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The sky above the Conomi Islands had cleared, allowing the sun to beat down unreservedly upon the path to Arlong Park. Nami walked at a brisk pace, peeling a fresh orange and placing the sweet pulp into her mouth. Behind her, Hatchan followed, pulling the heavy cart laden with 100,000,000 Berries. Their speed was significantly faster than their arrival, driven by Nami's desperate desire to finalize the deal.
"Belle-Mere! Look! These are the oranges I just picked! Try them and see how sweet they are!".
As the juice of the orange burst against her tongue, a vivid memory surfaced. She saw herself as a young girl, tugging at Belle-Mere's apron with wide, crescent-moon eyes, offering her a fresh harvest. She remembered Belle-Mere wiping her hands on her apron, taking the fruit with a gentle pat on Nami's head, and smiling warmly after the first bite. "Mmm! So sweet!". The memory was a sanctuary of warmth, but as it faded, it left Nami with a hollow ache of sadness. Belle-Mere, are you watching over me from the other side?.
The nostalgia shifted into darker, colder visions of the past eight years. She remembered being ten years old, her slender arms bulging with veins as she fought to keep a small boat from being swallowed by a pitch-black ocean. The sea winds had felt like mocking evil spirits, and the surging waves like the jaws of hell, yet she had gritted her teeth, fueled by the singular goal of earning 100,000,000 Berries to save her people.
She remembered the desperation of being twelve, running through rain-slicked streets with a bag of stolen gold clutched to her chest, her vest soaked in sweat and her arms mapped with bruises and scars. She recalled falling hard on a piece of fruit peel, leaving a patch of red blood on the ground, only to scramble back up without a sound to keep running.
Now, as the gates of Arlong Park loomed less than fifty meters away, Nami bit her lip, her heart a heavy knot of conflict. I can save the village, Belle-Mere, but I couldn't save you. I can't even avenge you. Will you ever forgive me?. In her mind's eye, she saw Belle-Mere's sunny smile, a silent assurance that allowed Nami to quicken her pace. "Hatchan, let's go a little faster!".
But as they reached the ten-meter mark, the forest edge erupted with movement. A group of Marines stepped onto the path, blocking the way with leveled weapons. At their head stood a man with a face like a rodent and a high-pitched, sinister laugh—Colonel Nezumi.
"Squeak, squeak! Isn't this the little cat burglar, Nami? I finally caught you," Nezumi sneered.
Nami's pupils constricted as a chill of unease washed over her. "Marines?! What do you want?". Her mind raced. Why were they here? Why now?.
"What do we want? You'll know soon enough," Nezumi replied, his eyes darting to the cart. "What's in there?".
Hatchan, ever simple-minded, answered immediately, "Nyu, it's Nami's money".
"Money? Squeak! I've been searching for your stolen loot for years! Confiscate it for the public!" Nezumi barked. He had come the moment Arlong's message reached him, eager to secure the 50,000,000 Berries promised as his cut.
"Stop! Don't you dare touch it!" Nami screamed, assembling her staff and standing like an enraged cat before the soldiers. "Do you know whose money this is? It belongs to Arlong!". She turned toward the park, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Arlong! I've brought the 100,000,000 Berries! Come out and deal with these Marines!".
The park remained deathly silent. After ten seconds of agonizing stillness, Nami shouted again, her voice cracking with desperation. Finally, Arlong's voice drifted over the walls, laced with mocking nonchalance. "Nami, those are Marines. How could a lowly pirate like me oppose the law?".
Nezumi's smile widened. "I advise you to step aside, girl, unless you want to spend the rest of your life in a cell".
The realization hit Nami like a physical blow—the unusual behavior from Hatchan, the timing of the Marines, the silence from the park. "Arlong! You bastard! You're breaking our promise!". Her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood as her body began to tremble with a mixture of rage and terror.
"Breaking the promise? Hahaha!" Arlong's laughter boomed from within. "If you can stop them from taking the money, the deal stands. But I won't lift a finger against the World Government".
Nami gasped, her face flushed red with fury. These Marines were called by you! You despicable, shameless monster!.
Nezumi ignored her outburst. "Open the chest. If she resists, you know what to do". As two Marines approached the cart, Nami swung her staff, but she was quickly overwhelmed. Two soldiers grabbed her arms, forcing her to the ground with their knees pressed firmly into her back. She struggled, but she was pinned, unable to move.
Nezumi stepped to the chest, his eyes reflecting the glitter of gold. He grabbed a handful of blood-stained Berries, sniffing them with a look of pure greed. "Squeak! What a fortune!".
"Stop! That's my money! Stop it!" Nami shrieked, but the Marines began pushing the cart toward the sea.
Despair flooded Nami's heart. Years of suffering, the weight of the village's hope, her own dream of freedom—all of it was being stolen in an instant. Tears flowed like a breached dam. "No, no, no!".
In her mind, she was back eight years ago, watching as Arlong held a gun to Belle-Mere's head. She heard Belle-Mere's final words: "Never forget to keep a strong smile. I will always love you, Nojiko, Nami".
Bang!.
The memory of the gunshot merged with a real-time explosion of sound. At Nami's house, a massive hole was smashed through the wall.
Son Goku was a vision of pure, unbridled fury. His Ki flared with such intensity that stone chips flew from the building as he launched himself toward the scent of Nami's distress. His face, usually so cheerful, was now set in a mask of righteous anger.
"That damn guy! How could he do this to Nami?!" Goku roared, his voice echoing through the tangerine grove like thunder. "It's absolutely unforgivable! I will never forgive him!".