Tashigi, Companion +1

East Blue, Loguetown, Marine Base.

Luo Wen and Nami dragged a large sack over to the Marines. Inside were the Arlong Pirates.

To capture these guys, Luo Wen had even left his greatsword on the ship.

"Mr. Luo Wen, this is the full bounty for the Arlong Pirates, totaling 45 million Beli."

A Marine respectfully handed over a box and counted out its contents for Luo Wen to see.

"Not bad."

Luo Wen accepted the box and nodded in satisfaction.

He had already spent all his Beli. Raising his role-playing progress by even a little now required 100 million Beli.

These 45 million Beli would do nicely as pocket money.

"Nami, take these two million Beli and go buy yourself something."

Luo Wen generously handed Nami two stacks of Beli, all in ten-thousand-denomination notes.

To him, Beli did not really amount to much.

If it could not be used to improve his strength, it was no better than scrap paper.

And two million Beli only looked intimidating. It was not actually that much.

Compared to the purchasing power of the real world, it was only around 120,000 RMB.

"Luo Wen, you're so nice!"

Nami's eyes lit up. She wrapped her arms around Luo Wen's neck and kissed him on the cheek.

She had possessed the enormous sum of 100 million Beli before, but all of it had been meant to save her village. She had never truly spent so much on herself even once.

"Then I'm off to shop."

Nami ran off with a flushed face. She was naturally lively and bold.

But this was her first close contact with a man, so she could not help feeling a little shy.

"Hehe, that was unexpectedly nice."

Feeling the lingering warmth on his cheek, Luo Wen's mood brightened as well.

Girls like Nami were always endearing.

"Since I'm already here, I might as well stroll around too."

Carrying his Beli, Luo Wen wandered through the streets, sweeping up all kinds of street food.

"This feels great!"

After biting into a skewer of grilled meat and feeling the burst of juices in his mouth, Luo Wen could not help narrowing his eyes.

Suddenly, a soft, warm body bumped into him.

Luo Wen could even feel an astonishing elasticity pressing against his chest.

Seriously? Getting body-slammed with boobs?

Luo Wen's mind filled with question marks. In broad daylight, too—was this some kind of fan service?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Tashigi spoke in a flustered tone and bowed stiffly to Luo Wen.

But as she bent over, the red-framed glasses perched on her nose slipped to the ground again.

"Huh?! My glasses, my glasses!"

Tashigi's vision went blurry, and she frantically felt around on the ground.

"Sigh."

Luo Wen sighed. So beauties who were complete klutzes really did exist.

Luo Wen picked up the glasses by Tashigi's feet, caught the hand she was wildly groping around with, and gently placed them into it.

"Th-thank you!"

Tashigi hurriedly put on her glasses and thanked Luo Wen with a bright red face.

"You're welcome, miss clumsy Marine."

Luo Wen looked at Tashigi before him, a faint smile curling his lips.

What should he do? He suddenly wanted this crewmate.

"I'm not clumsy!?"

Tashigi blushed furiously and wanted to retort loudly, but she lacked the confidence.

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was barely a whisper.

"I'm usually very reliable~"

This was way too embarrassing!

Tashigi lowered her head, staring at the tips of her shoes. Her toes curled nonstop, embarrassed enough to dig herself a three-bedroom apartment.

"Alright, I believe you."

Luo Wen nodded lightly, without the slightest trace of teasing.

He knew Tashigi rather well.

She was a beautiful girl with an intense sense of justice and extraordinary courage.

"Really? Thank you!"

Tashigi was overjoyed and could not help bowing again.

As Tashigi bent down, the red-framed glasses she had just put back on were about to slip off again.

It's over. This is so humiliating!

Tashigi sensed what was coming and closed her eyes.

She never would have imagined that she could suffer such a social death twice in such a short time!

Yet she did not hear the expected sound of her glasses falling. They were still on her face.

Tashigi opened her eyes and saw two slender fingers holding up her glasses, keeping them from falling.

