“One hundred thousand Berries for every adult.”
“Fifty thousand for every child…”
“Since today’s our first visit, we’ll only kill the ones who can’t pay!”
“And from now on, you’ll pay the same amount every month!”
Now that her secret had been exposed, Nami saw little point in continuing to hide it.
She might as well tell him everything.
“When those Fish-Men suddenly arrived and issued that cruel order, the peaceful life we’d known in our village was completely destroyed.”
“My family was poor.”
“Other than selling seasonal tangerines and whatever my adoptive mother occasionally earned from hunting, we had no other source of income.”
“Bellemere was already struggling just to raise two children on her own.”
“All the savings our family had amounted to barely more than one hundred thousand Berries.”
“And those monsters from the Grand Line…”
“Even if everyone in our village had sacrificed their lives fighting them, we still couldn’t have won.”
“Every boat capable of leaving the island was destroyed as soon as they arrived.”
“Even the Marine warship that came later was easily sunk.”
“The only way left to survive was to pay their outrageous tribute.”
“For us to live…”
“My adoptive mother, Bellemere, was shot dead by their leader, Arlong, right in front of us.”
Nami’s voice grew quieter.
“Afterward, they discovered my talent for surveying and drawing nautical charts.”
“They took me away.”
“In the end, Arlong and I made an agreement.”
“Something only I could do.”
“I would buy our village from him for one hundred million Berries.”
“But until then, I had to work for them and draw maps.”
“So I joined them.”
“And became the rotten lackey everyone in my village hated most.”
A dark expression covered Nami’s face.
She looked at Rook with a bitter smile.
“Arlong and his crew aren’t monsters you can defeat.”
“Arlong himself is terrifyingly strong.”
“They won’t allow me to cooperate with outsiders.”
“If they discover you helping me, there won’t be anywhere on this sea where you’ll be safe.”
“I was originally planning to quietly leave you at the next island.”
“But since you’ve already discovered everything, I’ll just say it clearly.”
“It’s still not too late.”
“Take your sword and your share of the treasure.”
“I’ll drop you off at the nearest island.”
“Forget everything about us becoming partners.”
“From then on, we’ll go our separate ways.”
“Neither of us needs to interfere in the other’s life.”
“And then what?”
Rook looked at her calmly.
“You go back to living like a pack mule, stealing treasure from pirates every day without knowing whether you’ll still be alive tomorrow?”
“Until one day you run into someone you can’t handle again?”
“And die in some forgotten corner where nobody ever finds you?”
“Until your body rots and fills with maggots?”
Nami fell silent.
Then she suddenly exploded.
Deep despair was buried beneath the fury in her eyes as she grabbed Rook by the collar.
“What does any of that have to do with you?!”
“My life belongs to me!”
“Whether I live or die is my choice!”
“What right do you have to interfere with my fate?!”
“Exactly.”
Rook met her eyes calmly.
“Like you said.”
“Whether I live or die is also my decision.”
“So let’s make an agreement.”
Nami stared coldly at him.
Rook continued.
“I don’t believe Arlong will let you go even if you manage to save one hundred million Berries.”
“They value your talent for surveying and drawing maps.”
“So until you’ve finished whatever they want you to make…”
“You, as the weaker side, have no ability to refuse them.”
“Everything you care about is already under their control.”
“They have countless ways to force you to keep obeying.”
“And even after you’ve finished everything they want…”
“They might kill you simply so no one else can ever make use of your talent.”
“That wouldn’t surprise me at all.”
“After all, they’re the ones who killed your mother.”
“Who would ever feel comfortable allowing a talented enemy who hates them to simply walk free?”
“Or perhaps they’ll cut off your arms and legs.”
“Gouge out your eyes.”
“And then tell you you’re finally free.”
Every cold word struck directly at the fear buried deepest in her heart.
Nami’s eyes trembled.
Her face turned deathly pale.
Her hands slowly released Rook’s collar.
Then her body went limp, and she sank onto the deck.
She had never truly been unable to imagine these possibilities.
She had simply refused to think about them too deeply.
Because she had no other choice.
She had deliberately preserved that fragile fantasy.
It was the belief that had kept her going.
And now—
The man in front of her had torn that illusion apart with cruel, merciless words.
Deep despair enveloped her.
Rook simply watched. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
There was no pity in his eyes.
Because this was the reality of their cruel world.
Nami was like this.
Hadn’t he been the same?
The only difference was that he had been lucky enough to acquire the power to choose his own future.
A long while passed.
Finally, the pale-faced Nami raised her head.
Her unfocused eyes gradually sharpened as she looked at him.
“What agreement?”
She looked like someone drowning who had managed to grab the first piece of driftwood within reach.
Rook sighed.
“I thought that might completely crush you.”
Nami pursed her lips.
For a moment, her eyes became distant as memories surfaced.
“Bellemere once told me…”
“As long as you keep struggling to live, plenty of happy things will eventually happen!”
“As long as I’m still alive, I’ll never give up.”
“Only while you’re alive do you still have possibilities.”
Rook looked at the kindhearted girl who fought to survive with the tenacity of a weed.
He smiled helplessly.
There was no love in this world without a reason.
But unfortunately—
He had taken a liking to her.
“Do you have a dream?”
Rook asked.
A faint light returned to Nami’s eyes.
She nodded.
“I want to draw nautical charts of the entire world.”
“And eventually…”
“I want to create a complete map of the world.”
Rook smiled.
“I want my footprints to reach every corner of this world.”
“I want to travel freely across this vast sea and meet all kinds of interesting people.”
“That’s my choice.”
“You could call it my dream too.”
“And if I want to achieve that dream, I need enough strength that no one can stand in my way.”
