One Piece:Starts by Collecting Nico Robin

East Blue, Cocoyasi Village.

A hundred-meter-long three-masted sailing ship slowly docked at the harbor. Bonney leaned on the railing, looking down at the concave-shaped inner bay, tilting her little head.

"The shape of this dock looks so strange!"

"Of course, it wasn't originally built as a dock."

Caesar walked over to Bonney, his gaze falling on the gathered fishermen below: "A few years ago, this village was ruled by a group of Fish-men from the Grand Line. They occupied this inner bay and built Arlong Park."

"Then a monster-like old Navy man came and destroyed the entire building with a single punch. This is what it looks like after the cleanup, and it just happens to make a decent small dock."

"Hey, young man, you seem to know a lot about this place?"

A fisherman on the shore laughed upon hearing Caesar's words: "Are you a merchant ship?"

"Sort of..."

Caesar picked up Bonney and leaped off the deck, landing in front of the fishermen.

"Excuse the intrusion, my name is Jin Caesar. My main profession is a collector, part-time explorer, and... a merchant. This is Bonney, my companion."

"Jin Caesar? That name sounds familiar... I think I've heard it somewhere..."

"Wait a minute... hold on!"

The crowd suddenly stirred, and a middle-aged man looked at Caesar in horror.

"Jin Caesar! You're the one from the newspapers..."

"Let me clarify, I'm not a pirate."

Caesar chuckled: "I have a shop in Cocoyasi Village. I'm here to check on how it's being managed."

"Eh? Is that so?"

"Are you lying? Pirates are the best at lying."

"But didn't he say he's not a pirate?"

"Someone go find Ken!"

"I'll go, I'll go!"

Soon, a teenage boy ran back to the village to deliver the message, leaving the fishermen on guard, eyeing Caesar warily.

Caesar didn't mind their impolite gazes. For the weak, being cautious is a good thing, especially since Arlong's violent rule ended just a few years ago. Such a reaction was normal.

Of course, if anyone dared to attack him out of fear and suspicion, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate them.

With a splash, the sails were furled, and the anchor dropped into the water. Yamato and the others also disembarked, joining Caesar.

"It's so lively here. Are they welcoming us?"

Yamato, carefree as ever, asked with a grin.

"You really don't read the mood, do you..."

Bonney looked at Yamato, speechless. She couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but Yamato seemed even more naive than her, a child, in some ways.

Robin smiled gently: "They probably think we're pirates. After all, the captain has quite a fearsome reputation now."

"Hey, hey, what's with your attitudes?"

Bartolomeo pointed at the fishermen: "Mr. Caesar is your savior! If it weren't for him bringing Garp here, you'd still be under Arlong's rule!"

"That's right, they're not pirates. Everyone, disperse for now."

A voice came from the back of the crowd, and the fishermen made way as a scar-covered sheriff with a windmill on his head and a small mustache approached Caesar. Beside him was a slender, wheat-skinned girl with blue hair.

"Hello, I'm Ken, the sheriff of this village."

Ken's eyes scanned Caesar and his companions, and he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

Having experienced the violent rule of Arlong, Ken was well aware that these monsters of the sea were a completely different species from ordinary people. For Cocoyasi Village, Caesar, who could face off against Kaidou of the Four Emperors, was definitely someone they couldn't afford to provoke.

To prevent the villagers from unknowingly angering Caesar, Ken thought it best to disperse the crowd while the man was still in a good mood.

"Long time no see, Mr. Bartolomeo."

"Hmph~"

Only after the surrounding people had left did Ken greet Bartolomeo.

Bartolomeo snorted, crossing his arms in a proud manner.

The two had met before when Bartolomeo had delivered money to Nami, but due to his appearance, he had almost been mistaken for a remnant of the Fish-men by Ken...

Ken didn't mind Bartolomeo's attitude and instead turned to Caesar with a serious expression, saying, "You must be Mr. Caesar, right? I really want to thank you for your help with the Arlong situation back then!"

"You're too kind. Those Fish-men Pirates were interfering with my company's cargo shipments. I just happened to take care of it."

Caesar smiled and got straight to the point: "Actually, I'm here this time for someone."

