Xia Chen walked up to the piled treasure.
The treasure was stacked neatly, as though someone had sorted it.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared behind Xia Chen.
Holding a staff, the shadow swung it hard at Xia Chen's neck.
The sound of the staff cutting through empty air made the shadow tremble involuntarily.
"W-where did he go?"
"Say, miss, attacking people from behind isn't a very good habit!"
The voice that suddenly came from behind startled the shadow.
She hurriedly turned around and backed away several steps.
Then her figure gradually came into view.
Orange hair, a blue-and-white shirt, and yellow shorts.
Who else could it be but Nami?
As Nami looked at Xia Chen smiling faintly across from her, a drop of cold sweat trickled down her forehead.
An emotion called fear rose within her.
She hadn't seen how the man before her had disappeared at all.
In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through her mind.
Oh no, she just ambushed him. He wouldn't kill her, would he?
If he really attacked her, she wouldn't be able to fight back at all!
What should she do? What should she do?!
Hmm? Wait, I've got it!
An expression so pitiful it could melt anyone's heart suddenly appeared on Nami's face.
She said to Xia Chen pleadingly:
"I really didn't mean to ambush you just now. I thought you were one of those bad Marines from this base!"
"You know, I'm just a girl. I couldn't even truss a chicken."
"If those Marines caught me, I'd be done for. That's why I did it."
"Could you please forgive me?"
Her words positively brimmed with sincerity.
But Xia Chen said nothing, still watching her with a faint smile. He thought:
You might fool Luffy with that, but fooling me... you're probably a little short of the mark!
Still, since Nami enjoyed acting so much, there seemed to be no harm in playing along. So Xia Chen put on a sinister air and said:
"You... how do you know I'm not a Marine here?"
"Heh heh heh!"
"(⊙o⊙)..."
Nami was instantly at a loss for words.
Was she supposed to say that before coming in to steal-oh, no, take-the treasure...
She had staked this place out for a while and had never seen him?
Hmm...
That excuse didn't seem like it would work!
While Nami was still trying to think of a good excuse, Xia Chen interrupted her thoughts.
"All right, enough about that."
"I'm a generous man, so I'll let your ambush slide."
"Now let's get down to business!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you're here to steal treasure, right?"
"You too?" Nami asked curiously.
"No!"
"Then what are you here for?"
"I'm here to receive aid!"
"Huh??? What do you mean?" Nami was baffled.
"I mean, I need this treasure to give me a little financial aid. Get it?"
"So, when all's said and done, we're... fellow travelers?" Nami finally managed to squeeze out.
This was the first time she'd ever heard someone make stealing sound so refined.
She'd learned something!
From now on, she'd go receive aid more often too!
"You're not wrong!" Xia Chen said mildly.
"So..."
"I'm taking the treasure here. Any objections?"
"What?!" Nami's expression instantly soured.
She had just worked so hard to move all this treasure here and sort it out.
She had been getting ready to carry it all out shortly.
Then an uninvited guest had appeared out of nowhere, intent on claiming the fruits of her labor for himself.
But... what could she do?
o(╥﹏╥)o!
She couldn't go losing her life here. Everyone was still waiting for her to save them!
So she could only force a strained smile.
"N-no objections!"
Xia Chen watched Nami's expression with an ambiguous smile.
Knowing Nami's personality as well as he did, he knew her heart practically had to be bleeding for her to make this decision.
She simply had no choice but to do it!
"Actually, it's not like I can't give you this treasure!" Xia Chen said with a faint smile.
o_o ...
(☆▽☆)!
"R-really?" An excited smile spread across Nami's face.
She had thought all this treasure would slip through her fingers, but she hadn't expected to still have a chance to get it in the end.
"Then... what would it take for you to give it to me?"
"Simple. You just need to agree to one condition!"
"A condition?" Nami was a little puzzled. Then, when she saw the ambiguous smile Xia Chen was giving her...
She instantly crossed her arms over her chest and shouted furiously:
"Forget it! Absolutely not!"
Xia Chen: ???
I haven't even said anything yet!
Seeing Nami's gesture, he knew what she was thinking. Black lines appeared on his forehead.
"I'm not interested in flat chests, okay?"
Honestly, he really wasn't interested in Nami at this age.
Her figure was a far cry from what it would be two years later. If it were Nami from two years later, he might consider it.
Nami's figure two years later was incredibly good, and her bosom had grown more expansive too.
"Phew~ that's good!" Nami patted her chest and let out a relieved breath.
"Even if you are handsome, I'm not that kind of girl!"
"Stop, stop, stop!"
"Keep talking like that and I won't give it to you!"
At Xia Chen's words, Nami, who had been about to say more, immediately shut her mouth and mimed zipping it closed.
"Listen, the condition I want you to agree to is..."
"Agree to one condition of mine!"
Nami: ???
Are you playing tongue twisters with me?
Perhaps Xia Chen also felt that his wording was a little ambiguous, because he continued:
"I mean, agree to one condition of mine, but I haven't thought of it yet. I'll tell you when I do."
"Of course, it'll be something within your capabilities!"
"How about it?"
"Hmm?"
(☆▽☆)!
"Sure, sure!"
Nami nodded like a woodpecker.
What a joke. Of course she'd agree!
Wasn't this just an empty promise?
Later?
Who knew whether he'd even run into her later!
At that thought, Nami immediately cheered up.
After all those twists and turns, the treasure had ended up back in her hands.
There had been a little hiccup along the way!
But it was no big deal. In the end, she still hadn't paid any price.
Seeing how happy Nami looked, Xia Chen had a pretty good idea of what she was thinking.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
Nami, you won't get away!
"All right, I'll be off, then. Help yourself!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Chen vanished from the spot.
Nami, left standing there, couldn't help feeling her heart skip a beat.
Once again, he had disappeared before she could see a thing.
Suddenly, she regretted agreeing so quickly. What would she do if she ran into him later?
Forget it, forget it. Won't it be fine as long as I don't run into him again?
Once I've saved up a hundred million and given it to Arlong, I'll stay in Cocoyasi Village and never leave.
I won't go anywhere. I refuse to believe he could somehow know I'm in Cocoyasi Village.
Having sorted that out, Nami turned to look at the treasure covering the floor.
Her eyes instantly turned into Beli symbols!
What a haul!!!