One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 71

She suddenly let go, and then, with lightning speed, opened her arms and tightly hugged Liu Jiu's head to her chest!

This action came suddenly, and even seemed a bit unreasonable.

Liu Jiu froze completely. His face was forced to be buried in her embrace, which smelled of sunshine and oranges, and he could clearly feel the warmth of her body and her strong heartbeat.

This position was both a little embarrassing and a little enjoyable for him.

Bellemere didn't care whether he was stiff or not. She nuzzled his black hair with her chin, her voice loud and cheerful, carrying an undeniable air of dominance:

"No problem! After all, you're the man I, Bellemere, approve of!"

She tightened her arms around him, as if trying to melt away the thin layer of ice that surrounded him, a barrier that seemed to separate him from the world.

"It's settled then! Go and bring that troublesome brat Nami back to me!"

Her voice was firm and resolute: "Until she comes of age, she can forget about leaving my side! And she can forget about... leaving this home!"

Her voice lowered slightly towards the end, carrying a subtle blend of gentleness and firmness.

"This family can't function without anyone. Nojiko needs you, Nami needs you, and I... I need you too. You're welcome to come back anytime you want! If you don't come back, I'll have Nami come find you!"

The moonlight gently shone on the two people embracing, and the sea breeze rustled the leaves of the orange tree, as if they were whispering secrets.

Liu Jiu's stiff body gradually relaxed in her domineering yet warm embrace. He didn't struggle or respond to the hug, but simply let her hold him, feeling the burning, scalding bond that almost scorched him.

After a long while, Bellemere finally released him. She took a step back, put her hands on her hips, and regained her energetic demeanor, a hint of pride on her face, as if she had just accomplished something remarkable.

"Alright! It's settled then!" She clapped her hands. "Leaving first thing tomorrow morning? What do you need to prepare? I'll pack for you!"

She turned to walk into the house, her decisive manner making it seem as if the person who had just given her a passionate hug wasn't her at all.

Liu Jiu watched her hurried figure disappear into the distance, then looked up at the vast starry sky, the warm touch and the faint scent of orange shampoo still lingering on his nose.

Logically speaking, given Robin and Kuina's personalities, there's no reason why they haven't returned for so long.

Could it be because of Nami?

In the original work, Nami dared to endure her inner fear and go to sea alone when she was eight years old. Once she made a decision, she rarely changed it. This kind of personality often affected the people around her!

Chapter 81 Leaving Cocoa West Village, the Three Women's Destination

The morning sea fog had not yet completely dissipated, and the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The orange grove was still shrouded in tranquility, with only the early birds having insects to eat and occasionally letting out a few clear chirps.

Bellemere deftly stuffed a full bag into Liu Jiu's hands. The bag wasn't too big or too small, but it was filled with clean water, some food that could be stored for a long time, and cookies that she had baked overnight, with a refreshing orange scent.

Nochiga was still fast asleep, breathing steadily.

Bellemere didn't want the farewell scene to disturb her daughter's sweet dreams, and she especially didn't want her to cry as she saw Liu Jiu off.

The two walked silently to the beach, where the familiar little boat was already prepared, gently bobbing with the soft waves.

Sensing Liu Jiu's presence, the manatee surfaced from the nearby waters, letting out a low moo, its large eyes filled with confusion.

Bellemere stood on the shore, watching Liu Jiu load his luggage onto the small boat. The sea breeze ruffled her short red hair, and her expression appeared somewhat blurred in the morning light.

Just as Liu Jiu was about to step onto the small boat, Bellemere suddenly stepped forward and hugged him tightly again. This hug was not like the domineering declaration of the previous night, but was full of reluctance and entrustment.

“Find Nami,” she said in a low voice, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob, yet she tried to maintain her usual toughness. “Help me… teach that disobedient brat a lesson! Tell her that Mommy is angry!”

Liu Jiu could feel her body trembling slightly. He paused for a moment, then raised his hand and gently embraced her.

He nodded and replied with only one word:

This simple response and brief hug calmed Bellemere down considerably.

