Chapter 66 Even Severely Injured! The Weight of "Partner"
Inside Alon Amusement Park, the air was filled with a pungent smell of burning and a strong stench of blood.
The nearly one hundred elite merfolk who had been swarming and shouting to tear humans apart just moments before are now mostly corpses scattered on the ground.
Under the ravages of that lightning, they didn't even have a chance to resist before being wiped out by the black-clad youth like chickens and dogs.
"Is he...is he the devil...?"
The three surviving executives are: Hachi the Six-Sword Style, Croobi the Fishman Karate Style, and Chu the Kissing Fishman.
Looking at the corpses of their compatriots scattered on the ground, a chill that penetrated to the bone made their hands, gripping their weapons, tremble.
fear.
This was the first time that this group of fish-men, who considered themselves a superior race, had felt a sense of "fear" towards humans.
"Are you kidding me... are you kidding me?!"
On the high platform, Ah Long watched this scene with bloodshot eyes.
The veins on his ferocious shark-like face bulged, almost as if they were about to explode.
"What are you doing! Aren't you all still alive?!"
Ah Long let out a deafening roar, his voice filled with savage killing intent:
"Officers! Charge! Even if it means death, slaughter this inferior race! Anyone who dares to back down will be killed by my own hand!!"
Accompanied by the leader's roar, the three cadres, despite their fear, had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge toward their respective opponents.
...
One side of the battlefield.
"Twist and turn~ Even if my comrades are dead, I can still get revenge by killing you all!"
Hachi, the octopus-fish man, brandished six heavy longswords weighing hundreds of pounds, looking at the swaying Zoro in front of him with a mocking expression.
"Hey, swordsman, I bet you can't even stand up straight anymore!"
At this moment, Zoro's situation was indeed extremely bad.
The horrific wound inflicted by Hawkeye at the sea restaurant a few days ago has reopened due to the intense movement and impact just now.
Blood stained the thick bandages and dripped down his waist to the ground.
The high fever blurred his vision, and every breath was accompanied by excruciating pain.
"You think you can fight in this state? That's laughable!"
Hachi wielded six swords, suppressing Zoro like a meat grinder, while constantly taunting him:
"A cripple like you who could collapse at any moment, who can you protect? You might as well obediently be chopped into mincemeat by me! Six-Sword Style: Takotsubo!!"
Clang! Clang!
Zoro only had one Wado Ichimonji, and he also had to contend with the overwhelming onslaught, causing him to stagger and retreat step by step.
"Protect...who?"
Zoro was somewhat dazed.
In that blurry vision, he seemed to see the short-haired girl holding the bamboo sword again, and hear the vow made under the moon.
—[One day, one of us will become the world's greatest swordsman!]
"Huff... huff..."
Zoro bit his tongue hard, using the intense pain to force himself back to his senses.
The previously unfocused gaze in his eyes instantly sharpened, unleashing a ghostly aura that seemed to freeze the very air.
"Shut up, octopus."
Zoro forcibly steadied himself, letting his wounds reopen and blood spurt out, yet his posture remained as upright as a pine tree.
"Until this wound heals...until this promise is fulfilled..."
Zoro stretched out his hands and shouted to Johnny and Joseph in the distance:
"Hey! Lend me your knife!!"
"Big...Big Brother! Catch!!" Johnny and Joseph threw the two knives over with tears in their eyes.
Zoro caught the two swords in mid-air, holding one in each hand and biting down on the Wado Ichimonji.
Three-Sword Style, back to its place.
"I... will never lose again!!!"
The next second, Zoro disappeared.
Despite his high fever and severe injuries, he transformed into a green whirlwind and faced head-on into Xiao Ba's impenetrable Six-Sword Style sword formation.
"Three-Sword Style: Ultimate Technique—"
The moment the two sword energies collided.
"tornado!!!"
boom--!!!
A terrifying storm of sword energy rose from the ground; it was a storm of slashing energy capable of cutting through even steel!
"Nyowaa...
Weighing several hundred kilograms, Xiao Ba was like a withered leaf in the face of this unparalleled force, instantly being lifted dozens of meters into the air.
Countless sword energies instantly tore through his defenses, and blood splattered in the air.
Then, the giant octopus crashed heavily into the seawater in front of it, creating huge waves, and then fell silent.
"snort."
Zoro maintained his sword-wielding stance, blood streaming down his forehead, yet a wild, arrogant smile played on his lips.
Then, Zoro lay on the ground, panting heavily.
Soon after, the sound of snoring began...
...
"thump!"
On the other side, in the swimming pool.
"Gurgle..."
Sanji was grabbed by the ankle by Croobi and forcibly dragged into the deep water.
In the water, the fish-men's speed and strength are multiplied, while humans become extremely vulnerable due to lack of oxygen and resistance.
"This is the terror of Fishman Karate! You're nothing but trash in the water!"
Croobi grinned maliciously in the water, punching Sanji in the stomach one punch after another.
Sanji painfully exhaled a string of bubbles, and his consciousness began to fade.
'Am I going to die here...?'
'No… that old geezer once said… a chef's hands are for cooking, but their brain is for thinking…'
At this critical moment, Sanji calmed down.
He spotted the open cheeks of the fishman as he laughed, leaned in, and blew a whole breath into the fishman's cheeks!
