Can I get a POWAAAAA in the chat.
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This one is only 2000 words.
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I am uploading it an hour earlier because I am feeling really sleepy and I am bout to plop on the bed.
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Attendance Please:
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Luffy and the others leave Baratie behind, the restaurant's fish-shaped silhouette shrinking on the horizon. Sanji stands at the Merry's stern with his arms crossed, watching the floating restaurant until it becomes a mere dot. The talented sea cook has joined Luffy's crew.
The afternoon is bright and clear, with seagulls circling lazily above the Going Merry as it glides gently toward its next stop: Conomi Island, where they plan to free Nami's village from Arlong's grip.
Luffy sits on Merry's sheep head, his legs dangling over the calm water. A gentle breeze ruffles his hair, but his gaze remains distant.
Zoro leans against the railing, eyes closed. His breathing is slow and steady. Behind his eyelids, Mihawk's golden, hawk-like gaze pierces the darkness. Over and over, Zoro swings. Over and over, the phantom blocks. His fingers twitch on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.
In the crow's nest, Usopp squints through a magnifying lens, fiddling with one of his father's old pistols. He knows it will take proper parts to fix it, but he works on it anyway, one backup plan layered beneath another. His hands understand his body's limits, which is why he builds around them.
The galley door swings open, and Sanji steps out, wiping his hands on a dish towel. A thin spiral of smoke curls from the chimney. Inside, he moves through the cramped kitchen, slicing, searing and seasoning. Zeff's parting supplies are modest, but a cook worth his salt can turn scraps into gold.
Below deck, Yuji sits beside Nami, listening intently as she explains everything about Arlong and his crew, their key members and fighting styles.
Yuji rubs his chin thoughtfully, trying to recall memories from his previous world.
It has been twenty-four years since he read the manga, and his memories are quite blurry. However, when it comes to the earlier arcs, such as the East Blue saga and the Alabasta arc, he still recalls some details.
Based on the Arlong Park arc, things should be easier this time around. The main fighters in the crew are already stronger than their original versions.
The early training he provided to Luffy and Zoro propelled them to the level they had reached by the end of Alabasta. Usopp, hardened by all he has endured, now carries greater resolve. As for Sanji, Yuji has yet to fully gauge the new chef's strength, but at Baratie, he witnessed Kuroobi's tough hide bruising under Sanji's kicks. By careful estimation, Sanji is slightly stronger.
'Hmm. I should intensify their training after we deal with Arlong. With Sanji joining Luffy and Zoro, their growth will accelerate significantly. I should also teach Nami the basics of Haki. Usopp is already on the right track, his natural talent for Observation Haki is remarkable. He just needs close-quarters fundamentals, and he'll become a complete package.'
With that thought, Yuji nods to himself.
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A few hours later—
The Going Merry slips behind the eastern ridge of Conomi Island, where rocky outcrops conceal it from view. The anchor drops with a quiet splash.
"So, where to now?" Zoro asks, strapping his sword to his hip.
Nami steps forward. "First, we go to my house. I need to see my sister."
"Fine then," Luffy says with a short nod. "Lead the way."
She leads them along a winding path that skirts the edge of the village, avoiding the main roads. The hill rises ahead, crowned with rows of tangerine trees heavy with fruit. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of amber and green on the ground.
Everyone stops, their eyes wide with surprise.
"Wow… so many tangerines!" Usopp exclaims, craning his neck to get a better look.
Nami allows herself a small smile. "Yeah. My sister, Nojiko, tends to them. It's the only thing that reminds us of our late mother."
Sanji gazes at the fruit with admiration. "That's really nice."
They push through the grove, branches brushing their shoulders, until the house comes into view, a modest cottage nestled against the hillside.
But something isn't right.
The fence surrounding the house is splintered. Deep footprints mar the dirt path. The front door hangs crookedly, its frame cracked inward from a forced entry.
Nami breaks into a sprint. She bursts through the doorway and suddenly freezes.
