East Blue.
Shortly after leaving Cocoyasi, Gawain sent evidence of Mouse's ties to Arlong to the 77th Marine Branch.
Its commander, Commodore Pudding Pudding, was known in the original story for opposing Arlong's crew and dying in the attempt—a man of solid character.
By now, Mouse's deeds should've reached Marineford.
Gawain, eyeing a Warlord position, preferred to avoid unnecessary Marine conflicts.
If the Navy didn't handle Mouse, he'd deal with him before leaving the East Blue.
…
The ship sailed toward Para Island as planned.
With Nami charting the course, the Gawain Pirates dodged dangerous currents and erratic weather.
The crew's view of her shifted from doubt to near-blind trust in days.
Her status rivaled Gin's, making her a core member. A skilled navigator's impact was undeniable.
Nami, in a swimsuit, lounged on the deck, sunbathing. At fifteen or sixteen, her figure hinted at its future allure.
Curved gracefully, her waist was slender—though her flat chest drew Gawain's bored glance.
"Miss Nami, your orange juice," a chef-hatted pirate offered with a fawning smile.
"Thanks!" Nami grinned, sipping. Her eyes lit up. "Delicious~"
A News Coo circled the mast, dropped a newspaper, took Nami's 200 Berries, and flew off.
Nami opened it, smiling at the headline: "Arlong Pirates Defeated, 16th Branch Commander Arrested…"
Another weight lifted from her heart. Cocoyasi was reborn.
Gawain hadn't hidden his actions, and gratitude warmed her.
Her eyes fell to the wanted posters, her face twisting in surprise. "'Hundred Plans' Kuro, 33 million Berries. 'Demon' Gin, 20 million Berries. And… Knight Gawain, still 85 million Berries."
She smirked at the familiar photo.
Calling the crew to the deck, she laid out the posters, drawing all eyes.
"Oh~ My bounty's up too?" Kuro's lips curled faintly.
Once a burden, his bounty now proved his strength.
"Even Gin's matches Arlong's now?" he added. "For us, heading to the Grand Line, this is the strength we need."
As he mused, eyes locked on Gawain's poster—his constipated expression sparking laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
"They swapped the Captain's photo with that movie guy's?"
"They even marked this as Gawain's true face!"
A pirate pointed at the bold red text, tears streaming from laughter.
Nami glanced at Gawain, whispering to Kuro, "Is the Captain really that guy? The movie's knight?"
Kuro nodded. "Yup, the knight exiled for an affair with the queen. He never talks about it, though."
"So that's why he acted so weird last time~" Nami giggled.
Gawain, hearing her bell-like laugh, shot them a glare and stomped to the cabin.
He felt utterly exasperated.
He'd laughed at Sanji's poster once, but now the clown was him. Anyone seeing that photo would know his predecessor's dark past.
Damn it! How long do I carry this baggage?
His lips twitched. Through the porthole, he saw the crew's mocking grins but could only shake his head with a wry smile.
Unlike shady friends from his past life, these ruthless teasers were the ones he'd trust with his back.
"Really… Can't let this dumb joke go, huh?"
…
Soon, the deck cleared as dusk fell.
Nami frowned at thickening clouds. "Storm signs?!"
To confirm, she entered her cabin, grabbed binoculars, and scanned the sea.
Dark clouds, flashing lightning, and restless waves confirmed it.
She rushed to the captain's quarters. "Captain! A massive storm's coming, spanning the whole area. Our ship's structure won't hold!"
Gawain nodded, grabbing a chart. They studied it, frowning deeper.
"It's bigger than I thought!" Nami exclaimed. "The East Blue hasn't seen a storm this bad in ages. All return routes are covered."
"We need a port or island to shelter, or we're in trouble."
Gawain, trusting her judgment completely, scanned the chart and pointed. "Here."
Nami glanced at his choice, nodded. "Rare Animal Island? Its central peak can block the storm, and it's only a few dozen nautical miles. Best option."
Gawain's order spread.
With the sky darkening and the ship rocking, the crew hurried.
The ship turned, heading for Rare Animal Island.
…
On Rare Animal Island, three figures stared at their nearly broken boat and the brewing storm, silent.
Moments later, Joseph turned to Zoro, lips twitching. "I was blind to let you navigate!"
---
If you want to read more than 20 chapters early feel free to visit pa tre on . com /Archus