《One Piece: Star Sea Legend》 Chapter 1 - A Fateful Encounter Chapter 1: A Fateful Encounter ¡°Qin Ming, get up quickly! Didn¡¯t you agree to go fishing with us today? Are you trying to slack off again?¡± A fat man kept knocking on Qin Ming¡¯s door, making loud thud thud sounds. ¡°Damn fatty, stop knocking! You¡¯re going to break the door!¡± Qin Ming, lying in bed, threw off the covers and got up swiftly, sighing lightly. It had been over half a year since he arrived in this world. From initial resistance to reluctant acceptance, Qin Ming felt deeply uncertain about his future. When he first heard the village children talking about the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, Qin Ming thought he was dreaming or that everyone here was a fan of pirates. Otherwise, why would the children¡¯s eyes shine with such admiration and even a hint of madness when they spoke of the Pirate King? It was almost like they were devout followers, making Qin Ming feel uneasy. From the fishermen who saved him, Qin Ming learned that he had been found drifting at sea, unconscious. If it weren¡¯t for the fishermen who happened to be nearby, he would have drowned. Since then, to survive, Qin Ming had learned to become a fisherman, honing his skills. After half a year, he had become one of the most skilled fishermen in the village. Many people would invite Qin Ming to join them before heading out to sea, as his presence ensured a bountiful catch. At first, Qin Ming had thought about planting vegetables and living a leisurely life as a farmer in the village. However, the land was so barren that not even grass could grow. Thus, everyone in the village relied on fishing for their livelihood. Over the past six months, Qin Ming had eaten fish at every meal, but he didn¡¯t mind. The variety of fish in the nearby waters was incredibly diverse. Every day, even every meal, he ate different types of fish, each with unique flavors. It was a culinary adventure. Back on Earth, there were many types of fish, but in this world of , there were species he had never encountered before. For example, the Snowflake Fish he ate two days ago remained icy cold even after being steamed. No matter how much it was heated, it stayed as cold as an ice pop. Its meat was tender, fragrant, and boneless. Eating it in the scorching summer was incredibly refreshing. Qin Ming thought resentfully as he followed the fat man to the seaside. Along the way, many villagers greeted Qin Ming warmly. He also saw children playing games of the Navy catching pirates. ¡°Today, it¡¯s my turn to play the great pirate Whitebeard. You can be the Navy lieutenant and try to catch me.¡± ¡°Idiot, Whitebeard is known as the strongest man in the world. A mere Navy lieutenant wouldn¡¯t dare to catch him. At least a Navy admiral would be needed.¡± Hearing the children¡¯s conversation, the fat man beside Qin Ming sighed nostalgically. ¡°Youth is wonderful. I used to dream of becoming a famous pirate, finding the legendary , and becoming the Pirate King. But in the end, I gave up.¡± Looking at the fat man¡¯s wistful expression, Qin Ming thought to himself: ¡°Do you know why I gave up?¡± the fat man asked Qin Ming. ¡°Why?¡± As soon as Qin Ming asked, the fat man¡¯s face turned sorrowful. ¡°Back then, I was full of ambition and set out to sea. But before I could get far, a giant sea king capsized my boat. If it weren¡¯t for someone who happened to save me, I wouldn¡¯t be alive today.¡± Hearing this, Qin Ming felt a bit embarrassed. He had forgotten that in this world¡¯s seas, giant sea kings were everywhere. With the fat man¡¯s skills, he wouldn¡¯t even need to encounter other pirates; a sea king alone could finish him off. ¡°Who saved you? No one in our village can handle a giant sea king, right?¡± Qin Ming found it strange. Who could have saved the fat man? ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It was a strange old man. He said he happened to be swimming nearby and saved me. Although I think he might have been exaggerating¡ªhow could someone swim from one island to another?¡ªhe was indeed strong. He just threw a small stone and knocked out the giant sea king.¡± The fat man¡¯s words stunned Qin Ming. Could it have been Silvers Rayleigh who saved him? ¡°Did that old man have a scar over his right eye?¡± Qin Ming asked urgently. ¡°Yeah, he did. How did you know?¡± The fat man looked at Qin Ming in surprise. ¡°Just a wild guess.¡± Qin Ming wondered why Rayleigh would be in the . According to the fat man, he was saved by Rayleigh a year ago. Why would Rayleigh, the Dark King, be in the weakest sea at that time? From what he had learned from the villagers, it had been 22 years since the Pirate King Gol D. Roger¡¯s death. That meant Luffy should have already set sail. But why was Rayleigh in the a year before Luffy¡¯s journey? As a fan of , Qin Ming had read the manga and watched the anime multiple times. He didn¡¯t recall any storyline about Rayleigh being in the a year before Luffy¡¯s departure. A ridiculous thought crossed Qin Ming¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey, what are you daydreaming about? We¡¯re about to set sail for fishing.¡± The fat man, already on the fishing boat, called out to Qin Ming, who was still standing lost in thought. Qin Ming snapped out of it and quickly boarded the boat. Another busy and fulfilling day of fishing began. Two hours later, Qin Ming and the fat man looked satisfied at their catch¡ªten baskets full of fish, enough to last them a while. Just as they were about to head back, a huge wave surged from the sea, nearly capsizing their small boat. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s a sea king!¡± The fat man looked terrified at the giant creature emerging from the depths, almost wetting himself. Qin Ming looked up at the massive creature with a horse-like face, lantern-sized eyes, and a body resembling an octopus. It was at least twenty times the size of their small boat. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be sea kings in this area. Why is it here?¡± The fat man panicked, turning to Qin Ming. ¡°Stop asking questions and start rowing!¡± Qin Ming, drenched from the splashing seawater, grabbed the oars and started rowing furiously. At that moment, Qin Ming missed motorized boats from Earth. Here, he was rowing until his arms felt like they were about to fall off, and they hadn¡¯t moved far. The sea king opened its massive mouth, ready to swallow Qin Ming¡¯s boat whole. As the sea king¡¯s mouth drew closer, Qin Ming smelled its foul breath and felt a growing sense of despair. ¡°Gomu Gomu no Pistol!¡± Just as Qin Ming was about to close his eyes and accept his fate, he heard a spirited voice. More importantly, the words sounded familiar. Qin Ming¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he saw a long arm stretching over his head. With a bang, the giant sea king was sent flying. ¡°Awesome! This thing looks delicious!¡± A straw-hat-wearing boy with a small scar under his left eye jumped onto Qin Ming¡¯s boat. Using his stretched arm to grab the bow, he flew over, eyeing the unconscious sea king with excitement. ¡°Monster! His arm stretched!¡± The fat man, seeing the straw-hatted boy, turned pale with fear. ¡°Wow, there are so many fish here. They all look delicious!¡± The boy¡¯s mouth watered as he noticed the baskets of fish Qin Ming and the fat man had caught. ¡°Monkey D. Luffy!¡± Qin Ming didn¡¯t know whether to feel excited or nervous. This was a character he had only seen in comics and on screen, now standing before him in the flesh, having just saved his life. ¡°How do you know my name? Have we met before?¡± Luffy turned to Qin Ming, puzzled. ¡°But it¡¯s not strange that you know my name. After all, I¡¯m going to be the Pirate King! Hahaha!¡± Before Qin Ming could explain, Luffy burst into hearty laughter. His smile was infectious, and his confidence was natural, without a hint of pretense. Hearing Luffy¡¯s bold declaration, the already shaken fat man fainted on the spot. Qin Ming was at a loss for words. Seeing Luffy¡¯s eager glances at the fish, he thought for a moment and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you come back to our village? We¡¯ll prepare a big meal to thank you for saving us.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! I¡¯m starving!¡± Luffy¡¯s face lit up with joy. But then he seemed to remember something and rushed to the side of the boat, exclaiming, ¡°Where¡¯s my ship?¡± ¡°Is that it? It¡¯s already drifted far away.¡± Qin Ming pointed to a small boat floating alone in the distance. ¡°That¡¯s my ship!¡± Luffy followed Qin Ming¡¯s finger and immediately recognized his drifting boat. Earlier, Luffy had been too focused on saving them and hadn¡¯t secured his boat. By the time he realized, it had already drifted far away. ¡°Come back! Don¡¯t you want to be the ship of the future Pirate King?¡± Luffy stood at the edge of the fishing boat, shouting at the receding ship. Qin Ming watched Luffy, speechless. ¡°This is trouble. Without a ship, I can¡¯t set sail.¡± Luffy, seeing that his ship wasn¡¯t coming back, looked troubled. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I can lend you this fishing boat.¡± Qin Ming thought it would be pretty cool if the future Pirate King sailed on his fishing boat. ¡°You¡¯re such a nice guy!¡± Hearing Qin Ming¡¯s offer, Luffy¡¯s face brightened again. Then he turned to Qin Ming and said, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re a man too, right? Why don¡¯t you come with me? Let¡¯s sail the seas and become free pirates!¡± Chapter 2 - First Encounters Chapter 2: First Encounters Facing Luffy¡¯s invitation, Qin Ming was momentarily stunned. Judging from the current situation, Luffy was still alone, meaning he likely hadn¡¯t even met Zoro yet. If Qin Ming were to accept Luffy¡¯s invitation, what kind of impact would it have on the future of Luffy¡¯s pirate crew? At first, Qin Ming felt a surge of excitement upon hearing Luffy¡¯s words, but he quickly calmed down and faced a harsh reality: he was just an ordinary person. To put it bluntly, Qin Ming was practically useless in a fight. Aside from being skilled at fishing, he had no other notable talents. If he were to encounter even a nameless pirate, Qin Ming might muster the courage to fight, but he would undoubtedly end up being the one getting beaten. The truth was, Qin Ming had lived a very ordinary life back on Earth. Born into an average family, he became an average student, and later, an average office worker. Such an unremarkable person, now in the world of , facing fierce pirates¡ªhow could he possibly compete? If joining Luffy¡¯s crew would only make him a burden, then Qin Ming would never accept the invitation. It would be better to stay in this peaceful little village and live out his life. After some contemplation, Qin Ming decided to decline Luffy¡¯s offer. ¡°No, I like this village. I¡¯ve grown accustomed to the life of a fisherman. Becoming a pirate would only trouble me.¡± As Qin Ming spoke these words, he felt a twinge of insincerity. Deep down, he yearned to set sail with Luffy and experience the thrilling adventures. After all, when Qin Ming used to watch , he had often fantasized about joining Luffy¡¯s crew, supporting each other, and charging forward together. Who wouldn¡¯t long for that kind of selfless trust among comrades? But when fantasy meets reality, Qin Ming had to make a rational, albeit reluctant, decision. Who would want to be a burden to a team? ¡°Fishing?¡± Luffy seemed to misunderstand Qin Ming¡¯s refusal. His eyes lit up with excitement as he pointed at the baskets of fish on the boat. ¡°So, you caught all those fish?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, I guess.¡± Qin Ming nodded. Although the fat man had gone fishing with him, the fat man¡¯s only job was to pack the fish Qin Ming caught into the baskets. ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you! You¡¯re really reliable. From now on, we¡¯re partners. Let¡¯s get along well!¡± Luffy laughed heartily, flashing Qin Ming a bright smile. Qin Ming felt a sense of foreboding. He suddenly remembered that when Luffy invited someone to join his crew, he didn¡¯t really care whether they agreed or not. To put it plainly, Luffy would stubbornly drag you onto his pirate ship whether you liked it or not. Just as Qin Ming was about to speak again, he heard a loud ¡°gurgling¡± sound. Qin Ming looked at Luffy, who was clutching his stomach with a hungry expression, and sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d treat me to a big meal? Let¡¯s hurry! After we eat, we¡¯ll set sail.¡± Seeing Qin Ming still standing there, Luffy urged him impatiently, then added, ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the specialty of your village? It must be some delicious meat!¡± Qin Ming rolled his eyes and simply told Luffy that the village¡¯s specialty was fish. Then, he prepared to head back. Glancing at the fat man, who was still unconscious, Qin Ming slapped him over a dozen times, swelling his face, but the fat man showed no reaction. Under Luffy¡¯s constant urging, Qin Ming had no choice but to row the small fishing boat back himself. As he rowed, Qin Ming noticed something strange. Despite rowing for over a minute, the boat wasn¡¯t moving forward¡ªit was actually drifting backward. The sea was calm, so this shouldn¡¯t be happening. Puzzled, Qin Ming turned around and saw Luffy, standing on the other side of the boat, stretching his arm to grab the giant sea king floating in the water. At the same time, Luffy was using his other hand to row the boat with an oar. At that moment, Qin Ming realized that Luffy wasn¡¯t just a glutton¡ªhe was also a walking disaster. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I want to bring it back. It¡¯ll be perfect for a feast. It¡¯s definitely delicious!¡± Luffy grinned, looking at the sea king he was holding with his stretched arm, drooling uncontrollably. ¡°Do you really think we can row back while dragging something that huge?¡± Qin Ming was on the verge of losing his patience with Luffy¡¯s single-mindedness. The sea king was over twenty times the size of their small boat. There was no way the boat could pull it. ¡°Is that so? I thought you were just slacking off and not rowing hard enough. My bad, hahaha!¡± Luffy didn¡¯t seem to realize he was the one causing the problem. His carefree attitude made Qin Ming¡¯s heart race. The thought crossed Qin Ming¡¯s mind. ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll have to do this.¡± Luffy muttered to himself, then put down the oar. He stretched both arms and tightly grabbed the sea king¡¯s body. Qin Ming was about to tell Luffy to give up on the sea king, but before he could speak, he saw Luffy lift the massive creature high into the air and hurl it forward. The sea king was so heavy that when Luffy lifted it, the boat tilted violently and began to sink. When Luffy threw the sea king, the combined weight of the creature and the force of Luffy¡¯s throw caused the boat to tilt almost ninety degrees. In other words, the small fishing boat Qin Ming and Luffy were on, nearly capsized, leaving Qin Ming¡¯s heart racing. ¡°What are you even trying to do?¡± This time, Qin Ming was genuinely exasperated. As a normal human, it was sometimes impossible to understand the thought process of a single-celled organism like Luffy. ¡°I¡¯m bringing it back to eat, of course.¡± Luffy pointed at the sea king he had thrown ahead of the boat and looked at Qin Ming as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°Wasting food is bad. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± Seeing Luffy¡¯s drooling expression, Qin Ming knew exactly what was going through the glutton¡¯s mind. Realizing he couldn¡¯t convince Luffy to give up on the sea king, Qin Ming had no choice but to let Luffy continue his antics. He rowed with all his might, just wanting to get back to the village quickly, treat Luffy to a meal, and then send this walking disaster on his way. Qin Ming truly believed that. Setting sail with Luffy on an adventure, with his ordinary combat skills, would be a death sentence. ¡°Why did you invite me?¡± Even though Qin Ming had already decided not to set sail, he was still curious about why Luffy had invited him. ¡°I think you¡¯re a good guy. Plus, you know how to fish. That way, I won¡¯t have to worry about running out of meat to eat.¡± Luffy¡¯s answer was straightforward. Qin Ming wasn¡¯t surprised. Given Luffy¡¯s simple-minded, food-obsessed nature, it wasn¡¯t strange for him to invite someone just because they were good at fishing. ¡°I also want to find a cook and a musician. That way, I can listen to music and eat delicious meat every day. It¡¯ll be amazing!¡± Luffy threw the sea king forward again. By now, Qin Ming had grown somewhat accustomed to the boat¡¯s violent rocking and didn¡¯t react as strongly. ¡°If you have a cook, you won¡¯t need me anymore. The cook will take care of your meat problem.¡± Qin Ming figured that once Luffy meets Sanji, his role as a fisherman would become redundant. Just as this thought crossed Qin Ming¡¯s mind, he heard Luffy, who was rowing, say, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over. If the cook can focus solely on making meat for me, that would be perfect. You can handle the ingredients for the meat.¡± Luffy seemed to get more excited as he spoke, his eyes shining as he looked at Qin Ming. ¡°I ate a sea king once, and its meat was delicious. If you could catch sea kings for me regularly, that would be great!¡± Qin Ming felt a chill run down his spine under Luffy¡¯s gaze. Hearing Luffy¡¯s words, his hand slipped on the oar, and he nearly fell into the sea. Qin Ming imagined what it would be like to set sail with Luffy, constantly battling giant sea kings, and felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. ¡°Ah, I see land! Is that your village?¡± Luffy excitedly threw down the oar, stretched his arms, and climbed onto the mast of the boat, looking ahead. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Qin Ming spoke with relief. They were finally about to return safely to the village. ¡°Great! Watch me throw it all the way into the village. I¡¯ve tossed it so many times, I¡¯m really starving now.¡± Luffy nimbly jumped down from the mast, stretched his arms, grabbed the sea king, lifted it high, spun around a few times on the boat, and then hurled it forward with all his might. Perhaps because Luffy used more force this time, the boat rocked even more violently. The fat man, who had been unconscious, finally woke up from the shaking. Still disoriented, the fat man felt his stomach churn and rushed to the side of the boat, vomiting uncontrollably. Qin Ming realized that the fat man had likely gotten seasick from the boat¡¯s constant rocking. As the sea king flew over a hundred meters through the air and landed heavily on the shore, Qin Ming didn¡¯t even have time to marvel at Luffy¡¯s incredible strength before he heard a sharp ¡°crack¡±. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that sound?¡± Luffy, standing by the edge of the boat, looked puzzled. Qin Ming followed the sound and saw that the boat¡¯s planks near Luffy¡¯s feet had cracked. ¡°Oh no, the boat¡¯s going to sink!¡± Qin Ming barely had time to shout this before the bottom of the small fishing boat completely shattered, and seawater began pouring in. ¡°Why did the boat break?¡± Luffy looked genuinely shocked. ¡°It¡¯s because you kept throwing that sea king around. The boat couldn¡¯t handle the strain.¡± Qin Ming, seeing more and more water flooding in, spoke urgently. In fact, Qin Ming was right. Earlier, Luffy had repeatedly stood on the boat and thrown the massive sea king. Each time, he had stomped hard on the boat¡¯s planks. Finally, during Luffy¡¯s last throw, the small fishing boat, which had served Qin Ming faithfully for over half a year, could no longer withstand the pressure and shamefully sank. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Luffy¡¯s words left Qin Ming speechless. Qin Ming was about to sternly reprimand Luffy when he heard Luffy say, ¡°I can¡¯t swim!¡± Seeing Luffy, now submerged in the seawater, quickly sink, Qin Ming suddenly remembered that Luffy, as a Devil Fruit user, was a true landlubber. Noticing that the fat man was floating on the water, clinging to a broken piece of the boat and unlikely to be in danger, Qin Ming sighed, shook his head, and jumped into the water¡­ Chapter 3 - The Moment of Decision Chapter 3: The Moment of Decision When Qin Ming finally managed to drag the limp, seawater-soaked Luffy and the half-dead fat man back to shore, he was completely exhausted, gasping for breath with pale lips. Clearly, rescuing Luffy and the fat man had pushed Qin Ming to the brink of collapse. There was no other way. When Luffy sank into the sea, they were still over a hundred meters from the shore. Normally, this distance wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Qin Ming¡ªhe could have swum back and forth several times without issue. But Luffy, being completely powerless in the seawater, was essentially dead weight. Qin Ming had to carry him while swimming against the water¡¯s resistance, which made the task incredibly taxing. To make matters worse, just as Qin Ming was struggling to swim towards the shore with Luffy, he glanced back and saw that the fat man, who had been floating on a piece of driftwood, had also sunk into the sea. The fat man was Qin Ming¡¯s first friend in this world of , and his family had saved Qin Ming¡¯s life. How could Qin Ming just stand by and watch him drown? So, gritting his teeth, Qin Ming turned back with Luffy in tow and rescued the fat man. In the end, Qin Ming had to drag both Luffy and the fat man to shore, using every ounce of strength he had. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Qin Ming had spent the past six months fishing, building up his arm strength and overall stamina, he would never have been able to pull off such a feat. But the effort left Qin Ming utterly spent. After rescuing Luffy and the fat man, his consciousness began to fade, and he eventually passed out. This was only natural. Qin Ming was just an ordinary person. Pushing himself to save two drowning people at once had pushed him far beyond his limits. Collapsing from exhaustion was inevitable. When Qin Ming regained consciousness, it was already evening, and he could hear a lively commotion outside. Looking around, he realized he had been carried back to his house. It seemed that another group of fishermen had found them unconscious on the beach and brought them back. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the feast!¡± As Qin Ming sat up in bed, shaking his groggy head, he heard a loud, energetic voice. Then, a person wearing a red sleeveless vest and a straw hat, with a bright smile on his face, burst into Qin Ming¡¯s room: ¡°You¡¯re finally awake! Come on, let¡¯s start the feast! The main dish is the sea king we caught this morning. Its meat is delicious!¡± Qin Ming looked at the lively Luffy with a mix of exasperation and admiration. Compared to Luffy, Qin Ming felt utterly drained. As soon as he moved, his body ached all over. Qin Ming knew this was due to overexertion and muscle fatigue. He had planned to rest in bed a bit longer, but Luffy dragged him out to join the feast. ¡°We¡¯re setting sail tomorrow, so we have to enjoy ourselves tonight. The meat at this feast is amazing!¡± Luffy was stuffing a piece of meat larger than his thigh into his mouth while talking to Qin Ming. Qin Ming, who had been about to explain that he wouldn¡¯t be setting sail with Luffy, was interrupted when the fat man came running over, knelt down, and hugged Qin Ming¡¯s leg, crying: ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alive! You looked like a corpse earlier. I thought I was going to have to attend your funeral!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Qin Ming snapped at the fat man. The village was filled with joy, with bonfires lit everywhere and villagers laughing and dancing. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits. But the fat man¡¯s mournful expression was a complete buzzkill, instantly ruining Qin Ming¡¯s slightly improved mood. The fat man¡¯s gloomy face was just too out of place. When the villagers saw Qin Ming, they greeted him with smiles. A few young, pretty girls even blushed and invited him to dance, but he declined. It wasn¡¯t that Qin Ming was being pretentious¡ªhis head was still spinning, and he was worried he might accidentally stumble into a bonfire. That would be a real tragedy. However, there was one person who was thoroughly enjoying the dancing: Luffy. This guy was dancing with a group of girls, and at one point, he declared it wasn¡¯t exciting enough and started doing a belly dance. The villagers burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained. Luffy even drew a face on his belly, used his rubber body to inflate it into a round shape, stuck two chopsticks in his nose, and started singing some unknown pirate song. The villagers were in stitches. There was no denying that Luffy¡¯s presence made the feast far livelier than usual. Qin Ming had attended village feasts before, and while they were lively, none had been as energetic as this one. Almost every villager was enthusiastically participating, and even Qin Ming found himself caught up in the excitement. As Qin Ming ate and watched Luffy¡¯s antics, he turned to the fat man beside him and asked, ¡°You know how to swim, right? How did you end up drowning?¡± As a fisherman, the fat man certainly knew how to swim. But at the time, seeing the fat man in danger, Qin Ming hadn¡¯t thought twice before rescuing him. This was Qin Ming¡¯s first time eating sea king meat, and he found it incredibly delicious, leaving him wanting more. But soon, Qin Ming lost his appetite. The fat man explained that he had drowned because, after vomiting, he felt dizzy and accidentally inhaled some seawater. To his horror, the seawater contained traces of his own vomit, which made him vomit again. As he was gasping for air, a small wave washed over him, sending the vomit back into his mouth. This caused him to vomit once more. In his frantic state, he cramped up and promptly drowned. Completely unaware that his story had ruined Qin Ming¡¯s appetite, the fat man continued to recount his tragic experience in vivid detail. Qin Ming, barely holding back the urge to vomit, finally snapped and punched the fat man, knocking him out. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at the unconscious fat man, Qin Ming felt a wave of relief, and his earlier discomfort vanished. ¡°Are you a Devil Fruit user?¡± The village chief, seeing Luffy stretch his arm to grab a piece of meat from a nearby plate, asked with curiosity. ¡°Yeah, I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit. I¡¯m a rubber man.¡± Luffy, with meat in both hands, kept stuffing his face. He even shamelessly stretched his arm to snatch the meat from Qin Ming¡¯s hand. Qin Ming, who had just adjusted his mood and was about to enjoy the delicious sea king meat, was left dumbfounded as his food disappeared. Qin Ming, annoyed, picked up another piece of meat, but before he could take a bite, it too flew into Luffy¡¯s mouth. Left with no other option, Qin Ming resorted to eating the foods Luffy had no interest in¡ªmainly vegetables. ¡°By the way, our village also has a Devil Fruit.¡± The elderly village chief glanced at Qin Ming, then turned to Luffy, who was devouring meat. ¡°You want to invite him to set sail with you, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a reliable guy. I can tell. We get along well.¡± Luffy swallowed the meat in his mouth, his neck bulging comically. ¡°You¡¯re Monkey D. Luffy, right?¡± The village chief stroked his long white beard. Though hunched and wrinkled, his eyes gleamed with a sharp intensity. ¡°What about my name?¡± Luffy, oblivious to the chief¡¯s piercing gaze, asked, ¡°Oh, by the way, what¡¯s his name?¡± Before the chief could answer, Luffy stretched his arm, grabbed a pole, and swung over to Qin Ming. Qin Ming, who was in the middle of eating, was startled by Luffy¡¯s sudden appearance and accidentally sprayed vegetable bits all over Luffy¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Luffy shook his head, sending some of the vegetable bits flying onto the meat in his hand. He took a bite and exclaimed, ¡°Hey, this actually tastes better with this stuff on it!¡± Hearing this, Qin Ming¡¯s stomach churned again. He barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit on Luffy and told him his name. ¡°Qin Ming?¡± Luffy pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°That¡¯s a really weird name.¡± Qin Ming grumbled internally. He was about to discuss something with Luffy when the village chief spoke up. ¡°Qin Ming, come with me. There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± Following the hunched figure of the village chief to a quiet, secluded spot, Qin Ming wondered what the chief wanted to discuss. ¡°Over a year ago, someone left a Devil Fruit in our village. They said that if we found a suitable person, we should give it to them.¡± The chief¡¯s words sent a shiver down Qin Ming¡¯s spine. Qin Ming¡¯s mind raced with possibilities. When he snapped out of his thoughts, the chief continued, ¡°If you truly wish to set sail with that man, I can give you the Devil Fruit.¡± The chief¡¯s eyes bore into Qin Ming as he added, ¡°I can see that, deep down, you yearn for adventure on the seas.¡± At this, the chief¡¯s small eyes gleamed even brighter, and his voice carried a hint of grandeur: ¡°This world is vast. As a man, it¡¯s only natural to be drawn to the boundless, mysterious ocean. Besides, you don¡¯t truly belong here. If you set sail, you might just find what you¡¯re searching for. Whether you choose to sail with that man is your decision. I won¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± The chief smiled, as if he already knew what Qin Ming would choose. Chapter 4 - Setting Sail! Chapter 4: Setting Sail! S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After learning that the village chief was willing to give him the Devil Fruit, Qin Ming¡¯s emotions surged. After careful consideration, he finally decided to eat the Devil Fruit. Previously, Qin Ming had wanted to refuse Luffy¡¯s invitation mainly because he felt his own strength was insufficient. If he set sail with Luffy, he would only become a burden. But if Qin Ming ate the Devil Fruit, his strength might not increase dramatically in the short term, but his potential for growth would expand significantly. After all, the power of a Devil Fruit depended on how much its user developed it. Qin Ming was a determined person. He thought that after eating this Devil Fruit, he would train hard. As the saying goes, diligence could make up for lack of talent. He refused to believe he would remain weak forever. When the village chief brought out the Devil Fruit, Qin Ming saw it for the first time¡ªa fruit said to be the embodiment of a sea demon. ¡°Eat it.¡± The hunched village chief smiled and handed the Devil Fruit to Qin Ming. ¡°What kind of ability does this Devil Fruit have?¡± In the darkness, Qin Ming took the Devil Fruit and was surprised to find it felt light and weightless in his hand. The soft moonlight reflected off the dark surface of the Devil Fruit, casting faint white glimmers. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but the person who left it with me said this Devil Fruit is special.¡± The chief coughed and explained to Qin Ming. That made sense. If this Devil Fruit were ordinary, Silvers Rayleigh wouldn¡¯t have gone out of his way to come to the to handle it. Qin Ming had already asked the chief about the person who had entrusted the Devil Fruit to the village. Based on the chief¡¯s description, it was undoubtedly Rayleigh. Taking a deep breath, Qin Ming finally bit into the Devil Fruit. As soon as the fruit¡¯s flesh touched his tongue, Qin Ming was overwhelmed by its horrendous taste. It was the most disgusting thing he had ever eaten, making him want to vomit. But Qin Ming forced himself to swallow the Devil Fruit despite the nausea. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Just as Qin Ming took his first bite, he heard Luffy¡¯s voice. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that a Devil Fruit? Those things taste awful. You didn¡¯t have to hide to eat it. I wouldn¡¯t have fought you for it.¡± Luffy, seeing the bitten Devil Fruit in Qin Ming¡¯s hand, immediately lost interest. Qin Ming could tell from Luffy¡¯s expression that the glutton had thought Qin Ming and the chief were hiding to eat something delicious, which was why he had come over. ¡°You ate the Devil Fruit?¡± Luffy casually took the Devil Fruit from Qin Ming¡¯s hand and exclaimed, ¡°What¡¯s up with this Devil Fruit? It feels weightless, unlike the one I ate.¡± ¡°I find it strange too. After eating it, I don¡¯t feel any changes in my body.¡± Qin Ming watched helplessly as Luffy tossed the Devil Fruit around like a toy. Luffy threw the Devil Fruit into the air with one hand and stretched his other arm to slap it to the side. Just as Luffy was about to catch the floating Devil Fruit, a strong gust of wind blew, and the lightweight fruit was carried away, quickly disappearing from sight. ¡°Sorry!¡± Luffy stared blankly as the Devil Fruit drifted further into the night, then turned to Qin Ming and apologized. Qin Ming felt a wave of relief but then remembered that after eating the Devil Fruit, his body showed no changes. This made him anxious. Devil Fruits were divided into three types: and. Normally, after eating one, the user would soon discover their new ability. But Qin Ming had eaten the Devil Fruit almost five minutes ago, and his body remained unchanged. This felt wrong. ¡°Why do you look so troubled? Everyone¡¯s having fun at the feast. You should join in.¡± Luffy grabbed Qin Ming and dragged him towards the lively gathering. The feast was in full swing, filled with laughter and joy. The festive atmosphere lifted Qin Ming¡¯s previously gloomy mood. Not far away, the village chief watched Qin Ming and murmured to himself, ¡°Rayleigh, you probably never expected that less than two years after entrusting me with this Devil Fruit, I¡¯d give it away. Our era is over. The days of sailing the seas with Roger feel like they were just yesterday.¡± As he spoke, the chief¡¯s hunched back straightened, giving him a more imposing presence. His sharp eyes fixed on Qin Ming. ¡°Kid, the Devil Fruit you ate is the most unique among the types. It¡¯s called the . How much power you can draw from it depends entirely on you.¡± After saying this, the chief hunched over again, leaning on his cane, and slowly walked back to his house. The village feast lasted until past 3 a.m. It was the first time since arriving in this world that Qin Ming had enjoyed himself so much. With Luffy, who loved feasts more than anything, around, it was impossible not to have a good time. When the feast ended, Qin Ming didn¡¯t return to his house. Instead, he lay on the ground with Luffy and others, falling asleep. Many villagers were sprawled on the ground, their faces filled with happy, satisfied smiles, clearly having enjoyed the feast to the fullest. Listening to Luffy¡¯s loud snoring beside him, Qin Ming¡¯s heart gradually calmed from the excitement of the feast. Lying on the ground, Qin Ming sighed as he looked at the crescent moon hanging high in the sky. He had thought that after eating the Devil Fruit, he would be ready to set sail with Luffy. But now, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. After eating the Devil Fruit, he still didn¡¯t know what ability he had gained. In other words, Qin Ming couldn¡¯t even begin to train or strengthen his Devil Fruit ability. He had no clear goal to work towards. How was he supposed to get stronger? As Qin Ming pondered this, Luffy, sleeping beside him, turned over and casually flung a leg onto Qin Ming¡¯s stomach. Just as Qin Ming thought this, he felt his body tighten, unable to move. Luffy had wrapped his arms tightly around Qin Ming, drooling in his sleep and muttering, ¡°Meat, don¡¯t run away.¡± Now Qin Ming was completely speechless. Qin Ming felt utterly exasperated. He estimated that Luffy had eaten at least a hundred kilograms of meat during the feast, yet the glutton still wasn¡¯t satisfied. Even in his dreams, he was chasing after meat. Unbelievable! Qin Ming felt particularly unlucky. In this world of , the first person to have such close physical contact with him wasn¡¯t a beautiful woman but the gluttonous Luffy. And so, Qin Ming and Luffy ¡°slept in each other¡¯s arms.¡± Sometime later, the sky began to lighten. Qin Ming hadn¡¯t slept all night, torn between setting sail with Luffy for adventure and worrying about his lack of strength, which could burden others. These conflicting thoughts kept swirling in Qin Ming¡¯s mind, leaving him deeply conflicted. Qin Ming knew this well. If it were any other decision, he could make it quickly. But this choice would completely alter his future, marking a crucial turning point in his life. Faced with such a decision, it was no surprise that Qin Ming hesitated. His current state of mind was similar to when he had to choose his college major after the intense pressure of final exams back on Earth. The indecision was maddening. As the sky brightened and the sun began to rise, Qin Ming made up his mind. Qin Ming¡¯s resolve to set sail with Luffy grew stronger. The hesitation on his face gradually gave way to determination. His previously dull eyes now shone with a sharp glint¡ªa look only seen in those who had set their sights on a goal and were ready to charge forward. The fat man, who had gotten up to relieve himself, happened to pass by Qin Ming. Seeing the intense gleam in Qin Ming¡¯s eyes, he was so startled he nearly wet himself. With that thought, the fat man quickly scurried away from Qin Ming. About half an hour later, Luffy woke up, and many villagers began to stir as well. ¡°The sun¡¯s up. Are you coming with me?¡± Luffy stretched, adjusted his straw hat, and asked Qin Ming, who was lying beside him. Qin Ming smiled and nodded slightly. Seeing this, Luffy burst into laughter. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t refuse me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake already? I¡¯ve prepared a new boat for you. You can set sail now.¡± The village chief, leaning on his cane, approached Qin Ming and Luffy. ¡°Thank you so much! Not only did you treat me to a feast, but you¡¯re also giving us a boat.¡± Luffy was visibly excited as he thanked the chief. The chief waved his hand and led Qin Ming and Luffy towards the harbor. Along the way, Qin Ming bid farewell to the villagers. Some even begged him to stay, but he politely declined. When the fat man learned that Qin Ming had decided to set sail with the straw-hatted, seemingly eccentric man who claimed he would become the Pirate King, he was convinced Qin Ming had lost his mind! Seeing the fat man cry his eyes out, Qin Ming initially wanted to give him a farewell hug. After all, they had been good friends for over half a year, and Qin Ming felt a bit sentimental about leaving. But when Qin Ming tried to hug him, the fat man quickly dodged, looking at Qin Ming with a strange expression. ¡°No need for hugs. You need to be careful out there. The world isn¡¯t as peaceful as here. One wrong move, and you could lose your life. I don¡¯t want to hear about your death so soon.