Chapter 94: Nami Sees Someone More Beautiful Than Money... 

The Blue-Eyed White Dragon soared through the skies.

Storm held a rough map of the East Blue's island distribution in one hand and a compass in the other.

Navigating the four great seas required only three things: a ship, a map, and a compass.

With these, one could freely travel between most islands.

Of course, if conditions were truly dire,

starting with just a barrel could still make you an Emperor.

"The Germa Kingdom is currently near… the waters of the 'Oykot Kingdom'! Found it!"

Storm examined the island distribution map in his hand.

This was a map he had "borrowed" from the Vinsmoke family's archives.

Judging by its worn condition, the map was quite old—practically a museum artifact.

From the aged map, Storm located the name of the Oykot Kingdom.

Then, near the Oykot Kingdom, he spotted another archipelago—

the Conomi Islands.

What caught Storm's attention wasn't just the fact that the islands resembled a giant fried chicken drumstick, but also the nearby Marine base—

the East Blue's 16th Branch.

"If I remember correctly, the 16th Branch is that so-called 'Captain Nezumi's' territory, right?"

Storm frowned, recalling for a moment.

"So, the Conomi Islands must be… where Cocoyasi Village is located?"

He carefully checked the village distribution on the Conomi Islands.

Unfortunately, the map was so old that the markings were faded, and there was no label for Cocoyasi Village.

"Let's go take a look first!"

Storm shifted his gaze from the map and empowered the Blue-Eyed White Dragon with the More-More Fruit's abilities.

"Even if it's just to get a newer map, it's worth it!"

With the Blue-Eyed White Dragon's swift flight,

it didn't take long before Storm arrived at the Conomi Islands.

A red glow flickered in his eyes as his Observation Haki, enhanced by the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, effortlessly covered the entire archipelago.

Under Storm's perception, the strength of every living being on the Conomi Islands was laid bare.

"A group of creatures with far stronger auras than ordinary humans, and their shapes are completely inhuman… near that coastline. Fishmen, no doubt?"

Storm sensed their presence.

He could confirm that these Conomi Islands were indeed the home of Cocoyasi Village—the future home of the Straw Hat Pirates' navigator, the "Cat Burglar" Nami!

The Blue-Eyed White Dragon flapped its wings, flying toward the location Storm had detected.

Near the coastline of the Conomi Islands stood a towering castle, its architectural style clashing starkly with the surrounding villages.

This was the infamous—Arlong Park.

At the same time,

inside Arlong Park…

"Ohhh, you've finally returned…"

Arlong looked at the slender, cold-faced orange-haired girl before him and burst into wild laughter.

"Welcome back! Our navigator—Nami!"

Four years ago…

Arlong arrived in the East Blue from the Grand Line and forcibly occupied all the villages on the Conomi Islands, including Cocoyasi Village, becoming the "tyrant" of the Conomi Islands.

During his rule over the humans, Arlong discovered a young girl named Nami among them, who possessed an exceptionally rare talent for navigation and cartography.

Arlong forced Nami to join his crew as a navigator and mapmaker.

At the same time, he told Nami that if she could gather 100 million Belly, she could buy back Cocoyasi Village and its residents from him.

Nami agreed.

Starting four years ago, Nami began working tirelessly toward the goal of 100 million Belly, moving around the East Blue.

Young and weak, she couldn't plunder wealth like a normal pirate.

Her choice was—to steal!

And not just random theft—she had a purpose!

At such a young age, Nami had grasped a very useful truth—

In this great pirate era where countless ships sailed the seas, how much could she earn by stealing from ordinary people?

Stealing from pirates would bring far greater profits!

Up until now.

Nami had been a thief for four years, accumulating a considerable sum of money.

"Here's the map you wanted!"

Her right arm wrapped in thick bandages, Nami picked up a stack of maps with her left hand and tossed them to a nearby fish-man.

"I'm leaving!"

"Don't be in such a hurry!"

Arlong stopped her.

At his words, two fish-men appeared, blocking Nami's path.

"You've been gone for so long, and this is all the maps you've drawn? Hmph!"

Arlong casually took the nautical charts handed to him by his subordinate. Even his eyes could recognize the exceptional craftsmanship of these maps.

"Hachi! Escort our navigator to the map room!"

"If you don't produce ten new maps, you'll never leave that room, Nami!"

Hachi, the octopus fish-man with a red sun symbol on his forehead, extended his tentacles to block Nami.

"Come with me, Nami."