"It's Nami, isn't it?"

The blue-haired girl beside Ken suddenly spoke up. Unlike Ken's hidden unease, her eyes carried a hint of curiosity.

Caesar nodded with a smile: "You're Nami's sister, Nojiko, right?"

"Even someone as insignificant as me has been investigated. So you really are here for Nami..."

Nojiko sighed lightly: "Or is it for her exceptional navigational talent?"

"That's correct."

Caesar nodded: "Would you mind introducing me? Even setting aside her navigational talent, she is currently one of my employees."

"What kind of proper boss would leave their shop in the hands of an employee for years?"

Nojiko chuckled: "But considering you once helped this village... follow me!"

Soon, the group entered the village, where rows of tropical-style colorful houses lined the streets, and tall palm trees were everywhere.

Vendors shouted loudly, and passersby looked at Kuma in awe, occasionally hearing comments like, "That guy is even taller than a Fish-man." In comparison, Yamato's height of over two meters didn't seem as striking.

"Caesar, Caesar, what's this? It smells so good!"

Yamato approached a fruit stall, picking up a spiky fruit and asking curiously.

"Uh... that's a durian."

Caesar smiled. Wano Country had a spring island climate with distinct seasons. Although there were coconuts, their quality was poor, and other tropical fruits were rare.

The Beasts Pirates wouldn't specifically plunder such things. Compared to tropical fruits, more durable citrus fruits were the real hard currency.

"It smells so bad, why do you think it smells good?"

Bonnie curiously leaned in, sniffing with her small nose, then immediately turned her head away in disgust.

"Because Yamato is a Dog-Dog Fruit user, her sense of smell is more acute than that of an ordinary person, allowing her to perceive the scent of durian on a deeper level. In fact, durian is a combination of fragrance and pungency," Caesar explained as he handed a wad of bills to the shopkeeper. "If you want to eat it, go ahead and buy some, but remember to brush your teeth afterward."

"Mm-hmm!"

Yamato happily picked up the largest durian, its strong smell making Bonney cover her nose.

Children also have a keen sense of smell, but it's limited to the range of scents that humans can detect. So, to Bonney, the durian smelled absolutely foul!

On the other hand, Robin and Baby 5 seemed to have a higher tolerance for the smell. It seems that women generally have a better acceptance of durian than men.

"Let me carry it for you."

Caesar took the durian, and with a whoosh, it disappeared into thin air. "I didn't expect to find durian in the Four Seas at this time of year. Loguetown is already covered in snow."

"Since Reverse Mountain is a winter island, the surrounding seas are also affected," Kuma suddenly explained.

"Reverse Mountain is a winter island?"

Caesar was momentarily stunned. "Incredible, I never noticed that. It really does take a reliable navigator to know these things..."

"Given your status, it shouldn't be hard to find a reliable navigator, right?"

Nojiko was puzzled. "Why are you so fixated on Nami? She hasn't even been to the Grand Line, let alone sailed the seas many times..."

"I have an eye for talent," Caesar said nonchalantly.

"So, you've discovered Nami's talent as a navigator?"

"No, I've discovered that she's definitely going to grow into a great beauty."

"..."

Nojiko was momentarily speechless, while Ken's face turned green, looking at Caesar as if he were some scoundrel.

Kuma, hearing this, subtly moved to shield Bonney.

Noticing Kuma's reaction, Robin couldn't help but smile. As for Yamato and Baby 5, they didn't pay much attention to Caesar's words.

"Hahaha, just kidding. I'm not interested in little girls, and besides, I already have three girlfriends."

Caesar waved his hand. At least for now, he was genuinely interested in Nami's navigational talent.

The fact that she could sense an approaching storm just by the smell and feel of the air, and even made a legendary figure like Shiki lower himself to try and recruit her, spoke volumes about Nami's exceptional talent.

Caesar's individual abilities were strong, and he had no fear of the natural disasters of the Grand Line. But he wasn't a lone wolf, and now that his entire crew were Devil Fruit users, a shipwreck would be a catastrophic blow.

"Three girlfriends, huh..."

Nojiko's gaze swept over Yamato, Baby 5, and Robin in turn.