"Huh!?"

Tashigi looked up in surprise and met Luo Wen's smiling gaze.

Looking at Luo Wen's ruggedly handsome face, an inexplicable flutter rose in her heart.

"Thank you. My name is Tashigi, a Marine chief petty officer."

Tashigi extended her right hand to Luo Wen. She wanted to be friends with this man.

"You're welcome. I'm Luo Wen, merely a Bounty Hunter."

Luo Wen took Tashigi's right hand and introduced himself as well.

Luo Wen, a Bounty Hunter!?

That name, that outfit, and that greatsword.

The details she had ignored out of embarrassment all connected at once.

"Y-you're Luo Wen, the strongest Bounty Hunter in the East Blue!"

Tashigi's mouth fell open as she stared at Luo Wen in astonishment.

The random person she had bumped into on the street was actually the East Blue's strongest Bounty Hunter.

From the moment Luo Wen had helped keep her glasses in place, she had known he was no ordinary person.

But she never could have imagined that this man was the legendary strongest Bounty Hunter of the East Blue.

"So I'm this famous among the Marines too?"

Luo Wen had not expected that even Tashigi, who came from Marine Headquarters, had heard of him.

"Of course. Every Marine in the East Blue knows you. The East Blue Governor has ordered us to do everything we can to recruit you into the Marines."

Tashigi looked at Luo Wen. Clearly, she also hoped he could become her comrade.

"Forget it. I still don't like being tied down."

Luo Wen shook his head. Now that he had transmigrated here, there was no way he wanted to keep working for someone else.

With his immense strength, would it not be better to build a powerful force of his own and be the boss?

"What a shame. I thought we might be able to fight together."

Tashigi's face was full of regret.

She had read the newspapers and knew that Luo Wen's strength was unfathomable.

Now that she had met him, he was also so gentle and handsome in person.

She did not even dare imagine how happy and secure she would feel fighting alongside Luo Wen as comrades.

"Join my team, and we can still fight side by side."

Luo Wen invited Tashigi to join him.

The Marines wanted to recruit him, and he wanted to poach someone from the Marines too.

Looking for companions among pirates was like panning for gold in a pile of shit.

There were indeed some good ones, but every last one of them was a rare creature.

The Marines were better. Most of them belonged to the kind and lawful camp, and their skills were already trained. He could put them to work right away after bringing them over.

"Huh, me!?"

"I want to collect every famous sword and never let pirates use them to commit evil."

"I'll use my salary to buy every famous sword!"

Tashigi was tempted for a moment, but she still refused.

"With a Marine's salary, you'll never achieve that dream in your lifetime."

Luo Wen was telling the truth. The famous swords in the pirate world, all put together, could buy a Roger.

With the salary of a Marine chief petty officer like Tashigi, she had no hope of it in this lifetime.

At the same time, Luo Wen silently opened the box in his hand.

Of the 45 million Beli he had just received, he had given Nami two million as spending money, leaving 43 million Beli.

Stacks upon stacks of Beli lay neatly arranged in the box, giving off the scent of fresh ink.

No, that was the fragrance of money!

Tashigi's eyes went wide. How many famous swords could all that money buy?!

"Every famous sword is a swordsman's life. Very few people are willing to sell them."

Luo Wen's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Tashigi.

Tashigi's spirits sank, and for a moment she did not know what to do.

"I'm heading to the Grand Line soon. There are far more famous swords there than in the East Blue."

"Follow me and hunt pirates. We'll take the famous swords back from the hands of evildoers."

Luo Wen wore a smile, like a devil tempting someone astray.

"Be good. Join my team."

Luo Wen extended his right hand and invited Tashigi once again.

Tashigi's expression shifted repeatedly before she finally made her decision.

"Then, Mr. Luo Wen, please take care of me!"

She took Luo Wen's right hand, her tone incredibly firm.

Looking at the determined Tashigi before him, Luo Wen smiled faintly.

Harem +1.

Oh no, companion +1!