“So I’ll become stronger.”
“Stronger than anyone.”
“Your dream is ridiculously ambitious.”
Nami couldn’t resist poking at him.
“Nami.”
Rook ignored the thorns in her tone.
“Become someone who travels alongside me.”
“A real companion.”
“Our dreams fit together.”
“If I want to travel across the entire world, I need an exceptional navigator.”
“And if you want to map the entire world, you’ll also need powerful companions supporting you.”
“So for the sake of my dream…”
“Arlong is standing in my way too.”
“Which means…”
“He has given me every reason to kill him.”
Rook’s voice remained calm.
“One year.”
“Within one year, I’ll wipe out Arlong and his entire crew.”
“And once you’re free…”
“Do you want to sail the seas with me?”
Rook extended his hand.
Nami stared at him blankly.
He hadn’t said he would defeat Arlong for her.
Instead—
Arlong had become an obstacle standing in the path of both their dreams.
Something they had to overcome together.
A pest that needed to be removed.
Arlong was no longer only her enemy.
He was now their enemy.
That meant…
They could truly become companions.
“I don’t have the right to stop you from pursuing your own dream.”
Nami stared directly at Rook.
Gradually, light appeared in her eyes.
“And I definitely don’t want to end up being squeezed dry and discarded by Arlong like you said.”
“Rook…”
“Does what you said earlier still count?”
“I’ve said a lot today.”
Rook looked at her speechlessly.
“Be more specific.”
Nami rolled her eyes.
Then she placed her small, pale hand into his palm.
A bright smile gradually spread across her face.
“Rook.”
“Teach me how to fight.”
“My life isn’t going to be nothing but obedience and suffering.”
“If he refuses to leave me a path to survive…”
“Then I’ll carve one out with my own hands.”
Her expression became serious.
“Until we crush Arlong, we’ll form an alliance.”
“Because if we can’t get past him, then talking about our dreams is meaningless.”
“And if we do overcome him…”
“If I’m still alive afterward…”
“Then we’ll sail freely across the sea together.” New chapters come out on g.com first.
“You’ve decided?”
Rook asked with a smile.
Nami took a deep breath and nodded.
“I’ve decided.”
“Before, I didn’t have a choice.”
“But now…”
“I’ve found another option.”
“And this one feels a lot better.”
Then Nami looked at Rook seriously.
“But you have to promise me something.”
“Until you’re certain you can beat them, you absolutely cannot provoke Arlong and his crew.”
“Fish-Men are naturally born with ten times the strength of ordinary humans.”
“And Arlong is even stronger.”
“He has that razor-sharp saw-like nose.”
“Bones as hard as steel.”
“Teeth that continuously grow back.”
“And incredibly powerful jaws.”
“His bite is strong enough to crush a cannonball.”
“He’s a monster.”
As she described him, hatred filled Nami’s eyes.
But buried beneath it was unmistakable fear.
Rook’s gaze flickered.
He reached out and patted her head.
“Do you know that there are swordsmen capable of cutting steel?”
Nami looked up and tilted her head in confusion.
“Master swordsmen?”
“I’ve heard the world’s greatest swordsman, Hawkeye, is someone who can cut through anything.”
“Why?”
“I can already cut through rock with ease.”
Rook smiled faintly.
“As long as I reach the level where I can cut steel…”
“Arlong’s defenses will be no different from a sheet of paper to me.”
Nami stared at him in astonishment.
“I’m not telling you this to show off.”
Rook continued.
“I’m telling you because I’m not someone who makes empty promises.”
“It’s true that Fish-Men possess physical advantages over ordinary humans.”
“But most of the strongest people in this world…”
“Started as ordinary humans.”
“The Pirate King.”
“Hero Garp.”
“Fleet Admiral Sengoku.”
“The three Marine Admirals.”
“And many others.”
Rook looked at Nami.
“If Arlong is really as powerful as he seems to you…”
“Then why did he come all the way out here to a corner of the East Blue to act like a king?”
“Why isn’t he roaming freely across the far more magnificent Grand Line, the place people call the center of the world?”
“And if Fish-Men are naturally so powerful…”
“Why are they considered premium merchandise in slave markets?”
Nami blinked.
Rook’s voice remained calm.
“Perhaps Arlong and his crew are nothing more than defeated strays.”
“Losers who were eliminated by the Grand Line.”
“Failures who could only flee to the East Blue and bully ordinary civilians so they could pretend they were powerful.”
“Stupid failures?”
Nami murmured thoughtfully.
Then she frowned.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Even if they’re failures, they’re still far stronger than me.”
“You said you want to become stronger.”
Rook looked directly into her eyes.
“Then remember this.”
“You cannot keep fearing them in your heart.”
“You can be wary of them.”
“You can treat them as the enemies you need to surpass.”
“But you cannot fear them.”
“You cannot believe, deep down, that they’re unbeatable.”
“Because once fear controls you…”
“You’ll hesitate when the moment comes to face them.”
“Remember this.”
“When your body encounters an enemy it cannot defeat…”
“Your will may be the only thing keeping you alive.”
Nami nodded somewhat blankly.
She didn’t completely understand.
But somehow—
The words sounded right.
After a while, Nami had recovered much of her spirit.
The light in her eyes seemed different now.
She stood up and stretched.
Then she turned her head.
The final orange-red glow of sunset fell across the side of her face.
Light and shadow divided her figure almost perfectly—
As though silently foreshadowing something.
Suddenly, Nami looked curious.
“By the way…”
“I don’t think I’ve ever shown you how good I actually am at navigation.”
“So why do you have so much confidence in me?”
“Why are you so certain that someday I’ll be able to guide you across the world?”