The café I'd pointed out to Nami sat like a modest sanctuary between the bustling streets of Loguetown and the imposing Marine base, the one that loomed just a few blocks away.
The morning light filtered through grimy windows, casting long shadows across worn wooden tables that had seen better decades. I arrived early, as was my habit—punctuality in planning was the difference between success and a very uncomfortable stay in Marine custody.
'And, she's already here.'
Nami sat at a corner table, her orange hair catching the light peering through the window. Her sharp light brown eyes tracked my approach with the calculating precision of someone who'd spent years reading people for profit.
"You arrived earlier than I expected," I said, settling into the chair across from her with practiced nonchalance. The wood creaked under my weight, protesting like everything else in this establishment.
"Did you find the Grand Line navigational equipment?"
Her response was immediate – reaching down beside her chair and producing a leather bag that looked considerably heavier than I'd anticipated. The way she handled it suggested precious cargo, which, given our destination, it essentially was.
"Everything I could get my hands on," she said, setting the bag on the table with a soft thud. "Log Poses, Eternal Poses, Harald Astrolabe, charts from experienced navigators who've survived the first half of the Grand Line." She paused, opening the bag slightly to reveal an assortment of brass instruments and rolled papers.
"I also managed to get some books on Grand Line navigation theory."
'Theory.' I almost smiled at that. 'In a place where the very laws of nature seem to operate on different principles, theory only gets you so far.'
"I've got a rough idea about how navigation works there," she continued, "but honestly, it's something we'll have to learn by doing once we actually enter the Grand Line itself."
"That's alright," I replied, and meant it. 'No amount of preparation can truly ready someone for the Grand Line anyway. It's the kind of place that laughs at your carefully laid plans and then sets them on fire.'
With that out of the way, I turned my attention to the uninvited extra who had decided to show up without me asking.
"So, why are you here too?"
Sanji straightened, adjusting his tie with practiced precision. The gesture was so obviously calculated to look cool that I almost felt secondhand embarrassment. Almost.
"I'm here to protect my dear Nami-san from any harm you might bring," he declared, his voice carrying that particular brand of dramatic flair that made me want to check if we were being watched by an audience.
'Right. Because clearly, the greatest threat to Nami's wellbeing is her own crewmate.'
"What harm?" I asked, genuinely curious about the mental gymnastics required for his logic.
"I'm in the same crew as her, we are allies, remember?"
"That's exactly why I have to protect her from your clutches!" Sanji declared, pointing at me with the dramatic flair of someone accusing a villain in a stage play. "Just because you're on the same crew doesn't mean your intentions are pure!"
'My brain hurts.'
This is what I get for trying to apply logic to the walking romantic comedy that is Sanji's existence.
The translation came immediately: I'm here to act as the third wheel intentionally because I'm physically incapable of trusting any male within a fifty-meter radius of any female.
Both Nami and I sighed simultaneously, a perfect harmony of exasperation that would have been impressive if it weren't so depressing.
Nami pinched the bridge of her nose in a gesture I recognized from my own repertoire of dealing with embarrassing people.
"Forget about Sanji-kun for a moment," she said, her tone carrying the weight of someone who'd had this exact conversation too many times before. "Focus on what you want to do here and why you need my help."
'Finally, someone who can prioritize business over romantic delusions.'
I nodded, standing from my chair. "Let's leave the café."
The transition from the stuffy interior to the fresh air was immediate and welcome.
Loguetown's streets hummed with the activity of merchants in their stalls, citizens moving around, and the occasional Marine patrol making their rounds.
I led them to an alley that provided a view of the Marine base.
The imposing structure rose before us like a monument to organized authority—all clean lines, defensive positioning, and that particular architectural arrogance that screamed "we have bigger guns than you".
'Time for the main event.'
I leaned against the brick wall, the rough texture catching slightly on my cloak. From my Dimensional Bag, I retrieved three cans of MAXX Coffee, their metallic surfaces gleaming in the morning light.
'Nothing says "let's plan a heist" like caffeinated beverages.'
I presented two cans to my companions, keeping the third for myself. They accepted them with expressions that suggested I'd just handed them artifacts from a lost civilization.
