An atmosphere of uncertainty filled Kaya's mansion.
Nami sat on a chair beside a bed where Merry lay unconscious. He had a bandage around his torso made by Nami. It was the least she could do after using all the money from Kaya's safe.
Nami lowered her head and sighed while holding the Chest now called Arci (maybe) on her lap.
There had been more than twenty million Berries worth of treasure inside the safe. With that money, she could have easily reached the hundred million she had been gathering all these years, yet she had used it on the Chest without hesitation.
She had used it to help Allen.
"Why did I do it?"
Nami couldn't understand it. She had risked herself for years for that money. She had risked being captured by Marines, being killed, or worse, by pirates in the past, and all of it for hundreds of thousands.
Since this sea was the weakest of the Four Blues, it also had a disadvantage—pirates, merchants, and Marine bases rarely possessed great treasures. Only famous pirates like Alvida or Marines at the Captain level had millions in their possession.
Nami raised her gaze toward the ceiling.
"Am I stupid?"
She had decided to become a bad person, to deceive, betray, and lie if necessary, all for that money.
But this time, she hadn't done it.
The bedroom door opened, and Nami looked in that direction.
Allen and Kaya stood there.
"Merry!" Kaya rushed toward the bed.
She didn't panic completely. The girl hadn't studied medicine for nothing. She remained calm and began checking the severity of his injuries.
Meanwhile, Nami and Allen observed each other silently.
Allen had a gentle expression. This girl, capable of infiltrating pirate ships where she could easily be killed, this girl who loved money so much she could betray others for it, had used a fortune for him.
Allen showed a huge, sincere smile.
"Thank you, Nami!"
Nami opened her eyes in surprise. She didn't think Allen could make such a sincere expression. Besides, seeing his clothes full of cuts, it was obvious the fight hadn't been easy.
Nami lowered her head, letting her hair fall over her face, and hugged the Chest on her lap while puffing her cheeks, though her face was red.
"This is going to cost you dearly. In the future, you'll pay me back double the money I spent!"
"Of course, my dear Nami"
"Hmph"
[Wasn't it Kaya's money? By the way, congratulations on your victory. Though it was thanks to me. I'm surprised you could face death like that.]
"Heh."
Allen returned to his smug smile upon being praised.
"Of course. I'm a genius. Otherwise, how could I expect to become King of the World?"
[Hm, I'll remember not to praise you too easily. It goes to your head way too fast.]
"Thank you, Nami-san," Kaya said while bowing toward her.
She had deduced from Merry's injuries that Kuro had attacked him before leaving in pursuit of them.
Kaya regretted having felt pity for that man in the final moment of his life.
Nami stood up and waved her hands, but doing so caused the Chest to fall to the floor.
[Ouch, be careful!]
"N-no, I just... besides, we used all your money..."
Kaya wasn't upset. Instead, she felt curious.
"Don't worry, it was all to help Allen-san, wasn't it?~"
"Yeah..." Nami looked at Allen, and he nodded.
Kaya had proven herself trustworthy by choosing to believe him and escape with them.
....
Kaya was completely amazed after hearing that the Chest Allen carried everywhere was something so incredible, capable of turning treasure into power.
"I'm sorry," Nami apologized. Even if Kaya was rich, thirty million wasn't a small amount for people in the East Blue.
"Don't underestimate me. Is money more important than Merry's life and mine?" Kaya smiled with gratitude in her eyes. "If it weren't for both of you, Merry and I would be dead right now. Not only did you save me, but you gave me something money could never buy... hope and freedom."
Nami let out a breath as she calmed down.
In the end, her actions had saved everyone in this room. She was sure her sister and everyone in her village would understand.
'I'm sorry. Just wait a little longer,' the girl thought with a smile.
Kaya blinked curiously at Allen.
"How do you feel, Allen?"
The girl had seen Allen move so fast he disappeared, turn his fist into fire, and shatter the air itself. Everything was so surreal yet fascinating.
"Hm? I feel... strong." Allen looked at his own hand.
He hadn't had time to properly process everything, but in an instant, he had become thirty million more stronger.
What did that even mean?
