Luffy: These are some serious heavyweights; I’d better steer clear of this trouble!

Sanji served a plate of delicious bone-in meat to Luffy, who had been waiting impatiently. Luffy wasted no time, devouring the meal in a single gulp.

"Wow! This is so good, so good! I want more! I want more!"

Just then, a soul-stirring surge of sword energy erupted, violently churning the boundless ocean and sending waves crashing into the sky.

"Such immense destructive power—it's truly incredible! Ba Wang not only possesses superior kicking techniques but also such dazzling mastery of swordsmanship."

"If he had faced Hawk-Eye Mihawk that day, I wonder what his chances of winning would have been?"

While Sanji was distracted, Luffy snatched the rest of the food and stuffed it all into his mouth.

Sanji stared at the empty plate in his hands, dumbfounded. "..."

"You damn Luffy! You ate everyone's food!"

Luffy let out a satisfied burp and lay on his back with his belly exposed. "Oops, you're right."

Thud!

Unable to hold back, Sanji gave Luffy a punch. Luffy's status in the group took another hit. On this day, the crew's beloved pet, Luffy, was beaten up by every single one of his shipmates. It was a day to remember!

Watching his companions bicker, a smile finally appeared on Nami's face. However, her gaze drifted to the tattoo on her shoulder, and her expression darkened.

"Do not worry. With me here, no one will ever bully my goddaughter!"

Chu Ba Wang had appeared behind Nami at some point, his hand resting on her shoulder, which had been trembling slightly from fear. Nami turned around to see Chu Ba Wang’s burning, confident gaze. Kaya was standing behind him as well.

Tears welled up in Nami's eyes as she choked out, "Thank you so much!"

Kaya set aside her previous misconceptions about Nami and pulled her into a warm embrace. "What a poor child, carrying such a heavy burden from such a young age."

Clearly, Chu Ba Wang had taken the time to explain Nami's tragic past to Kaya. The kind-hearted Kaya finally understood what this girl, who seemed so bright and sunny on the surface, was truly enduring.

Nami’s hometown was Cocoyasi Village, where she had fond childhood memories. Later, it was occupied by the Arlong Pirates, led by Fish-Men who had once sailed the Grand Line with Jinbe.

They considered themselves a superior race and viewed humans as trash. Using Cocoyasi Village as their base, they attempted to build the Arlong Empire to conquer the East Blue. Arlong began levying a "life tax" on the villagers; those who could not pay were killed, and Nami's adoptive mother, Bell-mère, was the first to fall.

Arlong recognized Nami's talent for drawing charts (she was only eight at the time) and, threatening the lives of the villagers, forced her to become an officer. Arlong had made a pact with Nami: if she could collect 100 million berries, she could buy back her village and her own freedom.

But Chu Ba Wang knew the future all too well. That despicable Arlong was not as "honorable" as he appeared.

"Nami, you should be close to saving up that 100 million berries now, right? I advise you not to pin too many hopes on Arlong's promise. Because the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment."

Nami was startled, covering her mouth in surprise. "Ba-ba, how do you know about the agreement between Arlong and me?"

Chu Ba Wang ruffled Nami's hair and smiled. "Arlong does indeed value his word, especially when it comes to money. But you are too young and do not yet understand how dark this world truly is. Good and evil often mingle; not all Marines are the embodiment of justice!"

Hearing this, Nami frowned, lost in thought.

Arlong would indeed not break a promise regarding money. If Nami gathered the 100 million berries, he would certainly grant her village full freedom. But what if Nami didn't reach that amount? Or, more importantly, what if her money was confiscated by the Marines? Arlong would never let go of Nami, a talent as rare as she was.

And indeed, that is exactly what happened. Just as Nami was about to collect the 100 million berries, Arlong conspired with the corrupt Marine Captain Nezumi to seize all her money. Only after that did Nami fall into absolute despair, which ultimately ignited her spirit of rebellion.

"I understand, Ba-ba. Oh, I asked Sanji to prepare some barbecue earlier; it should be ready now. Shall we go eat together?"

Nami nodded with a smile, taking Chu Ba Wang and Kaya by the arms toward the deck. As she passed, she kicked the sleeping Luffy, sending him flying.

Luffy: "..."

*These are all big shots; I can't afford to mess with them!*

Nami was the navigator and the group's pet. If anyone dared to bully her, Sanji—who always respected women—would surely flip out and kill them. Getting beaten up by the crew was no big deal; he was thick-skinned anyway. But one shouldn't forget that Sanji was the Straw Hat Pirates' cook! If Luffy lost his cook, could he ever be happy again?

As for Kaya, she was the boss who had gifted them the Going Merry; she naturally commanded respect. And Chu Ba Wang was even more extraordinary. In terms of swordsmanship, he was a powerhouse comparable to the world's greatest swordsman. In terms of kicking, even Sanji and Zeff would have to bow down. And as for his bizarre tactics—his "Mastery Appraisal" that forced enemies to experience the pain of pregnancy, or his "Feminization" ability that could turn anyone into a woman—who wouldn't be afraid of that?

"Miss Nami, it is an honor to serve you."

Even though Nami had become Chu Ba Wang's goddaughter, it didn't stop Sanji from fawning over her like a loyal dog. After all, his reputation as a lecherous cook wasn't unfounded. In reality, Sanji had his own agenda.

At first, he had been very confident in his own kicking skills. But ever since he saw Chu Ba Wang teach Fullbody a lesson using peerless techniques like the Buddha's Shadowless Kick, the Vajra Leg, and the Heavenly Crippled Leg, he suddenly felt his own skills were lacking. Especially after seeing Zoro’s swordsmanship improve by leaps and bounds under Chu Ba Wang’s tutelage these past few days, Sanji was green with envy.

*If I can successfully court Miss Nami, I might be able to take the opportunity to learn superior kicking techniques from Ba Wang, right? After all, by then, I'd be his son-in-law!*

Nami clapped her hands, calling out to Chu Ba Wang and Kaya behind her with a gentle smile. "Ba-ba, Ma-ma, please enjoy the food."

Sanji, who had been lost in his beautiful dream, saw Chu Ba Wang and immediately shrank back, like a mouse seeing a cat. He felt as if Chu Ba Wang could see right through his little schemes.

*I get the feeling that chasing Miss Nami is a completely unrealistic path! Perhaps I should imitate that moss-head and become an unofficial disciple under Ba Wang?*