"Goo-wah?!"
Croobi, who had been breathing through his cheek, suffocated instantly and had to let go.
Sanji seized the opportunity, his legs bursting out like propellers, instantly breaking through the water and returning to the shore.
"Cough cough... Huff..." Sanji gasped for breath, straightening his soaked suit.
"Don't even think about running!!"
Croobi angrily jumped ashore, assuming a Fishman Karate stance:
"A thousand-watt straight punch!!"
This punch, imbued with all his strength, was enough to shatter a thousand tiles, and hurtled towards Sanji's face with a whooshing sound.
"Perfect."
Sanji did not dodge.
He spun on one leg, his body tracing an elegant yet deadly arc in the air, his right leg seemingly burning with fury.
"That kick... was for the tears that lady shed!!"
Sanji roared, gathering all his strength into one point to meet Croobi's fist head-on.
"Devil's Kick (Front Item) - Lamb SHOOT!!!"
"Snap!!"
A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out.
Croobi's prized fist shattered instantly, followed by his arm and ribs.
"Pfft!!"
The merman screamed and flew backward like a cannonball, crashing hard into the solid main wall of Alon Paradise.
With a loud crash, the wall cracked, and Croobbi was embedded in it, his eyes rolling back as he passed out.
...
"Ultimate Kill! Flame Star!!"
"boom!!"
At the edge of the woods, Usopp's face was covered in dust, and his legs were still trembling, but he never put down his slingshot.
On the other side, the Kissing Fishman, Chuu, had his face charred black. He was hit hard on the forehead with a "Liar's Hammer" and fell to the ground with his eyes rolled back.
"Huff... huff..."
Usopp plopped down on the ground, looking at his fallen foe. Though terrified, he burst into laughter.
"See that?! I am... the brave warrior of the sea, Usopp!!"
Even if he was afraid, he would never run away for the sake of his friends and Nami.
...
In just a few minutes.
All cadres were wiped out.
The ragtag soldiers were all killed.
At this moment, only the lonely leader remained in the entire Alon Paradise.
Watching his fellow countrymen fall one by one, and watching the black-clad, red-eyed man casually kill the last few mermen who tried to escape.
Ah Long's rationality completely collapsed.
"Unforgivable...Unforgivable!!"
"You damned inferior race!! How dare you slaughter my people!!"
Ah Long completely lost control, and blood and tears streamed from his shark-like eyes.
He suddenly jumped off the throne, but he did not rush towards Luffy, who had been provoking him.
Instead, armed with his massive serrated sword "Slashing Peak," he charged like a mad dog toward Victor, who had killed the most people.
"I'm going to kill you first!! You red-eyed brat!!"
A terrifying killing intent locked onto Viktor.
Victor simply stood there, wiping the blood off his sword, without even turning around.
Because he knew someone would be blocking the way.
Just as Aaron was about to rush in front of Victor.
A red figure descended from the sky.
"Rubber rubber—Tomahawk!!!"
Luffy's huge foot fell from the sky with tremendous force, stomping hard on Arlong's arrogant shark face.
"Bang!!!"
The earth shattered, and dust billowed everywhere.
Ah Long's massive body was stomped into the ground with a heavy thud, his face hitting the ground.
Luffy stood on Arlong's head, his eyes wide open, his usually jovial face now filled with nothing but coldness and domineering aura.
He lowered his head and roared at the struggling shark at his feet:
"Hey, you shark bastard."
Where are you looking?
"Your opponent... is me!!!"Chapter 67 Burn to ashes! The "Great Fire Annihilation" from the Uchiha clan.
"boom!!"
With a loud crash, Luffy and Arlong crashed into the room located at the highest point of the park.
Sunlight streamed through the broken windows, illuminating this place that had once been considered forbidden territory.
Luffy got up from the ground, and when he saw the scene around him, he was stunned.
The room was filled with towering nautical charts, so densely packed that they almost took up all the space.
On that large drawing table, countless worn-out pen nibs were scattered about, some of which even had dried dark red bloodstains on their handles.
Those are the marks left by Nami, who was forced to draw sea charts here day after day, year after year, for eight years.
This is not a room.
This is the cage that imprisoned that girl's soul.
"Hahaha! Did you see that? Straw Hat Boy!"
Alon stood up from the ruins, grabbed a handful of sea charts, and a greedy, triumphant laugh spread across his face:
"That's that woman's talent! These nautical charts are the most perfect masterpieces in the world!"
"With her, I can control the ocean currents of the entire world! She is a born genius, the best tool for me to dominate the world!!"
Ah Long opened his mouth, which was full of sharp teeth, and pointed at the blood-stained pen nibs:
"Even if she ruins her hands, even if she bleeds to death, as long as she can draw such a picture, it is the greatest honor for her as a human being!!"
Luffy kept his head down, his straw hat obscuring his eyes, making it impossible to see his expression.
Only his clenched fists, white with clenching, and the suffocating rage emanating from him, revealed his current state of mind.
"tool...?"
Luffy murmured in a low voice.
The next second.
"Get rid of this boring stuff... just disappear!!!"
Instead of attacking Arlong, Luffy charged towards the mountain of sea charts and surveying instruments.
"Bang! Crash! Boom!!"
