Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Arlong was truly taken aback. Nami managing to save 100 million Bellys was astonishing.
But the idea of upholding his promise to free the village? That was laughable. After all, why would a king ever abandon his kingdom and its people? He might consider setting Nami free, but only after she singlehandedly charts the entirety of the seas. That, he mused, would just take a "short" few decades.
With a hearty laugh, Arlong threw his head back. Turning his gaze to Captain Nezumi, he commanded in a chilling tone, "The navy should seize the thief's ill-gotten wealth."
Captain Nezumi momentarily appeared taken aback by Arlong's words. However, a wicked grin soon spread across his face. "Being part of the navy means upholding the law," he said. "I'll handle this."
Their shared laughter echoed through the room, emphasizing their sinister intentions.
"Shioyaki, Take, guide the captain, and make sure Nami doesn't see any of this," Arlong directed the two fish-men.
"Understood, boss!" both replied. They nodded and escorted Nezumi out. Alone in the room, Arlong reveled in imagining Nami's reaction to losing the 100 million Bellys. He was so engrossed that he missed the odd behavior of Shioyaki and Take.
-----
In Cocoyasi Village, specifically at Nojiko's house, Usopp turned to Bai Ye with a question. "Bai Ye, are you sure about your talisman?"
Bai Ye responded with surety, "It has its imperfections, but no one will detect them." He was certain because he could sense his two puppets approaching him.
A beautiful young woman, with radiant blue hair and eyes, and a tan complexion, entered. Tattoos adorned her right arm and chest. She brought with her fresh oranges and inquired, "I've been wondering for a while now, what's this talisman you're discussing?"
Bai Ye glanced at the curious woman, popped a peeled orange slice into his mouth, and replied, "The talisman? It's just a tool from our Daoist Sect."
-----
Let's rewind a bit to when the fish-men were captured.
Bai Ye approached them and said, "You two are in luck. I have a special gift for you." With a swift movement, Bai Ye placed two talismans on their heads.
Taoist Talisman - Puppet Talisman
He then formed a seal with his hands and chanted an incantation. Just as he had done previously on the Golden Merry, the paper talisman ignited with a yellow flame. Soon after, mystical runes from the talisman appeared on the foreheads of the two fish-men. But then, these markings vanished, and the fish-men's faces became blank.
"Wow! This is cool!" Luffy exclaimed, intrigued by the magic. He even half-joked about wanting one for himself.
Usopp observed, "They look like they're under some sort of spell."
Bai Ye smirked, "Don't worry. The fun has just begun." He proceeded to release the fish-men and commanded, "Rise." They instantly stood upright.
Casually, Bai Ye inquired, "Share details about your pirate crew and Arlong's current whereabouts."
The transformed fish-men answered, "We have over a dozen members, all fish-men. As for Arlong, he's meeting with the Nezumi Navy today, so he's likely at Arlong Park."
In just under three minutes, the fish-men relayed detailed information. The Straw Hat crew stared at Bai Ye, utterly amazed. They wondered, was there anything Bai Ye couldn't do?
Bai Ye recognized the limits of his puppet talisman. Typically, it works best on those with weaker minds. Against powerful opponents, even if beaten severely, the talisman might prove ineffective. Although there are more potent talismans recorded in the Taomen Jilu, Bai Ye wasn't strong enough to make them yet. But for now, the puppet talisman sufficed.
After Bai Ye reassured Sanji he had no intentions of using the charm on Nami, he gave tasks to the puppeteered fish-men, who then departed.
While he knew his plan wasn't foolproof, Bai Ye remained confident. He believed Arlong and his crew would never expect the existence of a charm capable of controlling minds, especially not in the East Blue.
-----
"Is that really the case?"
After hearing Nami and the rest of the group explain, Nojiko was still trying to wrap her head around who Bai Ye really was. She pondered, "Could he be a some kind of powerful man capable of producing magical feats?"
Her gaze then shifted to Sanji, who seemed to be trying to woo Nami. She noticed Luffy and Usopp causing a commotion, and saw Bai Ye and Zoro celebrating together with a drink. Seeing all of them together, a tear formed in her eye.
She thought to herself, "Nami has found herself a great friends."
Nami took the time to introduce each member of her crew to Nojiko. When Nojiko learned their main reason for being there was to challenge the Arlong Pirates, she was initially shocked. But then, an overwhelming sense of happiness filled her. The two sisters then spent quality time catching up. In their conversation, Nami learned that the villagers were aware of her efforts to save money all along.
The villagers' cold behavior towards Nami was driven by a compassion. They wanted her to leave the village without any regrets if she ever felt the need to.
Learning about this made both Luffy and Usopp cry loudly.
As the hours ticked by, everyone was growing restless. Then, a voice echoed from outside Nami's home.
"Is this where the thief, Nami, resides?"
Hearing the question, many inside the room exchanged knowing glances and smiles.
Bai Ye remarked, "It seems the main event is about to begin."
He turned to Nami and said with a grin, "Make sure to give your best performance."
Nami, confidently responded, "Of course," and brushed her hair back. She continued, "Never underestimate me. I've been stealing from pirates since I was a child." With that, she headed outside.
Bai Ye reached for his Den Den Mushi, dialed a number, and said, "Captain Ripper, now's the time for that favor."
Nami appeared much more at ease compared to the original narrative. As she stepped outside, she was met with the sight of Captain Nezumi leading his troops, seemingly preparing to raid her home.
With a fiery look, Nami challenged Captain Nezumi, "I'm part of the Arlong Pirates. If you harm me, Arlong will seek revenge. You're aware of that, right?"
Yet, Captain Nezumi just responded with a sly smile, saying, "I have no clue what you're hinting at. I've merely received intel that you're a thief, and I'm here to reclaim the stolen money."
Subsequent events unfolded much like the original tale. Pretending to be hurt, both Nami and Nojiko watched as Captain Nezumi took the money chest. Luffy, who was secretly observing from upstairs, was on the verge of intervening, but Usopp managed to restrain him, ensuring their plan wasn't disrupted.
From a window, Zoro commented to Bai Ye, "We should take down someone like him."
Bai Ye, intently watching Captain Nezumi, responded, "Not yet. We need him to confess on his own."