¡± Qin Ming had no idea that the fat man now saw him as a potential threat. Seeing the fat man¡¯s genuine concern, Qin Ming felt that his earlier efforts to save him hadn¡¯t been in vain. After waving goodbye to the fat man and the others, Qin Ming saw that Luffy had already boarded the small fishing boat. Just as he was about to run over, a long arm stretched towards him. Qin Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble. Before he could say anything, Luffy¡¯s stretched arm grabbed him. In an instant, Qin Ming was yanked into the air and landed beside Luffy on the boat. However, as Luffy retracted his arm, Qin Ming¡¯s body slammed into the mast, nearly knocking him out from the pain. ¡°Alright, crew, let¡¯s set sail!¡± As Qin Ming lay semi-collapsed on the boat, he saw Luffy standing at the bow, raising his arms and shouting energetically. Qin Ming thought to himself, Chapter 5 - The First Opponent Chapter 5: The First Opponent After setting sail with Luffy on the small fishing boat, Qin Ming¡¯s initial excitement gradually gave way to calm, followed by an overwhelming sense of boredom. Yes, it was incredibly boring. For twenty straight days, Qin Ming remained on the small boat, facing the endless expanse of the sea. They didn¡¯t encounter any other ships or islands during that time, and apart from Luffy, Qin Ming hadn¡¯t seen another soul. Compared to Luffy, Qin Ming had a slight advantage¡ªhe knew a bit about navigation. At least for the first few days, he could still tell which direction they were heading. But after a few days, even Qin Ming couldn¡¯t figure out which way the drifting boat was going. At first, Qin Ming had considered rowing the boat, but Luffy told him it wasn¡¯t necessary. They could just let the boat drift with the current, as they would eventually reach an island. Qin Ming thought about it and realized Luffy was right. Their departure had been rushed, and they didn¡¯t even have the most basic navigation tool¡ªa compass. They had set sail purely on impulse. The small fishing boat the village chief had prepared for them was similar to the one Qin Ming had used before, but this one was stocked with plenty of food and water. Even though Luffy had a huge appetite, the supplies were enough to last them for a while. Because of this, Qin Ming didn¡¯t need to fish and spent his days on the boat in relative leisure. To his surprise, the boat also carried a large treasure chest. When Qin Ming opened it, he was nearly blinded by the glittering gold inside. When Luffy saw the treasures in the chest, his eyes lit up, and he declared he would use them to trade for a giant copper statue. Qin Ming was speechless at Luffy¡¯s willingness to exchange gold for a lump of copper. Although the boat was small, it was more than enough for two people. However, staying in such a confined space for so long with nothing to do could drive anyone crazy. Qin Ming, who had never been on a long voyage before, now truly understood the loneliness and monotony of life at sea. Thinking about how Luffy had once sailed alone on a small boat, Qin Ming found it hard to believe that someone as restless as Luffy could endure such solitude. After enduring several days of boredom, Qin Ming decided to give himself something to do. He began training his body relentlessly, pushing himself to the limit every day until he was completely exhausted. He would collapse into sleep, only to wake up the next day and start all over again. For sixteen days, Qin Ming spent every waking moment training, aside from taking care of his basic needs. To keep Luffy from disturbing him, Qin Ming gave Luffy a task: to make the boat rock as much as possible without capsizing it. Qin Ming had discovered that practicing his stance on a rocking boat was more effective than doing so on stable land. ¡°Alright, watch this! Fishing Net Frenzy!¡± Luffy, excitedly holding the fishing net Qin Ming had given him, cast it into the sea. Standing at the edge of the boat, he began spinning rapidly, causing the net to whirl around in the water. As Luffy spun faster and faster, the net dragged dozens of food-filled barrels that Qin Ming had thrown into the sea earlier. The weight of the barrels created resistance, and as Luffy continued to spin, he created a small whirlpool around the boat. The boat rocked violently, which was exactly what Qin Ming wanted. He used the unstable environment to practice his stances. As Qin Ming held his stance on the rocking boat, he recalled how Luffy had initially thought Qin Ming was sun-drying the food when he saw him throwing the barrels into the sea. The memory made him chuckle. When Luffy saw the barrels sinking, he was ready to jump into the sea to retrieve them, showing just how much he valued food. Qin Ming had handed Luffy the fishing net and asked him to retrieve the barrels. As expected, Luffy threw himself into the task with enthusiasm, especially since the barrels contained his favorite thing¡ªmeat. This was why Qin Ming had thrown the barrels into the sea in the first place. It kept Luffy occupied, prevented him from causing trouble, and created the perfect environment for Qin Ming¡¯s training. It was a win-win situation. So, every day, Qin Ming would throw dozens of food-filled barrels into the sea, and Luffy would retrieve them with the fishing net. To Qin Ming¡¯s amusement, Luffy seemed to enjoy the game. By the tenth day at sea, Luffy started throwing the barrels into the water himself and playing the fishing net game, all while helping Qin Ming create the whirlpool for his training. After sixteen days of relentless training, Qin Ming could feel that his body had become stronger and his stamina had improved significantly. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to toss dozens of barrels into the sea without breaking a sweat. Despite the muscle soreness and exhaustion after each day¡¯s training, Qin Ming would wake up the next day and push himself even harder. From doing 70 push-ups, 300 frog jumps, and holding a horse stance for an hour and a half each day, Qin Ming had doubled his training intensity in just half a month. He had gradually adapted to this nearly self-destructive, insane training routine. During this time, Qin Ming had been so exhausted that he couldn¡¯t even lift a spoon to eat. Luffy had to force-feed him chunks of meat, nearly choking him to death in the process. Luffy watched Qin Ming train day after day, drenched in sweat, but he never commented. Sometimes, he would just laugh to himself, seemingly amused by Qin Ming¡¯s dedication. In those ten days, while Qin Ming trained, Luffy played his fishing net game, which slowed their progress. The whirlpool Luffy created helped Qin Ming¡¯s training but also hindered the boat¡¯s speed. However, since neither Qin Ming nor Luffy was steering the boat, it drifted with the current. At night, when both of them were asleep, the boat actually moved faster than during the day. In the first few days at sea, Qin Ming had been preoccupied with figuring out what ability his Devil Fruit had granted him. But no matter how he experimented, he remained clueless. Eventually, he stopped worrying about it and focused entirely on his training. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today.¡± Seeing Qin Ming collapse onto the boat, gasping for breath, Luffy cheerfully announced the end of the game and began pulling up the net full of barrels. But just as Luffy was about to lift the net out of the water, a large fish leaped from the sea and swallowed the net along with all the food-filled barrels. With a ¡°splash¡±, the fish disappeared into the depths, leaving Luffy holding only a tattered piece of the net. Both Luffy and Qin Ming were stunned. ¡°Hey! Give me back my meat! I¡¯m the man who¡¯s going to be the Pirate King! If you dare steal from me, you¡¯d better be ready to face the consequences!¡± Luffy, now fully alert, stomped onto the boat¡¯s edge and shouted at the spot where the fish had vanished. But the fish was long gone, and the sea remained calm. Qin Ming, still exhausted, walked over to Luffy, intending to console him. But when he saw the serious look on Luffy¡¯s face, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a sharp intensity, Qin Ming felt a chill. ¡°Do you have a way to catch that fish and get our stuff back?¡± Luffy stared at the sea, his expression grave. ¡°We¡¯re pirates! We can¡¯t just let our things be stolen without doing anything. Even if it¡¯s just a fish, I¡¯ll give it my all!¡± Then, turning to Qin Ming, Luffy added with passion, ¡°And it ate all the meat I love! Even I won¡¯t eat all that meat in one go! I won¡¯t forgive that fish!¡± Qin Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated. With most of their meat supply gone, they only had enough left for about four or five days, given Luffy¡¯s appetite. Just as Qin Ming was about to respond, something burst out of the water in the distance. It was the same fish that had stolen their food. As it dove back into the sea, it flicked its blue tail and let out a sound eerily similar to human laughter, as if mocking Luffy and Qin Ming. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s mocking us! I¡¯m going to punch it into the sky!¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Luffy, being the single-minded person he was, was now fully focused on defeating the fish. ¡°That¡¯s a Laughing Fish. They can mimic human laughter. I¡¯ve only read about them before.¡± Qin Ming stroked his chin, deep in thought, as he explained to Luffy. He had come across the Laughing Fish in a marine biology book while learning fishing techniques. Adult Laughing Fish were about 15 to 20 meters long, with smooth, scale-less bodies and a distinct blue color. Their gills could produce sounds resembling human laughter, and they loved to taunt fishermen, making them a notorious nuisance. ¡°I should be able to catch it, but it¡¯ll take some effort.¡± Twenty days ago, Qin Ming wouldn¡¯t have had the confidence to say this. But now, after his intense training, his body was stronger, and his stamina had improved significantly. His clothes were drenched in sweat, and when he shook his arms, droplets flew off, evidence of his hard work. ¡°Then hurry up and do it! I¡¯ve never eaten this kind of fish before. If its meat is tasty, I¡¯ll forgive it! Hahaha!¡± Luffy¡¯s casual remark made Qin Ming facepalm. ¡°A mere fish dares to mess with us? Doesn¡¯t it know we¡¯re pirates? Maybe it mistook us for fishermen since we don¡¯t have a pirate flag.¡± Qin Ming grabbed two spare fishing nets from the boat and grinned. Chapter 6 - First Victory Chapter 6: First Victory Qin Ming stood at the edge of the boat, holding a fishing net in one hand, watching the 18-meter-long Laughing Fish leap out of the water in the distance. The fish emitted a mocking laugh and flicked its blue tail, as if taunting them. Qin Ming¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. The Laughing Fish¡¯s tail was quite distinctive. When it flicked upward, it resembled a human giving the middle finger, giving off an inexplicable sense of being mocked. ¡°Should I row the boat over to it?¡± Luffy, full of energy, grabbed an oar and asked Qin Ming, who was standing beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere. It¡¯s my prey. I can handle it alone.¡± Qin Ming spoke with confidence, his face brimming with determination. ¡°Wow!¡± Luffy exclaimed dramatically, looking at Qin Ming. ¡°You really look like a manly man right now.¡± Qin Ming chuckled. Despite his body still being fatigued, he felt capable of dealing with the Laughing Fish, which was several times larger than him. It was a fisherman¡¯s intuition, honed over half a year of fishing. Although Qin Ming had been an ordinary person in the past, he had become an excellent fisherman. He knew exactly which fish he could catch and which he couldn¡¯t handle. Thus, every time Qin Ming went out to fish, he rarely wasted effort. He would choose the right fishing spot, cast his net, and return with a full haul. To put it bluntly, Qin Ming was a professional fisherman. While he couldn¡¯t catch some of the larger fish due to their size, he was well aware of their weaknesses. In fact, Qin Ming had read about nearly 80% of the fish species in the in various marine biology books, except for some deep-sea creatures. In just half a year, Qin Ming had gone from knowing nothing about fishing to becoming an outstanding fisherman. The effort and sweat he had poured into this far exceeded that of most others. The number of fishing-related books Qin Ming had read far surpassed that of most fishermen in his village. With this thought, Qin Ming casted the fishing net in his right hand towards a nearby barrel. Using the net, he dragged the barrel into the sea. ¡°Hey! That was my snack for later! Why did you throw it into the sea?¡± Luffy, seeing Qin Ming toss three barrels full of meat into the water, immediately panicked and shouted at him. Even after spending some time with Luffy, Qin Ming was still occasionally shocked by the glutton¡¯s enormous appetite. ¡°How are we supposed to lure the prey without bait?¡± Qin Ming retorted, his eyes fixed on the sea ahead. The Laughing Fish loved to taunt fishermen, had immense strength, and sharp teeth capable of tearing through iron-wire fishing nets, let alone the ordinary hemp nets Qin Ming was using. The net Luffy had been using earlier, which the Laughing Fish had torn apart, was made of iron wire. Unfortunately, they only had one of those. After Qin Ming threw the bait and net into the sea, the Laughing Fish in the distance showed no reaction. The sea remained calm. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be falling for it. You threw the net so close to the boat. Is this really going to work?¡± Luffy, anxious, scratched his head like a monkey. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time.¡± Qin Ming had indeed thrown the net and barrel very close to the boat, only about a meter away. He had done this because he knew the Laughing Fish¡¯s habits. When fishermen used bait to lure them, the fish would not only eat the bait but also retaliate. The closer the bait was to the boat, the angrier the Laughing Fish would become. Yes, Qin Ming wanted to provoke the Laughing Fish by placing the bait so close. This would also make it easier for him to catch the nearly 20-meter-long fish. ¡°Make sure you stand firm. Don¡¯t fall into the sea.¡± Qin Ming noticed ripples forming on the right side of the boat and knew the Laughing Fish was rapidly approaching from below. He quickly warned Luffy. ¡°Why¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before Luffy could finish, a loud ¡°bang¡± echoed. Luffy, standing at the edge of the boat, stumbled and was sent flying, along with his straw hat. However, Luffy reacted quickly. While mid-air, he grabbed his hat and stretched his arm to catch the boat¡¯s mast, pulling himself back onto the boat. The boat shook violently, clearly having been struck by something from below. Two more powerful impacts followed, causing the boat to spin 720 degrees on the water. ¡°This is awesome!¡± Luffy, clinging to the mast with one hand and holding his hat with the other, used the boat¡¯s spinning momentum to swing around in the air, enjoying himself. Qin Ming, however, felt a headache coming on. Still, this showed that Luffy fully believed Qin Ming could handle the fierce Laughing Fish alone. Otherwise, with the boat being tossed around, how could Luffy be having so much fun? Feeling Luffy¡¯s unconditional trust, Qin Ming felt a warm sensation in his heart. At this moment, Qin Ming truly felt like a member of the future . Qin Ming¡¯s eyes grew brighter, and the fatigue he had shown earlier seemed to vanish, leaving him looking refreshed. With a ¡°splash¡±, the Laughing Fish, after sending the boat spinning, leaped out of the water and swallowed the net and barrel in one gulp. Qin Ming had anticipated this. With a shout, he threw the net in his left hand, not aiming for the fish¡¯s head but its tail. As the Laughing Fish was about to dive back into the sea, Qin Ming¡¯s net caught its tail. Qin Ming tightened his grip on the net and began spinning, causing the net to tighten around the fish¡¯s tail. Qin Ming¡¯s left arm bulged with veins as he exerted all his strength, gritting his teeth and holding onto the net for dear life. The Laughing Fish, now back in the water, struggled fiercely, creating waves on the surface. Qin Ming¡¯s hand, gripping the rough net, began to bleed as he was dragged forward. If this continued, he would be pulled into the sea. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Qin Ming roared, holding onto the net with all his might. He took a quick step, planted his right foot firmly, and pulled with all his strength. The net tore, but the Laughing Fish, caught in the powerful momentum, was yanked out of the water and flung towards the boat. The Laughing Fish let out a piercing laugh, its mouth wide open, as it lunged at Qin Ming from the air. Now Qin Ming could see the Laughing Fish¡¯s face clearly. Its head resembled a snake¡¯s, and its mouth was like a python¡¯s, capable of swallowing things several times its size. Facing the Laughing Fish¡¯s attack, Qin Ming stood firm. He leaped to the side of the fish and delivered a powerful punch to its left flank. ¡°You¡¯ve already lost!¡± The Laughing Fish crashed onto the boat like a cannonball, causing the boat to bounce slightly. After being struck by Qin Ming, the Laughing Fish lay motionless on the deck, knocked out cold. Qin Ming landed back on the boat and stepped on the unconscious Laughing Fish, raising his head and letting out a triumphant roar. ¡°I won!¡± At this moment, on a small fishing boat in the vast sea, a straw-hatted boy hung from the mast, laughing heartily. His laughter mingled with Qin Ming¡¯s triumphant roar, echoing far across the seemingly endless ocean. Before setting sail, Qin Ming would never have been able to catch such a fierce and powerful Laughing Fish. But now, he could handle it alone. Although the Laughing Fish couldn¡¯t be compared to the giant sea kings, it was still a formidable opponent in the . Qin Ming¡¯s ability to defeat it showed that his recent intense training had been incredibly effective, yielding significant results. This gave him hope for the future. Qin Ming panted heavily, his hands bleeding. His left hand was torn from the rough net, and his right hand was injured from punching the Laughing Fish¡¯s rock-hard flesh. Blood dripped from his knuckles. Qin Ming shook his numb right hand and began bandaging himself. Just then, Luffy, who had finished swinging around the mast, jumped down, excitedly saying, ¡°Alright, today¡¯s feast is here!¡± And so, Qin Ming and Luffy enjoyed a hearty meal together. After the Laughing Fish incident, another seven days passed. Qin Ming continued his relentless training. He felt that his training was more effective than ever. It seemed that since eating the Devil Fruit, his intense workouts had allowed him to feel himself growing stronger. ¡°What exactly is your Devil Fruit ability? If it¡¯s something interesting, you can put on a show during our feasts.¡± Luffy, chewing on a piece of meat, approached Qin Ming with an excited expression. The thought of himself, with chopsticks in his nostrils, dancing shirtless in front of everyone made Qin Ming¡¯s corner of his mouth twitch. ¡°I have a way to find out if your Devil Fruit is real.¡± Luffy, looking smug, said to Qin Ming. Seeing Luffy¡¯s expression, Qin Ming felt a sense of foreboding. With Luffy¡¯s single-mindedness, what kind of ¡°brilliant¡± idea could he possibly have? But before Qin Ming could say anything, Luffy grinned, grabbed him, and threw him off the boat. As Qin Ming was about to hit the water, Luffy shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! If something happens, I¡¯ll save you! Devil Fruit users are cursed by the sea. To find out if you¡¯re really a Devil Fruit user, just take a dip in the water.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so smart.