23: Chapter 23 White Dove Tattoo

The next morning, golden sunlight spilled over the shimmering sea.

In the bay of Cocoyasi Village, the residual heat of battle had completely dissipated.

The wreckage and bloodstains of the Arlong Pirates had been blown away without a trace by the cool sea breeze.

On the shore, a heavy, sturdy rosewood chest had been sealed shut with dozens of thick steel nails.

"Mmph... Mmph..."

Faint, desperate muffled groans from Colonel Nezumi could be heard from inside the chest.

Rice stood in front of the chest, using a calligraphy brush to write a line of wild, uninhibited, and heavily mocking words on the lid:

"Old man, I caught a corrupt Marine rat in the East Blue, and his limbs have all ended up in a lion's belly. Sending you a 'punching bag' as a gift, don't mention it. — Your eldest disciple, Rice."

"You lot, take this chest back. Use the fastest speed to deliver this gift to Vice Admiral Garp at Marineford."

Rice wiped the ink from his hands and cast a cold glance at the pale-faced Marine soldiers kneeling on the ground.

"Yes! Yes! Lord Rice! We will definitely deliver it with the fastest speed!!"

The few Marine soldiers felt as if they had been granted amnesty; they lifted the heavy wooden chest and ran toward their small boat like madmen.

After dealing with Colonel Nezumi, Rice's gaze fell upon the towering, majestic blue building that stood several stories high.

"Genzo, from today on, this place is renamed 'White Dove Paradise'."

Rice pointed to the building and instructed Genzo, the village police chief who was walking toward him:

"From now on, this will be your office and security building for rebuilding the village. As for the top floor—that is, the drafting room where Nami was once imprisoned—clear it out for me, redecorate it, and convert it into my exclusive vacation room. Take all the East Blue sea charts Nami drew to the white dove; those are her things, keep them safe and don't let them get damaged!"

"Yes! Lord Rice! We will definitely redecorate the top floor with the finest rosewood!"

Genzo looked fanatical and bowed repeatedly.

To the entire village, Rice treating this place as an imperial palace was Cocoyasi Village's eternal amulet.

"Also."

Rice turned his head slightly to look at the giant beast Richie, who was listless on the side and scratching his ear with a large paw:

"Richie, you don't need to follow me out to sea anymore. From today on, you are stationed in Cocoyasi Village for me. As long as you discover any pirates or Marine scum with ill intentions trying to violate this place, tear them all to shreds and swallow them alive."

Rice smirked and pinched Richie's massive ear:

"If I come back next time and find even the slightest mistake in the village, I will skin your golden fur on the spot and turn it into my bedroom carpet. Do you understand?"

"Roar... Woo!!"

The great lion Richie was so frightened that his whole body shuddered, and his massive head nodded like a rattle-drum.

He let out a low roar and honestly lay down at the gate of White Dove Paradise, his large eyes filled with loyalty and infinite fear of becoming a 'carpet.'

Rice took two specially made Den Den Mushi from his pocket, handed one to Genzo, and tied the other to Richie's neck:

"Genzo, if there is any emergency, use the Den Den Mushi to contact me at any time."

"Yes! Lord Rice!"

With the beast Richie guarding the place and the communication Den Den Mushi left by Rice, Cocoyasi Village instantly became an iron territory that was safe and inviolable throughout the entire East Blue!

...

In the afternoon, sunlight filtered through the dense orange leaves, dappling the backyard of Belle-Mere's cottage.

A breeze blew, carrying the fresh scent of ripe oranges.

Nami wore a loose dress, with white bandages wrapped around half of her shoulder.

She lowered her head, her slender fingers nervously pinching the hem of her skirt, not daring to look into Rice's eyes, her eye rims red.

Rice smiled faintly, stepped forward, and pulled the girl, who had pretended to be strong in the darkness for eight years, into his arms, resting his chin gently on her orange hair.

"Nami, take out the account book in your bag."

Rice stroked her smooth back and whispered with a smile.

"Rice... I'm sorry. I stole your ship and took all the money..."

Nami hugged Rice's waist tightly, her delicate body trembling violently, pouring out all the grievances, self-blame, and tears that had been bottled up for eight whole years onto Rice's broad, warm chest.

"Silly girl."

"My white dove was originally your ship. I'll just consider this 100 million Beli as a shipbuilding fund that you were holding for me temporarily."

Listening to Rice's domineering words, the last line of defense and gloom in Nami's heart were completely shattered in this instant.

Standing on the side, Nojiko looked at this scene, and a deep sense of joy and emotion welled up in her gentle, watery eyes.

Rice looked up, meeting Nojiko's gaze which carried a hint of affection, and reached out his right arm, pulling this beautiful girl with short blue hair into his embrace as well.

"Ah..."

Nojiko let out a soft cry, her warm, delicate body bumping into Rice's solid muscles, and her earlobes turned red instantly.

But she didn't struggle; instead, she obediently leaned against Rice's other shoulder.

This pair of non-blood-related sisters, who had snuggled together and healed each other's wounds in the ruins of the East Blue, were now nestled in the arms of the same man.

...

"Lord Rice, Dr. Nako has arrived."

Genzo called out softly outside the courtyard.

Before long, the village doctor, Dr. Nako, walked into the courtyard carrying special color-washing and tattoo tools.

Under Rice's instruction, Dr. Nako first used his superb medical skills and secret medicinal liquid to carefully help Nami completely wash away and purify the shameful Arlong mark.

"Miss Nami, have you decided what you want to tattoo for your new tattoo?"

Dr. Nako asked softly.

Nami turned her head slightly, her beautiful, watery eyes looking quietly at Rice.

