"Then… what next?"
Ignoring the ever-goofy Luffy, Zoro turned his questioning gaze toward Arelon.
"What's our next move?"
"Our next move?" Arelon's eyes flickered as he instinctively looked at Helmeppo.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Of course we're going to rob the Marine Captain here—then fire the very first shot of our Straw Hat Pirates!!!"
"No pirate sets sail without stirring up some trouble!"
"You two…"
Zoro's lips curved upward as he chuckled. "You're truly fearless, huh?"
"Barely out to sea and already aiming at a Marine base. I really wonder what you won't dare to do."
"Hahaha~ thanks for the compliment!"
"But I have to correct one thing…"
Arelon slung one arm around Luffy and placed the other on Zoro's shoulder.
"What you should say is… the three of us!"
"Yeah! The three of us!!!"
Luffy raised his arm high and laughed heartily.
Seeing Arelon and Luffy's earnest gazes, Zoro's expression softened slightly, yet he still sighed:
"Hope I can hold on for a while…"
"I don't want to turn into a lunatic too quickly!"
"Luffy, our new crewmate seems a bit clueless—he actually called you a lunatic."
"Huh?" Luffy blinked. "But I feel like he was talking about both you and me?"
Smack!
"…This is not the moment for you to suddenly be sharp."
Arelon slapped the back of Luffy's head.
"Anyway, listen to me—find some time and give the newcomer a beating so he'll understand why you are our captain!"
And so Zoro would know…
That Luffy was this strong thanks to his Trainer—me!
"O–okay…" Luffy nodded pitifully, not knowing why he was hit.
"Oh right!" Arelon looked again at Helmeppo. "Where's Morgan's office?"
"Huh!?"
Trying to blend into the background, Helmeppo flinched and quickly pointed at the ceiling.
"R-right above my room."
"I see. That makes it easier."
Arelon nodded.
"Luffy, punch through the ceiling. Let's go loot Morgan's treasure!"
"We're still missing a teeeensy bit of starting capital."
"Rob the rich Morgan to support our poor selves!"
"Treasure!"
The moment he heard the word, Luffy's eyes sparkled.
To him, "treasure" and "pirate" were a perfect pair.
"Leave it to me!"
As always, reliable Luffy clenched his fist. Under the stunned gazes of Zoro and Helmeppo, he swung upward—
His arm suddenly stretched long, smashing into the ceiling with monstrous force.
"H-his arm stretched!?"
Zoro was shocked once again.
And then—
BOOM!!!
With a thunderous crash, the ceiling above Helmeppo's room exploded open.
But what Arelon hadn't expected was…
Along with rubble and dust, a girl with orange hair fell through the hole.
"Ah—!!!"
Thud!
Dust filled the room instantly.
In the hazy smoke, a girl's pained voice rang out:
"Ahh—ow ow ow…!"
"Damn it! Even Marines embezzle their own supplies!? What kind of crappy floor collapses like this!?"
Nami grumbled as she pushed herself up from the ground.
Just then, a gust blew across the room.
Arelon had opened the window near him. The wind swept the dust outward, clearing the view.
And then—
Nami froze.
The room—which should've been empty—now had four men standing in it, staring at her with different expressions.
A straw-hat idiot with innocence and wisdom mixed in his eyes…
A swordsman gripping his hilts, watching her cautiously…
A coward curled up in the corner crying and wetting himself…
And a young man whose eyes held surprise—almost like he recognized her.
"Uh… um…"
Startled speechless by their sudden appearance, Nami gulped and raised a trembling hand.
"H-hi there!"
"I think… I walked into the wrong room. Sorry to bother you!"
She turned and dashed for the door.
She didn't know why so many people were in the room when the entire Marine base was upstairs watching Captain Morgan's statue unveiling…
But no matter what—
Running away was always the right choice.
Years of experience as a thief made her very confident in her instincts.
However—
Just as she thought she could slip out, a boy's voice sounded behind her.
The boy by the window.
"Don't let her leave, Zoro!"
"Got it."
Zoro, already near the door, stepped hard.
In an instant—much faster than Nami—he reached the doorway and stomped it shut.
Bang!
He didn't know the technique "Soru," but his explosive power was already far beyond normal humans.
With that one move, Nami's escape was completely cut off.
"W-what are you doing!? I really just walked into the wrong room!"
Seeing Zoro's fierce expression, Nami choked up, turned around in panic, and put on the appearance of a helpless girl.
She could tell—
The one giving orders here… was Arelon.
So she focused all her acting skill on him.
"P-please don't bully a weak girl like me~"
Nami's eyes shimmered pitifully, her voice soft and trembling.
With her smooth, delicate face, any normal man might drop their guard instantly.
But Arelon, who knew Nami's personality well, wasn't fooled.
This little fox… really is a natural-born actress.
But too bad, girl—you're still a bit too green.
Arelon watched her with amusement while recalling her… stormy figure two years later.
He never expected to meet the little cat burglar like this.
She wasn't part of the plan, but since she'd dropped in—
She's not leaving.
Arelon casually spoke her name:
"No need to panic, Miss Nami."
!!!
Nami's heart lurched, her pupils shrinking.
"You… you know me!?"
Crap! I must've robbed this guy before!
"That's one way to put it."
Arelon smiled, ignoring her frantic thoughts.
To be honest, he was surprised she was here at all.
He and Luffy had intentionally changed their departure to avoid the whirlpool, skipped the Alvida and Coby arc, and came straight to Shells Town.
Yet they still ran into Nami, who came to the 153rd Branch to steal the Grand Line chart.
And in such a ridiculous way.
"Never thought I'd meet a member of the East Blue's famous 'Cute Thief Duo.' Looks like our luck is pretty good today."
"Luffy, I think we've found our fourth crewmate!"
"Huh!? Really?"
Luffy froze, then instantly brightened. He put a hand above his eyes and scanned around.
"Where is he!? Where!?"
"Idiot~"
Arelon grabbed Luffy's head and forcibly turned it toward Nami.
"Our fourth crewmate is this lovely young lady!"
"Ah—!?"
But instead of excitement, Luffy immediately let out a disappointed cry.
"But… she seems really weak!"
His beginner-level Observation Haki could already sense someone's strength.
And to him, Nami was far from impressive—nothing like the beastly presence Zoro radiated.
"Weak?"
Arelon widened his eyes slightly in mock surprise, then laughed.
"Then you're the one seeing wrong, Luffy!"
"This girl before you is one of the most promising navigators in the entire world!"
"Unlike Zoro—who will become the world's greatest swordsman—"
"Her navigation skills are already near the top tier of the world!!!"
"We've really hit the jackpot!!!"
"—Sugeeeeee!!!"
Luffy's eyes sparkled like lanterns. He instantly looked at Nami with newfound respect.
Zoro, guarding the door, also glanced at Arelon in surprise.
Even though they'd only just met, Arelon didn't seem like the type to spout nonsense.
Which meant…
Even Zoro's gaze toward Nami changed.
Though getting compared like that felt a bit weird.
Wait… is he saying I'm below that girl? No, that can't be it… right!?
Luffy punched his palm decisively.
"Alright! Arelon, I've decided! She'll be our crew's navigator!!!"
"A wise choice!"
Arelon smiled calmly, then turned to Nami.
"You heard him, Miss Nami."
"Hope you're prepared."
"Anyone my captain sets his eyes on… cannot escape."
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