¡± Luffy added, completely oblivious to the potential danger. Before Qin Ming could protest, he hit the water. As soon as he entered the sea, Qin Ming, once a skilled swimmer, found himself completely powerless. His body grew weaker and weaker¡ªa clear side effect of eating a Devil Fruit. Fortunately, Luffy, seeing Qin Ming about to sink, quickly stretched his arm to pull him back. Qin Ming breathed a sigh of relief. Despite Luffy¡¯s recklessness, at least he had acted quickly to save him. That was something. But then Qin Ming noticed something was wrong. Why was he spinning in circles? More importantly, why did Luffy¡¯s outstretched arm seem to be getting farther away? ¡°Why did this huge whirlpool suddenly appear?!¡± Luffy, clutching his head, exclaimed in shock, watching Qin Ming being swept into the whirlpool. His face was a mix of panic and disbelief. Yes, the whirlpool had appeared out of nowhere. One moment, the sea was calm; the next, a massive whirlpool had formed, dragging both Qin Ming and the boat into its vortex. In other words, just as Luffy had thrown Qin Ming into the sea, the whirlpool had decided to make an appearance. It was a tragedy. As the whirlpool formed, Qin Ming, caught in its grip, was stunned. Luffy, also caught in the chaos, was equally dumbfounded. They say the weather in the world of is unpredictable, and the climate is even more erratic. Now Qin Ming truly believed it. As he was swept into the whirlpool, an image of a beautiful girl with orange hair flashed in his mind. Chapter 7 - The Meeting Chapter 7: The Meeting Qin Ming, caught in the rapidly spinning whirlpool, felt the powerful tearing force of the vortex as if it were trying to rip his body apart. The sensation was unbearable. Adding to his misery, being submerged in seawater left him weak and powerless. Faced with a whirlpool that no human could resist, Qin Ming was truly at a loss. The only silver lining was that being caught in the whirlpool kept him from sinking to the bottom of the sea. Instead, he was spinning around in circles, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. Meanwhile, on the fishing boat, Luffy was growing increasingly frantic. He tried several times to stretch his arms and pull Qin Ming out, but Qin Ming was spinning too fast in the vortex for Luffy to grab him. If this continued, not only would Qin Ming be doomed, but Luffy would also meet his end. Luffy was well aware of this. ¡°Why is this happening? The weather was so nice today. Who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d run into such a huge whirlpool on such a clear day? And now Qin Ming¡¯s in danger. This is so unexpected.¡± Luffy, unable to rescue Qin Ming for the moment, forced himself to calm down. He stroked his chin, muttering to himself while trying to figure out how to escape their predicament. Qin Ming, spinning around in the whirlpool, heard Luffy¡¯s words and wished he could slap him. ¡°Even though I want to call for help, there¡¯s no one around.¡± Luffy looked around, seeing nothing but empty sea. Aside from them, there was no one in sight. He sighed helplessly. ¡°Well, if the boat sinks and Qin Ming and I die here, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. Besides, I can¡¯t swim.¡± Hearing Luffy¡¯s words, Qin Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a grudging respect. But as Qin Ming felt himself being pulled deeper into the whirlpool and accidentally swallowed more seawater, he grew even more miserable. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to shout anymore. Just as this thought crossed Qin Ming¡¯s mind, Luffy, sitting on the boat and deep in thought, suddenly had an idea. ¡°That¡¯s right! In this situation, whether you can swim or not makes no difference!¡± ¡°Qin Ming, hold on! We¡¯re going to be saved!¡± As Luffy shouted, he quickly stretched his arm and grabbed the large treasure chest filled with gold from the corner of the boat. Without hesitation, he dumped all the gold into the whirlpool. Hearing Luffy¡¯s words, Qin Ming felt a surge of hope. But then, his head suddenly throbbed with pain, as if he¡¯d been hit by something hard. He nearly passed out from the impact. Soon, Qin Ming realized that the objects hitting his head were shiny pieces of gold¡ªgold that looked strangely familiar. Indeed, Qin Ming was correct. Although both he and Luffy were caught in the whirlpool, Qin Ming was positioned closer to the bottom. When Luffy threw the gold, some of it inevitably struck Qin Ming¡¯s head. Qin Ming understood Luffy¡¯s reasoning: the glutton would rather part with priceless gold than give up his precious meat. It was classic Luffy behavior. For a moment, Qin Ming was filled with resentment towards Luffy. He felt like beating Luffy a hundred times wouldn¡¯t be enough to vent his frustration. But soon, Qin Ming realized that when Luffy tried to help, things could always get worse. ¡°Gomu Gomu no¡­ Rocket!¡± On the boat, Luffy threw the now-empty treasure chest into the air. His arms stretched far back, then snapped forward with incredible speed, striking the chest. The treasure chest shot toward Qin Ming like a rocket. The chest hit the water right next to Qin Ming. The impact created a powerful wave within the whirlpool, sending Qin Ming flying out of the vortex. Before Qin Ming could react, Luffy stretched his arm and grabbed him mid-air, shoving him into the large treasure chest. As Qin Ming was crammed into the chest, his head repeatedly slammed against the hard lid. Combined with the earlier damage from the whirlpool¡¯s tearing force and the shockwave from Luffy¡¯s attack, Qin Ming felt as if every bone in his body had been shattered. Unable to withstand the pain, Qin Ming finally passed out as the chest¡¯s lid closed. His last thought before losing consciousness was: After this ordeal, Qin Ming finally understood why even someone as tough as Zoro sometimes threatened to kill Luffy. More importantly, after surviving the whirlpool, Qin Ming realized that to sail with Luffy, the first thing you needed was the resilience of a cockroach. After Qin Ming was stuffed into the treasure chest, Luffy quickly found a large barrel filled with meat. He stuffed as much meat into his mouth as he could before hiding inside the barrel. Soon after, the small fishing boat they had been sailing on for nearly a month was destroyed by the whirlpool. ¡ª Some time later, Qin Ming woke up, his head heavy and groggy. He struggled to open his eyes, finding himself in a dark, cramped space where movement was difficult. Shaking his head, Qin Ming remembered the whirlpool and Luffy¡¯s ¡°brilliant¡± plan to shove him into a treasure chest. Qin Ming¡¯s entire body ached as if he¡¯d been beaten hundreds of times. He worried that if they were still drifting at sea, he might not make it. The keyhole in the treasure chest allowed some air to flow in, but Qin Ming noticed that water had begun to seep inside. If this continued, the chest would eventually sink. However, after a while, Qin Ming realized something was off. The chest felt stable, not like it was floating in the sea. As Qin Ming pondered this, he heard a deep, gruff voice: ¡°Koby, what is the most beautiful thing in the sea?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ that would be you, Miss Alvida! Hehehe¡­¡± A nervous, sycophantic voice reached Qin Ming¡¯s ears. Now he knew exactly where he was. Qin Ming knew Alvida was a pirate with a bounty of 5 million berries¡ªa laughably low amount, but still more than he could handle in his weakened state. Qin Ming felt the chest being lifted. He heard Alvida, wielding her iron club, order her crew: ¡°Take this inside. We¡¯ll check what treasures are inside after we finish plundering our target.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Beautiful Miss Alvida, this is a rare catch,¡± a middle-aged pirate with a crew cut said to Alvida. ¡°Exactly! We¡¯re taking that ship. Make sure you all give it your best!¡± Alvida cackled in her grating voice. From their conversation, Qin Ming deduced that Alvida was targeting a luxurious cruise ship. If Luffy was on that ship, Alvida was in for a world of hurt. After some slight shaking, Qin Ming, still hidden in the treasure chest, was carried into a storage room. The sounds of cannon fire and pirate shouts echoed outside. After about ten minutes, the noise began to fade. Qin Ming guessed that most of the pirates had left to raid the other ship. This was his chance to escape. Qin Ming decided to make his move. Just as he was about to act, he heard a male pirate¡¯s voice: ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before.¡± A few seconds later, there was a ¡°thud¡±, and the pirate who had spoken fell silent. ¡°Pirates are so stupid. I just came to see what treasures are here.¡± A sweet, melodic voice reached Qin Ming¡¯s ears. Then, with a ¡°click¡±, the treasure chest opened, and light flooded in. Qin Ming, lying sprawled inside the chest, found himself face-to-face with a beautiful girl with short orange hair. Her bright, lively eyes met Qin Ming¡¯s as they stared at each other¡­ Chapter 8 - The One Who Musters Up Courage Chapter 8: The One Who Musters Up Courage Qin Ming never expected his first meeting with Nami to happen under such circumstances. There was no denying that Nami was a very beautiful girl. Her short, vibrant orange hair gave her a charming yet spirited appearance, and her delicate features were flawless. It seemed that Nami had taken advantage of Alvida leading most of her crew to raid another ship to sneak aboard and steal Alvida¡¯s treasures. After slipping into the storage room on Alvida¡¯s ship, Nami had spotted the conspicuous treasure chest and eagerly opened it, only to find a person inside. After three seconds of staring at Qin Ming, who was lying flat inside the chest, Nami sighed softly. ¡°So there¡¯s no treasure in here after all.¡± Then, with a ¡°click¡±, she unceremoniously locked the chest again, leaving Qin Ming stunned. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nami¡¯s actions completely ignored Qin Ming¡¯s presence. As darkness enveloped him again, Qin Ming felt utterly speechless. Just as Qin Ming was about to break out of the chest, he heard a rough voice: ¡°Who are you, woman? Trying to steal our treasure?¡± ¡°How bold! If Miss Alvida hadn¡¯t told us to check the treasure chest, all the stuff here would¡¯ve been stolen by her.¡± ¡°Good thing we came back in time. Otherwise, if Miss Alvida found out, her iron club would¡¯ve smashed us to death.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s capture this brazen woman first. She¡¯s quite pretty. For someone so beautiful to be a thief, she needs to be taught a lesson.¡± Hearing the pirates¡¯ conversation, Qin Ming realized that his presence had caused Nami¡¯s theft attempt to fail. It seemed that Nami had locked the chest because she sensed someone approaching the storage room. Clearly, Nami had seen Qin Ming¡¯s battered state and thought he might be in danger if discovered by the pirates. She had locked the chest to protect him. ¡°I hate pirates the most. You think you can teach me a lesson? Don¡¯t make me laugh!¡± Nami, seeing the storage room entrance blocked, had no choice but to pull out the three-section staff strapped to her leg and prepare for a fight. ¡°You¡¯re still talking tough even at death¡¯s door? Before you taste Miss Alvida¡¯s iron club, we¡¯ll have some fun with you!¡± After one of the pirates said this, Qin Ming, still hidden in the chest, heard several lewd laughs. Then came the sounds of clashing and fighting. Soon after, Qin Ming clearly heard Nami let out a faint groan. Moreover, Nami had tried to protect him, a complete stranger, from the pirates. This showed that she had a kind heart, and Qin Ming really didn¡¯t want her to die here. Most importantly, the way those pirates had spoken to Nami, with their crude and insulting remarks, made Qin Ming furious. Filled with anger, Qin Ming gathered all his strength and kicked forward. ¡°I¡¯m going to knock you all out!¡± Qin Ming roared as he smashed the treasure chest and leaped out, startling the pirates who were advancing towards Nami. As Qin Ming¡¯s foot broke through the chest, it accidentally struck one of the pirates in the groin. The pirate immediately turned pale, clutching his crotch as he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up. In other words, Qin Ming had taken out one pirate the moment he appeared. Behind Qin Ming, Nami was equally shocked. This seemingly frail, sickly-looking man had effortlessly destroyed the sturdy treasure chest. If Qin Ming knew that Nami¡¯s first impression of him was that of a sickly weakling, he might have gone mad. After all, Qin Ming had been training relentlessly for the past month. Combined with the brutal treatment he had received from Luffy¡ªbeing hit, slammed, and soaked in seawater as a Devil Fruit user¡ªit was no wonder he looked terrible. Coincidentally, just as Qin Ming emerged from the chest, Luffy, who had been sleeping comfortably in a barrel on the ship Alvida¡¯s crew was attacking, woke up. He stretched lazily and cheerfully exclaimed, ¡°That was a great nap!¡± As Luffy stretched, his fist accidentally knocked out a pirate who was trying to open the barrel, leaving the other pirates nearby stunned. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Why did you jump out of that treasure chest?¡± The pirates quickly surrounded Qin Ming, demanding answers. Qin Ming glanced around the storage room, which was cluttered with scattered treasures. It didn¡¯t seem like Alvida¡¯s crew was particularly wealthy. Qin Ming, seeing only seven pirates, felt a strange sense of disappointment. The pirates surrounding him looked fierce, with menacing eyes and muscular builds, each wielding a longsword. Three of them wore light blue headbands. Qin Ming thought to himself as he took a step forward, shielding Nami behind him. Six months ago, when Qin Ming first arrived in this world, he had occasionally worried about pirate attacks on the village. After all, he was just an ordinary person back then, with no combat skills. If pirates attacked, he would have been in serious trouble. But now, after setting sail with Luffy, Qin Ming had finally encountered real pirates for the first time. Although these pirates were small-time, they were still genuine pirates. Yet, Qin Ming felt surprisingly calm, without the panic or nervousness he had imagined. He couldn¡¯t quite understand why he was so composed. Relaxing his clenched fists, Qin Ming decided not to waste words and immediately took action. ¡°You dare attack pirates? Do you think you¡¯re a Marine?¡± ¡°Even if you were a Marine, we¡¯d kill you! Let¡¯s get him!¡± The pirates, seeing Qin Ming attack without hesitation, became enraged and charged at him with their swords. Qin Ming spun around and kicked, breaking the swords of two pirates with a single strike. Nami, watching from behind, was stunned. Before Nami could fully process what was happening, Qin Ming punched a particularly fat pirate in the stomach, sending him flying out of the storage room. ¡°He¡¯s too strong! Let¡¯s get Miss Alvida to deal with him!¡± The remaining two pirates, seeing Qin Ming take out five of their comrades in under three minutes without breaking a sweat, lost all will to fight and tried to flee. Qin Ming wasn¡¯t about to let them escape. With a cold snort, he caught up to the fleeing pirates, grabbed their heads, and slammed them together, knocking them out. By the time Qin Ming had dealt with the seven pirates, Alvida, on the other ship, was holding her massive iron club and shouting, ¡°Koby, who is the most beautiful woman on the seas?¡± ¡°You¡­ you are the fattest and ugliest old hag on the seas!¡± Koby, trembling slightly, remembered what Luffy had told him. If he was determined to become the Pirate King, then he had to be ready to die for it. With newfound resolve, he shouted at the obese Alvida. Koby¡¯s words left the other pirates in shock. The timid, bullied boy they had known was now openly defying Alvida. It felt like a dream. Koby, in their eyes, had always been a cowardly, foolish child. Two years ago, he had accidentally boarded a pirate ship while fishing and ended up living a life of humiliation under Alvida¡¯s rule. But now, Koby seemed like a completely different person, unafraid of the cruel and violent Alvida. No wonder the pirates were stunned. Alvida, upon hearing Koby¡¯s words, turned livid. Veins bulged on her forehead as she seethed with rage. Koby, after saying this, couldn¡¯t stop trembling. Beside him, Luffy burst into laughter, as if he had just heard the funniest thing. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Alvida roared, her iron club poised to smash Koby¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m going to join the Marines and lock up all you pirates!¡± Koby clenched his small fists and declared firmly to Alvida. ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡± As soon as Alvida asked, Koby immediately replied, ¡°I do. I¡¯m going to do what I truly want. I¡¯m going to join the Marines and¡­ and send you to prison!¡± As Koby mustered the courage to speak his mind, Nami, in the storage room on Alvida¡¯s ship, smiled at Qin Ming and said, ¡°You seem really strong. I¡¯m a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates. My name¡¯s Nami. Want to team up?¡± Chapter 9 - A Sudden Chapter 9: A Sudden ¡°Disaster¡± ¡°I really¡­¡± Qin Ming stared at his hands, seemingly oblivious to Nami¡¯s words, muttering to himself. ¡°I truly¡­¡± Qin Ming¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. Nami, standing in front of him, looked puzzled, unsure what was going on with this man. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as Nami was about to tap Qin Ming¡¯s shoulder to ask what was wrong, Qin Ming suddenly raised his arms and shouted to the sky, ¡°I¡¯m no longer a weakling!¡± The shout wasn¡¯t earth-shattering, but it was enough to startle Nami, who had been unprepared. She froze in place, her expression blank, as if petrified. In truth, Qin Ming was genuinely excited. For the first time in his life, he had defeated real pirates¡ªseven of them, no less¡ªand he had done so with ease. This filled him with joy. To be fair, the Laughing Fish Qin Ming had caught earlier was no less dangerous than the seven pirates he had just defeated, if not more so. But the sense of accomplishment and validation from defeating other humans was incomparable to defeating an animal. Qin Ming¡¯s reaction perfectly demonstrated this. As Qin Ming thought this, Nami, standing in front of him, had a glint in her clever eyes. With this in mind, Nami cleared her throat and brought up the topic of cooperation again. ¡°Cooperation?¡± Finally calming down from his excitement, Qin Ming noticed Nami¡¯s presence. After hearing her proposal, he asked skeptically. He saw that while Nami¡¯s smile was bright, there was a hint of cunning hidden within it. This made him wary. From what Qin Ming knew, Nami was not only an exceptional navigator but also skilled in deception, gambling, and theft. She was also a talented actress. Until they established mutual trust, how could he let his guard down? Qin Ming had imagined their first meeting would be more pleasant, but it seemed they were already starting to scheme against each other. ¡°That¡¯s right. We can work together to steal treasures from those stupid pirates and keep them for ourselves. If we succeed, I¡¯ll give you a share of the profits. Trust me, partnering with me will make you rich.¡± Nami spoke eagerly, as if afraid Qin Ming would refuse. Her tone even carried a hint of flattery. This only made Qin Ming more suspicious. He knew full well that Nami was a money-obsessed woman. For her to offer a share of the profits to a stranger she had just met¡ªQin Ming would sooner believe a pig could swim across the four seas than believe Nami would give him a single berry. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to work with you.¡± Qin Ming flatly refused Nami¡¯s offer. He thought it would be better to reunite with Luffy first. As for cooperating with Nami, they could discuss that after she officially joined their crew. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t leave yet!¡± Seeing Qin Ming walk away so decisively, Nami quickly caught up to him. ¡°By the way, why were you in that treasure chest? And you seemed really angry when you came out. Did someone upset you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a great mood now. I¡¯m not angry at anyone. As for why I was in the chest, it was just an accident.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Qin Ming decided not to tell the truth. If he told Nami that Luffy had stuffed him into the chest, she might laugh at him. Better to keep it to himself. As Nami left, she efficiently packed all the treasures from the storage room into a bag. Qin Ming noticed a shallow wound on her left arm, likely from her earlier fight with the pirates. But Nami was so focused on the treasures that she ignored the wound. Qin Ming frowned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you treating that wound?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Once I finish packing these treasures, the wound will start healing on its own. My skin is great¡ªit won¡¯t leave a scar.¡± Nami casually replied, her attention fully on the treasures. She even tapped a few larger gold pieces, seemingly estimating their value. Qin Ming looked at Nami in disbelief. The wound on her left arm was still bleeding. The wound happened to be on Nami¡¯s tattoo, which depicted a ferocious shark wreaking havoc in the sea. Qin Ming immediately understood why Nami was indifferent to the wound¡ªit was on the tattoo she hated, so she chose to ignore it. Qin Ming tore off a piece of his sleeve, grabbed Nami, who was still engrossed in the treasures, and quickly bandaged her wound. Nami seemed completely unfazed by Qin Ming¡¯s actions, which only reinforced his understanding of how obsessed she was with money. ¡°Actually, this kind of wound doesn¡¯t need treatment. It didn¡¯t hit any bones or tendons, so it¡¯ll heal on its own.¡± It turned out Nami wasn¡¯t unaware that Qin Ming was bandaging her wound. She just didn¡¯t object since Qin Ming wasn¡¯t doing anything else and was genuinely helping her. Her focus remained on the treasures. Qin Ming thought to himself. When he had first started fishing, he often got minor injuries due to his lack of skill. Over time, he had gained some experience in treating minor wounds. ¡°This haul isn¡¯t bad. Let¡¯s get out of here quickly.¡± Nami¡¯s beautiful face showed a hint of satisfaction as she deftly tied up the bag of treasures and prepared to leave. ¡°Was there really treasure in that chest you were lying in?¡± Nami asked as she and Qin Ming walked out. ¡°Yeah, there was a lot of gold, but it was all thrown into the sea.¡± Qin Ming answered honestly. He wasn¡¯t surprised that Nami, after collecting the treasures Alvida¡¯s crew had plundered, didn¡¯t offer him a single berry. ¡°How could you throw gold into the sea? Tell me where you threw it. Maybe we can still retrieve it.¡± Nami¡¯s eyes turned into money symbols at the mention of gold, and her voice became noticeably sweeter. She then asked, ¡°What do you do?¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, I¡¯m a fisherman.¡± As soon as Qin Ming said this, Nami, her eyes still sparkling with greed, excitedly said, ¡°Then you must be great at salvaging! Come with me to retrieve that gold. It must be longing for my help.¡± Qin Ming looked at Nami¡¯s money-obsessed expression and felt that she was tarnishing his professional integrity. When Qin Ming and Nami reached the deck, Nami kept pressing him with questions. Finally, Qin Ming couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°You¡¯re really annoying. I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Looking around, Qin Ming noticed that the ship was adorned with heart symbols, and the bow was shaped like a cute swan¡¯s head. Thinking of Alvida¡¯s appearance, Qin Ming felt a chill. The ship¡¯s feminine design was completely at odds with its captain. Just as Qin Ming was about to leave this uncomfortable ship as quickly as possible, something resembling a large meatball came flying straight at him. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Nami exclaimed. Qin Ming quickly realized what was happening. He stepped back, gathered all his strength into his right fist, and swung it forward. ¡°Get lost!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s punch sent Alvida flying in a different direction. She crashed into the ship¡¯s bow, and the cute swan head flew off into the distant sea with her. As Alvida flew away, she screamed, ¡°You straw-hat brat! And you, you damn kid! I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± Qin Ming shook his right arm, which was numb and sore from the impact. Luffy¡¯s casual punch had sent Alvida flying far, showing the gap in their strength. With this in mind, Qin Ming quickened his pace. But just then, Nami called out to him, ¡°Wait, we need to go somewhere else.¡± Nami had suddenly remembered that Alvida, despite her unattractive appearance, likely had valuable jewelry and other treasures in her captain¡¯s quarters. She had planned to search the captain¡¯s quarters after looting the storage room, but meeting Qin Ming had almost made her forget. As Nami shoved the bag of treasures into Qin Ming¡¯s hands and insisted on going to find more loot, a cannonball exploded near their ship. ¡°It¡¯s the Marines. We should leave now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! There¡¯s still treasure to be found. We can¡¯t leave yet.¡± ¡°Which is more important, treasure or your life? It¡¯s not the time for this!¡± ¡°Are you stupid? Of course, treasure is more important!¡± As the Marine ships began firing at them, Qin Ming and Nami argued. Nami, after saying this, ran towards the captain¡¯s quarters, determined to add Alvida¡¯s personal treasures to her haul. The Marine ships continued to bombard the pirate ship. Some pirates who had returned to the ship saw Qin Ming on the deck but were too busy fleeing to bother with him. As for the few pirates who tried to attack Qin Ming, they were all sent flying. Some pirates even jumped into the sea, only to be blown to pieces by incoming cannonballs. Under the relentless bombardment, the pirate ship began to sink, riddled with holes. By chance, Qin Ming overheard some fleeing pirates mention lifeboats. He followed them to where the lifeboats were stored, taking out the pirates who led the way. Seeing that the pirate ship wouldn¡¯t last much longer and was on the verge of sinking, Qin Ming waited for Nami for a while. Just as he was about to lower the lifeboat and leave alone, he heard Nami¡¯s voice. ¡°Wait for me! Catch this!¡± Nami ran towards Qin Ming, throwing a large bag at him. Qin Ming caught the heavy bag and jumped into the lifeboat with Nami. She took the bag back and told him it contained valuable jewelry, necklaces, and gems that Alvida had collected. This made Qin Ming cringe. Despite Alvida¡¯s hideous appearance, she had amassed a collection of beautiful accessories. It seemed that even the ugliest women had a love for beauty. After quickly lowering the lifeboat, Qin Ming and Nami found themselves back on the sea. Qin Ming stood on the small lifeboat, looking around. To his surprise, Luffy and Koby, with his pink hair, were already far away in their own boat. ¡°Luffy! I¡¯m still here! Why are you so far away?!¡± Qin Ming grabbed the oars and began rowing furiously towards Luffy, shouting at the top of his lungs. ¡°Haha, Qin Ming! I knew you wouldn¡¯t die in that whirlpool! Hold on, I¡¯ll get you over here!¡± Luffy, standing at the stern of his boat, saw Qin Ming seemingly unharmed and laughed happily. He stretched his arm towards Qin Ming, clearly intending to grab him. ¡°Who is that guy? His arm is so long. Is he your friend?¡± Despite the ongoing cannon fire, Nami was still shocked by Luffy¡¯s stretching arm. Qin Ming saw Luffy¡¯s hand approaching and grinned, turning to say something to Nami. But just then, a cannonball happened to be heading straight for Luffy¡¯s arm. Seeing the danger, Luffy had to swing his arm to avoid the cannonball. While Luffy managed to dodge the cannonball, Qin Ming wasn¡¯t so lucky. As Luffy swung his arm, it changed direction. Instead of grabbing Qin Ming, it ended up slapping him. The crisp sound echoed as Qin Ming, having been unexpectedly slapped by Luffy, lost his balance and fell forward, landing on Nami. In the chaos, Qin Ming¡¯s hands instinctively grabbed something soft. Then, amidst the cannon fire and the vast sea, a voice like a roaring lioness rang out: ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re touching, you idiot!¡± Chapter 10 - Landing Separately Chapter 10: Landing Separately , a certain sea area. On a small lifeboat, Qin Ming, rowing the boat, had a large bump on his head, making it look like he was wearing a big round hat from a distance. After the unfortunate incident, Nami immediately went into a furious rage and mercilessly pummeled the unsuspecting culprit. If it weren¡¯t for the Marines chasing them, forcing them to focus on escaping, Qin Ming might have been beaten so badly that even Luffy wouldn¡¯t recognize him. Those familiar with Luffy know that he¡¯s the kind of guy who could mistake the real Zoro for a zombie Zoro. With Luffy¡¯s terrible eyesight, even he was having trouble recognizing Qin Ming now. You can imagine just how badly Nami had beaten him. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Remembering how Nami¡¯s ears had turned a tempting shade of red, Qin Ming sighed. There was no doubt that her face had been flushed at the time. Qin Ming had already cursed Luffy a thousand times in his mind. If it weren¡¯t for that guy suddenly slapping him, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten into this mess. While some might call this a stroke of luck, Qin Ming hadn¡¯t intentionally tried to take advantage of Nami. It was all due to external factors. Being violently abused by Nami and unable to blame her¡ªsince she was also a victim¡ªwhile the person he really wanted to punch wasn¡¯t even here, Qin Ming felt incredibly frustrated. Facing the vast, endless sea, Qin Ming had no way to vent his frustration except to row the boat with all his might. Was he supposed to punch Nami instead? If Nami had beaten Qin Ming to a pulp for no reason, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have taken it lying down. He would have punched her without hesitation. Unfortunately, Nami¡¯s violent outburst was justified, and Qin Ming was slightly at fault. There was no way he could retaliate. Earlier, when Luffy had stretched his arm but failed to grab Qin Ming, he missed the chance to bring Qin Ming back because his boat with Koby was already too far away. And so, after briefly seeing Luffy from a distance and being thoroughly screwed over by him again, Qin Ming was separated from the crew once more. Now, Qin Ming was on a small boat with Nami, heading towards . Nami said she wanted to find a map of the there. Looking at Nami, who was sitting on the other side of the boat, still sulking, Qin Ming could never have imagined that on the very first day he met Nami, such a thing would happen. On the very first day of knowing Nami, Qin Ming had fully experienced the terror of her iron fists. It was an unforgettable experience, one that left him trembling and never wanting to go through it again. What surprised Qin Ming even more was that after the incident and Nami¡¯s brutal beating, the first thing she said to him, her face flushed and breathing heavily, was just four words: ¡°One hundred million berries!¡± Nami¡¯s sharp eyes gleamed with a cold light as she spoke to Qin Ming, who was still dazed from the beating. Her tone was filled with murderous intent. Looking at Nami¡¯s beautiful face, now flushed red, Qin Ming couldn¡¯t tell if it was from the exertion of beating him or from the embarrassment and anger of what had happened earlier. But those four words struck a chord in Qin Ming¡¯s heart, making it impossible for him to stay angry at Nami. He remembered Nami¡¯s tragic past. Others might not understand the significance of Nami casually mentioning one hundred million berries, but Qin Ming, as a transmigrator, knew exactly what that amount meant to her. A ten-year-old girl, risking her life countless times over the next eight years, stealing from dangerous pirates, all to save the people she cared about. A girl who should have been spoiled in her parents¡¯ arms was forced into a life of theft, all to gather one hundred million berries to save her village. In a way, one hundred million berries represented Nami¡¯s hope for the future. Although Nami¡¯s words stirred Qin Ming¡¯s sympathy, he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to admit he owed her that much. ¡°Which direction should we go now?¡± Qin Ming looked around at the endless sea. Without Nami¡¯s guidance, his half-baked navigation skills were useless. He had no idea which way to go to reach their destination. Earlier, under Nami¡¯s direction, Qin Ming had managed to outpace the Marine ships in their small boat. This truly showcased Nami¡¯s exceptional navigation skills and gave Qin Ming a sense of accomplishment. The Marines on the pursuing ship watched as the small lifeboat, with just two people¡ªa man and a woman¡ªpulled further and further away, eventually leaving them far behind. The Marines were dumbfounded. How could a small wooden boat outpace their entire ship? It was as if the boat had some special power source. What the Marines found hardest to accept was the stark contrast between the man rowing the boat and the beautiful woman with orange hair sitting beside him. It was like a pairing of beauty and the beast. To be fair, Qin Ming had just been beaten up by Nami, so his appearance was rather rough. ¡°Left!¡± Nami¡¯s reply was short and to the point, not even glancing at Qin Ming. Qin Ming was fine with Nami ignoring him. It was better than accidentally offending her and getting beaten up again. At first, Qin Ming had been upset about being separated from Luffy. Normally, he should have been with Luffy, rescuing Zoro and recruiting him to their crew, bringing their total to three members. But now, Qin Ming was with Nami, which made him feel like he had stepped out of the main storyline. However, since he was with Nami, he figured they would eventually reunite with Luffy. With this in mind, Qin Ming wasn¡¯t too worried. After several days of uneventful sailing with Nami, they finally arrived at . During this time, Qin Ming and Nami only spoke when necessary, mostly about navigation. Nami¡¯s strange looks made Qin Ming wonder what she was thinking. Though they shared a small boat, they were like strangers. Qin Ming, however, didn¡¯t mind. He adopted Luffy¡¯s carefree attitude, completely forgetting the incident from days ago as if nothing had happened. He even resumed his intense training on the boat. Qin Ming thought to himself: When Qin Ming got tired from training, he would lie down on the boat and fall asleep. Sometimes, he would wake up to find a blanket covering him. Curious, Qin Ming once asked Nami where the blanket came from, but she completely ignored him. ¡°Listen, we¡¯re going to infiltrate the Marine base and steal the map of the Grand Line.¡± Nami whispered to Qin Ming as they secured the small boat. As she spoke, she leaned in close, and Qin Ming caught a faint whiff of her hair¡¯s fragrance. ¡°Wait, you said there¡¯s a Marine base here?¡± Qin Ming asked, surprised. ¡°What about it? Are you scared just hearing the word ¡®Marine¡¯?¡± Nami¡¯s face remained cold, as if Qin Ming owed her a fortune. She stared at him intently and continued, ¡°That day, I heard you shouting something about being a trash fighter. Is that your old nickname?¡± Hearing Nami¡¯s words, Qin Ming was instantly embarrassed. Qin Ming snorted. ¡°Never mind that. Tell me, is there a man named Zoro being held at this Marine base?¡± Just then, a few passersby overheard Qin Ming¡¯s words and immediately backed away in fear, as if they had seen a ghost. ¡°Idiot! Don¡¯t mention Zoro, the notorious pirate hunter, here. Look how you scared those people.¡± Nami scolded Qin Ming sternly, then turned to a nearby vendor with a bright smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯re not bad people. We just want to ask if the Marine base here is led by Captain Axe-Hand Morgan?¡± Upon hearing Nami¡¯s question, the remaining residents in the area fled in terror, leaving the place deserted. The residents found it strange. Not long ago, a straw-hatted boy and a short, chubby kid with pink hair had come asking about Zoro and Captain Morgan. Now, two more outsiders were asking the same questions. Today was truly bizarre. Nami¡¯s friendly smile froze awkwardly on her face, and Qin Ming nearly burst out laughing. Qin Ming thought to himself, glancing calmly at Nami, who was still processing what had happened. ¡°The people here are so strange. It¡¯s understandable that they¡¯d be scared of Zoro, the infamous pirate hunter, but why are they even more afraid of the Marine captain¡¯s name?¡± Nami said, puzzled. ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s none of our business. Weren¡¯t you planning to go to the Marine base? Let¡¯s hurry up.¡± Qin Ming shrugged, urging Nami. He was eager to get to the Marine base and meet Zoro. With this thought, Qin Ming smiled happily. Nami, seeing his expression, felt a chill run down her spine. She raised her fist and shouted, ¡°Stop smiling like that, you idiot!¡± Chapter 11 - Embrace Chapter 11: Embrace . Qin Ming and Nami had successfully infiltrated the naval base. On their way to the naval base, they encountered a very cute little girl, but she was crying non-stop. ¡°Why are you crying so sadly? What happened? Who are you, and where are your parents?¡± Seeing the little girl crying so pitifully, Nami quickly went up to ask what was wrong. Qin Ming noticed Nami¡¯s concerned expression as she comforted the little girl, whose big eyes were swollen from crying. It seemed she really liked children. ¡°Wah, my name is Rika. I worked really hard to make onigiri for that big brother, but¡­ but¡­¡± Rika kept sobbing, and as she spoke, she suddenly burst into tears: ¡°I wanted the big brother to eat the onigiri I made, but that mean person stepped on them and ruined them. Now the big brother can¡¯t eat my onigiri. I¡¯m so sad.¡± ¡°What? Who would do such a thing? Bullying such an innocent child! I won¡¯t let them get away with it!¡± Nami was furious after hearing Rika¡¯s story. ¡°I think the person who did this is none other than the son of Captain Morgan, Helmeppo.¡± As soon as Qin Ming said this, Nami was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected the person bullying the little girl to be the son of a naval captain. She had initially thought about teaching the guy a lesson, but now it seemed much more complicated. However, Nami quickly regained her composure and immediately said to Qin Ming, ¡°Alright, you go charge into the naval base and beat up that Helmeppo guy!¡± Although Qin Ming was also indignant about Helmeppo¡¯s actions, he wasn¡¯t about to charge into the naval base and beat him up as Nami suggested. After all, Qin Ming was well aware of his own limitations. He wasn¡¯t capable of taking on the entire naval base by himself. Ignoring Nami¡¯s words, Qin Ming walked over to the sobbing Rika, crouched down, patted her head, and gave her a warm smile: ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I think the big brother you mentioned will definitely eat the onigiri you made, and he¡¯ll enjoy it very much.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Rika stopped crying and looked up at Qin Ming with her big, tear-filled eyes. ¡°Of course. The onigiri is filled with your heart and effort. Even if it got dirty, he would still eat it. He would never let your efforts go to waste. He¡¯s that kind of man.