One Piece pirates salty life

"Hey! You obviously already gave it to me!"

Nami let go of the money she had clutched on the ground, standing up reluctantly under Leo's sharp gaze.

Watching her still glance back at the Bailey on the ground, Leo found it amusing.

"You want it?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah!" Nami nodded rapidly, her expression lighting up in an instant.

"How about another deal?" Leo offered with a playful but tempting tone. "If you help me again, I can give you ten million Baileys this time."

"Hiss~~"

"Tell me, Uncle Leo, what do you want me to do!!" Nami was overwhelmed by the offer. Her eyes practically turned into spinning Bailey symbols, dazzled by the number.

"Then what did I just say?" Leo tested her, still half-joking.

"Just tell me! Uncle Leo, I'll definitely help you as long as it's something I can do!" Nami's voice was slightly shrill from excitement.

Ten million Baileys! That wasn't a small number. In East Blue, few pirate crews even had ten million in total assets. After looting the Buggy Pirates, they had barely scraped together that much.

As long as Leo didn't ask her to betray her own principles, she'd agree to anything.

"Take us to Kokoyasi Village," Leo said seriously, his smile fading. His eyes locked onto hers, intense and unwavering.

"...Kokoyasi Village."

Nami's once-bright expression dimmed instantly. Her pupils shrank, and her whole body trembled as if struck by lightning.

"Are you scared, Nami?" Leo's voice rang out, calm but piercing. It snapped her out of her daze like a bell tolling in a silent room.

"If you're afraid, just give me back the stick I gave you and pretend I never asked."

She looked down at the folded wooden staff at her side, her gaze conflicted. Then she looked back at Leo, her expression hollow.

"When did you find out?"

"From the moment we met," Leo said quietly. "The infamous little thief cat of East Blue... your hometown had to be Kokoyasi Village."

"I see," Nami murmured. "No wonder you noticed I stole your Bailey..."

A bitter understanding flashed in her eyes.

"So what now? Are you going to confront me? What do you want to do—kill me or drive me away?"

"As a magician, it should be easy for you to make someone disappear quietly, right?"

She didn't let him speak. Instead, she poured out all her thoughts in one breath, her voice filled with growing resentment.

"You said you'd let me be your navigator, but I guess that was all a lie."

"You're wrong, Nami," Leo said, his tone calm, but firm.

"Arlong and his crew kidnapped you, forced you to draw sea charts for them, and threatened your village. They promised you that if you earned 100 million Baileys, they'd free the village. But that promise… was a lie."

Nami stared at him, stunned.

"He lied to you," Leo continued. "He never had any intention of keeping his word. He's already colluding with the Marine's rat colonel. Even if you handed over 100 million, he would never let your village go."

"You must be exhausted. Smiling in the village, pretending nothing's wrong… it must've been unbearable."

He took a slow step forward, reached for the wooden staff at her waist, and placed it gently into her hands.

"Now, I've placed the power to protect the village in your hands," Leo said softly. "Are you willing to trust me?"

Nami clutched the staff tightly, tears welling in her eyes as she stared at Leo, his figure growing blurry through her watery gaze.

"Are you… telling the truth? He really lied to me?" Her voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper.

"I wouldn't joke about something like this. And besides," he added with a gentle smile, "aren't we partners?"

Nami looked up, blinking through the tears. Then she suddenly lunged forward, hugging him tightly.

She nodded against his chest and whispered, "Mm!"

Time passed quickly. A week had gone by in the blink of an eye.

Nami had returned to her usual self, her energy fully restored. She paced back and forth across the newly built ship, the Going Merry, familiarizing herself with her new home on the sea.

As the navigator, her standards were suddenly sky-high—especially now that she was sailing for real, not just pretending.

Thanks to Leo's generous investment, the Merry was in excellent condition. Nami was visibly pleased. She walked over to Leo and Luffy, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Everyone, take a look!" she said proudly.

Standing next to her, Merry—the shipwright—gave a glowing introduction.

"This is a fast sailing ship, designed with a triangular sail at the mizzenmast, a central rudder at the stern, and the iconic sheep's head at the bow."

"At Mr. Leo's request, we used the best materials available. Every piece of wood and every bolt is top-tier."

"She might not be the best ship in the world, but she was built with the most care. Sometimes, I even feel like she has a soul!"

He waved his hand dramatically. "Ladies and gentlemen, come aboard! This is your new partner!"

Luffy's eyes widened. "Ohhhhhh!"

He cheered and sprinted toward the ship. With his rubber powers, he grabbed the bow and flung himself up to the figurehead—the sheep's head—his signature seat from the original adventure.

"Hahaha! This is our pirate ship!" Luffy shouted joyfully.

Zoro followed at a more relaxed pace, silently finding a good spot to lie down and nap.

Though the ship wasn't very large, it was sturdy and comfortable—just the way he liked it.

Meanwhile, Leo and Nami, accompanied by Merry, inspected every part of the ship.

As both financier and navigator, they had every reason to take it seriously.

Unlike the original version, this Merry had been reinforced from the keel to the top deck. The frame was thicker, the joints stronger, and the weight evenly balanced.

In Merry's words, the keel used a material second only to the legendary Treasure Tree Adam. It wasn't invincible, but it could endure the dangerous waters ahead.

Leo gave a satisfied nod. The enhancements exceeded his expectations.

"Hey! Wait for me!!"

A voice came from behind.

Usopp came stumbling down the dock, carrying an oversized backpack. He lost his balance on the ramp and rolled forward in a comical tumble.

At the last second, Luffy stretched his arm to stop Usopp from slamming into the ship.

"Liar... you're really going to sea," Kaya said softly. She had come to see him off, but now her voice trembled with quiet sorrow.

Though she had long known he would leave someday, the reality still hurt.

"Yeah," Usopp said, his voice thick with emotion. "I have to go before I start second-guessing myself."

He paused, then forced a big grin and added cheerfully:

"When I return, I'll tell you stories more outrageous than all my lies combined!"

"Mm!" Kaya nodded, tears in her eyes, but her smile was gentle. "I'll wait for you!"

pàtréóñ(Gk31)