25: An Unexpected Move by the Marines

Before the sun had even risen, Tony was already up, exercising. He carefully took the zanpakuto that Nami had been holding. Nami, having probably not slept so peacefully in a long time, didn't notice when Tony took the sword from her hands. Tony couldn't bear to wake her, so he quietly closed the door and stepped outside, not far from the doorway, to begin his sword training.

"One... two... three."

With each swing of his sword, Tony was fully focused, making sure that every movement was perfect down to the smallest detail.

He kept the advice that Rayleigh had given him before setting sail always in mind. His physical training could never be neglected. In this world, the proper use of haki was essential. In the future, when facing powerful enemies with similar Devil Fruit abilities, only haki could deliver a decisive blow.

Strengthening his haki was closely linked to his physical conditioning. If he didn't lay a solid foundation now, he would be at a disadvantage in the New World. For someone as competitive as Tony, being at a disadvantage was never an option.

"1998... 1999... 2000."

Tony finished his 2000 swings and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

By now, the sun was beginning to rise.

The sunlight today was especially bright, shining down on every corner of Cocoyasi Village, as if purifying the filth left behind by Arlong and his crew's rule.

For the first time, the village felt eerily calm, with no one stirring. The villagers were still asleep, and the entire village was quiet.

It wasn't surprising, though. Like Nami, the villagers had been worn down by Arlong's years of tyranny, constantly worrying whether they would be killed for failing to pay their dues. Now, with that burden lifted, it was likely that the residents of Cocoyasi Village were all having peaceful dreams.

Tap tap tap.

Kenjō, the village constable, was patrolling alone and noticed Tony, the hero who had saved Cocoyasi Village, still training. He walked up to greet him enthusiastically.

"Good morning, Tony! Why aren't you resting a bit longer?"

"Heh heh, good morning, Kenjō! I'm just used to exercising early every day. If I don't practice a little, I feel like my master will scold me in my dreams," Tony said, awkwardly scratching his head as he recalled the times Rayleigh had berated him during training.

Kenjō laughed heartily.

"It seems like you have a good master who keeps you motivated!"

However, Kenjō's expression grew more serious as he looked at Tony.

"Tony, I'm counting on you to look after Nami from now on. It's clear she wants to follow you out to sea. Even though she's reluctant to leave here, if she doesn't join you, she'll regret it for the rest of her life. Please don't let her make a decision she'll regret just because of our relationship."

"Nami lost her mother, Bellemere, when she was young and was forced to join the Arlong Pirates. For years, she has been fighting for the people of Cocoyasi Village, making sure no one else loses their life…"

"Now it's time for us to fully support her!"

"We can't let her life be filled with regret!"

The houses in Cocoyasi Village were all close together, and though Kenjō's voice wasn't loud, the quiet village made it easy for the residents to overhear the conversation. One by one, they opened their doors and gathered around.

"Wow, Kenjō really knows how to talk!"

"He's a true man!"

"I could tell that about him!"

"I kind of like men like that!"

The residents of Cocoyasi Village couldn't help but tease Kenjō, some even whistling and making light-hearted remarks. This made Kenjō a little embarrassed, and he cleared his throat twice while straightening his village constable's hat.

Tony, watching the villagers so considerate of Nami, couldn't help but envy her.

Using his Observation Haki, Tony sensed that Nami had already woken up and was leaning against the door, listening in.

Tony smiled and looked in the direction of the door.

"What's wrong, Nami? Didn't you want to say goodbye properly to everyone?"

"Come on out."

Creak!

Nami, holding back tears in her eyes, opened the door and stepped out, looking at the villagers of Cocoyasi Village—her family...

"..."

"Everyone... thank you so much for all the care and protection you've given me over the years, for always tolerating my stubbornness and recklessness..."

"I really, truly, appreciate it!"

The sorrow of parting made Nami's tears fall uncontrollably, and she bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle toward the villagers.

Kenjō quickly stepped forward to help her up.

"Lift your head, Nami. If anyone should be thanking someone, it's us. You've had to bear so much pressure from such a young age."

"It's our failure as adults. Now you can go after your dreams in peace, without worrying about us anymore."

"That's right, Nami! We will always support you! With your intelligence and talents, you and Tony will make a great team!"

The entire village voiced their support for Nami.

At that moment, Nami showed a joyful expression, her heart finally lightened as she resolved to follow Tony on his adventure.

But the danger hadn't truly passed yet—it was slowly heading toward them.

Splash.

In the distance, a Marine warship was cutting through the waves, heading straight for Cocoyasi Village. On the ship's deck stood a Marine colonel and a dozen soldiers.

It was none other than the shameless Marine scoundrel who had colluded with Arlong's gang to oppress the civilians—the "Rat Colonel" and his subordinates from the Marines' 16th Division.

Having been bribed by Arlong, they completely disregarded Arlong's tyranny across 20 villages in East Blue, blocking any real reports of his actions from reaching the Marines Headquarters. The colonel had received the news of the one Hundred Million Berries that Arlong had earned yesterday and had rushed over to claim his share.

However, upon arriving at Cocoyasi Village and seeing that Arlong's base had been reduced to rubble, he was infuriated to learn from the villagers that a young man had wiped out Arlong's entire gang.

To the colonel, Arlong's life or death didn't matter much—he only cared about the next thug to arrive so they could work out a deal for a share of the money. What truly drove him was the news of the Berries Arlong had made. Now that Arlong was dead, that money had to be in the hands of that young man.

The Rat Colonel, having made up his mind, confidently marched toward the residents of Cocoyasi Village, determined to take the Berries for himself.

The villagers, seeing the Marines approach, felt completely at ease. They had no suspicion or fear.

The Rat Colonel had used the name of the Marines to carry out many dirty deeds, but no one knew about it.

Step, step, step.

The Rat Colonel and his soldiers marched confidently toward the residents of Cocoyasi Village. The moment the colonel saw Tony, he immediately recognized him. Tony clearly wasn't from the village. With his sharp features and muscular build, he looked nothing like someone who had gone hungry, unlike the emaciated villagers under Arlong's rule.

The Rat Colonel smirked as he looked at Tony.

"So, you're the young man who defeated Arlong's gang, huh?"

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T/N:

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