Everything inside is wrecked. The dining table is flipped over, its legs jutting up like broken ribs. Chairs are scattered across the floor. Cupboards are thrown open, their contents spilled everywhere.
"NOJIKO!!"
Her voice pierces the silence. She rushes to Nojiko's room, but it was empty. She scrambles back outside, calling her sister's name into the unresponsive grove.
The crew scatters without a word. Ten minutes pass, searching, calling into the trees, behind the house, down the dirt path.
They gather at the front of the house, breathless.
"I searched the entire farm," Sanji says quietly. "Nothing."
"Luffy and I checked behind the house. It was empty," Zoro said, his jaw tight.
"I went back up the trail we came from," Yuji adds. "There are no signs."
Usopp shakes his head. "The path toward the village, there's nothing suspicious there either."
Nami chokes back a sob, her hand clamped over her mouth. "N—no… Nojiko… This can't be happening…"
The crew stands in heavy silence. Then, Zoro speaks.
"It's Arlong and those fishmen, isn't it?" he glances at the others. "He sent that karate fishman after her at Baratie."
"It could be," Sanji mutters.
Yuji hums softly, a low, thoughtful sound. Then his gaze drops to the brown sack he has been carrying since they docked. A faint, muffled noise comes from inside.
"Then why don't we ask someone who helped those fishmen find Nami?"
All eyes turn toward the sack.
Yuji opens it and pulls out Buggy's detached head by its blue hair. A bright red apple is wedged between his teeth, silencing his constant complaints. The clown's eyes are bloodshot and furious.
Yuji removes the apple.
"IS THIS HOW YOU TREAT YOUR SENIOR, YOU BASTARD?! I'VE BEEN SAILING THESE SEAS WAY BEFORE YOU PUNKS WERE EVEN BORN!!"
The crew stares at him with blank, unblinking expressions.
"Huh?! What's with those faces?"
Nami snatches Buggy's head from Yuji's hand, her fingers digging into his hair. The rage in her eyes is a storm barely restrained.
"Tell me, where is my sister Nojiko?"
"What?! Who?! Look, girl, I don't know what nonsense you're talking about—"
A sharp, clean slap rings out. Buggy's head snaps sideways.
"Owee! Hey, what's that for?!"
"WHERE IS NOJIKO?!"
Buggy flinches. Something in her voice reaches him. He remains silent for a few seconds, then sighs.
"Look, I really don't know what the hell is going on. But if this has anything to do with those waterbenders, they've been planning something big. That's all I know. I swear."
Nami stares at him, trembling. Then she tosses his head back to Yuji, who catches it and places the apple back with practiced ease.
"Hmm, hmmmm… hmmm…" Buggy's muffled fury buzzes against the apple. Yuji stuffs him back into the sack and looks at Nami.
"What now?"
Nami wipes her tears with the back of her hand. Her breath steadies, just barely. "I don't know. But I can't wait any longer. We're going to the village right now. I need to see what has happened."
No one argues; they fall in behind her and hurry down the hill.
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The village was destroyed.
Overturned carts lie splintered in the streets. Houses gape open, their walls collapsed inward and rooftops caved in. Craters pockmark the earth; some still wet with saltwater. Blood has dried in dark patterns across the cobblestones, and the smell lingers.
Nami's steps slow as her eyes sweep over the devastation. "Wh... what...?"
The others take in the scene with grim, set faces. Something has gone terribly wrong.
A sound cuts through the silence; the unmistakable click of a pistol being cocked.
"Who are you people?!"
They spin. A man of average height, sporting a thick mustache, levels a pistol at them. His brown police uniform is torn in a dozen places, crusted with dried blood. A pinwheel still turns lazily atop his cap, oddly cheerful. But the most striking detail is the stitches, rows upon rows of them, crisscrossing his face, neck, and arms, as though someone had sewn him back together piece by piece.
Nami steps forward, her voice barely a whisper. "Genzo-san…"
The man's pistol wavers. His eyes widen. "Nami? Is that really you?"
