Chapter 13: Assembling the Crew

After spending some time observing the island from above, I realized it was completely deserted following the pirates' hasty departure. Not a single living soul remained, except for the ruins of a few old structures overrun by vegetation. From the sky, I could see that the island was largely covered by a dense forest. The only visible human activity was around the port, where the pirates had set up their camp. There were no other signs of habitation or civilization—just wild nature and a few remnants of the past.

I let myself be guided by the feeling of the keyhole, a presence that was almost tangible, which I could sense at the center of the island. I headed toward this energy, flying over the thick canopy. Eventually, I arrived before a colossal tree standing in the middle of the forest. This tree seemed to have been there for centuries, its roots snaking through the earth, its sheer size defying imagination. The keyhole was attached to its trunk, visible only to me.

Without wasting any time, I drew my Keyblade and inserted it into the keyhole. A click echoed through the heavy forest air, and I felt the energy of darkness being released.

At that moment, a flood of Sans-cœur erupted from the keyhole, taking on familiar animal shapes. Monkeys, but not ordinary monkeys. They were made of shadows and darkness, with bright blue eyes, characteristic of the Sans-cœur under my command.

The first group of Sans-cœur consisted of Primates costauds, stout and muscular creatures, their dark fur shimmering blue under the filtered light of the trees. They leaped from branch to branch with surprising agility, despite their bulky appearance.

Next came the Primates chipies, smaller but fast and cunning, their movements unpredictable. Their pink fur left something to be desired in terms of stealth, but they were skilled at using slingshots.

And finally, the Primates patrouilleurs, the most dangerous of the bunch. They had a similar appearance to the Primates chipies, except their fur had a more purplish hue. They were known for their speed and their ability to dodge attacks. In the games, they were a real nuisance if you didn't take them out stealthily, shooting at the player without ever missing a shot.

But that didn't concern me directly, because once unlocked, the island and its Sans-cœur would only hunt those with corrupted hearts. This meant the island could see the arrival of settlers, no longer bothered by pirates.

You have unlocked 3 keyholes: Traverse Town Dungeon – Easy Mode.

A smile spread across my face. "Finally, I'll get more than just Shadows," I murmured with satisfaction. Things were about to get much more interesting.

I rose into the air once more, flying toward the port, where I saw Luffy and Nami dragging enormous sacks filled with treasures. The clinking sounds betrayed the wealth they were carrying: gold, jewels, and probably a good amount of berries.

But as I descended to join them, I noticed that Nami had stopped walking, staring at something in the forest with a surprised expression. I followed her gaze and saw a group of Primates costauds emerging from the tree line. Their dark bodies swung from branch to branch with surprising agility, their blue eyes glowing in the dim light.

"What the...?" Nami took a small step back, her eyes wide, clearly unsettled by the sudden appearance of the simian Sans-cœur. "What are those things?!"

I landed softly beside her, an amused smile on my lips. "They're Sans-cœur, Nami. Specifically, Primates costauds."

She looked at me with a mix of confusion and curiosity. "Sans-cœur? Are they under your control?"

I shook my head, calmly observing the creatures as they blended into the surroundings, patrolling around us without showing any hostility. "Not exactly, but they won't harm us. They'll patrol the island now that the keyhole has been opened."

Nami narrowed her eyes, still wary. "Are you sure they won't attack us?"

"You don't need to worry. They only go after those with corrupted hearts, and I can tell you, you and Luffy have hearts of gold," I said, trying to reassure her.

She cast one last glance at the primates before shrugging. "As long as they don't steal what we just found, I'm fine with it."

Luffy, who had just dropped his bag with a broad grin, looked at the primates with fascination. "Hey, they're cool! Can we train them to come with us?"

I laughed softly, nodding. "We'll see about that, captain. But for now, we've got more pressing matters with the dungeon I just unlocked."

"A dungeon? What dungeon?" Nami asked, perplexed. She narrowed her eyes, clearly intrigued by my remark. I didn't answer right away, turning instead to Luffy.

Luffy, being his usual self, jumped into the conversation without hesitation. "Nami, you told us about your problems with Arlong and his men," he began, his tone more serious than usual. At the mention of Arlong, I noticed Nami trembling slightly, her fists clenched. She had revealed her secret to strangers, to us, whom she had only just met that day.

