Nami slowly opened her eyes as her consciousness returned. Her body felt stiff and sore. She tried to move her hand, but quickly realized she was tightly bound by strong ropes. Panic began to rise in her chest as she remembered she had been abducted by Kaido's men, who had beaten her badly.
Suddenly, cold laughter echoed in the room, breaking the silence. "It's useless to try to break free," a mocking voice sneered.
Nami looked up and saw a woman with blue and pink hair—Ulti, who had been tormenting her until she lost consciousness. Ulti's sharp gaze was fixed on Nami, her face gleeful, like a predator savoring its trapped prey.
Nami tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. She tried again, but no words came out. Fear intensified within her. Ulti stepped closer, her gaze even more intimidating, reveling in Nami's helplessness as she remained bound and speechless.
Ulti chuckled, watching Nami's futile attempts to speak. "Hahaha, it's pointless, sweetheart," she sneered. "I sprayed a little local anesthetic down your throat when you passed out. Your voice might be gone for a while. Interesting, isn't it? Now I can enjoy this moment without your incessant babbling."
Ulti folded her arms as she moved closer, her gaze piercing. "Enjoy your silence for now, because things will get much worse when Kaido arrives."
As Ulti finished speaking, the door burst open, and Kaido entered, his towering form filling the room, with King and Queen following close behind. Nami swallowed, her body trembling as Kaido loomed over her, his menacing presence casting a shadow over the room.
"So, this little kitten is awake," Kaido sneered, his voice deep and intimidating.
He roughly lifted Nami's chin, examining her face as if evaluating her. Tears began to flow down Nami's cheeks, unable to hold back the fear that gripped her.
Kaido laughed harshly, his tone a cruel blend of mockery and malice, which made Nami feel even smaller. "Zoro is pretty smart, choosing a pretty wife like you as a replacement for Kuina," he said, with a mocking edge.
Kaido sat down, still smirking at Nami. "You know, Zoro used to be one of my best assassins. He never failed, a merciless demon. But everything changed because of one person… Kuina," he said, his voice like poison creeping into Nami's fear.
Nami was stunned to hear Kuina's name, a woman Zoro had never mentioned to her.
"Kuina was a new agent in my group... or so I thought. In reality, she was a spy for Luffy, infiltrating to bring down my organization from within," Kaido continued, his tone now resentful.
Kaido chuckled bitterly. "She managed to soften Zoro's heart. They planned to leave this dark world behind together. Zoro, who had grown up in the underworld, wanted to be free."
Nami held her breath, this story both foreign yet explaining Zoro's recent behaviour.
"But Zoro never knew who he was dealing with," Kaido said coldly. "I was always aware of their plans. Kuina sacrificed herself… to protect Zoro. She knew that Zoro, trapped in this dark world since childhood, would never be free without her sacrifice."
Tears welled up in Nami's eyes, imagining the weight of Kuina's decision and the guilt Zoro must carry.
"Kuina gave herself up so Zoro could escape. But how far do you think he can run from his past? From me?" Kaido stared at Nami with a smug look on his face.
Nami sobbed, but her fear was no longer only for herself. She now understood why Zoro kept his past hidden and why he was so protective.
Kaido looked at Nami, bound and terrified before him, with a satisfied grin. "By abducting you and hurting you," he said with a low, threatening tone, "I want to awaken the killer instinct Zoro has long buried. That demon never really left. It's just been asleep."
Nami shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She tried to speak, but no sound emerged. Her silent sobs echoed her growing fear and worry for Zoro.
Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard from outside the base. The walls shook, and Kaido only grinned slyly.
"Seems like your husband is here," he said triumphantly. "Just as I expected. Love can be a deadly weapon. He must be furious by now… and that's exactly what I want. The demon will rise again."
Nami shook her head harder, her body trembling in the bindings. But Kaido simply looked at King and gave him a nod. King quickly moved, spreading oil around the room.
"Zoro loves you dearly," Kaido continued with a mocking tone. "And because of that, he'll destroy anyone standing in his way to save you, even if it means becoming the ruthless killer he once was."
After the oil was spread, Kaido threw his still-lit cigarette onto the floor, igniting flames that quickly spread. "Enjoy waiting for your prince, Nami," he said with a sinister laugh. Then, with King, Queen, and Ulti behind him, Kaido left the room, slamming the door shut.
Nami screamed in silence, panicked as flames began to devour the floor and walls around her.
--
"KAIDO!"
Zoro stormed into Kaido's base, fury blazing in his eyes, followed closely by Luffy and the others. His voice echoed through the base as he shouted Kaido's name.
Kaido appeared with his smug grin, thoroughly enjoying the scene before him. "Long time no see, Green Reaper," he said, looking at Zoro with a sharp gaze. "You look just like the one I used to know—ruthless and cruel."
Without giving him a chance to respond, Kaido lunged forward, attacking Zoro with full force. But Luffy quickly intercepted, facing Kaido with a confident smile. "Sorry to interrupt your reunion," he said. "But I'm your opponent now."
