Conomi Island.
"We're here."
Nami stood tensely on the deck of the Silent Orca, her hands clenched at her sides. Her gaze fixed on the approaching shoreline—familiar, yet filled with painful memories. This was her homeland, the place where her past was still very much alive. Thankfully, they had docked on a quiet beach on the far side of the island, far from Arlong Park.
Zino stepped up beside her, arms folded. "Nami, where exactly is Arlong staying?"
Nami blinked, then answered, "He's based on the other side of the island… We've landed on the southern coast. Arlong Park is on the northern shore."
Zino nodded thoughtfully. "Then we'll cut through the island. Let's go straight through on foot and pay our visit to the land you came from."
Alvida raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be easier to just sail around the island? We could avoid the forest entirely and approach his base from the sea."
Zino waved his hand dismissively. "Nah. I want to see Nami's village first. And besides, sailing around the island might attract unnecessary attention. Arlong and his crew are fishmen—they live in the sea. If we sail near the coast, there's a good chance they'll notice us before we even get close."
Alvida crossed her arms. "You seem to know a lot about fishmen."
"Not really," Zino replied with a grin. "Just read a bit here and there. Enough to know that fighting them in the water would be a pain."
Nami looked over at him, eyes a little wide. There was something reassuring about how casually Zino spoke, as if none of this truly worried him. For her, this island carried years of trauma, fear, and pain. But for him… it was just another path forward.
Zino turned to the others and said, "Nami is one of us now. So as her nakama, it's only right that we visit her village and see what kind of place raised someone like her. Let's go!"
The crew nodded in agreement, and one by one they began disembarking.
"What about Don Krieg?" Zoro asked, glancing toward the tied-up man still lying unconscious under the shade of the mast.
"We'll take care of him," Johnny volunteered quickly, stepping forward.
"Yeah, leave it to us!" Yosaku added with a nervous grin.
Truthfully, both of them were relieved to be left behind. They had heard stories of fishmen—monstrous beings with strength far beyond that of any normal human. Neither of them had any desire to cross paths with Arlong or his crew.
Meanwhile, someone else was trying to slip away unnoticed—Ussop.
Having heard terrifying tales from Yosaku about the monstrous strength of fishmen, he had absolutely no intention of tagging along to face Arlong. He raised his hand nervously. "I-I'll stay behind and guard Don Krieg too! You know, just in case he wakes up and… does something bad!"
Zino turned and called out firmly, "Ussop! Get down here. You're coming with us."
"W-What? But—"
"Look," Zino pointed toward the group, "even Kaya is coming."
Ussop froze. "K-Kaya?"
Kaya, standing confidently beside Nami with a small pack over her shoulder, gave Ussop a calm nod. She didn't say anything, but her expression was clear: I'm not afraid.
"I— I'll come too!" Ussop blurted out immediately, running to join the group with a sheepish smile.
With that, the party split.
Johnny and Yosaku remained behind on the Silent Orca to guard the ship and keep an eye on Don Krieg, who remained unconscious and tied up. They both looked relieved as the others disembarked, secretly glad to avoid the danger of facing fishmen.
Zino, Nami, Zoro, Alvida, Ussop, and Kaya set off inland, making their way through the dense foliage of Conomi Island. The forest trail eventually opened up, and within minutes, the outline of a village came into view.
As they drew closer, signs of life began to emerge—men tending crops in silence, others preparing their boats for fishing. Yet something was eerily off.
There were no children playing in the fields, no mothers chatting from door to door, no laughter or casual banter. The entire village felt muted, as if a heavy shadow hung over it.
Zino's eyes narrowed. "This place feels… wrong."
He scanned the village, his expression darkening. It was too quiet. Too tense.
Noticing his reaction, Nami quietly said, "They're scared. The villagers live in constant fear of Arlong and his crew. Sometimes, one of those fishmen sneaks in to spy on them—checking the village's mood, searching for signs of rebellion."