He went berserk, destroying everything in the room.
The table was overturned, the measuring instrument was crushed, and the nautical charts that Ah Long regarded as treasures were torn to shreds and flew everywhere.
"Stop!! What are you doing?!"
Seeing this, Ah Long's eyes widened in horror, and he rushed forward frantically to try and stop them:
"Those are my life's work! My ambition!! Don't touch them!!"
"Rubber, rubber—"
Luffy suddenly raised his head, and the domineering aura that burst forth in that instant made Arlong feel a little afraid.
"here..."
Luffy kicked Arlong aside, grabbed a massive pillar with both hands, and roared through the sky:
"This place is filled with painful memories..."
"It's not Nami's room!!!!"
boom--!!!
Luffy's leg suddenly stretched out, piercing through the roof and soaring into the sky.
Then, the foot, carrying terrifying, destructive power, came crashing down like a giant axe that split the heavens and the earth!
"Rubber rubber—Tomahawk!!!"
"No!!!" came Ah Long's desperate scream.
The entire main building, which symbolized Arlong's rule and Nami's eight years of nightmares, collapsed instantly under this terrifying blow!
Countless pebbles and planks, along with fragments of nautical charts flying everywhere, fell like snowflakes.
On those ruins.
Nami, who had rushed over, looked up and saw the cage that had imprisoned her for eight years turn into ruins in the sunlight, and watched the sea charts that symbolized her bondage drift away in the wind.
Tears rolled down her cheeks like pearls from a broken string.
In the heart of the smoke-filled ruins.
"Cough cough... cough cough..."
Ah Long was covered in blood, his jagged nose was broken, and all his bones were shattered.
But he was, after all, a strong fishman, and even after suffering such a severe injury, he was still clinging to life.
"Damn it... an inferior race..."
Ah Long's consciousness was blurred, and he instinctively wanted to crawl towards the sea not far ahead.
As long as he gets into the water... as long as he can get back to the sea... he can survive, and he can make a comeback...
However.
"despair."
A black boot slammed down on his back, cutting off his last chance of survival.
Ah Long struggled to lift his head, and through his blurry vision, he saw a smiling face.
Victor.
He held the longsword stained with the blood of the fishman in his hand, looking down at the dying shark with no pity in his eyes.
"Where do you want to go, Captain Aron?"
Victor's voice was soft: "There's no sea in hell."
"You…" Ah Long's pupils contracted sharply, and he was about to beg for mercy.
"brush--!!"
A flash of cold light.
Without hesitation, Victor swung his longsword down.
A hideous shark head rolled to the ground, its blood staining the ruins.
The overlord of the East China Sea, Ah Long, has been confirmed dead.
[bite!]
[Mission Complete: Annihilate the Arlong Pirates.]
[Reward: A-Rank Fire Release Ninjutsu - Great Fire Annihilation.]
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for defeating the Arlong Pirates and the special target: Arlong the Sawtooth (bounty 20 million Berries).]
[Battle Rating: S.]
[Reward received: 3000 Ninja Points.]
Hearing the pleasant system notification in his mind, Victor wiped the blood off his sword and slowly sheathed it.
"it's over."
...
The fighting has completely ended.
Outside the gates of Alon Paradise, the villagers who had been wielding hoes and ready to fight were now speechless with shock, their mouths agape.
Looking at the fish-man corpses scattered on the ground, at the collapsed main building, and at the few figures standing on the ruins.
"Wow...that's amazing..."
"That shark, Ah Long... was actually defeated by that kid in the straw hat?"
"And that boy in black...were all those fishmen killed by him? He's...he's practically a demon..."
The villagers discussed it with a mixture of awe and fear.
"Who exactly are they..." Ah Jian muttered to himself.
"them..."
Nami wiped away her tears, turned around, and looked at the group of guys who had risked their lives for her.
She took a deep breath and proudly shouted to all the villagers:
"They are my comrades!!!"
Upon hearing this, Luffy grinned and made a big peace sign.
However.
Viktor looked at the ruins scattered all over the ground, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"This isn't clean enough."
He murmured to himself.
For the Uchiha, only complete annihilation can bring true rebirth.
Amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd, Victor slowly walked to the center of the ruins, facing this land that bore so much sin and suffering.
"call..."
He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing.
The massive and violent fire-attribute chakra he had just acquired began to gather wildly in his chest.
His hands moved like afterimages, so fast it was dazzling.
Zi-Chou-Xu-Wu-Shen-Hai-Yin!
The hand seals are complete.
Viktor suddenly opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and his chest bulged as if he were about to detonate a volcano inside him.
He suddenly spat out the ruins of Arlong Paradise in front of him, at everything that symbolized Nami's painful past!
"Fire Release: Great Flame Annihilation!!!"
boom------!!!!
At that moment, everyone's vision was stained crimson.
It wasn't an ordinary fireball, but a raging sea of fire!
The terrifying flames, like a giant wave ten meters high, instantly spewed out of Victor's mouth, covering the entire ruins of Arlong Paradise with overwhelming force!
The area was so vast that it even turned half the sky red.
The temperature was so high that villagers far away felt their skin burning and their hair curling.
"Whoa! It's so hot! What kind of magic is this?!" Luffy was so scared that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
"It's so hot! It's on fire?!"