"What is this?" Nami asked, turning the can over in her hands with the careful examination of someone trying to determine if something was valuable, dangerous, or both.
"Coffee," I said simply, demonstrating by opening my can with a satisfying HISS and taking a long sip of the concentrated sweetness within.
'MAXX sweetness for maximum effectiveness. Some things from my world actually translate well to any reality.'
They continued to stare at their cans with the bewildered expressions of people encountering alien technology. After a moment of hesitation, they mimicked my actions, opening their cans with the careful precision of bomb disposal experts.
'First time for everything, I suppose.'
Both took tentative sips, and their faces immediately registered surprise.
"It's sweet," Nami observed, blinking as if the concept of sweet coffee was revolutionary.
"Very sweet," Sanji added, though he managed to make even coffee consumption look somehow sophisticated.
I took another sip, savoring the familiar taste that reminded me of convenience stores and late-night study sessions.
"Yeah, I like my coffee sweet."
'Life is already bitter, so the coffee should at least be sweet. Besides, sugar helps the brain function, and I'm going to need all my mental faculties for what comes next.'
Sanji lowered his can slightly, his expression shifting from romantic concern to practical curiosity.
"So why are we here now? You didn't invite Nami-san just to drink coffee, right?"
Nami remained silent, but her posture and the slight tilt of her head indicated she was thinking the same thing.
'Time to drop the bombshell.'
I turned my gaze to the Marine base, studying its walls and guard towers with the analytical eye of someone planning something definitively illegal.
"What I want help from Nami for," I said slowly, letting each word carry appropriate weight, "is to infiltrate this Marine base and steal a few things from there."
BOOM.
The reaction was immediate and exactly what I'd expected. Sanji's face went through several colors before settling on a shade of red that suggested either outrage or a minor stroke. His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air before words finally emerged.
"Oi, you bastard! How can you put Nami-san in such a dangerous place?!" he demanded, his voice climbing to heights that probably disturbed local wildlife. "She could be captured! She could be—"
"Wait," Nami interrupted, holding up one hand while her other gripped the coffee can. Her voice was calm, controlled, and carried the unmistakable tone of someone who wanted to hear the full pitch before making a decision.
'The voice of a professional.'
"What exactly do you want to steal from there?"
'And there's the million-Berri question.'
I took another sip of coffee, using the pause to organize my thoughts. This was where things got complicated, where I had to explain concepts that barely existed in East Blue and convince them that the risk was worth the reward.
"Seastone," I said slowly.
"What I want from this Marine base is something called Seastone."
The word hung in the air like a foreign language, which, in a way, it was. Both Nami and Sanji stared at me with expressions of complete bewilderment.
"What is that?" they asked almost simultaneously, their voices carrying that particular blend of curiosity and concern that suggested they suspected the answer wouldn't be simple.
'As expected, they don't know what it is. It's rarer than common sense in this part of the world.'
I couldn't blame them for their confusion. Seastone was one of those things that separated the East Blue from the Grand Line—knowledge that could mean the difference between life and death, but which remained largely theoretical until you actually needed it.
"Seastone is," I explained while taking another sip, "a very rare mineral. One that has the same effect on Devil Fruit users as seawater."
Their expressions shifted from confusion to something that looked like the beginning of understanding, though I could tell they needed more clarification.
'The lightbulbs are flickering, but they haven't quite turned on yet.'
"When Seastone comes in contact with a Devil Fruit user," I continued, "it acts like seawater. The Devil Fruit user is robbed of their abilities—they can't use their powers at all. Not only that, they're also weakened greatly, rendered about as strong as a normal person."
CRACK.
Now the lightbulbs were definitely on. Both Nami and Sanji's eyes widened as the implications hit them like a sledgehammer to the face. I could practically see the mental calculations running behind their expressions.
"Such a thing exists?!" Nami exclaimed, her coffee nearly falling from her hand.
Next to her, Sanji added, "But with something like that, doesn't that mean all Devil Fruit users are rendered useless?"
The natural conclusion of anyone who's spent time around Luffy and his rubber-powered antics.
"Of course, it's not that easy," I replied while taking another sip from my sweet coffee.
