Pirates: Seeing My Proficiency, I Became a Legend

"Hmm~~~"

"You're awake!"

Robin sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through an old logbook. As Nami stirred, Robin looked up and greeted her with a soft smile.

Seeing Robin's familiar face, Nami finally felt a sense of relief.

Back in the cabin, she had hated that cold, heartless man. But in the end, it was Robin who had comforted her. Without her, she might have completely collapsed.

There was a nine-year age gap between them—Robin was in her early twenties, while Nami was just twelve or thirteen. Deprived of a mother's love, Nami instinctively clung to this gentle older sister figure who genuinely seemed to care.

"It's all right! It's over now."

"Okay…"

"Where am I?"

Nami blinked, her large eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. The gentle sway beneath her told her she was on a ship.

"This is Mr.'s room. But he's hardly here, so I sleep here," Robin explained casually.

Nami frowned. "Mr.?"

Robin chuckled, covering her mouth. "Yes! That man you met before. He's actually a well-known pirate hunter from the East Blue."

"Ah~~~ It's him?"

Nami's expression twisted in disbelief. She had seen his methods firsthand—ruthless, precise, and overwhelming. It was impossible to associate that kind of power with the ragtag pirate hunters she had encountered before.

Her eyes suddenly caught something in the corner—several suitcases haphazardly stacked. They were left unguarded, and her heart began to race.

"Sister! What are those?"

Robin, noticing the greed flashing in Nami's eyes, chuckled knowingly.

"It's Berries. About 500 million. Mr. took it to the Navy and exchanged it for bounties."

"500 million??"

"Ahhh!!"

"I'm going to die! I'm going to die!!"

Nami's shriek echoed through the room. Her pupils turned into Berries symbols, and she clutched her head as if suffering an existential crisis.

Her entire life had been spent scraping together whatever money she could—robbing greedy merchants, stealing from pirates in their sleep—anything to reach her goal. But now, there was a mountain of money right in front of her, sitting there without protection. Her mind spun wildly.

"By the way, Sister, what's your name?"

Robin hesitated before answering, deciding not to reveal her true identity to a child she had just met.

"…Xiaoyi. And you?"

Nami's hands formed a heart shape as she giggled. "Kawaii! My name's Nami!"

Robin's lips twitched. She wasn't used to such innocent enthusiasm—it had been a long time since anyone had called her something as cutesy as "Xiaoyi."

"Sister Xiaoyi, where's that pirate ship from before?"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Do you have something left on it?"

Nami froze, struggling for an answer. It wasn't that she had left personal belongings—what she wanted was the treasure aboard the pirate ship. And, of course, the untouched suitcases of Berries in the corner. How was she supposed to phrase that in front of this kind and perceptive big sister?

"Ah! No… it's just…"

Robin sighed. "It's fine. That ship? Mr. Dongze already sank it to the bottom of the sea."

"Huh—"

Nami's entire body stiffened. Her hands trembled as if she had just suffered a fatal blow. She had already considered that treasure hers. And now, in an instant, it was gone.

For Nami, who lived for money, this was as painful as losing a limb.

Robin, who had spent years surviving in the underworld, was skilled at reading people. She could see exactly what Nami was thinking.

"Hehe."

"Little Nami, do you want those treasures?"

Nami sulked. "What's the point? They're gone now…"

"Woo~~~"

Robin chuckled again. It was rare to meet such an expressive girl.

"They're in the storage room."

"WHAT?"

Before Robin could react, Nami lunged at her, throwing her arms around her waist in an uncharacteristic hug.

Robin blinked, momentarily stunned. That speed was absurd!

"Hey, Sister Xiaoyi, where are we going now?"

"I don't know. Mr. is at the helm."

"…He can steer a ship?"

"Haha, little Nami, don't underestimate him. He's a genius."

"Hmph! He's still a jerk! But… for the sake of Berries, I'll forgive him for now."

Robin laughed loudly at that.

"By the way, little Nami, I forgot to ask—why were you on that ship in the first place?"

At that, Nami's playful expression faltered. The memories of Cocoyasi Village weighed heavily on her.

Robin noticed the shift in mood. Just like how she avoided speaking of Ohara, Nami hesitated to talk about her own tragedy.

But something about this moment felt safe. Maybe it was the fact that Dongze was a bounty hunter. Maybe it was the sheer amount of cash lying around. Or maybe it was Robin's warmth.

So she decided to try.

Nami spoke.

She spoke of Cocoyasi Village, of Arlong, of the extortion, of the Navy's betrayal. Of Bellemere.

Robin listened in silence.

The more Nami spoke, the more Robin's heart sank. She was no stranger to the cruelty of the world—she had lived through the Buster Call, through betrayals, through the horrors of the underworld.

But this? This was different.

Robin clenched her fists. There was a rare flicker of killing intent in her eyes.

Arlong… that damn fish-man.

All this time, she had repeated the phrase, "It's so shameful to be born human." But in saying that, she had still acknowledged her humanity.

Now, looking at the atrocities committed by these mermen, she realized something—Arlong had crossed her bottom line.

After a long silence, Robin placed a hand on Nami's head and spoke softly.

"…Have you ever thought about resisting?"

"Maybe—just maybe—the next moment could be different."

Robin wasn't the type to give motivational speeches. But she had learned something from Dongze.

As the saying went, "Practice is the only criterion for testing truth."

Nami flinched. Her hands gripped her arms tightly. "I can't."

"They'll kill me. They already took Bellemere. I can't lose anyone else…"

Robin exhaled. Now she understood.

It wasn't just Nami—Cocoyasi Village itself had forgotten how to fight back.

Dongze wasn't just after Nami.

He was planning something bigger.

Robin studied Nami carefully before speaking again.

"…What will you do if they break their promise? If you gather the 100 million and they still refuse to free your village?"

Nami's breath hitched. That was a possibility. A terrifying, all-too-real possibility. One she had been avoiding.

Robin sighed.

"That man can help you."

Nami scoffed. "Him? Arlong has a 20 million bounty! He's a merman! His strength is twenty times that of a human! His teeth can crush steel!"

She hesitated.

"…I don't want him to die."

Robin recalled how Dongze had sliced apart a ship with a single sword stroke.

She smirked.

"He should be fine."

"…But he's so mean!"

Robin laughed.

"Do you believe it? That sword can bring miracles."