The Road to Freedom

After a few days of resting and recovering from their recent wounds, the crew sailed toward Arlong Park.

"Alright. So, do you remember the plan?" Nami asked the group, her voice tinged with a small amount of fear as the reality of what was about to unfold weighed on her.

"Yeah! We go and beat them up!" Luffy shouted enthusiastically.

"No, you idiot!" Nami angrily punched him in the head. "You wait at Gosa Village while I go and give the money to Arlong. They always celebrate when I bring large amounts of cash, so this time shouldn't be any different. Then, when their guards are down, we can take them by surprise. Do you understand?"

The rest of the crew nodded, clearly not wanting to be hit like Luffy.

…

The Going Merry was docked in a secluded spot near Gosa Village, which lay in ruins, completely destroyed by Arlong and his crew.

The crew waited anxiously on the ship for Nami to return from Arlong Park.

"Aaah! I can't stand around any longer!" Luffy groaned in frustration, then leapt off the ship and headed toward the village.

"Luffy, wait!" Ryomen called out, but Luffy kept going, ignoring him. "Dammit, we can't be seen by Arlong's men." He turned to follow Luffy, trying to bring him back.

Taking only a few steps, Ryomen glanced back and saw Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp following him.

"Even you're coming, Usopp?" Ryomen asked, surprised.

"I'm not staying alone on the ship!" Usopp replied nervously.

"Alright then." Ryomen muttered with a sigh.

They quickly found Luffy wandering aimlessly around the village.

"Luffy, I know you don't want Nami to go alone, but you're only going to put her in more danger by doing this." Ryomen said, trying to reason with him.

Before Luffy could respond, a young boy with a sword charged at a large fishman, yelling. "This is for my father!" The boy swung his sword, but it was easily caught by the fishman.

"Hahaha! A puny human thinks he can take on a fishman? You deserve to die!" The fishman raised his fist to strike, but before he could land the blow, Luffy appeared behind him and knocked him out with a single punch.

"You alright, kid?" Luffy asked the boy.

"Y-Yeah, thanks." The boy stammered, still shaken by the close call.

"What did you just do!?" A shocked voice came. A woman with short blue hair and a tattoo on her arm rushed over. "Arlong won't let you go if he finds out about this!"

"Hm? Who are you?" Luffy asked, confused.

"Nojiko. Come on, we need to leave before someone sees this." She beckoned them to follow her.

…

They arrived at a modest house on the outskirts of Cocoyashi Village.

"Nojiko-chan, please allow me to prepare something for you as thanks for letting us into your home!" Sanji exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen.

Nojiko looked at the others with a raised eyebrow. "Is he always like that?"

"Yes," They all replied in unison.

Nojiko sighed and turned to the boy. "Do you understand the consequences of what you've done?"

"Yes, but they killed my father! They need to pay!" The boy's voice cracked, and tears welled up in his eyes. "I even went to Arlong Park, but a woman from his crew stopped me! I want to kill her too! I hate them!"

A tense silence filled the room.

"A woman? Could that be…Nami?" Ryomen muttered under his breath.

"At least we know she's safe." Usopp added.

"You know Nami!?" Nojiko asked, shocked.

"Yeah! She's our navigator!" Luffy replied with a grin.

"What are you doing here, then?" Nojiko's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"We're here to help her. She's told us about Arlong." Zoro plainly said.

"Really!?" Nojiko seemed startled by Zoro's words.

"We're her friends. Of course we're not going to let her suffer any longer." Ryomen declared confidently.

"I see…so she finally let others into her heart." Nojiko's lips curled into a sad smile.

"Wait, how do you know so much about her? Are you two close?" Usopp asked, puzzled.

"She's my foster sister." Nojiko stated, causing the group to gape in surprise.

"No wonder Nojiko-chan is so beautiful! She's related to Nami-san!" Sanji's voice came from the kitchen, but everyone ignored him.

"Are you serious!?" Luffy asked.

"Hmhm. I can explain everything, but first–" Nojiko glanced at the boy. "Do you have a mother?"

The boy nodded.

"Go to her. I'm sure she's worried sick." Nojiko said softly, and the boy quickly left to find his mother.

"Did Nami tell you about her past?" Nojiko asked, looking at the group.

They shook their heads.

"Well, I guess I can fill you in, then." She said with a knowing smile, accepting a drink from Sanji.

Nojiko explained how eight years ago, Arlong came to the island, demanding money from each household for every life within it. Their foster mother, Bell-mère, only had enough for either herself or her daughters. In the end, Bell-mère sacrificed her life for Nojiko and Nami. Afterward, Arlong noticed Nami's talent for cartography and forced her to join his crew. The village, unaware of Nami's true intentions, grew to hate her.

Everyone listened closely, except Luffy, who had wandered outside for a walk.

"I always knew she was strong…but to go through all of that and still keep going." Ryomen murmured, his respect for Nami growing deeper as his hatred for Arlong intensified.

"She's an incredible woman, isn't she?" Nojiko said with a gentle smile.

"Of course! Nami-san is the most amazing woman I've ever met! How dare that fishman hurt her so much!" Sanji clenched his fists.