"Seastone is an extremely rare mineral, so it's very difficult to obtain. And because of its diamond-like hardness, it's also incredibly difficult to process and shape. Most of the time, it's used for simple restraint items—capture nets, handcuffs, things like that. Mostly designed for capturing Devil Fruit users."
I paused to take another sip of coffee, letting that information sink in before delivering the real kicker.
"On top of that, it's held and monopolized by the major powers. The World Government, the Marines, and some of the more established pirate crews in the New World. It's hard to get even in the underground market unless you're very well-connected." I gestured toward the Marine base with my coffee can.
"You can understand how important that material is as a resource in the Devil Fruit user-infested Grand Line, and how difficult it is to acquire."
'Sure, I could also get Seastone by trading a Devil Fruit through my Stand, but that would be a massive waste of resources. If it's available naturally in this world, it's better to acquire it through more conventional means. Even if those means happen to involve breaking and entering.'
Nami's expression had shifted into what I recognized as her 'calculating profit margins' face. She drank from her coffee can, and I could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she worked through the logistics and potential benefits.
"In other words," she said finally, "you want me to steal some net ammunition and handcuffs?"
'Simple, direct, and accurate.'
"Something like that, yes," I confirmed.
She nodded slowly, her expression clearing as she reached some internal conclusion.
"I understand why we'd need something like that. It's valuable, it's useful, and it gives us an advantage in the Grand Line." Her eyes shifted slightly, taking on that particular gleam that usually preceded discussions of compensation. "I can help you, provided you offer proper compensation for my efforts, of course."
'And there it is. The eternal constant in any negotiation with Nami: what's in it for her?'
Sanji's face immediately crumpled with worry. "Nami-san, this is dangerous! What if something goes—"
"Don't worry about me, Sanji-kun," Nami interrupted smoothly. "I'm not some weak, helpless woman who needs constant protection."
CRITICAL HIT!
The effect on Sanji was immediate and devastating. His eyes went wide, his face flushed, and for a moment, he looked like he might actually faint from the sheer emotional impact of Nami asserting her independence.
Then, predictably, he swung completely in the other direction.
"NAMI-SWAN!!!" he cried out, practically glowing with hearts and flowers. "You're so strong! So beautiful when you're confident! Oh, how I admire your fierce spirit and—"
'And we've lost him to Planet Romance again.'
I sighed, a sound that seemed to echo off the alley walls.
"You never take a break, do you?"
Sanji's romantic reverie immediately shifted into annoyed defensiveness. "Huh? What do you want, Shitiman! You're getting in the way of my expressions of love, you bastard! How dare you interrupt when I'm trying to—"
YANK!
His sentence was cut short as Nami grabbed his ear and physically relocated him several feet to the side. The expression on her face suggested she'd had quite enough of romantic declarations for one day.
"Moving on," she said firmly, turning back to me while Sanji nursed his abused ear. "You mentioned wanting a few things from the base. It's not just Seastone, right?"
'Good, she is keeping up.'
"Correct," I said. "The second thing I want is information they have about Devil Fruits and the Grand Line. And if possible, we should take as much money as we can carry from the Marine base."
CHILING-DING!
The word 'money' had the same effect on Nami that a beautiful woman had on Sanji. Her entire demeanor shifted, her eyes literally transforming into Berry symbols as she clasped her hands together.
"Money~" she sang, practically vibrating with excitement. "How much money do you think is in there?"
'Yeah, there are no normal people around me anymore…At least, the woman has priorities, I'll give her that.'
"…It should be quite a lot," I replied. "This base is frequently visited by bounty hunters turning in their catches. They'd need to keep substantial funds on hand for payments."
Nami nodded enthusiastically, her eyes still displaying that heart-shaped Berry design, which bewildered me every time. "As expected of Hachiman~! This is going to be so profitable!"
Sanji made one more valiant attempt at being the voice of reason. "We don't really need money, though, right? We just got all that treasure from—"
"Don't get in the way of my money-making!" Nami snapped, her expression shifting from joy to terrifying determination in zero seconds flat.
I decided it was time to regain control of the conversation before it devolved into another round of crew dynamics theater.
"Nami," I called seriously.
"Yes~!"
She turned to me all smiley and with more enthusiasm than I'd expected, her entire posture suggesting she was ready to dive headfirst into whatever plan I had in mind.
