Chapter 344

"Who... who's in there?"

Bang!

The sudden turn of events scared Colonel Nezumi so badly that his legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the ground.

Even his trousers were soaked.

Scared straight into wetting himself.

In a remote little village in the East Blue, how could there possibly be a powerful existence capable of 'Conqueror's Haki'?

This is impossible!

As a colonel, even if stationed at the East Blue branch, his status was still not low.

Knowing about Haki was not strange.

After all, 'White Chase' Smoker was also a colonel.

Of course, he was stationed near the entrance to the Grand Line, specifically in Loguetown, the major town where the Pirate King was executed.

Though both were colonels, their status and actual power were not the same.

Looking at the strange yet familiar scene outside.

Lu Shu, walking out slowly, was utterly stunned.

Wasn't the plot of Colonel Nezumi robbing Nami supposed to happen a year later, when Luffy and the others arrived?

Why was it playing out right now?

Or could it be that Nezumi had been coming here all these years?

He seemed to recall that Nami's saved money had indeed been stolen repeatedly, and she had struggled through immense hardship to gather exactly one hundred million Berries.

Reality was indeed different from the plot.

Colonel Nezumi.

In the original plot set a year later, he had come under Arlong's orders to snatch away Nami's 'lifeline' for saving her village.

Nojiko had been shot by Nezumi while trying to protect Nami.

Of course, in the end, he had also been beaten severely.

It was just a pity that this scum was still serving in the Marines.

"Nami, are you really seventeen?"

Lu Shu asked, puzzled.

Seventeen and eighteen differed by only one year; could it be that the pirate world also distinguished between nominal and actual age?

"Of course I am!"

"And!"

"Is this really the time to ask about that?"

"Hurry and stop my sister's bleeding!"

Nami's eyes were filled with tears.

She held her hands over Nojiko's arm, but the blood would not stop.

Moreover, she realized that her sister's left arm... was broken!

Carina, who had come through the Anywhere Door along with them, was also completely stunned.

Was it going to be this thrilling the moment they arrived?

"Acting like we're close friends?"

"Nami."

"Aren't you mistaken?"

"Even though we are group chat members, I have no obligation to help your sister, do I?"

"You still owe me six hundred points."

"To save your sister, the Shangcheng has a Restoration Potion for one thousand points; one dose, and everything will be fine."

"It just depends on whether you can bear to spend it."

"Besides, if I'm not mistaken, this is a colonel from a Marine branch; you understand what a colonel means, right? I could kill them, but if fifty Marines from the branch go missing and a colonel dies, do you think Headquarters won't send an investigation?"

"By then, it won't just be your sister; your entire village will be doomed."

"Furthermore, if I'm not wrong, he is in league with Arlong."

"Arlong never intended to let you go; he was just toying with you. Once Nezumi fails to report back, Arlong will arrive very soon."

Lu Shu said.

By this time, Nami had already learned the reason from her sister.

"No... impossible!!"

At this moment, Nami was still very naive.

She truly believed that once she gathered one hundred million Berries, Arlong would grant freedom to the village.

Although she now had the group chat and no longer planned to give Arlong the money, she still believed that one hundred million Berries could buy freedom.

Of course, rather than trusting Arlong, it was more accurate to say she trusted her own persistence.

In the original plot.

She had even bluffing Nezumi, claiming she was Arlong's subordinate.

Sadly, she soon realized that Nezumi and Arlong were working hand in glove.

He swayed as he got up and walked toward Nezumi.

But before he could even ask.

Nezumi confessed everything in one breath.

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"It's Arlong's gang!"

"Arlong sent me to steal your money."

Rats are very clever.

They know when to stand where.

Facing the mysterious 'Conqueror's Haki' expert, someone like Arlong was no longer worth looking at.

"..."

Nami fell silent.

She clenched her fists tightly.

She didn't beat the rat; she just stood silently, her shoulders trembling.

Only after a long while did she turn and walk back.

"Help me."

"Help me kill Arlong's gang."

"Save my sister."

"Save Cocoyasi Village!"

"I, my everything... I give it all to you!"

Lu Shu glanced at Nami strangely, the corner of his mouth curving into an amused arc: "It seems you've sold yourself to me, then?"

"Hey, I didn't force you, you know!"

"I accept your resolve. A promise is a promise; from today on, you are my person!"

Nami gritted her teeth: "A daughter of the sea dares to love and hate!"

In just a brief instant, she had figured it all out.

Arlong's gang, Colonel Nezumi, the threat from Headquarters, the village's safety... four great mountains pressed down upon her.

The 1000 Awakening Factors had failed.

'Slow Motion' could not save the village.

Accumulating ten thousand points would take several more days, and whether it would yield a good ability remained unknown.

Even if she bought Mu Hai Xingzi's Digimon.

Growing it to its Perfect Form would still consume a vast amount of Credit Points.

There wasn't enough time.

Only a Perfect Form could fight an Admiral.