The reign of Arlong Park, which had tyrannized Cocoyasi Village for many years, finally met its end.
Buildings and courtyards crumbled into countless fragments, shattering as easily as dry biscuits.
Over a hundred Cocoyasi Village residents spent half an hour digging through the rubble. They eventually dragged out the main culprits of Arlong Pirates who carried bounties.
Expressing their profound gratitude, the locals brought out all their finest delicacies.
"Glug, glug, glug..."
Lius gulped down a massive barrel of juice. Sitting beside a mountain of provisions, he swept through the feast like a ravenous whirlwind.
Chunks of meat larger than his own body vanished down his throat in just two or three bites.
Watching this spectacle left Nojiko trembling with anxiety. Was it really safe for someone to eat like that?
Genzo, the village sheriff, had already received treatment from the local doctor. Heavy bandages covered his wounds. Seeing the young man gorge himself so ruthlessly brought a highly complicated expression to his face.
Knowing that Nami was going to travel alongside this young man made his heart heavy. His emotions tangled into a messy knot.
However, memories of Arlong's destruction quickly surfaced. Anticipation replaced the worry in Genzo's chest.
Keeping Nami in the East Blue seemed far less appealing than letting her travel with a monster like him. Only by his side could she finally fulfill her childhood dream of drawing a complete map of the world.
"There are only three people in Arlong Park with bounties. Arlong is worth twenty million beli. Kuroobi sits at nine million, and Chew is five million. That adds up to thirty-four million beli. This will serve as our starting fund for the journey."
Sitting off to the side, Nami flipped open a notebook and scribbled down some calculations. She cast a dissatisfied glare toward Lius. "If we subtract the twenty million beli that old man Shiki paid to deal with Arlong, we only made fourteen million this time."
"This is entirely your fault. Next time you make a move, you had better interrogate them about their treasure first!" A look of pure heartbreak covered Nami's face.
"Hmm?" Lius tossed his head back and swallowed the massive mouthful of food. He blinked in sheer confusion. "If we get rid of the Marines as well, where are we supposed to collect the bounty money?"
"Idiot. All we have to do is grab the bounty money before the other Marines find out!" Raising a hand to brush her bangs aside, Nami radiated confidence.
"Oh!" Acknowledging her plan with a simple grunt, Lius buried his face back into his meal. The unique delicacies of Cocoyasi Village clearly held far more appeal to him.
His current physique possessed incredibly unique properties. Any fatigue or injury sustained in battle could be mitigated or completely erased simply by consuming an astronomical amount of food.
Broken bones and torn muscles meant almost nothing to him. Given enough sustenance, even the most severe physical trauma would completely heal within five days.
This absurd recovery rate had left even Shiki marveling in disbelief. The old pirate claimed that the physical talent Lius possessed rivaled that of the monstrous Charlotte Linlin.
Nami actually understood this perfectly well. Seeing the boy so entirely focused on devouring the feast, she dropped the topic of money. Replenishing his physical energy offered them the greatest safety guarantee for their upcoming voyage.
Pivoting away from him, she turned her attention to Genzo and Nojiko. The three of them began discussing the final preparations for setting sail.
"If you only need it for a short time, our village has a ship that would suit you perfectly." Genzo cast a subtle glance toward Lius as he spoke.
"You can completely rest assured about your sailing supplies. Everyone in the village is more than happy to chip in and repay you." Nojiko offered a warm smile.
Truthfully, the villagers would gladly do anything for Nami. There was also the undeniable fact that the young navigator and her Captain Lius, had finally brought true peace to their home.
Arlong Pirates who had occupied Cocoyasi Village for ten long years, were completely eradicated.
"Hahaha! Since everyone is already gathered here, it saves us the trouble of making a trip."
Arrogant laughter echoed down the dirt path leading into the village. "Those fish-men might be a little over the top, but they certainly know how to get things done."
The lively, celebratory atmosphere instantly died. Villagers turned their heads toward the sound, their faces twisting into expressions of absolute fury.
Over a dozen Marines wielding standard firearms marched into the area. They callously shoved aside any villagers blocking their path, swaggering forward with completely unchecked arrogance.
A mountain of food soon blocked their path. The armed men halted in their tracks in sheer bewilderment.
"Damn it. They really showed up."
"Even if we finally manage to escape the cruelty of pirates, we still cannot escape the rot of the Marines."
"Nami wanting to set sail and leave this place doesn't seem like a bad idea at all!"
"Exactly. Following that monster boy is a much better choice. At least she will be kept safe."
Furious whispers rippled through the gathered crowd. Bitter glares locked onto Captain Nezumi and his approaching squad.
Pirates were undoubtedly despicable in the eyes of the villagers. However, they held an even deeper hatred for these corrupt Marines.
"Well, well. If it isn't the beloved navigator of Arlong Park."
Captain Nezumi swept his rat-like gaze across the courtyard before finally locking onto Nami. A mocking sneer twisted his features. "I heard you haven't returned in two whole years. You must have saved up quite a hefty sum of money again, right?"
The color immediately drained from Nami's face. Pure murderous intent suddenly flooded her large eyes.
Years ago, young Nami had braved immense dangers out at sea just to buy back her village. Right as she approached her goal of one hundred million beli, this very same Marine captain had stepped in and completely crushed her hope.
Standing by her side, the surrounding villagers felt their blood boil. Every single person present wished they could tear this corrupt Marine apart with their bare hands.
"Hey If I slaughter all of you right here and now, how long will it take for the Marine base to notice?"
Abandoning his mountain of food, Lius lazily lifted his head. He stared directly at Captain Nezumi and asked the question in a painfully casual tone.
"Given the reaction speed of our Marine forces, it would only take half a day..."
Nezumi answered purely on instinct. He quickly realized what had just been said and directed a vicious glare at the boy. "Do you have a death wish little brat?"
"No. But maybe you do" Lius narrowed his eyes.
The very air around them trembled. A violently explosive aura erupted outward, slamming into the environment like the crushing weight of the four oceans. The sheer pressure threatened to overturn the heavens and earth.
"Half a day. That should be more than enough time for us to secure the bounty money."
With those final words, he released his power.
Conqueror's Haki surged forward like a boundless tsunami, completely drowning Nezumi in its terrifying depths.