The vast blue sea stretched endlessly toward the horizon, under a sky as clear as a fresh wash. The Going Merry glided gracefully across the placid waters, carried by a gentle breeze.
However, in stark contrast to the tranquil scenery, mornings on the ship usually began with a chaotic display of energy.
"Slurp..."
At the stern of the deck, Luffy was leaning over the railing, his body twisting like a snake. He was stealthily creeping toward the three lush orange trees that had recently been transplanted into the corner.
Staring at the golden, plump oranges radiating an inviting fragrance, Luffy's mouth watered, and his eyes practically turned into the shape of the fruit.
"They look so good... just one... surely she won't notice?"
Luffy's arm began to stretch slowly, his sinful rubber hand inches away from the sacred fruit.
"STOP RIGHT THERE! You thieving rubber monkey!!"
A roar accompanied by the whistling of wind echoed across the deck.
"CLANG!!"
A heavy frying pan slammed down hard onto Luffy's extended arm. Sanji, wearing his apron and wielding the pan like a guardian deity, stood firmly in front of the orange trees.
"These are Nami-san's most precious orange trees! If even a single leaf falls, I'll turn you into rubber sashimi!!"
"Ow! Sanji, you're so stingy! Aren't oranges meant to be eaten?!" Luffy protested loudly, rubbing his arm before leaping backward.
That leap, however, landed him squarely on a certain moss-headed swordsman who was napping soundly on the deck.
"Pwuah!"
Zoro was right in the middle of a dream about becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman when his stomach took a direct hit. He bolted upright, eyes snapping open.
"Bastard! Who sneaked up on me?!" Zoro sprang to his feet. Seeing Luffy and Sanji, his morning grumpiness flared instantly as he joined the fray. "You idiots! What are you shouting about so early?! Want to be cut?!"
"Who are you calling an idiot, Moss-head?!"
"I'm talking to you, Love-cook!"
"I WANT ORANGES!!"
The deck instantly descended into a whirlwind of dust and flying limbs.
In another corner:
"Hehehe, after my improvements, this is the 'Special Super Invincible Tabasco Star'—strong enough to make an elephant cry!" Usopp sat with his goggles on, holding a small pill that was red-turning-purple, smirking with pride.
"Gah?" Klay, the black crow, hopped over curiously, tilting his head at the red marble.
"Oh? Want a taste, Klay? This is the good stuff!" Usopp gave a wicked grin and handed the pepper ball over.
Klay, oblivious, opened his beak and swallowed it whole. One second, two seconds...
"BOOM!!"
Klay's feathers puffed out instantly. His black body turned a searing, roasted-turkey red, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
"GAH—!! HOT!! IT'S BURNING LORD KLAY TO DEATH!!!"
The crow let out a piercing shriek. Like a red meteor, it shot straight over the railing and dove "plop" into the ocean.
"Wahahaha! Effect: Outstanding!" Usopp clutched his stomach, howling with laughter.
On the second-level deck:
This was the Vice-Captain's exclusive spot. Viktor lay on a comfortable lounge chair, a thick book covering his face and his hands tucked behind his head.
Although the title read Zeff's Nautical Journal, his steady breathing revealed he was currently navigating the "Ocean of Dreams."
He didn't move an inch despite the noise below, as if an invisible barrier separated him from the group of fools.
Until...
Creak—
The door to the women's quarters opened. Nami stepped out and witnessed the three main combatants brawling over oranges while Usopp rolled on the floor laughing. A bright red cross-vein throbbed on her forehead, and a visible aura of black "Haki" began to rise from her.
"You guys..." Nami clenched her fists, a "kind" smile spreading across her face as she walked toward them. "Early in the morning... CAN'T YOU BE A LITTLE QUIET?!"
"BAM! BAM! BAM!"
Three dull thuds echoed. The three powerhouses, who had been invincible moments ago, were now kneeling neatly on the deck with smoking lumps on their heads.
"It hurts... Nami, are you a devil?" Luffy whimpered, clutching his head with teary eyes.
"Zip it!" Nami stood with her hands on her hips, imperiously announcing the new ship rules. "Listen up! Now that we're at sea, you follow the navigator's rules!"
