Nami's Departure, Garp's Arrival!?

Cocoyasi Village.

A long-awaited banquet was underway.

Because Arlong and the Arlong Empire had finally been brought to an end, the villagers decided to celebrate for three days and three nights.

Throughout the festivities, Natsuya, the one who had put an end to it all, was the undisputed guest of honor.

"Haha, Brother Natsuya, you are our village's greatest benefactor!"

"Come, Natsuya, let me toast you!"

"Natsuya, thank you so much! You must stay here for a while longer!"

"I will remember you forever, Big Brother Natsuya!"

Genzo, the village chief, and the others enthusiastically pulled him in to drink, seemingly forgetting that he was a criminal with a bounty of one hundred million berries.

Meanwhile, the two sisters, Nami and Nojiko, made their way to a grassy slope near the coast of Cocoyasi Village.

This was the place where their mother, Bellemere, was buried.

Facing the tombstone adorned with oranges, Nami and Nojiko both smiled as they poured out their hearts.

"Bellemere, we've come to see you!"

"Do you know? That big villain Arlong is dead!"

"My sister, me, and everyone else—we won't be oppressed by them ever again!"

The two sisters laughed and cried, staying by Bellemere's grave for the entire day.

As they were about to return to Cocoyasi Village, Nami suddenly asked Nojiko in a low voice, "Nojiko, if I really become a pirate, would Bellemere scold me?"

Nojiko was stunned. She glanced toward the distance where the boy in the suit was surrounded by Genzo and the others, and she suddenly understood.

She looked at her younger sister and smiled. "When have you ever listened to Bellemere?"

Hearing this, Nami froze for a moment before giving a mischievous grin. "I wouldn't!"

Saying this, she suddenly broke into a run, sprinting toward the banquet.

On the final day of the banquet, Natsuya, the guest of honor, quietly disappeared.

At the coast of Cocoyasi Village, the pirate ship that had been docked there earlier slowly started up, beginning to pull away from the shore.

Natsuya stood on the deck, looking back at Cocoyasi Village. He let out a soft, amused chuckle and turned around.

But just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed on the shore.

Immediately after, a small figure rushed out to the coast and took a sudden leap.

Thud.

"Ah!"

Nami grabbed the railing of the pirate ship, crying out in pain.

She had arrived a little too late, failing to jump onto the deck and ending up hanging off the side.

She looked up at Natsuya with a pitiful expression. "Lord Natsuya..."

The corners of Natsuya's mouth curled up, and he reached out to pull her up.

"What are you doing here?"

Looking at the little girl before him, Natsuya asked, though he already knew the answer.

Nami flashed a wide grin. "Hehe, I'm here to follow you, Lord Natsuya."

Hearing this, the smile on Natsuya's face grew a fraction more genuine.

After a moment's thought, he asked, "You're still so young. Are you sure you want to come with me? I'm heading to the Grand Line next; the dangers there are no joke."

Upon hearing this, Nami's eyes lit up. "Lord Natsuya is really going to the Grand Line? That's amazing!"

She then lifted her small chin with a hint of pride. "Lord Natsuya, don't let my age fool you. I've already traveled all over the East Blue."

"This place can no longer satisfy me. I want to go to bigger places and see a wider world!"

A wider world, huh?

Natsuya's lips curved upward. "Then I'll give you a lift!"

And just like that, the two figures drifted further and further away with the pirate ship.

Just as they departed, a large crowd of people suddenly surged onto the shore.

It was Genzo, Nojiko, and all the other villagers of Cocoyasi Village.

With the two main characters disappearing one after the other, it was impossible for them not to notice.

Yet, they did not disturb the pair, choosing instead to watch them leave in silence.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the pirate ship vanished completely from the surface of the sea.

However, not long after Natsuya and Nami had departed, a medium-sized warship suddenly sailed onto the horizon!

"Huh, what is that!?"

"A warship? Is it the Navy!?"

"Didn't Natsuya wipe out all the Navy personnel here?"

"Wait, could they be the ones sent to take over the branch?"

Seeing the medium-sized warship, Genzo, Nojiko, and the others were all stunned.

Colonel Mouse and his men had been eliminated by Natsuya, so logically, there shouldn't be any Navy presence here.

But they quickly regained their composure.

It was highly likely that another branch, or perhaps even Headquarters, had sent people to investigate and take over after failing to contact Colonel Mouse and his subordinates.

Yet, what happened next left Genzo, Nojiko, and most of the others in absolute shock!

The officer leading the medium-sized warship was a robust old man wearing a dog-head hat.

The old man had graying hair at his temples and a stern, square face. He walked with a vigorous, imposing stride, showing none of the frailty of an ordinary old man; instead, he appeared hale, hearty, and immensely powerful!

"The Hero of the Navy, Garp!?"

This image was deeply ingrained in the minds of people not just in the East Blue, but across the entire world.

Therefore, Genzo and most of the others recognized the old man's identity immediately!

That's right!

This was the world-renowned Iron Fist Garp, known as the Hero of the Navy!

Genzo and the others never imagined that the Navy officer coming to take over the branch would be such a legendary figure!

"Hahaha, are you all here to welcome me?"

At that moment, Garp stepped off the medium-sized warship with a hearty laugh.

Just as Genzo and Nojiko were wondering how to respond, Garp continued, asking bluntly: "By the way, is there someone named Natsuya in your village?"

"Have you seen him? Does anyone know where he is now!?"

Hearing this, the expressions of Genzo, Nojiko, and the others shifted instantly.

So, Garp and his men hadn't come for Colonel Mouse and his crew, but for Natsuya!

However, Genzo and the others naturally couldn't reveal any information about Natsuya, even if the person asking was the Hero of the Navy.

One by one, they began to play dumb.

"Who is Natsuya!?"

"Never seen him!!"

"Never even heard of him!"

"Mister, are you the Hero of the Navy, Garp? Could you give me an autograph?"

Just then, Nojiko, struck by a sudden clever idea, began pestering Garp for an autograph.

Inspired, Genzo and the others swarmed around Garp, cheering for their idol.

Garp was left speechless and had no choice but to send his men out to investigate.

They found nothing in the village, but they did discover the ruins of the Arlong Empire.

Following the testimonies of a few surviving Fish-Man lackeys, they quickly found a lead.

It turned out that Natsuya had indeed been in Cocoyasi Village a few days ago and had engaged in a fierce conflict with the Arlong Pirates who had been entrenched there.

Oh, and there was also the matter of Colonel Mouse and the local Navy branch.

The final result was that Colonel Mouse and his men, along with almost the entire Arlong Pirates, had been wiped out, while Natsuya's whereabouts remained unknown.

"Eh!? Did I arrive too late?"

Judging by the situation, it seemed Natsuya had left Cocoyasi Village after annihilating the Arlong Pirates. Upon learning this, Garp tapped his head in annoyance.

His adjutant's face was covered in black lines.

Because Garp hadn't taken the mission seriously, it had taken them nearly a week to reach their target, Cocoyasi Village.

With that much time passed, wasn't it perfectly normal for Natsuya to have run off?

But Garp soon laughed heartlessly: "Hahaha, it doesn't matter. That Natsuya probably won't stay in the East Blue for long."

"If he has any ambition, he will definitely head to the Grand Line!"

"In that case, we'll go to Loguetown, the gateway to the Grand Line, and intercept him there!"

Hearing this, the adjutant naturally had nothing more to say.

And so, after tidying up the loose ends, they set sail directly for Loguetown.