She didn't know how much time had passed.
Nami's heavy eyelids slowly opened.
'It hurts.'
Her ribs were broken, her internal organs seemed punctured, and the internal bleeding was severe.
Compared to the Fish-men, whose physical strength was ten times that of humans, Nami's body was as fragile as paper.
But…
"I can't die."
She struggled, muttering indistinct words.
Crawling towards the first aid kit.
If she died, there would never be a chance for revenge.
She could never liberate her hometown from those Fish-men.
Fortunately, Arlong still needed to keep her alive to draw sea charts for the pirate crew.
Although Nami's injuries were severe, they weren't fatal.
After simple treatment, Nami tremblingly raised her hand and opened the group chat as soon as possible.
These days, the Darkening Chat Group was the only sanctuary in her bleak life.
Chatting with the group members inside, watching the Group Owner help those members, guiding them onto their own paths…
Nami was deeply envious.
"In a while, when I'm a bit older and have stronger abilities, I'll gather the courage to ask the Group Owner for help."
Nami clenched her fists, secretly vowing in her heart.
However…
When she logged into the group chat and saw the messages, her little face instantly turned bright red, and her expression froze.
[This Queen Is So Beautiful: @Cat Burglar, Come out quickly, the Group Owner has been waiting. Really, if you had just spoken up earlier, this could have been resolved. No need to make everyone worry like this.]
[Young Master of the Demon Cult: Hah, although you're a troublesome, dawdling woman, since the Group Owner has acknowledged you, show some of the spirit expected in the Darkening Chat Group.]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: Yeah, everyone here has a past that others can't understand. Everyone has been reborn thanks to the Group Owner. You don't need to feel inferior.]
[Dark Group Owner: @Cat Burglar, You're here?]
[Cat Burglar: Mm.]
Nami lowered her head, her heart pounding.
With her intelligent mind, she naturally guessed what had happened.
Everyone in the group had probably seen what just happened to her.
However, beyond the shame, a warm sense of belonging also arose in Nami's heart.
Since Cocoyashi Village was occupied by Arlong and she was forced to join the pirate crew, no one had understood her.
The villagers cursed her, saying she had betrayed Bell-mère's sacrifice.
Arlong looked down on her, treating her as a tool for making money and drawing maps.
This feeling of being valued, acknowledged, and cared for by everyone…
She really hadn't experienced it for a very, very long time.
[Dark Group Owner: I won't lecture you. Everyone must take responsibility for their own actions. Because of your cowardice and inferiority complex, you've tasted the consequences. I won't preach to you like a morning drama protagonist.]
[Dark Group Owner: Now, I only have one question for you.]
[Dark Group Owner: Do you want to kill him? Regardless of everything, right or wrong, completely wipe out the Arlong Pirates!]
The 'him' Hattori referred to needed no explanation, it was naturally Arlong!
In the original work, Nami's personality was somewhat saintly.
After learning about the past of the Arlong Pirates and other Fish-men being enslaved by the Celestial Dragons, she chose to forgive, to forgive Hatchan who had tormented her throughout her childhood.
She even became friends with him!
In Hattori's view, this was utterly unacceptable.
The murder of her mother, the hatred from years of abuse… such enmity cannot share the same sky.
Let it go?
Did she ask Bell-mère in heaven if she agreed to let it go?
Did she ask the villagers of Cocoyashi Village, who are oppressed by the Arlong Pirates, if they agreed to let it go?
If the current Nami was still as saintly as in the original work, unable to make up her mind, then Hattori would have to consider whether to kick her out of the Darkening Chat Group.
[Cat Burglar: Of course! I dream of it! As long as I can kill him, I would willingly offer my soul to the devil!]
Nami, her face covered in blood, whispered in a hoarse voice from her throat.
She had never forgotten her hatred.
In a corner of her bedside, seventy-nine bloodstains were carved into the wood.
Each bloodstain was left by Nami when her hatred reached its peak, from self-harm.
Perhaps Hattori had misunderstood one thing.
The reason Nami chose to 'forgive' Hatchan in the original work wasn't really letting go, but rather giving up.
Why?
Because by that time, Nami had experienced too much of the world's cruelty.
What else could she do if she didn't forgive?
Fight Luffy like Usopp did, have a big showdown?
In the end, cause so much trouble they couldn't even go to Fish-Man Island?
Hah.
It's too unrealistic.
The Nami in the original work never forgot her hatred.
It was just that no one could give her the power for revenge.
Luffy seemed to be the captain of the Straw Hat crew, Nami's companion…
But at his core, he was a super saint.
He ate Hatchan's takoyaki and was about to visit Fish-Man Island, so how could he possibly take action and strike to kill?
Throughout their journey, had he ever killed anyone?
Nami was well aware of all this.
She didn't want to put Luffy in a difficult position, and she couldn't make Luffy kill.
So, she could only wave her hand and pretend everything was in the past.
But Hattori was different from Luffy.
He wouldn't morally bind her, and he would never leave an enemy alive.
As long as Nami asked, even if it was the world, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy it.
(A/N: Some readers might think Nami's personality is strong and she wouldn't have an inferiority complex, but my personal interpretation is: Nami's early cheerfulness and openness were a facade to mask the inferiority complex inside. For so many years, she was disliked by the villagers, who thought she was Arlong's lackey, and considered herself a bad person, so she never dared to directly accept Luffy's help. Even when Luffy had shown considerable strength and friendship towards his companions, she still chose to steal money alone to buy back the village instead of asking Luffy for help. This proves that Nami was timid and insecure at her core. It wasn't until Luffy sought her out that she voiced her inner plea, "Help me," which again proves that deep down, Nami was still a vulnerable girl longing to be saved.)