[Leaving aside your new Skill, which is a silver-level reward, from level 1 to 9 you used one million per level. For level 10, a silver coin was required, and from there you climbed to level 19.]
Allen repeated the Chest's words aloud so the girls could hear them.
"So what does that mean?" Nami, despite not being stupid, struggled to understand the relationship between levels and money.
[It's easier to understand if you compare your strength to the amount of money invested. In other words, your current base strength is comparable to a pirate worth 29 million.]
After hearing Allen repeat those words, everyone fell silent in shock.
A pirate with a reward of 29 million!
Strength sufficient to dominate the East Blue.
Nami began breathing heavily, and for a moment she opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but stopped herself.
Kaya, on the other hand, looked at Allen with sparkling eyes, as if he were some kind of legend. No wonder Kuro, with his sixteen million bounty, had been defeated so easily.
Of course, that was without counting Allen's current Skills. Using them, Allen had to be far stronger than that.
"It seems I've become the strongest in the East Blue." Allen smiled arrogantly with his arms crossed.
"Allen-san is amazing!" Kaya said with shining eyes like a fan girl, which only inflated Allen's ego further.
Seeing this, Nami became annoyed.
"Don't start thinking you're invincible."
"Nami-san?" Kaya was surprised by the sudden reprimand.
"What is it, Nami?" Allen wasn't offended. He knew Nami had a reason for saying it.
Nami raised her index finger.
"Listen, in this world, bounty isn't an absolute standard of a pirate's strength."
"Take the East Blue's so-called king, Don Krieg, for example. He has a bounty of seventeen million, but he commands a fleet of fifty ships and five thousand men. Plus, his first mate has a twelve million bounty, so together his crew represents twenty-nine million..."
Nami's expression darkened.
"Nobody sails alone in this sea. Pirates have crews that make them more dangerous. Some pirates hide their true strength, bribe the Marines, and cover up their crimes from the public..."
"..."
Nami looked at Allen with severity and concern.
"Don't let a little strength go to your head, or you'll end up dead."
Allen nodded.
"Understood."
Kaya and Nami were stunned.
This guy, whose ego was the size of a mountain, had accepted Nami's advice so easily instead of dismissing it with something like, "I'm the King of the World, nobody is on my level!"
Allen raised an eyebrow.
"Is it that strange? Well, if it were someone else, I wouldn't give a damn what they said, but since it's Nami saying it, I can't ignore it."
Allen showed a mischievous half-smile.
Both girls blushed at the sudden attack. This guy usually acted shamelessly, but when he wanted to, he was like kryptonite for women.
Nami coughed and looked away.
"So what do we do now?"
Allen thought for a moment before speaking.
"We should leave."
Originally, Syrup Village had only been a stop to obtain "resources." Allen hadn't even planned to spend much time here.
Nami glanced sideways at Kaya. How could she not notice the girl had been dazzled by her captain?
"Allen, how about we stay a few more days?"
Although there was a trace of discomfort that Nami ignored, she still decided to speak.
"No. I don't have time."
This time, even Arci remained silent. Allen had an unusually serious expression, his brows furrowed.
"The world works unfairly. The Marines are nothing more than a toy obeying the World Government, which is a ruthless entity that destroys anything capable of threatening its sovereignty."
"Soon enough, rumors will reach their ears. Well, it's not like I was careful while using my powers. Maybe at first they'll see me as insignificant, but with every enemy I defeat, suspicion will rise. And all it takes is someone with half a brain paying attention to me for the alarms to start ringing."
Nami swallowed nervously while Kaya also became tense.
"The power of multiple Devil Fruits—no matter how you look at it, anyone would see it as dangerous." Allen paused before looking Nami and Kaya directly in the eyes. "We need to move quickly. I need to become stronger and stronger before they come for me."
The three girls—two girls and a Chest with the soul of a girl—were stunned.
They couldn't deny a single word Allen said.
It was an accurate and precise analysis of what would happen, and yet it felt absurd hearing this kind of reasoning from him.
"Are you thinking something rude?" Allen really wanted to curse. Everyone always concluded he was stupid, but that's not the case; he's just a little impulsive and eccentric. (A little?...)
