On another part of the vast sea, a small boat gently drifted toward an uncharted island, its wooden hull creaking softly with the waves. A young boy stood on the deck, hands in his pockets, his straw hat tilted slightly to shield his eyes from the morning sun. As his feet touched the sandy shore, he paused and furrowed his brows.
"Huh... That's strange," he murmured. "Why do I feel like something that was supposed to be mine... was just taken?"
He stared into the distance for a moment, puzzled by the odd sensation gnawing at his chest. It was fleeting, intangible—like a forgotten dream or a fading instinct. Shaking his head, he chuckled and brushed the thought aside. "Weird. Oh well!"
With that, he adjusted his straw hat, grinned wide, and began humming a tune as he made his way inland. The vibrant trees swayed under the breeze, and tropical birds chirped above him. Whatever that strange feeling was, he wasn't going to let it ruin his mood. Adventure awaited.
Not long after, a much larger ship anchored off the island's shore. Its sail bore the jester-like insignia of the Buggy Pirates. A loud, nasally voice barked from the deck.
"Land ho! So this is the place, huh? Cabaji! Are you *sure* this is the right island?"
A lanky man with a unicycle and long bangs checked a device in his hand. "According to the compass and the old map we found, this is it, Captain Buggy."
Captain Buggy the Clown, with his signature red nose and flamboyant attire, jumped off the ship dramatically. "Then what are we waiting for? There's treasure waiting to be found! Let's go, men!"
He waved his hand, and several crewmates followed him down to the beach. The only one who stayed behind was a large white lion with a pink mane—Richie—whom Buggy ordered to guard the ship.
"Make sure no one touches my ship, you hear me, Richie?" Buggy said, patting the lion's nose before strutting off.
Richie roared lazily in response and lay down near the ramp, eyes half-closed.
Meanwhile, deeper within the jungle of the island, a pair of glowing eyes snapped open. In a small clearing, a strange figure shifted. It was a man with a wild afro and an upper body fused into a large treasure chest. His lower half poked out awkwardly from the bottom, but he moved with surprising ease. He was none other than Gaimon, the island's self-proclaimed guardian.
Several animals surrounded him—birds, monkeys, and even a large boar. They chattered and hooted, clearly reporting something.
"What did you say?" Gaimon blinked. "Pirates have landed on the island?! Again?"
The animals confirmed with a series of energetic nods and squeals.
Gaimon's face darkened. "Uninvited guests, huh? That's the second time this month! If they're here to steal from this island, we'll show them what we're made of!"
He looked at his animal companions and gave them a nod. "Let's go give them a proper... wild welcome!"
With battle cries in various animal calls, the whole jungle seemed to stir. Birds took to the sky, monkeys swung through trees, and Gaimon began waddling forward in his own way, bumping along in his treasure chest.
The peaceful island was no longer quiet.
...
On the gentle waves of the open sea, a sleek black ship cut across the waters in near silence. The ship—Silent Orca—glided gracefully, its sails full but quiet, its movement almost eerie in how little sound it made.
Inside the ship's deckhouse, a few of the crew lounged under the midday sun. Zino stood near the helm, scanning the horizon ahead while Nami sat beside a small map table, checking their current location and plotting the course.
"Nami," Zino asked, breaking the silence, "how long until we reach your home island?"
She looked up from the map, brushing a strand of orange hair from her face. "If the winds stay steady, about three to four days."
"Three to four days, huh…" Zino scratched his head and turned toward the kitchen entrance. "Alvida, do we have enough supplies to last that long?"
From down the stairs, Alvida's voice echoed back, laced with a teasing tone. "It should barely be enough. And shouldn't you know? You're the cook, remember?"
Zino blinked, then let out a sheepish laugh. "Right… I forgot."
"If you're that worried," Alvida suggested, appearing from below deck while polishing a spoon, "we could stop by the Baratie. Restock, maybe grab a proper meal."
"The Baratie huh." Zino repeated with interest. A thought came to Zino's mind. If they go to that floating restaurant, he might see Sanji, and maybe... recruit him?
Nami, who had been quietly listening, frowned slightly. Her gaze lowered toward the map again. The idea of delaying their journey, even slightly, seemed to bother her. She was clearly anxious—her fingers nervously tapped the edge of the table.
Zino noticed immediately. "Don't worry," he said gently, stepping closer. "We'll help you take back your village. I promised you, remember? We won't let anything happen to it."
Nami looked up, and for a brief moment, her tense expression softened. "I know… Sorry. I guess I just can't shake the worry."
She exhaled deeply, then stood and rolled up the map.
"Alright," she said, managing a small smile, "let's take a short detour to the Baratie. It's probably better to be prepared than rush in hungry and tired."
"Then it's decided. We'll stop at Baratie, stock up on supplies, maybe rest for a few hours. After that, we sail straight for your island, Nami." Zino said, deciding the course.
He then asked Nami, "By the way, Nami… could you tell us more about your village? About what's really going on there?"
The question made everyone pause.