Luffy continued, oblivious to the palpable tension in the air. "Jordan and I, we've decided to help you. Especially since, while we were on the galleon, you told me you're a navigator. I want you to join our crew. Jordan, tell her your plan."

He casually tossed the responsibility over to me, leaving me to explain our options. I sighed softly, feeling the pressure mount as Nami looked at us with eyes filled with doubt and hope.

"Alright, I've got three plans to help you free your island," I began, carefully choosing my words. "The first one, we help you gather the money you need to buy back your village. But, to be honest, I doubt Arlong will keep his word. He doesn't seem like the type to honor a deal."

Nami lowered her eyes for a moment, her face tightening at the mention of Arlong, but she listened intently.

"The second plan," I continued, "is that we train, recruit a few allies, and then charge right in. We take on Arlong and his men directly."

I paused, watching Nami for a reaction, but she remained silent, clearly weighing the options in her mind.

"And the third plan," I added more cautiously, "is that I unlock the keyhole on your island. That would release Sans-cœur who could attack Arlong and his men. But I'm not sure how effective that would be, since, while the Sans-cœur are numerous, they aren't very strong yet."

I finished, looking her straight in the eyes, trying to gauge her thoughts. She gritted her teeth, seeming to weigh the pros and cons of each plan.

"Are you really going to help me?" she asked in a small voice, a mix of doubt and vulnerability. "But… I said I hated pirates."

Her voice trembled a little, as if she hesitated to trust again after being betrayed so many times before.

I nodded softly, understanding her hesitation. "I know, Nami. But we're not like the other pirates. Luffy wants to become the Pirate King for freedom, not for money or power. He's more of an adventurer than anything else." I smiled slightly, glancing at Luffy, who, for once, looked serious. "But the Navy doesn't like people like him."

I took a deep breath before continuing. "As for me, I want to help others. But the Navy is corrupt in some places, so even though I don't fly the black flag, they'd still consider me a pirate."

Nami looked at us both, her eyes searching for some truth or reassurance in our words. There was a mix of skepticism and need in her gaze, as if she hoped, despite herself, that we were different.

Finally, she took a deep breath and straightened up, determination visible on her face. "I'll join you temporarily. I want to see what you're really made of, see your actions while we gather the money."

Luffy, unable to contain his joy, exploded with happiness. "Awesome!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. He nearly jumped up and down, thrilled at the idea of having a navigator on board.

I smiled, relieved. "Alright, you're joining us, but get ready. You'll also be participating in our training sessions."

Nami nodded, her face set with determination. She knew the path ahead would be tough, but deep down, she had decided not to carry this burden alone anymore.

"Luffy, I'm going to start the Destiny Island - Normal Mode once to test Nami and give you a chance to try out your new moves," I said as I activated the dungeon.

You are being teleported to Destiny Island – Normal Mode – with your team. Objective: Defeat 300 Shadows and 2 Darksides. Rewards: Random item/equipment/ability for your team members. All defeated Sans-cœur will come under your command.

In an instant, we were transported to another world. We found ourselves in the center of a glowing circle on a familiar plaza in Destiny Island, its beaches and palm trees bathed in a soft, golden light. Nami, puzzled, looked around this new environment, her face showing surprise.

"Nami, the Shadows are here," I said, pointing at the small creatures already crawling out of the ground, their yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. "As you can see, they have yellow eyes, unlike the ones I control, which have blue eyes. These will attack anyone, so be careful."

Nami nodded silently, quickly assembling a wooden stick she had found, probably to defend herself. Though she tried to look confident, I could see a slight apprehension on her face, especially at the sight of the numerous Shadows swarming around us.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luffy coiling up, his body stretching as he prepared for his next attack. "Gum Gum Tornado!" he shouted, launching himself into the horde of Sans-cœur. His body spun at a blinding speed, creating a whirlwind of arms and legs that mowed down all the Shadows within a 30-meter radius, sending them flying in all directions, unable to react. The Shadows disintegrated in mid-air, effortlessly swept away.

I stepped out of the glowing circle and began cutting down Shadows with a single strike, bolstered by the Sans-cœur I had converted. My movements were quick and precise, each Shadow vanishing under the blows of my Keyblade in a fraction of a second. But I left one Shadow for Nami, motioning for her to try an attack.

