Across the boundless sea, a small boat was sailing southeast.
Under the scorching sunlight, the four passengers aboard the little boat were starting to feel the oppressive heat.
"It's so hot! I need water!"
Luffy stood up and reached for a nearby barrel, about to guzzle it down.
"Idiot! We just left Orange Town! If you drink like that, we'll be parched before we even reach the next island!"
Zoro quickly grabbed Luffy's arm to stop him from doing something that might sabotage their voyage.
Seeing this, Genrou, acting as the vice-captain, simply leaned back and relaxed, letting Zoro manage Luffy.
"Tch… You can still laugh? As vice-captain, you didn't even stop Luffy from leaving all that money behind in Orange Town."
"And now in this situation, can't you think of something? We can't possibly keep sailing around the Grand Line in this dinky little boat, can we?"
Nami tugged at her collar, trying to catch some breeze as she stared at Genrou, face full of complaint.
"You already took those earrings I gave you, didn't you? That money left in Orange Town doesn't even come close to how valuable those were."
Genrou flicked Nami's forehead, and only after seeing her wince did he continue,
"Didn't we just get a nautical chart from Orange Town for this whole area?"
"Our next destination is Syrup Village. If all goes well, we'll be able to get ourselves a proper ship there."
Of course, the ship Genrou referred to was none other than the Going Merry.
Even though with his current wealth he could easily buy a new ship...
Without the Going Merry, it just wouldn't feel like the real Straw Hat Crew to him.
And besides, Syrup Village was also where Usopp resided.
Whether for the Going Merry or the Straw Hats' sniper, Syrup Village was a must-visit.
"That's great! We're finally going to have our own pirate ship!"
"Everyone, let's go get our ship!"
Luffy was so excited he nearly jumped out of the boat.
"Idiot, we're still far from Syrup Village."
"At this sailing speed, it's going to take us a few days to get there."
Nami glanced at the chart again and sighed.
Right now, all she wanted was to get on a ship with a proper shower and take a long, cool bath.
"If it's going to take a few days to get there…"
"Nami, are you interested in using this time to strengthen yourself a bit?"
Genrou asked.
"Strength, huh…"
Nami pursed her lips, immediately catching the meaning behind Genrou's words.
It's coming, after all…
Fine. I don't have much of a choice. I'll trust him this once.
Luffy and Zoro didn't change after choosing their Heroic Spirit templates. I'm sure I'll be fine too.
She glanced deeply at Genrou.
Since she'd already made up her mind, she didn't want to keep hesitating. That would only bring sleepless nights.
By now, after seeing Luffy willingly leave treasure behind for Orange Town and observing how Genrou and Zoro spoke and acted…
Nami didn't say it aloud, but she was starting to feel that these men were unlike any pirates she'd ever met.
Maybe… joining them isn't such a bad thing after all.
She smiled and said,
"Genrou, I'm ready. Let me see what Heroic Spirits I can choose from."
Hearing this, both Luffy and Zoro perked up with interest.
"As you wish."
"Trust me—you won't regret it."
Genrou stood up with a smile and nodded at Nami.
The next moment, he activated the system, bringing everyone aboard the boat into the Heroic Spirit Space.
"Nami, these are the Heroic Spirits you can choose from."
"'Navigator' Christopher Columbus—a man with exceptional seafaring skills. He's a captain and… an extremely greedy man."
"'Bottomless Drinker' Cana Alberona—a mage whose card-based magic grants her control over various elements."
"'Thief' Satou Kazuma—this guy… well, let's just say his stealing skills are insanely strong. But I'll let you find out the rest yourself."
"Nami, come and make your choice."
Genrou gestured toward the panel in front of him and gave a brief introduction.
Only when he got to Satou Kazuma did a smirk tug at the corner of his mouth, almost leaking out.
After all, Kazuma's "Steal" ability could be… rather outrageous when used on women.
One wrong move, and he might even snatch a girl's underwear right off her body.
"I understand, Genrou."
Having watched Luffy and Zoro make their choices, Nami knew exactly what to do.
Without hesitation, she reached out and pressed the first name on the panel: Christopher Columbus.
With a ripple in the Heroic Spirit Space, the group was instantly transported to a massive ship in the middle of a violent storm.
On the deck, a tall, weathered-looking man was shouting commands, coordinating the crew to keep the ship steady.
A few minutes later, following the man's final order, the ship burst out of the storm into calm waters.
"This guy's sailing skills aren't half bad."
Nami raised her brow, watching him.
Outsiders might just see chaos—but as a genius navigator, Nami saw it differently. The commands he issued during the storm were flawless even to her trained eye.
"In terms of sailing, he really is top-tier."
"Nami, keep watching. That man right there is the navigator: Christopher Columbus."
Genrou placed a hand on her shoulder, calmly gazing ahead.
…
(End of Chapter)
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