"Just another reason to cut him down." Zoro added, his eyes sharp with determination.

"We finally agree on something, mosshead."

"The hell did you say!?" The two started to bicker, while Nojiko watched them with bewilderment.

"H-Hey, after hearing all that, do you think Nami will be okay? I mean, staying so close to Arlong…" Usopp asked nervously.

"I don't know if Arlong would hurt her." Ryomen admitted, "But I'm not willing to find out. Let's go and beat those fishmen!"

"Are we fighting!?" Luffy suddenly reappeared, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Of course! We can't let Nami suffer for even a moment longer!" Sanji declared, his righteous expression on full display.

"Finally! I was getting bored." Zoro grinned.

The crew left the house, followed closely by a concerned Nojiko.

"Are you really going to fight Arlong!? He'll kill you!" She cried.

"We'll be fine." Ryomen assured her, but before he could say more, a voice interrupted them.

"What are you doing here!?" Nami's voice came from ahead.

"Nami!?" Luffy shouted in surprise. "We were going to beat up Arblong!"

"It's Arlong, you idiot! I told you to stay on the ship! Why are you here!?" Nami snapped at them, frustration evident on her face.

The crew all pointed accusingly at Nojiko.

The next scene found the crew sitting on the ground, nursing fresh bruises.

"Damn you, woman! We were trying to help, and this is how you repay us!?" Zoro shouted at Nami, furious.

"I told you to stay on the ship! I didn't need help. How would they even hurt me with my Devil Fruit?" Nami glared at them like they were fools.

The group fell silent at her words.

"I expected more from you, Ryomen. You always think things through." Nami added, looking at him with disappointment.

"I'm sorry…I was so worried about you that I didn't stop to think." Ryomen admitted, bowing his head in shame.

Nami gazed at him for a moment before sighing. "Whatever. Let's go back inside."

"And you're going to explain all this Devil Fruit stuff to me, right?" Nojiko asked sweetly.

"H-Huh? Sure, I'll explain…" Nami replied nervously.

…

"I can't believe you'd do something so stupid! Eating a magical fruit you found on some random island, really Nami?" Nojiko looked at her sister, disappointed.

"Sorry…" Nami muttered, standing beside the crew with a bump on her forehead.

The others struggled to hold in their laughter as Nami shot them a glare.

"Ryomen and Luffy both ate Devil Fruits, so I knew it was safe!" Nami protested.

"But look at them! They're idiots! What if you ended up like them!?"

Ryomen and Luffy exchanged bewildered glances but said nothing.

Before the conversation could continue, voices could be heard approaching the house. The crew rushed outside and saw a man with a pinwheel on his head, leading a group of Marines.

"What the!? That guy's got a pinwheel on his head!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Don't you care more about the rat-looking guy?" Usopp said uneasily, his eyes fixed on a suspicious figure entering the scene.

Everyone turned toward the man Usopp mentioned, warily watching his every move.

"Hyik Hyik Hyik... I'm Captain Nezumi of Navy Base 16. Are you Nami?" The rat-faced man asked, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"That's right. What do you want?" Nami responded coldly, eyes narrowing at him.

"A little birdie told me that you've been robbing pirates and collecting treasure. As it happens, that money belongs to the government! So, let me make myself perfectly clear! Hand it all over!" Nezumi demanded, causing a collective gasp from the Straw Hats.

"What!?" Nami shouted.

The navy officers accompanying Nezumi barged into Nami's house and began searching for the money. The action sent a wave of anger through the group.

"Stop it!" Nami yelled, rushing forward and swinging her new staff at one of the officers.

"Her money is going to save Cocoyashi Village! You have no right to take it, navy man!" Shouted a familiar voice.

"Mr. Genzo?" Nami exclaimed, turning in shock. "How did you know?"

"We all knew, Nami." Genzo said with a somber smile. "But we never said anything because we were counting on you to free us."

Nezumi's lips curled into a sneer. "So, the whole village is in on this, huh? In that case, I'll just arrest all of you!"

The Straw Hats had heard all they needed.

"That's enough." Ryomen said, his voice calm but laced with barely contained fury.

Luffy, fists clenched, added. "Leave Nami's village alone, rat-face!"

Zoro's hand rested on his sword, ready to draw it at any moment. "Take your men and get out of here while you still can."

"You shouldn't have messed with Captain Usopp's crewmates!" Usopp boasted from behind Luffy, his voice trembling just slightly.

"How dare you try to steal from Nami-san! I'll kill you, you rodent!" Sanji growled, smoke trailing from the cigarette clenched between his teeth.

Nezumi, flustered by the growing hostility, snapped, "Shoot them!"

The navy officers raised their guns but before they could fire, their weapons were slashed into pieces, falling to the ground uselessly.

Ryomen lowered his hand, the remnants of his slashes dissipating in the air. "How many times do I have to teach these people a lesson?" He muttered under his breath.

Nezumi's face twisted in fear, his bravado crumbling. "W-What!? You're going to regret this! The one who sent me won't let you get away with this!" He shouted, scrambling for an excuse to save his skin.

