Grand Line.
On the sea route from Drum Island to Alabasta, the Going Merry cut through the waves with swift determination, its bow slicing the ocean like a sharp blade. Clear skies stretched overhead, and the salty breeze filled the sails, pushing them ever closer to their next destination.
After a few days of sailing, the weather had become particularly pleasant. The magnetic fields and currents had stabilized, a rare moment of peace on the Grand Line.
Meanwhile, Chopper had finally recovered from the strange melancholy that had overtaken him when he first joined the crew. Thanks to Luffy's bizarre pranks and the unorthodox energy of the Straw Hats, the little reindeer-doctor found himself laughing, even sticking chopsticks in his nose alongside Luffy and Usopp during a mealtime prank.
At a lively banquet on deck, chaos unfolded as expected. Sanji and Zoro had yet another squabble over something minor, resulting in both of them sporting matching black eyes. Luffy got caught stealing meat again and ended up being chased around the deck by an enraged Sanji.
As for Usopp, Chopper, and Runfast, they sat guiltily at the edge of the Merry, fishing quietly. The mystery of the missing food in the refrigerator was still unsolved, and the three of them were prime suspects.
At the helm, Leo calmly steered the ship while holding a strange, worn-out booklet filled with what looked like arcane scribbles. His eyes were fixed on the pages, scanning them as if reading secrets only he could understand.
"Leo," Vivi called out as she approached him. "I've seen you holding that book for a while now. What exactly is it? I've never seen writing like that before."
The princess of Alabasta was in high spirits. They were nearing her homeland, and soon she would confront the crisis threatening her people. But for now, curiosity got the better of her.
Since their journey began, Vivi had noticed Leo reading this mysterious book more than once. She had always wanted to ask about it but hadn't found the right time—until now.
Her question caught everyone's attention.
Nami looked up from the log pose and ocean charts in her hand. Usopp, Chopper, and Runfast stopped fishing. Sanji, still lecturing Luffy about the missing meat, turned toward them with interest. Even Zoro paused in mid-swing, set down his massive dumbbell, and wiped the sweat from his brow.
Leo looked up, a smirk playing on his lips as he noticed the sudden attention.
"Didn't I tell you guys already?" he said with a slight chuckle. "I'm a magician. And this…"—he patted the cover of the strange book—"this is the Legendary Magic Book."
"W-Woah! There's really such a thing as a magic book?!" Chopper gasped, eyes sparkling with awe.
He was clearly impressed. His mentor, Dr. Hiriluk, had always been called a 'witch doctor,' but even she didn't possess something as mysterious as a magic book.
"Yes," Leo said with pride, "this book records every type of magic from every world imaginable—and it keeps growing. New magic is added constantly."
"Th-That's amazing!!" Chopper and Luffy's jaws dropped simultaneously, stars twinkling in their eyes.
"Can we see it?! Please, please, let us see it!" Luffy and Chopper pleaded in unison.
"You can't even read, Luffy," Nami deadpanned, giving him a flat look. "Remember what happened back on Little Garden when I tried explaining the history of the island to you?"
Luffy blinked. "Oh… yeah…"
Just then, Nami's eyes lit up as a sudden realization struck her. She leaped forward and snatched the book from Leo's hands.
"If this book contains all magic," she said excitedly, "then there has to be a spell in here that turns things into gold!"
Gold! She could practically hear the sound of coins jingling in her ears. If such magic existed, she'd never have to worry about treasure again!
As she flipped through the book rapidly, her excitement grew. But something strange began to happen.
Though it appeared to be a small, thin booklet at first, the more pages Nami turned, the thicker and heavier it became. The scribbles on each page became increasingly complex, flowing like living ink.
No matter how fast she flipped through, there was no end. The book seemed to be expanding endlessly.
BANG!
With a deafening crash, the massive book slammed down onto the deck, shaking the entire Merry. The ship's draft dipped nearly a meter under the sudden weight.
Nami's teeth clenched in frustration, and her eyes went slightly red with obsession.
Leo sighed and walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you keep flipping like that, the ship might sink. This thing expands endlessly. If fully unfolded, it would stretch nearly ten kilometers. It grows with new magic all the time."
With a casual wave of his hand, the enormous tome shrunk back into its compact booklet form.
He handed it back to her. "If you want something from it, just ask. It's not something you can search through by brute force."
Nami coughed awkwardly, embarrassed. "Haha… I, um… yeah. I may have gotten a bit carried away."
Still, the gleam in her eyes didn't fade.
She quickly turned on her charm, adjusting her top and giving Leo a flirtatious look, her voice soft and sweet. "So… Leo~" she purred. "Is there any magic in that book… that can make gold?"
Sanji, who had been watching from the sidelines, immediately collapsed in a puddle of love and nosebleeds. "N-Nami-swan…!!"
Before he could take another breath, Nami elbowed him into the deckboards with a powerful punch, silencing his swooning.
Leo, to his credit, managed to keep his cool—at least outwardly.
As an elegant and powerful magician, he had always told himself that women were merely distractions from his arcane pursuits.
But the way Nami batted her eyes… the way she leaned in closer…
He sighed. "…Fine."
Leo turned to a certain page in the booklet and pointed at a section of text that resembled intricate, glowing runes.
"Hissss… here it is—Material Reconstruction: Gold," he explained, pride swelling in his voice. "There are many gold-producing spells, but this one's the simplest and least costly in terms of magic energy."
He raised a finger. "Everything in the world is made up of basic elements. By rearranging those elements, you can reconstruct matter into something else—like gold."
Nami's eyes sparkled brighter than ever. "So… does that mean…?"
"Yes. Theoretically, the gold you could create using this spell would be… unlimited."
Nami practically exploded with joy. "UNLIMITED GOLD?!"
"But," Leo added seriously, "you must be careful. The symbols in this book aren't ordinary writing. Staring at them too long can overload your mind. If you feel nauseous or dizzy, stop immediately."
Nami, of course, heard none of that. Her entire focus was on one word: gold.
She leaned in, examining the page as if her life depended on it. The runes and lines seemed to swirl before her eyes, forming patterns so beautiful she couldn't look away.
Then, dizziness hit her like a tidal wave. Her vision blurred, and she dry-heaved, staggering backward—right into Chopper, who was too small to catch her properly.
CRASH!
They both hit the deck hard, Chopper's little body pinned under Nami's weight.
"Ugh…"
"Are you okay, Nami?!"
"Doctor Chopper! Is she dying?!"
Usopp, Luffy, and the others rushed to her side in a panic.
After a moment, Nami groaned. "I… I'm fine… Help me up… I… I can still read it…"
Chopper scrambled upright, quickly checking her pulse and eyes. "She's okay! Just… overexerted her brain. Her neural activity went into overdrive. She needs rest!"
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
As Nami lay back on the deck, dazed but smiling, she whispered dreamily, "I'm gonna be rich… So rich…"
Leo chuckled. "I warned you. The knowledge in this book is heavy. It's not something you absorb in a day."
Still, the proud look in his eyes said he was pleased.
From afar, the Going Merry continued its course, approaching the shores of Alabasta. But onboard, dreams of magic and gold were already stirring hearts and ambitions.
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