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Grand Line.
Explorer deck.
"Captain Ikki was right. After passing Reverse Mountain to reach the Grand Line, we need to rely on this Log Pose," Nami observed, looking at the compass-like instrument on her wrist. "Fortunately, I found a shop and bought one when we were in Loguetown."
"Perhaps Captain Ikki has been to the Grand Line before," Nojiko suggested. "He only came to East Blue to collect famous swords." She raised her hand, pointing at the two swords on Nami's waist.
"That's entirely possible," Nami nodded seriously. Suddenly, she looked up at the sky as if sensing something. Snowflakes were slowly falling from above.
"It's snowing? At this time?" she remarked with surprise. "The weather on the Grand Line really is as unpredictable as Captain Ikki warned. Nojiko, come help me—I'm going to be busy for a while." Nami couldn't help but pout as she glanced toward the cabin. "Really, Captain Ikki is taking a bath in the training room at a time like this."
"Haha, isn't that just like our captain?" Nojiko laughed. "Besides, without Captain Ikki, we have other helpers, don't we?" With a smile on her lips, she looked at the man and woman huddled against the edge of the ship.
"No... don't kill us!" the man in a green suit and the woman with light blue hair pleaded, waving their hands frantically. Having witnessed Nami and Nojiko's abilities, they understood how dangerous these women could be.
"That's right—we have free labor here," Nami smiled, walking up to them with her arms crossed. "You're Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, right? Stop lounging around. Since you want to use our ship, get moving! If you're lazy, don't blame me for drawing my sword."
Nami placed her hand on the hilt at her waist, and a trace of golden light gradually rose from her body. Seeing this, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday trembled and quickly stood up, following Nami's orders to help control the ship.
A few hours later, the Explorer sailed into an area with clear skies. The intense work had left Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday completely collapsed on the deck.
"Nami, Nojiko, what's going on with these two?" Ikki's voice called from the direction of the cabin.
"Really, Captain Ikki? You only come out after all the work is done? You must have planned this," Nami complained, walking up to Ikki and poking his chest. "How could you let Nojiko and me sweat out here by ourselves?"
"Are you even sweating?" Ikki smiled, wiping Nami's forehead with his hand. Just as he thought, neither Nami nor Nojiko showed any signs of perspiration.
From Loguetown to Reverse Mountain, and then into the Grand Line, three days had passed. During this time, Nami and Nojiko had each used six bottles of C-grade nutritional potions, increasing their life force by 1,500 points each. With 3,000 points of vitality, neither woman was exhausted by the minor challenges they'd faced.
It was for this very reason that Ikki felt comfortable leaving the navigation to them while he enjoyed soaking in the warm pool of the training room's bath area. However, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, currently lying on the deck, were a different story—they were genuinely exhausted.
"Hmph," Nami swatted Ikki's hand away from her forehead. She turned to look at Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, who sat up nervously at Ikki's arrival.
"I questioned them earlier. They claim to be agents of Baroque Works, with the code names Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday," Nami explained. "Shortly after we left Reverse Mountain, we found these two in a small boat on the open sea. They tried to steal our ship, but Nojiko and I subdued them." She looked at Ikki expectantly. "Captain Ikki, what should we do with them?"
After Nami finished speaking, Ikki held his chin thoughtfully and approached the nervous pair.
'Meeting these two this way...' he thought to himself. Ikki recognized them. The one with light blue hair, wearing tights and short shorts, who now looked rebellious, was actually Nefeltari Vivi, the princess of Alabasta—normally a kind and gentle person.
Ikki felt slightly disappointed; he had expected to meet these two near Laboon, but instead, they had encountered them on the open sea.
"What are you looking at?" Vivi demanded, noticing Ikki's eyes scanning over her. She stood up, hands on the deck, watching him warily. Though she had never seen Ikki in action, Vivi assumed he must be strong if Nami and Nojiko called him captain.
Ikki gave Vivi a wide smile, then turned and walked toward Mr. 9. The man looked up at Ikki in confusion, only to see an approaching fist.
BOOM!
With a sharp sound, Mr. 9 dropped unconscious.
"Mr. 9?!" Vivi exclaimed, growing even more nervous after witnessing Ikki's attack. "Don't think I'm afraid of you!"
She reached behind her back and pulled out two bottles of perfume, quietly opening them. Directly in front of Ikki, Nami, and Nojiko, she began swaying her hips from side to side.
"Come on, taste my beauty," she declared. "Captivating Dizziness Dance!"
Ikki: "..."
Nami: "..."
Nojiko: "..."