At the very least, he could function like a normal person.
"I understand." Kaya smiled sadly, but she understood that Allen lived in a world where adventure was tied to danger.
"I'm sorry, Kaya," Nami said while placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, Nami, help Kaya pack her things for the journey. I'll head ahead and upgrade the boat with the remaining coins."
"A-Allen-san?" Kaya trembled after hearing Allen's words.
"Huh? You want to take Kaya with us?!!" Nami exclaimed.
It was madness. Kaya was a gentle girl. She wasn't made for the dangerous life waiting for them.
"That's right, Kaya." Allen laughed softly. "In front of you are two paths. In one, you stay here, enjoy your life, become an excellent doctor, and save many people... that's something wonderful, truly."
Kaya gasped as she stared at Allen's hand slowly extending toward her.
"On the other path, you take my hand once more and sail into a new world. One where nobody tells you stories—you live them yourself. One where you tell your boring destiny to go to hell."
Allen's eyes reflected the light while Kaya's became misty.
"What do you choose?"
....
One hour later...
Merry opened his eyes in bed. He was surprised to still be alive, but immediately became worried and forced himself up despite the pain from his injuries.
"I need to find Miss Kaya!"
Merry was about to fall, but he grabbed a small table beside him and then noticed a letter and a Den Den Mushi.
To Merry:
Merry, who recognized Kaya's handwriting, paused for a moment before opening it. In it, she recounted all the events that had occurred throughout the day.
Including Kuro's identity, his defeat, and the fact that she had been cured.
– "Merry, I don't know when I'll return, but I will, and when I do, I'll tell you everything I saw. I know it's foolish, but never in my life have I wanted something as much as accompanying this man... please don't be angry. With love, Kaya." –
Merry wiped away his tears, but in the end, he smiled.
"I see... I'm happy for you."
– "PS: Don't be scared, Merry, but I took some money and some of my parents' belongings for the journey... we may need to sell a few pieces of land so we don't go bankrupt." –
Merry blinked in disbelief at the postscript, then rushed toward the vault and cried when he saw it empty.
"Kaya-sama..."
....
A beautiful fifteen-meter (49 ft) Caravel with an exotic dark tone and black sails sailed away from the Gecko Islands.
At the bow, Allen stood atop the ship's figurehead, which could only be described as a beautiful woman or even an angel, while he stared at the horizon with his arms crossed.
"Next stop, the world!" Allen shouted with a confident grin.
He was no longer a miserable castaway drifting on a raft and starving to death. He had strength and a ship. It was a small one, but it was still a ship.
[You look happy.]
"I am happy! This is the first step on my path to the Empty Throne!"
[Empty Throne?]
"Long ago I heard a legend. They say that at the top of the world, there's an empty throne. They say nobody has sat on it for centuries. Obviously, it's because it's waiting for me! Hahaha!"
[Sure...]
Nami sighed while steering the helm.
"Don't fall overboard, King of the World."
Allen still hadn't decided whether to call it the Wicked Wench or the Black Pearl. He wasn't sure why he liked those names, but he wanted one of them for his ship.
This was a caravel with a capacity for twelve people. It had three masts with black sails, three cabins, two in the rear where the upper one served as the captain's quarters and the lower one as the kitchen, and one beneath the bow for the crew.
Level 5: Caravel
Allen had spent ten million upgrading it to this level—or rather, Kaya had—and the design was obviously inspired by Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl, though adapted to Allen's tastes despite him not remembering who Jack Sparrow was.
Compared to it, this Caravel was only slightly larger than the Going Merry that was destined for Monkey D. Luffy, and far smaller than the original Black Pearl, which measured fifty meters (164 ft).
Even though he knew the danger that lay ahead, Allen smiled; this time, he felt like he was taking the first step.
Meanwhile, at the stern, Kaya watched her home disappear into the distance. There was a trace of melancholy in her eyes, but also excitement.
"Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye in person?" Nami asked from behind her.
"If I did, Merry definitely wouldn't let me go." Kaya smiled weakly. "I think I'm a bad girl."
"Sorry, it's probably the fault of the bad influence we're traveling with."
