Chapter 23: Landing
"Hey, hey, what's going on?"
"I don't know!"
"Why did Nami bring a man back? They look awfully close!"
"Could that be... a boyfriend she found outside?"
"Unbelievable!"
"Nami looks genuinely happy today."
"..."
The villagers of Cocoyasi Village whispered from behind their windows, pointing at the two figures on the street with surprised expressions.
Although they cared deeply for Nami, they deliberately acted cold and disgusted to avoid becoming a burden to her. Therefore, even though they were burning with curiosity, they couldn't just walk up and ask.
"This is where I grew up. There's an orange grove ahead, and my house is right there!"
Nami wrapped her arms around Apollo's neck, whispering with a giggle.
Just moments ago, the street had been full of people, but the instant the two appeared, everyone vanished. In the past, Nami would have felt a sting of sadness, but today she didn't care at all. She knew this situation was about to end completely.
Apollo gave a faint smile. "They all care about you, you know."
Nami chuckled. "How could that be? I have a terrible reputation around here. You could say I'm infamous!"
She had already told Apollo everything about her situation—including Belle-mère's death and her deal with Arlong.
"But what I said is true. Although they deliberately kept their voices down, I could still hear them clearly." Apollo's tone started serious, then quickly turned playful. "They're all very curious about my identity. Many people suspect I'm the boyfriend you brought home."
"Is that true?"
Nami's face froze, and her emotions suddenly became complicated.
Everyone... they still cared about her?
She thought all that was left for her here was disgust. The grievances and hardships of the past eight years seemed to dissipate in that single moment.
Just then, a middle-aged man in a police uniform, with a pinwheel stuck in his hat and a face covered in scars, jumped out and blocked their path. He pointed a shaking finger at Apollo. "Nami, who... who is he?"
"Genzo."
Nami smiled happily. "He's here to help us defeat Arlong."
The police officer's face changed instantly. He instinctively looked left and right, checking for spies, then growled in a hushed tone, "Nami, do you realize what you're saying?"
Nami's smile didn't falter. "Genzo, I know exactly what I'm saying!"
Genzo didn't waste another second. He grabbed Apollo's arm and quickly dragged him away from the main street.
He had only jumped out impulsively because he saw Nami bring a man back and instinctively felt his daughter figure was being taken advantage of. He hadn't expected to hear such a shocking answer.
Defeat Arlong? Can such a monster even be defeated by humans?
Genzo thought grimly.
He wasn't worried about the law or the chaos; he was worried Nami had been deceived. Although Nami was incredibly intelligent, he knew very well that a woman in love could be blinded.
That's right. He felt their relationship was unusual.
In his eyes, the way Nami was hugging him so tightly and looking so dependent was clearly a sign of being deeply in love. (In reality, she was just afraid Apollo would run away.)
If this kid had deceived Nami, or if Nami had a wrong understanding of his strength, not only would her years of effort be in vain, but she would also be in mortal danger!
Genzo could ignore many things, but he would never allow Nami's life to be threatened.
Genzo ran all the way. Although Apollo walked leisurely, looking as if he were strolling through a park, he didn't fall behind at all.
The three quickly left Cocoyasi Village proper. A large orange grove appeared before them, and a purple-haired girl was busy working among the trees.
Seeing her from afar, Nami waved her hand. "Nojiko!"
The purple-haired girl put down her tools and looked over at the sound.
"Nami, you're back? And Genzo... Huh?"
Nojiko instinctively rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Nami finally hopped down from Apollo's back.
Nojiko walked over, her gaze filled with awe and confusion as she looked at Apollo. "Nami, who is...?"
"Nojiko, he's here to help us defeat Arlong!" Nami said excitedly.
Nojiko's reaction was no different from Genzo's. She exclaimed, "Nami, haven't you almost saved up the 100 million? Why did you suddenly change your mind? And... can a monster like Arlong really be defeated?"
"Not a single Berry of my money will go to Arlong!"
Nami said firmly, then smiled brightly and patted Apollo's shoulder. "Don't worry. Apollo is very strong. He can definitely defeat Arlong!"
Nojiko looked puzzled.
Although she didn't immediately assume Nami was blinded by love like Genzo did, she was intensely curious about who Apollo was to give Nami such unshakeable confidence.
Arlong Park.
