"Pirates don't care about things like credibility."
"To be honest, Nami, even if you manage to gather 100 million Beli, the only one who wins is Arlong. You won't get anything. The idea of buying back the village? It's nonsense. Do you really think someone like Arlong gives a damn about honor or keeping his word?"
Kairos Flint spoke bluntly, laying bare the cruel truth.
In reality, this had always been the only path left for the weak. Under the oppressive rule of the Arlong Pirates, the villagers lived in darkness. So when the idea of 'buying back the village' for 100 million Beli emerged, it became a flicker of hope in that darkness—something, anything, to hold onto.
It wasn't that they truly believed in the Arlong Pirates' credibility.
They didn't.
But they had no choice.
The hope, no matter how hollow, was all they had.
Hearing this, Nojiko's expression crumbled.
Tears rolled down her cheeks in large droplets.
"If Arlong and the others never planned to keep their word, then what were Nami's eight years of suffering for?" she said, her voice choked with emotion.
"It's okay, Nojiko. Kairos is here. The Arlong Pirates? They're nothing special," Nami reassured her.
Even though she was speaking calmly, she had a strong belief in Kairos Flint.
After all, she had watched him annihilate pirate crews one after another.
And every time—it wasn't luck or coincidence.
It was power.
He won with overwhelming strength, time and time again.
That kind of consistency builds trust.
"Exactly. It's just the Arlong Pirates. Nothing more," Kairos said confidently.
With the strength he had now, if he couldn't crush the Arlong Pirates, that would be the real surprise.
They weren't that strong.
"Really...?" Nojiko looked up, her tear-streaked face scanning Kairos' calm and confident features. To her, he still looked a little too pretty to be taken seriously.
The Arlong Pirates were monsters. Brutal. Inhuman.
And this guy just looked like some charming traveler.
Compared to them, he didn't look like much of a threat.
Weak, even.
"It's the curse of being too handsome," Kairos sighed, catching the skepticism in her gaze.
"Quit being narcissistic," Nami snapped, rolling her eyes. She turned to Nojiko and added, "Don't be fooled by that face—he's taken down over five thousand pirates on his own. He's way more ruthless than he looks."
"Nami, come on, that's unfair. I'm a gentle soul, you know? I help old ladies cross the road! How could you slander someone as kind-hearted as me?" Kairos interjected with mock outrage.
"Kind-hearted, my ass. You didn't even blink when you sliced through that last pirate," Nami said, shooting him a side glance.
Pfft!
Nojiko burst into laughter at the bickering between the two.
"Alright, enough crying. We need to talk about how we're going to deal with the Arlong Pirates," Kairos said, finally getting to the point.
It was clear now: everything he'd said and done until that moment was just to lift Nojiko's spirits.
And it had worked—some of the weight on her heart had eased.
She wiped her tears, took a deep breath, and welcomed the two of them inside.
After all, this was the first time they'd visited her home. She couldn't just leave them standing outside like that.
So, Kairos sat down to a humble but heartwarming meal.
Stewed potatoes.
And chicken soup.
At a moment like this, that bowl of chicken soup felt like a blessing.
It was surprisingly delicious—she really knew how to cook.
As for the plan to deal with the Arlong Pirates, Nami and Nojiko didn't bring it up right away. But Kairos knew they wouldn't stay silent for long.
They were just waiting for the right moment.
That night, he rested peacefully, his mind calm.
He slept like a rock.
The Next Morning
Nami was already up.
She'd washed up, gotten dressed, and now stood silently, waiting for him.
"Ready to go?" Kairos asked, stretching as he walked out.
"Yeah." Nami nodded firmly.
The battle with the Arlong Pirates was inevitable now. Nami knew, deep down, that the promise of buying back the village was a lie.
Arlong had no intention of honoring that deal.
So there was no point pretending anymore.
"Let's go then. I've been meaning to see how strong this so-called crew of fishmen really is. I heard they got their asses handed to them in the Grand Line," Kairos said, grabbing his Third Generation Kitetsu and strapping it to his waist.
The two of them set off together.
Their backs gradually disappeared down the road—heading toward Arlong Park.
Toward Dragon Paradise.
After a while, Nojiko stepped out of the house.
She watched their fading silhouettes, a worried expression tightening her face.
She hesitated for only a moment.
Then she made a decision.
She couldn't just stay behind and wait.
Not anymore.
This had gone on long enough.
She couldn't let Nami face this alone.
Even if there was nothing she could do to defeat the Arlong Pirates herself—even if they all failed—she had to stand with her sister.
For eight years, Nami had carried the weight alone.
Now, in this final moment...
They all had to stand beside her—no matter what.