"Yoshi, target secured."
Nami's sharp eyes locked onto the pirate ship ahead. She hushed Ron with a gesture, whispering, "When it's close to noon…"
She quickly laid out her plan. Ron stroked his chin, considering. If the crew had been fewer than a dozen, he would have stormed in directly. But against dozens, his Wind Blades six or seven at most might not be enough. Still, if he could take down the captain, the rest might scatter.
"Not a bad plan. But a ship like that means their captain's bounty won't be low. If I kill him, maybe we can cash in a few million berries," Ron mused aloud.
Nami froze, then smacked him on the head with her little fist, glaring. "Are you insane?! Even if you stole a musket and ambushed him, there are still dozens of pirates left. What exactly is going through your head?!"
Ron tilted his head innocently. "Honestly, dozens of pirates aren't that hard. Not all at once, sure, but split up…"
Nami could only roll her eyes, exhaling in exasperation. "Forget it. Just stay put. When they start eating, I'll sneak aboard. If anything goes wrong, make some noise to draw them off. Understand?!"
Her devilish glare stabbed at him like a blade. Ron raised his right hand to his chest with mock formality. "Understood. Perfectly clear."
Nami huffed and stalked away. "Hopeless idiot…" she muttered under her breath.
For a moment, she even considered abandoning him then and there. But really,what kind of creditor tries to ditch her own debtor? Ridiculous. With a sigh, she stuck to the plan.
The sun climbed higher, blazing at its peak.
Under their watchful eyes, pirates trickled off the ship in groups, until barely a dozen remained, feasting noisily on deck.
At last, Nami signaled. Action.
Like a shadow, she slipped aboard, climbing with fluid grace, her small body flipping silently through the air. In moments, she was on the second deck, slipping through a cabin window.
Ron whistled under his breath. "So nimble." Clearly, his worries were unnecessary. With agility like that, most pirates would never even touch her.
Moments later, the cabin door creaked open. Nami emerged, struggling with a heavy wooden chest in her arms, careful not to make a sound.
At the railing, she gestured quickly toward Ron.
He rushed beneath her position.
"Shh."
She tied a rope around the chest and carefully lowered it. Ron caught it in both hands, lowering it silently to the ground. At least thirty jin heavy no joke for someone with an ordinary frame like his. Carrying it and running would be a strain.
Ron grimaced. "Isn't this a thief's job? I'm supposed to be the noble mage, one flick of the staff, one spell, pirates bowing in fear."
Nami climbed down with feline agility, wiping sweat from her brow, and grinned. "Yoshi. Got it. Time to disappear."
Together they turned, heading back toward town.
But then figures emerged from the streets. Drunken, ragged men in their thirties, stumbling back toward the dock. Pirates.
They froze, staring at Nami, the chest in her arms, then at the ship behind her. Realization struck.
"Thieves! Little brats stealing from us!"
"Damn pests! You've got guts, robbing from real pirates!"
Their roars echoed as they charged.
"Unexpected trouble… Run!" Nami yelped, faster than thought, hoisting the chest as though it were feathers and sprinting for the town.
Ron blinked, stunned. "Wait, that makes no sense!"
He could accept her being quicker, even stronger. But sprinting with a thirty-jin chest like it was nothing? This was cheating.
He wanted to test his Wind Blade, but Nami was already darting ahead. With a sigh, he sprinted after her.
Burdened by the chest, Nami's speed slowed just enough that Ron was able to catch up.
"Stop right there!"
"Thieving brats! That treasure cost us blood to steal!"
A dozen pirates thundered out from the docks. Their leader was a one-eyed brute, a wide-bladed saber flashing in his hand. His strides ate the ground, faster than the rest, bearing down on them like a predator.
Nami gasped for breath, sweat dripping down her face. She stole a glance back, watching the mob closing in.
The chest was too heavy. Their luck too cruel. If only she had taken a handful of valuables instead. Now, there was no choice but to run and hope.
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