"Ahhhh!"
"Two hundred thousand Berries means two hundred thousand! Leo, please save me!"
Nami's voice echoed through the chaotic street as she dashed frantically, her breath ragged and sweat trickling down her forehead. She had been on the run for what felt like hours, her stamina rapidly depleting. Though she had already taken down a good number of Buggy's minions with her agile movements and precise strikes, there were still at least a dozen left chasing her relentlessly.
She was reaching her limit.
Nami clenched her teeth and shouted again, this time with desperation.
"Leo! Help me already!"
Leo, who had been casually watching from a distance with an amused expression, crossed his arms and grinned mischievously.
"Give me the money first," he said, the corners of his mouth curling up wickedly.
Fuming, Nami rushed over, yanked a small pouch from her belt, and angrily threw it at Leo's chest.
"Here! You damn thief!"
Leo chuckled, catching the pouch without hesitation. He gave it a slight jingle, already estimating that it contained more than 100,000 Berries. Without another word, he raised his hand lazily and summoned a swirling gust of wind. The whirlwind spiraled outward with force, slamming into the remaining minions and knocking them all to the ground in one sweep.
Nami stood behind him, panting heavily. She couldn't help but glare at him.
Leo's eyes glinted as he held the pouch. A thought began to form.
"Nami," he said smoothly, "do you want to become stronger? I can help you."
His tone was deceptively casual, but there was an underlying charm that made the offer sound oddly tempting—like a merchant luring a child into a deal.
Nami narrowed her eyes.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, both curious and cautious. Leo was always up to something.
"There are many ways," Leo replied cryptically, adjusting his magician's hat with flair.
"You're not going to charge me again, are you?" Nami instinctively placed a protective hand over her remaining pouch. Her trust in Leo's generosity was practically nonexistent, especially when money was involved.
Leo gave a theatrical cough.
"Come on now. I'm being generous here. Give me your stick."
"You mean my weapon?" Nami asked warily.
"Yes, yes, the stick! I'm not charging you. Consider it... a gift."
Nami hesitated for a moment, then handed over her wooden staff. Leo took it, weighing it in his hands as if evaluating it. He remembered that in the original timeline, Nami had spent eight years honing her skills with such weapons. Her choice of a stick-type weapon wasn't random—it was deeply connected to her fighting style and her preference for speed and versatility.
She was more capable than she gave herself credit for. If she hadn't been so exhausted, she might not have needed his help at all.
Leo closed his eyes and muttered under his breath.
"Additional magic: Solid! Wind! Rain! Thunder! Snow!"
Golden magical energy surged from his palm, spreading across the surface of the wooden stick in intricate patterns. In an instant, the stick transformed in color and texture, radiating with raw elemental power.
The sky above darkened without warning. Clouds gathered rapidly, swirling into a heavy stormfront. A fierce green whirlwind descended from the clouds, carrying flakes of snow and streaks of rain, converging into the staff like it was drawing in the forces of nature itself.
And then—
CRACK!
A bolt of lightning split the sky and struck the staff with deafening force. Nami instinctively shielded her eyes. When she looked again, the staff had returned to its original color—but something was clearly different.
Even Zoro, who usually paid attention only to swords, stepped closer and raised an eyebrow.
Nami blinked. She reached out and took the staff from Leo. As she gave it a small swing, a powerful gust of wind burst forth, clearing debris and dust from the streets with ease.
"Whoa…" she breathed in awe. "This is... incredible!"
Her heart beat faster with excitement. She had seen Leo manipulate the weather before, and deep down she had always envied that power. As a navigator, the ability to control the environment wasn't just useful—it was game-changing.
With a weapon like this, she could sail through the most dangerous seas and lead the crew safely through any storm.
Just as she was about to shower Leo with gratitude, he held up a hand and gave her a warning look.
"Don't get too excited," he said. "You can't actually use magic. This power draws directly from your physical strength. The more you use it, the more tired you'll get."
Nami paused, surprised. She hadn't considered that.
She took a moment to test the connection between her body and the weapon. Sure enough, just that single gust had drained her stamina slightly. She estimated she could probably use it three times at her current level of fitness.
Leo sighed and shook his head dramatically.
"I lost a good chunk of my magic just now—well, a whole thousandth of it," he added sarcastically. "And I didn't even get paid properly. But fine. Since I've invested so much into you, I'm going to take control of this ship's finances from now on."
He grinned like a fox who had just broken into the henhouse.
Nami looked down at the staff in her hand, weighing the cost and benefit in her mind. On one hand, she had just gained a powerful weapon. On the other, she was now beholden to Leo's whims—again.
"Leo," she began hesitantly, "is there maybe a way to—"
"No!" Leo cut her off instantly, already knowing what she was about to ask.
"There's magic to enhance your body, but we're not there yet. For now, you need to train the old-fashioned way. Build your stamina, strengthen your body, and then... maybe I'll consider giving you an upgrade."
"Hmph." Nami pouted and turned away from him, walking toward Luffy who was still in the middle of a fierce battle with Buggy.
The three commanders of the Buggy Pirates were already down, and most of the minions had been defeated. Only Buggy himself remained.
At that moment, Buggy was standing tall, holding a dagger, grinning maniacally.
"Hahaha! That straw hat... it was given to you by Shanks, wasn't it?"
Luffy froze.
"You know Shanks?" he asked, caught off guard. The mention of that name stirred deep emotions in him.
Buggy's grin widened.
"Of course I do. If you want to know more, then take this!"
"Shattering Cannon!"
Buggy's arm launched forward at an incredible speed, dagger pointed straight at Luffy's head. But Luffy reacted just in time, catching the arm mid-air with his rubbery limbs.
"Split!"
The dagger still managed to slice through the edge of Luffy's treasured straw hat, leaving a deep cut in the brim.
"Bang!"
"Owwww!"
Before Buggy could celebrate, Nami appeared behind him, and without hesitation, delivered a crushing kick to his most sensitive spot.
Buggy's scream echoed through the entire block, his face contorted in agony as he collapsed to the ground, twitching.
Leo winced at the sight, crossing his legs instinctively.
"Yikes..." he muttered. "Even if I knew it was coming, that still made me flinch."
Buggy lay on the ground groaning, utterly defeated.
Nami, meanwhile, stood proudly, her new staff resting on her shoulder.
Zoro gave a rare chuckle. "Looks like you didn't need Leo after all."
Nami smiled slyly. "He gave me the tool. I just finished the job."
Leo raised both hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. You're welcome. But next time, no freebies!"
As the dust settled, the Straw Hat crew stood victorious—each of them a little stronger, and a little closer to becoming the legends they were meant to be.