TEARS

A large Marine ship is docked near the shore. On board, Marine Captain Nezumi is laughing uproariously, holding a stack of money. "CHICHICHI! I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING!" A subordinate Marine stands nearby, holding more bills and pointing out, "BUT CAPTAIN... SOME OF THESE BILLS ARE ALL TATTERED AND STAINED WITH BLOOD AND MUD..." Nezumi dismisses the concern, replying, "CHICHICHI... MONEY IS MONEY." He slams his hands down on a desk covered in piles of cash, exclaiming, "HOW WONDERFUL! TO THINK WE CAN POCKET 30% OF THIS FOR OURSELVES..." A close-up shows Nezumi's greedy, grinning face as he mocks Nami: "THAT NAIVE LITTLE GIRL SERIOUSLY BELIEVED SHE COULD BUY BACK HER FREEDOM, AND SPENT 8 WHOLE YEARS SAVING UP ALL THIS MUCH, BIT BY BIT! HOW STUPID COULD SHE BE! CHICHICHI!"

At Arlong Park, Arlong's booming laugh, "SHAHA HAHA!", echoes from the towering building. Nami stands before him, tears streaming down her face, while Arlong mocks her, "THE MARINES STOLE YOUR MONEY...?" Arlong sits casually in his chair, looking down at her with a feigned expression of pity. "THAT'S QUITE UNFORTUNATE OF YOU. BUT A PROMISE IS A PROMISE. IF YOU CAN'T PAY ME 100 MILLION BELI, I CAN'T JUST RETURN YOUR VILLAGE BACK TO YOU." Nami glares at him, crying, and calls him a "YOU VILE MONSTER...!" Arlong leans forward, his massive jaws open wide in a terrifying laugh. "BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY 100 MILLION BELI. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SAVE UP THAT MUCH AGAIN!"

Arlong continues his threat, leaning closer to Nami. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RUN AWAY, ARE YOU? JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT IF YOU DO... I'LL HAVE EVERYONE IN COCOYASHI VILLAGE KILLED BECAUSE OF YOU..." Nami turns and sprints away, tears flying from her eyes. As she runs, the thoughts of the villagers echo in her mind: "WE KNEW ALL ALONG, NAMI... BUT WE FEARED THAT IF YOU KNEW THAT WE KNEW, OUR HOPES WOULD PRESSURE YOU INTO STAYING IF YOU EVER WANTED TO RUN AWAY FROM IT ALL. THAT'S WHY WE PRETENDED NOT TO KNOW." She dashes past Arlong and his crew. Arlong watches her go, amused. "HM? WHAT'S WRONG, NAMI? ARE YOU GOING TO RUN AWAY? SHAHA HAHA!"

In the village, Genzo, his face scarred and a pinwheel on his hat, shouts with fierce determination, "THAT DOES IT! ARM YOURSELVES, FOR IT'S TIME TO FIGHT!" Nami and the villagers react with shock and panic. "GEN! EVERYONE! PLEASE...!" "PLEASE DON'T BE RASH..." "YOU CAN'T DIE..." "BECAUSE THAT'LL BE THE END OF EVERYTHING!" Genzo yells back, tears in his eyes, "WE HAVE TO LIVE ON NO MATTER WHAT...! OTHERWISE IT'LL ALL BE OVER!" Inspired by his words, the villagers raise their weapons - pitchforks, swords, and clubs - and let out a unified, roaring battle cry: "UOOOOOOHHH!"

A view of the quiet village houses and trees is shown. The villagers' resolve is voiced over the scene: "8 YEARS AGO, WE SWORE NOT TO THROW OUR LIVES AWAY! NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL IT MAY BE LIVING UNDER THEIR RULE, WE SWORE THAT AS LONG AS NAMI WAS FINE, WE WOULD LIMIT OURSELVES TO A FIGHT OF ENDURANCE! BUT THIS IS HOW THEY ANSWERED US!" The scene shifts to the villagers, armed and marching together down the dirt path, their footsteps rumbling as they head toward Arlong Park. Genzo leads the charge, his face set in a grim, determined scowl.

