The Thief Cat and the Captain Who Was "Willingly" Captured

Ten thousand meters above the ground.

Luffy was clamped in a giant bird's beak. Looking at the land below growing clearer and clearer, he wasn't afraid at all. Instead, he beamed with delight.

"Hehehe, I don't know where this is, but it looks pretty lively!"

Luffy turned to look at the bird still desperately flapping its wings and grinned.

"Let's stop here! Thanks, big bird!"

"Gum-Gum—"

Luffy took a deep breath. His arms suddenly stretched out, wrapping tightly around the bird's neck and body like two pythons, then squeezed hard!

"Caw?! (I'm going to die!!)"

The bird let out a miserable shriek. Overwhelmed by pain, its beak involuntarily fell open.

"See you!"

Luffy plummeted toward the ground like a meteor, whistling through the air.

"Waaaaah—!!"

Meanwhile, down below, on a street in Orange Town.

A pretty young girl with short orange hair was running breathlessly.

Behind her, three pirates wielding sabers and wearing clown makeup were hot on her heels.

"Stop! Hand over the treasure map!"

"You damned thief! You actually dared steal the map of the great Buggy!"

Nami gritted her teeth, her eyes darting around as she searched for a way out.

Just then, a sharp rush of wind came from overhead.

"Boom—!!"

A figure fell from the sky and crashed heavily into the ground before Nami, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The ground instantly cracked apart as though it had been struck by a cannonball.

The three pursuing pirates hurriedly slammed on the brakes in fright. "W-What was that?!"

As the dust settled, Luffy casually stood up, dusted off his Straw Hat, and shook his slightly dizzy head.

"Whoa... that was high. What an interesting trip."

Luffy looked around, then his gaze settled on the orange-haired girl before him. "Hm? Where is this?"

Nami froze for a moment, then her eyes shifted. A delighted expression instantly filled her face as she pointed at Luffy and shouted,

"Boss!! You finally came! You're here to protect me, right?"

"Huh?" Luffy looked completely baffled. "Boss? Who's that? I don't know you."

"I'll leave it to you, Boss! Please take care of these three guys!"

Nami didn't give Luffy any chance to explain. As soon as she finished speaking, she slipped away like a nimble cat, darting into a nearby alley.

"Hey! That woman got away!"

"It's that Straw Hat brat's fault for blocking our way!"

The three Buggy Pirates lackeys glared furiously at Luffy, waving their sabers.

"So she has an accomplice? If you're that woman's boss, then die!"

"I told you, I don't know her!"

Watching the three charge at him, Luffy sighed impatiently.

Facing the saber coming down at his head, he didn't even dodge. He simply threw a casual punch.

"Bang!"

The pirate in front was blasted away, man and saber alike, and embedded in the wall beside him.

"W-What?!" The remaining two were stunned.

"Gum-Gum—Pistol!!"

Luffy's arms shot out, his fists launching like bullets and striking the remaining two pirates squarely in the face.

"Pff!" "Pff!"

With two dull impacts, the pirates rolled their eyes and collapsed.

Watching secretly from the rooftop, Nami covered her mouth in shock at the sight and stopped running.

"He's so strong... he took them down in an instant..."

After hesitating for a moment, she jumped down from the roof and landed in front of Luffy.

"Um... thanks for earlier. Who are you, exactly?"

Luffy picked up the Straw Hat that had fallen to the ground and said as if it were obvious, "I'm Luffy, the man who's going to become King of the Pirates."

"A pirate?!" Nami's eyes turned cold, but she quickly concealed it.

"I'm Nami, a master thief who specializes in pirates. Hey, you seem pretty capable. Want to team up with me?"

"No." Luffy refused without hesitation. "I'm going to find my companions."

As soon as he said that, Luffy suddenly went limp. He slumped to the ground like a deflated balloon, while his stomach rumbled like thunder.

"Ah... I flew for too long just now and used up too much energy. I'm so hungry, I can't move..."

Seeing the fierce man who had just wiped out three pirates turn into a limp noodle, Nami couldn't help but laugh.

"You really are hopeless. Since you saved me, I'll treat you to a meal."

"Really?! Is there tasty meat?!" Luffy's eyes instantly lit up like searchlights.

A short while later, inside an empty residential restaurant.

