Leaving the Marine branch, Arthur had a black case in hand with fifteen million beli inside.
Carrying the case, he didn't return to the ship at once. He first went to the market to buy some meat and some clothes.
He had always lived carefree, never burdening himself with too much.
Thus, each time he put to sea he brought only a few changes of clothes and half a month's food.
Today, there was a new partner. For image and goodwill, Arthur decided to dress up.
"By the timing, that custom outfit should be ready, right." One hand in his pocket, Arthur walked along with two bare-armed men behind him, each shouldering a barrel full of provisions.
With the two in tow, Arthur stopped before a tailor's.
He had them wait outside for a bit and went in.
When Arthur came out again, his getup made eyes light up.
A black shirt within, a white cape without, pure-white trousers to match the cape, white gloves on his hands, white boots on his feet.
Pure knightly style, straight at you.
With dazzling trim and handsome looks, Arthur already drew attention. Now he was like a sphere of light; passing women whispered, their eyes shy and possessive as they looked him over.
"Is the customer a noble." Even the hired hands working for Arthur sighed like that.
"Let's go." Arthur smiled, took up the case, and led the way.
At the pier, Nami had been waiting on the boat for a long while, clutching a case tight, eyes wary of the surroundings as if someone might snatch it.
However, under Smoker's management, Loguetown's public order was very good, and with Arthur's cleansing of the East Blue, pirates rarely came ashore here at all.
Nami's vigilance was entirely unnecessary.
"Get it loaded." Arthur tipped the two men and had them put the barrels aboard.
Arthur's sloop was a small-cabin type, but it was eight meters long and three and a half wide, with a galley and a bath below.
But there was only one berth. Since Nami came aboard, she had taken it.
One berth and a single deck were fine when he was alone. With Nami now, they really needed to change ships.
"After we deal with Arlong, we'll get an ordinary large ship first. Then on the Grand Line, go to Water 7 and ask Franky to order Treasure Tree Adam and build me a real ship." Arthur rubbed his chin as he spoke.
"Arthur, where did you go to change clothes." After the two laborers disembarked, Nami came over. Seeing Arthur in a knight's outfit, she nodded in satisfaction, gave a thumbs-up, and praised him. "Now that looks like a knight. The Wind-Sword Knight has good taste."
"Thanks. I'm pleased with it too." Arthur smiled. The outfit was modeled after Reinhard's knight attire from Re:Zero.
Another sword at his waist would match the knightly style even better.
Unfortunately, Excalibur was too dazzling and would draw needless trouble. Sealed away, it wasn't suitable to wear openly.
"Then where to next."
Anchor up, sail set—the sloop ran with the wind, widening the gap with Loguetown. Nami held the map and compass and asked Arthur.
Leaning on the rail, Arthur rubbed his chin, feigning thought.
Then he said slowly, "Cocoyasi Village. That's the Arlong Pirates' turf. Do you know the way."
.....
His words landed like a heavy blow. Nami, who a moment ago looked as if she saw a mountain of gold, let her smile fade and her face grow solemn.
"Scared." Arthur looked at Nami.
"No… no. I don't know how to get there." Nami's smile looked forced; the panic in her voice made the lie obvious.
"Is that so. Alright."
Even so, Arthur didn't expose it; his gaze on her held a trace of tenderness.
A pitiful girl. To save her village, she had joined the pirates who killed her foster mother; she labored for eight years, clung to a sliver of deceptive hope, and risked her life on the sea for eight years just to raise one hundred million.
Even now, with some sense of Arthur's strength, her kindness kept her from telling him, afraid he might lose his life.
The more so, the more Arthur would save her.
If Nami was to be his navigator, the heart-demon named Arlong had to be torn out.
"Th… then…"
Just as Arthur and Nami fell silent, each with their own thoughts,
Nami's eyes suddenly narrowed. She pointed ahead, her voice trembling.
A massive shadow blotted the light.
Arthur turned. Ahead lay a shroud of fog, and within it loomed a gigantic black shape.
Faintly, it resolved into the shadow of a ship.
"Is that a ship. It's enormous." As Nami too made out the size of the silhouette, shock ran through her.
"That's the Don Krieg Pirates." Arthur's gaze pierced the fog and saw the vessel's face clearly—battered to wreckage, as if fresh from war.
"The Don Krieg Pirates. Weren't they said to have entered the Grand Line." Nami recalled it and jumped in fright, her tone flustered. "No. We can't run into them."
With that, she moved to turn the helm and flee.
"Don't panic. Just a beaten dog that lost its home." Arthur caught Nami's hand and spoke in a calm voice.
"But they're the biggest crew in the East Blue." Nami said in a small, anxious voice.
"Heh....."
Seeing Nami like that, a spark flashed in Arthur's mind. Perhaps an opportunity.
"So it seems you don't fully understand my strength."
Taller by a head, he ruffled her orange hair and soothed her. "Watch closely, partner—watch an unbeatable stance."
Under Nami's worried gaze, Arthur walked to the rail facing the fog and gave a casual sweep.
Swish—crack.
The wind sang; the rail was cut by a keen edge, opening a man-sized gap.