Genzo marches forward, gripping his weapon tightly. "NOW THAT OUR ONLY CHANCE OF LIBERATION HAS BEEN DENIED, THERE IS NO LONGER ANY HOPE FOR THIS ISLAND! BUT WE SHALL NEVER FORGIVE THOSE FISHMEN, WHO DARED TO TOY AROUND WITH THE KINDNESS OF THAT GIRL!" The villagers march behind him, their voices rising in agreement. "ANY OBJECTIONS?" "OF COURSE NOT! NOW LET'S GO!" "AS IF WE'D ACCEPT THEIR RULE NOW THAT THINGS HAVE COME TO THIS!" "EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE VILLAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PREPARED TO FIGHT! SO LET'S DO THIS!" Suddenly, Nami runs out in front of them, skidding to a halt and spreading her arms wide to block their path. "WAIT, EVERYONE!"

Nami stands before the armed villagers, forcing a bright smile while tears stream down her face. "PLEASE JUST WAIT A LITTLE MORE! I'LL TRY MY BEST AGAIN SO PLEASE! HAHA... IT'LL ACTUALLY BE EASIER THIS TIME! I PROMISE I'LL RAISE ENOUGH MONEY ONCE MORE!" The villagers stare at her in stunned silence, their faces filled with sorrow. Someone mutters, "NAC-CHAN..." A flashback shows Arlong and his officers. Chew remarks, "YOU SURE CAN THINK UP PRETTY HEARTLESS THINGS... CHU <3" Arlong, sitting in his chair, replies, "HMPH, AS IF I'D JUST LET A CARTOGRAPHER AS TALENTED AS HER GET AWAY! BUT EVEN SO, I'M NO DEMON." He laughs menacingly, "I'LL SET HER FREE ONCE SHE MAKES A MAP OF ALL THE WORLD'S OCEANS! PUHAHA HAHA! HOW MANY DECADES IS THAT GONNA TAKE!?"

Genzo steps forward and pulls Nami into a tight embrace. "THAT'S ENOUGH...!" he says gently. "YOU KNOW THAT DOING SUCH A THING WOULD BE FUTILE. YOU'VE CARRIED ALL OUR HOPE ALONE FOR LONG ENOUGH. I KNOW THAT WORKING WITH THEM MUST'VE BEEN MORE PAINFUL THAN A THOUSAND SEARING KNIVES....YOU'VE FOUGHT SPLENDIDLY...!" Nami cries into his shoulder, murmuring, "GEN..." Genzo pulls back slightly, looking at her. "YOU'VE FOUGHT WELL. YOU CAN NOW LEAVE THIS VILLAGE." Nami is shocked, exclaiming, "WHAT!?" Nojiko appears, smiling warmly at her sister. Nami starts to protest, "B..." Nojiko says, "NAMI..." and tells her, "YOU'RE CUNNING AND YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE OUT THERE! BESIDES, YOU'VE GOT A DREAM TO FULFILL!" Nami responds, "NOJIKO...!"

Nami desperately tries to stop the villagers, pleading, "NO! PLEASE STOP, EVERYONE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM HURT ANY ONE OF YOU AGAIN!" Genzo walks past her, simply stating, "WE KNOW." Nami grabs his arm, crying out, "AH!" She holds up her knife, warning him, "YOU'LL DIE, YOU KNOW!?" Genzo smiles gently at her. "IT'S NO USE. OUR HEARTS ARE SET! NAMI." Blood drips from Nami's hand where she is gripping the blade of her knife too tightly, showing her desperation.

Genzo's expression hardens into a fierce scowl as he yells, "NOW MOVE OUT OF OUR WAY, NAMI!" Nami flinches, shocked by his tone. Genzo raises his weapon and leads the villagers forward, shouting, "LET'S GO, EVERYONE! EVEN IF WE MAY NOT WIN, LET'S SHOW THEM OUR SPIRIT!" The villagers march past her, leaving Nami behind. She falls to her knees in the dirt, clutching her left arm where the Arlong Pirates tattoo is. Arlong's mocking laughter echoes in her mind: "SHAHA HAHA! ARLONG!"

Driven to despair, Nami repeatedly stabs her own shoulder with the knife, aiming directly at the Arlong Pirates tattoo. She screams in agony and rage, "ARLONG! ARLONG! ARLONG! ARLONG!" Blood splatters with each strike. Suddenly, Luffy appears and grabs her wrist firmly, stopping the blade before it can strike again. Nami looks up at him, her face covered in tears and dirt, gasping, "LUFFY...!" Luffy stands over her, his expression completely serious and unreadable. Blood drips from Nami's wounded shoulder.