'The prospect of profit has that effect on her. Deep breath. Time to admit a fundamental weakness.'
"How are we going to do this?" I asked.
"Hmm?"
Both Nami and Sanji stared at me with expressions that suggested I'd just announced my intention to sprout wings and fly to the moon.
"You... don't have a plan?" Nami asked slowly.
"I don't," I admitted. "Infiltration and thievery aren't in my field of expertise. That's why I am asking for help."
"However, I can provide support, of course."
Nami's interest sharpened immediately. "What kind of support?"
"I can map the interior of the base and identify key locations for you," I explained. "I can also provide some... 'magical' on-field support while you're inside."
Her intrigue was obvious as she leaned forward slightly. "'Magical' how?"
'Okay, Time to demonstrate why having versatile, mysterious powers is useful when you're working outside your comfort zone.'
I reached into my cloak and withdrew a golden compass—Not the Sparrow compass—The golden surface gleamed in the morning light, and the yellow crystal mounted on its lid caught and reflected the sun like a tiny beacon.
"Here," I said, offering it to Nami.
She accepted the compass with the reverent care of someone handling something obviously valuable. Her fingers traced over the gold surface, and she opened the lid to reveal the interior mechanism.
Inside were two compass needles mounted one above the other, and around the ring that typically displayed cardinal directions were four words instead: "Yes", "No", "Unknown", and "Wait".
"What is this?" Nami asked, her voice carrying that mixture of fascination and avarice that valuable objects always inspired in her. "Is it some kind of magical device?"
'Time for the sales pitch.'
I placed my hand on the handle of the Barbossa sword, feeling its supernatural abilities activate.
"It's a magical surveillance device that will enable me to see and hear what's going on around you through the crystal on the lid."
As I spoke, the compass needle began moving on its own as I controlled it with my Barbossa sword, making the needle point to each cardinal direction in sequence. The demonstration had its intended effect—both Nami and Sanji watched with expressions of wonder and growing understanding.
"I can also give you directions and communicate briefly," I continued, and the second needle moved to point at "Yes", "No", "Unknown", and "Wait" in order.
The compass vibrated gently as I added, "I'll be able to warn you if someone's approaching, and if you encounter a door you can't open, just place the compass on it and I'll handle it for you."
Lie: It's a sophisticated magical surveillance system.
Truth: The compass is completely ordinary except for the Hamon Ether crystal on top, which will let me track her location with my Hamon Pendulum. Everything else is just me using Barbossa's sword to manipulate the compass remotely and dramatic flair to sell the illusion.
'Why the lie? Because telling them I can see, hear, and track anyone in my proximity like I had a camera on them has... implications. Implications that our resident creep would definitely misinterpret, and implications that would make everyone uncomfortable with my abilities.'
Both Nami and Sanji stared at the small golden compass with expressions of awe. Unfortunately, Sanji's expression included that particular gleam that suggested his mind had wandered into territories I didn't want to contemplate.
'Yup, there's that look. The one that makes me want to introduce my palm to my face at high velocity.'
"It can really do all of that?" Nami asked, her voice carrying genuine amazement.
"Yes, it can," I replied simply.
'No, it absolutely cannot. But what they don't know won't hurt them, and what I can fake well enough serves the same purpose.'
I'm lying through my teeth, but it's better than the alternative.
'Some truths are better left buried under convenient fabrications.'
Nami finished the last of her coffee, setting the can down with a satisfied sigh.
"I'm going to take a tour around the base to scout it out," she announced, tucking the compass safely into her pocket. "And I'll test this compass while I'm at it. Meanwhile, you make that map you mentioned."
'Of course she will. Nothing like field testing equipment that doesn't actually work the way she thinks it does.'
Sanji's eyes immediately lit up with that lovestruck expression I'd grown to dread.
"Nami-san! Allow me to accompany you on your reconnaissance mission! I'll protect you from any dangers! And we can have—"
"Don't need," Nami cut him off without hesitation, her tone as sharp and final as a blade. "I can do it myself."
'Ouch. Shot down faster than a Marine ship in a hurricane.'
Sanji's face crumpled like a deflated balloon, but he recovered quickly enough.
