"Hmm~"
A strange sensation coursed along Nami's arm, making it impossible for her to pretend that everything was fine. After Zoro had left, she was ready to sit up and take a look around. After all, it was difficult to imagine any town that would welcome pirates with open arms.
Seeing Nami begin to stir, Leo's instincts kicked in. Panic flashed across his face as he swiftly raised his magic wand and lightly tapped the back of her head.
Well, that would stop her from waking up suddenly again.
If you thought about it carefully, this unexpected action couldn't be entirely blamed on Leo. Was Nami really at fault? After all, she was the one who had suddenly awakened and frightened him so badly that he had a stress reaction. Now that she had fainted, they were even.
Leo was magnanimous. He didn't scold her for waking him abruptly. Yet, a faint feeling of guilt gnawed at him. That was why he decided to examine her more carefully—to be sure nothing was wrong, especially considering the complex nature of their differing power systems.
But before he could do that, there was one more thing to worry about.
What if Usopp, Sanji, or the others suddenly woke up? Given their timid nature, they might get scared and cause chaos. Leo wanted to prevent that.
So, with a sense of fairness, Leo raised his wand again and walked behind the three people lying on the floor, tapping each of them lightly on the back of the head.
The three groaned in unison as small lumps began to form on their heads.
Seeing this, Leo nodded in satisfaction and returned his attention to Nami.
---
Magic patterns—or "magic runes," as some call them—are the fundamental building blocks of all magic. They take up at least one-third of the depth in a Magic Record, highlighting their critical importance. Simply put, magic patterns are the very beginning of every spell, every enchantment, and every power.
Leo's magical strength had grown immensely because he had mastered a considerable portion of these basic magic patterns. They were the foundation on which he built his control over magic.
In contrast, Nami's magic patterns were still a mystery to him. He had only seen the last few pages of her Magic Record, which contained scant information on the mutations of magic patterns. Most mutations tend to evolve positively, but there are exceptions. Some individuals completely merge with their magic patterns and lose all sense of self-awareness.
For instance, the basic form of the wind element now took the shape of a small blue bird.
Originally, magic elements had no fixed forms. This bird form was the result of a senior mage's attempt to carve the magic pattern, but he failed to suppress the power of assimilation. Instead, the magic pattern fused entirely with the element itself.
This fusion was the reason why it was crucial to perform a thorough physical examination on Nami. Leo wasn't acting out of mere curiosity; he was ensuring her safety.
---
With a gentle wave of his wand, Leo moved everything on the table around—Luffy and the others included.
Nami's body floated up automatically, hovering steadily above the table.
An intense, thick magical energy gathered quickly at the tip of Leo's wand. The oppressive atmosphere it created filled the entire room, pressing down on everything within.
A faint white light spread over Nami's body like a gentle cocoon.
At that moment, the wind elements that had been constantly swirling and condensing in the void abruptly stopped. Without a target, the elements quickly dissipated.
A sky-blue bird emerged from Nami's arm, its little head tilting from side to side in confusion. It clearly did not understand why the food it had been enjoying had suddenly vanished.
But the next moment, the bird noticed Leo standing beside Nami. After sensing the immense magical power radiating from him, it instinctively hid behind Nami's other side, trembling with fear.
Peeking cautiously, it watched Leo with wide eyes, afraid he might harm it.
"Eh~"
Leo's eyes lit up with interest at the sight of this small spiritual manifestation. This was more fascinating than he had expected. The creature instinctively sought benefits and avoided danger—proof that it had developed a certain level of awareness.
Curious, Leo controlled the wind element to condense two tiny snakes. They wriggled slowly into the white light covering Nami, making an attacking gesture.
In an instant, the little bird swooped through the air, grabbed the two tiny snakes in its hands, and slurped them into its mouth as if eating noodles. After swallowing, it let out a small burp.
It seemed that after receiving this "gift," the bird no longer hid from Leo. Instead, it puffed out its chest and held its head high, proudly displaying its bravery as if to say, "Those were just two little snakes—nothing to be afraid of."
Because of the burp, its sky-blue feathers tinged faintly pink—a blush that slowly faded with time.
---
Leo then pulled a book of ghostly illustrations from his bag and flipped it open to a particular page.
He carefully compared the patterns in the book with the magic pattern on Qingling (Nami's magic manifestation). After several minutes of study, he nodded in sudden realization and closed the book.
With a flick of his wrist, the white light around Nami disappeared instantly, and the wind element swirled back into her body.
The sky-blue bird tried to dive back into Nami's arm, but as soon as it entered the magic pattern beneath her skin, it was blocked. The bird somersaulted several times midair and landed awkwardly on the table.
If you looked closely, tiny, nearly imperceptible characters floated above her small body, making her current form solid and real.
Leo smiled faintly, but his expression quickly returned to one of calm seriousness. He stared intently at Qingling, who was now shaking her head on the ground.
---
At last, he had some clues.
Next, he needed to examine the magic patterns on Luffy and the others' arms.
He walked over to Luffy, who was already snoring loudly, lying on his back with his belly rising and falling rhythmically.
Leo grabbed Luffy's arm and lifted it, tapping his wand randomly along the area of the magic pattern.
After a few moments of examination, Leo shrugged, then gently laid Luffy back down.
"Go back to sleep," Leo muttered. "You don't have anything for me to do right now."
It was now confirmed that Nami's perception of celestial phenomena originated from her special physique.
Coupled with the fact that Leo had personally carved the essential magic pattern of the wind element for her, an unknown synergistic effect was at play.
---
The basic form of the wind element had regained consciousness and was now considered a magical creature—similar in nature to the mythical Zeus that Nami would obtain later, but even higher in rank.
In terms of creature classification, this little blue bird was at the same level as legendary mythical beings.
This explained why the wind element gathered uncontrollably into Nami's body.
If she continued on this path, her strength would skyrocket. But if her physical fitness couldn't keep up, it would cause serious trouble.
Imagine how popcorn pops: it all depends on raising the temperature gradually.
Similarly, Nami needed to steadily increase her training.
A small smile crept across the corner of Leo's mouth as he slowly withdrew his magical power back into his body.
He truly enjoyed the process of training others.
---
Bang!
The sudden crash shattered the calm silence as the door to the room exploded inward.
Zoro burst through, his body slick with sweat and marked by scars and explosions.
He had just finished wiping out the Barak Works members in Whisky Peak, except for two men who seemed to have an agenda of their own.
He had been planning to return to the room and celebrate with a drink, but the door wouldn't budge.
After hacking at it repeatedly with his knife in mounting panic, he finally broke through.
"Hoohoo... Are you guys okay?" Zoro called out breathlessly.
Leo glanced at the exhausted swordsman, his face expressing a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
Shaking his head, Leo replied, "Yes, we're fine."
---
Leo stepped forward calmly, his mind already assessing the next course of action.
Despite Zoro's rough and reckless nature, he was an indispensable ally.
Leo cast a quick glance at the still-lying bodies of the others. The magic patterns on their arms looked stable. No signs of abnormal fusion like Nami's.
Satisfied for now, Leo turned his gaze back to Nami.
The little blue bird, Qingling, was now perched on her shoulder, quiet and still.
Leo knew this was only the beginning.
The wind element within her was evolving, and so was her power.
But the path ahead was fraught with danger.
If she could master this elemental force, she would become a force to be reckoned with.
But if she lost control, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Leo took a deep breath.
This was the challenge he had been waiting for.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
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