Nami sits on the ground, clutching her bleeding shoulder, while Luffy stands quietly behind her. She yells at him, "WHAT IS IT!? YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT ANYTHING!" Luffy replies calmly, "NOPE, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING." Nami turns away, throwing a handful of dirt in frustration. "THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU...! DIDN'T I ALREADY TELL YOU, TO LEAVE THIS ISLAND!?" Luffy simply answers, "YEAH, YOU DID." Nami breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably as she looks down at the ground. "LUFFY..." Luffy watches her in silence, his face stern.

Nami turns her head slightly toward Luffy, her face drenched in tears and her expression utterly broken. In a small, desperate voice, she pleads, "HELP ME..." Luffy stands silently for a moment. Then, he reaches up and takes off his treasured straw hat. With a swift motion, he places the hat firmly on Nami's head. He turns his back to her and begins to walk away, stretching his arms out wide to his sides as he heads toward the village path.

Luffy throws his head back and roars at the top of his lungs, his mouth open wide in a massive, furious shout: "OF COURSE I WILL!" The sheer volume and intensity of his voice seem to shake the air around him. In the background, Nami sits on the ground, wearing his straw hat, looking up at him in awe and relief as tears continue to stream down her face.

Nami sits on the ground, crying softly under the brim of Luffy's straw hat. She whispers, "LUFFY..." A brief flashback shows Luffy's angry face warning, "DON'T TOUCH MY HAT!" The scene shifts to the village path, where Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp are waiting. Zoro is sitting on a wall with his swords, Sanji is standing and smoking a cigarette, and Usopp is sitting on the ground adjusting his gear. Luffy walks past them with a determined stride and simply says, "LET'S GO."

Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp respond in unison, their faces serious and ready for battle: "ROGER!" Zoro draws a sword slightly, Sanji exhales smoke, and Usopp clicks his goggles into place. Back on the ground, Nami covers her mouth, crying tears of gratitude. The four Straw Hats walk together toward Arlong Park. At the gate, Johnny and Yosaku are sitting on the ground, heavily bandaged and beaten. They call out, "HEY! ARE YOU TWO ALRIGHT!? WERE YOU DONE IN BY ARLONG!?" Zoro steps up to them and says coldly, "COULD YOU PLEASE MOVE OUT OF THE WAY? WE HAVE BUSINESS TO SETTLE WITH THOSE FISHMEN!"

Johnny and Yosaku sit battered in front of the Arlong Park gates, their swords crossed behind them. "WE CHALLENGED THEM IN ORDER TO MAKE UP FOR DOUBTING SISTER NAMI," they explain. "AFTER HEARING OF NAMI'S TRUE MOTIVES WHILE IN THE FOREST, WE REALIZED WE HAD MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE. WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO FACE HER AGAIN. BUT WE LOST JUST BY A HAIR...!" They warn the crew, "I'M SORRY BUT WE CAN'T LET YOU, WHO STAND NO CHANCE OF WINNING, THROUGH! WE'RE WAITING FOR A GROUP OF MEN THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY COME HERE SOON ENOUGH!" Sanji looks confused. "WHAT!?" Inside Arlong Park, Arlong and his officers are relaxing. One fishman asks, "HEY... YOU THINK THOSE TWO RUFFIANS JUST NOW, ARE PART OF ZORO'S CREW?" Another replies, "ZORO'S CREW? NAH, COULDN'T BE. THEY WERE WAY TOO WEAK FOR THAT. THEY WEREN'T EVEN WORTH KILLING!"

The massive gates of Arlong Park are suddenly blasted open with a violent crash, sending debris flying inward. Johnny and Yosaku yell in shock, "BROTHER LUFFY!" As the dust clears, Luffy stands in the entryway, his fists clenched and his eyes burning with intense fury. He demands loudly, "WHICH ONE'S CALLED ARLONG?" Inside, Arlong looks up, his sharp teeth bared in a surprised and angry scowl. "WHO'S THIS BRAT...?"

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