One Piece: With Sign-in System

Aken and Nojiko froze at the sound of that voice, their bodies trembling. They turned their heads to see Hatchan and Kuroobi of the Arlong Pirates walking slowly toward them along the path behind Aken.

"That must be one of the outsiders."

Hatchan raised a tentacle to his forehead, shading his eyes as he gazed at Robin, who stood calmly in the orange grove.

Sweat dripped from Aken and Nojiko's foreheads, and their hands and feet felt ice-cold.

"Ro-Robin, you should… y-you should go back inside," Nojiko stammered, standing up and turning her back to Robin in an attempt to shield her.

Robin glanced at Nojiko's trembling figure. "In this situation, there's no hiding it, is there?"

Kuroobi approached the edge of the orange grove and pulled out a Den Den Mushi.

"Captain, we've found them. The outsiders are at the orange grove."

The Den Den Mushi's receiver projected Arlong's distinctive jagged nose, and his cold voice echoed, "The orange grove? So… our little navigator already knew about this, didn't she?"

Nojiko's eyes widened slightly in shock.

Kuroobi cast a glance at her. "It seems that's the case."

A few chilling chuckles came from the Den Den Mushi before Arlong's voice resumed. "Wait there. I'll be right over."

The call ended abruptly.

Hatchan raised the blade in his hand and pressed it against Aken's neck, the sharp edge glinting in the light.

Kuroobi, meanwhile, directed his attention toward Robin and Nojiko in the grove. "I'm sure you have more companions. Why don't you call them out? Oh, and of course, our little navigator from the Arlong Pirates…"

Nojiko's face was drenched with cold sweat, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

At that moment, she felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder.

Startled, she turned to see Robin standing beside her. Towering over her by half a head, Robin wore a calm and reassuring smile.

"It's fine. Relax," Robin said softly.

Something about her unshakable composure and gentle smile soothed Nojiko's frazzled nerves, easing her overwhelming fear.

Just then, the door to the house creaked open.

Conis and Nami, drawn by the noise, stepped out into the doorway.

As soon as Nami caught sight of Hatchan and Kuroobi, her pupils shrank to pinpricks, and she froze on the spot, her entire body going stiff.

"Well, well, Nami. Long time no see," Hatchan greeted her with a casual smile.

Conis's sharp gaze shifted to the blade Hachi held against Aken's neck. "Nami, these people… they're not your friends, are they?"

Nami's body remained rigid, her hands and feet like ice. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

Winter hadn't yet passed, so why were they here already?

As Nami's mind reeled, unable to process the situation, another figure emerged.

A towering fishman with blue skin, standing over two meters tall, strode into the orange grove with a group of armed subordinates in tow. He carried an enormous serrated blade over his shoulder.

Arlong.

His sharp, icy gaze landed on Nami standing in front of the house.

"Nami," Arlong began, a chilling grin stretching across his face to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth, "you didn't even bother to tell us you had visitors? That's a bit rude, don't you think? After all, you're one of the most capable members of the Arlong Pirates…"

As Arlong's cold, predatory eyes locked onto her, memories of Bell-mère's death flashed through Nami's mind. The scene replayed vividly, searing into her thoughts.

A wave of overwhelming fear surged through her, causing her pupils to dilate and her body to tremble uncontrollably.

"Member of the Arlong Pirates…?"

Conis turned to Nami, a look of confusion and disbelief crossing her face. "What's going on here?"

"I'm sorry… I…" Nami lowered her head, clenching her fists tightly.

"She struck a deal with this guy," a calm, youthful voice suddenly rang out from above.

Nami's head snapped up in shock.

Nojiko, Aken, Hatchan, Kuroobi, and even Arlong all instinctively looked up.

There, atop the roof of the house, sat a black-haired boy wrapped in a black, hooded fur coat. His expression was carefree and relaxed as he lounged casually, holding a giant wine flask.

Beside him stood a sea cow dressed in a bright red cotton vest, looking equally at ease.

"Who are you, kid?" Arlong's icy gaze locked onto the mysterious boy who had appeared out of nowhere and perched on the rooftop.

Without sparing Arlong so much as a glance, Ron took a swig from his seemingly endless wine flask, then stretched out lazily on the roof to bask in the warm sunlight. His indifference wasn't simply arrogance—it was as though Arlong wasn't worth acknowledging at all.

The blatant disregard sent veins bulging on Arlong's forehead, his eyes flashing with fury.

"A lowly human… How dare you act so arrogant!" Arlong snarled.

"Take them! Capture all these outsiders for me!" he roared, his voice laced with venom. "I'll personally cut off that brat's limbs!"

Nami and Nojiko's faces turned pale at Arlong's chilling words, their eyes widening in fear.

"W-wait…" Nojiko stammered, barely able to form words before Kuroobi lunged at Robin with an outstretched hand.

What happened next, however, left Nojiko utterly speechless.

Robin calmly crossed her arms as petals swirled in the air around her.

"Six Flowers: Clutch."

In an instant, six pristine white arms sprouted from Kuroobi's body, seizing his neck, arms, and legs. His body twisted backward unnaturally, the cracking of his bones echoing through the grove.

"Argh! The pain! What is this…? A Devil Fruit ability?!" Kuroobi gasped in agony, his face contorted in shock and fear.

Arlong's eyes narrowed as he observed the scene.

A Devil Fruit user? This woman…?

Kuroobi's face turned red as he struggled to breathe, his eyes rolling back.

"Kuroobi!" Hatchan, wielding his six blades, couldn't stand idly by as his comrade suffered. He charged at the arms growing from Kuroobi's body, slashing at them with his swords.

But just before his blades made contact, the arms dissolved into a flurry of petals, scattering into the air.

"Cursed woman!"

Arlong, unable to contain his fury, dashed forward. In a single, swift movement, he raised his massive serrated blade and swung it down toward Robin.

Before the strike could land, a red blur shot through the air and collided heavily with Arlong's left side, sending him flying across the grove with a thunderous crash.

Nojiko and Nami stood frozen, their jaws slack, as they stared at the unexpected savior standing protectively in front of Robin—a Kung-Fu Dugong.

"Isn't that… just a pet?" Nojiko stammered, her voice shaky.

"It… It actually sent Arlong flying?!" Nami's disbelief was palpable, her mind struggling to process what she'd just seen.

"Am I dreaming?"

"Turns out, you've been carrying the weight of this entire village on your shoulders all this time. That must've been exhausting."

Conis's gentle voice broke the tension. She placed a comforting hand on Nami's head, her tone soft and kind.

Nami's body trembled at the kindness in Conis's words, her nose stinging as tears threatened to spill. But she swallowed her emotions, blinking them back.

"Conis… Who are you people, really?" Nami asked, her voice quivering.

"I already told you," Conis replied with a warm smile, patting Nami's head. "We're just travelers seeking freedom on the seas."

With that, Conis turned and began walking toward the orange grove, her white fur coat and black boots striking against the backdrop.

Nami's eyes widened as she watched Conis's golden hair, tied low at the back of her head, gradually loosen and flow freely in the wind. The sight was mesmerizing, like watching an angel descend from the heavens.

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