their screams filling the air as they collapsed into pools of blood.
Hachi and Kuroobi found themselves completely entangled, unable to fend off the relentless attacks.
Nojiko and Aken stood rooted in place, their faces pale with shock.
"This… this is the Arlong Pirates…"
"And there's another Devil Fruit user among them?"
Arlong's furious voice thundered through the grove, dripping with rage.
"Damn it!"
With a powerful stomp, Arlong propelled himself toward Robin and the Kung-Fu Dugong, Enzo, like a bullet.
"Perfect timing!"
Enzo's eyes glead with excitent as he crouched low, his powerful tail striking the ground like a piston. Just as Arlong's massive blade was about to descend, Enzo vanished, his speed leaving an afterimage behind.
"He disappeared?!"
Nojiko's gasp echoed in the tense air.
In the blink of an eye, Enzo reappeared directly in front of Arlong, delivering a thunderous punch to his chest.
Boom!
Arlong's body shuddered as the force of the blow pierced through his iron-hard skin and muscles, wreaking havoc inside him. Blood vessels burst in his eyes as he gritted his teeth against the pain, veins bulging across his forehead.
"Damn… beast!"
Snarling in frustration, Arlong lowered his head, intending to impale the pesky Dugong with his sharp, saw-like nose.
But before he could follow through, Robin calmly activated her ability.
"Twelve-Flower Blossoms: Twist."
Twelve slender arms sprouted from Arlong's body, wrapping tightly around his neck and limbs. The sheer strength of the grip immobilized him, cutting off his movents and forcing his head back at an unnatural angle.
Enzo inhaled deeply, his powerful fists glowing faintly with energy. With a mighty roar, he unleashed a devastating double punch straight into Arlong's chest.
"Kung Fu Fist: Twin Cannon Blast!"
Bang!
The sheer force of the punches blasted through Arlong's chest, creating a shockwave that erupted from his back. Blood spurted from his mouth as his expression twisted in agony.
Robin's arms tightened their grip, the bones in Arlong's body groaning under the strain. His limbs contorted grotesquely, and his head lolled to the side as his vision blurred. Under the relentless chokehold, his consciousness began to slip away.
"D-damn it…"
As Arlong crumpled to the ground, his body twisted and broken, Conis stepped forward, her golden hair flowing like a halo in the breeze.
With a simple wave of her hand, the iron spikes surrounding her accelerated once more. They swirled through the air like black cots, slicing through Kuroobi and Hachi with precision. Blood sprayed from the duo as Kuroobi's limbs were pierced and pinned to the ground, while Hatchan's tentacles were severed one by one.
The once-dominant Arlong Pirates lay decimated, their ranks reduced to bloodied heaps by the onslaught of Conis' spikes.
It was a massacre.
Nojiko and Nami stared at the scene in stunned disbelief. Their gaze shifted from the lifeless bodies of Hatchan and Kuroobi to Arlong, who lay unconscious, blood dribbling from his mouth.
The invincible force that had ruled their village with fear—the Arlong Pirates—was utterly annihilated.
Just like that.
Conis turned to the two shell-shocked won, her calm deanor unshaken by the bloodshed. Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she asked, almost casually:
"These vile pirates… should I finish them off?"
Her question lingered in the air as Nami and Nojiko exchanged a bewildered glance, their minds struggling to comprehend the whirlwind of events that had unfolded before their eyes.
Not far away, Aken stood motionless, his face reflecting a mix of astonishnt and disbelief. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, hoping the sight before him wasn't an illusion. But as reality sunk in, a wave of joy and gratitude surged through him. Tears began streaming down his cheeks as he murmured, his voice trembling with emotion:
"Belmère… you must be watching this, right?"
Hearing that na, Nami and Nojiko froze in place, their bodies shuddering uncontrollably. Tears welled up in their eyes, spilling over before they could hold them back. mories of their adoptive mother, Belmère, flooded their minds—her warm, resolute smile, the sound of her laughter, and the sacrifices she made.
She had died at Arlong's hands.
The thought alone reignited a deep, searing pain. Nami clenched her fists tightly, her face etched with grief and unyielding hatred as she glared at Arlong's unconscious, broken form lying in a pool of his own blood.
