chapter 4:
Shells Town, a restaurant.
With enough Berries, Rozi naturally chose to dine in a private room.
The table packed full of food instantly whetted Luffy's appetite.
In just a few minutes, more than half of the food had already gone into Luffy's stomach.
Left with no choice, Rozi had the waiter order even more.
For a while, waiters kept bringing steaming-hot dishes into the private room.
"So that's how it was. You were once caught by a fat female pirate, and then Luffy saved you. You've had it rough, Coby."
"But if your dream is to become a Marine, is it really okay for you to keep following me around?"
"In a bit, I'm going to the Marine base to rescue that three-sword-style swordsman."
"There might even be some conflict with the Marines."
"If the Marines mistakenly think you're with me, you won't be able to become a Marine ever again."
Rozi set down his wine glass and spoke to Coby beside him.
Hearing that, Coby froze on the spot.
Even Luffy, who had been eating nonstop, paused for a moment.
After thinking a little, Luffy looked at Coby and said:
"Coby, let's part ways here."
"Rozi's right. You have a Marine dream."
"Sticking with me isn't a good thing."
Luffy looked simple, but he was surprisingly sharp about certain things.
With Rozi's reminder, the words of separation naturally came earlier.
"But…"
"There's no 'but,' Coby." Rozi waved his hand, and his expression suddenly turned serious.
He pulled a bounty poster from his chest and placed it on the table.
"Coby, I'm not an ordinary person."
"I'm a great pirate wanted by the Marines and the World Government."
"Luffy isn't famous yet, right now."
"But if you stay with me even one more minute, your chances of achieving your dream will drop a lot. Do you understand?"
Coby stared blankly at the bounty poster on the table. A few seconds later, his eyes widened to the limit, almost popping out.
"Wha—!!! \(800,000,000\) Berries?! Mr. Rozi has an \(800,000,000\) Berries bounty?!"
"…What did you even do before?"
At Coby's shout, Luffy nearly spat out all the food in his mouth.
"\(800,000,000\) Berries?! Rozi, you're that amazing?"
Luffy gaped at Rozi. He had sensed Rozi wasn't simple, but he never expected the man he invited to have a bounty over \(100,000,000\).
"It's not really that amazing. I just slaughtered a somewhat high-class pig, so that's why the bounty is so big."
Rozi smiled and said it casually.
Remembering that Celestial Dragon's tearful, wailing face right before he died, Rozi couldn't help laughing inside.
No matter how 'noble' someone was, when facing death, they were still that pathetic.
"Rozi, you're incredible! Looks like I have to work hard too. As captain, I can't lose to my crew!"
Luffy pressed down the straw hat on his head, his face full of confidence.
After that, he had Coby leave the private room.
Now that he knew Rozi was a great pirate with an \(800,000,000\) Berries bounty, Luffy was even more unwilling to let Coby stay here.
"Thank you, Mr. Luffy. I hope your dream comes true."
Coby bowed to Luffy, pulled open the private room door, and walked out.
At the same time, a pretty girl in a white T-shirt and a blue skirt carried a large platter of food in through the doorway.
"Hello, you two. New dishes."
The girl was Nami. Wearing a bright, youthful smile, she walked up to Rozi and slowly set the dishes on the table.
Rozi raised an eyebrow. With his Observation Haki, he could naturally sense that while Nami was placing the food on the table, her other free hand was reaching toward the suitcase filled with Berries on a chair.
Interesting.
Rozi's lips curved upward. He slipped an arm around Nami's waist and pulled her toward him.
Caught off guard, Nami sat down directly on top of the suitcase of Berries.
"Sir, what are you doing? We don't offer that kind of service in this shop."
Nami pursed her lips and looked at Rozi with a shy expression.
At that moment, feeling \(100,000,000\) Berries under her, Nami's heartbeat started accelerating uncontrollably.
"Rozi, do you know her?"
Luffy looked at Nami, stuffing food into his mouth as he asked.
In no time, he had already finished the food Nami brought in, and his stomach—barely satisfied a moment ago—instantly swelled again, leaving Nami staring in disbelief.
"I guess you could say that." Rozi said to Luffy, then turned to Nami beside him. "My partner ate a Devil Fruit, so that's why he's like this. Don't be scared."
"Hehehe, that's right! I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, so I'm a rubber human. My body can do this, and it can do that!"
As if to prove Rozi's words, Luffy tugged on his own cheeks and twisted his face into all kinds of poses no normal person could make.
"A Devil Fruit? That legendary thing worth at least \(100,000,000\) Berries really exists?"
Nami blurted out.
"Devil Fruits naturally exist. There are even Devil Fruits I've collected inside the suitcase under your butt."
"So, are you interested in secretly taking a look?"
Rozi smiled.
"Devil Fruits? Really… Wait."
Nami's mouth twitched slightly. She forced a stiff smile, while also feeling confused about why Rozi had done that just now.
"Rozi, is she a thief?"
Luffy frowned.
"How could I be? I'm just an ordinary waitress. You must be misunderstanding."
Nami looked at Luffy and put on an extremely wronged smile.
But quickly, that smile turned into one of sheer terror.
It was because, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the bounty poster on the table beside Luffy.
\(800,000,000\) Berries… that man has an \(800,000,000\) Berries bounty?
Nami stared at Rozi in horror. In that instant, Rozi's incredibly gentle smile looked to Nami like a devil's smile.
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