Chapter 72: Nami Boards the Ship

Ten minutes later.

Siano wore an unpleasant expression, arms crossed as he stared at the little sister before him.

"... The moment I looked down and saw her, I realized she'd already eaten half the Devil Fruit in my hand; that little fool, terrified I'd snatch it back, gulped it down in a few bites and immediately devoured the remaining half too!"

Nojiko stood aside, fuming as she lodged her complaint.

Nami squatted pitifully on the ground, hands raised high, "Brother, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong... Ugh!!"

Before she could finish, her expression suddenly changed; she turned her head and vomited violently, her small face scrunching up in bitterness—that Devil Fruit was simply too disgusting!

"Indeed foolish." Sister Sister Guyina pressed her forehead and sighed, "She doesn't even know the common sense that eating just one bite of a Devil Fruit is enough to take effect."

"What?!"

Nami stared blankly; there was such a thing? Then hadn't all her suffering been in vain?

"You said you know you were wrong," Siano stated flatly. "Then explain it yourself: where exactly did you go wrong?"

"I, I shouldn't have snatched the Devil Fruit that Nojiko found."

Nami lowered her head and mumbled, daring not to meet Siano's gaze, "Devil Fruits are precious and rare; they can make people stronger. If I eat one, it's just too wasteful..."

"Hmm?"

"And, and more!" Nami hastily added, "Also, I shouldn't have let Ah Gin bring me here; I should have left him to guard the ship. What if some bad guys took the opportunity to target our boat? That would have been trouble..."

"Stop changing the subject!"

Siano could endure it no longer. "Is this what I want to hear? How exactly did you secretly follow us? What methods did you use? And how did you keep it hidden from Bell-mère!"

"It was the Log Pose..." Nami's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"The Log Pose? You secretly tampered with it?"

Siano first froze, then immediately realized the truth; his anger turned into a laugh, and like lifting a kitten, he pinched the back of Nami's collar and held her high in the air.

"Fine, so young yet already so scheming. And what about home? You've been gone for at least ten days, right? By all logic, Bell-mère should have called me long ago after you were missing for so long!"

"I, I did tell her!"

Nami craned her neck, stubborn in her words, legs kicking wildly in the air; but one glare from Siano, and she immediately deflated like a punctured balloon.

"I did tell her, but I said I was bored and wanted to stay at the Isshin Dojo for a while, so she asked Genzo to escort me there. Genzo even secretly followed me, only leaving after personally watching me enter the dojo gates, reassured."

"Actually, the moment I went in, I quietly slipped out the back door, stole Uncle Teacher Gengsilang's cola-powered small boat, and then followed you all here..."

"Now you're stealing things?"

Siano flew into a rage, his voice suddenly rising an octave. "Who taught you this? How do you have the shame to do such a thing!"

"That was the only reliable boat; I had no choice..." Nami wore a face full of grievance. "Besides, it can't really count as stealing, can it? I brought the boat here to Sister Sister Guyina, didn't I?"

"She's not wrong about that."

Sister Sister Guyina sighed helplessly, rubbing her forehead. "However, I must go make a call to Father, lest the children at the dojo are still running around helping to search for the boat."

"Mm, go ahead."

Siano nodded, casually took out a Den Den Mushi, and tossed it to Nami. "You also scram and call Bell-mère; explain everything clearly!"

"Oh..."

Nami dared not utter a single word of refusal; tossed aside, she obediently began dialing the number pad.

With her mother thousands of miles away kept in the dark, and her brother right here in a fury, if forced to choose between the two...

She shivered; it seemed her brother was the more terrifying one.

Not long after.

Clutching the Den Den Mushi, Nami found Siano and the others nearby, busy transporting various treasures and cargo.

"What did Lady Bell-mère say?" Zeff hefted two large crates of liquor and teased from the side, "Is she telling us to send you home right now?"

"No."

While tallying the various treasure chests on the ground before him, Siano shook his head slightly. "Remember to prepare an extra portion of meals from now on, Uncle Zeff; our ship is destined to gain another glutton."

"Eh??"

Nami widened her eyes, staring at Siano. "I haven't said anything yet, Brother; how did you know?"

"Because that is exactly who Bell-mère is."