She nodded with determination and stepped toward the creature, gripping her stick tightly. She raised her arm and struck the Shadow once. Then twice. But nothing happened. The creature absorbed the blows, its yellow eyes still fixed on her, and Nami began to get frustrated. She hit it a third time, then a fourth.

"Why isn't this working?!" she growled, her face twisting in frustration.

She kept striking the Shadow, sweat beading on her forehead, but the creature showed no sign of weakening. The contrast between Luffy's effective attacks and Nami's strikes made the scene unintentionally comical. With each hit, it looked like the Shadow was simply absorbing the impact like an unbreakable punching bag. Finally, on the tenth strike, the Shadow disintegrated in a small puff of black smoke, leaving Nami panting, her stick still in hand. She looked at me incredulously, completely stunned.

"That... took way too long," she gasped, her eyes wide.

I couldn't help but smile. "It's okay. We'll see if you get some rewards to improve your fighting style. For now, stay safe in the circle," I said, gesturing for her to move back. Still a bit shaken, Nami nodded and cautiously returned to the safe zone.

Meanwhile, Luffy continued experimenting with his new attacks with childlike glee. "Gum Gum Piledriver!" he shouted as he grabbed a Shadow and used it as a weapon, smashing it violently against another nearby Shadow, sending both creatures crashing to the ground. He burst into laughter, clearly pleased with his own creativity.

He quickly followed up with another move. "Gum Gum Hug!" he exclaimed, stretching his arms out wildly to grab about twenty Shadows at once, squeezing them all into a crushing embrace. The Shadows writhed and convulsed under the pressure before vanishing in a cloud of darkness.

Luffy's excitement was contagious, and I could tell that this training session was already proving to be a success.

I flew into the air, ready to take on the Darksides, those colossal embodiments of darkness that slowly emerged from the ground, their massive forms towering over the landscape. Spinning my Keyblade, I unleashed a flurry of Fire, Thunder, and Ice spells, bombarding the Darksides from every angle. Each spell hit with deadly precision, lighting up the battlefield with bursts of energy. The two monsters swayed dangerously under my barrage, but I didn't give them a chance to strike back.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Luffy continued testing out new techniques, improvising with each movement. "Gum Gum Trampoline!" he shouted, using his elastic body to bounce between the Shadows, crushing them beneath his feet with incredible speed.

Finally, after a rain of spells and a well-placed finishing blow, the Darksides collapsed to the ground with a deep, echoing rumble, disintegrating into a rain of darkness. The battle was over, and all around us, the remaining Shadows dissolved, defeated by our combined efforts.

I descended back to the ground, wiping the sweat from my forehead, satisfied with our performance. Luffy, ever carefree, was laughing and looked ready to go again.

"We did pretty great, huh?!" he called out, stretching with a wide grin.

I smiled back. "Yeah, we're ready for even more challenges, Captain." I glanced over at Nami, who was resting in the circle, a bit shaken but still determined. "And you, Nami, how did it go?"

She looked up at us, wiping the sweat from her brow. "I think I still have a lot to learn," she said with an ironic but determined smile.

Suddenly, a message appeared in my mind:

Luffy wins 4 potions.Nami wins a mage's staff and the Fire/Thunder/Ice spells.Jordan gains 300 Shadows and two Darksides (normal).

"It looks like you've found your combat style, Nami," I said with a grin, as she held the mage's staff in her hands—the same one Donald wields at the start of the game.

She stared at the staff in surprise, realizing its potential. "I guess this will make things a little easier," she said with a small smile, gaining confidence with her new weapon.

Luffy jumped up in excitement. "This is awesome! Nami's got magic now!" he shouted, clearly excited for her newfound abilities.

I nodded. "With that staff and those spells, you'll be able to handle enemies much more effectively. Just keep practicing, and you'll be unstoppable."

Nami, feeling a bit more at ease, twirled the staff in her hands, testing its weight. "Alright, let's see how this goes next time. But don't expect me to be as crazy as you two," she added, though there was a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Don't worry, Nami," I said. "You've already come a long way. We'll face whatever comes next together."

(Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As mentioned in the tags, I'll be adding a bit of comedy from time to time, but not as exaggerated as in the original. I've slightly adjusted Nami and Luffy's personalities, and I'll probably do the same with the other characters, but nothing too dramatic^^)