Zoro, who was lying in the corner fast asleep, was scalded awake by the terrifying heat wave.
He jumped up abruptly, staring wide-eyed at the hellish sea of fire before him:
"This was done by...that red-eyed bastard?! Is he even human?!"
The raging fire ravaged every inch of the land.
Those blood-stained sea charts, the ruins of the room where Nami was imprisoned, the filthy traces left by the fish-men...
They were all reduced to ashes under the most domineering flames of the Uchiha clan.
Viktor stood before the sea of fire, the flames illuminating his crimson Sharingan eyes, his black, tousled hair dancing wildly in the heat.
He looked ahead, a faint smile playing on his lips:
"Now, it's truly clean and tidy."
The nightmare is over.Chapter 68: Rebirth from Ashes, the Best Feast!
The towering inferno finally began to die down.
The once terrifying Arlong Paradise, which had haunted Cocoa West Village for eight years like a behemoth, has now completely disappeared from the map.
Instead, there was a charred ruin.
When the wind blows, ashes fly everywhere.
It was as if this land was holding a belated funeral, burying all the sins and nightmares.
The villagers stood outside the ruins, watching this unbelievable scene, and remained silent for a long time.
The "monster" that weighed on their hearts and suffocated them, just like that... was gone?
Nami stood there, stunned, staring at the scorched earth, as if she hadn't yet recovered from the enormous shock.
Until a hand reached out and gently patted her head.
Hehehe.
Luffy's familiar smiling face appeared before my eyes.
He didn't say anything to comfort him.
He simply took the straw hat that Nami treasured from her head and put it back on his own.
"Luffy... thank you."
Nami sniffed, then suddenly turned around and threw herself into the arms of Nojiko, who was already in tears.
"Sister...Sister!!"
"It's alright...it's alright, Nami."
Nojiko hugged her sister tightly, looked up, and gave Luffy a bright smile: "Thank you, Luffy."
Just then, a commotion arose in the crowd.
"That…that person…"
The villagers' eyes were drawn to Victor, who stood in the center of the ruins.
The young man in black was brushing the ashes off his sword. Having just created that terrifying sea of fire, he still exuded a chilling aura and murderous intent.
Everyone looked at him with awe in their eyes, and some even dared not approach him.
After all, that demonic method they just used was truly shocking.
In this awkward silence...
"Big brother!"
A little girl suddenly broke free from her mother's hand and ran up to Victor with her short legs.
She stood on tiptoe and timidly raised her hands, holding a plump, golden orange in her palms.
"Thank you, big brother! This is the best orange ever!"
Viktor was slightly taken aback.
He looked at the little girl in front of him, who was not even as tall as his legs, and then at the orange.
A moment later, his eyes crinkled into a smile as he reached out and took the orange.
"Wow, thanks. It looks delicious."
This simple scene instantly shattered all barriers and fears.
"Ohhhhhhh!!!"
"Heroes!! They are our heroes!!"
The cheers erupted like a volcanic eruption, instantly resounding through the sky.
The emotions that had been suppressed for eight years were completely released at this moment.
The excited villagers rushed forward, ignoring Viktor's objections, and lifted him up, tossing him high into the air!
"Hey! Wait! Don't throw me!!" Viktor rarely showed a panicked expression.
"And these guys too!!"
Luffy, Sanji, Usopp, and even Zoro, who was just sleeping, were all lifted up by the villagers and tossed into the blue sky again and again amidst cheers.
"Long live!! We've defeated Ah Long!! Long live!!"
In mid-air.
Viktor, who was being tossed around and was feeling dizzy, suddenly caught a glimpse of Zoro, who was also being tossed around, out of the corner of his eye.
The man with the green algae-like hair was deathly pale, blood was still seeping from the bandage on his chest, his eyes were rolling back, and he was foaming at the mouth.
Hmm... looks like he's not far from death.
"..."
Viktor's eye twitched.
If that guy gets thrown around a few more times like that, he'll probably be a corpse.
"Instantaneous Movement Technique".
Just as the villagers tossed Zoro into the air again, a blur flashed by.
Viktor appeared in mid-air in an instant and caught Zoro as he was about to freefall.
Then it floated lightly down to Nami and Nojiko on the outskirts of the crowd.
"call..."
Viktor, carrying Zoro who looked like a dead pig in one hand, breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the crowd still celebrating wildly.
"that..."
Just then, a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz sounded from the side.
Viktor turned around and saw Nami standing there, still clutching Nojiko's clothes.
She looked at Viktor, her cheeks slightly flushed, as if she wanted to say something, but she was too awkward to speak.
The atmosphere between the two became subtly awkward for a moment.
Nojiko watched this scene with a smile, covering her mouth and her eyes darting back and forth between the two.
"that..."
Finally, it was Viktor who broke the silence.
He still had a smiling expression, pointed to Zoro he was carrying, and said casually:
"Although I don't want to disturb your sisterly affection, this guy's injury seems a bit too serious."
"If we don't find a doctor soon, we might have to hold his funeral here."
Nami paused for a moment, then noticed Zoro's eyes rolling back in his head, and exclaimed in surprise:
"Ah! Zoro!!"