"For Belmère," she choked out, her voice trembling with raw emotion. "I must avenge her!"
Without hesitation, Nami stord toward Arlong, her footsteps heavy with determination. She spotted one of Conis's blood-stained iron spikes lying nearby, its sharp tip glinting ominously. Bending down, she seized it with both hands, her grip firm despite the trembling.
"Nami…" Nojiko called out weakly, her voice tinged with worry.
But before she could intervene, Nami raised the spike high and plunged it down with all her might.
The sharp tip pierced through Arlong's tough skin, driving straight into his neck. A spurt of crimson sprayed into the air, splattering across Nami's face and clothes. She gasped for breath, her body quivering as though the act had drained all her strength. The iron spike clattered to the ground as she stumbled backward, collapsing into the sticky pool of blood.
"Nojiko…"
Without a second thought, Nojiko rushed to her side, kneeling beside her and wrapping her arms around her trembling fra. It was then that Nami finally broke down, burying her face in Nojiko's shoulder as a torrent of anguished sobs escaped her. Years of pain, sorrow, and hatred poured out in an uncontrollable flood, shaking her small fra.
Standing off to the side, Conis and Robin exchanged glances and shared a faint, knowing smile.
With Arlong dead, the remaining fragnts of his pirate crew crumbled. The remaining mbers, disoriented and demoralized, were quickly driven off the island by the overjoyed and enraged villagers of Cocoyasi.
That evening, Nojiko and Nami prepared a lavish feast in honor of Ron's crew. Though it was far from adequate repaynt for the trendous debt they owed, it was the most heartfelt gesture they could muster.
During the feast, Nami couldn't help but bow her head, her cheeks flushing with embarrassnt. "I'm sorry for doubting you… and for even thinking about betraying you earlier."
Robin and Conis dismissed her apology with a wave, assuring her they held no grudges. In truth, they admired Nami's strength and her ability to shoulder the burdens of an entire village with such resilience.
After the feast, Nojiko attempted to return the rental paynt, insisting on doing her part. However, Ron firmly declined.
Later that night, as Ron soaked in a wooden barrel filled with hot water, Nami's voice drifted in from the doorway.
"This ti… I really want to thank you," she said softly.
"Don't thank ," Ron replied lazily, eyes closed. "If you're grateful, thank Robin and Conis. I didn't lift a finger."
"But you're their captain," Nami pointed out, her tone almost accusatory. "If you hadn't allowed it, they wouldn't have stepped in, right?"
"Don't overthink it. I don't care what they do, as long as it doesn't trouble ," Ron replied dismissively.
A flicker of amusent crossed Nami's face. Robin was right—beneath that detached and indifferent exterior, Ron was far more caring than he let on. If he truly didn't want to get involved, he wouldn't have defended her earlier.
"By the way," Nami asked after a pause, "since you're the captain, does that an you're stronger than Conis and Robin?"
"What do you think?"
"I… don't know," Nami admitted, leaning against the doorfra. "I used to think Arlong was unbeatable. But now, Conis and Robin seem far stronger than him. And if you're stronger than them… I can't even imagine it. Are there many people like you out there?"
"There are plenty," Ron said nonchalantly. "And so who are even stronger."
"Stronger…" Nami's eyes glead with a mix of awe and longing. "I wonder… when I finally set sail as a navigator, will I find companions as strong and kind as you all?"
Ron didn't answer.
A quiet stillness fell over them until Nami finally broke it. "I overheard you and Robin talking earlier… Are you leaving soon?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah."
"How soon?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? That soon?" Nami's voice wavered, a hint of disappointnt creeping in.
Ron opened his eyes, his gaze steady as he looked at her. "If you want to set sail, you can co with us."
Nami's eyes widened, her expression shifting to one of stunned disbelief. Hope and excitent lit up her features, mingling with hesitation as her lips parted slightly. She hadn't expected an offer like this—but could she accept it?
A nearly instinctive "I'm willing" was about to escape Nami's lips.
However, after a mont of calm reflection, she shook her head instead.
"Even though I really want to beco one of your crewmates and set sail with you, I… I think I'll pass for now."
