The celebration was in full swing in the village square. Makeshift lanterns lit up smiling faces, soft music echoed through the air, and the smell of grilled fish drifted around them. Nami sat beside Yogiri on a wooden bench, her half-empty cup of sake resting in her hands. She watched the villagers dance and laugh, but her mind was already somewhere else.
She turned her head toward him. Yogiri was still eating his skewer slowly, his gaze resting on the crowd without really joining it.
"Hey… Yogiri?"
He slightly turned his head toward her but didn't answer right away.
Nami hesitated for a second, then continued in a softer, more cautious voice:
"Now that all this is over… what are you going to do?"
Yogiri stayed silent for a moment. He finished his bite, then looked at the remaining piece of fish on the stick as if the question required real thought.
"I don't know."
His answer was simple, flat, as usual. Yet it seemed to linger a little longer between them.
Nami nodded slowly, not really surprised, but still a bit touched by the raw honesty of his response.
"You don't know… at all?"
"No."
He placed the empty stick beside him on the bench and folded his hands on his knees. His gaze returned to the laughing villagers.
"I didn't even know where I was when I woke up on the beach. I don't really know where I come from. I don't know where I'm supposed to go."
Nami stayed quiet, letting his words settle. She took a small sip of sake before speaking again:
"You could stay here, you know. The village is free now. People like you… even if they don't really understand what you are."
Yogiri turned his head toward her again. His dark eyes were calm, almost indifferent, but there was that small spark of curiosity she had noticed earlier.
"And you?" he asked simply.
Nami blinked, surprised by the question.
"Me?"
"Are you going to stay? Or are you going to leave?"
She smiled faintly, a little melancholic.
"I… I don't know yet either. I spent years dreaming of leaving this place to become a real navigator. But now that it's possible… I'm not so sure anymore. There's Nojiko, the village… and you, now."
A comfortable silence settled between them. Around them, laughter continued, and someone was singing an old sailor's song.
Yogiri looked back at the crowd, then returned his gaze to Nami.
"If you leave," he said slowly, "I can come with you."
Nami felt an unexpected warmth rise in her chest. She hadn't expected him to offer that on his own.
"Really? Even if I sail all over the seas? Even if it's dangerous?"
"Yes."
She let out a soft, gentle laugh.
"You say that like it's the most normal thing in the world."
"For me, it is," he replied calmly. "As long as no one tries to touch me without permission… it'll be fine."
Nami shook her head, amused, though her eyes were shining.
"Alright. We'll see then. For now… just enjoy the celebration. You don't have to decide everything tonight."
Yogiri nodded once.
"Okay."
He remained seated beside her, silent, as the celebration carried on around them. For the first time in a long while, the future no longer felt like a burden. It was simply… an open question.
And somehow, that suited him.
The celebration was in full swing in the village square. Improvised lanterns lit up the smiling faces, soft music echoed through the air, and the smell of grilled fish drifted all around. Nami sat beside Yogiri on a wooden bench, her cup of sake half-empty in her hands.
Suddenly, the heavy sound of boots and clinking metal shattered the joyful atmosphere. About twenty marines entered the square, led by a tall man with a rat-like face and a long, thin mustache—Captain Nezumi.
The villagers fell silent instantly. The atmosphere grew heavy again in a matter of seconds.
Nezumi stopped in the middle of the square, scanning the area with a surprised and irritated look. He clearly expected to see fish-men.
"Where is Arlong?" he asked in a loud, nasal voice.
Nami slowly stood up, arms crossed. Yogiri remained seated but turned his head toward the newcomers.
"Arlong won't be coming," Nami replied calmly.
Nezumi narrowed his eyes, visibly annoyed.
"What do you mean he won't be coming? Where is he? We're expecting him."
A soldier behind him added impatiently:
"We didn't come all this way for nothing. Where are the fish-men?"
Nami let out a small, cold smile.
"Arlong is dead. All of his men too."
A heavy silence fell over the square. Nezumi blinked several times, as if the sentence made no sense.
"Dead?" he repeated, incredulous. "Arlong? Don't make me laugh. That monster doesn't die so easily."
He gave a sharp signal to two of his men.
"Go check Arlong Park. Now."
The two marines ran off. Meanwhile, Nezumi stepped closer to Nami, his gaze hard.
"You… you're Nami, the cartographer who worked for him. If Arlong is truly dead, someone is going to have to answer for his absence."
Yogiri slowly stood up from the bench. He said nothing, but his mere presence was enough to make Nezumi turn toward him.
"And who is he? Your new little protector?"
Nami smiled, this time with a hint of satisfaction.
"He's the one who killed Arlong. And his entire crew. In just a few seconds."
Nezumi let out a forced, nervous laugh.
