Novel Chapter
Nami stood dripping on the deck, her clothes completely soaked through, every curve of her figure visible beneath the clinging fabric. She looked utterly pitiful—the perfect damsel in distress.
Kai's smile was faint, knowing. "Little Thief Cat Nami of the East Blue. Hello. I'm Marine Admiral... Hakuryū."
"Ah..."
Nami had been reeling—shocked and confused about how she'd suddenly floated onto the warship. But the instant this Marine called out her name, everything else vanished. Her mind went blank. She hadn't expected him to recognize her at all, much less—
Wait. Did he just say Admiral?
That part didn't register. She was too busy panicking.
Originally, after leaving Arlong's territory, Nami had spent several frustrating days searching for targets. Every decent pirate crew in the East Blue had already been conned by her. The ones she hadn't tricked were either clueless rookies or crews so pathetic they had nothing worth stealing.
Then she'd spotted Kai's warship.
The thought had hit her like lightning: A warship that massive must be loaded with treasure! She didn't need much—just a tiny bit. Enough to scrape together one hundred million berries. Then she could finally save Cocoyasi Village. Just a little. Surely they wouldn't even notice.
Desperation made people do stupid things.
So she'd scuttled her own boat, sinking it to the seabed, then started screaming for help.
Her plan worked—sort of. She'd gotten their attention.
What she hadn't planned on was them seeing through absolutely everything except her actual objective.
And Kai? He even knew that.
"I... I'm not Nami!" Her voice pitched higher with panic. "I'm called... I'm called Mena!"
Mena? Kai barely suppressed a laugh. That's the best you could come up with?
"Oh... so you're not Nami from Cocoyasi Village, then." He played along, nodding as if enlightened.
Nami's shoulders sagged with relief—
"Hm." Kai's gaze dropped to her left shoulder. "That tattoo, though. That's the Arlong Pirates' mark, isn't it?" His tone shifted, turning almost apologetic. "So you're a pirate. Well then, I'm sorry, but as a Marine, I'm obligated to arrest you."
Nami's blood ran cold.
Her eyes snapped to her left shoulder. The tattoo—the one she always kept covered—was fully exposed now. Whether from struggling in the water or the way she'd landed, the fabric had shifted.
The breath she'd just released caught in her throat.
"That... this..." Words failed her. Her mind raced in circles, regret flooding every corner of her thoughts. I never should have targeted Marines. What was I thinking? I want to slap myself stupid—
Kai watched her adorably panicked expression, finding it genuinely endearing. "Alright, Nami. Stop pretending." His smile turned knowing. "I know perfectly well you're not 'Mena.' You're Nami.
"Your hometown is Cocoyasi Village in the East Blue. Your adoptive mother was Belle-mère, a Marine Petty Officer in the East Blue branch. I've seen her file in the archives—an excellent soldier." His voice softened slightly. "Several years ago, Cocoyasi Village was occupied by the fishman Arlong. Belle-mère resisted his rule. He murdered her for it.
"And you, Nami—at just ten years old, you could already chart an entire island. Exceptional talent as a navigator. That's what Arlong valued. He forced you into the Arlong Pirates to map the entire East Blue for him." Kai's gaze held hers. "He promised that if you saved one hundred million berries, he'd let you buy back Cocoyasi Village. That's why you became the infamous 'Little Thief Cat' of the East Blue."
He tilted his head. "Did I miss anything?"
Nami's jaw hung open. She stared at him like he'd sprouted a second head.
"How... how do you know all that!?" Her voice cracked.
The information was so detailed that even she'd need a moment to recall everything. Yet this stranger had just recited her entire life story like he'd memorized it from a book.
Several long seconds passed before she recovered enough to speak. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion replacing shock. "So what do you want, Marine?"
Nami wasn't stupid. If he knew this much about her, he had a reason. People didn't dig into someone's life for fun.
Kai didn't answer immediately. Instead, his smile widened. "My ship happens to be missing a navigator. Interested?"
It wasn't just because Nami was a canon character. Or because she was beautiful—though he wouldn't deny either point.
It was her talent. Top-tier navigation skills. Her ability to read New World weather patterns and atmospheric phenomena with frightening accuracy. Even Golden Lion Shiki had praised her once, saying "her navigation ability far surpasses the elite navigators I handpicked."
Kai was building a force. As its leader, he couldn't handle everything personally—that was a fatal mistake for any commander. He needed talented subordinates with diverse skill sets.
Nami was exactly the kind of talent he needed.
Navigator!?
Nami froze at the word. But before she could process it, Kai continued.
"As my navigator, I'd naturally resolve the Cocoyasi Village situation for you." He paused, letting that sink in. "Of course, if you'd rather not join me, that's fine too. Meeting is fate. I'll give you money—enough to try solving the problem your own way."
His gaze locked onto hers, steady and patient.
"So. What's your answer, Nami?"
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