"What's the matter, being so mysterious?"
Seven days later, Nami walked towards the coast with Genzo, and even though they were still some distance away, Nami's figure froze.
The coast was crowded with people, but what surprised Nami wasn't the people, but the thing out at sea.
"What is this?"
Nami hurried over, weaving through the crowd to the shore, and stared blankly ahead.
Floating on the sea was a sea ship, about twenty meters long and six meters wide. The bow was shaped like an orange with a windmill stuck on top.
"This is the gift we prepared for you to set sail. What do you think?" Genzo stood at the front of the villagers, smiling.
"This is for me?" Nami was slightly taken aback, then asked, "But this ship must have cost a lot of money?"
She hadn't been willing to buy a large sea ship for two reasons. First, her savings weren't enough; without Hachi's money, she couldn't afford a sea ship.
Second, she was only operating in the East Blue for now, and with Hachi around, a small boat was sufficient.
She planned to wait three more years until the agreed time was up, Hachi would give her money, and then she would find an opportunity to go to the Grand Line and get a bigger ship.
But she never expected the villagers to give her a ship.
"Everyone contributing a little was enough," Genzo said with a smile. "This is our heartfelt gesture. It represents us. We can't go out to sea, but we can still be by your side."
"Everyone."
Nami's eyes reddened slightly.
"Don't refuse. Five years ago, you were only ten years old when you joined the Arlong Pirates to save the village, silently sacrificing yourself." Genzo said earnestly, "Today, let us support your dream."
Nami hesitated, "But..."
"Nami, please accept this ship."
"We've saved up quite a bit of money since Arlong was captured."
"Yeah, this amount is nothing."
Genzo added, "After Arlong was caught, a lot of treasure was found. Commodore Brim Brim returned some to us, and we added to it. We asked Marcel to purchase this ship for you through merchant channels and contacted the shipyard to modify the bow temporarily. That's how we got it here today."
"Thank you."
Nami listened to the voices rising around her, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then said, "Okay, I accept. I will set sail on this ship and achieve my dream."
"Nami, let's name the ship first," Marcel said with a smile.
"Name?"
Hearing this, Nami thought for a moment and then softly said, "The bow is an orange with a windmill, so let's call it the Orange Windmill."
"Orange Windmill? That's a bit simple, but it's fitting," Doctor Nago chuckled.
"Let's go aboard and take a look!"
"Yeah, yeah, hurry up and get on board!"
Surrounded by the crowd, Nami boarded the sea ship and inspected it, very satisfied.
A ship like this was more than enough for her journey.
Since she had a new ship, she could carry more supplies, so Nami spent a bit more time preparing.
Three days later, Nami planned to depart. The villagers and Hachi carried the prepared supplies onto the ship.
Nami stood on the shore, hugging everyone one by one. Then she boarded the sea ship and waved to the crowd, "Goodbye, everyone."
Hachi used his six arms to quickly raise the sails, then took the helm, and the Orange Windmill slowly set sail.
"Goodbye."
The people on the shore waved to Nami, watching the sea ship gradually drift away.
But suddenly, a voice rang out, "Where's my wallet?"
"My wallet's gone too!"
"It must have been Nami."
"That little thief cat! We bought her a ship, and she still steals from us."
The crowd cursed Nami, but their faces held smiles.
...
"It's so hot, and we're out of water. We need to find an island to dock at."
On a small boat in the East Blue, Ace, wearing a hat, sat there. He tilted his water bottle upwards, but not a drop came out.
"Where can I find water?"
Ace looked out at the vast sea, with no islands in sight. He took out a map to check, and then a compass.
"Hmm, there's an island here called Jumada Island. It's not far from Loguetown, but still quite a distance. I'll just have to endure it and go there."
Ace thought about heading to Jumada Island, but at that moment, a sea ship appeared in the distance, sailing diagonally in another direction.
"A ship."
Ace's eyes lit up. "I can get some water."
Ace immediately adjusted the sails, and his small boat sped towards the distant sea ship.
The distance grew shorter.
Ace saw the sea ship. The bow was shaped like an orange, and there was a windmill on it, spinning wildly as the ship moved forward.
"This ship looks very peculiar."
As Ace slowly approached, he noticed a young girl lying on the ship's railing.
