Chapter 120

At the same time, Luo Bin strengthened her ability. Those arms that had grown on Arlong's body exerted force, and his body twisted backward, producing cracking sounds of breaking bones, causing him immense pain as his eyes began to fill with blood. Especially under the attack of the arm choking his neck and preventing him from breathing, Arlong's consciousness began to gradually blur.

"D-damn it…"

Walking to Luo Bin's side, Konis, whose golden hair flew in the wind, raised her hand.

In an instant.

The speed of those iron spikes increased once again. Over a dozen iron spikes, like black light, rapidly spun around Hatchi and Kuroobi, and bloody wounds soon appeared one after another on the two of them.

Several iron spikes pierced through Kuroobi's limbs, pinning each of Hatchi's tentacles to the ground one by one, leaving the two of them completely unable to move.

And the rest of the members of the Arlong Pirates were also nearly all wiped out by the iron spikes Konis controlled.

Easier than she and Luo Bin had anticipated.

After finishing all this, Konis turned her head to look at Nami and Nojiko, who wore stunned expressions, and asked the two women with a smile: "Shouldn't we just kill these detestable fellows?"

Nami and Nojiko stared at her somewhat dazedly, and at Hatchi and Kuroobi who had fallen in a pool of blood at her feet. Not far away, Arlong's body lay twisted on the ground, his eyes rolled back, coughing blood from the corner of his mouth, having long lost consciousness.

The Arlong Pirates, who had ruled this village, powerful and ferocious… and yet!

Just like that, completely wiped out?!!!

After witnessing all of this with his own eyes and being utterly shocked, Genzo came back to his senses and realized that all of this was actually real. His heart surged with excitement and joy beyond measure. He lowered his head, wiping away tears of happiness:

"Bell-mère… did you see this?"

Hearing the name that came from his mouth, Nami and Nojiko's bodies trembled, and a line of tears uncontrollably streamed down from both of their eyes.

They recalled the voice, the countenance, the appearance of that gentle yet strong adoptive mother, Bell-mère.

They recalled that she had died at the hands of this very fellow…

They recalled that they would never be able to see her again…

Nami, tears streaming down her face, could not help but clench her fists, looking at Arlong lying on the ground with a face full of hatred.

"I, I'm going to avenge Bell-mère!"

She strode to the unconscious, fallen Arlong, bent down, grabbed a blood-stained iron spike from the ground, and raised it with trembling hands.

"Nami…"

Before Nojiko could say anything.

Without the slightest hesitation, Nami drove the iron spike in her hands down.

The sharp iron spike pierced through Arlong's tough skin, pierced through his neck, and blood, red just like a human's, immediately gushed out, splashing all over Nami's face.

Covered in blood, she seemed to lose all her strength at once, and trembling, she collapsed into the pool of blood. The iron spike in her hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

"Nami…"

When Nojiko, tears streaming down her face, walked to her side and gently embraced her, Nami finally could not hold back and burst into loud wailing, as if she wanted to vent all the sorrow and hatred of these years in one go.

Konis and Luo Bin looked at them in the pool of blood, exchanged a smile.

Luo En, lying on the rooftop enjoying the sunlight, also slightly opened his eyes, and glanced at the short orange-haired girl crying loudly below.

"What a crybaby, really…"

…………

After Arlong's death, the Arlong Pirates immediately fell apart. The surviving fellows were gathered together by the ecstatic villagers of Cocoyama Village and driven off the island.

Nojiko and Nami prepared an extremely lavish feast for Luo En and the others. Although it was not even one ten-thousandth of the help they had given, it could be considered the most sincere gratitude the two women could currently express.

At the banquet, Nami apologized in shame for her earlier thoughts of deceiving them and betraying them.

Luo Bin and Konis naturally did not take it to heart. Instead, Nami's strength in bearing the villagers and the village entirely on her own shoulders made Luo Bin and Konis look at her with new respect.

After the banquet ended, Nojiko wanted to return the rent money.

But she was also refused by Luo En.

That night.

When Luo En was still soaking in the wooden tub, Nami's voice came from outside the door.

"This time, thank you all so much."

"If you want to thank someone, thank them. No need to thank me, I didn't do anything."

Luo En said with his eyes closed, enjoying himself comfortably.

"But you're their captain. If you hadn't told Konis and the others to act, they probably wouldn't have, right?"

Nami leaned against the doorframe and said softly.

"Don't overthink it. I was just too lazy to care about those guys. I let them do whatever they wanted."

Luo En said casually.

"Is that so…"

A trace of a smile flashed through Nami's lowered eyes.

Just as Luo Bin said, he was clearly a gentle person, yet insisted on acting as if it had nothing to do with him.

If he truly didn't want to help, he wouldn't have explained things for her at that time.

"If you're the captain, does that mean you're even stronger than Konis and the others?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know."

Nami sat down against the wall by the door, hugged her knees, and said: "I used to think Arlong was really, really strong, that no one could beat him. But now I feel Konis and Luo Bin are even stronger. Stronger than them… I can't even imagine what that would be like. Are there a lot of people on the sea as amazing as you all?"

"Quite a few, and there are even stronger ones too."

"Is that so…"

A trace of longing flashed through Nami's eyes. "I wonder, when I set out to sea as a navigator in the future, will I be able to meet companions as strong and kind as you all…"

Luo En did not answer her.

After a silence between the two.

Nami asked, "I overheard your conversation with Luo Bin earlier. Are you planning to leave early?"

Luo En gave an "Mm."

He really hated trouble, especially the kind that came bundled with gratitude.

After a few seconds of silence, Nami asked:

"Which day are you planning to leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"That soon?"

Nami was a little surprised.

Luo En, who had been leaning against the bathtub, opened his eyes:

"If you want to set out to sea too, you can come with us."

Hearing his words, Nami's eyes widened slightly; her shining eyes held excitement, delight, and surprise.

An "I do" almost slipped out.

But after calming down a little, she still shook her head.

"I really do want to become your companion and sail out with you, but still… forget it."

"Why?"

The twelve-year-old girl with short orange hair sat hugging her knees against the wall by the door and said softly:

"Companions should help each other. But right now I can't help with anything. Even if I got on your ship, to you I'd only ever be the one being helped… I don't really want that."

Luo En in the bathtub gave a soft laugh at her words.

"That's a pretty good resolve. Someone like you is sure to meet the most suitable companions in the future."

Hearing his words, a small smile appeared on Nami's face, her bright eyes full of longing.

"If it really turns out that way, that would be great."

"When that time comes, I'll be able to sail the great sea with my own companions, and meet you again on the free and open ocean."

"By then I'll definitely have grown into a navigator that will make you, Luo Bin, and Sister Conis look at me in a whole new light!"

Perhaps because she knew they would be leaving tomorrow.

In this last stretch of time, Nami said quite a few heartfelt things to Luo En—some of them she hadn't even told Nojiko.

For some reason, she felt she could speak freely in front of this mysterious boy who was only two years older than her, yet as mature as my lord.

………………

The next day.

Early morning.

Luo En, Luo Bin, Conis, and Xiao Qi left the house without disturbing Nojiko.