Hearing this, Allen glanced outside, put down his work, and walked out.
Arriving at the bow deck, his pirate coat fluttering in the wind, Allen gazed into the distance. Floating on the calm sea was a large cluster of islands.
That was the Conomi Islands, where the Arlong Pirates ruled over more than twenty villages.
As the distance steadily closed, the pirates on board gathered on the bow deck one after another.
Allen took out a nautical chart to confirm their position.
Landing directly near Arlong Park would be troublesome. Even he couldn't fight that many Fish-Men in the water, so they had to avoid their eyes and ears by circling around to the side.
Their planned landing spot was Gosa Village, located two islands away from Arlong's stronghold. In between them lay Cocoyasi Village, which was Nami's hometown.
On this trip, he came for both Arlong and Nami. Before going to war with Arlong, he had to make a trip to Cocoyasi Village first.
He actually had navigators on his ship, conscripted from Don Krieg's crew.
However, these navigators were all self-taught amateurs without systematic training. Their knowledge and experience were limited to the East Blue. Relying on them to navigate the Grand Line was simply too risky.
Therefore, recruiting an excellent navigator was his final preparation before entering the Grand Line.
Recruiting Nami would naturally be the best outcome. If he couldn't, he would just have to try his luck in Loguetown.
But aside from Nami, Arlong was equally important to him.
This was not only a battle for Allen to make a name for himself and his pirate crew, but also a perfectly planned target to accumulate his first fortune before entering the Grand Line.
Ever since Arlong began ruling this place eight years ago, he had collected a monthly protection fee from the villagers under his control: 100,000 Berries for adults and 50,000 Berries for children.
Although the villages in this world were small in scale, and the cruel rule had surely caused a significant loss of population, twenty villages could still scrape together several hundred to a thousand people.
Arlong had been entrenched here for eight long years. The total fees he had collected were simply incalculable. No matter how much he spent, he had definitely saved up a massive fortune.
In Allen's mind, Arlong was the biggest cash cow in the entire East Blue. How could he not come and fleece him before leaving?
...
Soon, the pirate ship slowly docked at the shore.
Allen looked up at the sky. It was still early for dinner, so he ordered the men behind him,
"Prepare to disembark and set up camp. Gin, stay behind and guard the ship. Sanji and the Nyaban Brothers, arrange the tasks for your divisions, then bring a few men and follow me to the village."
"Yes, sir."
"Got it."
The few of them nodded in response.
A moment later, the pirates disembarked one after another and began busying themselves under Gin's leadership.
Sanji called up Karl's squad, and the Nyaban Brothers called up Randy's squad. A total of thirteen men stood ready to go.
Allen jumped off the ship and led them toward the village.
As soon as they arrived in the town, the sight before them left the pirates dumbfounded and shocked.
"What... what happened here?"
"It's an absolute disaster!"
"Did a tsunami hit this place?"
Along both sides of the village's main road, every single house had been overturned, smashed upside down into the ground in a dilapidated state.
Sanji frowned. After a brief observation, he ruled out the possibility of a tsunami.
"These houses are lined up too neatly, and they are all flipped over on their original foundations. This must be man-made."
Sanji walked up to one of the houses, crouched down, and touched a broken pillar. He said in a deep voice,
"Looking at the fracture marks, I'm afraid they were destroyed by brute force, as if someone forcibly flipped them over."
"What...?"
Hearing this, the crowd found it somewhat unbelievable. Sham couldn't help but look at Buchi.
"Forcibly flipping over a house, could you do that?"
"Are you kidding me? What do you take me for?"
Buchi rolled his eyes at him in annoyance, then muttered,
"Though, if Jango used his hypnosis on me, I might be able to give it a try."
"Jango the Hypnotist, huh..."
Hearing this, Allen also thought of the technique Jango used to hypnotize his subordinates.
That move could remove the brain's limits on the hypnotized person's body, allowing them to unleash their full strength. Although there were side effects afterward, it was still considered a pretty good technique.
Unfortunately, Allen had no use for it. Possessing the Demon Brain, he could easily achieve this on his own, which was much more convenient than bringing a human cheat code along during a fight.
Retracting his thoughts, Allen continued advancing into the village.
"Let's go. This was likely the work of the Arlong Pirates. Rumor has it they collect exorbitant protection fees from the villagers here every month. If even one person can't pay, it brings destruction upon the entire village."
"Those Fish-Men did this? That's way too exaggerated."
Looking at the tragic scene around them, Sham couldn't help but mutter. He then hurriedly caught up with Allen's footsteps, asking,
"Boss, where are we going next?"
"To the neighboring town to see if anyone is alive. I heard there's a human girl among the Arlong Pirates' officers who has pretty impressive navigation skills," Allen replied casually.
"Oh? A human girl?"
Hearing this, Sanji couldn't help but shoot him a second glance. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he chuckled softly,
"So you already had a candidate for our navigator. For you to specifically come to Arlong's territory to snatch someone, this girl must be incredibly cute."
"What the hell does being cute have to do with it?"