¡± As Qin Ming said this, an image appeared in his mind: a man with a dark green bandana, tied tightly to a post, chewing on the onigiri that had been stepped on and covered in dirt, saying with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Rika cheered, her small face still streaked with tears, but now with a bright smile. ¡°Thank you, big brother and big sister. I need to go help at my mom¡¯s shop now. Goodbye!¡± Rika ran off a short distance, then turned back and waved at Qin Ming and Nami with a smile. Watching Rika¡¯s small figure disappear into the distance, Nami glanced at Qin Ming: ¡°How did you know who Rika was talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. I didn¡¯t know who she was talking about. I was just comforting her.¡± Qin Ming then looked at Nami with a teasing smile: ¡°You seem to like kids so much, but you can¡¯t even comfort them. How disappointing.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll definitely make a great dad in the future.¡± Nami snorted, then said to Qin Ming, ¡°We can¡¯t enter the naval base from the front. We need to take a different path to get around.¡± As Qin Ming and Nami took the small path to the naval base, Luffy and Koby appeared at the spot where they had just been. When Luffy and Koby told Rika that Zoro had eaten every last bit of the onigiri, Qin Ming and Nami had already infiltrated the naval base and were searching for the navigational charts to the . ¡°Listen, if we get a chance to see Helmeppo, you need to teach him a lesson.¡± Nami, hiding in a dark corner of the corridor, whispered to Qin Ming while keeping an eye out for anyone approaching. ¡°Why do I have to be the one to do it? And why should I listen to you?¡± Qin Ming, seeing that no one was around, relaxed a bit. Earlier, when they had infiltrated the base from another entrance, he hadn¡¯t seen Zoro tied to the post. ¡°Idiot, have you forgotten? You owe me 100 million Berries. If you listen to me, I might consider reducing your debt.¡± Nami said this with a serious expression. Qin Ming looked at Nami, who was skillfully picking the lock of a tightly sealed door with a small wire, and sighed. He followed her into the room. The room appeared to be a naval dormitory, with four bunk beds and several cabinets. Nami quickly ransacked the entire room but didn¡¯t find the navigational charts she was looking for. She did, however, find a small amount of loose change. ¡°The people in this naval base are really poor. The four cabinets combined only had less than 300 Berries. Even you have more than that.¡± Nami said with a look of disappointment, glancing at Qin Ming. Qin Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly checked his pockets. Qin Ming¡¯s face darkened, and he whispered to Nami, ¡°When did you steal my money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s less than 1,000 Berries. That¡¯s not even enough for interest. You owe me 100 million Berries, so taking a little bit from you isn¡¯t too much, right?¡± Nami shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Qin Ming looked at Nami¡¯s innocent expression, as if it were his fault for having so little money to steal, and felt extremely annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t steal from me anymore!¡± Qin Ming sternly warned Nami. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re so poor now that all you have left are your clothes. There¡¯s nothing left for me to steal.¡± Nami said indifferently. After wandering around the naval base for nearly fifteen minutes, Nami still hadn¡¯t found what she was looking for. During that time, Qin Ming had knocked out several marines for her, or else their presence might have been discovered. ¡°The navigational charts to the should be here.¡± Nami glanced around and slipped into a luxurious-looking room with Qin Ming. Inside, there was a large safe. Qin Ming thought to himself as he looked around the opulently decorated room. ¡°This safe is quite advanced. It won¡¯t be easy to open.¡± Nami studied the large safe in the corner, feeling a bit frustrated. ¡°You can¡¯t open it?¡± Qin Ming walked over to Nami and asked. ¡°Of course I can open it, but it¡¯ll take some time.¡± Nami said to Qin Ming, then prepared to carefully examine the safe. Just then, there was a click, and the previously closed door was opened by someone. Both Qin Ming and Nami¡¯s expressions changed. Nami quickly hid behind Qin Ming, and Qin Ming tensed up, ready to confront whoever had entered. But when he saw who it was, he was stunned¡ªit was Luffy, wearing his straw hat. ¡°Could the three swords I¡¯m looking for be here¡­ huh?¡± Luffy, who was searching for Zoro¡¯s swords, muttered to himself as he opened the door. When he entered the room and saw the situation inside, he was also shocked. When Qin Ming saw Luffy, he felt a surge of excitement, but then he remembered how Luffy had screwed him over last time. He rolled up his sleeves, thinking that no matter what, he had to punch this guy first to vent his anger. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Qin Ming strode towards Luffy with a fierce expression, Luffy, upon seeing Qin Ming, happily jumped over. To Qin Ming¡¯s astonishment, Luffy gave him a big bear hug, holding him tightly and shouting excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s great, Qin Ming! I¡¯ve been worried about you since we last parted. If something had happened to you, I would have been so sad that I wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat meat for months!¡± Qin Ming felt his bones creak from how tightly Luffy was hugging him, which showed just how relieved Luffy was to see him. But because of this, Qin Ming could also feel the genuine joy Luffy felt upon seeing him. Luffy had truly been worried about him. Otherwise, Luffy wouldn¡¯t have reacted this way upon seeing Qin Ming safe and sound. Nami watched as Qin Ming and Luffy hugged so tightly that it seemed like nothing in the world could separate them. Normally, when two men hug, it¡¯s because of a strong bond and unwavering friendship. This is a kind of romance that only men can understand. A man hugging a woman can have many reasons, but when two men hug, unless they¡¯re in a romantic relationship, there¡¯s only one reason¡ªthey consider each other true brothers! As a man, you might have many friends, but you might go your entire life without meeting a friend you can hug so openly. It¡¯s a sad truth for many men. ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re okay. Now we can sail together again!¡± Luffy said sincerely, finally releasing Qin Ming from the hug. ¡°Haha, of course I¡¯m fine.¡± In that moment, Qin Ming felt a surge of calmness, and his resentment towards Luffy faded, almost to the point of being negligible. ¡°By the way, who is she?¡± Luffy glanced curiously at Nami and asked Qin Ming. ¡°It¡¯s you! You really screwed me over last time!¡± Nami seemed to remember something, her face turning red as she spoke to Luffy with a tone of indignation. ¡°Did I really do something to her?¡± Luffy looked puzzled and asked Qin Ming. ¡°Yeah, you screwed me over too.¡± Qin Ming nodded, honestly telling Luffy. If Luffy hadn¡¯t slapped him that time, he wouldn¡¯t have been beaten up so badly by Nami. ¡°What? I screwed both of you over at the same time?¡± Luffy¡¯s eyes shifted between Qin Ming and Nami, his face filled with shock. Qin Ming nodded again, thinking to himself: ¡° ¡°You two must be really unlucky to have been screwed over by me at the same time. Hahahaha!¡± Luffy clutched his stomach, laughing heartily, but Nami¡¯s expression darkened, and Qin Ming¡¯s mouth twitched. Qin Ming rolled up his sleeves again, and he and Nami, with perfect coordination, started pummeling Luffy, who was still laughing happily. After a while, both Qin Ming and Nami were panting heavily. It couldn¡¯t be helped¡ªLuffy was just too durable. They couldn¡¯t help but keep hitting him, which ended up exhausting themselves. ¡°You better reflect on what you¡¯ve done!¡± Qin Ming crossed his arms, breathing heavily, as he spoke to Luffy, who was now lying on the ground, beaten to a pulp. ¡°Sorry, I really didn¡¯t mean to screw you guys over.¡± Luffy, now with a face swollen like a pig¡¯s, finally said something reasonable¡­ Chapter 12 - The Right Moment to Act Chapter 12: The Right Moment to Act After giving Luffy a good beating, Qin Ming and Nami finally felt a sense of relief. Both of them felt refreshed, as if a weight had been lifted off their shoulders, and their moods improved significantly. As for the one who got beaten, although Luffy sincerely apologized to Qin Ming and Nami, he still couldn¡¯t figure out when exactly he had wronged them to the point where they felt the need to beat him up to vent their anger. Afterwards, Luffy told Qin Ming that he was helping Zoro find his swords and asked if Qin Ming had seen the three swords he was looking for. ¡°Roronoa Zoro, he¡¯s a notorious pirate hunter in the East Blue. Rumors say he¡¯s like a bloodthirsty tiger, hunting down bounty targets at sea. People call him a demon in human skin, cruel and vicious. Why are you helping him?¡± Nami asked Qin Ming and Luffy with a puzzled expression. ¡°What are you talking about? I think he¡¯s a good guy. And I¡¯ll judge what kind of person he is. I don¡¯t need your opinion.¡± Luffy spoke in an unusually serious tone to Nami. Earlier, after Luffy told Rika that Zoro had eaten the onigiri that Helmeppo had stepped on, he learned from Rika that Zoro had willingly allowed himself to be captured by the Marines to protect her and her family. Helmeppo often walked around with an extremely vicious dog, which he adored and spoiled. Together, they took advantage of the Marines¡¯ protection to cause trouble and wreak havoc in . One day, as Helmeppo was walking his dog as usual, little Rika was nearly mauled to death by the dog. Fortunately, Zoro intervened, cutting the dog in half and saving Rika. But this angered Helmeppo. Helmeppo couldn¡¯t do anything to Zoro directly, so he resorted to threatening Rika¡¯s family. He told Zoro that if Zoro didn¡¯t comply, he would have the Marines execute Rika¡¯s family after Zoro leaves . So Zoro made a deal with Helmeppo: if he could survive being tied up in the Marines¡¯ base square without food or water for a month, Helmeppo would leave Rika¡¯s family alone and settle their feud. However, Luffy later discovered that after three weeks of Zoro being tied up, Helmeppo, seeing that Zoro was still alive, had no intention of honoring their agreement. He planned to publicly execute Zoro in two days to make an example of him and further intimidate the townspeople into submission. Helmeppo even bragged in the streets, calling Zoro a ¡°stupid beast,¡± which infuriated Luffy. Luffy thought about how Zoro, unaware of Helmeppo¡¯s betrayal, was still enduring, believing that if he could just hold out for another week, the feud would be resolved. Finally, Luffy couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He rushed over and punched Helmeppo, who was proudly discussing his despicable plan, sending him flying. As Helmeppo fled, he threatened to make Luffy regret his actions and prepare to die. Luffy, however, ignored Helmeppo¡¯s threats, thinking that such a cowardly and despicable person wasn¡¯t worth another punch. But when little Rika said she enjoyed seeing Helmeppo get beaten, Luffy immediately regretted not punching him a few more times. When Luffy punched Helmeppo, the townspeople nearby were all kneeling on the ground, cowering under Helmeppo¡¯s tyranny. It was clear how much Helmeppo abused his power, relying on his father¡¯s position as the base captain. After learning the full story of why Zoro was imprisoned, Luffy decided to invite Zoro to join his crew, which was why he sneaked into the Marine base to find Zoro¡¯s three swords. ¡°Stop arguing. I support him too. Sometimes rumors aren¡¯t always true.¡± Qin Ming glanced at Luffy and then said to Nami. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t object.¡± Luffy grinned at Qin Ming. ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s none of my business.¡± Nami snorted, pushing Qin Ming and Luffy aside and walking straight toward the large safe. ¡°What are you doing? Trying to open that thing?¡± Luffy watched Nami curiously as she examined the safe, clearly intrigued. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s quite challenging. You definitely can¡¯t do it, so don¡¯t bother me.¡± Nami said dismissively to Luffy. ¡°What? Something this simple? Of course I can do it.¡± Luffy, being the simple-minded person he was, looked unconvinced. He swung his arm and punched the safe. The safe was completely destroyed by Luffy¡¯s punch. Nami stared in shock at the shattered safe. Qin Ming thought to himself, regretting that he hadn¡¯t stopped Luffy in time. ¡°See? I wasn¡¯t bragging. I opened it just like that.¡± Luffy laughed heartily, clearly proud of himself, completely oblivious to Nami¡¯s increasingly dark expression. ¡°You idiot! What if the navigational chart inside was damaged?¡± Nami didn¡¯t hesitate to punch Luffy, who was still laughing happily, knocking him to the ground. ¡°Quick, take whatever¡¯s inside. We need to get out of here.¡± Qin Ming, keeping an eye on the door, urged Nami. If they had more time, he would¡¯ve loved to beat Luffy up again. ¡°But we still need to find Zoro¡¯s swords. Why are we in such a hurry to leave?¡± As soon as Luffy said this, several Marines burst into the room, spotting Qin Ming and the others. They immediately shouted, ¡°Who are you? Thieves sneaking in here?¡± ¡°Daring to steal from a Marine base? You¡¯ve got some nerve!¡± Three Marines charged in, while one ran off, presumably to alert others. ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I¡¯m not a thief. Listen, I¡¯m going to be the¡ª¡± Before Luffy could finish, Qin Ming rushed at the three Marines and quickly knocked them out. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to chat with them!¡± Qin Ming said to Luffy, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to find Zoro¡¯s swords? Let¡¯s hurry. If we¡¯re late, things might get complicated.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really impatient. Fine, I¡¯ll go. Let¡¯s meet up at the open square outside.¡± Luffy adjusted his straw hat and dashed out of the room, disappearing from Qin Ming¡¯s sight in an instant. Qin Ming was speechless. ¡°Why are you just standing there? We need to leave quickly.¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Ming heard some commotion upstairs. Seeing Nami standing still, he walked over to check. ¡°The navigational chart is mine now. Buggy, gracefully accepted.¡± Qin Ming saw the words written at the top of the chart Nami was holding. Below the words was a large skull emblem with a prominent red nose in the middle. ¡°This isn¡¯t the navigational chart. This emblem is¡­¡± Nami stared at the paper in her hand, muttering, ¡°Captain Buggy, the man known as the !¡± As she said this, Nami clenched the paper tightly, her expression serious. Her bright eyes showed determination, as if she had made up her mind about something. Qin Ming cursed inwardly. Judging from Nami¡¯s expression, it seemed she was planning to go after Buggy alone to retrieve the chart. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Nami said to Qin Ming as she hurried towards the door. Qin Ming had no choice but to follow quickly. Along the way, they encountered about a dozen Marines, but Qin Ming¡¯s current skills were more than enough to handle them. When Qin Ming and Nami finally made it out of the Marine base and reached the open square, any Marines who tried to stop them were quickly dealt with by Qin Ming. However, to Qin Ming¡¯s surprise, as soon as they stepped out of the base, the sky seemed to darken. Looking up, they saw a massive half-statue falling towards them. ¡°What is that?¡± Nami was instantly terrified. ¡°Move!¡± Qin Ming grabbed Nami, who was still in shock, and dodged to the right. He recognized the falling object as the giant stone statue of Captain Morgan, which had been split in half. Clearly, Luffy was responsible for this. Qin Ming also heard Morgan¡¯s furious roar from above: ¡°Capture him! I¡¯ll personally execute that straw-hat brat! How dare he destroy the statue I spent years creating! I won¡¯t let him get away with this!¡± The massive half-statue crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces. Qin Ming, holding Nami, fell to the ground as debris from the statue shot out like bullets, heading straight for them. Although Qin Ming reacted quickly, saving Nami from the falling statue, he couldn¡¯t move far while carrying someone. Surviving was already a miracle. Qin Ming rolled over, shielding Nami with his body as the debris rained down on his back. Qin Ming didn¡¯t realize that some of the debris was sharp, and the force of the statue hitting the ground gave the fragments bullet-like speed. Such powerful impacts on Qin Ming¡¯s unprotected back would hurt anyone, even if they weren¡¯t made of iron. Meanwhile, Nami, who was pinned under Qin Ming, was unusually quiet. She lowered her head slightly, hiding in Qin Ming¡¯s arms, her face slightly red, her heart racing. She wasn¡¯t stupid; she knew Qin Ming had acted purely to protect her. For some reason, Nami¡¯s hand unconsciously reached up to touch Qin Ming¡¯s back. Qin Ming, noticing Nami¡¯s action, wasn¡¯t sure what she was doing. Given their current position, things were already awkward enough. Just as he was about to get up, Nami¡¯s hand touched his back, sending a strange sensation through him. Looking at Nami¡¯s slightly red, shy face, Qin Ming¡¯s eyes widened, and his breathing became a little rushed. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. At that moment, Qin Ming¡¯s mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts. Then, Nami spoke in an unusually gentle voice, whispering, ¡°Since you saved me just now, I¡¯ll let you owe me an extra 200 million Berries.¡± In that instant, Qin Ming¡¯s mind went completely blank. He couldn¡¯t understand what Nami was thinking. ¡°Why are you wet?¡± Nami suddenly changed her expression, her earlier shy demeanor completely gone, making Qin Ming seriously doubt if he had imagined it. As Qin Ming thought this, Nami continued, ¡°Your back seems to be bleeding.¡± Hearing this, Qin Ming immediately felt a burning pain on his back. He reached back and felt something wet and sticky. Looking at his hand, it was covered in red. Qin Ming felt that moving even slightly caused intense pain. His injuries were worse than he thought. Just then, Qin Ming heard Morgan¡¯s muffled voice: ¡°How dare you cause trouble on my turf! What, you pirate hunter, are you planning a coup with that straw-hat brat?¡± ¡°I always fight alone. I¡¯m not like you, hiding behind your soldiers and flaunting your power!¡± Zoro, tied to a wooden post, looked at Morgan and his men, speaking word by word. ¡°Roronoa Zoro, don¡¯t underestimate me. Your strength is nothing compared to my authority.¡± Morgan touched the giant axe embedded in his right arm, then ordered his Marines, ¡°Ready!¡± Zoro stared at the black gun barrels aimed at him. Zoro suddenly remembered a 13 or 14-year-old girl with excellent swordsmanship, a heroic spirit, and beautiful blue hair saying to him, ¡°You haven¡¯t improved much, Zoro!¡± Behind the giant statue, Qin Ming saw that Zoro was about to be executed. Koby, who had been shot in the right shoulder, was bleeding heavily and didn¡¯t dare move. With Luffy nowhere to be seen, Qin Ming grew anxious. Without thinking, he picked up a small stone and threw it at Morgan¡¯s head. The stone Qin Ming threw hit the tall Captain Morgan right on the head, leaving a small bump. ¡°Who dares throw stones at me?!¡± Morgan, hit by the stone, flew into a rage. A Marine spotted Qin Ming and immediately reported, ¡°Captain, there are two people hiding behind the statue.