Early the next morning.
After Nami had pestered him, thrown a tantrum, acted cute, and finally turned on the charm and flaunted her assets, Daddy finally "reluctantly" sent Zoro and the others to do the heavy lifting, transplanting three orange trees onto the Dreadnaught Sabre.
Aside from being Nami's favorite fruit and a way for her to remember her mother, oranges were also rich in vitamin C, which could effectively prevent scurvy caused by long periods at sea.
Daddy had actually wanted to transplant a few orange trees himself. He just hadn't expected Nami to start tempting him and offering him a treat before he'd even brought it up.
So Daddy could only "reluctantly" enjoy the unexpected perks. He even gave Nami plenty of time to put on a talent show and deliver an Oscar-worthy performance before finally agreeing to her request to plant trees aboard the ship.
Watching Nami use Daddy's orders to boss Zoro and El Drago around, all smug as she directed them, even Nojiko couldn't stand it.
"Captain Daddy, please don't blame Nami. She's always liked teasing people, ever since she was little. She doesn't mean any harm!"
Standing beside Daddy, Nojiko kept putting in a good word for Nami, trying to "clear her name."
And for some reason, even though the man beside her was a cruel pirate who killed without batting an eye, she didn't feel the slightest bit afraid standing next to him.
Daddy's presence made Nojiko feel safe. It made her want to rely on him.
"I know what she's like. You don't need to worry."
Daddy spoke calmly, while savoring the perks Nami had just given him. Her sudden move had stirred something in him. To be honest, he missed Dezaya, with her soft, wild, and eager ways.
After all, he'd been drifting at sea for so long. It had been ages since he'd gotten any. With this kind of thing, it was either never or countless times.
What was she doing now?
Feelings, desire, reason, ambition—these thoughts and emotions tangled together in Daddy's heart.
With his thoughts shifting, Daddy suddenly made a decision: he would return to Loguetown and drag Dezaya aboard!
He'd stopped caring whether a forcibly picked melon was sweet. As long as it quenched his thirst, that was enough!
Feelings? I've already thrown those away!
That foolish woman had dared to leave him with a nagging thought. He had to crush this inner demon once and for all!
Once she became his woman, she wouldn't be allowed to run away!
In this alien world where he didn't belong, in this Great Pirate Era where order had collapsed, he'd cast those feelings aside—but in their place, a dark obsession had taken root.
[There are no breakups, only widows!]
If I can't have it, nobody else can!
"Captain Daddy, what's wrong?"
Nojiko suddenly sensed an evil, cold aura coming from Daddy, and it made her a little uneasy.
"Nothing. I remembered something I need to settle. I'll go back and take care of it."
Daddy returned to his usual calm tone. The wicked thoughts Nami had stirred up vanished in an instant.
Desire could never defeat ambition.
"Captain Daddy, you're not a bad person at heart, are you?"
Nojiko looked into Daddy's eyes and asked earnestly. She couldn't understand why his demeanor had changed so drastically.
"Don't presume to read people's hearts. Mine has no good or evil in it.
"And don't get curious about me or take an interest in me. You won't be able to handle the consequences!"
The sense of safety around Daddy vanished, replaced by a coldness that warned others to stay away. He didn't want to accumulate any more emotional debts. Women without strength or special abilities were of no use to him.
Unless she was willing to throw herself into a hopeless love, offering him eternal loyalty, there was no reason for Daddy to invest in her.
Nojiko's face paled. Her nose stung, and she pressed her lips together, forcing a stiff smile. She didn't say anything about joining the crew, because she couldn't leave behind the orange grove Bell-mère had left her.
But Daddy was the hero who had liberated the village, and the first man she'd ever grown fond of. His coldness and words hurt so much that she felt like crying.
Perhaps this was the pain of feelings ending before they had even begun.
"Captain Daddy, you're so full of yourself! But I believe you're a good person!"
Nojiko's attempt to smile through her tears looked awkward, but she still managed to say those final words before turning and quickly walking away with a "carefree" air.
Watching her go, Daddy shook his head. Feelings that had no future were best cut off at the root.
Nojiko couldn't leave the orange grove behind, and she was too weak and had no special abilities. A clean break was the best outcome.
Nojiko ran back to her room. Her chest felt tight, as if she couldn't breathe.
She didn't know why she felt that way. She'd only known Daddy for a day. Frantically, she messed up her hair, trying to clear her head.
Once she'd calmed down, she returned to the harbor.
The orange trees had been transplanted, and the Big Daddy Pirates' crew had begun boarding. Daddy was busy training and taming the Cow Sea Beast, Momoo.
"Nojiko, take good care of Bell-mère's orange grove. Once I've sailed around the world and drawn a chart of every sea, I'll come back!"
Nami called excitedly to her older sister, Nojiko. Daddy had recruited her on the condition that he destroy the Arlong Pirates, but after spending a few days with him, she'd started to understand how he operated.
That was why she felt comfortable enough to board the Big Daddy Pirates' ship.
"Take good care of yourself! I'll wait for you to come back!"
The tears Nojiko had been holding back finally spilled over as she looked at her younger sister. But she couldn't help glancing several times at Daddy, who had already tamed the sea beast.
That man still drew her in, even though his words had hurt so much!
This pirate had not only destroyed the Arlong Pirates and freed more than twenty villages, but he hadn't even taken the enormous protection fees the Fish-Men had extorted.
Daddy hadn't taken the money Nami had gathered to buy back the village, either. He'd left it all to the people of Cocoyasi Village.
How could someone like that be a bad person?!
You told me not to get curious about you or take an interest in you? Well, I'm going to do both!
You awful man!
As the Big Daddy Pirates' ship slowly left the harbor, pulled along by the Cow Sea Beast, Nojiko's tears flowed even faster.
She didn't know if they were for Nami or for Daddy.
With Momoo towing the ship, all three sails of the Dreadnaught Sabre were lowered to reduce drag. It traveled much faster than a sailing ship could under wind power.
It was finally faster than a warship.
But less than half an hour after the Big Daddy Pirates put out to sea, a warship appeared in their path.
On board was a Marine who looked like a rat. His expression was sour. The protection money the Arlong Pirates were supposed to deliver each month was already a day late, and the Den Den Mushi wasn't answering!
That had infuriated Captain Nezumi of the East Blue 16th Branch so much that he'd personally taken a ship to find Arlong and collect his share of the protection money.
Without his cover, the Marines would have wiped out the Arlong Pirates long ago!
Provided by Great Wildfire's One Piece: I Use the Barrier-Barrier Fruit to Unleash Susanoo.
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