The Nyaban Brothers rolled their eyes, unable to hold back their retort.
Sanji turned his head with a look of disgust. "You two are too noisy. Keep blabbering and I'll kick you into the sea to feed the fishes."
"So sorry!"
"We'll shut up right now, hehe."
The Nyaban Brothers awkwardly waved their hands in surrender.
Soon, the group passed through the village and followed the extending main road toward the neighboring Cocoyasi Village.
At the same time.
On the southeast shore of Cocoyasi Village, a caravel with a white sheep's head figurehead slowly docked. A pirate flag hung from the mast, featuring a skull wearing a yellow straw hat.
If Allen were here, he would definitely recognize the ship's identity at a single glance.
From the cabin, a girl with cute, short orange hair walked out, dragging a large, heavy sack of treasure behind her.
"I'm finally back again, Cocoyasi Village."
"I was gone for so long this time. I wonder how Nojiko is doing, and if everyone is alright..."
Stepping onto the deck, Nami smelled the faint, citrus-scented fragrance of the island's vegetation wafting over, and a somewhat relieved smile appeared on her face.
Just as she was about to jump off the ship, Nami suddenly noticed a massive sailing ship docked on the distant eastern shore.
"Is that...?"
Nami frowned. She took out her binoculars and looked over, staring at the flag for a moment.
"A pirate flag I've never seen before. What's with these guys? Don't they know this is Arlong's territory?"
Lowering the binoculars, Nami's gaze grew even more solemn.
In these waters, pirates other than the Arlong Pirates were a rare sight. She couldn't shake an ominous premonition in her heart.
'No matter what happens, it better not involve Cocoyasi Village...'
Without paying it any more mind, Nami hoisted the treasure onto her back and jumped off the ship. Once ashore, she plunged into the forest and sprinted toward Cocoyasi Village.
...
Houses were neatly arranged on both sides of the street, where a dozen or so villagers were scattered about, boxing up freshly picked fruit.
They had just paid this month's protection fee two days ago, and now they had to get busy preparing for the next month.
This way of surviving just to stay alive had been with them for eight years. The villagers had long since grown numb to it, as if they had already gotten used to it.
At this moment.
A group of figures appeared at the end of the road not far away, swaggering right into the village.
Noticing these unfamiliar faces, the nearby villagers cast curious glances their way.
"Who are these guys?"
"I don't know. They don't look like they're from the other villages either."
"Hey, look at how that guy is dressed. Could they be pirates?"
"Pirates? We haven't been visited by pirates in over a decade. Ever since those bastard Fish-Men..."
"Shh, what if they're Arlong's men? Hurry up and notify Genzo."
Upon noticing the black coat draped over the shoulders of the man leading the group, the villagers averted their eyes and whispered among themselves.
After entering Cocoyasi Village, Allen and his group walked down the street for a bit, looking left and right.
The Nyaban Brothers wore confused expressions. Sham looked at the surrounding villagers and muttered,
"Strange, why aren't these people afraid of pirates?"
"They look at us like we're some kind of novelty. Have they never seen pirates before?" Buchi guessed.
At this moment, Allen, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The Nyaban Brothers and the others stopped as well. Just as they were about to ask what was wrong, they heard a commotion not far ahead.
Looking up, they saw a group of villagers wielding hoes and pitchforks, marching aggressively toward them under the leadership of a man dressed as a policeman.
Sanji took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled, his expression showing a hint of interest.
"It seems we're not very welcome here. Is this the treatment you get for being a pirate?"
"Hehehe, you'll slowly get used to it."
"We're pirates, after all. It'd be weird if we were welcomed."
The Nyaban Brothers chuckled. They immediately bared their sharp cat claws, entering a state ready for battle at any moment.
Allen raised his hand to stop the two, biting his cigar as he said flatly, "Don't mess around, idiots. Don't forget our purpose for coming here."
"Oh, oh, sorry, Boss."
The Nyaban Brothers put away their weapons and awkwardly scratched their heads.
Soon.
The group of villagers arrived in front of them, nervously gripping their farming tools as they confronted them with wary eyes.
The leader, a man wearing a brown police uniform and covered in stitched scars, stepped forward.
"You guys are pirates, aren't you! This village is already so poor there's nothing left to plunder. What are you doing here!"
Genzo drew his long sword and pointed it at Allen's group, his mustache trembling as he shouted loudly.
As soon as his voice fell, a figure on the opposite side suddenly vanished from the spot with a *swish!*
In the next second, Allen's figure instantly appeared right in front of him.
Genzo's face immediately registered shock. He instinctively scrambled backward, only to find that the sword in his hand was completely immobilized, as if clamped by steel.
Before his fluttering black cape even settled, Allen's two fingers had already pinched the blade. Looking down at Genzo from above, he said flatly,
"No need to be nervous. We just came over to look for someone."
Allen's speed was so fast that the villagers hadn't even seen him move. This scene instantly frightened them into taking two panicked steps back.