A smile, the most relaxed of her life, bloomed on her lips:

"Dr. Nako, please tattoo a 'White Dove spreading its wings and flying' for me. From today on, I am Rice's navigator, and my life belongs to the White Dove."

"Yes, Miss Nami!"

Dr. Nako was stirred, picked up the special tattoo needle, and began to delicately outline it on Nami's tender, snow-white left shoulder.

Before long, a white dove tattoo with elegant lines and spreading wings bloomed perfectly on Nami's snow-white left shoulder.

"It's so beautiful, Nami."

Makino praised gently from the side.

"It's my turn, Dr. Nako."

Nojiko also stood up generously and unbuttoned her collar.

To prevent her sister Nami from feeling inferior because of the Arlong tattoo back then, she had intentionally tattooed a large area of blue flowers on her shoulder.

And now, seeing her sister find the happiness of her life, Nojiko's heart, which had been silent for many years, finally awakened completely.

She smiled at Dr. Nako:

"Dr. Nako, please modify mine as well. In the center of these blue flowers, tattoo a flying White Dove as well. I want to accompany my sister and go see the world in Rice's eyes together."

Dr. Nako moved quickly, and soon, with superb skill, he outlined a White Dove spreading its wings in the middle of the blue flowers on Nojiko's porcelain-like, warm shoulder.

It wasn't just them.

Genzo and all the villagers in the village asked Dr. Nako to tattoo the [White Dove Tattoo] symbolizing the savior on their shoulders or chests on this day!

"From today on, Cocoyasi Village is the permanent territory of Lord 'White Dove Rice'!"

Genzo and all the villagers shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the clouds.

...

Amidst the enthusiastic gratitude and cheers, the new ship construction project for the White Dove was launched vigorously with the support of a massive fund of 105 million Beli.

Rice handed the huge box of wealth to the village's top shipbuilders and carpenters.

Under the day and night labor of the villagers with white dove tattoos, a steel beast that surpassed the imagination of the entire East Blue was gradually taking shape in the port.

One month later.

A massive, elegant, and luxurious brand-new expedition ship finally launched slowly amidst the cheers of the whole village.

The adventurer's flagship — [The Counterwind], was born!

The sheer size of this ship exceeded everyone's imagination.

Its hull adopted the iron birch wood, the rarest and toughest in the East Blue, as the keel, and the exterior was covered with a layer of anti-corrosion refined steel armor that reflected a cold luster.

Its deck area was vast, capable of accommodating at least 500 people living and sailing on the ship at the same time; it was a true steel fortress on the sea!

The eye-catching part was the artistic giant statue on the bow.

It was a huge white dove carved from a single piece of white crystal, with its wings gracefully stretched on both sides of the keel.

In the White Dove's slightly open beak, it was biting an orange tree branch made of pure gold and green jade, complete with lush orange leaves!

This design perfectly commemorated Belle-Mere's orange grove and the new life of freedom gained by Cocoyasi Village.

The interior decoration of the cabin was even more incomparable.

On one side of the cabin, more than a dozen spacious and comfortable independent boudoirs were arranged neatly.

Each room was covered with soft Persian carpets and equipped with exquisite vanity tables and independent bathrooms.

There was an independent dining cabin with a vast area.

It was equipped with top-tier multi-functional cooking stoves recommended by Sanji, marble bars, high-end rosewood dining tables, and a full set of gleaming silver tableware.

This was the exclusive hall for Makino to display her top-tier culinary skills in the future.

Rice's exclusive master bedroom was designed in the center of the entire ship, which was also the absolute core position.

Inside the bedroom, there was a super-large luxury bed that could accommodate five or six people rolling on it at the same time.

The marvelous thing was that above the bedroom, not only was there a huge tempered glass skylight for stargazing, but a spacious pure copper spiral staircase was also designed inside the bedroom. Pushing open the double rosewood doors, one could go directly to the open-air deck above, allowing Rice to step onto the battlefield from his bedroom at any time.

As for the black technology of the power system, a special alloy towing lock for the Calm Belt was installed under the bow. This was a giant lock made of special alloy, directly anchored to the front end of the ship's keel.

This was designed specifically to break through the [Calm Belt], which was known as the forbidden zone of life.

As long as Sea Cow Mohmoo was harnessed with the sea beast towing rope and locked onto this lock, even in the Calm Belt without a single breath of wind, even in the terrifying sea area filled with giant Sea Kings, Mohmoo's massive deep-sea monster brute force could drag the entire [The Counterwind] and charge through the sea surface at a violent speed akin to a sea motorboat, forcibly breaking through!

"It's so beautiful... Rice, this is the most perfect ship I've ever seen in my life!"

Nami stood in front of the helm, looking at the giant white dove figurehead biting the orange branch, tears welling up in her eyes.

And below the bow of the white dove, Sea Cow Mohmoo, with only one horn left, was floating obediently on the water, honestly harnessed with the alloy towing rope.

Its massive, low-temperature abdominal space had been thoroughly cleaned by Makino and had become a natural "mobile large freezer" for storing a large amount of fresh beef and vegetables.

"Let's set sail, Nami."

Rice stood on the central deck, with his left arm around the gentle and charming Makino, and his right arm around the orange-haired, petite Nami and the blue-haired, sexy Nojiko, his arms full of endless sweetness and warmth.

The white dove sailed slowly out of the port amidst the cheers of the villagers.

"Belle-Mere, we will come back again!"

"Boom—!!"

Sea Cow Mohmoo let out a dull roar, its thick tail slammed into the water, and the massive deep-sea brute force was instantly transmitted to the keel through the alloy lock!

The entire massive [The Counterwind] let out a high-pitched roar, like a white steel beast waking up on the sea, breaking through the layers of waves at a speed that could be called a miracle in the East Blue, and driving violently toward the next stop in the East Blue — Loguetown!