Nami's Plea for Help

Luo Ya tightened his grip on the wolf fang club. A bloodthirsty red gleam flashed in his eyes as the muscles in his arms swelled, vicious veins bulging across his skin.

Like a demon!

"Stooop!!!"

Amid Buggy's terrified scream, the spike-covered wolf fang club swung with all its might at Buggy's lower body as it flew low to the ground!

Martial Art: Home Run!

Chop-Chop Emergency Escape!

At the brink of death, his rapidly spinning lower body split apart, trying to evade the wolf fang club's trajectory. However, driven by inertia, the separated body parts still flew toward Luo Ya.

And Luo Ya had already locked onto his target!

The thick end of the wolf fang club carried an unstoppable, terrifying force as it smashed heavily into the space between Buggy's legs!

"Bang!!!"

A direct hit!

"Wooo-cheep-cheep!!!"

Floating in midair, Buggy's cheeks stretched to twice their original length. Even his scream became shrill and thin, like a bird's cry.

The hands that had been waiting for a chance to ambush Luo Ya also lost their strength and dropped to the ground, convulsing violently alongside Buggy's upper body.

Then—

"Whoosh!"

His lower body shot away in a streak of light and slammed into the cliff behind him, kicking up a cloud of dust. It should have been agonizing, but compared to the direct injury inflicted by the wolf fang club, it was insignificant.

"Drip... drip..."

Blood continually dripped from the spikes of the wolf fang club onto the ground.

Seeing this, the Marines behind them instinctively clamped their legs together and sucked in a breath of cold air.

That... had to be shattered, right?

"Whew..."

Luo Ya rested the wolf fang club on his shoulder and let out a satisfied breath.

Whether it was a Devil Fruit ability or a special attack, it was usually most effective the first time it was used.

Catch the enemy off guard and take them down in one blow.

Smash their pelvis to pieces!

Once the enemy was prepared, recreating that attack would be nearly impossible. But judging by Buggy's agonized, curled-up state, a second swing did not seem necessary.

"Eh?!"

"You despicable Marine, huff... hah... don't think you can defeat me like this!"

To Luo Ya's surprise, Buggy actually staggered to his feet. His separated body parts flew back to his side and reassembled.

However, his trembling body and blood-soaked lower half made it clear that Buggy was only putting up a brave front.

Such severe injuries could not possibly leave his combat ability unaffected.

Cold sweat covered Buggy's face. He used all his strength to raise his right arm, bracing his shoulder with his left hand as he took aim. His right fist, clamped around four throwing knives, pointed at Luo Ya.

This was his final attack!

Chop-Chop Cannon!

His right forearm shot forward, as fast as a cannonball fired from a cannon.

"A futile struggle."

Luo Ya shook his head. The wolf fang club spun once in his hand before he gripped it tightly and swung straight ahead, instantly shattering the four throwing knives before smashing into Buggy's fist without losing momentum!

"Crack!"

Bone shattered!

"Arghhh!!!"

Buggy screamed and rolled across the ground. His five fingers twisted grotesquely, and his right arm, its bones pulverized inside, fell beside him.

"Bang!"

The wolf fang club plunged into the ground beside his head, cutting off Buggy's screams.

"Captain Buggy!"

Seeing Captain Buggy defeated, Cabaji and Mochi were thrown into turmoil, losing all their earlier composure in battle.

They were full of openings!

Pirates without their captain were no match for anyone.

Iron Fist!

One, Two, Jango!

Rain Curtain: Chaos!

In an instant, Fullbody, Jango, and Isca seized their chance at victory and unleashed everything they had.

Mochi took a punch to the head, leaving his skull covered in cracks. The lion Riki was hypnotized and fell asleep alongside Jango, while Isca's blade stabbed Cabaji like raindrops.

They had won.

"Tie them up!"

"Yes, sir!"

Unlike those small Pirate crews with bounties below ten million Beli, the Buggy Pirates were truly one of the East Blue's overlords.

Capturing them was more valuable than killing them outright, especially for Luo Ya's influence within the Marines.

Only achievements people saw would be remembered.

Besides, Luo Ya had some intelligence he wanted to get from Buggy.

"Clean up the battlefield and prepare to move out!"

"Yes, sir!"