She quickly snapped out of her daze and pointed in the direction of the village: "Quick! Follow me! The doctor is over there!"
...
Inside the village clinic.
"What?!!"
The elderly doctor was so shocked when he saw Zoro lying on the hospital bed, covered in blood, with wounds so deep that bone was visible, that he almost fainted.
"This... to be able to move and fight after suffering such an injury?!"
The doctor pointed a trembling finger at Zoro, looking at him like he was a monster:
"Is this a corpse?! A normal person would have died a hundred times over!!"
"Stop making so much noise, you quack doctor."
On his hospital bed, wrapped up like a mummy, Zoro calmly picked up a bottle of liquor, gulped down two mouthfuls, and yawned nonchalantly.
"Don't make a fuss, you'll be fine after a good night's sleep."
"This isn't something that can be fixed by sleeping it off!! Put the alcohol down right now!!" the doctor roared in frustration.
...
That night.
To celebrate their newfound freedom, the entire village of Cocoa West was brightly lit, as if it were a festival.
All the villagers brought out their treasured wines and food, which had been stored away for many years, and held an unprecedented grand banquet in the village square.
"Meat!! Meat!! That's mine!!"
In the center of the banquet, Luffy activated a terrifying mode called "Storm Inhalation".
His mouth gaped open like a black hole, and he swept all the food on the table, plates and all.
The scene of eating was not only astonishing, but it even turned into an acrobatic performance at the banquet, eliciting gasps of amazement from the villagers.
"Seriously, is this guy's stomach a bottomless pit?"
Meanwhile, Sanji was thriving in this village filled with the scent of oranges.
He rolled up his sleeves and joined the village women in showing off their culinary skills in the makeshift open-air kitchen.
"Ah, beautiful ladies, please let me season this fish soup."
"How could such a lovely lady be allowed to do such rough work?"
With her superb culinary skills and honey-smooth tongue.
Sanji quickly became an idol for the women and girls in the village and was deeply loved.
"Ahem! Listen up, you little devils!"
On a high platform not far away, Usopp was standing on a barrel of liquor, using a chicken leg as a microphone, and boasting to a group of starry-eyed children below:
"At that time, Ah Long charged at us with his blood-red mouth wide open, and everyone was terrified!"
"Only I, the brave warrior of the sea! I will advance instead of retreat, and shout..."
He described the battle in glowing terms.
He boasted that he was the main force that single-handedly defeated Ah Long, completely fooling those naive kids.
...
Beyond the noise.
Victor sat alone on the roof tiles in the corner, a glass of wine in his hand, quietly watching the lively scene below.
"It's really... lively."
He swirled his glass, the distant campfire reflected in his dark eyes.
"Da, da."
Light footsteps sounded.
Nojiko climbed up with two glasses of wine, sat down next to Viktor, and handed him one of the glasses, a special orange liqueur.
"Aren't you going down to play together? Everyone really wants to thank you."
Victor took the glass, took a sip, and the sweet and sour taste exploded on his tongue.
"That kind of occasion isn't suitable for me, it's too noisy." Victor smiled. "Hmm, it's a very good drink."
Nojiko looked at the boy and couldn't help but laugh.
She looked at Viktor's profile, her eyes softening and becoming sincere:
"Although you look terrifying, and even killed that naval captain right in front of us..."
"But... thank you so much for saving Nami and this village."
Victor shrugged, glanced at Luffy below who was scrambling for meat, and casually said:
"Don't get me wrong, we just happen to be short of a good navigator. If she weren't good enough, I wouldn't have gone to so much trouble."
"Hehehe..."
Nokiko smiled so hard her eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
She turned her head and said softly:
"Although Nami is money-grubbing, short-tempered, stubborn, and sometimes unreasonable..."
"Hey, are you even my real sister?" Victor complained.
"But she's still very grateful to you." Nojiko turned her head and looked at Viktor earnestly: "From now on… I'm entrusting her to you…you guys."
"From now on, you must protect Nami well, you handsome red-eyed guy."
Victor's hand holding the wine glass paused slightly, and the smile on his face stiffened for a moment.
"ha?"
He turned his head and met Nojiko's gaze, which held a mixture of teasing and sincerity.
...
at the same time.
Inside the clinic room.
Nami sat in the chair and extended her left arm to the doctor.
"Do you really want to wash it off? It might hurt a little," the doctor asked, holding his tools.
"Um."
Nami nodded, her eyes resolute, without the slightest hesitation:
"That kind of thing... should have disappeared long ago."
As the tool worked, the black jagged tattoo that represented humiliation and nightmares was gradually washed away, revealing the original fair skin.
Although it hurt a lot, Nami was smiling.
Because this pain is insignificant compared to the heartache of the past eight years.
A moment later.
A new tattoo appeared on her left shoulder.
That's a pattern of oranges and windmills.
The orange represents her adoptive mother, Bellemere, and the windmill represents Ah-Jian, who treated her like his own son and like a father.
"Alright, Nami," the doctor said with a smile.
Nami stood up and walked to the window.
She raised her arm, looking at the tattoo that represented freedom and family affection in the bright moonlight.
The night breeze ruffled her short orange hair.
Nami took a deep breath, looked at the bright moon, and showed the most radiant and free smile she had given in eight years.