A bead of cold sweat formed on Genzo's forehead. Forcing down his inner panic, he stared at Allen and asked,
"Who are you... looking for?"
"We're looking for a girl named Nami. She calls herself a pirate thief and frequently steals things in the various nearby seas."
Allen remained expressionless as he continued, "I heard she's an officer of the Arlong Pirates. I presume you're not unfamiliar with her."
Hearing Nami's name, Genzo and the crowd of villagers behind him visibly changed expressions, though they hastily tried to cover it up.
"I don't know what you're talking about, and the person you're looking for isn't here. I advise you to leave this place immediately!" Genzo gritted his teeth and shouted.
Allen, however, gave a teasing smile. "What a pity. Your expressions have already betrayed you."
"It seems the information was correct. She really is from this village. I advise you to confess honestly, otherwise..."
As he spoke, Allen's expression gradually turned sinister. Under the terrified gazes of all the villagers, he grinned maliciously,
"I'll make sure everyone in your entire village...!"
*Whack!!* Before he could finish his sentence, an unexpected axe kick slammed down on him from behind.
"Your acting is way too over the top. Stop messing around, idiot. If you keep spouting nonsense, they're going to take it seriously."
Sanji retracted his leg with an exasperated look on his face.
He had just told the Nyaban Brothers not to mess around, but it turned out he just wanted to have all the fun himself.
Turning his head, he shifted his gaze to the villagers and said calmly,
"Sorry about that. Our captain has a somewhat eccentric personality. I hope you won't take what he just said to heart."
Hearing this, the still-shaken villagers stiffly turned their heads to look at Allen.
They saw Allen with a large bump on his head. The terrifyingly sinister look on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a wide, toothy grin. With his hands on his hips, he laughed,
"Hahaha, just a joke! Please forget what just happened, everyone."
"That personality is way too eccentric!!"
Genzo and his group couldn't help but roll their eyes, baring their teeth as they shouted their complaints at him.
Allen didn't mind in the slightest. He waved his hand, smiled, and confessed,
"Anyway, we mean no harm. We just heard that the Arlong Pirates have a very skilled young female navigator, so we came over to recruit her onto our ship before entering the Grand Line."
Seeing him state his intentions honestly and realizing that Allen and his crew weren't here to rob them, the villagers breathed a slight sigh of relief.
However, the solemnity on Genzo's face didn't diminish in the slightest. A complex look flashed deep in his eyes as he quickly calculated in his heart.
The other party had clearly taken a liking to Nami's navigational knowledge and talent. As for this so-called recruitment...
It sounded polite, but in his eyes, there wasn't much difference between Allen and the Arlong Pirates. They both just wanted to use Nami.
However.
For Nami, was there any place in this world that brought her more pain than Arlong Park...?
Genzo fixed his gaze on Allen.
If the other party could really take Nami away, everyone would actually be glad to see that outcome. With Nami's intelligence and cleverness, she would surely live well no matter where she went.
Leaving this place meant that, at the very least, Nami wouldn't have to force herself to suffer for their sakes anymore, much less suppress her inner anger and hatred to work for her mother's murderer.
It was just a pity...
Genzo's eyes dimmed. He shook his head and sighed,
"In the end, we are the ones dragging her down. I advise you not to waste your effort. If Nami were willing to leave, she could have left on her own a long time ago."
"Is that so? Thank you for the advice."
Allen smiled and turned around, preparing to leave. Before departing, he turned his head back and asked,
"By the way, where is Nami's house again?"
Genzo looked up at him flatly and pointed in a direction.
"In the tangerine orchard over there, but she might not be there right now."
"Is that so? Thanks."
Allen responded with a smile, then waved to beckon Sanji and the others. They left the area without looking back.
Seeing this, the villagers behind him immediately grew anxious.
"Genzo!"
"How could you tell him Nami's location?"
"Exactly, Genzo! What if these pirates hurt Nami!"
"Enough."
Genzo spoke up to interrupt the villagers. Clenching his trembling fists tightly, he said in a deep voice,
"The worst-case scenario is just Nami being forcibly taken away by them. In this world, there is no place more like hell to her than here."
"Nami has stayed here all this time for our sake. She's a very strong girl, and just as stubborn as Belle-Mère. Since we can't convince her to leave, letting pirates kidnap her might not necessarily be a bad thing."
Genzo gritted his teeth, his heart equally torn with immense struggle.
He certainly knew this wasn't a very good idea. If there were a better way, he wouldn't hesitate even if it cost him his life.
But where in the world were there that many perfect choices?
Were they supposed to just watch helplessly as Nami continued to suffer for them, praying that one day the Marines would come and arrest Arlong?
There was probably no idea more incompetent and foolish than that. It was better to pray that this pirate crew would treat Nami well.
Thinking of this, the villagers fell silent, their faces looking worse than the last.
At this moment.
"This is bad, Genzo! The Fish-Men are coming! It's Arlong and his officers!"
A figure ran in hurriedly from outside the village, shouting in panic.
Hearing this, the expressions of Genzo and all the villagers changed drastically.
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