"Sneaks in?" Alvida raised an eyebrow. "What, like a fishman peeping tom? That's a new one."
"Creeping around just to spy?" Zoro scoffed. "Sounds less like pirates and more like predators."
"Maybe that's exactly what they are," Zino muttered. "Predators playing with their prey."
Ussop shivered, sticking close to Kaya. "Are they really that strong?"
"Yes," Nami said softly. "Stronger than you can imagine. The average fishman is ten times stronger than a human. And Arlong… he's not average."
A heavy silence fell over the group for a moment.
But Zino's steps didn't falter. He looked ahead, eyes steady. "No matter how strong they are, this ends today. We're here to change things."
After walking through the quiet village for a while, Zino and the group finally spotted someone working in a small garden by a modest house. The woman, wearing a simple headscarf and tending to a row of herbs, looked up—and her eyes immediately locked onto Nami.
"Nami!" she called out.
"Nojiko..." Nami's steps faltered as her sister stood up and quickly approached her. For a second, Nami hesitated, guilt flickering across her face. But before she could say anything, Nojiko had already wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"Where have you been all this time?" Nojiko whispered, her voice trembling with both relief and worry.
"I... I was at sea," Nami replied, slowly returning the hug. "Sorry it took so long for me to come back."
Nojiko pulled away slightly and looked her sister over, concern etched deep in her face. "You shouldn't be here. You should've stayed away once you left. Coming back now… Arlong will know. He always knows."
"I just…" Nami looked down, unable to explain.
"No, don't say anything now." Nojiko sighed heavily and gently took Nami's hand. "Let's talk inside."
As she turned to lead her inside the house, she paused—only just noticing the group standing behind Nami.
Her gaze swept across them, eyes narrowing slightly. "Who are they?"
Zino stepped forward with a calm smile and a respectful bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sister Nojiko. We're Nami's friends. I'm Monkey D. Zino."
At his introduction, the rest of the group gave polite nods.
"This is Zoro, Alvida, Ussop, and Kaya," Zino continued, pointing each one out in turn.
Nojiko gave them a cautious glance, still unsure. Zoro noticed she was assessing their strength, likely trying to determine if they were dangerous or foolish enough to cross Arlong.
Zoro leaned over slightly toward Zino and whispered, "You're not mentioning our group name?"
Zino smiled without looking back. "No need. Not yet."
The others exchanged glances but didn't question it further. They could tell Zino had a reason.
After glancing at them for a few seconds, Nojiko then sighed. "Friends or not, this isn't a place for visitors. This island isn't some sightseeing stop. If Arlong finds out you're here, things could get bad. For everyone."
"We understand," Zino replied calmly. "But we came knowing the risks."
Nojiko stared at him for a few seconds, as if trying to read something deeper in his words. Finally, she shook her head. "Fine. Come inside, then. At least before someone spots you standing out here."
She led them through the gate and into the simple yet cozy house. As they stepped into the familiar living room, Nami looked around quietly, memories rushing back. The scent of the old wood, the faint perfume of herbs drying near the window—it all tugged at her heart.
Nojiko gestured toward a small table. "Sit down. I'll get something to drink."
As she walked into the kitchen, Zino took a seat near Nami. He noticed her fingers trembling slightly.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Nami nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yeah… just feels strange being back."
He didn't push her further.
...
Arlong Park – Main Hall
"Captain! Captain! Urgent news!"
The heavy wooden doors of Arlong's chamber slammed open with a loud bang as a frantic fishman burst into the room. The sound echoed through the stone hall, interrupting a quiet conversation between Arlong, Chew, and Kuroobi.
Arlong, seated comfortably on a large throne-like chair carved from coral and bone, narrowed his eyes at the intrusion. His webbed fingers tapped the armrest, annoyed by the disruption. "This better be important."
The fishman dropped to one knee, panting slightly. "It's Nami, Captain. She's back!"
