Apocalypse Chat Group: Conquering the Heroines

A group of villagers emerged, wielding steel forks, hoes, and sickles.

Their clothes were tattered, but their eyes burned with determination.

"Damn fish-men! Stop bullying Nami!"

"We'll fight them to the death!"

The villagers of Cocoyasi Village shouted in righteous fury as they rushed forward, ready to risk their lives.

"Nami!"

A blue-haired woman led the charge, her voice filled with anxiety.

But when they arrived at Arlong Park, they froze in shock.

They had hurried over after hearing loud commotion from the direction of Arlong Park, combined with the realization that Nami was missing.

What greeted them, however, was not the expected sight of fish-men and Arlong Park, but a scene of utter destruction.

The park had been reduced to rubble, with cracks running deep into the ground. Bloodied remnants of fish-men's bodies were buried under the debris.

And in the center of the devastation stood two figures, locked in an unmistakably intimate embrace.

"Nami?"

The blue-haired woman, Nojiko, ran forward, her face a mixture of confusion and concern as she looked at her sister and the unfamiliar man holding her so closely.

"Ah, put me down already!"

Nami's voice rang out in protest, but Tatsuki released her arms with a casual smirk.

"It's not me clinging to you, you know," he said with a teasing raise of his brow.

It was clear to everyone that Nami had been holding onto him.

"…"

Rendered speechless, Nami hurriedly let go and hopped to the ground, coughing awkwardly to mask her embarrassment.

…

Nojiko, putting aside her curiosity about their relationship for the moment, anxiously questioned Nami.

"Nami, what happened here? Where's Arlong?"

Genzo, the scarred man dressed in simple brown clothing, also stepped forward. As the father figure who had cared for Nami and Nojiko after Bell-mère's death, his concern was evident.

He glanced warily at Tatsuki, scrutinizing the stranger who had just been so close to Nami.

Sensing the "father-in-law" energy in Genzo's gaze, Tatsuki offered a faint, friendly smile in return.

"Uh…"

Nami hesitated, trying to figure out how to explain. She realized she couldn't speak about the chat group—whenever she tried, the words wouldn't come out.

Casting a questioning look at Tatsuki, she saw him shake his head lightly.

Understanding his meaning, she decided to explain in simpler terms.

"Arlong's crew has been eliminated by Tatsuki. Arlong himself is dead. The fish-men are all gone. Cocoyasi Village is free!"

"What… what did you say?!"

The villagers' eyes widened in disbelief.

"This is proof enough," Nami said, pointing at the ruins of Arlong Park.

The villagers couldn't deny the scene before their eyes.

After a moment of stunned silence, cheers erupted from the crowd.

Some even cried tears of joy.

"The damn fish-men are finally gone!"

"This is amazing! Cocoyasi Village is saved!"

Seeing the villagers' jubilant smiles and tears of relief, Nami herself began to smile. Her eyes glistened as tears of liberation rolled down her cheeks.

Nojiko and Genzo, upon hearing the news, couldn't hold back their own tears either.

All three of them silently thought the same thing: "Bell-mère, are you watching? We're free now."

…

After a while, Genzo composed himself and began organizing the villagers to leave temporarily.

Only he, Nojiko, and Nami stayed behind.

Genzo bowed deeply to Tatsuki.

"I am Genzo. Thank you so much for your help!"

Nojiko followed suit, bowing and saying, "I'm Nojiko, Nami's sister. We are truly grateful!"

Unexpectedly, Tatsuki wrapped an arm around Nami's slender waist and smiled.

"This is Nami's hometown. As her man, this was the least I could do."

Nojiko gasped, covering her mouth. "So bold!"

"Who's your woman?!"

Nami shot him a glare but didn't struggle or move away. Instead, she leaned quietly against him.

Genzo looked pained.

'The girl I helped raise is already spoken for…'

Feeling that staying any longer was inappropriate, Genzo and Nojiko decided to leave, giving the two some privacy.

…

Now alone, Nami turned to Tatsuki, her expression conflicted.

"How could you say something like that in front of Nojiko and Genzo?"

"You didn't exactly protest, did you?"

Tatsuki smirked, giving her waist a playful squeeze.

"Honestly, Nami, I think you're the easiest girl to win over. Way easier than a certain Dragon Witch. Took me what—ten minutes?"

The teasing remark struck a nerve. Nami flared up like an angry lioness.

"Who's been 'won over'?! I just didn't understand the chat group and blurted out that condition in a panic!"

Her flustered explanation only made her look more endearing, a stark contrast to the burdened and downtrodden expression she had earlier.

Tatsuki laughed heartily, clearly enjoying her reaction.

…

When Nami finally calmed down, Tatsuki spoke up.

"Well, the business with Arlong is settled. It's time for me to go."

"Eh? You're leaving already? You're not even coming to my house?"

Despite her protests, Nami's voice betrayed a hint of reluctance.

Tatsuki had saved her, saved Cocoyasi Village, and even stolen a kiss from her. Thinking back on everything that had happened in such a short time, her heart raced.

As a daughter of the sea, bold and fearless, Nami was no stranger to her own emotions.

In that moment, she realized something—she had fallen for him.