'The man's resilience in the face of constant rejection is almost admirable.'
I drained the last of my coffee, the sweet taste lingering on my tongue. "Let's go."
"Tsk." He clicked his tongue in frustration, the sound sharp in the afternoon air.
But he finished his coffee and followed me anyway, his disappointment practically radiating off him in waves.
"Where are we going?" he asked as we walked away from our makeshift conspiratory spot.
"To the best place where we can get a good layout of the Marine base," I replied.
We made our way through the winding streets until we reached an alleyway that offered the closest proximity to the base's main building. The narrow space was shadowed and quiet, perfect for what I had in mind.
I reached into my dimensional pocket and withdrew my Hamon Pendulum and the Sparrow compass.
I let my Hamon flow into the pendulum, feeling the familiar warmth spread through my body as the energy activated. The golden glow spread from my hands into the crystal of the pendulum, which began to pulse with soft light.
WHOOOOOM
The Hamon wave spread out from the pendulum in an invisible pulse, washing over the Marine base like a gentle tide. Instantly, my perception exploded outward, filling my mind with a 3D layout of every corridor, every room, every person within the facility.
When I activated my Mantra and layered it on top of that physical mapping, the result was what I privately called 'Clairvoyance'—the ability to not just see and hear everything in the area, but to read the emotions and surface thoughts of every person within range.
The advantages of combining different power systems. Hamon for physical perception, Mantra for mental perception, and the compass for targeting specific objectives.
'Truly a Clairvoyance.'
It wasn't just seeing—it was knowing. I could perceive the exact layout of the building, count the number of Marines at their posts, even catch fragments of their conversations and surface thoughts. The combination of Hamon-enhanced perception and Mantra created something approaching omniscience—At least this is how it felt to me—within my range.
I could also feel things outside the base, though with less and less clarity as it gets further away. Like Nami, currently several blocks away, taking the compass out of her pocket.
"Can you hear me?" I caught her whispered question, barely audible even to my enhanced senses.
I used the Barbossa sword's power to manipulate the compass needle, pointing it toward the "Yes" marking etched into the device.
Through my extended awareness, I felt her spike of delight at the apparent response.
'She's…having fun with this ?.... No, is it just joy?'
'Also, no, this… feels more like…Safety? Closeness?'
'But…Why?'
I was getting more and more puzzled by the signals I was getting from her.
'So even with Clairvoyance, it is hard to understand a woman's heart, huh?'
While maintaining my awareness of Nami's position and mood, I knelt down and pulled out paper and pen.
The map began to take shape under my hands—corridors, rooms, guard positions, all drawn with the precision that came from literally seeing through walls.
The benefits of having supernatural abilities that challenge the rules of reality.
'Though I suppose in a world where people can stretch like rubber and set themselves on fire, my particular brand of impossibility isn't that noteworthy.'
"Hmm…now that I think about it, why do you need the Marine information anyway?" Sanji asked from behind me, watching as I marked the location where intelligence about the Grand Line was likely stored.
"Shouldn't you already be knowledgeable about the Grand Line? You did buy the geezer's logbook for that sky-high price of 60 million Berri, right?"
'Ah, there it is. I was wondering when someone would bring that up.'
I paused in my drawing, considering how to answer. The truth was that Zeff's logbook was incredibly valuable, but Sanji's question touched on something I'd been thinking about myself.
"It's the log of a pirate who sailed the Grand Line," I said, continuing to sketch the base's layout. "So yes, it's very valuable. But it's still outdated for the current era, and it's limited since it's from the perspective of one crew. It's better to collect more information."
'Information is like money—you can never have too much, and you never know when you'll desperately need what you don't have.'
"Then, do you regret paying 60 million for an outdated logbook?" Sanji pressed.
'Regret? That's a luxury I can't afford in this world.'
"No," I replied firmly. "It still offers immensely valuable information. And it's particularly helpful for our crew."
"Huh? Why?"
I looked up at him, noting the genuine curiosity in his expression.
'Sometimes I forget that underneath all the perverted antics, Sanji is actually quite intelligent.'
"Because this logbook is the culmination of a search for the All Blue, in regions all over the Grand Line," I explained. "This alone makes it priceless, and provides us with a huge advantage."
