The small boat rocked gently as it cut through the waves, carrying the four of them away from Orange Town. The battle with the Buggy Pirates had left them exhilarated but now with only the open sea around them, that excitement slowly faded into calm.
Zoro stretched and yawned as he leaned back against the railing. "Finally, some peace and quiet. Though this boat is way too small for four people."
"It's temporary," Jack said calmly. "Once we reach Syrup Village, we'll build a proper ship."
"Yeah! A new ship!" Luffy said, grinning from ear to ear.
Zoro eyes narrowed. "You mean we will build it, but who will pay?"
"Nami has a lot of treasure," pointed Jack.
Nami snapped back instantly. "Correction, this is my treasure. I risked my life stealing it from Buggy pirates and you three just fight and forgot to loot the treasure."
Zoro hand twitched toward his sword but Jack raised a hand to stop him. "Relax. Fighting her won't change anything."
Instead, Jack dipped his fingers into the sea. The water rippled under his touch, shimmering as it solidified into bright golden flakes. He pulled his hand back, and where water once dripped, there now lay a small, gleaming coin of pure gold.
Nami eyes widened, her jaw dropped and then her pupils practically turned into golden stars.
"That... That's GOLD!" she shouted, nearly falling overboard in excitement. She scrambled to Jack side. "Do it again! Show me more!"
Jack smirked. "Do you like this so much?"
"Yes!" Nami said without hesitation. "But how can you turn water into gold?!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "So she loves money."
"Jack since when you can convert something into gold?" asked Luffy. "Didn't your ability was to change something into food?"
"Previously I didn't show my full power because of Coby, he wanted to become Marines and I don't want to show marines that we won't have any problem with money because I can turn something into gold," explained Jack.
Both Zoro and Nami nodded their heads, understand with what Jack told them.
Luffy, meanwhile was drooling like he didn't listen to Jack explaination at all. "Can you turn gold into meat? You told me you can turn something into food"
Jack sighed. "Of course Luffy." Then he dipped his hand onto ocean and the golden energy flated into his hand and turned the sea water into meat.
Luffy launched himself forward and snatched the meat.
"It is delicious," said luffy with mouth full of meat. "This is the best meat I have ever eat."
"Of course Luffy, you always eat meat that have thick muscle but this meat is different it is more chewy and soft when you bite it. But it will become more delicious if we have a chef that good in cooking," commented Jack.
"Ok I have decided, we will recruit chef on the next island," declared luffy.
Nami leaned in closer, practically shaking his arm. "How are you doing this? How can you turn something into meat or gold? Devil Fruit? Some kind of ancient treasure?"
Everyone looked at Jack, even Luffy are curious.
Jack hesitated, when he come to this world he had kept his secret hidden until now. But with Luffy and Zoro already suspicious and Nami greed reaching dangerous levels, maybe it was time to come clean.
"Alright," he said finally. "You want the truth? I'll show you."
He snapped his fingers, and the boat's wooden planks shimmered as an illusion expanded outward. The sea vanished and the sky darkened into velvet black. Suddenly, the four of them were drifting in a vast cosmos, stars twinkling all around. Planets spun slowly in the distance, their orbits traced in glowing lines.
"What… is this?" Zoro asked, glancing around in awe.
"We are still on the ocean so don't move, I use my illusion to show you my place" Jack said softly, "This is the solar system, it is the place where I come from. Basically it was another world, another planet. Far, far away from here."
Luffy eyes sparkled as wide as the galaxies around them. "Woooah! Space! That's so cool!"
Nami jaw slackened. "Wait, are you saying… you're not even from this world?"
Jack nodded. "That's right. I'm a traveler from beyond the stars. I coincidentally meet Luffy when I came here and I don't know how to return to my world. So I accepted Luffy as my captain because he looks so fun and I have 10 abilities in total. But for some reason, each ability only unlocks when Luffy recruits someone important to his journey."
"You have more ability?" asked Luffy.
Zoro frowned. "Important how?"