"A kid? Are you mocking me? Arlong survived battles against Marine admirals! No one kills him 'in a few seconds.'"
The two soldiers came running back, their faces pale.
"Captain… it's true. They're all dead. Arlong Park is empty. The bodies are lying on the ground… with no visible wounds. Like they all just dropped at once."
Nezumi lost his smile. He took a step back, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
"That's impossible…"
His gaze shifted to Yogiri, a mix of fear and calculation.
"You're the one who did this? How?"
Yogiri looked at him calmly, without the slightest emotion in his voice.
"Death."
Nothing happened right away. Nezumi frowned, waiting for an explanation. But his men began to stir uneasily.
Nami placed a hand on Yogiri's shoulder to hold him back.
"Not yet," she murmured. Then she addressed Nezumi clearly:
"Arlong won't be coming anymore. He's dead. The village is free now. If you're looking for someone to give orders or collect money, you won't find anyone here."
Nezumi clenched his teeth. He looked at his men, then at the villagers watching in silence, then back at Yogiri.
"The Marines won't forget this…"
"The Marines didn't do anything for us for six years," Nami replied coldly. "So now, leave. Or stay… and see what happens to the next person who asks too many questions."
The captain hesitated for a long moment. Fear was clearly written across his face. Finally, he made a sharp gesture to his soldiers.
"We're leaving. Leave everything. We're not staying here."
As they began to back away, Nezumi cast one last venomous glance at Yogiri.
"You… I'll remember your face, kid."
Yogiri simply replied:
"Okay."
The marines left as quickly as they had arrived, leaving behind a stunned silence that quickly turned into murmurs of relief and nervous laughter.
Nami turned to Yogiri, a victorious smile on her lips.
"Even the Marines are afraid of you now."
Yogiri shrugged slightly.
"They talk a lot."
Nami laughed softly.
"Yeah… they talk a lot. But you don't even need to talk."
The celebration gradually resumed, stronger than before, as if the marines' visit had only confirmed that the nightmare was truly over.
***
Nezumi strode angrily down the path leading out of the village, his boots kicking up dust. His men followed in silence, knowing that the slightest word might set him off.
"That damn brat…" he growled through clenched teeth. "That little punk with the two blue streaks ruined everything!"
He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. For six years, Arlong had been paying him a generous sum every month to look the other way. That money had allowed him to live comfortably, grease the palms of his superiors, and enjoy small luxuries his captain's salary couldn't afford. And now? It was all gone—burned away because of some strange kid with black hair and two blue streaks.
When he reached his small coastal base, Nezumi slammed the door to his office so hard the windows rattled. He dropped into his chair, his face flushed with anger.
"Six years… six damn years of a perfect arrangement! And this brat shows up and destroys everything in a single day!"
He stared at the wall for a moment, breathing heavily. Then he straightened up, grabbed the Den Den Mushi on his desk, and dialed Marine Headquarters.
The snail came to life after a few rings. A deep voice answered:
"Headquarters. Identify yourself."
"Captain Nezumi, East Blue base." His voice still trembled with anger. "I have urgent information regarding a new, extremely dangerous individual."
"Go ahead."
Nezumi leaned forward, jaw tight.
"A young boy, around sixteen or seventeen. Black hair with two blue streaks. Completely blank expression. He was in Cocoyasi Village. He eliminated Arlong and his entire crew of fish-men. We don't know exactly how he did it. There were no signs of a fight, no visible injuries on the bodies. Nothing."
There was a brief silence on the other end before the voice replied, almost satisfied:
"Arlong is dead? Excellent news. That pirate was causing significant trouble in the region. The Marine saves time and resources thanks to his disappearance. Why put a bounty on this boy? He did us a favor, didn't he?"
Nezumi gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected such a positive reaction. He quickly improvised, his voice filled with anger:
"Because that kid threatened the Marine! After killing Arlong, he turned to my men and me and said that if the Marine ever tried to interfere in his affairs or control him, he would eliminate us the same way. That's a direct threat against us!"
The voice at headquarters paused for a long moment, considering.
"…Threatened the Marine? That changes things. An unknown power capable of wiping out an entire crew without a trace—and on top of that, he openly threatens us… Very well. Your argument is valid. We will consider placing a bounty on him. Send us a detailed report with a precise description of the boy: black hair with two blue streaks, youthful appearance, cold and detached behavior. We will set the amount based on his level of danger."
Nezumi smiled for the first time since returning—a cruel, satisfied smile.
"Perfect. That little bastard with the blue streaks is going to regret threatening the Marine."
"We'll see. End of transmission."
The Den Den Mushi went still again. Nezumi leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"You ruined my income, kid… Now it's your turn to run."