Without turning his head, Siano spoke calmly:

"Let me guess: first she scolded you severely, then remained stubborn as death, saying something like, 'If being left at home makes every day unbearable for you, then I will only feel worse. So, to make me feel a bit better, you heartless little brat, go follow your brother and fulfill your dreams! Don't come back and make me unhappy!'—some sentimental nonsense like that, making you tear up until you want to wake up in the middle of the night and slap yourself."

"..." Nami stood dumbfounded on the spot, murmuring, "Word for word, exactly the same?"

"When did you master Observation Haki?"

Zeff looked utterly puzzled; he had just observed carefully and indeed found traces of dried tears at the corner of Nami's eyes.

"I don't know Observation Haki. As for why I know, didn't I just say it..."

Siano shook his head slightly, and just then Nojiko walked over carrying a box; hearing this, she pursed her lips and sighed almost in unison with her brother—

"Because, that is exactly who Bell-mère is..."

Really can't understand this family, Zeff thought bewilderedly, scratching his head; he might as well continue with his own work.

"Then, Brother..." Nami cautiously glanced at Siano's expression from the side. "Does this mean you also agree to let me stay on the ship?"

"If you want me to send you back, that's also possible." Siano glanced at her.

"Then let's not do that!" Nami hastily shook her head, then tentatively asked, "But... are you really not angry with me anymore? Do you not blame me for eating the Devil Fruit?"

"When did I ever blame you for eating the Devil Fruit?" Siano frowned.

"Eh?"

Nami froze; thinking back carefully, it was true. From start to finish, her brother had only been angry that she slipped out without notice; he truly hadn't cared about that fruit at all.

"Do you think I don't know those little schemes of yours?"

Siano snorted coldly, bent down, reached out to pinch her cheek, and said, "You were simply terrified of being treated as dead weight. You thought that after eating a Devil Fruit, you'd at least be useful, so no one would kick you off the ship. Isn't that right?"

The girl's skin was fine and tender, far lacking the chubby feel from years past; after pinching it a few times, Siano found it boring and let go.

"Yes..."

Nami stammered; indeed, in front of her older brother, could any secret remain hidden?

"So silly."

Siano said irritably, "This is my ship, your brother's ship. Even if you knew nothing and did nothing but eat and sleep all day, who would despise you?"

"Brother..." Just as a tiny bit of emotion welled up in Nami's heart toward her older brother, she saw him suddenly pinch his nose in disgust:

"Tsk, look at you, all ragged and stinking sour; you certainly suffered quite a bit on the road, didn't you? But this serves just right to teach you a lesson, to see if you dare hide such things from me again. Go on, follow Nojiko back to the ship first, take a good soak; this matter isn't over yet, there's plenty of punishment waiting for you later."

"Bingo! Bathing is the main event; even Arlong is about to be suffocated by your smell, Nami."

Nojiko said with a smiling face, "Come with me; the ship even has a dedicated hot spring bathhouse; it's very comfortable."

"..."

Looking at her brother's face full of disgust and her sister's gentle smile.

Nami stood frozen in place; in the blink of an eye, it seemed as though she had returned to that carefree childhood spent in the tangerine grove.

Comparing this to the exhaustion and loneliness of drifting at sea while tailing them for the past half-month, her nose suddenly turned a bit sour.

She took a deep breath, lifted her face, and revealed a smile as brilliant as before: "Mm!"

Siano stood quietly in place, watching his two younger sisters depart, his eyes revealing deep thought.

So it was the Mera Mera Fruit that was found?

A Logia-type ability is indeed quite precious.

He himself was too lazy to eat it; it didn't match his fighting style very well, and since his current combat power was sufficient, he had no intention of becoming a Devil Fruit user.

If he were to eat one in the future to raise his physical limits, he would likely prioritize a Zoan-type Mythical Model that could make his physique even more formidable.

As for the Mera Mera Fruit, barring this unexpected turn with Nami, he had originally planned to give it to whichever crew member was interested.

However...

Siano gazed into the distance at Nami's back as she chattered incessantly, pulling Nojiko along to complain, and shook his head with a smile.

Actually, this isn't bad; at least after achieving elemental transformation, few people in the first half of the Grand Line will be able to harm her.

(End of Chapter)