Sanji's expression hardened slightly.
"Humph, I don't need advantages. I'll find the All Blue by myself."
'And there's that pride again.'
"You're the last person who should say that, you idiot," I said bluntly.
His curly eyebrows rose at my directness.
'Sometimes you need to hit people over the head with the truth.'
"You inherited this dream from your mentor, even if you feign that you don't care about him, he obviously does." I continued, my pen never stopping its movement across the paper, remembering the promise I made to the old Baratie owner.
"And this logbook is the fruit of his efforts, will, and dreams. If there's anyone who should use this logbook, it should be you. As this isn't just your dream—it is his too, a sign of the bond both of your shares."
Sanji fell silent for a long moment, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
'Wrestling with pride and pragmatism, most likely. It's a familiar struggle.'
Finally, he clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Damn, you're making it hard to hate a bastard like you."
'I'll…take that as a compliment…I suppose…'
I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that particular admission, so I simply continued with my explanation.
"Moreover, I don't have high expectations for the information in this Marine base. But still, it's better to have it than not."
Information gathering is like building a house—every piece matters, even the ones that seem insignificant.
The map was nearly complete now, each room and corridor carefully detailed. Through my extended senses, I tracked Nami as she made her way around the base's perimeter, testing angles and looking for potential entry points.
She didn't find us at the place she left us, so she opened the compass and asked, "Where are you?"
I controlled the compass to give her our directions, which she followed with that confusing mood of hers.
A minute after I finished the last details on the map, Nami arrived. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from walking, and she had that satisfied look of someone who'd accomplished something big.
"I found a few places where I could sneak in from," she reported, settling down beside us.
"Good." I handed her the maps I'd drawn. "Here are the floor plans."
She took them from me, and her first comment made me want to roll my eyes.
"These maps are ugly."
'Of course, that's the first thing she notices. Not the incredible detail or the fact that I somehow mapped an entire building from an alleyway, but the artistic merit of my draftsmanship.'
"I apologize for my charting skills not being up to your professional standards," I replied with deliberate sarcasm. "But it's what we have to work with."
Nami smiled—not mockingly, but with genuine amusement. "They're ugly, but they have a lot of information. They're still very useful."
'Well, at least she appreciates function over form.'
She spread the maps out on the ground between us, studying them with the focused attention of a professional. After a few minutes, she pointed to several locations.
"These are the spots I identified as potential entry points," she said, indicating various windows and service entrances I'd marked on the maps.
I studied her selections, cross-referencing them with my knowledge of guard patterns and foot traffic.
"This one," I said, pointing to a service entrance on the east side. "It should be the least frequented by soldiers."
She nodded approvingly. "That's what I thought too." Then she pointed to several other locations scattered throughout the base. "These will be the 'Safe points'."
"Safe points?"
"I can't walk around the base carrying stolen items," she explained practically. "I'll need to hide them in secure locations so I can retrieve them later without drawing attention."
'Smart. Very smart, actually. It's the kind of thinking that separates professional thieves from amateurs.'
'Still, she is thinking about this from an individual point of view.'
"What if we change those 'Safe points' to 'Extraction points' instead?" I suggested. "We can make use of our useless cook here—"
"Oi!" Sanji protested indignantly.
"—so he can extract the materials from the base easily," I continued, ignoring his outburst. "More efficient than you having to make multiple trips."
Nami's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she actually laughed. "That's even better!"
Through my Mantra, I could feel the genuine joy radiating from her—not just satisfaction at solving a practical problem, but actual delight.
She was having fun with this whole operation. Even when she was approaching this professionally, she was still enjoying it.
I found myself smiling in response, caught up in her enthusiasm despite myself.
'I hate to admit it, but this is actually pretty interesting.'
The irony wasn't lost on me. Here I was, a former loner who'd spent most of his previous life avoiding exactly this kind of thing, and I was not only participating but actually enjoying it.
I don't know if it was genuine—I gave up on that long time ago—but this one isn't so bad after all.
'Maybe Luffy was right about something after all. Maybe being part of a crew doesn't have to mean losing yourself in the group dynamic.'
'Maybe it is just you having…friends…'
…
A/N: Alright, here is the chapter. Sorry for the delay.
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