Both girls laughed.
Ignoring their comments, Allen stared into the distance, where a small boat was sailing toward the Gecko Islands.
With his enhanced vision, he could see the passengers, and he was surprised.
It was Luffy, Zoro, and a blue-haired girl he didn't recognize.
Allen smiled maliciously and glanced toward the three cannons on the left side of his ship.
"Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to give the future Pirate King a little trouble."
[Stop it, there's a girl onboard who has nothing to do with this -_-]
Allen shrugged.
"Just kidding. Why would I sink the ship of my loyal subordinates?"
"Pirate King?!" Kaya became frightened by that title, and even more by the fact that he was heading toward her home.
"Don't worry, Kaya. He's just a weird and stupid brat dreaming about becoming Pirate King. He's harmless, I assure you," Allen said, causing Luffy to suddenly sneeze.
Kaya sighed in relief. She trusted Allen's judgment completely, so if he said Luffy and his friends were good people, then they probably were.
Nami, having heard Allen, became curious to see the two people she had witnessed fighting Morgan. She grabbed a telescope to observe the small vessel.
By coincidence, Carina had done the same upon noticing the black ship in the distance. Since it didn't carry a pirate flag, she hadn't been alarmed at first, but soon froze in place.
"Ah!" Nami shouted. "It's that bitch! Allen, sink their ship right now!"
Nami's reaction immediately put Kaya on alert.
Allen instantly appeared behind one of the cannons. It was already loaded, so he aimed and lit the fuse with his hand before smiling.
"It seems this is the Pirate King's premature end."
BOOM!
The iron cannonball shot across the sea toward Luffy's boat. However, before it could hit them, Luffy inflated like a balloon and bounced the cannonball back into the ocean.
"What are you doing?!"
Luffy grabbed Carina's telescope, and when he saw Allen waving at him, he became irritated.
"He's my rival!"
"Your rival?!" Carina exclaimed.
She had seen her former friend Nami there, but knowing that the grandson of Garp considered someone his rival was shocking.
"He already has a ship... impressive. Maybe he'll become King of the World before you become Pirate King, Luffy," Zoro said as he sat back down after realizing they weren't truly enemies.
"Shut up! I'll become Pirate King first! Besides, we also need to get a ship quickly! We can't fall behind!"
Allen watched Luffy yelling in his direction, but he didn't care, nor did he continue attacking.
After all, he didn't hate Luffy.
"Hey, why did you stop shooting?!" Nami asked angrily. To her, Carina was a traitor, and because of her, Nami had nearly been killed.
"It's because Zoro's over there, and he owes me three million. If he dies, he won't be able to pay me back."
"..."
Nami clenched her jaw.
"Nami, what's more important? Revenge or money?"
Allen hit Nami exactly where it hurt the most. The girl covered her mouth in anguish before releasing her pent-up frustration.
"I want 70%..."
"Huh? That's a scam. At most I'd give you 30%!" Allen snorted.
"60%."
"40%, and that's me being generous." Allen crossed his arms.
Watching this pair of cheapskates, Kaya felt like laughing, though deep down she had the feeling she was forgetting something important.
....
Half an hour later, Usopp woke up after being poked with a stick by a boy wearing a straw hat.
"Hey, are you okay?" Luffy asked.
"Ahhh!" Usopp screamed as he backed away. "Are you friends with that demon?!"
"That demon?" Luffy tilted his head.
"We don't know him," Zoro said while yawning.
"..."
After thinking for a moment, Carina connected the dots.
"By any chance, is he an extremely handsome young man with white hair?"
"That's him!" Usopp jumped to his feet and started running. "I need to warn everyone about the danger!"
Zoro, Luffy, and Carina exchanged glances.
They couldn't exactly tell him that the demon had already sailed away some time ago.
Although Usopp wasn't entirely wrong, because as Nami had said, almost nobody in this world was a lone wolf.
And as such, Kuro's former crew was currently sailing toward the Gecko Islands without knowing their captain had already been defeated and that the fortune they planned to steal had already been spent.
How unfortunate for them.
Without even realizing it, they had all been screwed over by Allen Walker.