At once, the tension in the room shifted. Arlong's frown faded, replaced by a grin that slowly stretched across his sharp, shark-like face. He leaned forward, the tip of his long nose casting a shadow on the table in front of him. "Nami… is back, huh?"
Chew and Kuroobi exchanged looks, momentarily surprised.
"Where is she now?" Arlong asked.
"She was seen entering Cocoyashi Village. She's already been spotted walking around."
Arlong chuckled, swirling the drink in his hand before taking a long sip. "So, the little mouse finally returns to the trap. Took her long enough—I was starting to get bored watching those pathetic villagers squirm without her."
"Shall we go capture her, Captain?" Kuroobi asked, standing tall with arms crossed. "If she's come back to betray us—"
"No," Arlong interrupted, raising a hand. "There's no need. Nami isn't stupid. She knows the rules. She'll come here, sooner or later—probably to explain herself or beg for something. Either way, we wait."
Chew let out a low, amused grunt. "Think she found enough treasure this time?"
"We'll see," Arlong said with a smirk. "She always manages to bring in something good. That's why I keep her around. But if she's thinking of turning against us…" His sharp teeth flashed in a menacing grin. "Well, even rats get eaten eventually."
The messenger shifted nervously, then added, "Captain, there's more… Nami didn't come alone. She brought a group with her."
That caused Arlong's eyes to narrow slightly. "Oh?"
"They look human. There were several of them. Some strong-looking men… they might be a group of pirates."
"Pirates?" Kuroobi muttered, already on edge. "Did their ship have a Jolly Roger?"
The fishman shook his head. "No pirate flag. At least, not that we could see. But they're not villagers either. Outsiders, for sure."
Arlong leaned back in his seat, contemplative. "So she brought guests… Interesting."
"What should we do, Captain?" Chew asked.
"It's fine," Arlong said with a dismissive wave, eyes half-lidded with smug confidence. "Let her bring more friends. The more, the better."
He leaned back in his coral throne, the muscles in his jaw tightening slightly. "If they're here to free the village…"
Crack!
The ornate cup in his hand shattered under the force of his grip, fragments falling to the ground as water trickled between his webbed fingers. His sharp teeth were bared in a predatory grin, and a dangerous gleam sparked in his eyes.
"…Then we'll crush them. Every. Last. One." His voice was low, venomous—each word laced with cold-blooded intent.
Chew let out a low chuckle, his lips curling as his gills flared slightly. Kuroobi crossed his arms and gave a sinister smile, clearly sharing the sentiment. The air in the room grew heavier, charged with tension and unspoken violence.
Arlong wiped his hand casually on a nearby towel, as if nothing had happened. Then, rising to his full towering height, he cracked his neck and stretched, the fin on his back flexing slightly.
"Let's pay the village a visit," he said darkly. "I want to see who these 'guests' are with my own eyes. If they think they can sneak in and stir trouble under my nose… they'll learn quickly what it means to defy Arlong."
Chew nodded eagerly. "We could use this moment to remind the villagers who really rules this island."
"I like that," Kuroobi added. His fingers flexed as if already imagining snapping bones. "Should I give them a 'gentle' welcome? Maybe break a few arms?"
"Kukuku… now that sounds fishy," Chew said with a low laugh.
Arlong and Kuroobi both turned and gave him a flat stare.
"…You know we're fishmen, right?" Arlong muttered, one brow raised.
Chew blinked, confused for a moment, then cleared his throat. "I mean, uh… sounds like a plan."
Rolling his eyes, Arlong strode toward the exit, his long strides radiating purpose. "We'll take a handful of our men. Don't bring the whole crew—no need to scare them off too early. Let's see how bold they really are."
"Aye, Captain!" the nearby henchmen chorused, immediately falling in behind him with tridents and clubs in hand.
The Fishman pirates is about to meet the Orca group.