The docks of Cocoyashi Village buzzed with a bittersweet energy. Morning mist curled around the villagers' ankles as they gathered near the water, forming a long, uneven line across the shoreline. It was the kind of farewell that carried years of pain… and the breath of hope.
Nami stood between Nojiko and Genzo, her backpack slung loosely over one shoulder. She clutched a small pouch tied with a red ribbon—a parting gift of herbs from the village elder. Her eyes were dry, but her fingers trembled.
Genzo shifted awkwardly. "You sure about this?"
Nami nodded. "Yeah. It's time."
"You're not running away this time?"
She gave him a small, sad smile. "No. Not anymore."
He grunted and turned away, pulling something from inside his coat.
A weathered pinwheel—sun-faded and slightly bent.
The one from her childhood.
The one she had placed on her mother's grave.
"I fixed it," he muttered. "Figured you'd want to take it this time."
Nami reached out slowly, her throat tight. When her fingers touched the pinwheel, a dozen memories crashed into her heart. Bell-mère's laughter. Nojiko's embrace. Her own tears.
"Thank you," she whispered, tucking it gently into her bag.
Nojiko threw her arms around her without warning. "If those boys ever give you trouble, just come back. You're still my sister."
Nami held her tightly.
Then stepped back.
The entire village waited.
Children had gathered flowers from the trees and bushes, tying them together into small bundles. They handed them to the Straw Hats one by one—shy, giggling, excited.
Sanji knelt and kissed a little girl's hand. "Mademoiselle, you honor me."
Usopp wept dramatically and claimed he would write about this in his autobiography.
Zoro accepted his flower wordlessly, but he wore it behind his ear the rest of the morning.
Even Luffy, who usually ignored such gestures, took a flower crown without protest and let it sit gently on top of his straw hat.
The wind shifted.
The tide pulled outward.
It was time.
The Going Merry creaked as the sails unfurled. Ropes were drawn, the anchor raised, and the hull slowly slid away from the dock. The villagers waved, calling names and blessings.
Nami stood at the bow as the ship pulled away, staring at the fading shoreline.
She didn't cry.
Not this time.
Instead, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
A new chapter had begun.
Behind her, Luffy stepped up beside the helm, arms folded behind his head. "You good?"
She opened her eyes, smiled. "Better than good."
Luffy grinned. "Then let's go."
The sails caught wind. The Merry turned toward open sea, the sun rising before them like a golden path.
The Grand Line awaited.
But first—Loguetown.
Days passed aboard the Going Merry, and for once, the journey felt light.
Sanji cooked warm, flavorful meals that drew compliments even from Zoro. Usopp spent hours showing off new inventions—some of which didn't explode. Zoro trained daily, slicing barrels midair while blindfolded. Nami charted wind patterns and updated her maps with meticulous care.
And Luffy?
He laughed. He ate. He dozed off under the sun.
But sometimes… he stared out at the ocean a little longer than usual.
When night came, he stayed awake just a bit after the others had gone to sleep.
The peace was real.
But fragile.
And something inside him knew it.
That night, the stars glittered above like diamonds scattered across velvet. The sea whispered softly beneath the hull.
Luffy stood alone at the bow, hands in his pockets, his straw hat tilted back to reveal his eyes. His shadow stretched behind him, long and thin beneath the lantern glow.
Then it moved.
Just a little.
He didn't move.
But the shadow… twitched.
Luffy's eyes narrowed. He waited.
It twitched again.
He exhaled slowly, then knelt down, placing a palm to the wooden deck.
"System."
A faint blue interface blinked to life before his eyes.
[Shadow Inventory: 1 General – Arlong]
[Monarch Sync: 72%]
[Stability: Fluctuating]
The word Fluctuating pulsed red.
Luffy stared at it.
He'd never seen that status before.
"What's wrong with you?" he murmured.
No answer came.
Only the slow pulse of the interface, like a heartbeat that didn't belong to him.
He stood.
And that's when it struck.
A tendril of shadow surged upward—sharp, jagged, and fast.
It lashed toward his throat.
He caught it by reflex—his fingers clenching around the tendril just before it touched skin. It trembled violently in his grip, writhing like a living snake.
He hadn't summoned it.
He forced it back.
It hissed, then collapsed into mist at his feet.
His heart beat louder.
Eyes still fixed on the fading tendril, Luffy whispered, "That's new."
Far away, in the rain-damp streets of Loguetown, a figure stood beneath a flickering lamppost, smoke trailing from the cigarette between his fingers.
He wore a Marine coat draped over his shoulders like a cape, its white fabric stained from years of use. His eyes were hard—stone-gray—and a scar cut down one cheek, jagged and raw.
He opened a folder.
A bounty poster flapped in the wind.
MONKEY D. LUFFY
30,000,000 BERRIES
The man took a long drag, then flicked the cigarette into a puddle.
"So… another one with a death wish," he muttered.
A nearby soldier stepped up. "Captain Smoker, we've received word. The Straw Hats are headed this way."
Smoker cracked his neck.
"Good."
He turned toward the Marine base without another word.
Back aboard the Going Merry, Luffy sat down slowly at the edge of the bow. The night had become colder.
He stared at the wood beneath him.
The shadow stretched… then shimmered… then curled upward once again.
This time, it took shape.
A mouth.
With teeth.
[End of Chapter 88]
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