After a long while, she finally let go, took a few steps back, forced a bright smile, and waved, "Go on! Come back soon! If you're hungry, remember to come home!"

Liu Jiu glanced one last time in the direction of the hut, then his gaze fell on the manatee Moo Moo.

“Moo,” his voice was calm yet carried an undeniable power, “From now on, listen to Bellemere. Protect them, mother and daughter, while I’m gone.”

The manatee seemed to understand, but it could sense the seriousness in Liu Jiu's words, and even a hint of domineering intimidation.

"Moo...!"

It looked at Bellemere, then at Liu Jiu, and finally let out a series of obedient "moos," nodding its huge head as if accepting its new mission.

Having arranged everything, Liu Jiu no longer hesitated and lightly leaped onto the small boat. He didn't even raise the sail; he simply used some method, and the small boat, like an arrow released from a bow, silently glided into the misty sea at an extremely fast speed, becoming a blurry black dot in the blink of an eye.

Bellemere stood on the beach, watching the direction where Liu Jiu disappeared, until the sea completely swallowed the black dot before she slowly withdrew her gaze.

The emptiness in her heart resurfaced, but she quickly suppressed it.

She turned around, clapped her hands at the manatee Moo Moo, and said in her usual cheerful tone, "Let's go, Moo Moo! Come home with me! Nokiko should be awake by now, let's have breakfast together."

"Moo~" The manatee mooed when it heard there was food, and wagged its tail happily as it obediently followed.

Back at the cabin, Nojiko was indeed awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes, looking somewhat bewildered at the empty bed.

"Belmel? Where's Uncle?"

Bellemere paused for a moment, then a perfectly natural smile spread across her face as she walked over and ruffled her daughter's hair.

"He's gone out to sea. He's going to bring back that little brat Nami who's been playing too wildly and doesn't want to go home!"

Her tone was relaxed, with her usual "fierceness," as if this was just an ordinary outing to grab the child and bring him home.

Nojiko blinked, a hint of disappointment on her face: "Uncle, can you find Nami?"

“Of course he can!” Bellemere said confidently, hands on her hips. “He’s… well, he’s really good!”

She paused, but ultimately didn't give any more specific reason. She simply bent down and pinched Noki's little face. "Alright, stop daydreaming. Go wash your face, brush your teeth, and eat breakfast! There's still a lot of work to do in the garden today!"

"Oh..." Nojiko finally nodded. It was time to wake up from her dream. Her uncle was never hers alone. She got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, and headed to the bathroom.

Watching her daughter's retreating figure, Bellemere's smile slowly faded, transforming into a complex emotion. She walked to the window, gazing at the orange grove bathed in the morning light, her fingers unconsciously brushing against the windowpane.

Bellemere asked herself this question.

The answer is yes.

It's not just because he can help with heavy work, deter potential thieves in the neighborhood, play with Nokiko, or bring an unprecedented sense of security to the family.

Furthermore, because... since some unknown time, that taciturn, solitary man has quietly entwined himself into the lives of the mother and daughter like a vine, becoming an indispensable part of this orange grove.

His presence made this family more complete, and also more...warm.

This need is not a dependence of the weak on the strong, but rather like vines and trees, supporting and depending on each other.

"He's such a...worrying man."

Bellemere murmured to herself, a gentle smile playing on her lips, one that she herself was unaware of.

She turned around and began to neatly make the bed, her movements swift and decisive, as if she wanted to clean up any lingering sorrow of parting as well.

Life must go on, and she must take good care of this family until he brings Nami back.

At this moment, Liu Jiu, sailing on the boundless sea, calmly gazed into the distance.

His Observation Haki spread out like an invisible spider web from him across the vast sea, searching for those three familiar auras.

Robin, Kuina, and Nami…

Although his Observation Haki had an extremely wide range, the East Sea was vast after all. Without being able to determine the specific direction, finding three constantly moving targets was like casting a speck of dust into the sky, leaving no trace.

It's no less like finding a needle in a haystack.

