"My lord, where are we going next?"
Nami quickly suppressed her shock. She looked up at Ryūjin, her expression blank but her tone hopeful. Deep down, however, her thoughts were far less composed.
This ability user is way too strong. There's no way I can escape him.
Her face turned slightly bitter, as if a tiny version of herself inside was already crying in defeat.
"My name is Uchiha Ryūjin. We're about the same age, so there's no need for 'my lord.' Just call me Ryūjin," he said casually.
"O-Okay… Ryūjin-san!" Nami replied immediately, her voice stiff.
Ryūjin paused, then sighed inwardly.
Forget it.
"When someone tells you their name, it's polite to return the favor, isn't it? My navigator, Miss?" he added, raising an eyebrow.
"My name is Nami. Please take care of me, Ryūjin-san!" she answered quickly.
Seeing how tense she was, as if she had already labeled him a dangerous person, Ryūjin found it mildly amusing.
"Nami, I don't force people," he said after a moment, his tone more serious. "If you don't want to be my navigator, just say so."
"No way!" Nami shook her head rapidly, forcing out a stiff smile. "It's an honor to serve someone as strong as Ryūjin-san!"
She clearly treated his words as a test.
What she didn't realize was that he meant it.
While her navigation skills were excellent, the pirate world was not lacking in navigators. If she truly refused, he would not insist.
"I get it," Ryūjin said, reading her thoughts. "You're probably still shaken by what you saw earlier. How about this, I won't have you work for free. I'll hire you."
"Really?" Nami's eyes instantly lit up, turning into coin-like symbols. "Ryūjin-san, just a few hundred thousand, or even a million Berries will do!"
"Sorry, I don't have any money."
Her smile froze.
So he was just messing with her.
And here I thought he was serious…
"This… well, even without money, it's fine," she quickly corrected herself, waving her hands. "I wasn't doing this for money anyway."
Ryūjin smiled faintly.
As if he didn't know how obsessed she was with money.
"You're quite the actress. I'm not finished," he said, cutting her off. "I don't have Berries, but I do have gold. I'll pay you in gold."
"Gold?"
Her eyes lit up even brighter than before.
Even better.
"Alright then, Nami. Let's set sail."
"Where are we going?" she asked eagerly.
"Is there anywhere nearby with a Devil Fruit user?" Ryūjin asked after a moment of thought.
Nami frowned slightly as she considered it, then shook her head. "There aren't many Devil Fruit users in the East Blue. Aside from the Evil Bear Pirates, I haven't heard of any nearby."
She wasn't wrong.
In the East Blue, such individuals were rare. If he wanted more, he would have to head to the Grand Line.
That was where the real stage of the strong existed.
"Nami, you know where Orange Town is, right?" he asked.
"Orange Town?" She thought briefly, then nodded. "Yeah, I know it."
"Good. That's our destination."
"Why there?"
"To find a map to the Grand Line."
Given the timeline, Buggy should still be occupying Orange Town. And more importantly, Buggy was a Devil Fruit user.
Two birds with one stone.
"So your goal is the Grand Line?" Nami's eyes sparkled again, though her thoughts were less noble.
If we go there, it'll be easier to make money.
No, save money.
"Still," she added, remembering something, "Orange Town is controlled by a powerful pirate crew. Their captain is said to be very dangerous."
Ryūjin didn't seem concerned.
"In the East Blue, do you really think anyone can match me?" he asked casually.
Nami paused, then nodded instinctively.
The destruction of the Evil Bear Pirates was still fresh in her mind.
That crew had been strong, yet they were wiped out instantly.
Compared to that, the pirates in Orange Town likely stood no chance.
"Orange Town is that way," she said, pulling out her map and pointing ahead.
"Then let's go."
Nami crossed her arms and looked at him. "You're not expecting me to sail the ship, are you? I'm just the navigator. At least pretend to be a gentleman."
"You're right."
Clap.
With a single clap, three Wood Clones appeared beside him.
Four identical Ryūjins stood on the deck.
Nami froze, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly open.
"What…?"
Splitting into four?
What kind of power was this?
"Nami, it's my first time on a ship. I'll leave the operations to you. Just guide them."
"Y-Yeah… okay," she managed, swallowing nervously.
Under her direction, the clones handled the sails, helm, and ropes with precision. Soon, the ship began moving steadily toward Orange Town.
Not long after, Ryūjin frowned slightly.
Too slow.
"Nami, how long will it take at this speed?"
"About three days," she replied confidently.
"Too long."
He stood up.
"Nami, hold on tight. The speed's about to increase."
She blinked. "Why?"
"Because a strong wind is coming."
Nami immediately shook her head. "That's not possible. The weather is stable."
In meteorology, she trusted her instincts completely.
But when she saw Ryūjin's certainty, she hesitated and gripped the railing anyway.
Ryūjin formed hand seals.
"Wind Release, Typhoon Pass!"
The moment Nami saw the hand signs, her body tensed. She remembered the water dragon from before.
Then—
A violent wind erupted out of nowhere.
The sea roared as waves surged, and the ship shot forward like a cannonball.
Nami screamed as her body was lifted, barely clinging to the railing.
"Aaaaah!"
…
What should have been a three-day journey was reduced to half a day.
"I… can't…" Nami slumped against the railing, her legs trembling.
She had never experienced anything like that.
Ryūjin simply sat nearby, watching her recover with mild amusement.
After about ten minutes, he stood up.
"Let's go."
They disembarked and stepped onto shore.
"Pirates!"
"More pirates!"
"Someone call the mayor!"
Villagers scattered in panic.
Ryūjin blinked, then glanced back at the ship's sail.
Ah.
The skull emblem.
"I'm not a pirate," he muttered.
With a thought, he lifted into the air, removed the sail, and stored it away.
After landing, he gestured forward. "Now we're done. Let's go."
"You're not a pirate?" Nami asked, surprised.
"I never said I was."
Her expression softened slightly.
Because of Arlong, she hated pirates more than anything.
Knowing Ryūjin wasn't one made her far more at ease.
"Then why go to the Grand Line?"
"There's something I want there."
She considered asking more but held back.
Their conversation shifted as they walked into town.
Suddenly, a crowd of villagers rushed toward them, armed with hoes, knives, and clubs.
They surrounded the two.
An older man pushed through the crowd and stepped forward.
The mayor of Orange Town, Boodle.
He pointed at them angrily.
"You pirates, why are you here? Leave immediately, we don't welcome you!"
One Buggy was already more than enough trouble.
They couldn't handle another.
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