From Nami's expression, Ron could already guess what she was thinking.
Talking about killing Arlong now was meaningless. He did not yet have the strength. Only by sharpening his power to the point where he could truly strike Arlong down would he be able to free her.
Since Nami lingered in the living room instead of returning to her room, Ron simply excused himself, saying he would take a walk, and slipped out into the island night.
He soon found a secluded, empty spot and resumed training.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Each time his runes grew sharper, faster, more precise. The waste of Spirit lessened with every attempt.
By the end of the day, Ron had unleashed nearly seventy Wind Blades.
At dusk, the final blade had drained only one-fifth of his Spirit, a massive improvement from before. He estimated that at his peak, he could lower the cost further, perhaps to one-sixth. That meant six Wind Blades in full condition.
Not only that, his casting speed had dropped to just two seconds. Compared to the ten seconds of the first day, it was staggering. And shortening from four seconds to two was harder than from ten to four.
Two seconds. Still not enough.
Against an opponent, two seconds was survival only at range. True combat demanded one second or less.
Ron considered grinding out easy achievements to raise his Spirit further. But he had no money, not even enough for the "Down This Bottle" achievement. Asking Nami for drinking funds? Impossible. And even if he did, downing a whole bottle would leave him unconscious for a day. That day would be better spent training.
Killing a fishman for "First Battle" or "First Kill"? Possible. But Arlong would tear the island apart hunting the culprit. Too risky.
So Ron set aside achievements for now and pushed his body and spirit through sheer training.
By the third and fourth day, his Wind Blade was forming in a little over a single second. The Spirit cost kept shrinking as efficiency grew. His spirit itself felt sharper, stronger, refined through repetition.
Though his body remained fragile, his Spirit was incomparable to when he first arrived. Now, any pirate with a bounty of two or three million would be cut down instantly before him. In East Blue, that was already enough to stand tall.
Still, as a mage, his weaknesses were clear. His defense and agility lagged behind. Until he mastered protection magic, a close-combat fighter could still end his life in an instant. And this world was filled with warriors who thrived in close quarters.
On the fifth day, Nami brought news. She would set sail again, continuing her desperate quest to gather money.
Ron immediately asked to join her. His excuse was simple: stuck here, he could never repay his debts. Out at sea, opportunities awaited.
But his real reasons were twofold. Sailing meant countless chances to unlock achievements. And more importantly, he could not let a fourteen-year-old girl wander these seas alone. Nami might be clever enough to outwit pirates, but his arrival could have already shifted the story's course. He could not risk her safety.
…
"I'll sail us to Galu Town, dock there, and you'll get off," Nami said, waving the debt note in her hand like a blade of authority. "And don't forget to pay back what you owe. Every year, the interest doubles."
Standing beside the mast, she was only fourteen, yet in spirit she was already the same Nami Ron remembered from the future.
Ron shrugged. "Hey, hey. You're just throwing me off? I can actually help, you know."
"No."
Her voice was crisp, her head shaking firmly. She glared at him. "Do you even know what I have to do? I deal with ruthless pirates to get treasure. One mistake and I'll be killed. I don't have time to babysit you."
Ron's lips twitched. Babysat by a fourteen-year-old. Wonderful.
Though her words stung, her intent was good. She didn't want him dragged into danger. Even if she also didn't want dead weight.
"If I don't go with you, I'll never pay you back. And don't think of me as baggage."
"No."
"Then I'll just cover you as backup."
"No."
"Well… I can use magic."
Nami's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp as steel. "And I'm the Queen of Hell. Still no! The answer is no!"
Ron: "…"
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