Chapter 13: You Damned, Handsome Scumbag Pirate!
That striking head of orange hair... there was no mistaking it. This girl lying on the dilapidated small boat, seemingly on the brink of death, was none other than their destined navigator—the "Cat Burglar" Nami!
Ralph's gaze swept over the small boat and indeed spotted a rather heavy-looking treasure chest at the stern.
It was her, right down to the same old tricks.
Ralph knew Nami's game all too well.
This self-proclaimed "pirate thief" was a master at using her delicate appearance as a young girl to lower pirates' guards.
She would pretend to be a shipwreck victim, using an empty treasure chest as bait to lure greedy pirates onto her small boat to haul the "treasure."
The moment the pirates were distracted, she would swiftly jump onto their ship and sail away with her exceptional navigation skills.
If they dared to give chase, the treacherous and unpredictable weather at sea would become her best weapon and shield.
This time, Nami had clearly set her sights on the large ship they had "confiscated" from Alvida.
Of course, the Alvida Pirates flag—featuring a skull in profile with a heart—that they had forgotten to take down made Nami all the more certain this was her target.
On the deck, Nami began her performance. Struggling to prop herself up, she called out toward the large ship in a weak, breathy voice, as if barely surviving a disaster: "H-help... please... help me... I haven't eaten in days..."
At the same time, she "painfully" gestured toward the treasure chest at the stern, dangling the bait: "I... I'll give you my treasure as a reward... please..."
Ralph, who had already seen through everything, was completely uninterested and even found it somewhat amusing. He curled his lip, turned around without a second glance, and headed straight for the kitchen.
Feeding their starving captain and new companion was far more important.
However, the other two on board were unaware of Nami's true nature.
"Huh? Someone needs help?" Luffy curiously poked her head out, her helpful heart instantly stirred.
Zoro also walked to the ship's railing to look down. His gaze wasn't as pure as Luffy's; instead, it was filled with caution, his hand already instinctively resting on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. Years of dealing with pirates had honed his intuition, warning him to be extremely wary of such "coincidences" at sea.
Seeing that someone on the ship had responded, Nami felt a surge of triumph and continued in a trembling voice: "Kind souls... could you pull me up... I can't hold on much longer..."
What kind of person was Luffy? She was the most helpful soul in the East Blue! The moment she saw someone in need, her sunny smile bloomed, and without a second thought, she loudly agreed: "No problem! I'll pull you up right now!"
Nami's heart leaped with joy:
Success! Just as expected—greedy and foolish pirates! So easily hooked!
She had already scouted that there were only three people on this large ship. According to her plan, if the other party wanted to rescue her and haul that "heavy" treasure chest, at least two of them would need to come down. By then, at most one person would remain on the deck, giving her a perfect opportunity to seize control of the ship!
However, what happened next completely stunned Nami.
The straw-hatted figure at the bow suddenly stretched both arms forward!
Those arms... actually elongated like rubber, instantly bridging the distance between the ship and the small boat!
One hand gently but firmly wrapped around Nami's waist while the other grasped the treasure chest. Then, under Nami's terrified and bewildered gaze, she and the chest were swiftly lifted by the elastic arm and gently deposited onto the main ship's deck.
The entire process flowed seamlessly, taking no more than three seconds.
Luffy retracted her arms, proudly clapping her hands as if she'd just completed a trivial task, then called out toward the kitchen: "Ralph! We have a guest! Better prepare more food!"
Ralph's steady voice echoed from the cabin: "Got it!"
Nami: "???"
She stood frozen in place, her mind completely blank. Rubber... rubber arms?! This completely defied her understanding! Such a bizarre situation not only shattered her worldview instantly but also completely disrupted her carefully laid plans!
"Y-your... your hands..." Nami pointed at Luffy's arms, her voice trembling.
Luffy grinned, revealing two rows of neat white teeth, and explained naturally: "I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi! I'm a rubber human! I can stretch my arms and legs! Pretty cool, right?"
"G-Gomu Gomu no Mi? A Devil Fruit?!" Nami's mind was once again thrown into turmoil.
She'd heard legends about Devil Fruits—how those who ate them gained miraculous abilities but became hated by the sea, turning into landlubbers. She'd always thought they were just myths, never expecting them to be real!
This was big trouble!
Nami's heart sank. Not only had her plan to trick them with the treasure chest completely failed, but she'd also delivered herself right to their doorstep. Even worse, there was actually a Devil Fruit user—such a "monster"—in their crew!
Forcing herself to stay calm, her eyes quickly scanned the deck and immediately noticed the green-haired swordsman leaning against the railing, three swords at his waist, with fierce eyes.
In the East Blue, a three-sword style swordsman was far too famous.
