"Three Sword Style: Tiger Hunting!"
Zoro struck with full force. With two swords crossed behind his back, his body twisted as he launched his powerful attack. The resulting slashes tore into Monka, leaving behind vicious, tiger-like patterns—hence the name of the move.
The Marine Captain had no time to react. In the blink of an eye, he was cut down, his massive axe shattered into useless fragments.
Monka fell hard to the ground, groaning in defeat. Around him, the large square was filled with injured and wailing Marines, none able to continue fighting. The only ones still standing were Zoro, Luffy, Leo, and a few others.
"As expected of the man known as the Demon Beast," Nami said, stepping out from behind Leo, where she'd been hiding. Though she was no stranger to danger, facing off against someone as physically imposing as Monka had made her nervous.
"Ah~" Luffy stretched lazily and grinned. "Now that we've beaten Monka, let's go eat! Just in time to celebrate Zoro joining us!"
He raised his hands excitedly. Leo, adjusting his top hat, stepped forward and pointed his cane toward the Marine Base behind them.
"If you want to become King of the Pirates, you'll need to sail the world," Leo said calmly. "I heard there's a sea chart to the Grand Line in this base. It's something we can't go without."
Leo already knew that the Grand Line chart was gone—taken by Buggy the Clown—but he also knew the base held a decent stash of Baileys. And who could say no to extra money?
At the mention of the Grand Line chart, Nami's eyes lit up. "A nautical chart to the Grand Line?! Hurry, hurry—this is our spoils of war!"
Her heart raced. Whether it was to save her village or fulfill her dream of completing a world map, every step toward the Grand Line brought her closer.
Without hesitation, the crew stormed into Monka's office, rummaging through drawers, cabinets, and secret compartments. Eventually, they uncovered a stash worth millions of Baileys.
Among the scattered documents, they also found a tattered nautical chart—marked with the unmistakable skull insignia of Buggy the Clown.
"Looks like Buggy took the real chart," Leo commented.
"I've heard of him," Nami said, her tone suddenly serious. "Buggy the Immortal. Word is he's eaten a Devil Fruit too."
Zoro crossed his arms and touched the hilt of his sword. "He's got a 15 million bounty, right? I've never beaten anyone over 10 million."
"His immortality is thanks to the Chop-Chop Fruit, like how Luffy has the Gum-Gum Fruit," Leo explained, casually twirling his cane. As he spoke, he discreetly pocketed the mountain of Baileys Nami had just gathered.
"!!!"
Nami's face went pale. She spun around and saw the money disappearing before her eyes.
"You thief! Give it back!! That's my money! I worked so hard for it!"
In a fury, she lunged at Leo, hands stretched out to scratch him into submission. But Leo raised his cane and calmly muttered:
"Change."
With a loud poof and a cloud of smoke, Nami vanished. In her place hovered a confused orange cat, suspended in midair for a moment before gravity took over and dropped her onto the desk.
"Whoa!!!" Luffy cried with admiration, eyes sparkling. "So cool!"
He immediately tried to hug the cat, only for it to scratch his face into a bloody mess with lightning-fast swipes.
Coby and Zoro stood frozen, jaws dropped, their gaze locked onto Leo's cane.
"Meow! Meow meow meow!!!"
Nami, now perched on a bookshelf, frantically meowed at Leo, her voice filled with panic.
"What's she saying?" Luffy asked, rubbing the claw marks on his cheeks.
"She said she wants me to turn her back and that we should use the Baileys to throw a banquet as an apology," Leo replied smoothly, though his interpretation was only half true.
"Huh?! A banquet?! No way!" Luffy shook his head quickly.
Meow!!
"What was that?"
"She said, 'Yes, absolutely,'" Leo nodded with mock sincerity.
Without waiting for more protests, Leo clapped his hands. "Let's go have a feast! Nami can rejoin us once she's calmed down."
Luffy, always easygoing, grinned. Zoro shrugged. Coby hesitated, then followed. They exited the base, ignoring the furious orange cat who could do nothing but follow, meowing in frustration as she awkwardly padded behind them on tiny paws.
Later that day, after a hearty meal at a local inn, Nami had already been returned to her human form—but she hadn't forgiven Leo so easily. She declared he owed her compensation.
Leo ended up paying her a full one million Baileys just to smooth things over. Though she was clearly intimidated by him, Nami still had the guts to haggle.
Their next destination would be Orange Town—Buggy the Clown's territory. But the distance from Shells Town to Orange Town was considerable, and they couldn't make the journey without a properly equipped ship.
Coby, meanwhile, made a different decision.
During the banquet, some of the recovered Marines approached and told him everything—how Monka had been forcing them into obedience and that Luffy's group had saved the entire town.
Moved by their words, Coby decided to stay behind. He would begin his Marine journey here, in this very town. It was the first step toward his dream of becoming an upright officer of justice.
As the crew bid farewell to Coby—amid cheers and thanks from the townspeople and Marines—a small passenger boat arrived. Nami, now acting as navigator again, picked up Leo, Luffy, and Zoro.
Before they set sail, Zoro made a promise to the little girl who'd once given him rice balls. "Once Luffy becomes King of the Pirates and sails the world, I'll come back here and eat your rice balls again."
With that, they set sail once more, chasing after Buggy and the stolen Grand Line chart.
No matter the era, life at sea is the same—long, repetitive, and often boring.
But for Leo, boredom was just a challenge waiting to be transformed.
Want to eat grilled meat? Easy. Use magical flames and cook it on the spot. Want something cold? Purify seawater with a spell, freeze it with another, and you've got a refreshing block of ice. His magic made the voyage feel like a luxurious cruise.
It didn't take long for the crew to start treating Leo with reverence.
Even Luffy—normally carefree and impossible to manage—toned down his antics in front of Leo. After all, Leo had become the de facto "breadwinner" of the crew.
Nami, however, remained cautious.
Although she'd realized that Leo wasn't as fierce or cruel as he initially seemed, she'd also concluded that he wasn't exactly the refined gentleman his clothes suggested.
No—he was a cunning, sly, and mischievous magician who loved messing with others.
A thief with a twisted sense of humor!
Since the "cat incident," Nami kept her distance. She avoided direct contact with Leo whenever possible, speaking to him only when absolutely necessary—usually when adjusting their course or discussing navigation.
Even so, she couldn't deny one thing: Leo's abilities made life at sea easier, more fun, and definitely more magical.
And deep down, she also knew—whether she liked it or not—Leo was someone worth having on board.