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Morgan looked in the direction the Marine pointed and indeed saw a man and a woman hiding behind his broken statue. He roared, ¡°Traitors keep showing up! I¡¯ll kill them all!¡± ¡°Call your useless men to catch me, you fool! A petty Marine captain thinking he¡¯s the king of the world? What a joke!¡± Qin Ming spat rudely, taunting Morgan with disdain. Clearly, Qin Ming¡¯s words enraged Morgan, who valued his authority highly and considered himself exceptional. He glared furiously and ordered his Marines, ¡°Capture that brat! I¡¯ll chop him into pieces with this axe!¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? You¡¯re already injured, and now you¡¯re drawing the Marines¡¯ attention to us.¡± Nami, seeing the Marines charging towards them and Morgan slowly approaching, said anxiously to Qin Ming. ¡°Shut up. I¡¯ll handle this. You stay back.¡± Qin Ming pushed Nami away, wanting her to get to safety. If he hadn¡¯t thrown that stone at Morgan, Zoro would¡¯ve been done for. As Qin Ming fought the Marines, Zoro, tied to the post, asked Koby, ¡°Who is that man? Why is he saving me?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s the other companion Luffy mentioned. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him.¡± Koby, clutching his wounded shoulder, glanced at Qin Ming and replied. ¡°Oh?¡± Zoro stared intently at Qin Ming: ¡°He¡¯s already injured, and it looks serious. Yet he still dares to provoke the Marines. He¡¯s got guts.¡± Chapter 13 - The Fight Against Morgan Chapter 13: The Fight Against Morgan ¡°Surround the base! Don¡¯t let that straw-hat brat or the one who dared to throw a stone at me escape!¡± Morgan slowly walked towards Qin Ming, loudly commanding his men. Qin Ming wasn¡¯t having an easy time¡ªin fact, he was struggling quite a bit. First, the wound on his back was throbbing with pain, preventing him from fighting at his full strength. Second, the Marines surrounding him were armed with either swords or guns, while he was empty-handed, relying solely on hand-to-hand combat. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Third, the Marines outnumbered him. As the saying goes, ¡°two fists are no match for four hands.¡± Qin Ming was already in poor condition, making the fight even more exhausting. If it were just about ten ordinary Marines, Qin Ming could grit his teeth and take them down. But now, Qin Ming was facing at least thirty Marines. What made things worse was that some Marines with guns were shooting at him from a distance. He barely had time to dodge, let alone focus on fighting back. Qin Ming quickly dodged left and right, avoiding bullets, while inwardly complaining. When he set sail with Luffy, he had considered what weapon he would use in future battles. But before he could decide, he found himself in this desperate situation, fighting bare-handed. Qin Ming quickly turned around, knocking out a Marine who had caught up to him, then rolled to the side, continuing to move rapidly. He did this to prevent the Marines with guns from getting a clear shot at him. After all, Qin Ming wasn¡¯t like Luffy, who was immune to bullets. A few more shots, and he might really be done for. Qin Ming¡¯s mind raced as he tried to figure out how to escape this predicament. Soon, Qin Ming made up his mind to prioritize eliminating the Marines shooting at him from behind. And so, Qin Ming began running in a wide circle across the hundreds-of-meters-wide Marine base square, gradually closing in on the gun-wielding Marines at the back. Earlier, under Qin Ming¡¯s protection, Nami had already hidden far away. Watching from the shadows, she saw Qin Ming fighting desperately, repeatedly in danger of being cut or shot, which made her heart race. Nami bit her lip, her brows furrowed. Several times, she wanted to rush out and help Qin Ming, but she held back. She thought of the people waiting for her in her hometown and knew she couldn¡¯t openly assist Qin Ming. Nami cursed inwardly, anxious. She noticed that the blood on Qin Ming¡¯s back seemed to be flowing more heavily. Perhaps because Qin Ming had been running non-stop, his blood circulation had sped up, and his wound hadn¡¯t healed, causing the bleeding to worsen. By now, Qin Ming had successfully charged into the group of Marines shooting at him, throwing their formation into chaos. Once Qin Ming got close, the dozen or so gun-wielding Marines became much less of a threat. In no time, they were all knocked down, unable to get up. ¡°Untie me, and I¡¯ll help you!¡± Zoro, tied to the wooden post, shouted at Qin Ming. Although Qin Ming had dealt with the gun-wielding Marines, he was still surrounded and couldn¡¯t break free to help Zoro. Koby, who had been shot in the right shoulder, could only use one hand. He had tried several times to untie Zoro but couldn¡¯t manage it. Seeing a Marine charging at him with a sword, Qin Ming had a flash of inspiration. He punched the Marine in the stomach, snatched the sword, and threw it towards Zoro. As Qin Ming thought this, he heard Zoro yelling at him, ¡°What the hell are you doing, you idiot?!¡± Qin Ming barely dodged attacks from three Marines and quickly looked back. The sword he had thrown hadn¡¯t cut Zoro¡¯s ropes but had instead injured him. The blood flowing from Zoro¡¯s left arm was glaringly bright. ¡°Sorry!¡± After knocking down a few more Marines, Qin Ming sincerely apologized to Zoro. ¡°Apologies are useless!¡± Zoro was in a tragic state. After being tied to the post for three weeks without food, he had now been injured by his own ally before even starting to fight. The fact that he wasn¡¯t trying to cutover Qin Ming already showed remarkable restraint. Qin Ming also felt embarrassed. He was quite accurate when throwing stones, but his aim with swords was far worse. He never expected that on his first day meeting Zoro, he would end up injuring him. This made him feel quite guilty. Feeling guilty towards Zoro, Qin Ming avoided looking his way and focused on the Marines relentlessly attacking him. Qin Ming grinned, holding two swords he had just taken from the Marines. He clashed them together, producing a sharp metallic sound. ¡°Does he know how to use swords?¡± Zoro, seeing Qin Ming holding two swords, asked Koby in surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Koby replied honestly. He had completely given up on trying to untie Zoro. The gunshot wound had left him weak, and just standing was a struggle. Using strength was out of the question. Morgan, watching from a distance, had noticed Koby¡¯s inability to help Zoro and had choosen to ignore him. In Morgan¡¯s eyes, Koby was just a minor character. However, seeing Qin Ming armed and more and more Marines being taken down, Morgan¡¯s expression grew darker. ¡°What are you doing? Have you forgotten my orders? I want that brat captured and brought before me so I can chop him into pieces with this axe!¡± Morgan raised the giant axe embedded in his right arm, berating his men. ¡°Captain, he¡¯s too strong. He¡¯s hard to deal with.¡± A Marine, trembling, saluted Morgan. He had been punched several times by Qin Ming and was in pain all over. Just standing and speaking was his limit. ¡°My men don¡¯t need someone who only marvels at the enemy¡¯s strength but doesn¡¯t know how to fight to the death! Under my supreme authority, no one is strong enough to resist!¡± With that, Morgan swung his axe, killing the Marine who had saluted him. The Marines surrounding Qin Ming turned pale at Morgan¡¯s actions but dared not protest. They could only continue attacking Qin Ming. ¡°If you¡¯re so great, then come fight me yourself! Hiding behind your men and shouting orders just proves you¡¯re a coward!¡± Qin Ming, after dodging several Marine attacks, pointed his sword at Morgan and spoke calmly. In truth, Qin Ming was starting to feel dizzy and knew he couldn¡¯t last much longer. He wanted to end this quickly by taking down Morgan, which would make things easier. That¡¯s why he provoked Morgan to a duel. ¡°You, a nameless, insignificant brat, dare challenge me? Do you know who I am? I¡¯m the excellent Marine Captain, Axe-Hand Morgan!¡± Morgan glared at Qin Ming, slowly walking towards him. ¡°All of you, step back! I¡¯ll show this brat that no one can resist me under my authority!¡± Qin Ming felt a surge of relief. If he had charged at Morgan earlier without provoking him, he would¡¯ve had to face both Morgan and the surrounding Marines. In his current state, he would¡¯ve been quickly overwhelmed. The Marines, under Morgan¡¯s orders, stepped back, leaving an open space for Qin Ming and Morgan to fight. Qin Ming glanced at Zoro¡¯s situation and felt speechless. Qin Ming¡¯s back was already covered in blood, a gruesome sight. He shook his head, trying to clear his slightly dizzy mind, and charged at Morgan. Qin Ming swung the two swords wildly at Morgan but failed to land a single hit. After watching for a while, Zoro couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Is that how you use a sword?¡± Just as Qin Ming was about to retort, he saw Morgan¡¯s axe coming straight at him. He quickly raised his swords to block. Qin Ming¡¯s swords were shattered by Morgan¡¯s axe. Zoro, a swordsman at heart, couldn¡¯t bear to watch. He cursed, ¡°Having your swords broken by the enemy head-on is a disgrace to all swordsmen!¡± Qin Ming tossed the broken swords aside, leaped into the air to dodge Morgan¡¯s axe, and landed a kick on Morgan¡¯s chin. Qin Ming¡¯s right leg felt as if it had hit something extremely hard. It turned out Morgan¡¯s chin was made of steel. ¡°Die!¡± Morgan raised his axe again, aiming to strike Qin Ming before he could land. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going down!¡± Qin Ming flipped in mid-air, enduring the discomfort in his body, and before Morgan¡¯s axe could hit him, he delivered a powerful kick to Morgan¡¯s nose. Morgan, hit in the nose, staggered backwards. As he tilted his head back, a bright red arc of blood flew from his nose, glinting in the sunlight. Qin Ming panted slightly. After the intense fight, he was truly exhausted. Watching Morgan, whose nose was bleeding profusely, the pain in his back made his consciousness begin to fade¡­ Chapter 14 - Tears and Demons Chapter 14: Tears and Demons ¡°Blood?¡± Morgan reached up and touched his nose, which had been crushed and deformed by Qin Ming¡¯s kick. His hand was covered in blood, the bright red color making his eyes widen in fury. He roared at Qin Ming, ¡°You insignificant brat! How dare you injure me!¡± ¡°Did you see that? The captain was injured by that guy!¡± ¡°I never expected the captain to be at a disadvantage.¡± The Marines watching from a distance exchanged uneasy glances, their faces filled with disbelief. ¡°Injuring you isn¡¯t something to be proud of. I don¡¯t feel any pride in it.¡± Qin Ming panted heavily, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He forced himself to ignore the dizziness in his head and spoke to the enraged Morgan. His words were blunt, but they were the truth. If Qin Ming had felt proud after injuring Morgan, how would he face enemies far stronger than Morgan in the future? After Qin Ming¡¯s intense movements, the wound on his back had become a bloody mess. Not only had the bleeding not stopped, but the injury had also worsened. This was expected. Qin Ming had fought the Marines without treating his wound, and now, facing Morgan, he was struggling even more. Although Morgan, as a Marine captain, might have been overrated in terms of strength, he was still far stronger than the average Marine grunt. The moment this thought crossed his mind, Qin Ming felt a wave of panic he had never experienced before¡ªa primal fear of death, inherent to all humans. ¡°Leave a few men to guard the pirate hunter. The rest of you, attack together! I swear I won¡¯t rest until I chop this brat who keeps defying my authority into pieces!¡± Morgan¡¯s bloodshot eyes were filled with murderous intent as he barked orders at the surrounding Marines. ¡°How shameless! Knowing you¡¯re no match, you resort to such despicable tactics. If you were a real man, you¡¯d finish this duel one-on-one!¡± Zoro, tied to the post, wished he could cut Morgan down himself. He could see that Qin Ming was in bad shape and knew Morgan had noticed it too, which was why he ordered the Marines to gang up on Qin Ming. Such underhanded methods disgusted Zoro. Beside Zoro, Koby¡¯s chubby body trembled slightly. His fists clenched, and his face showed a hint of confusion. ¡°Is this the Marine justice I¡¯ve always admired? Is this what I aspired to join?¡± ¡°Keep howling all you want, Roronoa Zoro! Once I kill this brat, I¡¯ll execute you next! Only trash like you, drifting at sea, would believe in something as naive as a fair duel!¡± Morgan glanced at Zoro and let out a cold laugh. ¡°What did you say?¡± Zoro¡¯s expression darkened, his eyes turning icy cold. His gaze was like that of a ferocious beast locking onto its prey, sending chills down the spines of those who saw it. Morgan met Zoro¡¯s gaze and immediately felt a cold shiver run through his body. ¡°No need to waste words on someone like him! A man corrupted by power has no honor left. How could someone like him have the courage to fight fair? I never expected him to fight me honestly. This outcome doesn¡¯t surprise me at all.¡± As Qin Ming spoke, the unease in his heart lessened. He suddenly laughed, looking at the Marines and Morgan slowly closing in on him. He shouted, ¡°You think you can take my life? Do you know why I¡¯ve been training so hard this past month? Do you think I set out to sea on a whim? Do you think I¡¯ll die so easily? You think you¡¯re worthy of killing me?¡± Each of his five questions grew louder, and the aura radiating from Qin Ming grew stronger with each word, stunning the Marines into silence. ¡°You¡¯re still talking tough even at death¡¯s door? What are you all standing around for? Attack!¡± Morgan, snapping out of his daze, immediately barked orders at the Marines. He was furious. Qin Ming, who seemed severely injured, had momentarily intimidated him with sheer presence alone. This was unacceptable to Morgan, who prided himself on being an elite Marine. How could a nameless, insignificant brat make him feel fear, even for a moment? ¡°Ahhh!!!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s roar seemed to dispel much of the fear in his heart. He focused all his energy, gathering every ounce of strength he had left, and charged at the Marines. At that moment, Qin Ming realized that when he decided to set sail with Luffy, he had signed up for countless dangers. If he couldn¡¯t overcome his fear of death, he would be doomed. So Qin Ming steeled his heart, deciding to stop overthinking and give it his all. Since joining Luffy¡¯s crew, Qin Ming had always believed that while he might face some dangers, he would never be in mortal peril. After all, Luffy and Zoro were reliable allies who would help him if he were in trouble. But now, with Luffy nowhere to be seen and Zoro unable to fight, Qin Ming had to rely on himself. For the first time, he realized that if he didn¡¯t push himself, if he didn¡¯t fight with everything he had, he would die. This was the first time since joining the that Qin Ming had faced such a dire situation¡ªone where a single misstep could mean death. For the first time in his life, he felt the breath of death so close. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Ming knew that if he turned and fled without hesitation, he might survive. But if he did, Morgan would order the Marines to execute Zoro, rendering all his efforts meaningless. Moreover, if Qin Ming chose to run, it would be no different from abandoning his comrades in their time of need. To fear death so much that he would leave his comrades in danger¡ªsuch behavior was despicable! Qin Ming never considered himself a noble person. Even now, facing the call of death, his heart was filled with anxiety. But if he chose to abandon his comrades here to save himself, even if Zoro somehow survived, how could he face Luffy and the others afterwards? How could he call himself a member of the ? If Zoro hadn¡¯t been tied up and could fight normally, Qin Ming might have actually run. After all, Zoro could handle himself, and Qin Ming could find a place to recover. But now, Zoro was tightly bound to that damned post. To put it bluntly, even a weakling could kill him in this state. How could Qin Ming abandon him now? But Qin Ming didn¡¯t have time to think about that. He dashed into the crowd of Marines, throwing punches with all his strength, aiming to take down each Marine with a single blow. ¡°He¡¯s gone mad!¡± A Marine holding a sword was so terrified by Qin Ming¡¯s fearless ferocity that his legs went weak. He barely managed to shout before Qin Ming¡¯s fist slammed into his face, sending him flying into several Marines behind him. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared to die here. If you want to take my head, you¡¯d better be ready to be sent flying!¡± Qin Ming, having snatched the Marine¡¯s sword, swung it fiercely at Morgan. Morgan swung the giant axe embedded in his right arm, shattering Qin Ming¡¯s sword. Seeing the cold, sharp glint in Qin Ming¡¯s eyes, Morgan involuntarily took a step back. ¡°Why are you still standing? Why won¡¯t you fall?¡± Morgan raised his axe and swung it down at Qin Ming with all his might. Morgan¡¯s axe struck the ground like a thousand-pound boulder, splitting the earth. Qin Ming leaped into the air, barely dodging the axe, and then slammed his fist into Morgan¡¯s right cheek. ¡°I bet my life to set sail! Someone like you, who only relies on authority, could never defeat me!¡± Morgan was sent flying, several yellow teeth flying out of his mouth. He crashed to the ground like a cannonball, sending up a cloud of dust. ¡°Betting his life?¡± Koby stared at Qin Ming¡¯s back, remembering how Luffy had once said something similar¡ªthat he would bet his life to become the Pirate King. ¡°So, he¡¯s like Luffy. No wonder he¡¯s Luffy¡¯s companion.¡± Koby muttered to himself, his words overheard by Zoro, who was tied to the post. ¡°Too bad he¡¯s not a swordsman! But it¡¯s also good that he¡¯s not a swordsman!¡± Zoro glanced at Qin Ming and suddenly said something cryptic. ¡°The captain was¡­ sent flying by him!¡± ¡°What a terrifying man. He looks like he¡¯s on the verge of death, yet he still has such strength.¡± The surrounding Marines, seeing Qin Ming swaying and on the verge of collapse, didn¡¯t dare approach. Instead, they took three steps back. ¡°What are you doing? Without my orders, you dare retreat?¡± As the Marines stepped back, a deep, gloomy voice rang out. Morgan, half-kneeling on the ground, spat out a few mouthfuls of blood and slowly stood up. He walked towards Qin Ming, his face covered in blood, making him look even more menacing. ¡°I admit, that punch of yours hurt. But this is where it ends. In this world, the strong always prevail!¡± The Marines, seeing Morgan stand after taking such a heavy blow, didn¡¯t cheer. Instead, their faces turned grim. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll give you another punch. That way, you¡¯ll understand who the real loser is.¡± Qin Ming grinned, swaying as he panted heavily. He was at his limit. ¡°Shut up!¡± Morgan¡¯s eyes bulged, veins popping on his forehead. He raised the giant axe embedded in his right arm and swung it down at Qin Ming. At that moment, a figure rushed over and tackled Qin Ming to the ground, saving him from the axe. Morgan¡¯s axe struck empty air. He saw a girl with short orange hair lying next to Qin Ming and sneered. ¡°You again? You should¡¯ve stayed hidden. Now you¡¯ve come out to die.¡± Nami ignored Morgan. Seeing Qin Ming seemingly unconscious, she slapped him several times. ¡°Wake up!