Chapter 28

Logan and Zoro stood up, both observing a small sailboat drifting on the sea.

The boat's sails were lowered, and it floated along the waves without any oar movement. A young girl lay motionless on the boat, clearly deceased.

However, Logan noticed the distinct tattoo of the Arlong Pirates on the girl's arm—a mark identifying her as a member of the notorious pirate crew.

Luffy glanced down at the drifting boat, expressing sympathy. "Such a young woman meeting her end at sea... it's truly unfortunate."

Zoro nodded in agreement. "Seems like she might have lost her way at sea. Dying out here is really tough luck."

Meanwhile, on the boat below, Nami overheard their conversation and was visibly irritated, her frustration evident.

"You two idiots! I'm not dead!" she muttered, annoyed by their assumptions.

As an accomplished navigator, Nami had mastered the art of sailing in the East Blue with ease. She often set out with a small boat and returned with bountiful treasures.

But Luffy, unaware that it was Nami, leaned over the railing, resting his chin on his arms, and suggested, "Should we rescue her and take a look?"

Zoro hastily intervened, waving his hands dismissively. "No, no! She's already deceased. There's no reason to bring her body up."

"Ah, yeah!" Luffy suddenly realized and nodded in agreement. "That's true. Otherwise, it'll start to smell tomorrow."

Puff—

Amidst the conversation, Logan struggled to contain his laughter. But at that moment, he couldn't suppress it any longer.

Nami was on the verge of a meltdown.

"Ah—"

She feigned a slight movement and let out a weak moan.

"Hey?" Zoro turned, surprised. "She's still breathing!"

"Yeah, seems like it," Luffy affirmed, calling out, "Hey, are you okay?"

Foolish...

Do they really need to ask again?

Nami seethed with frustration. Why did she have to deal with such uncooperative individuals?

Struggling to lift her head, she weakly pleaded, "Help... Please, water... If you can, some bread ... I'm starving..."

Weakly pointing to a nearby large treasure chest, she added, "I'll pay you as much as you want... Please, help..."

Without hesitation, Luffy extended his arms, grasped hers, and swiftly pulled her onto the boat.

"Hey...?" Nami was momentarily stunned before realizing she was already aboard the boat.

She gazed at Luffy, a hint of horror in her expression. "Your... your arms stretched?"

"I've got the powers of the Rubber Fruit! Look!" Luffy beamed, demonstrating his Rubber Fruit ability by stretching his arms toward the sea and sky.

"Oh... I see..." Nami sighed, feeling a bit disappointed.

Her original plan had been for the others to notice the large treasure chest on her ship and rush to grab it. Meanwhile, she'd sneak onto their vessel and sail away.

However, she hadn't expected them to haul her onto their boat without leaving theirs.

Her mind raced as she sought another solution. "Can you secure my boat to yours? I'll leave once I've rested," Nami requested.

"Sure thing." Zoro gripped the railing, leaped off, and landed with a swift motion.

Securing the boats required teamwork. Zoro signaled to Luffy, "Come help me out."

"Sure thing!" Luffy followed suit, leaping down to join Zoro.

Together, they secured the small boat to the larger one.

"That's two down. One more to go," Nami thought, pondering her next move.

Turning to Logan, she appealed, "Please... can you help me bring that treasure chest aboard?" Nami suggested, hoping to appeal to Logan's sympathy.

If Logan hadn't read the original manga, he might have fallen for Nami's plea.

He shrugged and smiled, "No. They've secured the boats, so bring your treasure chest up yourself."

"Wait, can't be fooled..." Nami hesitated for a moment, strategizing her next move.

After pondering for a while, she proposed, "The waves seem a bit rough. I don't think those two can handle it alone. How about you go and assist your companions?"

Logan responded with a smile, "Not necessary. You may not know them well. While they may be a bit dim-witted, they're incredibly strong and resilient. This kind of physical labor is right up their alley."

Logan understood Nami's intentions but respected her principles and challenges.

On one hand, he needed to gather funds to save an entire village, and on the other, he admired Nami's strict adherence to stealing only from corrupt individuals. Such a principled individual was rare.

Sensibly steering the conversation away from the impending tension, Logan offered, "Let's set this aside for now. You've been hungry for quite some time. How about having something to eat?"

The enticing aroma of the food reached Nami's senses, making her realize her genuine hunger. Though her weakness was feigned, her hunger was genuine.

But how could she resist when faced with such delicious food?

"Thank you... thank you..." Nami expressed gratitude as she received a grilled fish from Logan, feeling a twinge of appreciation.

However, her gratitude lasted for a mere two seconds before her instincts kicked in.

"Pirates are never kind," she reminded herself. "He's probably after something—pretending to care before launching an attack. Despite his pleasant appearance, he's a pirate. He must be up to no good!"

Swiftly dismissing the fleeting sentiment, Nami grabbed a piece of grilled fish and swiftly took a bite, refocusing her thoughts.