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Phew
Wisps of smoke dispersed as Sanji pressed his cigarette butt into the ashtray. He stood up, hands tucked into his pockets, his face a mask of cold resolve. "To do such a despicable thing to the lovely Nami-san... it really makes me angry".
"Hey! Where is he?! He didn't go to find Arlong and the others, did he?" Nojiko stood before the large hole in the wall of her home, realizing Satori had already vanished. She turned toward Sanji, her voice thick with worry and demand.
"Does that even need asking?" Sanji replied as he stepped through the rubble. "Even I wish I could beat that scoundrel Arlong to a pulp right now, let alone Satori. He cares for Nami immensely".
"But doing this will destroy the wish she has held onto for years!" Nojiko followed him, her voice rising in protest. "If Arlong keeps his promise and releases the village, you're only causing her trouble!".
Sanji paused, glancing back at her with a sharp look. "But didn't you say you felt uneasy?". He looked toward the horizon, his focus narrowing. "I can confirm your feeling is correct. I can already hear Nami-san weeping".
Nojiko was stunned; she heard nothing but the wind. But Sanji was already gone, rushing off like an arrow toward Arlong Park. "Don't worry! The ones in trouble now aren't Nami-san... it's Arlong and his crew!". To Sanji, anyone who stole Nami's smile was an enemy to be fought to the death.
On the dirt road, Satori flashed past in a blur of rage, leaving a trail of rolling dust behind him. His personality was simple: Nami had guided and cared for him, and seeing her suffer such cruelty was unforgivable. He finally understood the weight of the "secret" she had been carrying.
He rounded a bend and saw an infuriating scene that made his hair stand on end. "Let go of Nami!!".
Before him, Nami was pinned to the ground by two Marines, her face streaked with tears of absolute despair. The soldiers, startled by the shout, looked up just as a black shadow enlarged before their eyes.
Bang! Bang!
With two heavy thuds, the Marines were sent flying like broken kites, crashing into the outer wall of Arlong Park and sliding into unconsciousness. Satori landed and immediately helped Nami sit up.
"Sa—Satori..." Nami's eyes were unfocused, her voice barely a whisper.
Satori gritted his teeth, glaring at Colonel Nezumi. "What did you do to Nami?!".
"Who are you, brat?" Nezumi glanced at his fallen subordinates, his eyes cold.
"You don't need to know! Answer me!" Satori demanded, ignoring their Marine uniforms.
"Satori... they stole the money," Nami sniffled, pointing toward the woods. Two Marines were attempting to push a cart containing her 100,000,000 Berries toward the sea. Satori didn't hesitate; he rushed them in a blur of speed.
The Marines tried to aim their rifles, but Satori was faster. He punched the first soldier in the face, sending him flying backward, then used his tail to lash out at the second, knocking several teeth loose and sending the man spinning into a tree. He quickly pulled the cart back to Nami's side.
"Nami! I got it back for you!" He flashed a brilliant smile.
"Satori, look out!!" Nami screamed.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out. Nezumi stood with his smoking pistol, a grim expression on his face. "You dare go against the Marines? Die, brat". To Nezumi, anyone blocking his path to wealth was expendable.
"Satori!!!" Nami's heart filled with terror. She lunged forward, hugging him as tears flowed once more. "I'm sorry! It's all my fault!". She was certain the boy had lost his life because of her.
"Nami, I'm fine. It just hurt a little".
Nami lifted her head, stunned to see Satori looking at her with a grin. She quickly checked his back; while there was a bullet hole in his clothes, his skin showed only a faint white mark.
"You—you're really okay?!" Nami's face was a mix of tears and relief.
"Hehe, of course. Don't cry, Nami". Satori turned his gaze to the shocked Nezumi. "Hey! That kind of thing is useless against me!".
Nezumi's eye twitched. He fired several more times—bang, bang, bang!. Satori didn't dodge; because Nami was behind him, he snatched the bullets out of the air with his bare hands. He crushed the lead in his palm and let the fragments drop to the ground.
Nezumi stumbled back in terror. "Who—who are you?!". He waved his hand at his remaining men. "Shoot him! He can't block them all!".
Satori's eyes flashed. He lunged forward, reaching Nezumi in an instant and delivering a kick that sent the Colonel flying into the wall of Arlong Park like a decoration. He dispatched the remaining Marines in the blink of an eye.
Satori clapped his hands and looked at the stunned Nami. "Nami, I know everything now. I will definitely defeat Arlong and avenge you!".