She hesitates, unsure of what to say. Genzo lowers the gun with a heavy, tired sigh.
"It's okay, Nami. You don't have to pretend anymore."
"Wh... what?" Nami's voice breaks.
Genzo holsters his pistol and looks at her with eyes that have cried themselves dry. "We know the truth you've been hiding from us. We know everything."
"How?"
"Nojiko told us."
Nami bites her lower lip.
"Both of you sisters have been carrying such a burden for so long…" Genzo's voice cracks. "I'm ashamed I couldn't see the truth sooner."
"No, Genzo-san, please don't say that. It wasn't your fault. I told Nojiko not to tell anyone."
Genzo's face crumples with deep guilt. "And yet, for seven years, you bore our hatred on your shoulders just to protect us. How can I not feel ashamed when a child had to do an adult's job?"
Nami's lips tremble as she swallows the sob before it escapes.
Usopp raises his hand, his voice strained. "Ahh… Look, I don't want to butt in, but we've got a bigger problem to deal with, like, what the heck happened here?!"
"He's right," Zoro says flatly. "We still need to find Nami's sister."
At those words, Genzo's face contorts into an expression that transcends grief, pain and defeat fused into one.
"I don't know who you people are," he says quietly, "but since you're standing beside Nami, I can only assume you're here to help."
Luffy steps forward, his voice devoid of its usual playfulness. "We are. We're here to help Nami defeat Arlong and free her village."
Genzo meets Luffy's eyes and sees the resolve burning there. Still, he only sighs. "It doesn't matter, boy. No one can defeat them. No one can even scratch them. Even the Marines are working with Arlong now. We've been crushed from all sides. There's nothing left."
Nami steps closer, her voice cautious. "What do you mean, Genzo-san?"
Genzo looks away, shame deepening the lines on his face. He speaks slowly, as if each word is a stone he has carried for miles.
"Three days ago, Marine Captain Nezumi from Base 16 came here. He was asking for you, specifically, where you lived. I refused to answer, so he had his men beat several villagers. Nojiko stepped in and said she knew you, then led them to the house. They ransacked it, claiming they were searching for all the money you had stolen. Nojiko and I protested, explaining that the money was our only chance at freedom from Arlong. They didn't listen. They took everything you had collected over seven years, every single berry."
Nami's face drains of color as Genzo continues.
"After the Marines left, the villagers began asking questions. Nojiko told them the truth, about your deal with Arlong. Everyone was in shock. They blamed themselves for not realizing it sooner." His voice dropped. "But before we could even think about what to do next, Arlong and his crew arrived. They started destroying houses and beating everyone. When we demanded to know why, he said your payment deadline was over and that we had to pay immediately. We told him the Marines had taken everything. He… laughed and said it wasn't his problem. That's when I realized, Arlong and Captain Nezumi had planned this together."
The crew listens in silence, the weight of his words settling over them like a heavy cloak.
Genzo's voice drops to a whisper. "But that was only the beginning. He said if we couldn't pay him the money, he'd find another way to get it."
A cold dread creeps into the space between them.
"He… he took them. All the women. All the children. Dragged them away by force. He said he'd sell them, sell them in the slave market." Genzo's voice splinters. "He took Nojiko too. And we couldn't do anything. We were powerless. Powerless…"
The old sheriff collapses to his knees, his shoulders trembling with silent, broken sobs, a man who has lost everything, reduced to weeping amid the rubble of his home.
Nami stands frozen, mid-breath, the words crashing against her like waves against a rock.
Luffy, Yuji, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji stared in stunned disbelief. They knew Arlong was a monster, but this, no one had imagined it could go this far.
Then Nami crumples. Her legs give way, and she falls forward, losing consciousness before she hits the ground.
"NAMI!!"
Their voices rise together, too late to catch her.
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Like the chapter, then please share your powerstones with me.
See you in the next chapter....
Peace Out.