The small boat creaked as it rode the waves, carrying the four of them away from Orange Town. The smell of burnt wood and gunpowder still lingered faintly in the sea breeze, but they become relax after they are on the ocean.
Zoro stretched, yawning as he leaned back against the railing. "Finally, some peace and quiet. Though this boat is too small for four people…"
"It's temporary," Jack said sharply. "Once we reach Syrup Village, we'll build a proper ship."
"Yeah new ship," said Luffy while grinning.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "You mean we will build it, but who will pay?"
"Nami has a lot of treasure," pointed Jack.
Nami snapped back instantly. "Correction, this is my treasure. I risked my life stealing it from Buggy's crew. You three just fight and forgot to loot the treasure."
Zoro's hand twitched toward his sword, but Jack raised a hand to stop him. "Relax. Fighting her won't change anything."
Instead, Jack dipped his fingers into the sea. The water rippled under his touch, shimmering as it solidified into bright golden flakes. He pulled his hand back, and where water once dripped, there now lay a small, gleaming coin of pure gold.
Nami's eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. And then her pupils practically turned into golden stars.
"That... That's GOLD!" she shouted, nearly falling overboard in excitement. She scrambled to Jack's side, grabbing his wrist. "Do it again! Show me more!"
Jack smirked. "Do you like this so much?"
"Yes!" Nami said without hesitation. "But how can you turn water into gold?!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "So she loves money."
Luffy, meanwhile, was drooling. "Can you turn gold into meat? You told me you can turn something into food"
Jack sighed. "Of course Luffy." Then he dipped his hand onto ocean once more and once again it become meat.
Luffy launched himself forward and snatched the meat.
"It is delicious," said luffy with mouth full of meat. "This is the best meat I have ever eat."
"Of course luffy, you always eat meat that have thick muscle but this meat is different it is more chewy. But it will become more delicious if we have a cheff that good in cooking," commented Jack.
"Ok I have decided, we will recruit chef next," declared luffy.
Nami leaned in closer, practically shaking his arm. "How are you doing this? How can you turn something into meat or gold? Devil Fruit? Some kind of ancient treasure?"
Everyone looked at Jack, even luffy are curious.
Jack hesitated. He had kept his secret hidden until now. But with Luffy and Zoro already suspicious, and Nami greed reaching dangerous levels, maybe it was time to come clean.
"Alright," he said finally. "You want the truth? I'll show you."
He snapped his fingers, and the boat's wooden planks shimmered as an illusion expanded outward. The sea vanished. The sky darkened into velvet black. Suddenly, the four of them were drifting in a vast cosmos, stars twinkling all around. Planets spun slowly in the distance, their orbits traced in glowing lines.
"What… is this?" Zoro asked, glancing around in awe.
"We are still on the ocean so don't move, I use my illusion to show you my place" Jack said softly, "This is the solar system. The place I come from. Another world. Another planet. Far, far away from here."
Luffy eyes sparkled as wide as the galaxies around them. "Woooah! Space! That's so cool!"
Nami jaw slackened. "Wait, are you saying… you're not even from this world?"
Jack nodded. "That's right. I'm a traveler from beyond the stars. I coincidentally meet luffy when I came here and I don't know how to return to my world. So I accepted luffy as my captain because he looks so fun and I have 10 abilities in total. But for some reason, each ability only unlocks when Luffy recruits someone important to his journey."
"You have more ability?" asked Luffy.
Zoro frowned. "Important how?"
Jack gestured at him. "When you joined, Zoro, my second ability awakened. The power of transmutation. That's why I can turn water into gold."
Zoro raised his brows but didn't argue.
Jack continued, his eyes now on Nami. "But when Luffy invited you, Nami… nothing happened. My power didn't recognize you as part of the crew. Which means…" His voice hardened slightly. "You're lying. You don't really see yourself as a Straw Hat crew."
The boat went silent except for the waves lapping against the hull.
Nami clutched her treasure tighter, looking away. "…So what if I am? Pirates are selfish, greedy, dangerous. Why should I give up my freedom to join one?"
Jack leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Because freedom means nothing if you're chained by lies. If you want me to use my power for you... if you want me to keep turning the ocean into gold then stop pretending. Join sincerely."
Nami's lips pressed into a thin line.
Luffy suddenly broke the tension. He hopped to his feet, planting his straw hat firmly on his head.
"Nami! I have decided you are my crew" he said, his voice as clear as the sky after a storm. "I don't care about your treasure. I don't care if you're greedy. But I want you to be my navigator."
Nami looked at him in shock. "You... I won't join you?"
The atmosphere become heavy, Jack changed the illussion and this time it shows the face of arlong.
"How... How do you know?" Nami was shocked seeing the face of Arlong.
The others looked at Nami, "What happen Nami?" asked Luffy.
"Before I came to this universe, I learn something about this world for example your grandfather luffy, he is big figure that I know about him," said Jack
Luffy show a look of someone panic when he heard about his grandfather, "you know him?"
"I know his character but Im not his friend," replied Jack.
"Nami, your tattoo on your arm are from Arlong Pirates and based on the information I received. Arlong has terrorizing the villagers and you are most likely forced to join him otherwise something bad may happen to your family," revealed Jack.
Nami lost her balance and slumped on the ground then she cries.
Luffy who saw this. "Nami, you are my crew and I will beat Arlong for you."
"Nami, you might think Arlong is very strong but trust me I can beat Arlong if I manage to get my power and even luffy here can beat him," commented Jack.
"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "You're Nami and just believe us."
Zoro chuckled. "I hate you are lying to us but my captain have decided to help you."
Jack folded his arms, watching carefully. This is it. Her decision.
Nami looked at her crew.
"…Fine," she muttered. "I'll join. For real this time, but can you change more gold? Arlong has promised to release my village and me if I give him 100 million berries."
"He most likely are lying to you, but don't worry we will change it to gold and give it to him, are you ok with it captain?" asked Jack.
Luffy nodded, because it is Nami wish.
Luffy laughed and then smiled. "Shishishi! Ok, if that Arlong didn't honor his promise I will kick his ass!"
At that exact moment, Jack system chimed in his head:
[System Notification: Genuine crew member recruited – Navigator.]
[Third ability unlocked.]
[Kingo - Cosmic Energy Projection.]
The same feeling where he had the memory when Kingo used his energy through his hand like a gun.
Kingo power is not just from his cosmic energy manipulation but his markmanship, he didn't need to aim like normal soldier instead he can get bullseye just aiming at the direction. The same power is now his, he had become more powerful.
Jack exhaled slowly, a smile tugging at his lips. Finally. She's really one of us now.
"Welcome aboard, Nami," he said.
She glanced at him, her eyes narrowing. "…You'd better keep your promise about the gold."
Jack smirked. "Only if you stay honest."
Zoro and luffy smiled.
Suddenly, Jack decided to show them his new power.
"This is my other power," his hand turn golden and released the attack on ocea
Pshew! Pshew! Pshew!
Luffy eyes show the same golden stars.
"Is that canon beam?" asked Luffy excitedly.
P/S: is this story fun? No powerstone, no comment, I might thought this is failed fanfiction.