Plates were piled high before Luffy as he wolfed down food, his cheeks stuffed like a squirrel's.

"Is this your house?" Luffy asked through a mouthful of food.

"No." Nami sat across from him, resting her chin on her hand as she looked out the window.

"The people in this town were afraid of Buggy the Clown, so they all fled to the shelter. This place is empty."

"Oh, then we're thieves stealing food." Luffy calmly commented while eating.

"How rude!" Nami slapped the table and corrected him. "I told you, I'm a thief who specializes in stealing pirate treasure! This is robbing the rich to help the poor!"

Luffy swallowed a huge piece of meat still on the bone and tilted his head. "But a thief is still a thief, isn't it?"

"Shut up!" Nami snapped, exasperated. "Anyway, I have to make one hundred million Beli, no matter what."

"One hundred million?!" Luffy's mouth fell open in surprise. "That's way too much, isn't it? What do you need so much money for?"

Nami's eyes darkened for an instant before her sly smile returned.

"That's a secret. But... with a map of the Grand Line, one hundred million Beli won't just be a dream anymore."

"A sea chart?!"

Those words struck a nerve in Luffy. He suddenly leaned close to Nami, his eyes shining. "You can read sea charts? You're a navigator?!"

"Of course. My navigation skills are top-notch," Nami said confidently.

"Great!!"

Luffy excitedly said to Nami, "Join my pirate crew! Be my navigator! I happen to need one!"

Then, with lingering fear on his face, Luffy complained,

"You have no idea, my first mate is a guy who only knows how to sleep and stare blankly into space."

"Without a navigator, we'll definitely starve to death at sea!"

"No!" Nami slapped Luffy's hand away, her expression turning cold. "You're a pirate, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Hehehe."

"Hmph, pirates are what I hate most in this world!" Nami said coldly. "There are only two things I like: money and oranges! Join a pirate crew? Don't even think about it!"

"You don't want to..." Luffy didn't press her. He shook his head and lowered his head to focus on the remaining food. "What a shame."

Just then, noisy footsteps and shouting came from outside.

"Hey! Still haven't found that female thief?!"

"Where did she go? Captain Buggy is furious!"

Nami's expression changed, and her eyes turned once more toward Luffy, who was still stuffing his face.

A bold plan surfaced in her mind.

"Hey, Luffy."

Nami suddenly put on a sweet smile and leaned close to Luffy's ear.

"If you help me with something, I can consider... joining you."

"Really?!" Luffy instantly looked up and asked in delight.

"Of course! I want you to come with me and meet that pirate, Buggy." Nami smiled sweetly. "But... you'll have to suffer a little."

As she spoke, she produced a thick hemp rope as if by magic.

Five minutes later.

Nami dragged the tightly bound Luffy out of the restaurant.

"Why do you have to tie me up?" Though bound, Luffy remained calm and was even still chewing the meat in his mouth.

"Um... it's a special ritual..." Nami answered vaguely. "You don't mind, right?"

Luffy thought about it and decided that made perfect sense.

"Hmm... whatever. I want to meet this Buggy too. Let's go!"

Looking at the boy who was almost too innocent, Nami felt a flash of guilt, but it was quickly crushed beneath her obsession with one hundred million Beli.

"I'm sorry... but for that village, I have to do this."

Meanwhile, at the docks of Orange Town.

A shabby little wooden boat finally reached shore.

"Phew... we finally made it."

Zoro jumped onto land and stretched his body. "Where the hell is Luffy?"

Victor stood up and adjusted his collar.

He glanced at the three pirate "laborers" preparing to sneak away, a smile curling across his lips.

"Bang!"

Victor mercilessly kicked one of them in the backside, sending him sprawling to the ground.

He looked down at the three trembling pirates.

"Hey, did I say you could leave?"

"Lead the way."

Victor pointed at the huge tent in the center of town, where a pirate flag hung. "Take us to meet your... clown captain."

Hearing the word "clown," the three pirates went pale with terror and dropped to their knees, desperately kowtowing.

"Sir!! Please, we told you that you must never say that word!!"

"If Captain Buggy hears it, we'll all be blown to ashes!!"

Victor smiled unconcernedly, a red glint flashing through his eyes.

"You will, not us."

"Come on, Zoro. Let's see whether our captain is causing trouble for someone again."