But Nami had stopped listening. Her eyes widened in realization, and without another word, she turned and ran, her destination clear.

Luffy knocked Nezumi unconscious with a single punch. "Get him out of here." He ordered the remaining navy officers, his voice cold and commanding.

The officers, terrified, grabbed Nezumi's limp body and fled.

Genzo approached the crew, his gratitude evident. "Thank you for helping Nami. Who are you people, anyway?"

"We're her friends." Ryomen replied with a soft smile. "Right, Nami?"

But when they turned to look, Nami was gone.

"Nami left." Nojiko suddenly said, stepping forward.

"Huh? Where did she go?" Luffy asked, his voice latched with concern.

"My guess is Arlong." Nojiko replied with a sigh.

"Why would she go back there?" Ryomen muttered in frustration, his fists clenching. "Hasn't she suffered enough?"

Luffy's expression darkened. "I don't care why. We're going after her. We're going to take Arlong down!"

The rest of the crew nodded in agreement.

"We need to move, now!" Ryomen said urgently.

With that, the crew headed toward Arlong Park, determination burning in their hearts.

…

Meanwhile, Nami rushed through the village, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions.

'I can't believe it... I really thought you'd keep your promise…'

As she approached the gates of Arlong Park, her voice cracked with anger and frustration. "Arlong!!"

Arlong, lounging in his chair, looked down at her with his characteristic cruel smirk. "Oh? You seem upset, Nami. What's the matter?" He asked sarcastically.

Nami glared at him, her fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. "The marines came to steal my money! Didn't you say you'd rather die than break your promise?"

Arlong's eyes gleamed with amusement. "And have I broken it? I'm still keeping our agreement?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Nami shouted, stepping closer. "You ordered those marines to come here!"

Arlong reached out, his hand clamping down on her collar and bringing her closer. "When, exactly, did I break our promise?" He asked in a low, threatening voice.

Nami's heart sank as she realized the depth of his manipulation. Laughter erupted from the other fishmen as tears began to well in her eyes.

…

Back in the forest, Luffy, Zoro, Ryomen, and the others made their way toward Arlong Park. The tension among them was palpable, and even Luffy, usually so carefree, had a grim expression on his face.

"Where are we?" Luffy suddenly asked.

"I don't know." Zoro muttered, his sense of direction as terrible as ever.

Ryomen rolled his eyes, trailing behind the two. "Why am I following these idiots?" He muttered under his breath.

Sanji, on the other hand, was growing more desperate with each step. "Dammit, I have to see Nami-san! If I don't see her soon, I might die!"

"Shut up, you perverted cook." Zoro snapped. "We'll get there soon enough."

"Don't talk to me. It disgusts me." Sanji retorted, and the two started bickering as usual.

"Stop it!" Ryomen cut in, irritation creeping into his voice. "This isn't the time to be fighting each other. We need to help Nami."

Zoro and Sanji stayed silent, exchanging shameful glances.

Ryomen turned to Usopp. "You lead. I trust you more than these two to get us there."

Usopp gulped but nodded determinedly, taking the lead toward Arlong Park.

…

Back in Cocoyashi Village, the villagers were gathering, armed with whatever weapons they could find, determined to march on Arlong Park.

"Genzo, Nojiko, what are you doing?" Nami asked in disbelief as she stumbled upon them.

"We're going to fight, Nami." Genzo said firmly. "We've been oppressed long enough."

Nami shook her head in horror. "No! You'll just die in vain! I'm so close to freeing the village just a little longer, please!"

Genzo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Nami. You've fought hard enough. Now, it's our turn."

In desperation, Nami drew a knife, aiming it at Genzo's hand. "Please, stop! I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of them!"

Genzo grabbed the blade, blood dripping from his hand. "We know, Nami. But this is our fight now." He turned to the villagers. "Let's go, everyone!"

The villagers marched past Nami, determination in their eyes.

"Maybe we can't win, but we'll give them one hell of a fight!" Genzo shouted as he led them.

Nami fell to her knees, her heart aching as she watched them go. "Arlong... Arlong... Arlong!!" she screamed his name in a mix of rage and despair.

"Nami!" A voice broke through her haze of anguish.

Nami looked up in shock. "Luffy..."

"What are you doing here?" Luffy asked, confused.

"I...I'm sorry. I..." Nami began, her voice shaking, but Ryomen stepped forward, cutting her off gently.

"You didn't want us to fight Arlong, did you?" Ryomen asked softly, his eyes filled with understanding.

Nami's eyes widened in surprise. "How...how did you know?"

Ryomen gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I could tell. You were stringing us along, waiting until you could handle it yourself." He then let out a sigh. "Nami, you've done enough. Leave it to us now." He told her with a soft smile, waiting for her answer.

Tears welled up in Nami's eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "Please...help me."

Luffy stepped forward, placing his straw hat gently on Nami's head. "Okay!!" He shouted, then walked off toward the rest of the group who were all posing dramatically. "Let's go."

"Right!!" The crew responded in unison.

Ryomen, trailing behind them, sighed. 'No one told me I had to pose for this.' He thought as he walked toward the battle.