Inside Marine Headquarters, the discussion over Ron's actions had reached its conclusion.
Major Brannew's final words hung heavily in the air:
"The Marines's dignity cannot be violated. Issue a bounty—fifty million berries.
Wanted alive or dead. If encountered, eliminate on sight."
The officers in the room nodded solemnly.
In their eyes, it was not about morality or justice anymore.
It was about order—and control.
For the Marines, their authority was absolute.
Even a single man defying it had to be made an example of.
A few days later.
The Themis drifted calmly across the open sea.
Sunlight spilled across the deck, and gulls circled lazily overhead.
Ron unfolded a freshly purchased newspaper and bounty poster, the corners of his lips curving faintly.
"Fifty million berries?"
He studied the wanted notice bearing his face, his expression neither shocked nor afraid—only faintly amused.
"Too low," he muttered. "For everything I've done, that's pocket change."
He wasn't upset about being wanted.
He had expected it the moment he ended Colonel Nezumi's corruption with his own hands.
What bothered him was the insultingly small amount.
A man like him—defeating the East Blue's most dangerous pirates—shouldn't be treated like a small-time criminal.
He laughed quietly, shaking his head.
"So tell me, Marines… do you see me as a pirate now? Or just a bounty hunter who stopped following orders?"
Whatever they called him, it didn't matter.
Ron would walk his own path, bounty or not.
"W–wait, you've been wanted?!"
Nojiko gasped, clutching the newspaper she'd just snatched from his hands.
Ron only smiled. "Relax. It was bound to happen sooner or later."
Seeing how calm he was, Nojiko felt a strange wave of reassurance wash over her.
Even after everything, his steady confidence made the fear fade away.
Still, her brows furrowed.
"By the way… it's already late morning. Why hasn't Nami woken up yet?"
"Uh... well..." Ron paused, then forced a calm demeanor and said, "She's probably tired from the journey!"
"Oh?" Nojiko thought back to last night, the heart-pounding sounds seeming to still echo in her ears. She exchanged glances with Ron, her eyes shifting, a little flustered.
She hastily pulled out the map Nami had meticulously drawn. Changing the subject, she said, "Near the entrance to the Grand Line, there's a place called Loguetown. Should we go there to resupply?"
"There's a town near the entrance to the Grand Line," she said. "Loguetown. Maybe we should stop there for supplies."
"Loguetown, huh…" Ron nodded thoughtfully.
"That's fine. We'll stock up, get some better blades while we're at it."
The food supply from Cocoyasi was running low, and though they caught fish now and then, Ron's appetite was… enormous.
To him, good food, good company, and good drink were the true treasures of life.
Becoming a bounty hunter wasn't about greed—it was about freedom.
He refused to serve corrupt Marines or become a pirate who preyed on the weak.
He would live by his own code.
"We're almost there," Nojiko said, folding the map.
"I'll go wake Nami."
Ron's gaze lingered on her as she turned to leave.
Something about her today felt… different.
Her movements were a little gentler, her expression softer.
He chuckled under his breath. "Nojiko… you're changing too."
He didn't know what exactly had shifted between them since they left Cocoyasi, but he could feel it.
And the thought made him smile.
Loguetown — the "Town of Beginnings and Endings."
The birthplace of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
And the very stage upon which his legend had ended.
Because of its location near the entrance to the Grand Line, the town had become a bustling crossroads for bounty hunters, pirates, and merchants alike.
Ships of every shape and size crowded the harbor.
Flags from every corner of the East Blue fluttered in the wind.
The Themis glided slowly toward the docks, its white sails catching the light.
As they moored, sunlight streamed into the cabin, falling gently on Nami's face.
She stirred awake, eyes still hazy with sleep.
The first thing she saw was Ron's wanted poster pinned near the doorway.
Her heart clenched.
"Ron… they're serious about this," she whispered.
But when she stepped out onto the deck and saw him waiting for her, her worries softened.
"Be careful in Loguetown," she said, her voice low.
"The Marines here are different. Stronger. They won't hesitate if they recognize you."
Ron smiled, meeting her gaze.
"Don't worry, Nami. I always keep my promises."
For a brief moment, her hand lingered in his—
and neither of them spoke.
Nojiko noticed their exchange, rolling her eyes with an amused sigh.
"You two are hopeless," she muttered, half exasperated, half smiling.
When Ron finally disembarked, the sisters watched him from the rail.
"He'll be fine," Nojiko said quietly, mostly to reassure herself.
"I know," Nami whispered. "Still… I can't help worrying."
Her gaze lingered on Ron's back as he disappeared into the crowd—strong, confident, unstoppable.
And though she didn't say it aloud, the warmth in her chest said it all.
That night, under the moonlit sky of Loguetown, the Themis rested quietly in the harbor.
The sisters sat on deck, looking up at the stars.
"Nami, how are you feeling?" Nojiko asked with concern.
Nami smiled slightly, her eyes a little hazy: "I'm fine, truly." Perhaps because she was still savoring the memories of last night, her expression seemed a bit spaced out.
Seeing this, a playful smile curved Nojiko's lips: "Look at you, you didn't even eat breakfast. Was Ron a bit too much last night..." Before she could finish, she suddenly realized her slip-up and quickly stopped.
Nami's cheeks instantly turned crimson, her heart panicking: "Nojiko, how... how did you know? I clearly..." Her words were laced with shyness and surprise. Clearly, she hadn't expected her secret to be so easily seen through.
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