One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

"What do you mean?"

Rayleigh's comment caused Ace and the girls to exchange strange looks, their expressions shifting to match his own awkwardness.

Though Rayleigh had been the vice-captain of the Roger Pirates, Gol D. Roger's right-hand man, and by extension Ace's "uncle" due to his father's legacy, Rayleigh had never embraced that role.

Nami and the others did affectionately refer to him as "Uncle Rayleigh," treating him with the same respect they showed Ace. But Rayleigh, ever since joining the Entei Pirates as the captain of Ace's Zero Squadron, had shed the idea of being an "uncle" and now saw himself as a follower of Ace, their captain.

Yet here, for the first time, Rayleigh leaned into that familial role, expecting the girls to show him a bit of the respect owed to an elder.

This change caught the girls off guard, sparking some unexpected thoughts, especially for Nami.

Nami's Observation Haki had developed so extensively—combined with her awakening of the Thunder Fruit—that her perception range was unmatched. Not even Shanks, who could glimpse into the future with his advanced "Sight and Sound Killing" technique, could rival the range of Nami's Haki.

During the Flame Emperor Incident, Nami had naturally noticed the presence of the only female member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. The Kuja Pirates, once second only to BIG-MOM in strength among female pirate crews, were a powerful force. But the most remarkable among them was their captain, the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, hailed as the most beautiful woman in the world.

At the height of Ace's battle, Nami had been entirely focused on him, with her Observation Haki tuned into his every move. But when Kaido of the Red-Hair Pirates arrived and negotiations began, curiosity got the better of her, and Nami briefly shifted her focus to the Pirate Empress.

While Observation Haki couldn't show her Hancock's face with complete clarity, it allowed Nami to sense her emotions, body movements, and breath. And from her well-trained perspective, even at a distance, Nami could catch the outline of Boa Hancock's form.

That brief glimpse had left Nami in awe.

Hancock's aura, her overall bearing, and the mere contours of her figure were enough to captivate an entire nation. It was no wonder people said that some women could enchant the world just with their shadows.

But what surprised Nami the most during that moment wasn't Hancock's beauty—it was the strange emotion she sensed radiating from her. It was an emotion startlingly familiar to Nami, one that she and Kaya had often felt when they were near Ace.

That was when a shocking realization struck her.

Could it be… Boa Hancock was in love with Ace?

Nami instinctively covered her mouth, her mind racing.

She knew Ace better than anyone, especially after becoming intimately involved with him. Whenever they were alone, Nami would cling to him, listening to his stories about his childhood. She knew his life had been simple. Raised by Marine hero Garp, Ace had grown up in Windmill Village, where he lived with the bandit Dadan and met his two brothers—Luffy and Sabo.

Luffy, the grandson of Garp, and Sabo were Ace's proud younger brothers, both of whom had dreams of becoming his right-hand men and helping him become the Pirate King.

At seventeen, Ace set sail, and the first person he recruited to his crew was Nami. Thinking of this, a warm feeling blossomed in Nami's heart.

Though Ace had shared a deeper connection with Robin first, and while Kaya held a special place in Ace's heart due to her frailty and angelic nature, Nami knew Ace treated her differently. On significant occasions, it was always her who was closest to him, by his side as his navigator—the first member of his crew.

Nami was certain that Hancock had never met Ace. But back on that battlefield, when her Observation Haki had sensed the Pirate Empress's emotions, they had been strikingly similar to what she and Kaya felt for Ace.

If Hancock was indeed in love with Ace, then her feelings were no less intense than those Nami and Kaya harbored.

Despite all her thinking, Nami couldn't understand what Hancock had been through or the secret of the Love-Love Fruit she had eaten. But one thing was clear: it wasn't far-fetched to fall in love with Ace. After all, in Nami's eyes, Ace was the most attractive man in the world.

And now, Ace was bringing them to Amazon Lily, not for romantic reasons, but for the unique Haki training methods the Kuja Pirates possessed.

While Nami herself wasn't as skilled in Haki as some, she had become one of the most formidable fighters at sea, her power nearing that of an Admiral. She knew just how valuable Kuja's Haki training could be.

If this formidable force could be integrated into the Entei Pirates, combined with Ace's vision and understanding, they could forge an army of terrifying Haki users warriors.

This would be Ace's third powerful legion—following the Devil Fruit Army and the Giant Army.

With Ace's immense understanding of Haki, combined with the combat prowess of the Kuja warriors, who all possessed a Haki foundation, it wasn't far-fetched to imagine the best among them developing full-body Haki armor. A legion made entirely of warriors capable of covering their entire bodies with Haki armor would be a force to be reckoned with.

This would be a terrifying regiment, one so powerful that even she, standing on the brink of Admiral-level strength, would have to step back in caution. How could such a force not serve Ace?

Nami's eyes sparkled with determination. As one of the king's women, she, too, was growing stronger. The dream of supporting Ace in his quest to become the King of the World had now surpassed her childhood dream of mapping the entire world's seas.

If the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock truly did fall in love with Ace, the formation of such a powerful Haki Corps would be within reach.

To possess a legion composed entirely of combatants on par with the Marine Headquarters' senior Vice Admirals… with such a force, Ace would stand a chance against the massive power of the World Government and the yet-unseen Knights of God.

Though their fleet had emerged victorious in the Yandi Incident, Nami, with her keen intellect, knew that their triumph had hinged on Ace's brilliance.

But despite the additions of powerful allies like Rayleigh and Issho, the Entei Pirates' combat strength and influence still lagged behind that of the World Government. The primary reason the World Government had been forced into submission was Ace's ability to wield the Gate Fruit, which gave him strategic advantages. In an all-out war, however, their current combat strength wouldn't be enough.

That was why, after the celebratory banquet, they had eagerly followed Ace to Amazon Lily.

Their Haki was simply too weak compared to the overwhelming power of the Devil Fruits. If their Haki could be trained to a higher level, Nami was certain she could rival Aokiji or even Akainu—her Thunder Fruit ability made her one of the most formidable fighters, capable of taking on the Four Emperors head-on. With stronger Haki, Vivi and Raki could also reach the Admiral-level threshold, bolstering Ace's power even further.

But their numbers were still too few. The strength of the World Government's forces was daunting.

As one of the king's women, Nami was determined to help Ace in any way possible. A powerful Haki Corps was exactly the type of force that Ace needed.

And now, Nami's thoughts turned toward the Pirate Empress. If she could help Boa Hancock join Ace's ranks, it would be a tremendous gain. Nami's eyes gleamed with both cunning and charm as she looked over at Rayleigh.

"Uncle Rayleigh, don't worry," she said with a mischievous smile. "We'll handle it."