"Thank you...Victor."Chapter 69: Bounty Order Issued! Fame Spreads Throughout the East China Sea!
On the coast of Cocoyasi Village, the waves gently lapped against the rocks.
Two days have passed since the fire that burned everything.
In the past two days, the Straw Hat crew has become the VIPs of the entire village, enjoying hero-like treatment.
Now, the crew, having rested and recuperated, are loading supplies onto the Going Merry, preparing to set sail again.
Inside the cabin.
Viktor, ostensibly because the vice-captain needed to think about strategy, was lying in a hammock, looking at the remaining ninja points on the system panel.
"The rewards for killing Ah Long... I've got a lot more money in my pocket now."
Viktor stroked his chin, pondering the next direction for the exchange.
"We're about to enter the Grand Line, which is the stronghold of Devil Fruit users."
Viktor's gaze swept across the dazzling list of ninjutsu, finally settling on the [Water Release] category.
On this vast ocean, what could be more effective against a Devil Fruit user than seawater?
Although the water created by chakra is different from seawater, it should still have some effect, right?
"I've decided on you."
Viktor made a decision on the matter and decisively chose to exchange.
[Ding! 1300 Ninja Points consumed. Congratulations, host, you have learned: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique (Rank B).]
[Ding! 700 Ninja Points consumed. Congratulations, host, you have learned: Water Release: Water Prison Technique (Rank C).]
Victor closed the system interface with satisfaction, stretched, got up and walked out of the room.
...
on deck.
Nami was holding a list, meticulously checking the supplies that Johnny and Joseph had brought up.
"Fresh water, five boxes of oranges, meat..."
"Gurgle! Gurgle!!"
Just then, Clay, the black raven perched on Nami's shoulder, suddenly raised his head and let out a series of rapid, strange cries towards the sky.
"What's wrong, Clay?" Nami looked up in confusion.
In the sky, a newsbird wearing a hat and carrying a crossbody bag was seen circling down.
"Fluttering—"
The newsbird skillfully tossed a thick stack of newspapers and two rolled-up wanted posters from its bag, then flapped its wings and flew away.
"Newspapers? And... a bounty poster?"
Nami's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition arose within her.
With trembling hands, she picked up the two wanted posters and slowly unfolded them.
The next second.
"Aaaaaah!!!!"
A piercing scream shattered the tranquility of the harbor, startling Usopp, who was carrying boxes, so much so that he nearly dropped the boxes on his foot.
"What's going on?! Is it an enemy attack?!"
Zoro instantly drew his sword, and Luffy and Sanji also rushed over.
As soon as Victor stepped out of the cabin, he saw Nami slumped on the ground, looking utterly devastated, clutching the two pieces of paper tightly in her hand.
"It's over...it's all over..."
Nami, tears streaming down her face, held up the wanted poster in her hand:
"See for yourselves!!"
The crowd gathered around.
The first one is Luffy's.
In the photo, Luffy is grinning widely, showing off his big white teeth, and laughing carefree.
Straw Hat Luffy
[Bounty: 30,000,000 Berries!]
[Defeated two major powers of the East Blue, Creek and Arlong. Regardless of life or death.]
"Wow!!"
Luffy snatched the bounty poster, and his eyes instantly turned into stars as he stared at the long string of zeros:
"Thirty million!! Hehehe! I'm now a great pirate with thirty million Berries!!"
"Wow, that's amazing! Such a high bounty on the first try!" Usopp exclaimed, though he was scared.
The second one follows immediately.
Everyone's gaze shifted over, and then their pupils contracted slightly.
This photo was clearly taken on a whim.
The backdrop is a raging inferno, marking the moment when Alon Amusement Park was reduced to ruins.
A black-haired boy stood sideways, holding a long sword dripping with blood.
He turned his head slightly, his scarlet Sharingan appearing eerie and cold in the firelight, like a demon emerging from hell.
[Crimson Lotus Victor]
[Bounty: 28,000,000 Berries!]
[Regardless of life or death]
Below the bounty poster, there is a line of small, eye-catching notes:
This criminal is extremely dangerous! He not only collaborated with the Straw Hat Pirates to defeat the Krieg Pirates and the Arlong Pirates.
They even openly murdered the colonels of the 16th and 153rd Naval Branches.
He is ruthless and cold-blooded; I recommend killing him without mercy!
"Two... twenty-eight million?!"
Johnny and Joseph were so shocked by the two wanted posters that their jaws nearly dislocated.
"The first bounty is almost 30 million?! This is the highest bounty ever offered in the history of the East China Sea!"
Viktor took his bounty poster, and looking at the somewhat childish title on it, his lips twitched involuntarily:
"Red Lotus...? Who came up with that nickname? What terrible taste."
"I guess it's because they saw that fire."
"Well, 28 million is barely enough. But it's 2 million less than Luffy's, so it seems the Navy still thinks this monkey is more of a threat."
"Hehehe! I won, Victor!" Luffy waved the bounty poster in front of Victor.
"Clang!"
Just then, two sounds of knees hitting the deck rang out.
Sanji and Usopp were kneeling on the ground in unison, pounding their fists on the deck with tears streaming down their faces.
"Why!! Why?!"
Sanji, biting his handkerchief, stared enviously at Viktor's handsome bounty poster.