"Didn't I say we're looking for a woman, you fish-bastard!"
Zoro coldly glared at Usopp beside him.
If this guy hadn't tied him up when he wasn't paying attention, how would they have ended up in such a miserable situation?
Unlike the original story, because Nojiko hadn't intervened, Usopp was caught by the Fish-Men not long after he ran.
Usopp gave an embarrassed smile, not daring to meet Zoro's gaze. Contrary to his expectations, the Fish-Men were still alive and well, but Apollo was nowhere to be seen.
Now that both he and Zoro were captured, with only the unreliable Yosaku left somewhere out there, he felt a dark future looming.
Arlong looked down at them. "Shahahaha! How dare a lowly human speak such words? This is the first time, so I'll spare you. If there's a next time..."
He made a throat-slitting gesture and said proudly, "We Fish-Men are 'evolved humans,' a supreme race that can breathe in the sea! Our natural abilities alone are far superior to yours! Remember this: Fish-Men are the lords of all creation! Humans resisting Fish-Men is like resisting the laws of nature!"
Zoro looked at him as if he were an idiot.
Just then, a Fish-Man suddenly spoke up. "Lord Arlong, I recognize him! He seems to be that famous Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro!"
"Pirate Hunter?"
Arlong's lips curled into a sneer, his face full of disdain. "So you're after my head? Well, my bounty is 20 million, the highest in the East Blue. Too bad, you lowly humans are no match for me!"
Zoro snorted. "Idiot fish-bastard."
Arlong's face immediately darkened. "Very well! Kill them and throw them into the sea to feed the sharks!"
"I can't die here!"
Zoro gritted his teeth, desperately trying to think of a way to escape.
Usopp was in tears, sprawled on the ground like a dehydrated fish. "It's over, it's over! It's all Nami's fault, that traitor! We're all going to die because of her."
"Wait!"
Hearing this, Arlong waved his hand, stopping the Fish-Men who were about to execute them. He asked expressionlessly, "You know Nami?"
Zoro spoke calmly. "We came looking for her."
Arlong tapped his fingers against his arm. "A Pirate Hunter looking for Nami..."
A Fish-Man exclaimed, "Lord Arlong, could they be Nami's allies, here to deal with us?"
Arlong sneered. "Whether they are or not, we'll know by asking Nami! Lock them up first; we'll deal with them later."
Before being dragged away, Zoro seized the opportunity to ask, "What is Nami's relationship with you?"
Arlong laughed heartily. "Nami? She's an executive of the Arlong Pirates! Shahahahaha!"
"What?!"
Usopp and Zoro's eyes widened instantly.
After they were taken to the dungeon, Arlong's expression turned cold. "Nami is back? Why hasn't she come to Arlong Park?"
A Fish-Man stepped forward to report. "Lord Arlong, rumors say someone saw Nami near Cocoyasi Village."
"Cocoyasi Village? Nami really loves that village! Speaking of which, she must be close to gathering the 100 million Berries, right?"
Arlong showed a mocking expression.
"It should be about that much, Lord Arlong. Are you going to break the agreement?"
"Of course not! I will never betray a monetary agreement." Arlong smiled sinisterly. "However... if she loses the money herself, then it's not my fault, is it? Shahahahaha!"
The other Fish-Men laughed along. "That's right! We can't just let go of such a talented cartographer."
"Let's go."
Arlong stood up, his tall, muscular frame radiating a powerful sense of oppression. "I happen to have business in Cocoyasi Village. I'll go personally to bring our dear cartographer back. Shahahahaha!"
Hey everyone! If you want to read ahead, consider joining my Patreon. Patrons get 40 chapters in advance, with 20 chapters unlocked instantly when you join. I also post 4 new chapters every day across all my series, available to every tier.
Patreon: https://patreon.com/anish_44
Hey everyone, I really need to be honest with you all. With the recent wave of Patreon cancellations, things have become financially difficult for me, and it's getting harder to keep everything running smoothly. If you've been enjoying the translations and want to support me, please consider joining Patreon—it truly makes a huge difference.
I'm also planning to take on new fics. Just comment the genres or specific titles you want to see translated, and I'll pick them up. If there's a novel or fanfic you believe deserves a proper translation, tell me—I'm open to expanding and giving you more variety.
Your support keeps this work alive. Thank you for sticking with me.