After a quick glance, she confirmed that they were all stunningly beautiful women!

And that white-haired girl over two meters tall had a figure that was just unfair!

With Nami's current petite frame, she probably wasn't Caesar's type?

Maybe...

Soon, the group arrived in front of a bookstore.

Nojiko glanced at the group, pausing for a moment on Kuma and Yamato. "Wait here for a moment. I'll call her out."

"No need for the trouble. I'll just go in myself."

Caesar spoke as he pushed the door open and entered. Ken, who was standing nearby, instinctively raised his hand, but Nojiko gently pressed his arm down.

Compared to Ken, who had a sort of PTSD towards pirates, Nojiko had a much more favorable impression of Caesar. After all, it was he who had helped their village during its most difficult times.

Whether it was because of Nami or not, the kindness he had shown was real.

Now, he had transformed into a figure capable of rivaling the Four Emperors, stirring up the seas, yet he was still willing to humble himself and personally invite Nami. Nojiko didn't believe such a man would do anything bad.

Even if Caesar really wanted to do something, they wouldn't be able to stop him anyway.

"Welcome…"

Hearing someone enter, a slender girl with short orange hair looked up from behind the counter.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on the girl's profile, illuminating her delicate and fair face.

The moment she saw Caesar's face, her eyes widened in surprise.

"You are…"

"Jin Caesar, your boss," Caesar nodded politely.

"Huh?"

The girl was clearly taken aback by Caesar's visit, momentarily at a loss. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Nami. Thank you for your care—no, your help—towards our village before!"

"You're welcome."

Caesar smiled slightly. "Actually, I'm here to recruit you as my navigator."

"Navigator…"

Nami's expression turned complicated. "So… what the newspapers said is true? You're going to become a pirate?"

"No, setting sail doesn't necessarily mean becoming a pirate."

Caesar shook his head slightly. "But what I plan to do in the future might be even more dangerous than becoming a pirate."

"I see…"

Nami immediately smiled in relief and raised her hand, pointing towards the door. "The exit's over there. Take care, and don't let the door hit you on the way out~"

Caesar couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, aren't you being a bit too hasty?"

Nami's face darkened, all traces of her earlier nervousness gone. "You just said it's even more dangerous than becoming a pirate. Anyone with half a brain would know what to choose, right?"

"Don't be so quick to judge. Your dream is to map the entire world, isn't it?"

Caesar casually picked up a rolled-up map from the bookshelf, glanced at it, and then placed it back in its original position.

"To achieve that dream, you'll inevitably have to deal with some dangerous people. Instead of mingling with pirates, why not join my ship? After all, I am your boss."

Nami looked at Caesar suspiciously. "So… what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Unify the seas!"

"Boss, you're fired."

"???"

In the quiet bookstore, the two stared at each other.

"Ahhh! How can you say something so dangerous so calmly? And it's completely impossible, isn't it?"

Suddenly, Nami slammed her hands on the table, then stood up abruptly, pulling at her hair in frustration.

"I've already tried to convince myself that as long as you don't become a pirate, as long as you need me, I'd get on your ship no matter what! And now you're telling me you want to unify the seas? To challenge the World Government that's ruled the world for centuries?"

"And to take down those high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons," Caesar added helpfully.

"Ahhh! Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"

Nami covered her ears, tears streaming down her face. "So there's no such thing as a free benefit in this world. You already thought of this day when you helped me back then, didn't you?"

Caesar shook his head. "No, I just felt sorry for you back then. But I thought if there had to be a navigator who could take me anywhere, it could only be you!"

"Isn't that... even worse?"

Nami slumped back onto the stool, her forehead resting weakly on the table, her face filled with despair.

"So why do you know me so well? Did you investigate me? Or do you have a crush on me?"

"For the strong, the thoughts of the weak are no secret," Caesar said with complete honesty. "For example, the joy in your heart when you first saw me couldn't have been faked. And there was also nervousness..."

"Enough! I get it! No need to say more..."

Nami gritted her teeth and raised her hand, signaling Caesar to stop. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, and her voice was full of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Don't just casually pry into other people's thoughts, you idiot!"