He stopped his futile sensory expansion, pondered for a moment, and then took out a small, moisture-proof cloth bag from his robes. Inside were the special materials he had prepared beforehand for making the Life Card—

Among them were a few fine, supple black hairs that belonged to Robin.

Compared to the free-spirited Nami and the swordsman-focused Kuina, creating Vivre Cards with Robin as the primary target is undoubtedly the safest approach.

In the vast East China Sea, in an unfamiliar area far from regular shipping routes.

A sleek, single-masted sailing ship, flying an unassuming merchant flag, is sailing against the wind and waves.

On the deck, three girls with very different styles each performed their duties.

Holding her sword, Kuina practiced swinging it at the bow of the ship against the sea breeze. Her movements were concise and sharp, each swing accompanied by a whistling sound.

Her eyes were sharp, and the aura emanating from her was even more refined than when she left Cocoyasi Village.

Robin sat leisurely under the awning, holding a thick ancient book in his hands, with several historical documents and nautical logs collected from various places piled up beside him.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the canvas, bathing her in a serene and intellectual glow; everything was so beautiful.

And at the helm was Nami. Her short orange hair fluttered in the sea breeze as she steadily gripped the helm with one hand, while the other hand rapidly marked the unfolded nautical chart, muttering to herself:

"Based on changes in ocean currents and wind speed, adjust the course by 3 degrees... Hmm, this way we can reach the next island half a day earlier."

Her navigation skills, honed through constant real-world experience, are now vastly different from what they once were, even showing signs of mastery.

Without a compass, one can observe the sky and determine direction with perfect accuracy.

"Nami, where are we going now?" Kuina sheathed her sword and wiped the fine sweat from her brow as she asked.

Without looking up, Nami pointed her finger heavily at a specially marked island on the sea chart, a sly and confident smile curving her lips.

"Go here, to the 'Town of Sin'!"

Her voice was clear and crisp. "According to the 'cooperation list' we found in the Arlong's safe, that place is the most vicious place in the East Blue. Other small forces are just like Colonel Rat, taking plenty of bribes from Arlong and turning a blind eye to the evil deeds of the Arlong Pirates. But it's the only place that should be completely wiped out!"

Robin looked up from between the pages of the book and added elegantly, "Indeed, compared to the small forces we eliminated before, this place is undoubtedly a malignant tumor. It seems to be involved in underground arms dealing, human trafficking, forced women to work, human organ transportation, drug manufacturing, research on biological weapons... and interference in the internal affairs of some small countries, etc."

Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Kuina's eyes, and her sword seemed ready to strike: "Perfect timing. I've recently made some progress in my swordsmanship, so I can let them try out my new moves."

Since they overthrew the dragon's lair in Cocoyasi Village and unearthed the "cooperation list" behind it, the first name they saw was that of Captain Rat. They cursed the navy for corruption, but there was nothing they could do about it.

Sure enough, they had just overthrown the Arlong Pirates' rule when they were immediately surrounded and captured by a group of Marine soldiers, led by Captain Rat himself.

Forced into a corner and unable to hide any longer, they were about to retaliate with force when they encountered Melbell, who was out searching for Nami. The three of them were persuaded by Melbell to go to sea to avoid trouble and return in three to five years.

After leaving Cocoyasi Village, they didn't rest. The list in their hands became their primary target for their sea voyage.

They knew very well that simply defeating the Arlong Pirates was not enough; the root cause of the repeated tragedies lay in the evil forces that condoned or even colluded with the Fishmen.

Especially that rat colonel who directly colluded with the evil dragon and tried to capture them! Just thinking about his greedy and lewd face made Nami's teeth itch with anger.

"Unfortunately, because that rat colonel reacted too quickly, there wasn't enough time to deal with that bastard and let her live a little longer!"

Nami punched the steering wheel in frustration.

Robin closed the book, his tone calm: "There's no need to rush. Eliminating hidden threats requires patience. Let's start with the easier ones first, and then we can go back and settle accounts with him later."