"Why?" Ron asked, his voice calm yet curious.
The 12-year-old girl with short, orange hair sat hugging her knees by the doorway. In a soft voice, she explained, "A crewmate should be soone who can support the others. But right now, I feel like I can't offer anything in return. Even if I join your ship, I'd only be soone who needs help… not soone who can help others. And I… I don't want that."
Hearing her response, Ron chuckled softly from the bath.
"That kind of determination isn't bad. With a mindset like that, you're sure to find the perfect crew in the future."
Nami's small face lit up with a smile. Her bright eyes sparkled with understanding and hope.
"If that's the case, then that would be amazing," she replied. "One day, I'll be able to sail the seas with my crewmates. And when that happens, I hope we can et again on the vast, free ocean. By then, I'll have grown into a navigator who will even make you, Robin, and Conis look at with admiration!"
Perhaps it was because she knew they'd be leaving tomorrow. In these final monts, Nami found herself saying things she'd never shared with Nojiko or anyone else. She didn't know why, but with this mysterious boy, only two years older than her yet as composed as an adult, she felt she could be completely open.
The next morning.
As dawn broke, Ron, Robin, Conis, and Enzo left the small house without disturbing Nojiko.
By the ti they erged from the orange grove, they found Nami already waiting for them. She cradled a young orange tree, about fifty centiters tall, in her hands. Dewdrops glistened on her clothes, showing that she'd been standing there for quite a while.
"Nami."
Robin and Conis were surprised to see her.
Nami greeted them with a cheerful smile. "Let see you off to the shore."
She carried the young orange tree all the way to the coast. Once there, she gently handed it to Conis.
"I can't repay the debt I owe you for everything you've done for Cocoyasi Village, not now, anyway. But this orange tree is my most precious treasure. I planted it with Belmère. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude."
Conis looked at the earnest expression on Nami's face, then turned toward Ron.
Ron gave a small nod. "Take it."
Only then did Conis accept the orange tree from Nami, who imdiately broke into a brilliant, radiant smile.
After Conis, Robin, and Enzo had all boarded the ship, Ron, clad in a black hooded coat with his black sword sheathed at his waist, stood on the shore. His eyes drifted toward the tall structure of Arlong Park in the distance.
Resting his left hand casually on the hilt of his blade, he turned to Nami and asked, "Didn't you say before that you couldn't imagine soone stronger than Conis and Robin?"
Nami nodded, looking at him in confusion. "Why? What's this about?"
"Since you waited so long this morning, let broaden your horizons a bit," Ron said casually.
As Nami watched, puzzled, Ron slowly drew his black sword. With an almost lazy motion, he swung it toward Arlong Park, then sheathed it in one fluid movent.
As the sword clicked back into its scabbard, a resonant clang echoed.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind surged across the coastline, sending seawater rippling outward in waves.
Nami's orange hair fluttered wildly in the gale as her eyes widened in shock.
A dark, slicing wave of energy surged forward like an unstoppable force, cutting a straight path through the terrain. Trees and hills along the way split cleanly in half, and the ground fractured into a perfectly straight line as though asured and sliced by a craftsman's tool.
The black slash collided with the tall structure of Arlong Park, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter. The building, once standing proudly, cracked and began to collapse, its debris scattering in all directions.
"Th-this…?!"
Nami could hardly believe what she'd just witnessed. Swallowing hard, her heart raced as she tried to comprehend the magnitude of the power she had just seen.
This was his strength. This was the power of the one who led Conis and Robin.
It was terrifyingly overwhelming.
Was such power even possible for a human to wield?
Compared to this, what was Arlong even worth?
The thought of this gentle, laid-back boy, who wasn't much older than her, possessing such terrifying power was utterly mind-boggling.
As she turned to speak, she realized Ron was no longer beside her.
She looked around, only to see the ship already about a hundred ters from the shore.
On the deck, Conis and Robin leaned against the railing, smiling as they waved back at her.
"Goodbye, Nami."
Nami stood silently on the shore, clutching the mory of their parting. The orange tree in their hands was her most cherished gift, and with it, she silently prayed for their safe journey ahead.
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