A Thief Who Specialized in Robbing Pirates

"That's right! You came to save me, didn't you? Then I'll leave these guys to you!" Nami could not be bothered to argue over what Luffy had called her. She pointed at the Buggy Pirates' lackeys and quickly slipped away.

"Hey! If you're that woman's captain, we'll capture you first! Then we'll make her hand over the sea chart!" The Buggy Pirates' lackeys turned their attention to Luffy.

"Ah, I'm starving..." Luffy clutched his stomach and complained, looking utterly drained.

"Bastard! I'm talking to you!" One of the pirates roared in anger and punched Luffy's straw hat right off his head.

"Don't touch my treasure!" Luffy's arm suddenly stretched out, snatching his hat back. His eyes turned fiercely sharp.

Having angered Luffy, the lackeys were naturally dealt with with ease.

"Wow, you're really strong!" Nami, who had fled to a nearby rooftop to watch in secret, cried out in delight after witnessing Luffy's strength firsthand.

"I'm Nami, a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates. Want to work together?" After seeing Luffy's abilities, Nami—who had originally only wanted the Grand Line sea chart—now set her sights on the Buggy Pirates' treasure as well.

"No. I don't want to work with you." Luffy glanced at Nami and turned to leave.

"Don't say that! I'll treat you to a meal!" Nami put on a gentle smile.

"Really?!" Luffy's face lit up with joy.

"Delicious!" Inside a nearby house, Luffy swallowed an entire burger in one bite and grinned happily.

"Do you live in such a big place all by yourself?" Luffy looked around curiously as he asked Nami.

"No, I'm not from this town. Everyone fled because they were afraid of Buggy," Nami explained.

"So you broke into an empty house," Luffy said bluntly, as usual.

"How rude! I'm a thief who specializes in stealing pirates' money! Don't lump me together with ordinary burglars!" Nami protested indignantly.

"But a thief is still a thief, right?" Luffy casually replied as he chewed a mouthful of food.

"I have to save up one hundred million Beli! With this Grand Line sea chart, I can definitely do it!" Nami said firmly, her expression resolute.

"A sea chart? You're a navigator?" Luffy's expression immediately changed.

"I'm far better than an ordinary navigator." Nami was brimming with confidence when it came to her navigation skills.

"Then join my pirate crew and be our navigator!" Remembering what Rayson had said—that they needed an exceptional navigator to venture across this magnificent sea—Luffy immediately extended an invitation.

"Absolutely not! So you're a pirate too! I hate pirates most of all!" Nami's face instantly darkened.

Rayson's face flashed through her mind as well.

At first, she had thought Rayson's strange behavior aboard the ship meant he was in the same line of work as her.

She had never expected that guy to be a pirate too!

"Oh, is that so?" Luffy did not press her and simply lowered his head to continue devouring his food.

After learning that Luffy was a pirate, Nami dropped the subject of working together and prepared to leave.

But when she reached the window and saw Buggy's pirates patrolling outside, an idea suddenly struck her. She turned to look at Luffy.

"However... if you agree to one condition, I might consider it." Nami gave him a sly smile.

"Really?! I'll agree to any condition!" Luffy shouted excitedly.

"All right. Then you have to come with me to see Buggy." Nami took out a rope and swiftly tied Luffy up.

"Why are you tying me up?" Luffy looked utterly confused.

"Is there a problem?" Seeing Luffy securely bound, Nami's eyes curved into crescents.

Nami was kind by nature. Otherwise, she would not have specifically targeted pirates in order to gather one hundred million Beli.

But when it came to deceiving pirates, she did not feel the slightest bit guilty.

"No problem! I wanted to meet pirates anyway! Let's go!" Luffy flashed a grin, his smile unusually carefree.

Meanwhile, Buggy was flying into a rage because the thief had not been caught yet.

"Captain Buggy!" One of the pirate lackeys came scrambling over, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"What is it?" Buggy snapped. The stolen sea chart had made him especially furious; it was vitally important to him.

"The thief! She came back on her own!" the lackey shouted.

"What did you say?" Buggy's eyes widened in disbelief.

Looking in that direction, he saw the thief escorting a straw-hatted boy who had been tightly bound.

"It's them! That woman stole the sea chart!" Another Buggy Pirate pointed at Nami and shouted.

Smack! Nami remained perfectly calm. With a forceful shove, she pushed the bound Luffy to the ground.

"I brought the thief back for you, Captain Buggy the Clown! And I'm returning the sea chart too!" Nami held up the sea chart in her hand.

"How considerate of you to return it. But why did you suddenly change your mind?" Buggy took the sea chart and gave Nami an eerie sneer.

"I had a falling-out with my captain! I've had enough of him! Please let me join the Buggy Pirates!" Nami shouted, pretending to be enthusiastic.

This was Nami adapting to the situation. Surrounded by Buggy's men, escape was impossible.

So she decided to use this pirate and the sea chart to earn Buggy's trust, then find a chance to steal the chart back and escape.

"Hm?" Rage suddenly rose in Buggy's eyes upon hearing her words.

"C-Captain Buggy is angry!"

"He's going to use his Devil Fruit powers!" The surrounding Buggy Pirates looked terrified.

"Devil Fruit powers?" Luffy blinked from where he lay on the ground.

Could this guy named Buggy be a Devil Fruit user too?

"Hahaha!" The next second, Buggy burst out laughing instead.

"You couldn't stand that guy anymore? You're an interesting woman! Fine! You may join!" Buggy laughed heartily.

Nami's eyes curved into crescents as she gave him a sweet smile.

Mission accomplished! Pirates really were simple-minded fools who were easy to trick.

Afterward, Buggy's men carried Luffy away and locked him inside an iron cage.

"Why are you locking me up?!" Luffy shouted.

But nobody paid him any attention.

"I'm in a good mood today! Woman, what's your name?" Buggy asked Nami.

"Nami," she answered with a smile.

"Good! Men, throw Nami a welcome party! Make it a grand celebration!" Buggy spread his arms and laughed boldly.

"Ooooh!" Buggy's men cheered in unison.

The place was soon filled with food and alcohol.

Pirates had always celebrated with feasts and revelry.

"What's wrong? Eat up! This is your welcome banquet!" Buggy urged Nami, who was sitting across from him.

"All right! Thank you very much!" Nami replied with a smile.

Having successfully infiltrated them, Nami was already plotting how to steal back the sea chart, along with all the treasure Buggy had amassed.