Night fell.
The streets of Cocoyasi Village were brilliantly illuminated.
The villagers had all gathered in the square; glasses clinked and laughter filled the air as smiles refused to fade from their faces.
Uncle Genzo, the village officer, dragged a large rock from somewhere and stood on top of it, his face flushed with drink.
Usually a stern and serious man, he seemed like a different person now as he brought a megaphone to his lips and shouted.
"Today! Is the happiest day our village has seen in years!"
"Because! The Arlong Pirates, who occupied us for eight years!! Who exploited us for eight years!! Who made our little Nami suffer for eight long years!!"
"Today!! They have been defeated!!!"
The veins on Genzo's neck pulsed as his face turned even redder, clearly putting every ounce of his strength into that final declaration.
The entire street fell silent for a single heartbeat.
Then, every villager threw their arms up and cheered, the sheer volume making the ground tremble.
"Oooooh!! The Arlong Pirates are finished!!"
"We never have to live like that again!!"
The cheers went on and on. Many villagers were laughing through tears, their faces alight with emotion.
For eight years, they had endured countless hardships and lived in constant fear just to survive under Arlong's rule.
Now, they were finally free from that oppressive nightmare!
Genzo raised the jug in his hand and took a deep swig, his eyes misting over as he watched the celebration.
'Bell-mere, did you see that? The bastard who killed you finally got what he deserved.'
'And little Nami... she doesn't have to carry that heavy burden anymore. She can finally embrace her new life with freedom.'
'Bell-mere, you can rest easy now while you watch over us from above!'
After a long while, once the noise died down slightly, Genzo raised his megaphone once more.
"Now! Who was it that helped us? Who made all of this possible!?"
The villagers shouted without a moment's hesitation.
"Nami's friends!!"
"That's right!" Genzo pointed toward a corner.
Over there, Goku was busy devouring a roasted suckling pig, seemingly oblivious to the cheers and the fact that he was the center of attention.
"He is one of Nami's companions! Son Goku! He's the one who successfully took down Arlong himself!!"
Genzo bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Huh? Is someone calling my name?"
Goku only looked up when he heard his name. He blinked, looking utterly confused and adorable with his mouth full.
"Oooooh!!"
"Goku!! Goku!! Goku!!"
The men sitting around Goku couldn't wait any longer. As soon as Genzo said his name, they swarmed him, hoisted him over their heads, and tossed him high into the air.
"Whoa! Hey! What are you doing? I haven't finished eating yet!"
Goku cried out mid-air, his only concern being the half-eaten pig he had left behind.
When the men finally set him down and he tried to return to his meal, a crowd of women surrounded him. Ignoring the grease on his face, they vied to pull him into their arms, affectionately rubbing their cheeks against his.
"Aww!! He's so cute!!"
"Me too!! I want a hug! Let me hold him!!"
Watching this from a distance, Sanji's eyes lit up with excitement. He whipped his head toward Genzo, staring at him with desperate anticipation.
'Hurry, hurry! It's my turn next! Talk about me!!'
As if hearing his internal plea, Genzo pointed at him and shouted again.
"And look! Here is Nami's other partner! Sanji! He defeated many fishmen single-handedly and made an incredible contribution!!"
The villagers cheered again.
"Oooooh!!"
"Sanji!! Sanji!! Sanji!!"
Just like before, a group of men rushed over and tossed Sanji high into the air.
But Sanji wasn't enjoying the toss; instead, he kept scanning the crowd, trying to guess which women would pounce on him afterward.
'Will it be that girl over there who looks as cute as Nami-san!?'
'Wait! Over here too! Ah! Such a gentle, mature, and curvaceous beauty! Could it be her!?'
'Hmm? That spirited short-haired girl is fine too! Will I be so blessed?'
"If they all surround me, then I..."
He wore a foolish grin, completely lost in his own delusions.
A moment later, the villagers set him down and went back to their drinks and food.
Sanji stood there with a goofy smile, arms wide and eyes closed, waiting for the beauties to throw themselves into his embrace.
Whoosh... Whoosh...
A chilly breeze blew past, making Sanji shiver.
After waiting for what felt like an eternity, he tentatively opened one eye, only to find himself completely alone. Not a single woman was heading his way.
In an instant, the color drained from his face. He hung his head in despair, a thick aura of gloom surrounding him.
"Waaaah!!"
"Why? Why?!!"
"Life is so unfair!!!"
...
On the other side, Goku finally managed to wiggle out from the crowd of women. His face was no longer covered in grease, but it was now plastered with red lipstick marks.
He wiped his face with a look of pure disgust, annoyed by the saliva. "Seriously, why are women like this?" he grumbled.
He remembered how Gion had caught him off guard with a kiss before, but this was on another level. He couldn't even count how many women had kissed his cheeks.
If his words had reached the ears of a certain heartbroken man nearby, that man would have grabbed him by the collar and roared with gritted teeth:
"Don't you know that's every man's greatest dream!?"
"If you don't want it, give it to me!!!"
"Here, Goku. I brought you a roasted beef leg."
Nami approached with a bright smile, holding a massive piece of meat.
"You probably didn't get enough to eat earlier. This is Uncle Baru's secret recipe; the flavor is one of a kind!"
She had been keeping an eye on him and noticed that he had been dragged away before he could finish his suckling pig.
By now, that pig was long gone, and even if he found it, it was probably covered in dust.
So, she had tracked down Uncle Baru and asked for this beef leg specifically for Goku.
"Wow! Nami, you're the best!"
At the sight of food, Goku's eyes sparkled. Forgetting to wipe his face, he snatched the leg and took a massive, satisfied bite.
"Mmm! This really is delicious!"
Seeing how happy he was, Nami smiled. She watched him eat for a moment before quietly slipping away from the festive street.
...
On a cliff overlooking the sea, a simple cross stood over a mound of earth.
This was where Bell-mere was buried.
A figure was already there, standing silently.
It was Uncle Genzo, with his signature windmill hat.
"You're here, Nami."
Without turning around, Genzo recognized her footsteps.
"Yeah."
Nami stepped out of the shadows, the silvery moonlight illuminating her calm yet slightly sorrowful eyes.
She sat down cross-legged in front of the grave, her gaze fixed tenderly on the cross.
"Bell-mere, I've come to see you."
She began to whisper to Bell-mere, recounting everything she had experienced lately.
From the moment she set out to sea, to meeting Goku and becoming his partner.
From how she stopped stealing with Goku's help, to how they started hunting pirates and successfully earned a hundred million Berries.
Then meeting Sanji, and how Goku and the others ignored her promise to chase after her all the way to the Conomi Islands to help her defeat Arlong's crew...
She talked on and on.
Sometimes she laughed, sometimes she sounded annoyed, and sometimes she choked back a sob.
Behind her, Genzo eventually slipped away.
A small windmill on the grave spun round and round in the breeze.
Beside it, a single blade of grass that had recently sprouted swayed gently, as if Bell-mere were giving Nami a soft smile.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]