Nami gave Hachi a cold glance. She had known this would be the outcome when she came to Arlong Park today.

Every time she came here, Arlong would force her to draw more maps.

Nami was already used to it.

As long as he kept his promise, she didn't mind drawing as many maps as he demanded…

Just as Nami was about to follow Hachi to the map room in Arlong Park—

The entire Arlong Park suddenly shook with a loud BOOM, as if a massive meteor had struck the top of the building.

Having ruled over the "weakest" East Blue for so long, these fish-men from the Grand Line had long lost their vigilance. There wasn't even a lookout posted, so no one knew what was happening.

"An earthquake!"

"The park is collapsing!"

"Everyone, run outside!"

Nami watched as the fish-men immediately panicked, feeling an inexplicable urge to laugh.

If only it really were an earthquake…

If it could just collapse Arlong Park and crush all the fish-men to death…

Crush me along with them. After all, the villagers of Cocoyasi Village no longer needed a thief like me…

Just as Nami's thoughts wandered—

Arlong quickly spoke up to steady his men.

"Don't panic! So what if there's an earthquake? We're fishmen!"

The other fishmen of the Arlong Pirates had just begun to calm down after hearing these words.

But at that very moment—

A lifelike, colossal dragon's head suddenly appeared at the entrance of Arlong Park.

The deep blue eyes of this white dragon reflected the figures of every fishman in Arlong Park as clearly as a mirror.

"Gah—"

"Monster—"

"Dragon… a White Dragon!"

The fishmen, who had only just steadied themselves, went completely blank the moment they saw the enormous dragon's head, nearly losing the ability to speak.

Even Arlong's forehead was now drenched in cold sweat. Forcing himself to stay composed, he stood up and roared,

"Fishmen are invincible!"

The Blue-Eyed White Dragon merely glanced at Arlong. Its eyelids lowered slightly—

BOOM!

A violent blast of explosive wind surged toward Arlong.

Under the stunned gazes of everyone present—

Arlong's head burst apart like a watermelon. Crimson blood mixed with murky brain matter erupted into the air, raining down like a bloody shower in the hall of Arlong Park.

The headless fishman corpse swayed for a moment before collapsing heavily to the ground.

The remaining members of the Arlong Pirates stood in dead silence.

Nami stared at the headless body on the floor, her pupils dilating instantly.

Over the past few years, she had dreamed countless similar "pleasant dreams."

In those dreams, she had killed every fishman of the Arlong Pirates in every conceivable way.

But… this was reality, right?

Nami bit her lower lip hard, terrified that this scene might just be another one of her "dreams."

If this was a dream… please, don't let her wake up again.

An unfamiliar voice—one Nami had never heard before—echoed from the entrance of Arlong Park.

"A slight miscalculation… Do sawshark fishmen really have blood pressure this high? It even sprayed onto the ceiling…"

The figure stood there, sunlight tracing the edges of his silhouette as it poured into Arlong Park, casting a golden glow around him.

At that moment, Nami saw someone more beautiful than money…

No—a god!

Storm frowned as he surveyed the scene inside Arlong Park.

His control over [Death Wink] was still somewhat lacking—or perhaps the ability itself had inherent flaws.

Once used, it often resulted in gruesome scenes of dismemberment and gore.

Storm, who preferred cleanliness, couldn't stand such filth.

[Clay-Clay Fruit], Awakening!

In an instant, the entirety of Arlong Park underwent Clayification. The walls and floors turned into white clay, rippling like waves as they swallowed every trace of blood and grime.

At the same time, the remaining members of the Arlong Pirates were swiftly restrained by the white clay—

All except their navigator.

A smooth, moving elevator formed from the white clay stretched across the ground.

Carrying Nami, it steadily delivered the little orange thief-cat right to Storm's feet.

"Your name… is Nami, right?"

As Nami stood before Storm, she didn't even take the time to get a clear look at him. Instead, she leaped up—

Like an agile little orange cat.

She practically "climbed" onto Storm's body.

"Hey, hey, hey? What are you doing?"

Storm instantly showed a look of disgust. He pressed his right hand against Nami's head, also covering her little mouth that kept trying to nuzzle forward.

"You're Nami, right?"

"Am I not dreaming right now?"

Nami spoke with unjustified confidence.

"I finally managed to dream of a 'hero saving a beauty' scenario—can't you just let me indulge a little?"

"Whether it's a dream or not, why don't you pinch yourself and find out?"

"No! I don't want to wake up from this dream! It'd be best if I never woke up at all!"

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