Chapter 10 Nojiko's ChoiceThe voyage entered its third day. The weather at sea was unpredictable; the morning had been clear and sunny, but by afternoon, thick, leaden-gray clouds had gathered on the horizon.
"A storm is brewing."
Nami, gripping the ship's railing, frowned slightly as she gazed at the distant clouds.
Her nautical talent made her exceptionally sensitive to weather changes; she could even sense subtle fluctuations in the air currents.
Luffy looked up at the sky and nodded. "Can we avoid it?"
Nami sensed the wind direction and the currents and shook her head.
"The area is vast; we can't go around it. We can only either force our way through or find shelter… but there are no islands nearby."
Luffy's tone was calm as he walked to the helm. "Then let's go through. Nami, give us the direction. Nojiko, secure everything. You two hold on tight."
Luffy's composure inspired the sisters.
Nami took a deep breath, focused her mind, and, drawing on her past knowledge, quickly assessed a relatively safe route.
"Hard to port! Adjust the sails, catch the crosswind! We need to get through the edge of the storm before it fully forms!"
Luffy executed the order without hesitation. The small boat nimbly steered under his control, the sails adjusting rapidly with Nojiko's assistance.
The wind grew stronger, and the waves began to surge.
Large raindrops pelted down, quickly forming a curtain of rain.
The sky was pitch black, with only occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the churning waves.
The small boat tossed violently in the wind and waves like a leaf.
Nami clung tightly to a rope, struggling to stay upright, constantly shouting adjustment commands.
Nojiko, meanwhile, used ropes to secure herself and Nami to the relatively stable mast base, trying to hold onto any loose items.
A huge wave crashed in from the side, and the boat tilted sharply!
"Watch out!" Nami cried out.
Nojiko was trying to grab onto a rolling barrel when the ship's violent rocking caused her to slip and be thrown uncontrollably overboard!
The ropes binding her tightened instantly, but the immense inertia seemed poised to pull her directly overboard!
Just at that critical moment, a hand covered in dark Armament Haki pierced through the rain and firmly grasped her wrist.
A tremendous force pulled her back, causing her to slam heavily into a solid chest.
Luffy held the helm easily with one hand, while the other gripped Nojiko firmly, remaining as steady as a rock on the rocking deck.
Rain soaked his hair and clothes, clinging to his body and outlining his well-defined muscles.
"Hold on tight," Luffy's deep voice remained clear amidst the howling storm.
Nojiko, still shaken, instinctively clutched Luffy's soaked collar.
She could feel the incredible strength and warmth emanating from his arm, and smell the scent of rain and sea breeze mingling with his fragrance.
At that moment, in this raging sea where capsizing was a constant threat, this chest became the only safe haven.
Luffy didn't look at her again. Following Nami's instructions, he precisely controlled the direction, his rubber arm sometimes extending to secure the sails, sometimes shattering the oncoming giant waves.
The small boat, like a petrel in a storm, daringly weaved through the waves.
After an unknown amount of time, the rain gradually subsided, and the wind and waves began to calm.
The heavy, dark clouds were left behind; the sea ahead, though still undulating, had returned to its deep, inky blue.
A sliver of moonlight struggled to pierce through a gap in the clouds, spilling onto the wet deck.
They had successfully broken free of the storm.
Nojiko, soaked to the bone, slumped onto the deck, panting heavily.
The exhaustion from surviving the ordeal left her limbs weak. Luffy released her and went to the side of the ship to check its condition.
Nami was also exhausted, but her eyes shone with excitement. For the first time, she had truly utilized her sailing talent, and she had succeeded!
Luffy tossed her a dry towel, which landed on Nojiko's head.
Nojiko hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the towel and slowly wiped the seawater and rain from her face.
She looked up at Luffy's back.
The moonlight outlined Luffy's tall, straight figure; his soaked clothes clung to his body, and water droplets dripped from his hair.
This man had just displayed near-inhuman strength and control in the storm.
Luffy saved her, without hesitation.
Nojiko suddenly spoke, her voice slightly hoarse: "Why did you save me? If I died, wouldn't you be rid of a burden?"
Luffy didn't turn around, still looking at the sea: "You're mine."
Hearing these words, the icy barrier in Nojiko's heart seemed to crack open.
Yes, she belonged to Luffy.
So Luffy would save her, as naturally as protecting his own possession.
This realization brutally stripped away any possibility of tenderness, yet it also brought a strange…sense of security.
At least as long as she remained within Luffy's sphere of influence, he would protect her, regardless of his motives.
Nojiko remained silent for a long time, the sea breeze ruffling her half-dry hair, bringing a slight chill.
She looked at Luffy's profile, that young but expressionless face, somewhat blurred in the moonlight.
Nojiko suddenly remembered what Bellemere had once said: "Sometimes, choices aren't that complicated. Choose the path that allows you and the people you care about to live, and that's enough."
Live! Protect Nami!
Luffy could provide the strongest protection, but the price… she had already seen the price Nami paid, and now it was her turn.
Nojiko took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to Luffy. She was shorter than him, needing to tilt her head slightly to look him in the eye.
"If I wanted to, would you be good to Nami?" Nojiko's voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear.
Luffy turned his head to look at her.
Luffy's eyes were dark in the moonlight, like the sea at that moment: "Nami is already my woman."