Nami tentatively asked: "You... could you be the legendary Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro?"
Hearing someone recognize her crewmate, Luffy immediately puffed up with pride: "That's right! He's Zoro! He's our combatant now!"
Nami's tense mood relaxed slightly. A crew that could recruit the Pirate Hunter... probably weren't completely vicious pirates, right? Maybe they were just temporarily using this pirate ship? A glimmer of hope sparked in her heart.
But the Alvida Pirates flag fluttering in the wind made it impossible for her to feel completely at ease.
Just then, Ralph's voice came from the kitchen again, clear and casual: "Lufia, Zoro, take down that ugly pirate flag on the deck while you're at it! If we keep it up, people will think we're pirates!"
These words were like music to Nami's ears, finally lifting the last stone from her heart.
Just as she thought! They weren't pirates! They'd just coincidentally obtained this ship!
Zoro narrowed his eyes sharply at Nami upon hearing her words. He had always been wary of this orange-haired girl with an unclear background, feeling it necessary to demonstrate his strength to intimidate her and prevent any treacherous thoughts.
"Swish!"
A flash of blade light, swift as the wind! No one even saw how he drew and sheathed his sword. The rope holding the pirate flag was cleanly severed, and the Jolly Roger bearing a skull and heart drifted down slowly.
Witnessing this, Nami felt completely relieved.
With the Pirate Hunter present and them voluntarily lowering the pirate flag, it seemed they truly weren't pirates. She had been overthinking.
With the crisis seemingly resolved, Luffy's attention was immediately captured by the fallen pirate flag. She ran over, picked it up, and examined it closely.
A skull in profile with a large heart above it. Moreover, the large ship seized from Alvida was predominantly pink in color, adorned with numerous heart patterns.
Luffy's brow furrowed instantly, her face showing undisguised disdain: "Their pirate flag is so ugly! The ship's color is awful too! Not cool at all!"
She tossed the flag aside and turned to Ralph, who was emerging from the kitchen carrying two large plates of aromatic roasted meat and mountains of bread. Her tone was hopeful: "Ralph! When can we get our own ship and hoist our own pirate flag?"
Ralph placed the food on a barrel temporarily serving as a dining table in the center of the deck, wiped his hands, and replied with a smile:
"Simple. Either we quickly recruit a skilled shipwright to completely overhaul this ship inside and out, making it exactly how you like it. Or, as I said before, we find a place to sell this ship along with the treasures Alvida left behind, and use the money to buy a brand new ship that suits your preferences better!"
He looked encouragingly at Luffy: "As for the pirate flag, you can start designing it now! Draw whatever pattern you want!"
"Hehe! That's so like you! You've got everything planned out!" Luffy cheered, her attention instantly captured by the food. Like a little leopard spotting prey, she pounced on the roasted meat with a gleeful cry, devouring it eagerly while mumbling praises between bites.
[System Prompt: Luffy is pleased with your clear planning for the future and always keeping her preferences in mind. Favorability +1%.]
Ralph sighed inwardly at the system prompt: Increasing bit by bit like this, who knows how long it'll take to reach the next 100%. But every little bit helps—small gains add up!
Meanwhile, Nami, standing nearby, felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe. Her recently relaxed mood instantly tensed again, even breaking out in a cold sweat!
In the end... these three... were still pirates?!
She stared in disbelief at Ralph and Luffy, who was eating voraciously.
Moreover, Nami was shocked to discover that the rubber-powered, straw-hat-wearing individual was actually a girl! She seemed innocent, kind, and full of passion for her dreams besides eating. How could such a girl... become a pirate? Could she have been deceived or coerced?
Nami naturally recalled her own past—the dark days when she was coerced by the Arlong Pirates and forced to steal treasures for them. The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her gaze toward Luffy unconsciously carried a trace of sympathy and protectiveness.
Zoro, the three-sword style user, had just been invited to join. That meant the true villain, the leader of this pirate crew, was practically revealed!
Nami's sharp eyes shot toward Ralph, who had just finished cooking and was wiping his hands with a towel while watching Luffy devour her food with a "gentle" smile.
It's you!
That tall, handsome man with a flintlock pistol on his right and a dagger on his left—looking respectable on the outside but rotten to the core! A scumbag who deceived an innocent girl with sweet words and food!
The relieved smile Ralph wore upon seeing Luffy enjoy her meal, in Nami's eyes, had completely transformed into the standard "jerk's smile" of someone tricking a naive girl!
A righteous fury ignited in Nami's chest. She clenched her fists tightly, her resolve firm.
This time, I won't just steal all your treasures—I'll also rescue this poor rubber girl and free her from your clutches for good!
You damn, handsome scumbag of a pirate!