The girl wasn't old, perhaps only fifteen, but she was very beautiful. She had blonde hair and pretty eyes, and she was staring at him curiously.
"Hi."
Ace drew closer to the sea ship and said to the girl, "Hello, could I please speak with your adult?"
"Adult?"
The girl chuckled. "No need to find anyone else. I'm the captain of this ship. You can just talk to me."
"Captain?"
Ace was slightly taken aback and asked the girl, "You said you're the captain of this ship?"
"Of course. This Orange Windmill is my ship," the girl said proudly.
"Really?"
Ace seemed a bit skeptical. "You don't look very old."
"You don't look much older than me either," the girl retorted impatiently. "Is there something you need, or am I going back?"
"Oh, right. I wanted to borrow some fresh water. We're out of water on the boat," Ace said, shaking his water flask.
"Alright."
The girl nodded and called out into the distance, "Hachi, stop the ship!"
"Understood."
The ship slowly came to a halt. The girl looked at Ace and said, "Give me the water flask."
"Oh."
Ace raised his hand, gathered all the water flasks from his small boat, and handed them over.
The girl reached out with all her might, but there was still some distance, and she couldn't reach them.
Whoosh.
Ace suddenly pushed off the deck with his feet, launching himself into the air and landing on the ship's railing.
"Here you go."
Ace handed the water flask and waterskin to the girl, smiling. "If you can, please fill them for me."
"Okay."
The girl nodded, took the water flask and waterskin, and disappeared below deck.
"What's that?"
Ace jumped off the railing and stood on the deck. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked towards the mast. There was a six-armed Fish-Man there, tidying up the sails.
"A Fish-Man?"
Ace asked in surprise.
"Hello, I'm Hachi." The Octopus Fish-Man, Hachi, raised an arm in greeting.
"This is my first time seeing a Fish-Man."
Ace was a bit surprised. He looked around and saw only himself and the girl. He asked curiously, "Are you two the only ones on this ship?"
Hachi nodded. "It's just Nami and me."
"Just two people on a ship like this?"
Ace was astonished. The ship was over twenty meters long and would normally require at least five or six people to maintain stable navigation and handle emergencies.
However, this Fish-Man had six arms, and Fish-Men were naturally strong, so one person could handle lowering sails and steering.
Still, a ship with only a Fish-Man and a girl, just two people, seemed a bit strange.
"What's your relationship? What are you doing?" Ace asked curiously.
"I'm a crew member, and Nami is the captain."
After Hachi lowered the sail, he wrapped the rope to the side and said, "We're drawing sea charts, charts of the East Blue."
"Are you a navigator?" Ace's interest was piqued.
Hachi shook his head and said, "I'm not the navigator, Nami is."
"That little girl?" Ace's eyes widened.
Hachi said, "Don't underestimate her. Her Navigation skills are even better than many navigators on the Grand Line."
"Better than navigators on the Grand Line?"
Ace's eyes widened. He asked, "Have you been to the Grand Line?"
"Of course."
Hachi puffed out his chest and said, "I was once a member of the Sun Pirates. I sailed with Boss Fisher Tiger. Even on the Grand Line, it would be difficult to find a navigator like Nami."
"Sun Pirates?"
Ace had naturally heard of that name. One of the former captains of the Sun Pirates was the current Shichibukai, Jinbe.
The news of Jinbe becoming a Shichibukai six years ago had been widely publicized, hailed as a model of racial peace and a prime example of coexistence between humans and the Fish-Man Race.
"You were actually a member of the Sun Pirates?"
Ace's gaze fell on Hachi's waist, and he asked, "Are you a swordsman?"
"Of course."
Hachi said proudly, "I am the Second Strongest Swordsman of Fish-Man Island."
"The Second Strongest Swordsman of Fish-Man Island? The island that Shichibukai Jinbe comes from?" Ace's eyes bulged, and then he fell into thought.
"Your water."
At this moment, Nami came up with a water pitcher and handed it to Ace.
"I don't need the water pitcher," Ace suddenly said.
"What's wrong?" Nami looked at him, puzzled.
Ace grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, and said with a smile, "I've found something I want more."
"Become my nakama. Nami, Hachi."
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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