Hearing Karina's words,
Nami's expression gradually calmed, though her voice grew heavy. "That's right, I am part of the Arlong Pirates."
"That's why I tried to stop you from going to Arlong Park."
"Because I know all too well how powerful those fish-men are, and just how cruel and cold-blooded they can be."
"In their eyes, we're nothing more than an inferior race..."
At this point,
It was as if Nami had found an outlet for everything she had bottled up inside.
She began to recount her past—revealing the truth she had buried deep within her heart, including the deal she had made with Arlong to buy back her village with money.
"What did you say? You're trying to gather 100 million Berries?!"
Karina's pupils trembled, her face filled with shock.
"So that's why you've been stealing treasure all this time..."
She never could have imagined that someone her own age had been carrying such a heavy burden all along.
Will, who had been listening in silence, remained calm as he spoke.
"None of that matters, but there's one thing you're wrong about, Nami."
"Huh?" Nami looked at him in surprise.
"You are not part of the Arlong Pirates."
Will's eyes locked onto hers, his voice firm and undeniable.
"You have only one identity now—my navigator."
At those words,
Nami froze for a moment, her gaze flickering with emotion.
But Will didn't dwell on her reaction. Instead, he cut straight to the point.
"And since you're so aware of how cruel and cold-blooded those fish-men are..."
"Why do you still believe that Arlong will actually keep his promise to you?"
"Especially when that promise was made to you—a human he sees as nothing more than an inferior species."
"..."
Nami's heart clenched at his words, her eyes trembling as she struggled to find a response.
She wasn't naive. Of course she had thought about this before.
But she couldn't let herself dwell on it. She didn't want to think about it.
Because to her,
That promise was the only thing she could do—the only thing that had kept her going all these years.
It was the single thread of hope she had been holding onto.
So she forced down her chaotic thoughts and steadied her voice.
"Arlong has always been true to his word when it comes to money."
"And all these years, he has honored our agreement—he hasn't inflicted more harm on the village."
"I'm already so close to my goal. Once I've gathered all 100 million Berries, I'll finally be able to buy back—"
Before she could finish, Will cut her off.
"And once you buy back the village, what's stopping him from taking it from you again?"
"You need to understand something—Arlong is a pirate."
"And what do pirates do? I don't think I need to explain that to you."
"Not to mention, from everything you've said, Arlong is a blatant supremacist."
"To him, you're nothing more than an inferior human."
"Do you really think he'll be so kind as to just let you and your village go?"
His harsh words struck like lightning, shattering the last of Nami's defenses.
Her lips quivered, as if she wanted to refute him—but she couldn't. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she had no argument against the truth.
Lies don't wound people—only the truth cuts like a blade.
The more undeniable the truth, the more terrifying and helpless it felt.
Will noticed the fear in Nami's eyes and didn't press further. Instead, he let out a sigh, his tone laced with impatience.
"Forget it. I can't be bothered to keep talking about this—those fish-men aren't even worth my time."
"Whether you listen or not, whether you believe me or not, it makes no difference to me."
"Just steer the ship to Arlong Park. Leave the rest to me."
"And you know as well as I do—you can't stop me."
"So you only have one choice now—trust me."
"..."
His commanding words left Nami feeling deeply conflicted.
She knew she had no way of stopping Will.
After spending time with him, she understood that once he made a decision, nothing could change his mind.
And yet, precisely because of that, she felt trapped—unable to decide what to do. She bit down on her lip in frustration.
Seeing her struggle, Karina felt a surge of sympathy and asked,
"Will, are you really sure you can take down those fish-men?"
Will took a sip of his sherry, his tone utterly indifferent.
"Relax. I've been hunting fish in the East Blue for over two years now."
"And those fish-men? They're just fish with extra arms and legs, maybe a bit uglier—but that's about it. No difference to me."
Seeing the utter lack of concern in his expression, Karina finally felt reassured.
She knew Will wasn't the type to boast. If he said something like that, it meant he truly didn't see the fish-men as a threat.
Meanwhile, Nami, who had been listening, clenched her right hand over the tattoo on her left shoulder.
Muttering under her breath,
"Can humans really defeat fish-men...?"
"We will win."
Will didn't offer any further explanations. His tone carried absolute certainty.
He had no interest in proving anything with words—nor did he care about Nami's wavering emotions.
No amount of talk would be as convincing as seeing it with her own eyes.
Will turned away, gazing out at the rolling waves as he quietly sipped his sherry.
She was already on his ship. Whether she liked it or not, there was no turning back.
He believed Nami was smart—she would figure that out soon enough.
"Nami..."
Karina gently placed a hand on her shoulder, her eyes filled with concern.
Unlike Nami,
She had no doubt that Will would crush those fish-men.
But seeing Nami like this, she didn't know what else to say—she could only offer silent support.
A moment later,
Nami slowly steadied herself and wiped her eyes with her arm.
Then, she lifted her head and spoke firmly.
"I understand. Our next destination—Arlong Park!"
With that, she stood up.
She returned to the helm and swiftly adjusted the ship's course, her gaze filled with newfound determination.
"If I can't stop this... then I'll just have to bet everything on it!"
At that moment, Nami finally made her decision.
No more hesitation, no more fear.
She needed to think about how to ensure Will's victory over Arlong.
And she needed to secretly relocate the villagers before the battle began, to make sure they weren't caught in the crossfire.
As Nami silently mapped out her plan, she guided the ship forward.
Will watched her, a glimmer of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
Karina, too, noticed Nami's transformation and finally felt at ease.
And so,
The ship turned toward Arlong Park, sailing at full speed.
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