Pirates: Seeing My Proficiency, I Became a Legend

"She left!"

"Okay!"

"And also took away your 100 million Berries, sir!"

Hearing Robin gloat, Dongze's head was full of black lines.

"You just let her take the money and leave? You prodigal woman! That's 100 million Berries! I have to take down seven or eight pirate crews to earn that!"

Robin blushed at Dongze's words. Holding back her shame, she replied, "Isn't that what you meant?" She glanced at him secretly after speaking.

Dongze was taken aback and turned to carefully size up the woman beside him. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her deep blue eyes were sharp as ever. Despite her elegant demeanor, she had a wit that cut sharper than a sword.

In the past few days with Nami, Robin had come to understand her quite well—after all, she had spent years reading people's true intentions. Now, she had managed to read Dongze just as easily.

He gave her a meaningful look. "Robin, prying into a man's mind without permission is dangerous."

Sensing his dissatisfaction, Robin quickly denied it. "Sir, haven't you been obvious these past few days? Even a money-obsessed girl like Nami could pick up on it."

Dongze frowned. Was I really that obvious? Impossible. I've mastered deception better than an underground broker. Or… have I been influenced by those around me?

With only the two of them left at the moment, Dongze couldn't tell if his acting skills had slipped. But Robin's knowing gaze unsettled him. Scratching his head, he decided to drop the topic.

Robin, relieved that Dongze let it go, subtly adjusted her color contacts—an extra layer of deception she had perfected over the years. However, something about her previous words made her heart race. She had spoken far too boldly.

Even now, Dongze hadn't noticed, but a strange thrill had taken root inside her. The excitement of challenging him, of uncovering his true thoughts, was beginning to consume her.

"Let's go! We should check on her too!" Dongze declared.

Robin chuckled. "Heh, sir, if you go now, Nami might not be too happy."

"Too bad! She's been eating my food, wearing my clothes, slandering me behind my back, yelling at me, and then she steals 100 million Berries? I should spank her!"

"Sir, you have the nerve to say that? Nami is just a girl!"

—

Cocoyashi Village

"Nami!"

"What have you been up to these past two days?"

"Nojiko!"

"What do you think this is?"

Nami stretched out her hand, revealing a large suitcase.

Nojiko raised an eyebrow, noting how different her sister looked today. The usual gloom that clung to her was gone, replaced by a triumphant smile.

She eyed the suitcase, feeling a twinge of suspicion. "What could make Nami this happy?" she wondered.

Just as she reached to open it—

"Nojiko! Not yet. Let's wait until we're home!"

Nami had already noticed Arlong's underlings watching from the shadows. If they saw what was inside, things could turn ugly.

Robin's earlier words echoed in her mind. What if Arlong breaks his promise?

"No! He swore he wouldn't!"

Nojiko noticed Nami's sudden unease. "Nami? What's wrong?"

Nami hesitated before answering, her fingers tightening around the handle of the suitcase.

"Nojiko… If I've gathered all 100 million Berries… what if Arlong refuses to let us go?"

Nojiko froze. The weight of Nami's words didn't fully register at first. Instead, her mind latched onto one phrase:

"You… actually gathered 100 million Berries?"

That amount was unheard of. Even if they sold all of Cocoyashi Village, they wouldn't come close to that figure.

Eyes widening, Nojiko stared at the suitcase. "Wait… is this what's inside?"

—

Back home, Nojiko flipped open the suitcase. The sight of the neatly stacked bills made her gasp. Exactly 100 million Berries. No more, no less.

"No way, Nami… Where did you get all this money?"

Her voice wavered between disbelief and concern. She had known about Nami's trips out to sea, but never had she imagined this.

Every time Nami returned, she brought back small amounts—tens of thousands, maybe a few hundred thousand at most. But this?

Even an entire town couldn't be sold for this much.

As Nojiko waited for an answer, a certain someone's face flashed in Nami's mind.

Despite Dongze's grumbling, it was Robin who had made the biggest impression on her. In the end, it was Robin who had given her the last 100 million Berries.

"Maybe she's been chased away by that scoundrel by now," Nami thought. "If she's out there alone… once this is over, we should bring her here to live with us."

Straightening her back, she declared, "It's black money from some bad guys! I borrowed a little!"

The confidence in her voice was unshaken, though if Dongze had been here, he would have scoffed: "Black money? Do you even hear yourself?"

—

Meanwhile, on Arlong Park's side, the fish-men had already reported Nami's return.

Arlong smirked. "She came back? Of course she did. As long as I hold Cocoyashi Village in my grip, she'll never escape me."

Unbeknownst to him, two more figures had set foot on the island.

Dongze swept his observation haki across the area, locking onto the fish-men's positions and quickly pinpointing Nami.

At that moment, she was surrounded by villagers.

Though Nami had been branded a pirate by outsiders, her people knew the truth—she had done it for them. She had sacrificed everything for their survival.

"Kensuke told them, huh?" Dongze mused as he observed from a distance.

This wasn't just about Nami anymore. This was about Cocoyashi Village.

A little girl had suffered for years, bled for years, fought for years—just for a chance to buy back their freedom.

And now that the money was finally in her hands… how could they stand by and let it be taken away?

Watching the scene, Robin found herself blinking away unexpected tears.

"Mr. Dongze," she whispered, "aren't you going to step in?"

Dongze's eyes darkened. He paused, then said,

"Not yet. You can't understand the value of something without first facing its loss."

He knew this well. When things came too easily, people never truly cherished them.

And right now, the gunshots of resistance had yet to be fired.

This wasn't the right moment.

Even if the villagers' determination moved him… he would not break his own principles.