Chapter 50: The Blade God, the Sword Saint

“Hah.”

Gao Wen sneered.

He knew exactly how skilled Nami was at navigation.

Even though she hadn’t yet reached the age when she’d join the Straw Hat Pirates, the fact that she could predict weather changes down to the minute showed absolute confidence in herself.

Thinking of Nami’s performance in the original story, Gao Wen never once considered he might lose.

But.

Explaining this to Clove now would likely get him nowhere; better to give him a lesson he wouldn’t forget.

It wasn’t that Gao Wen wanted to see him wash socks!

Beside them, Akin glanced at Gao Wen, then at Clove, thinking:

Whoever wins, someone’s washing my socks—this is a win-win.

Still, inwardly, he sided with Gao Wen; the grudge from his defeat at Clove’s hands in Raven Port had yet to be settled, and frankly, he couldn’t beat him.

But after this, Akin felt he could make him wash socks for life!

Thinking of this, Akin couldn’t help but smirk.

Gao Wen shot him a suspicious glance, then ignored him.

After ordering the crew to load the purchased food, fresh water, and other supplies onto the ship, he carefully moved the vessel to a safer spot, reinforced it thoroughly, then finally boarded to rest.

…

One day passed quickly.

But by nightfall the next day, the harbor remained calm—no storm, not even the sea breeze had grown stronger; it carried a faint warmth against the skin.

The three of them stood on deck, silently waiting for the moment Nami had predicted.

After scanning the surroundings, Clove turned back to Gao Wen and teased:

“Captain, how about this—you admit defeat now, and I’ll let you pay half. Just wash my socks, and we’re even.”

“Admit defeat?”

“Better think about how you’re going to wash all the socks on this ship.”

Gao Wen didn’t back down, only gazed at the calm sea ahead—he too felt a flicker of doubt.

If Nami’s navigation skills only developed years later under A Long ’s rule, this joke would be too big.

No.

Most of the years after that, she was probably out raising money to buy Cocoyasi Village; her navigation training must’ve been concentrated in those first few years charting maps.

Thinking this,

Gao Wen gradually calmed down, leaning against the deck, gazing calmly at the distant sea.

Time ticked away second by second.

Just as he was about to lose patience, nearing 11:20 p.m., a mist suddenly rolled in from the distant sea.

Clouds gathered above at an astonishing speed, obscuring stars and moon within minutes, thick as lead, crackling with lightning.

The previously warm wind changed, now laced with moisture, driving the ocean’s chill deep into the bones; the pirate flag on deck began to whip wildly.

Whoosh!

Cold wind and rain slapped Clove’s face; a flash of lightning lit the night, revealing his expression—like he’d seen a ghost.

“Is she really that accurate?!”

Clove refused to believe it, checked his wristwatch—the minute hand had just reached 11:30.

Not a second more, not a second less.

At that exact moment, the harbor’s loudspeaker blared an emergency alert:

“Alert!”

“Storm approaching! Storm approaching!”

“All vessels in harbor, take evasive action! All vessels in harbor, take evasive action!”

…

On deck.

Gao Wen patted Clove on the shoulder:

“What do you think now?”

Clove’s lip twitched; he deliberately ignored the bet and blurted out:

“This woman is our navigator!”

“Also, I suddenly feel dizzy—I’m going to rest in my cabin.”

Before Gao Wen could reply, Clove vanished from the deck, rushed to his room, locked the door behind him, and even stuck earplugs in.

If I can’t hear it, it doesn’t exist!

Wash a whole shipload of men’s socks? Just kill me now~

Too bad.

The two on deck had no intention of letting him off so easily.

Gao Wen and Akin exchanged glances, both grinning wickedly:

“Hehehe~”

“Hehehe~”

…

The next day.

Clove cautiously opened his cabin door—just a crack—and a powerful stench hit him.

He looked down: hundreds of socks neatly lined up at his doorstep, sweat and foot odor so strong they made his eyes water.

A sticky note was taped to the doorknob:

“Real men keep their promises!”

Clove’s lip twitched, staring at the socks—he cracked:

“Gao Wen!!!”

…

On deck, commanding the pirate ship to set sail, Gao Wen heard the cry from below and broke into a wide grin; beside him, Akin was barely holding back his smirk.

They exchanged glances:

“Hehehe~”

“Hehehe~”

…

The storm lasted only two days—fast to come, fast to go—but the damage was severe.

Nearly one-fifth of the ships in the harbor had capsized and sunk; the rest were badly damaged.

Had Gao Wen not moved his vessel to safety and lowered the sails in time, his small pirate ship would’ve been lost too.

Looking at the harbor’s devastation, even Clove couldn’t help but sigh:

“This woman’s navigation skills truly defy logic—but…”

“What’s so great about that stupid movie?!”

Gao Wen gave him a barely noticeable glance.

He then ordered the crew to inspect the hull, confirmed no structural damage, that the ship was still seaworthy, and set sail toward Cocoyasi Village as planned.

…

In the harbor.

Two figures watched the pirate ship fade into the distance, sweat beading on their foreheads.

“Joseph, you… you saw that too, right?”

“That flag, the man on deck—no mistake, it’s Knight Gao Wen!”

“The man dubbed the greatest swordsman of the East Sea over the past two months!”

Johnny swallowed hard, trembling as he pushed up his sunglasses.

Beside him, Joseph—with dead fish eyes—looked equally stunned:

“Of course. But why would someone like him come to Diyagang? And this route… isn’t this A Long ’s territory?”

“Are the two strongest pirates of the East Sea about to go to war?!”

“What are you two staring at?”

Suddenly, a figure with short green hair and three swords at his waist appeared behind them, gripping their shoulders and squeezing himself between them.

“Zoro?!”

Johnny jumped, skin crawling; seeing Joseph about to speak, he clamped a hand over his mouth and turned to Zoro:

“Nothing.”

“Just looking at the scenery. Scenery~”

Johnny shot Joseph frantic glances; Joseph instantly understood, silently relieved—and then looked up at Zoro, already feeling a headache coming.

If this guy found out Gao Wen’s whereabouts, he’d charge straight there to challenge him.

But that’s an 85-million-Berry pirate, the man who broke the East Sea’s bounty record twice in two months.

Even on the Grand Line, he’d be a major force; challenging him directly is pure suicide!

“Really?”

Zoro eyed the two with suspicion.

“Of course it’s true. How about this—I’ll buy you a drink.”

“It’s a deal!”

Joseph glanced at Zoro, his face twisted in pain, but compared to his life, all of this was nothing.

(End of Chapter)