NOVGO.NET [603] : Bounty of Six Billion Berries
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Amatsuki Toki shot Olvia a glare. Sure, she had traveled through time from eight hundred years ago, but that didn’t mean she had lived for eight hundred years.
However, after considering her strength, Amatsuki Toki realized that she was probably no match for Olvia, so she gave up on arguing…
“Is this Cocoyasi Village?”
The Pluton’s incredible speed had brought them to their destination in what felt like mere moments, leaving Nami utterly stunned by the ship’s capabilities. The journey that should have taken days had been compressed into hours.
To have a ship that could run so fast was simply unimaginable.
“It’s very poor, isn’t it?” Nami lowered her head in embarrassment.
Cocoyashi Village was indeed impoverished, its buildings bearing the scars of neglect and despair. Once upon a time, it had been a modest but comfortable place—never wealthy, but decent enough for honest folk to make their living.
Everything changed when Arlong arrived, his shadow falling across the village like a curse. Under the greedy pirate’s iron-fisted rule, the community had spiraled ever deeper into the abyss of poverty.
“Do you want to go and see Nami’s hometown with us?” Shin turned his head and asked Hancock and the others.
“Since it’s Nami’s hometown, of course we have to see it,” Olvia nodded.
Hancock, Robin, Amatsuki Toki, and Kalifa all followed Shin to Cocoyasi Village.
Momousagi stayed on the ship. Shin was quite at ease with her. He was not afraid that she would let Hina go, because he knew that she would never do that. He believed in her.
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“Nami, you’re back.”
The village sheriff Genzo called out in greeting, his weathered face a map of scars that gave him an unconsciously fearsome appearance. Each mark told a story of survival.
Those wounds had been carved into his flesh eight years ago by Arlong’s crew—a permanent reminder of the day their freedom died.
“Yes, I’m back.” Nami showed a big smile to Genzo.
Seeing her authentic smile, Genzo froze momentarily, as if witnessing something miraculous. He hadn’t seen Nami smile with such honest joy in what felt like an eternity.
Ever since Arlong’s arrival had cast its dark shadow, even when Nami smiled—it had always been a mask, forced and hollow.
Genzo could read the difference like an open book.
“Are they your friends?” Genzo’s gaze turned to Shin and the others, his eyes filled with doubt.
“Yes, you can consider us Nami’s friends,” Shin put his hand on Nami’s head and gently rubbed it.
Nami still wore her hair in that practical short style—cute enough in its way, but Shin could envision how stunning she’d look with flowing locks. He’d have to suggest she grow it out later, when the current crisis had passed.
“By the way, Nami, the fish-men from the Arlong Pirates came before, it seems they were looking for you,” Genzo said to Nami.
“If possible, your friends should leave quickly. That’s the wisest course. You understand better than anyone… Arlong’s crew won’t spare outsiders.”
Genzo sighed and said.
Looking at Nami, guilt flashed through his eyes like lightning. He knew exactly what impossible burden she carried on those young shoulders. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help.
Against Arlong’s thugs, Genzo was less than powerless. He was irrelevant.
“It’s fine. The village won’t live under Arlong’s shadow anymore,” Nami said, clenching her fists.
“Alright, Genzo, I’ll take my friends home first.” Nami waved her hand at Genzo and didn’t chat with him anymore.
“Come on, let’s go to my place. I have a sister.” Nami’s face showed a smile.
Her sister Nojiko wasn’t connected by blood, but such trivial details had never mattered to either of them.
On the winding path to Nami’s house, villagers who spotted her immediately scattered like frightened birds, disappearing into doorways and alleys.
A hint of loss unconsciously flashed in Nami’s eyes. Her work for Arlong had poisoned her reputation in the village like a spreading disease.
Except for Nojiko and Genzo—who viewed her as the daughter he’d never had—the other villagers wanted nothing to do with the “traitor” in their midst.
In their eyes, she was colluding with the Arlong Pirates.
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“Sister, I’m back.”
Nami called out with forced cheer. Soon, her blue-haired sister emerged from their modest dwelling.
Seeing Nami brought immediate, uncomplicated joy to Nojiko’s face. Her sister had been away for so long that worry had become Nojiko’s constant companion.
“Nami, are you okay?” Nojiko asked her.
She knew about Nami’s desperate, impossible plan to buy back the village from Arlong’s clutches. But Nojiko doubted—no, she knew—that Arlong would never honor any deal. Pirates rarely kept their word, and Arlong was worse than most.
“Oh, who are they?” Nojiko’s attention shifted to Shin’s impressive group.
Friends of Nami? The idea seemed almost impossible.
“Nojiko, they are my friends.” Nami showed a big smile and did not say their real identities.
No point in terrifying Nojiko with talk of Four Emperors and world-shaking power.
After that, they arrived at Nami’s house. Although she had earned plenty of Berries on her own, the house still looked modest—she had saved nearly everything. By now, she had almost one hundred million Berries set aside.
After a brief stay filled with stilted conversation, Shin caught Nami’s eye and signaled. They departed for their true destination: Arlong Park.
Arlong Park—that monument to fish-man supremacy where the tyrant held court with his entire crew of thugs and monsters.
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“Is it really okay?” Nami was a little nervous on the way to Arlong Park.
Shin could read her like an open book—in Nami’s traumatized mind, Arlong loomed as an unconquerable demon. Though Shin dismissed him as less than insignificant, Nami’s perspective had been shaped by years of fear.
Her terror of Arlong ran bone-deep, breeding persistent doubt about anyone’s ability to defeat him.
“Nami, don’t underestimate us. Trash like Arlong doesn’t even warrant Captain Shin’s personal attention.” Kalifa adjusted her glasses with practiced precision, her tone matter-of-fact.
“Fine, there’s no turning back anyway. Besides, even if I gathered all the money, Arlong would never honor our deal.”
Nami had believed it before, when youth and naivety still colored her world. But experiencing reality’s cruel lessons had forcibly opened her eyes.
She knew that even if she got one hundred million Berries, Arlong would never release her or the village. Back then, she’d simply had no other options to cling to.
“Let me put this in perspective, Nami. Do you have any idea what Shin’s bounty is?” Robin suddenly interjected with calculated timing.
At Robin’s question, confusion crossed Nami’s face. She had no idea what Shin’s bounty was, so she turned to Robin with curious eyes.
After all, a bounty often reflected strength—the stronger the pirate, the higher the price on their head.
“Six Billion Berries. Beginning to grasp the astronomical difference between him and Arlong?”
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