My Name Is Carina

Arlong covered one eye with a hand and burst into loud laughter. Only when Kuroobi beside him began to look uneasy did he finally force himself to stop.

"Eighty-five million?!"

"In a place like the New World, a bounty like that wouldn't even be enough to hold up a Jolly Roger."

"Besides, even if I don't want to admit it, my Wanted Poster hasn't gone up all these years because of that guy and Rat. Otherwise, it would've surpassed that number long ago..."

"What kind of strong fighters could a barren place like the East Blue possibly produce? Humans who were born to be enslaved by fish-men..."

Arlong gave a disdainful laugh.

Kuroobi nodded as well.

They had been in the East Blue for years.

Countless great pirates who ruled over their own territories had faced the fish-men's sharp teeth and claws, only to end in crushing defeat.

Their endless string of victories had given them unimaginable confidence.

"But such a high bounty, and in the East Blue..."

Arlong frowned slightly. Out of caution, he took the Wanted Poster from Kuroobi. After a brief pause, a teasing smile curled across his lips.

"I know who this guy is."

"Knight Gawain, formerly a knight of the Goa Kingdom. I heard he slept with the Queen and ended up wanted for it. Back then, the underground world had once put a fifty-million-Berry bounty on him."

"The sudden increase in his bounty might be related to that too. After all, what kingdom noble in the East Blue doesn't have ties to the Marines?!"

Kuroobi nodded. Hearing Arlong say that, he finally relaxed. Looking carefully at the Wanted Poster, he suddenly realized something.

"Is he the... inspiration for Chew's favorite movie?!"

"Ah~"

Arlong bared his teeth in a savage grin.

"Once Nami's matter is settled, we'll pay that place a visit. After all, that head is worth eighty-five million~"

"Shahahahahaha~"

Piercing laughter rang out from the office. The humans passing nearby quietly lowered their heads and hurried away.

A few days later.

East Blue.

The wind was gentle, the waves calm, and the sky clear and vast. A small Pirate Ship sailed across the sea.

Above its sails.

A Jolly Roger bearing a skull over a round shield stood out vividly.

The moment pirates familiar with the East Blue saw that flag, they would flee in terror.

Its owner was none other than the man with the highest bounty in the East Blue, a man even faintly known as the Strongest Swordsman in the East Blue.

Knight Gawain.

Gawain sat on the deck, watching the rolling sea in the distance, though his attention was focused on the System Panel.

Recently.

Kuro and Akin had secretly begun competing with each other. Even while sailing, they trained separately in the activity room.

If you trained for twelve hours, I would train for thirteen. As long as they didn't train themselves to death, they would push themselves to death.

Naturally, their tireless efforts only benefited Gawain in the end.

In just one week, his Physique gained over a thousand experience points. Shave and Observation Haki had also improved considerably.

There was still a clear distance before they leveled up, but who wouldn't love such hardworking employees?

The only downside was that the massive consumption from training had multiplied the two men's appetites several times over.

As a direct result, the food supplies aboard the ship were running low.

A pirate dressed like a cook hurried out of the cabin, looking somewhat troubled as he spoke to Gawain.

"Captain, our remaining food will only last three days. If we keep sailing without resupplying, I'm afraid..."

Gawain nodded.

"It's not a problem."

"There's a port within a few hundred nautical miles. It isn't under Marine control. We'll head there to replenish our food and fresh water."

"Yes."

The cook finally let out a breath of relief. He nodded, then returned to the cabin to prepare that evening's dinner.

The ship changed course and headed toward nearby Dia Port.

The sky gradually darkened, when a pirate standing in the crow's nest suddenly cried out.

"Captain, there's a small boat over there!"

"Damn it, how can something like that possibly sail on the sea?!"

"It's a woman!"

Hearing this, Gawain looked into the distance.

At the edge of his vision.

A young girl sat in a small boat. She looked about fifteen or sixteen, with an innocent face and short orange hair.

With Gawain's eyesight, he could even see her pale complexion and cracked lips. She had clearly gone without water for some time. If she did not receive supplies soon, death was only a matter of time.

Gawain paused before finally connecting the girl before him to the image in his memory.

"Compared to how I remember her, she looks much younger, but there's no mistake. It's Nami."

"This really fell right into my lap."

A smile touched Gawain's lips as he turned to the helmsman.

"Pull alongside her!"

A few minutes later.

Nami sat on the deck, gulping down several large bowls of fresh water. After eating some bread and oranges, she finally let out a long breath.

"I'm saved~"

Only then did she turn to Gawain beside her, a seductive look appearing on her face.

"Thank you, handsome~"

"As long as I can repay you, I'll do anything~"

Gawain glanced at Nami's flat chest and immediately lost all interest.

"If you want to repay me, why not join my pirate crew? I need an excellent navigator."

Nami froze slightly.

He knows about me?

No, only the Arlong Pirates and the people in the village know that I draw sea charts for Arlong. I must be mistaken.

Still.

She had not found Carina, and this pirate crew probably had plenty of treasure. Perhaps it would be enough to gather the ransom she needed to pay Arlong.

With that thought.

Nami secretly clenched her teeth, but put on an infatuated expression as she looked at Gawain.

"It would be my honor to serve such a handsome captain."

"What's your name?"

A smile curled across Nami's lips.

"My name is Carina~"

Gawain instantly understood what Nami was planning.

The corner of his mouth twitched.

You pulled this once, and now you're doing it again?

You really think I'm some fat sheep, huh?

But a monk may run away, yet the temple remains. As long as you can't leave Cocoyasi, you can't escape my grasp.

A faint smile appeared on Gawain's face as he said,

"My name is Lancelot."

The people who had just stepped onto the deck froze slightly, but none of them interrupted Gawain.

Kuro, who was familiar with Gawain's habits, even stepped forward and nodded at Nami.

"My name is Locke. I'm the First Mate of this pirate crew."

Then, before Gawain could interrupt, Kuro continued.

"We had a great battle with the pirate Gawain in the waters behind us. Luckily, we escaped quickly and didn't suffer too many casualties."

Gawain: "..."

Fine, fine, so that's how we're playing this?!

Just you wait. Next time, I definitely won't let you speak first.

Ignoring Gawain's murderous glare, Kuro quietly retreated behind Akin.

What happened last time had left too large a psychological shadow on him, making him faintly wary of Gawain's methods.

And now that he saw this.

Heh.

Just as expected~

Akin looked at the two men's strange expressions. Especially after hearing the familiar lines, the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. He introduced himself.

"My name is Agin. I'm the combat captain of this pirate crew."

Nami looked at the three of them gratefully before her gaze settled on Gawain.

"Captain, why do I feel like you look familiar?"

"Do I?"

Gawain reached up and touched his face. Worried that Nami might notice something, he instinctively explained.

"People used to say I looked like a movie star."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Nami nodded repeatedly.

"It's that... the male lead from The Charming Queen and the Loyal Knight!"