[U.T] Ch 22: Trait Loaded!

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"Here, you'll need this—the map of the Grand Line."

Once the fight was completely over, Nami handed the map to Luffy.

"Huh? You're giving it to me?" Luffy looked at her in surprise.

"Well, we did work together. And honestly, I wouldn't have gotten my hands on Buggy's treasure without your help."

Nami glanced at the two big bags of treasure next to her, a smile tugging at her lips.

If she exchanged it all for Berries, it'd be worth a solid ten million. The biggest haul she'd ever gotten.

Let's be real—without Luen and the others, there's no way she would've dared to sneak into the stronghold of a pirate with a 15-million-Berry bounty by herself.

"But even if we were kinda-sorta partners… this treasure still belongs to me, okay?"

She grinned, but immediately clutched the treasure bags tight like a dragon guarding its hoard.

"Hehehe! With this, we can finally head to the Grand Line, right, Luen?" Luffy was practically buzzing, waving the map around excitedly.

"Yeah, but we still need a pirate ship… and a navigator."

Luen took the map from Luffy and looked it over carefully.

With just his [Basic Navigation] (White) trait, he was barely able to read the thing—let alone use it to sail the Grand Line.

"The Grand Line, huh…" Zoro gave a feral grin, lips curling up like a beast ready to hunt.

Thanks to Luen expanding his view of the world, Zoro was more eager than ever to dive into the Grand Line and chase his ambition.

"As for a navigator... isn't that her right there?" Luffy pointed at Nami, grinning ear to ear.

Nami had been watching the three of them quietly, a little dazed.

She'd never seen pirates like this before—ones who didn't care at all about treasure. All they talked about was their dreams.

Pirates who went to sea chasing dreams… Do people like that really exist?

As she was still lost in thought, she heard Luffy's comment and immediately shot it down.

"Hey! I told you—I'm not joining any pirate crew."

But then her eyes flicked over to the treasure bags, and a smile crept back onto her face.

"Still, working with you guys has been pretty profitable. I wouldn't mind teaming up again."

"Hehehe! Then it's settled—Nami is our navigator!" Luffy cheered.

"Temporary navigator," Nami corrected.

"Welcome aboard, Nami." Luen smiled and reached out his hand.

"…"

Nami looked at him, clearly remembering how they'd first met. She thought she'd never see him again on this wide open sea… Thought that "we'll meet again" was just an empty phrase.

And yet here they were. Not only had they met again, but now she was a temporary member of his crew.

"…Yeah." She gently took Luen's hand and pressed her lips together in a soft smile.

"You… you guys defeated that clown Buggy?!"

A shocked voice rang out.

Everyone turned toward the sound. An old man, hair white as snow and body frail, stood there in handmade armor that looked like something from a play.

"We did take down Buggy and his crew. Who're you, old man?" Luffy asked with a big smile.

"I'm Boodle, mayor of this town—Orange Town. And who are you? You don't look like Marines."

He introduced himself, still in disbelief. Kids like this… beat the Buggy Pirates?

"They probably hate pirates after what Buggy did here. Don't tell him the truth," Nami whispered.

"Yo~"

"I'm Luffy. I'm a pirate."

Nami nearly faceplanted.

"Pfft!" Zoro cracked up, slapping his knee.

Even Luen had to chuckle. Yep, that's Luffy for you.

"P-Pirates…" Mayor Boodle's eye twitched.

"I'm hungry! Old man, can we get something to eat?" Luffy rubbed his stomach.

Using Devil Fruit powers burned through a lot of energy.

"What kind of pirate asks for a meal like that?" Nami was at a loss for words.

"Hope there's booze," Zoro added, eyes lighting up.

Nothing beats a drink after a good brawl.

"Yeah, we should celebrate," Luen agreed, especially after unlocking the [Born for the Sea – Super Gold] trait.

"You too, Luen?!"

Nami sighed in total exasperation.

Did none of these guys realize they were pirates standing in front of a mayor whose town was just attacked by pirates?

"Come with me," Boodle finally said after a long pause.

"Yay! Food time!" Luffy jumped up with a grin and followed him.

Zoro and Luen laughed and went along. Nami just shook her head and gathered her treasure before tagging behind.

On the way, they ran into Chouchou—the loyal little dog who'd been guarding his late owner's pet shop.

Unlike the deep bond he formed with Luffy in the original story, here Chouchou just barked furiously at them until Mayor Boodle calmed him down.

Luen only smiled. He didn't care about recreating the same bond. What mattered more was making sure the shop full of memories was preserved, for Chouchou's sake.

Later, at the mayor's home, Boodle served them some food.

During the meal, Boodle slowly opened up, clearly sensing that these pirates weren't anything like Buggy's crew. He ended up telling them everything that had happened in town.

Luffy, of course, just focused on stuffing his face.

Nami listened intently to the story about Chouchou—how he stood guard over the pet shop even after his master died, refusing to leave even when Buggy's men came. Her heart ached, but she didn't know what she could do.

"Ahh, I'm full. Alright, let's get going! Thanks for the food, old man!"

Luffy patted his stomach and smiled.

"You hear all that and you're still smiling like that?" Nami suddenly snapped, clearly upset. "That's just like a pirate—cold, heartless, always taking away what matters to people!"

Luffy looked at her, calm as ever. "No matter what I say, the past won't change. What's lost… stays lost."

"But you don't have to be so indifferent!" Nami yelled, emotions finally boiling over.

She wasn't just upset about the town. She was thinking about her own village too. About what she had lost.

Then she felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder.

"…Luen?"

She looked at him, surprised.

"Luffy's not being cold," Luen said seriously. "That's just the kind of person he is."

"Talking is easy, but it doesn't change anything. Same goes for you, Nami."

Nami froze at his words.

"You've got your own story too, don't you? We won't pry."

"Even if you told us everything, we still couldn't feel what you feel. Words can't fix pain like that."

"But when you're ready…"

Nami stared at him as he smiled—warm and bright like the sun.

"Come to us, Nami. Let us help you. No matter what, even if it costs our lives—we'll be there.

"We're your crewmates now."

Nami didn't say a word. She just looked at him.

Luen turned to Luffy. "Right, Luffy?"

"Hehehe, of course!" Luffy shouted.

Luen's view of what it meant to be a crewmate hit Luffy right in the heart.

Zoro didn't say anything. He just smirked and adjusted the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.

That reaction said it all.

"…"

Nami bit her lip, fighting back the emotion.

She held onto Luen's hand, resting her forehead lightly against it—like she'd finally found someone she could lean on.

[You've gained Monkey D. Luffy's deep trust. Bond level increased. Trait load progress advanced.]

[Trait Acquired: Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) – Fully Loaded.]

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