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Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: A Girl, A Rice Ball, and a Mission

In the East Blue, at Shells Town, Alex and Nami had successfully infiltrated the Marine base.

On their way there, they came across a cute little girl who was crying her heart out.

"Why are you crying so sadly? What happened? Who are you, and where are your parents?"

Nami hurriedly knelt beside the sobbing girl, her voice full of concern.

Alex watched as Nami gently comforted the girl whose big eyes were now puffy from crying. It was obvious—Nami genuinely loved children.

"Hic... I'm Rika. I made rice balls with all my heart for that big brother... but... but then..."

Rika couldn't hold it in anymore. She burst into loud sobs. "I just wanted him to try the rice balls I made myself, but that mean man stomped them into the dirt! Now he'll never get to eat them... I'm so sad!"

"What?! Who would do such a thing to you?! Bullying an innocent little girl like this—I won't let him get away with it!"

Nami's voice trembled with righteous fury.

"I think I know who did it," Alex said calmly. "It must've been Captain Morgan's son—Helmeppo."

Nami was caught off guard. She hadn't expected the person who tormented Rika to be the son of a Marine Captain. She had been fully prepared to give that guy a beating, but now it seemed more complicated.

But she quickly recovered and turned to Alex with determination.

"Alright then—go rush into the Marine base and punch that Helmeppo guy into the sky!"

Punch him into the sky?! Are you kidding me?

Alex glared at her. She had just sworn to Rika she'd handle it, and now she wanted to dump it all on him? What am I, an idiot?

Even though he was angry at Helmeppo for what he did, Alex wasn't about to barge into a Marine base and try to beat him up. He was fully aware of his current limits—he wasn't strong enough to take on an entire base singlehandedly.

Ignoring Nami, Alex walked over to Rika, who was still sobbing, knelt down, and gently patted her head with a warm smile.

"Don't cry anymore. I'm sure that big brother you were talking about will definitely eat the rice balls you made—and love them too."

"Really?" Rika asked, blinking up at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Of course," Alex said confidently. "Those rice balls carry your feelings. Even if they were dirtied, he'll still eat them. He'd never turn his back on something made from the heart. That's just the kind of man he is."

As he said this, an image popped into Alex's mind—a man with a dark green bandana tied tightly around his head, chained to a post, chewing with gusto on a rice ball covered in dirt and dust, and saying, "Delicious."

"That's wonderful!"

Rika beamed, still teary-eyed but now smiling brightly.

"Thank you, big brother and big sister! I have to go back and help at my mom's shop now. Bye-bye!"

Rika waved as she ran ahead, calling out a cheerful goodbye.

As her tiny figure faded from view, Nami glanced sideways at Alex.

"How did you know who she was talking about?"

"Don't be silly. I had no idea who she meant—I was just trying to cheer her up."

Alex smirked. "You say you like kids so much, but you can't even calm one down. What a shame."

"Hmph. With that attitude, you're definitely going to make a great dad someday."

Nami snorted, then got serious again. "We can't go through the main gate. We need to take a side path."

As Alex and Nami sneaked into the Marine base via a hidden route, Luffy and Koby appeared right where they had just been.

By the time Luffy and Koby told Rika that Zoro had eaten every last bite of her rice balls, Alex and Nami had already slipped inside the base, searching for the Grand Line navigation charts.

"Listen," Nami whispered as she crouched in a dark corner of the corridor, peeking around cautiously. "If we run into Helmeppo, I want you to beat the crap out of him."

"Why me? And since when do I take orders from you?"

Alex glanced around. It was quiet. So far, no sign of Zoro tied to the post.

"Idiot, did you forget? You owe me a hundred million Berries. If you do as I say, I might just consider reducing your debt."

What the hell? When did I ever agree to owing her that much?!

Alex stared blankly at Nami as she expertly picked the lock on a nearby door using a thin wire. It took her only two seconds before the door clicked open. With a sigh, he followed her inside.

It seemed to be a Marine dorm room. Four bunk beds. A few lockers.

Nami searched the room like a pro. No Grand Line chart, but she did manage to find a decent stash of spare change.

"This Marine base is seriously poor," she muttered. "Four lockers combined and not even 300 Berries inside. You're even worse off than them."

What?!

Alex froze, then frantically checked his pockets.

Damn it! Where's all my money?!

He turned to Nami, fuming. "When did you steal my cash?"

"It was less than a thousand Berries. Doesn't even cover the interest you owe me. You're in debt for a hundred million, remember? Taking your lunch money isn't that big a deal."

Nami gave him a mock-innocent look, as if he were the one being unreasonable.

"Stop stealing my stuff!" Alex warned her sternly.

"Sure," Nami shrugged. "You're broke now anyway. Nothing left worth taking."

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