Zoro wasted no time. He knew his priority was to find Nami. "Luffy! Kaido's all yours!" he said, and he rushed to search for Nami. "I'll find Nami!"
Kaido laughed mockingly, his eyes taunting. "Good luck finding her whole and not burned," he said, his wicked smile never fading.
Zoro ignored the threat and ran quickly, disregarding the sounds behind him. His heart was set on saving Nami, no matter what lay in his path.
--
Thick smoke filled the room, enveloping Nami in darkness and panic. She struggled to breathe, her chest tightening. The ropes binding her seemed to prevent every attempt to free herself, and no matter how hard she tried, it was in vain. Her helplessness made her even more frustrated.
With her hands tied, Nami tried to pound on the door, desperate to break the barriers confining her. Each hit only increased the pain in her body, but the desperation gnawed away at her resolve. Tears flowed freely, not only from pain but from the overwhelming fear that weighed on her heart.
She screamed silently, her mouth moving as if calling out, "Zoro!" She tried to call out his name repeatedly, hoping her voice would somehow pierce the darkness and bring help. Though she couldn't make a sound, she continued to scream in her heart, as if her silent voice could reach Zoro outside.
The smoke grew thicker, filling her lungs. Fear swelled, and her vision began to blur. In her despair, she cried out again, "Zoro!" Her hoarse voice came out faintly, a glimmer of hope appearing as she realized her voice was returning. But before she could call out again, her consciousness faded, her body collapsing, helpless, into the embrace of darkness.
--
Zoro raced down Kaido's base corridor, his steps firm and swift. Kaido's subordinates who tried to block him were given no chance. His three swords moved without hesitation, cutting down anyone in his way.
The air grew hotter, and from a distance, black smoke billowed at the end of the corridor. His heart pounded faster. Kaido's words echoed in his mind, fueling a worry he couldn't ignore. He gritted his teeth, cursed, and without thinking, pushed through the growing flames.
"Nami!" he shouted, but there was no response.
Panic started to creep into him, but Zoro didn't stop. Each step brought him closer to the flames and thick smoke that clouded his vision. His heart grew heavier with the fear that surged within him.
Just when he was about to despair, his eyes caught sight of a closed door amidst the ruins. Without hesitation, Zoro slashed through the door with one of his swords.
The door split open, and the sight behind it made Zoro's heart sink. Nami lay unconscious, pinned beneath a fallen wooden beam. Her face was pale, and her body lay motionless.
Quickly, Zoro lifted the beam off her, tossing it aside with all his strength. He carried Nami, her body feeling so light in his arms. Leaving the flames behind, Zoro ran as fast as he could until they were safe, far from the fire.
He gently laid Nami down on the ground, his breath heavy. Zoro lightly patted Nami's cheek, calling her name repeatedly. "Nami... wake up..."
There was no response. Zoro immediately checked her heartbeat, his hands trembling as he touched Nami's left chest. He then directed his index finger to her nose and slowly exhaled in relief. Nami was still breathing.
Zoro cautiously lifted Nami again, focusing on getting her out of here and seeking immediate medical attention. However, his heart pounded as he heard approaching footsteps.
He quickly shifted his attention from Nami, positioning himself to protect her. At that moment, King emerged from the shadows, laughing sinisterly as he glared at Zoro with a face full of hatred.
"Look how desperate you've become, Zoro," King taunted. Zoro ignored King's words and prepared to fight.
A clash was inevitable, and the two attacked each other with swords in hand. King launched the first attack, but Zoro didn't back down. With agility and his combat skills, he managed to dodge several deadly strikes while countering with sharp slashes.
However, despite Zoro's efforts, several wounds began to mark his skin, and his left eye was severely injured from King's sword swipe. In this tense battle, Zoro felt the stinging pain, but he remained focused on his main goal: protecting Nami.
Gathering all his strength, Zoro launched a counterattack. The battle was fierce, but finally, Zoro managed to defeat King with one final blow. As King fell to the ground, Zoro gasped, feeling every cut and pain in his body.
When Zoro turned back to carry Nami, a soft voice called his name, startling him. Seeing Robin and Usopp approaching, Zoro felt relieved.
"Thank goodness you found Nami," Robin said, panting.
Usopp added, "We have to get out of here now!"
Zoro's expression changed as he asked, "What about Luffy and Kaido?"
Robin explained that although Luffy was defeated, Brook and Sanji managed to get him out. "Kaido is threatening to destroy this place, so we don't have much time. Franky and his vehicle are already waiting outside," Robin continued, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Seeing Zoro's injuries, Usopp immediately offered to carry Nami in his place. However, Zoro firmly refused, feeling that he alone was responsible for Nami's safety.
Though they were beaten and aware that they couldn't defeat Kaido without a well-thought-out strategy, Zoro felt grateful to have saved Nami without any casualties on their side.
With Nami on his back, Zoro quickly walked toward the exit, holding her legs tightly. In his heart, he vowed that he would never let danger near Nami again.