"Why is there a bounty on this red-eyed bastard?! And the photo of him is so handsome! Why isn't mine?!"
"I defeated the executives too!!" Usopp cried, snot streaming down his face.
"I am a brave warrior of the sea! Why is the navy ignoring me! I'd even give you ten million Berries!!"
"Coo coo coo! And there's me too!!"
Clay flapped his wings angrily, pecking at the bounty poster:
"Lord Clay clearly contributed too! Why isn't there a reward for Lord Clay?! That's not fair! Cough cough cough!"
Looking at this bunch of clowns.
Zoro leaned against the railing, and although he didn't say anything, his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit.
He touched the Wado Ichimonji at his waist and snorted coldly:
"Hmph, next time... I'll come up with an even bigger name, and I'll definitely surpass you all."
However, before everyone could rejoice for long...
"You two idiots!!!"
Nami instantly transformed into a fierce, fanged figure, grabbing Luffy and Victor by the neck with one hand each and shaking them violently.
"What's there to be happy about?! That's thirty million and twenty-eight million!!"
"This means we'll become a prime target for the Navy!!"
Nami pointed at Viktor in despair:
"Especially you! Viktor! Now look what's happened, we're completely wanted criminals! How are we supposed to sail safely from now on?!"
"Calm down, calm down, Miss Navigator." Victor, despite being choked, still smiled.
...
As the news bird took flight, these two wanted posters, like two bombshells, quickly stirred up waves in the East China Sea and even around the world.
Windmill Village.
Inside the banquet bar.
Gentle Maginot looked at Luffy's radiant smile in the newspaper and couldn't help but smile with relief.
"It seems that Luffy has really found a great partner."
Village chief Wood Slap was so angry his beard trembled: "What kind of good thing is this! It's fate! It's damned fate! If that old bastard Karp finds out..."
Baratie Restaurant.
Zeff was sitting on the deck sharpening a dinner knife.
Paddy rushed over, newspaper in hand, shouting in a panic, "Boss! Look! It's those kids!"
Zeff took the newspaper and looked at the astonishing bounty and the photos of the two boys.
"snort."
He snorted coldly, but a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his lips:
"Those two brats... have they started causing trouble so soon?"
"Red Lotus…hey, it suits that little fire-playing brat quite well."
Xiluobu Village.
Inside the luxurious mansion.
Now that she had recovered, Kaya was sitting in the garden, happily flipping through the newspaper in her hand.
"Ah! Found it!"
Kaya's eyes suddenly lit up as she pointed to the corner of the background of Victor's wanted poster.
Against the backdrop of the raging flames, there was an extremely blurry black shadow.
But the outline of that long nose was so distinct.
"Pfft—"
Kaya couldn't help but laugh out loud, pointing at the shadow and saying to the sheep butler beside her:
"Merry, look! Usopp-san is right behind Victor-san! Although only his nose is showing…"
"But they are really active at sea, that's great."
Loguetown, the city of beginnings and endings.
A naval base office shrouded in smoke.
A burly man with a full head of white hair and two cigars dangling from his mouth is slamming two wanted posters on the table.
Smoker, the chain smoker.
He exhaled a thick smoke ring, his gaze lingering on the photos of Luffy and Victor for a long time.
"Straw Hat Luffy... 30 million."
"Red Lotus Victor… twenty-eight million."
Smoker picked up the Ten Hands, his eyes turning sharp and dangerous:
"How could such a peaceful place as the East China Sea produce two such troublesome individuals?"
"Killed that piece of trash, Rat? Hmph, although I hate that guy too, killing a Marine... is a serious crime."
"They have to pass through here if they want to get to the Grand Line."
"I will bury these pirates with my own hands in Loguetown."Chapter 70 Orange Trees and Windmills, Destination: Loguetown!
The day of parting finally arrived.
The morning sun shines on the harbor of Cocoyasi Village, and the Going Merry is ready to set sail.
Be careful! Don't damage the roots!
On the deck, Usopp was directing Johnny and Joseph to carefully transplant three lush orange trees onto the deck at the stern.
That's the orange tree Bellemere left behind; it represents Nami's deepest longing for her mother and hometown.
"Don't worry, Miss Nami!" Usopp wiped the grime from under his nose and patted his chest triumphantly.
"I'm a genius designer! I specially designed a small garden on the deck to ensure that these orange trees can enjoy the best sunshine and sea breeze!"
"Hmph, at least you're somewhat useful." Nami looked at the familiar orange trees, a hint of tenderness in her eyes.
At this moment, the riverbank was crowded with villagers who came to see him off.
Just as Luffy was about to board the ship, a calloused hand pressed down on his shoulder.
Police officer A-Jian, covered in wounds and with a windmill stuck in his hat, pulled Luffy aside with a serious expression.
"Straw Hat Boy".
Ah Jian pointed to the windmill spinning in the wind on his hat, his voice low and solemn:
"Do you know who this windmill was erected for? It was to bring a smile to the face of that child who always cried."
"Nami is in your hands now. But... if you dare make Nami's smile disappear..."
"I'll chase you to the ends of the earth, I won't let you go!!"
Despite the menacing warning, Luffy was not intimidated.
He pressed down on his straw hat, grinned, and revealed his signature smile:
"Hehehe! Viktor wouldn't!"