Nojiko shook her head: "...You know that's not what I'm asking."
Luffy looked at her for a few seconds, then looked away, gazing back at the sea.
Just when Nojiko thought Luffy wouldn't answer, he spoke, his voice low but carrying a strange weight:
"I won't let anyone hurt you."
This wasn't sweet talk, not even a promise; it was more like a declaration.
A guarantee based on overwhelming strength.
But for Nojiko, it was enough. In this world, such a guarantee was more powerful than any empty words of love.
The last trace of hesitation in Nojiko's heart vanished.
[Ding! Detected that the target, Nojiko, has developed a deep understanding and dependence on the host. Affection assessment updated: 50/100. Status meets harvesting conditions. Timer begins.]
Luffy's heart skipped a beat.
50 minutes, time's up.
Slightly faster than expected. The rescue in the storm and that declaration had a significant effect.
Luffy showed no unusual reaction, simply saying, "Go change into some dry clothes, don't catch a cold."
After saying that, Luffy headed towards the cabin, seemingly to check the supplies.
Nojiko watched his departing figure, stood there for a moment, then silently turned and walked towards the corner where she and Nami were resting.
The next 24 hours were unusually smooth.
Luffy acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to direct the navigation as usual, occasionally discussing the sea chart with Nami. His attitude towards Nojiko remained that calm yet slightly commanding tone, without any special hints.
Nojiko, on the other hand, felt somewhat lost.
She thought… Luffy would do something immediately after that conversation.
But Luffy didn't. This waiting gradually eased her initial tension, and her affection level remained firmly at 50 points, never falling below the threshold.
Nami seemed to sense the subtle change in the atmosphere between her sister and Luffy, but she wisely didn't ask.
The two sisters maintained a facade of calm, cooking together, tidying the cabin together, and watching the sea together.
Only at night, when sleeping, Nami would subconsciously move closer to her sister.
The 24-hour countdown quietly passed in the calm sea.
When the system notified them that the harvesting conditions were fully met, their ship had just approached the leeward side of a deserted island.
It was late, and Luffy decided to spend the night there.
The small boat docked.
Nojiko went to gather firewood, while Nami took out some dry rations to heat them.
Luffy surveyed the surroundings, confirming there was no danger.
A campfire crackled, dispelling the chill and dampness of the seaside.
After a simple dinner, a weary Nami leaned against Nojiko and quickly fell asleep by the warm fire, her breathing even.
Night deepened, and the waves gently lapped at the shore.
Nojiko gently laid the sleeping Nami down, covered her with a coat, then got up and walked to Luffy, who was sitting on the other side of the fire.
Luffy looked up; the firelight danced on his face, making his eyes flicker.
"You waited 24 hours, why?"
Nojiko spoke softly, almost inaudibly due to the crackling of the fire.
Luffy looked at her, his eyes calm: "I'll give you time to think it through."
Nojiko met his gaze, the firelight shimmering in her blue pupils.
After a few seconds, she suddenly smiled.
"I've thought it through," Nojiko said, then reached out and took Luffy's hand.
Luffy's hand was broad and warm, with thin calluses from years of training.
Nojiko's hand was a little cold, but firm.
She didn't say anything more, but simply took Luffy's hand and turned to walk towards the grove of trees in the distance, which appeared dark in the moonlight.
Luffy stood up, letting her lead him, and followed.
Beside the campfire, Nami, seemingly asleep, fluttered her eyelashes slightly but didn't open her eyes.
She simply pulled the coat covering her tighter.
...
The campfire gradually died down, the sound of the waves continued.
...
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, Nojiko returned to the campfire.
Nami was already awake, poking at the ashes with a twig, trying to rekindle the fire and heat the food. Her movements were clumsy, her face expressionless.
Nojiko walked over, naturally taking the twig from her hand and skillfully setting up the fire.
Neither sister spoke. Sunlight shone on them, and also on Luffy, who emerged from the forest.
Luffy sat down by the fire, and Nami silently handed him a piece of the grilled fish.
Luffy took a bite, chewed a few times, and mumbled, "It'll take another half day to get to Syrup Village."
His tone was as casual as if he were just saying the weather was nice.
[Ding! Harvest complete. Successfully obtained permanently from target Nojiko: Overall Physical Attributes 12%, Botanical Talent 15%!]
[Power fusion in progress... Estimated complete digestion time: 24 hours.]
A warm current, different from the one Nami gave, spread through his body.
The improvement in physical attributes was very subtle, but more noticeable was the influx of a vast amount of knowledge about plants into his mind.
Nojiko, as the manager of the orange grove, possessed a high talent for planting.
The power boosts from Nami and Nojiko were very subtle, but as their strength continued to increase, Luffy would also receive a fixed percentage of their power!
If Nojiko eventually possessed the strength of a Yonko, then Luffy would also gain 12% of her power!
Luffy felt his newfound power, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, where the outline of Syrup Village was already faintly visible.
Nojiko tore off a small piece of grilled fish and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly.
She seemed to feel an indescribable change in her body—lighter? Clearer-headed?
She glanced uncertainly at Luffy, but only saw his profile, focused on eating.
Nami followed Luffy's gaze and saw the island becoming clearer.
A new island meant new unknowns.
The two sisters exchanged a look, both seeing a complex emotion in each other's eyes, but neither said anything.
The small boat set sail again, heading towards Syrup Village.