The most important targets had already been captured. There was no need to linger; this voyage had accomplished its mission perfectly.

Soon, Fullbody and Jango escorted a girl before Luo Ya.

"Second Lieutenant Luo Ya, we caught a thief!"

"A thief?"

Luo Ya was somewhat baffled.

Fullbody explained, "When we were cleaning up the battlefield, we found her beside the treasure chests. She had opened one of them too."

"I see."

She had come to steal the treasure?

Unfortunately, aside from the genuine valuables in a few small chests, the large chest contained nothing but worthless rocks.

Luo Ya looked at the girl. She seemed somewhat familiar.

"What's your name?"

"Nami."

Nami was in a daze.

She had taken a tremendous risk and carefully infiltrated the battlefield, only to find rocks after opening the large chest.

All her expectations had been shattered.

The blow was so great that she had even forgotten to run.

"Nami."

Luo Ya stared at the girl, especially her short orange-red hair.

"You're from Cocoyasi Village?"

"How did you know?"

Nami froze. She was only an unknown little thief who stole solely from Pirates. The Marines should not have known about her, much less her hometown.

"It's nothing."

Luo Ya shook his head.

It really was Nami.

Perhaps it was luck. He had first encountered Zoro, then Nami. Oh, and Usopp from Syrup Village too.

Thinking about it, Zoro and the others were all active around the 153rd Branch. They had not exactly kept a low profile, so it was only a matter of time before he encountered them.

Luo Ya waved a hand.

"Let her go."

Theft was not a serious crime. Even if they took her back, she would only be locked up for a few days. Besides, Nami had targeted the "treasure" Buggy found, so strictly speaking, it did not count as a crime.

As for recruiting her—

Luo Ya glanced back at Nami.

The girl looked only thirteen or fourteen. She was too young, and she might not be able to endure the hardships of training.

And there was also Arlong's coercion—

Nami watched Luo Ya leave. Recalling how effortlessly he had captured Buggy, a glimmer of hope suddenly rose in her heart.

If it was him!

"Please wait, Marine!"

Nami ran in front of Luo Ya and spread her arms to block his path.

"A powerful, evil Pirate crew has entrenched itself in my hometown, Cocoyasi Village. They rule twenty nearby villages through force. Anyone who dares resist them is killed."

Tears filled Nami's eyes as she spoke of the Arlong Pirates' countless crimes, as well as the deaths of her adoptive mother and the villagers.

The Marines had once sent a warship, but they were no match for the Arlong Pirates. After that, the 16th Branch near Cocoyasi Village never again tried to subjugate the Arlong Pirates.

She could only place her hopes on gathering one hundred million Beli.

But now, perhaps the Marine before her could destroy the Arlong Pirates.

Nami pleaded hopefully, "You're very strong, right? Please, can you destroy the Arlong Pirates and save my hometown!"

"..."

Luo Ya fell silent for a long time before slowly shaking his head.

He could not do it for now. Nor could he risk getting all his subordinates killed by forcibly going after the Arlong Pirates.

Whether it was Kuro or Buggy, he had confidence in facing them. Both had obvious weaknesses and were not so powerful that they could not be defeated.

But Arlong was different.

That man was truly powerful.

The Fish-Man Race was born with ten times the strength of humans, and Arlong was among the best of them. He had once been the third-in-command of the Sun Pirates, second only to Tiger and Jinbe.

His bounty was only twenty million, but that was because the East Blue's ceiling was simply that low. If Arlong ventured onto the Grand Line, his bounty could easily double.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do it right now."

Luo Ya sighed and walked past the stunned Nami. But after taking only two steps, he stopped of his own accord.

He was unwilling to accept it!

He was not unwilling because he could not help Nami; they were not close enough for that. He was unwilling to accept his own weakness.

Including the three months he had spent working at the tavern, he had been in this world for nearly a year. Yet now, he was merely a somewhat well-known Marine from the countryside.

He even shrank back at the thought of facing Arlong!

His goal of becoming a Marine Admiral remained far beyond reach, while only four years remained of the deadline he had set for himself.

Luo Ya took a deep breath.

"Give me some time, little girl."

"One year, at most one year!"

"Within a year, I'll destroy the Arlong Pirates!"