"First: All money on the ship is managed by me! If you want to spend, you apply!" "Second: The course is set by me! Anyone who points the wrong way gets tossed to the fish!"
Nami pointed to the orange trees behind her, her gaze becoming incredibly sharp. "Third! These three trees are absolute forbidden zones! Anyone who steals a single fruit... will be fined ten million Berries!!"
"YES!! NAMI-SAN!!" Sanji, despite the bump on his head, twisted his body with heart-shaped eyes. "The feeling of being managed by Nami-san... is wonderful! This is a trial of love!"
Zoro clicked his tongue, turning his head away in annoyance. "Tsk, troublesome woman."
Late at night.
The silver moonlight draped over the shimmering sea like a thin veil, and the world seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber. Except for...
"Zzz... Meat... so good... Zzz..."
In the men's cabin, Luffy's thunderous snoring rose and fell like a dissonant symphony.
"..." Viktor opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, sighing helplessly. "That snoring is more powerful than a sonic attack."
Unable to sleep, Viktor quietly slipped out of the room to catch the sea breeze on deck. As he reached the stern, he stopped. Under the orange trees stood a slender silhouette.
Nami wasn't sleeping either. She had just showered; her orange hair was damp against her cheeks, and she wore only a thin white shirt.
Under the moonlight, she looked exceptionally soft and tranquil. She reached out, gently stroking the leaves of the orange trees, her eyes devoid of their daytime shrewdness—only endless tenderness remained.
"Up this late? Counting how many fruits are on the trees to see how much you can sell them for?" Viktor's lazy voice broke the silence. He leaned against the railing, smiling at the girl under the trees.
Nami didn't snap like she did during the day. She turned around, the moonlight catching the complex light in her brown eyes.
"Idiot," Nami said softly, a faint smile touching her lips. "These oranges... they are priceless treasures that no amount of money could buy."
Viktor smiled back, offering no rebuttal. He pushed off the railing and walked toward her. As the distance closed, the air grew thick with the scent of body wash and the faint fragrance of oranges. Viktor's gaze drifted down to Nami's bare left shoulder.
There, the black jagged tattoo that had symbolized slavery and nightmares was gone. In its place was a brand-new design—a windmill and an orange intertwined, looking vivid under the moon.
Viktor reached out. His fingertips lightly brushed the new tattoo. The cool sensation made Nami's body stiffen slightly, and a blush crept up her cheeks, but she didn't pull away. She let his fingers linger.
"Compared to that ugly sawtooth..." Viktor looked at the pattern, his voice low. "This one looks much better."
Nami looked down at the design on her shoulder, a sense of relief flashing in her eyes. "Yeah... it represents freedom. And family." She looked up at Viktor—the man who had severed her chains amidst the flames. "Thank you, Viktor."
Her voice was soft, but sincere.
Then, to hide the overly intimate atmosphere, she purposely put on a troubled face, bringing up what Viktor had said earlier about keeping her treasure for her. "Speaking of which... even though you helped me keep my money, I still owe you so much debt."
Nami looked up, half-joking and half-serious, her large eyes glittering with a hint of mischief and an unreadable expectation. "What if I can't pay you back for the rest of my life?"
Viktor slowly withdrew his hand, his black eyes smiling at her. He suddenly leaned down, closing the distance between them. Viktor leaned into her ear.
In a voice only the two of them could hear, tinged with playfulness, he whispered:
"Can't pay it back, huh?"
"Then use your whole life... to slowly pay it off."
BOOM.
The words hit like a depth charge. Nami's face turned bright red all the way to her ears.
"You... you...!" She looked up frantically, meeting Viktor's laughing eyes, her mind going completely blank.
"Good... GOOD NIGHT!!"
Nami couldn't take it anymore. She shoved the approaching Viktor away and bolted back to her room like a startled rabbit.
SLAM!
The door shut tight. Silence returned to the deck. Viktor stood there, watching the retreating figure, rubbing his nose as the curve of his lips grew wider. He turned to the brilliant moon in the sky and stretched contentedly.
"The moon is quite beautiful tonight."
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