Jack gestured at him. "When you joined, Zoro, my second ability awakened. The power of transmutation. That's why I can turn water into gold."
Zoro raised his brows but didn't argue.
Jack continued, his eyes now on Nami. "But when Luffy invited you, Nami… nothing happened. My power didn't recognize you as part of the crew. Which means…" His voice hardened slightly. "You're lying. You don't really see yourself as a Straw Hat pirates."
Everyone on the boat went silent after hearing Jack accusation.
Nami clutched her treasure tighter, looking away. "…So what if I am? Pirates are selfish, greedy, dangerous and why should I give up my freedom to join one?"
Jack leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Because freedom means nothing if you're chained by lies. If you want me to use my power for you... if you want me to keep turning the ocean into gold then stop pretending and join sincerely."
Nami lips pressed into a thin line.
Luffy suddenly broke the tension. He hopped to his feet, planting his straw hat firmly on his head.
"Nami! I have decided you are my crew (nakama)," he said. "I don't care about your treasure. I don't care if you're greedy. But I want you to be my navigator."
Nami looked at him in shock. "You... I won't join you?"
The atmosphere become heavy, Jack changed the illussion and this time it shows the face of Arlong.
"How... How do you know?" Nami was shocked seeing the face of Arlong.
The others looked at Nami, "What happen Nami?" asked Luffy.
"Before I came to this universe, I learn something about this world for example your grandfather Luffy, he is a big figure in this world that I know about him," said Jack
Luffy show a look of someone panic when he heard about his grandfather, "you know him?"
"I know his character but Im not his friend," replied Jack.
"Nami, your tattoo on your arm are from Arlong Pirates and based on the information I received. Arlong has terrorizing the villagers and you are most likely forced to join him otherwise something bad may happen to your family or the villagers," revealed Jack.
Nami lost her balance and luckily she still sitting on the boat, moment later she cries.
Luffy who saw this couldn't help but say. "Nami, you are my crew and I will beat Arlong for you."
"Nami, you might think Arlong is very strong but trust me I can beat Arlong if I manage to get my power and even luffy here can beat him," commented Jack.
"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "You're Nami and just believe us."
Zoro chuckled. "I hate you are lying to us but my captain have decided to help you."
Jack folded his arms, watching carefully. 'This is it. Her decision and we don't need a drama where she ran away and faced Arlong alone before being saved by Luffy.'
Nami looked at Strawhat Pirates before nodding.
"…Fine," she muttered. "I'll join and for real this time, but can you change more gold? Arlong has promised to release my village if I give him 100 million berries."
"He most likely are lying to you but don't worry we will change it to gold and give it to him, are you ok with it Captain?" asked Jack.
Luffy nodded, because it is Nami wish.
Luffy laughed and then smiled. "Shishishi! Ok, if that Arlong didn't honor his promise I will kick his ass!"
At that exact moment, Jack system chimed in his head.
[System Notification: Original crew member recruited – Navigator.]
[Third ability unlocked.]
[Kingo - Cosmic Energy Projection.]
Suddenly the surge of energy enter Jack body, this is the same feeling when he received both Sprite and Sersi template.
He had the memory when Kingo used his energy through his hand like a gun. Kingo power is not just from his cosmic energy manipulation but his markmanship, he didn't need to aim like normal soldier instead he can get bullseye just aiming at any direction. The same power that he had now become his power, he had become more powerful.
Jack exhaled slowly, a smile tugging at his lips. 'Finally. She's really one of us.'
"Welcome aboard, Nami," he said.
She glanced at him, her eyes narrowing. "…You'd better keep your promise about the gold."
Jack smirked. "Only if you stay honest."
Zoro and luffy smiled.
After his template had integrated 100%, Jack decided to show them his new power.
"This is my other power," his hand turn golden and released the attack on ocea
Pshew! Pshew! Pshew!
Luffy eyes show the same golden stars when he was excited to see something new.
"Is that canon beam?" asked Luffy excitedly.