"With a new companion joining, of course, we're having a feast!"
"Exactly! Exactly!"
Luffy and Usopp, the two most playful guys, immediately cheered.
Not just them, but even Sanji, Zoro, and even Nami had smiles on their faces.
"A feast is definitely happening, but before that, let's discuss our next sailing destination."
What was once a small, pretend Pirate Crew of a few individuals had now become a formidable Pirate Crew.
Link, watching the straw hat Pirate Crew take shape, also felt deeply moved.
"What do you say, Captain?"
Link looked at Luffy; often, a ship's voyage is decided by its captain.
"The Grand Line, of course!"
Luffy only had one place in his mind.
"The Grand Line, huh? We'll definitely go there, so let's make that our next main objective."
Link first affirmed it, and then~
"But before heading to the Grand Line, we can first take care of some slightly troublesome loose ends."
"Loose ends?"
Under the puzzled gazes of Luffy and the others, Link slowly looked towards Nami.
Then, a bounty poster suddenly appeared in his hand.
Nami had been listening quietly, but upon seeing Link's gaze and the bounty poster in his hand, her face immediately lost all color.
"Nami?"
Luffy also felt something was amiss when he saw this, and he looked at the photo on the bounty poster.
"Fish-Man Arlong, bounty 20 million berries?"
The name "Arlong" immediately made Johnny and Joseph, the two subordinates, change their expressions.
Then, under everyone's confused gazes, they explained everything about Arlong.
They also took the opportunity to briefly explain the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Because whenever Arlong was mentioned, Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea, a Seven Warlords of the Sea from the Fish-Man Race who once fought alongside him, would also be brought up.
While Johnny and Joseph were explaining, Link quietly watched Nami.
Her face had become completely expressionless again, seemingly very calm.
Everyone listened to their explanation about Arlong, then looked at Link and Nami with some confusion.
They didn't understand how this Fish-Man Pirate had suddenly become involved.
"I've seen Arlong's flag and the symbols of his members before."
Amidst everyone's confusion, Link began to speak proactively.
This was for Luffy and the others, and also for Nami.
"If I'm not mistaken, that's its symbol, right?"
Saying this, Link looked at Nami's left shoulder.
There, peculiar blue and red patterns intertwined.
"Is that Arlong's symbol?"
Luffy and the others hadn't paid much attention before, but after Link said that, they looked closely.
"That's right!"
Seeing that Link had said so much, Nami stopped pretending.
After a flicker of sadness in her eyes, her face became resolute.
"I am a member of the Arlong Pirates."
She stated this fact calmly.
As Luffy and the others stared in shock, she looked at Link with calm eyes, a slight emptiness within them:
"When did you find out?"
"I found out the first time I met you. Back then, I was wondering why someone from the Arlong Pirates would come out to steal extra money," Link replied.
"I see."
A hint of self-mockery and understanding flashed in Nami's eyes.
"It's Link, after all. You can find out information about Morgan, Buggy, and even Kuro so clearly, so naturally, knowing my identity as a small member of the Arlong Pirates would be easy for you."
"That's right, I joined you all simply to get closer to you, to gain your trust, and then to seize an opportunity to steal the treasures on the ship..."
"I'm just a thief who loves to steal valuables. Now you all know my true colors!"
Nami finished saying everything she wanted to say in one breath, and then felt her heart empty.
Her journey with them was probably over.
"Nami (Big Sister)..."
Usopp and the two subordinates listened, dumbfounded.
Luffy's silly grin faded, replaced by an expressionless face.
Sanji silently lit a cigarette for himself, while Zoro calmly watched Nami.
The atmosphere suddenly became a bit subtle.
Nami stubbornly stared at Link, waiting for him to deal with her, to reprimand her severely.
However, in Nami's line of sight, Link suddenly smiled.
"Rip."
The Arlong bounty poster in his hand was crumpled into a ball of waste paper.
"Eight years ago, the Sun Pirates, representing the Fish-Men on the Grand Line, fell apart. A group of Fish-Men led by Arlong broke away and came to Cocoyasi Village in the East Blue."
Link spoke softly, slowly recounting everything, "At that time, they, as rulers, demanded tribute from every village based on headcount. Those who couldn't pay were all executed."
Nami was originally expressionless, until—