"..."
Ah Jian paused for a moment, then sighed helplessly, "You bastard... never mind, just get lost."
...
"Raise the sails! Set sail!!"
With Luffy's command, the Going Merry's white sails billowed, and it slowly sailed away from the port.
However, Nami was nowhere to be seen on the deck.
"Hey! Where's that woman? Did she change her mind?" Zoro asked, leaning against the mast, puzzled.
Just a dozen meters from the shore.
"Wait a moment!!"
A vibrant voice rang out.
Nami, carrying her pack, burst out from the crowd, leaped high into the air, and landed steadily on the stern railing of the Going Merry.
She turned around and looked at the villagers on the shore, waving goodbye with tears in their eyes and reluctant to part.
There was no heartfelt confession as I had imagined, nor a touching embrace.
Nami took a deep breath, then suddenly made a huge face at the shore, pulling her eyelids down and sticking out her tongue:
"Hehehe—!!"
Then, she suddenly lifted the hem of her shirt and shook it forcefully.
"Splash—"
Countless bulging wallets fell out of her clothes like raindrops, piling up on the deck.
Nami, clutching the pile of wallets, grinned like a cat that had just stolen some fish.
"Everyone!! Take care! I'll gladly accept your wallets!!"
This happened so fast that the villagers on the shore instinctively reached into their pockets.
It was completely empty.
After a brief silence.
"Damn it!!! That's my secret stash of money!!"
"You little thief!! Are you going to steal one more thing before you leave?!"
"Same old story!! Give me my money back!!"
The villagers, their veins bulging, brandished their fists and roared furiously at the departing boat.
However, as they shouted, their voices choked with emotion.
The angry expression gradually melted away, turning into tears streaming down her face.
Ah Jian held his hat, Nuoqi Gao covered his mouth, and all the villagers waved their hands frantically at this moment, shouting out their final blessings with all their might:
Goodbye!!! Nami!!!
"You must be happy!!!"
"Don't catch a cold!!"
Hearing the shouts behind her, Nami could no longer maintain that greedy, smug expression.
She turned away from the village, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam.
"Waaaaah... Everyone... Thank you..."
The girl knelt on the deck, clutching the pile of wallets, and cried her heart out in the sea breeze.
Much later.
The Merry had already sailed into the vast ocean, and the village of Cocoyasi had long since disappeared below the horizon.
Nami sat under the orange tree, still sobbing occasionally, her red eyes like a rabbit's.
"Give."
A slender hand reached out and handed her a steaming cup of orange tea.
Victor walked over at some point, and behind him, Clay was obediently perched on his shoulder.
"This is some leftover stock from Nochigo, specially brewed for you."
Viktor sat down next to Nami with a smile, gazing at the distant sea, his tone relaxed:
"Stop crying, or your eyes will swell up like walnuts."
"Nonsense! Mind your own business!" Nami took the teacup, giving him a disgruntled look, but a warm feeling welled up inside her.
"Oh, right."
Viktor seemed to suddenly remember something and pointed to the cabin behind him:
"The day before yesterday, I casually looted the ruins of Alon Amusement Park."
"Although the Navy took the lion's share, the Arlong Pirates still had some treasure and gold left..."
"I also added some interest for you, and it's all piled up in the warehouse."
Upon hearing the word "treasure".
"Buzz—!!"
Nami, who was still in tears and immersed in sadness a second ago, suddenly raised her head.
Those bright red eyes instantly transformed into a glittering gold Pele symbol!
"Really?!"
Nami threw down her teacup and rushed into the cabin. A moment later, her excited scream echoed from inside:
"Wow!! Gold! It's gold!! I'm rich!!"
Immediately afterward, Nami rushed out like a gust of wind, grabbed Viktor's arm, and fawned over him:
"Victor! You're such a good person!! I like you the most!!"
"..."
Viktor's body and smile froze.
Zoro, watching this scene, couldn't help but mutter with a dark expression:
"This woman... changes her expression so quickly."
Sanji, meanwhile, was biting his handkerchief and rolling around on the ground, crying out, "Waaah! I want to give Nami treasure too! I want Nami to hug me too!!"
After the initial commotion, the atmosphere on the ship became lively again.
"Alright, my men!"
Luffy occupied his VIP seat—the goat's head of the Going Merry—and excitedly pointed ahead, facing the sea breeze:
"We have all our crew now! We have a ship! We even have a bounty!"
"Where to next? Nami!"
Nami was in high spirits, holding a sea chart in her hand, pointing to a point in the east, her eyes sparkling:
"If we want to go to the Grand Line, we must pass through that place first."
"That's the final hurdle to entering the Grand Line, and it's also the legendary..."
Nami's voice rose a few decibels, tinged with a hint of awe:
"The place where the Pirate King Goldoro was born and executed."
"Loguetown!!"
"Roggetown?!"
Upon hearing the name, Luffy suddenly stood up, pressing his hands tightly against the straw hat on his head.
In those dark eyes, an unprecedentedly dazzling light suddenly erupted:
"The Pirate King... the place where he was born and died..."
"Yoshi!!"
Luffy raised his fist and shouted at the endless sea:
"It's decided! Full speed ahead!!"
"Target—Loguetown!!!"