Boom!
That one sentence made Nami's mind explode.
He knew everything all along!
Staring blankly into Jin's eyes, Nami felt as if the secrets buried in her heart had suddenly been exposed, leaving her completely unguarded. But as she came back to her senses, the fear of Arlong surged up once more, and she shouted in a panic.
"What do you know?! Those Fishmen aren't as simple as you think!"
"Everyone who's tried to defeat them over the years has died! Even if you're strong, you can't underestimate them!"
"Otherwise—you'll die too!"
After spending time with the Straw Hats, and seeing the Yinglong phenomenon in Syrup Village, Nami was sure Jin was strong.
But the trauma she'd carried since childhood made the Fishmen seem even more terrifying.
Years ago…
Her nightmare began the moment Hatchan revealed that her family had three members.
Arlong shot her mother. She was dragged away by the neck and forced to join the Arlong Pirates in shame...
Those bitter, unforgettable memories had carved themselves deep into her heart for years.
That was why she didn't want this nightmare to spread to anyone else.
Even though she hadn't known Jin long, she could tell he was different from those despicable pirates.
He didn't belong in the filth—he shouldn't be exposed to that danger.
Now, she was only a few million Berries away from fulfilling her deal with Arlong and buying back her village.
She couldn't risk it all!
"Nami…"
Seeing Nami crouched on the ground, helpless and sobbing, Kaya began to panic.
The orange-haired sister who could even talk back to Jin—why had she suddenly crumbled like this?
Kaya crouched down beside her and held her shoulders. "Don't be scared, Nami. Jin-nii and I will help you."
"Help me…? No. You can't help me."
Nami shook her head bitterly. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.
She looked like a hopeless, trembling kitten—it tugged at the heartstrings.
Jin didn't say anything more.
He wasn't some knockoff Naruto who could talk-no-jutsu away someone's trauma.
This was an eight-year-long nightmare. It wasn't going to disappear just like that.
The scene grew silent for a while.
With Kaya holding her, Nami bit her lip, her eyes darting, unsure… and then clenched her teeth.
Suddenly, she pulled up the sleeve on her left arm, revealing a tattoo on her fair skin.
"This is the mark of the Arlong Pirates… I'm actually one of them."
"Just like I cooperated with the Straw Hats, I only joined you for your Berries."
"I'm sorry, but I had to. I know just how strong those Fishmen really are."
"To them, we humans are nothing more than lowly trash. We can't resist…"
Saying that, Nami slumped onto the deck like a deflated balloon, covering her face as she cried.
She didn't believe Jin could remain unmoved by all this. At the very least, he would come to hate her, right?
But she didn't care—as long as Jin didn't do something foolish, he could hate her all he wanted.
She poured out everything she had bottled up: her hidden past, her deal with Arlong, even her plan to buy back the village with money.
"One hundred million Berries?!"
Kaya gasped and covered her mouth. "So you've been stealing treasure all this time… just for that?"
This rich girl could never have imagined that Nami, who was only a few months older than her, carried such a painful burden.
Jin, standing beside them, listened with an unexpectedly calm expression.
He slowly crouched down, gently wiped the tears from Nami's cheeks, and spoke softly:
"Nami… carrying all this pain while waiting for salvation—it must hurt, doesn't it?"
"Jin?" Nami looked at him with teary eyes.
"Revealing your identity, forcing out those lies… clearly you want someone to rely on. So why keep hurting yourself?"
He caressed her cheek, his voice full of compassion.
"Trust me, my Nami. The nightmare you believe in—it's not as scary as you think."
Looking into his sincere eyes, Nami's breathing quickened, her gaze filled with emotion.
Jin continued, piercing straight into her heart:
"They're nothing more than conniving cowards. And this so-called one hundred million Berry deal—do you really think Arlong will honor it?"
"…"
Nami's heart pounded at his words. Her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned pale.
Of course she had wondered if Arlong might go back on his word.
But she didn't dare think too deeply about it.
Because for her, finishing that deal was all she had. It was the one thing keeping her going through eight years of hell. Her only hope.
So she forced herself to stay calm and muttered,
"Arlong has always been serious about money. I believe… he'll keep his promise."
"I've nearly saved up the hundred million. Soon I'll be able to buy the village back and finally—"
But before she could finish,
Jin flicked her forehead.
"Naive! Do you really think he'd let you go after you brought in one hundred million Berries?"
"Here's the truth—he's colluding with that rat-faced Navy captain. They've already planned to seize all your money."
"The moment you go back, that mouse will accuse you of theft and confiscate everything, forcing you to start all over again."
As soon as he said it, Nami looked like she'd been struck by lightning.
Her lips trembled uncontrollably. She wanted to protest, but couldn't get a word out.
Jin wouldn't say something like this without being sure.
The Navy… working with pirates?
What was she supposed to do now?
Fear, helplessness, anger—every emotion surged through her mind, leaving her dazed.
Seeing her like that, Kaya's compassion overflowed. She asked gently:
"Jin-nii… are you really confident you can beat those Fishmen?"
Jin gazed out at the sea, his tone calm.
"Relax. I've been filleting fish at the Mart for ten years. My heart's colder than a knife."
"Fishmen or not—they're just fish to me. Cleaning them is no big deal."
Seeing his calm and confident expression, Kaya relaxed completely.
Because she knew—her husband would never lie.
As for Nami, she was already out of options.
Clutching the tattoo on her left arm, she muttered,
"Why… even though it's so dangerous…"
"Dangerous?"
Jin crouched down and held her shoulders.
Pulling her soft, trembling body into his embrace, he gently bit her earlobe and whispered,
"For you… I'm not afraid of danger."
"Because… I like you."
[End of Chapter]