Arlong Park.
Once a tyrant strutting across the East Blue, feared and loathed, with a bounty of 20 million Berries on his head—Arlong was now skewered to the ground, impaled through his right chest by a flaming lance.
The sound of searing flesh crackled in the air. With it rose the acrid stench of scorched shark meat.
Gone were the cruelty and arrogance once burning in Arlong's eyes. What remained was sheer terror—as he stared at the black-haired man standing before him.
"A Logia... You're a Logia-type Devil Fruit user!"
Arlong's voice trembled in disbelief as he looked at Ace.
A memory flickered in his mind—of that fateful encounter with then-Vice Admiral Borsalino, now known as Kizaru, and the unstoppable power of the Glint-Glint Fruit that had pierced through him like light itself.
Logia... the kind of power mortals couldn't hope to resist.
Why?! Why would a Logia appear in the East Blue of all places?!
And fire, of all elements—the most destructive, the most terrifying...
His strength was fading fast, the moisture in his body evaporating rapidly under the intense heat. Even his consciousness began to blur.
To fish-men, the power of fire was the stuff of nightmares.
"A Logia Fruit... and developed to this level? Then... that attack just now... could it really have been...?"
Terror hit its peak in Arlong's heart.
He looked up, staring at the human he'd always deemed an inferior species.
"Conqueror's... Haki!!!"
The word escaped his lips just before his body, parched and blackened from the flames, finally gave in. He collapsed backward with a heavy thud, unconscious.
"!!!"
The people of Cocoyasi Village stood frozen, stunned beyond belief.
One blow.
It had taken just one single strike.
The monster who had terrorized them for years, who had made their lives a living hell—Arlong—was down?!
Nami stared, wide-eyed, at Arlong's nearly mummified form.
She'd known Ace was strong—but she hadn't imagined Arlong could be taken down so easily.
This was Arlong! The most vicious pirate in the East Blue! Twenty million on his head!
And yet... in the blink of an eye, he had been completely overpowered by Ace.
"Nami."
Ace turned his head slightly, flashing her a warm smile.
"Your captain... must be really strong, huh?"
He grinned, radiant as the sun.
"Mmh!"
Nami nodded firmly, tears welling in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks.
"From now on... I'll be counting on you, Captain."
Her voice quivered through joy and gratitude.
...
Cocoyasi Village.
The gloom that once hung over the village like a shroud had lifted. In its place—laughter, chatter, life.
All members of Arlong's crew who had committed crimes were executed on the spot, their bodies left to the sea. Only a few, who had committed no crimes, were spared—after careful deliberation by the villagers.
They wanted to protect the pure kindness Nami still held in her heart. No more blood on her hands.
To celebrate this hard-won peace, every family brought out the food they had hidden away for fear of Arlong's raids.
Under the skilled hands of the village's best chefs, dish after dish of Cocoyasi's local specialties filled the tables—all offered to their village's great benefactor.
"Nom nom nom!"
Ace looked like a perpetual motion machine, shoveling food into his mouth without pause. His cheeks puffed out with every bite.
"Ace, seriously?! Could you not eat so much? The chefs can barely keep up!"
Nami groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Kaya giggled behind her hand.
"Eat less? Are you kidding me? It's a feast! A feast!"
Ace protested with his mouth full, then dove right back into his meal.
Bang!
Midway through his plate, Ace suddenly slumped forward, faceplanting into the table.
"Wha—Ace?!"
Nami's eyes widened in alarm.
"Ace?!"
Kaya gasped in panic.
The entire village broke into a flurry of worried commotion.
Then—
"Snore..."
A loud snore echoed from the collapsed figure.
"He's... asleep?!"
The villagers blinked in unison.
After a few minutes of stunned silence, Ace stirred, stretched with a huge yawn... and went right back to eating.
Thud!
The entire crowd faceplanted in unison.
"Don't just fall asleep out of nowhere, you idiot!"
Nami screeched.
"You scared the life out of me, Ace!"
Kaya pouted, smacking his shoulder lightly.
"Ahahaha! Sorry, sorry!"
Ace laughed, clearly not sorry at all.
Unlike the Ace in the original timeline, this version of him had mastered Total Absorption—a technique that allowed him to nap in the middle of a meal, increasing his absorption efficiency so he could eat even more.
Under normal circumstances, sure, but this? This was a banquet! He had to eat his fill!
"Hehehe..."
Nojiko watched as Ace and Nami bickered playfully, Kaya pretending to scold Nami but secretly stealing glances at Ace, a soft smile playing at her lips.
Looks like her little sister had found herself one hell of a captain.
By the end of the feast, the Cocoyasi chefs had passed out in the kitchen from sheer exhaustion—smiles still plastered on their faces.
To cook a meal that brought joy to the village's savior? That was a dream worth collapsing for.
...
Night.
Nojiko and Nami's home.
Creaaak.
Once everyone had gone to bed, Nojiko opened the window. A cool breeze fluttered the curtains as she gazed up at the starlit sky.
"So you're finally leaving tomorrow, huh?" she whispered to the night. "Your dream's finally coming true, Nami."
Her lips curled into a gentle smile—a smile she hadn't worn since Bellmère passed away.
"You can rest easy now, Bellmère-san."
She looked at the stars, and for a moment, it was as if Bellmère's smile was shining back at her.
Still...
It was going to feel a little lonely.
She wasn't sure how long it would be until she saw Nami again.
Just then, a soft voice drifted to her ear.
"Nojiko... do you want to go to sea too?"
She turned—
Only to see Ace standing there, smiling at her beneath the moonlight.
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TL/N:
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