Alvida stopped her polishing, Zoro slightly opened his eyes looking towards Nami, and Kaya turned her attention from the ship's edge. They all remembered Nami briefly mentioning something before—a village controlled by fishman pirates. But that was all she had said, and now their curiosity stirred again.
Nami exhaled slowly, her shoulders lowering slightly under the weight of what she was about to share. Their expectant eyes were on her, but none were pressing—just quietly listening.
She finally spoke, voice soft at first. "I guess you all deserve to know…"
And so, she told them her situation. Zino who was a transmigrator listened, and confirmed her story to what he already know from reading the One Piece manga. From what she talked, he could now confirm that her story was the same as what he already know.
She spoke of her childhood in Cocoyashi Village—a quiet little village where she lived with her adopted sister, Nojiko, and their kind-hearted mother, Bellemere. Life had been modest but full of love. Bellemere had struggled to provide for them, but her warmth had been enough to make their lives happy.
But all of that changed eight years ago.
A pirate crew led by Arlong, a ruthless fishman, invaded the island. They didn't just plunder and leave—they stayed. Arlong claimed the entire village as his territory, enforcing brutal rules and demanding steep tribute fees from every villager simply to stay alive.
Nami's voice wavered as she continued, "Bellemere… didn't have enough money to pay for all three of us. She refused to lie and insisted we were her family."
She paused, biting her lip. Her hands clenched as she whispered, "Arlong shot her… right in front of us."
Kaya gasped quietly, and even Zoro's usual stoic expression tensed.
"To save the rest of the village… I offered to work for him," Nami continued, her voice tight. "He found out I was good at drawing maps, so he made me his cartographer. I made a deal with him: if I could collect 100 million Berries, he'd let the village go."
She turned her head toward Zino, her eyes glassy. "That's why I asked you for 100 to 200 million Berries when you recruited me. I wasn't just being greedy. I was desperate."
A heavy silence fell over the deck.
From her expression, it was clear how deeply the years of hiding her pain had worn her down. Her sorrow, long bottled up, now hovered at the edge of breaking free.
Kaya quietly stepped forward and, without a word, wrapped her arms around Nami. The thief's composure crumbled in an instant. Her body shook as she broke down, tears streaming down her face.
"I just wanted to free them… That's all I ever wanted…"
No one spoke. They simply let her cry.
Zino stood still, eyes lowered. Alvida turned away, wiping at her eye with a frown. Even Zoro gritted his teeth slightly, fists clenched. None of them knew what to say—but all of them felt the storm in their chests.
No one spoke for a while. Even the ever-vocal Ussop was unusually silent, his fist clenched as he leaned against the railing, a pensive look on his face.
What Nami experienced is almost the same as Kaya's experience. Therefore, all of them could feel the reignited mood of the past experience in Gecko Island.
After a few long minutes, it was Zino who finally broke the silence.
"I don't think Arlong ever intended to keep his promise," he said, his voice firm.
Nami blinked, startled. "What do you mean?"
Zino turned toward her, his expression serious. "Think about it. This is a pirate who murdered your mother without hesitation. He enforces brutal tribute payments on innocent villagers and treats human lives like dirt under his feet. Do you honestly believe someone like that would honor a deal just because you managed to collect 100 million Berries?"
Nami's lips trembled. She wanted to argue, to push back against his words—but deep inside, she could tell that what he was saying wasn't baseless.
"Arlong said he would—" she muttered.
Zino shook his head. "No. Pirates like him use promises to control people. The moment you deliver that money, I bet he already has plans to kill you and make an example of you to keep the others in line."
Nami clenched her fists, her heart sinking. Still, her heart wanted to hope that the situation will not end up like what Zino described.
Zino walked closer and crouched slightly to meet her gaze. "I'm not saying this to hurt you. I'm telling you so you can stop hoping for something that was never real. He was never going to let your village go."
"But… why would he lie for eight years? Why wait this long?" Nami asked, still struggling to fully accept it.
"To squeeze every last bit of usefulness out of you," Zino answered plainly. "You're smart. Talented. A gifted navigator and mapmaker. He probably never intended to free anyone. He just used the deal as a leash, to keep you working and submissive."
Nami's breath hitched. The harsh truth hurt far more than any lie ever could.
Then, Zino stood and faced the sea. His hands curled into fists.
"Honestly, I don't want that fishman guy, Arlong to keep his end of the deal," he said coldly.
Nami looked up at him, with a frown and confusion. "Why?"
Zino turned his head slightly. On Zino's eyes—a calm fury, cold as the ocean depths can be seen, as he made a declaration, "Because I'm not going to let him walk away after what he did to you. I don't care what kind of deal he made. Anyone who dares to make one of nakama cry... doesn't deserve mercy."
Some breeze whipped on his clothes as he stood firm like an immovable wall. The others looked on in silence. It wasn't just a declaration—it was a verdict.
In that moment, Nami's breath caught in her throat. Her tears threatened to return, but this time, they weren't from sorrow—they were from the overwhelming feeling of having someone she can depend on.
Zino had made up his mind.
Arlong's fate was sealed.