Summary:
After Arlong lets Nezumi steal the money Nami has saved to buy the freedom of Cocoyasi Village, she agrees to save the money again from scratch. However, the villagers have had enough and rise up against Arlong despite Nami’s pleas. Luffy then comes upon Nami and she breaks down and asks for his help to defeat Arlong. Luffy and the Straw Hats readily complied and Luffy broke into Arlong Park when he confronted Arlong.
On a naval ship docked outside the village of Cocoyasi, Nezumi happily looks at the money Nami stole and laughs at her stupidity in working for Arlong to gain her freedom for so long. Meanwhile, Nami confronts Arlong at Arlong Park about stealing her money, and Arlong acts like Nezumi stole it out of his control, saying that Nami will have to start saving Beli 100,000,000 from scratch again. He reminds her that he will kill the people of Cocoyasi Village if she tries to escape, and Nami remembers Genzo telling her that they kept this threat from her in case she wanted to escape. Nami breaks free and runs out of Arlong Park, followed by Arlong’s taunt. In the village of Cocoyasi, a furious Genzo tells the villagers to get ready to take up arms and fight the Arlong Pirates, while Nami desperately runs to stop them, knowing that if they fight, they will die and that would be the end. from everything. Genzo tells the villagers that they made a promise eight years ago to endure the cruelty of the fishmen for as long as it takes for Nami to buy the village back, but they can’t continue to live under these conditions unless Arlong intends to. when to let them go However, he shouts that he will never forgive the fishmen for messing with Nami’s good heart, and all the villagers agree with him, declaring that they are more than ready to fight, and have been for eight years. However, Nami reaches out to them and tries to reassure them that she is willing to save the money again, even saying that it would be easier this time. The villagers are shocked and deeply moved by her efforts. At the park, Arlong Chew notes with a laugh that Arlong can be quite heartless, to which Arlong replies that he won’t just let Nami’s power navigator get away from him. However, Arlong replies that he is not completely heartless and that he will eventually let Nami go, but only after he creates a map of the entire world, while he and the other fishmen roar with laughter as they realize it will take decades.
Meanwhile, Genzo doesn’t listen to Nami’s reassurances, telling her that he knows it would be futile. He hugs her and praises her for the effort she put into freeing them, which almost moves Nami to tears. Genzo then tells her to leave the village and Nojiko supports him and encourages her sister to follow her dream. Now desperate, Nami pulls out her dagger, declaring that she doesn’t want any of them to get hurt again, and tells them that they will die, but Genzo shows his determination by grabbing the dagger, cutting his hand in the process, and the villagers say that their hearts are set up. Genzo yells at Nami to get out of the way and the villagers rush past her towards Arlong Park, declaring their will to fight even though they will likely lose, leaving Nami kneeling in the middle of the street. Driven to the breaking point by rage, grief, and despair, Nami grabs a dagger and begins psychotically stabbing herself in the tattooed arm, screaming Arlong’s name repeatedly as tears stream down her face. However, Luffy arrives and grabs Nami’s arm before she can hurt herself any more. With her back to him, Nami tells Luffy that she doesn’t know anything about what’s going on here and that she already told him to leave the island because it has nothing to do with him, and throws a few handfuls of dirt in his direction. Luffy acknowledges both of these points, but doesn’t move or say anything else. Nami finally breaks down in tears, turning to Luffy and begging him to help her. Luffy responds by quietly placing his straw hat on her head before stepping forward and extremely loudly declaring that he will help. Nami is shocked that he is wearing a straw hat as he knows that Luffy is clinging to him and is moved to new tears as he watches Luffy walk to the rest of his crew who were waiting just ahead and says them to come. with him, to which he immediately agrees. Meanwhile, the villagers make it to Arlong Park, only to find a beaten and bloody Johnny and Yosaku sitting outside the gate. The couple mentions how they heard Nami’s story from the forest and, ashamed of doubting her character, went to confront the Arlong Pirates, only to be defeated. The two bounty hunters aren’t going to let the villagers pass because they have no chance of winning, and instead wait for another group of men, confusing the villagers. Inside Arlong Park, Arlong asks if Johnny and Yosaku were part of Zoro’s crew, and Kuroobi doubts it, saying that they were too weak to do so. Just then, Luffy knocks the gate off its hinges and asks which of the fishmen is Arlong, much to Arlong’s shock and annoyance.