At a lively banquet, Luffy and Usopp stood on the table, clowning around. With a pair of chopsticks sticking out of his nostrils and a dustpan in hand, he danced a strange dance that made Kaya laugh out loud.

“This captain really has no sense of decorum,” Nami sighed helplessly. “Speaking of which, where are we headed next?”

“You're not going to use that trick again, are you?” Zoro couldn’t help but glance at Rainer. He still remembered when Rainer had made Luffy casually point to a spot on the map, and they ended up targeting Syrup Village.

“...that trick?”

“Ahem, I have an idea for our next stop,” Rainer said, yawning. With Nami looking puzzled, he continued, “Don’t you think we’re missing an important crewmate on this ship?”

“You mean that one?”

“Indeed, we can’t do without that position on board.” Zoro and Nami nodded in agreement, adjusting their chins.

“You all feel the same way, right?”

Hearing this, Luffy leaned over with a grin and looked at everyone. “Then it’s decided! We’re going to find a musician!”

“It’s a chef, a chef!”

“If you’re not going to use your brain, you might as well donate it!”

“Well, speaking of chefs,” Rainer paused and looked up. “Let’s go to the Baratie restaurant.”

“But that’s getting close to the Grand Line. Before that, I’m thinking of heading to the Conomi Islands to find Arlong.”

“Conomi Islands?”

“Where is that?”

“Arlong!!!”

Unlike the other puzzled expressions, Nami gasped. She didn’t expect to hear that name from Rainer. ‘Arlong’ was a nightmare for her, stirring up fear and disgust in her heart. She could never forget the image of Bell-mere being killed by Arlong while trying to protect her and Nojiko.

“Nami, what’s wrong? Do you know this Arlong?” Luffy asked, noticing Nami’s pale face.

Nami fell silent, her expression darkening, and the lively atmosphere suddenly quieted down. Rainer was the first to break the silence.

“Arlong was originally a member of a fish-man pirate crew in the Grand Line...”

He slowly explained to Luffy and the others about Arlong’s brutal rule over the Conomi Islands after arriving in the East Blue...

“He sounds like a real jerk. Rainer and Nami, do you know him?” Luffy asked, confused, while Nami also glanced at Rainer. She was curious about what Rainer wanted with Arlong—did he have some connection with him?

“What are you thinking?” Rainer noticed Nami’s strange gaze and explained, “Have you forgotten my abilities? I just have a bit of a craving for his body.”

“Is that so?”

Luffy relaxed and grinned, “Then let’s go teach Arlong a lesson and help Rainer collect some new undead!”

“It’s undead, not a monster!”

“Hey, wait a minute!”

Nami became somewhat anxious. “Do you know Arlong’s strength? He’s...”

At this point, Nami suddenly stopped. Arlong’s power was deeply ingrained in her mind. Over the years, how many navy officers had tried to capture him without even seeing him, only to be sunk along with their ships?

Hearing that they were going to find trouble with Arlong shocked her. But...

Nami glanced at the others. Luffy, Zoro, Rainer... these few undead had fought against Kuro, who had a bounty of 16 million berries, so easily and comfortably.

“If it’s those few, could they...,” Nami thought to herself. Perhaps they really could defeat Arlong? If so, the villagers of Cocoyashi Village could be freed from Arlong’s dark rule.

No, that wouldn’t do. If they failed, with Arlong’s cruel nature, he would definitely kill them all.

Nami struggled internally. She had once made a deal with Arlong that if she saved up one hundred million berries, she could buy Cocoyashi Village from him. But that was one hundred million! So many years had passed, and it felt like an unattainable goal.

“Hey, Nami, what’s wrong with you?”

“You’ve been acting strange since earlier.”

The others were puzzled; aside from Rainer, they didn’t know about Nami’s grievances with Arlong.

“I know Arlong...”

Nami decided to be honest with them.

Then, through gritted teeth, she revealed her past to them. It turned out that many years ago, after Arlong and his gang arrived in the East Blue, they had brutally ruled the Conomi Islands with overwhelming power, forcing everyone to pay protection fees on time, and her hometown, Cocoyashi Village, was one of the islands...

“So is this why you became a thief?”

Zoro guessed the reason for Nami’s departure to sea after hearing her agreement with Arlong.

Luffy was furious. “That jerk! I’ve decided; our next stop is to find that Arlong!”

“Wait, you still don’t understand? Arlong is...”

“No need to persuade us, Nami.”

Rainer interrupted Nami, “In any case, we consider you our navigator.”

“If our own crewmate is being bullied, and we don’t go get revenge, what kind of pirates would we be?”

“And if Arlong is around, you won’t be able to travel with us in peace either.”

Rainer stood up, looking down at Nami;

“Luffy doesn’t like him, I want to collect his templates, and you’ve been bullied by him.”

“Any one of those reasons is enough for us to beat him up. That’s just how pirates operate.”

Nami covered her mouth; she had gotten used to living on her own.

She had never thought that after Bell-mere’s death, she would encounter people she could rely on, and tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes.

“...Thank you, everyone.”

“Wuwu... this is so touching.”

Usopp was in tears. “One day, I’ll also go to sea and become a pirate like you!”

“What? You're coming too?”

“Eh?”

Upon hearing Luffy’s words, Usopp was dumbfounded.

“I remember inviting you, didn’t I?”

“Eh? Wait a minute, were you serious? Not joking?”

“Ah, I’m serious.”

Luffy grinned widely, “I really like you.”

Usopp looked around in confusion.

“What are you spacing out for?”

Rainer lit another cigarette and teased Usopp, “Hurry up and pack your things. After we finish eating, we’re setting sail. If you miss this boat, there won’t be another one.”

“Wait... wait a minute!”

Usopp hurriedly stood up and rushed outside.

Rainer glanced at Kaya and joked, “Sorry, we’ve taken your little boyfriend away. You don’t blame us, do you?”

“No... no... that’s not true.”

Kaya’s face turned slightly red as she stammered, “I’ve known that Usopp would go to sea one day.”

Though Kaya said that, a hint of disappointment could still be seen in her eyes.

Soon, the group finished their meal and followed Kaya and Meri to the port.

Usopp had already arrived early, and next to him was a single-masted sailing ship.

The bow had a white sheep's head, a huge mast on the deck, and a triangular sail at the stern, with two layers of cabins situated above.

“This ship is a bit retro, but I designed it myself,”

Meri pointed to the ship and introduced it to the group. “This is a fast sailing ship. I named it the Going Merry...”

While Meri and Nami were introducing the ship, the others could hardly wait to board.

“Hahaha, this is awesome!”

Luffy lay on the sheep's head, spreading his limbs and laughing as he looked up, “This will be my throne from now on!”