¡± Qin Ming quickly regained consciousness, feeling dizzy and his face burning. Before he opened his eyes, he caught a faintly familiar scent. ¡°Nami? Is that you? Why did you come here?¡± ¡°Idiot! Why did you push yourself so hard? Don¡¯t you know I was worried about you?¡± Seeing Qin Ming still dazed, Nami raised her hand to slap him again. Hearing Nami¡¯s words, Qin Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Somehow, his strength returned, and the pain in his back lessened. He opened his eyes just as Nami¡¯s hand came down. Qin Ming caught Nami¡¯s wrist, feeling the smooth, soft skin like polished jade. Qin Ming saw Nami biting her lip, staring at him with tears welling up in her bright eyes. A single tear rolled down her smooth cheek and landed on Qin Ming¡¯s face. The tear felt warm, or maybe cold¡ªQin Ming couldn¡¯t tell. But one thing was certain: seeing Nami¡¯s tears made his heart ache, yet also filled him with warmth. Qin Ming naturally reached up to wipe the tears from Nami¡¯s eyes. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Morgan raising his axe, ready to strike both of them. Qin Ming quickly pushed Nami aside, but this left him no time to dodge Morgan¡¯s axe. Just as the axe was about to strike Qin Ming, it suddenly stopped. ¡°He¡­ he caught the captain¡¯s axe with his feet!¡± The nearby Marines were stunned, seeing Qin Ming lying on the ground, his feet tightly gripping Morgan¡¯s axe, rendering him immobile. Even Zoro¡¯s jaw dropped as he stared at Qin Ming, momentarily speechless. Nami, who had thought Qin Ming was done for, nearly had a heart attack when Morgan swung his axe. ¡°Get lost!¡± Qin Ming, using his feet, flung Morgan¡¯s axe to the side, sending Morgan flying. Once again, Morgan crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. Chapter 15 - Unspoken Understanding Chapter 15: Unspoken Understanding ¡°Is he immortal? He looked like he was on the verge of collapse earlier.¡± ¡°Maybe it was a trick to make us think he was weak. How cunning.¡± ¡°Yeah, good thing we didn¡¯t attack him. Captain Morgan fell right into his trap.¡± The Marines surrounding Qin Ming were filled with fear after seeing him use his feet to catch Morgan¡¯s giant axe and effortlessly throw Morgan aside. However, when they mentioned Morgan falling for Qin Ming¡¯s trick, their tone carried a hint of schadenfreude, showing just how much they despised their arrogant and brutal captain. ¡°Weren¡¯t you on the verge of death earlier? How did you suddenly become so lively? Were you faking it to trick me?¡± Nami, having recovered from her shock, casually wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. Seeing Qin Ming so easily throw Morgan away, she couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious. His current state was a stark contrast to his earlier condition. Seeing that the wound on Qin Ming¡¯s back had stopped bleeding, Nami felt slightly relieved. While wiping her tears, she secretly smiled, unnoticed by anyone. Qin Ming shook his hands and stretched his muscles, feeling just as puzzled. Somehow, not only had his stamina recovered, but the pain in his back had also lessened significantly. Moreover, his strength seemed to have increased as well, which confused him even more. He knew that just a few minutes ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to catch Morgan¡¯s full-force axe swing with his feet. Although it had been difficult, he had indeed managed to block Morgan¡¯s attack using only his feet. Qin Ming¡¯s mind raced. Qin Ming stroked his chin, deep in thought. Nami, who had been about to speak to him, decided not to disturb him. The surrounding Marines, without Morgan¡¯s orders, simply surrounded Qin Ming and Nami, too afraid to attack. Nami, who had been secretly observing Qin Ming, suddenly heard him muttering to himself: ¡°Reviving from the brink of death and gaining strength¡­ Doesn¡¯t that make me like a Saiyan?¡± ¡°Saiyan? Is Saiyan your hometown? I¡¯ve never heard of a Saiyan Village in the East Blue. Are you not from the East Blue?¡± Nami asked curiously, her words immediately making Qin Ming feel awkward. Qin Ming looked at Nami speechlessly, feeling conflicted. Seeing the faint tear stains on her smooth, fair face, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to tease her, especially after realizing she had cried out of concern for him. The Marines, hearing Nami¡¯s words, stared at Qin Ming, thinking: Just as Qin Ming was about to explain to Nami what a Saiyan was, Morgan¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°You two still have the nerve to chat? Today is truly a day of shame for you, Morgan!¡± Morgan slowly walked towards Qin Ming. Although he had been thrown by Qin Ming earlier and looked badly injured, he hadn¡¯t suffered any serious harm. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Qin Ming and ordered the Marines: ¡°All of you, follow my command! Let¡¯s kill these two who dared to defy my supreme authority!¡± At Morgan¡¯s command, the Marines surrounding Qin Ming and Nami attacked again. Morgan, wielding his giant axe, charged at Qin Ming, and chaos erupted. Facing the wave of attacking Marines, Qin Ming no longer had the luxury of chatting with Nami. He punched and kicked, scattering the Marines around him. With the Marines interfering, Qin Ming, now unarmed, found it difficult to deal with Morgan. ¡°You¡¯re agile, but you lack strength. You¡¯re destined to lose to me!¡± Morgan blocked Qin Ming¡¯s punch with his axe and then swung his left fist at Qin Ming. Qin Ming quickly crossed his arms to block the blow. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Nami, who had been dodging attacks, saw Qin Ming being forced back by Morgan¡¯s punch and called out in concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. His weak punches are just tickling me.¡± Qin Ming grinned, though inwardly he groaned: Qin Ming knew there was a significant gap between his current strength and Luffy¡¯s. He had realized this when they fought Alvida, the obese female pirate. In terms of raw power, Luffy was far stronger. What Qin Ming didn¡¯t know was that Morgan was also cursing him internally: Qin Ming dodged Morgan¡¯s attack but couldn¡¯t counter because several Marines were swinging their swords at him. He had no choice but to evade, or he¡¯d be chopped to pieces. Even though Qin Ming felt stronger after recovering from his near-death state, dealing with both Morgan and the Marines while protecting Nami was still exhausting. It wasn¡¯t that Morgan had suddenly become stronger, but Qin Ming had to split his attention between fighting and protecting Nami. If he were alone, he could have taken the initiative, and the situation wouldn¡¯t have been so dire. Morgan was now fighting at full strength. Having been punched hard by Qin Ming earlier, he no longer underestimated him. With Morgan going all out and Qin Ming distracted by protecting Nami, the two were evenly matched. ¡°Stay away from me!¡± Nami pulled out a collapsible staff strapped to her left leg and knocked down a Marine charging at her. Seeing Nami¡¯s staff, Qin Ming had an idea. He faints a kick, forcing Morgan back, and shouted to Nami: ¡°Give me your weapon!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nami was startled but threw her staff to Qin Ming. ¡°Do you know how to use a staff? I didn¡¯t know you were so versatile.¡± As soon as she said this, Nami realized: With this thought, Nami barely dodged a Marine¡¯s attack and glared at Qin Ming. ¡°Idiot, give me back my weapon! Are you trying to get me killed?¡± Qin Ming disassembled Nami¡¯s staff into three shorter sections and threw one back to her. ¡°Use this for now.¡± Nami caught the short section. Her face darkened as she yelled at Qin Ming: ¡°You moron! How am I supposed to use something this short?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the Marines attacking her, Nami might have resorted to violence against Qin Ming. ¡°Aren¡¯t you good with the staff? You can make do with this, right?¡± Qin Ming tripped a few Marines, and while they were sprawled on the ground, he quickly took off their boots and pulled out the shoelaces. ¡°Make do with this?¡± Nami looked at the 30-centimeter-long section in her hand and then at the Marines¡¯ meter-long swords. Her fair face turned as dark as coal, striking fear into those who saw her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely protect you. Just give me a little more time. I¡¯ll finish this soon.¡± After dodging several attacks from Morgan and the Marines, Qin Ming picked up a Marine¡¯s sword and poked holes in the two wooden sections he held. Nami¡¯s expression softened slightly when Qin Ming said he would protect her, but then she saw him stabbing the wooden sections with a sword. Thinking he was destroying her weapon, she felt inexplicably furious. Just as she was about to speak, four or five Marines surrounded her, raising their swords. Nami instinctively raised her short staff to block, but then she remembered it was only a third of its usual length. There was no way it could defend against the swords. As the swords were about to strike her, Nami instinctively looked towards Qin Ming, thinking: Just as Nami was filled with despair, a figure flashed past, wrapped an arm around her waist, and spun her around. She vaguely saw the Marines who had been about to strike her being sent flying by a crooked stick, their screams filling the air. Qin Ming, holding Nami, spun her around a few times before using his makeshift weapon to save her just in time. Nami, still in shock, stared in disbelief. Meanwhile, Qin Ming held the dazed Nami with one arm and wielded his weapon with the other, scattering the Marines and sending them retreating in disarray. ¡°Captain, we¡¯re no match for him with that strange weapon.¡± A Marine, his face swollen from being hit by Qin Ming¡¯s weapon, crawled over to Morgan. Before he could finish speaking, Morgan kicked him to death. ¡°I don¡¯t need subordinates who spread panic!¡± Morgan walked towards Qin Ming, eyeing the weapon in his hand¡ªa simple-looking contraption made of two sticks connected by a rope. ¡°You think this ridiculous weapon can defeat me?¡± ¡°Ridiculous?¡± Qin Ming swung the nunchaku, knocking down three Marines. He looked at Morgan, wiped his nose, and gave him a thumbs-down gesture, then waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Since you look down on it, I¡¯ll let you experience its power.¡± Yes, Qin Ming was now wielding a nunchaku made from Nami¡¯s staff. He found it incredibly easy to use¡ªit was simply satisfying to fight with! Morgan, seeing Qin Ming¡¯s dismissive gesture, was so enraged that his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He charged at Qin Ming: ¡°How dare you look down on me! I¡¯m the most excellent Marine captain, the elite of the elite¡ªCaptain Morgan, the Axe-Hand!¡± ¡°Whether you were faking your injuries earlier or not, I¡¯ll execute you here today! Along with the pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro, that straw-hat brat, and this woman with you! I¡¯ll make sure none of you have a place to be buried!¡± Morgan¡¯s eyes were cold, veins bulging on his forehead as he raised his axe and swung it at Qin Ming. ¡°You dare threaten them? You¡¯re asking for death!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s anger flared at Morgan¡¯s words. He sidestepped the axe and swung the nunchaku, bypassing Morgan¡¯s axe and striking him squarely in the face, eliciting a howl of pain. Qin Ming struck Morgan¡¯s face again, leaving him dazed and slowing his movements. Qin Ming relentlessly swung the nunchaku, left and right, beating Morgan until his face was swollen and unrecognizable, leaving him unable to fight back. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zoro, tied to the post, stared in awe. ¡°He¡¯s pretty good with that weapon.¡± ¡°Captain Morgan is completely defenseless now.¡± Koby adjusted his thick glasses, having witnessed Qin Ming¡¯s turnaround from being at a disadvantage to completely dominating the fight. His emotions were in turmoil, though he wasn¡¯t sure what to think. ¡°Stop!¡± Just as Qin Ming was relentlessly beating Morgan, a small, trembling voice reached his ears. ¡°I said stop! Did you hear me?¡± The voice came again. Qin Ming delivered one last blow to Morgan, knocking him to the ground, before finally pausing. Morgan¡¯s face was now swollen beyond recognition, so much so that even his son, Helmeppo, who had just called for Qin Ming to stop, could barely recognize him. ¡°Dad, are you okay?¡± Helmeppo trembled slightly, holding a pistol pointed at Zoro and Koby. He also ordered a dozen Marines to aim their guns at Nami, threatening Qin Ming: ¡°If you make any more moves, your friends are dead. Step back and stay away from my dad!¡± Qin Ming frowned, puzzled as to why Helmeppo had appeared but Luffy was still nowhere to be seen. ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s my good son!¡± Morgan spat out a few bloody teeth as he spoke. His eyes were so swollen he could barely see. He slowly sat up and said to Qin Ming: ¡°Drop your weapon and stand next to the woman. If you don¡¯t obey, the consequences will be on you!¡± Qin Ming glanced at the Marines aiming their guns at Zoro, Koby, and Nami. He promptly dropped the nunchaku. ¡°So this is your trump card. If you couldn¡¯t beat me, you¡¯d have your idiot son step in and force me to surrender.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t beat you? How could I not beat you!¡± Morgan struggled to his feet, roaring at Qin Ming. ¡°I¡¯ve dropped my weapon, and you still don¡¯t dare come near me. You¡¯re truly a coward.¡± Qin Ming¡¯s words enraged Morgan. He divided his Marines into three groups: two groups aimed their guns at Nami and Zoro, while the third group aimed at Qin Ming. This way, even if Qin Ming tried to save someone, he couldn¡¯t save both sides at once. The remaining group aimed their guns at Qin Ming. ¡°Kid, if you make any sudden moves, they¡¯re dead!¡± Morgan¡¯s swollen mouth let out an unpleasant sneer as he ordered the third group: ¡°Aim carefully! Don¡¯t kill him! Shoot his limbs! I want to deal with him personally!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Nami, standing about ten meters to Qin Ming¡¯s left, suddenly shouted. ¡°What do you want? Are you in a hurry to die?¡± Morgan¡¯s grotesque appearance frightened Nami. She glanced at Qin Ming, who, despite his grim expression, showed no fear. She then looked at the nunchaku Qin Ming had dropped earlier, feeling a strange emotion. ¡°No, I just suddenly have a stomach ache. Can I go to the bathroom?¡± Nami¡¯s words left everyone puzzled. Qin Ming felt like his mind was spinning. ¡°You want to execute me, right? Then let me lead the way! Shoot me!¡± Before Morgan could respond, Zoro¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Roronoa Zoro, you¡¯re an important tool to control that brat. Don¡¯t worry, once I deal with him, it¡¯ll be your turn!¡± Morgan raised his hand and ordered the Marines aiming at Qin Ming: ¡°Ready!¡± Looking at the black gun barrels pointed at him, Qin Ming held his breath, but his mind was eerily calm. Just as Qin Ming was about to close his eyes and await death, Morgan gave the order. ¡°Fire!¡± Just as Qin Ming was about to close his eyes, a figure leaped in front of him, blocking all the bullets. ¡°Shishishi!¡± Qin Ming stared at the person who had taken the bullets for him. The bullets didn¡¯t penetrate his body but instead caused it to stretch and deform, forming spike-like protrusions. One of the spikes even brushed against Qin Ming¡¯s nose, and he could feel the residual warmth of the bullets at its tip. Looking at Luffy¡¯s back, Qin Ming felt a surge of excitement and relief. Just when he thought he was about to die, he had been saved. The feeling of escaping death made his blood boil, his heart burning with intensity. ¡°Straw Hat¡­¡± Morgan¡¯s face darkened as he glared at the boy in front of him, gritting his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Zoro, seeing Luffy standing in front of Qin Ming, exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Luffy!¡± Koby screamed, and the Marines, seeing Luffy appear out of nowhere, were stunned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the troublemaker?¡± Nami voiced her true thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s useless!¡± With Luffy¡¯s spirited shout, the bullets bounced back, leaving Morgan and the Marines speechless. As the Marines and Morgan were stunned by Luffy¡¯s bullet-deflecting ability, Qin Ming shouted: ¡°Luffy!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Luffy responded simply. Qin Ming quickly used his foot to flick the nunchaku off the ground and hurled it at the Marines aiming at Nami. At the same time, Luffy stretched his leg and swept it towards the Marines aiming at Zoro: ¡°Gomu Gomu no Muchi!¡± As Luffy¡¯s leg sent the Marines on the right flying, Qin Ming¡¯s nunchaku smashed into the guns of the Marines on the left, shattering them. The Marines had lined up so neatly that it made Qin Ming¡¯s job easier. In an instant, thanks to the tacit cooperation between Qin Ming and Luffy, the threats to Nami and Zoro were eliminated¡­ Chapter 16 - Promises and Beginnings Chapter 16: Promises and Beginnings ¡°Our guns were destroyed by the weapon he threw over!¡± ¡°Did you see that? The guy with the straw hat deflected the bullets, and his legs stretched so far. Another monster has appeared!¡± ¡°Indeed, the companions of monsters are also monsters. One guy with strange weapons is already hard to deal with, and now there¡¯s this straw hat guy. Captain, we¡¯re no match for them!¡± The marines panicked as Qin Ming and Luffy quickly resolved the hostage crisis. This time, Captain Morgan didn¡¯t scold his subordinates. His swollen, pig-like face darkened as he stared at Luffy. ¡°That kid isn¡¯t ordinary. He must have eaten one of the legendary Devil Fruits!¡± Turning to Qin Ming, Morgan continued, ¡°Earlier, you managed to recover from near-fatal injuries. That must have been because of a Devil Fruit too, right?¡± Qin Ming didn¡¯t respond to Morgan¡¯s words, but he thought to himself, ¡° ¡°The legendary treasure of the sea?¡± ¡°The power that deflected the bullets earlier must also be from a Devil Fruit.¡± ¡°No wonder that injured guy is so hard to deal with. He¡¯s also a Devil Fruit user.¡± ¡°How can we possibly face two Devil Fruit users at the same time?¡± The surrounding marines, hearing Morgan¡¯s words, looked at Luffy and Qin Ming with fear and caution. ¡°What are you all panicking for? If guns don¡¯t work, then use swords to cut them down!¡± Morgan waved his hand, ordering the marines to charge at Qin Ming and Luffy. ¡°Hold them off for me. I¡¯ll go rescue the others!¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Luffy glanced at the charging marines and spoke to Qin Ming while quickly running towards Zoro with his three swords. Qin Ming was speechless. Before he could even complain, he heard Nami¡¯s voice: ¡°Idiot! What are you standing around for? Come and save me!¡± The marines near Nami, though their guns had been destroyed by Qin Ming¡¯s nunchaku, still had their swords. A dozen sword-wielding marines against an unarmed woman would be a laughingstock if they couldn¡¯t handle her. Facing the marines charging at her with swords, Nami decisively called out to Qin Ming for help. Qin Ming punched away a marine charging towards Luffy and shouted to Nami, ¡°Try to get closer to me! Hold on for a bit!¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling a defenseless woman to hold on while being chased by a dozen vicious men?¡± Nami bared her teeth and yelled at Qin Ming, ¡°Are you even a man?¡± Qin Ming had no idea what Nami was feeling. Not long ago, she had thought Qin Ming was about to die from gunfire, and her heart had shattered. An indescribable pain had weighed heavily on her, lingering in her mind. Now that she saw Qin Ming alive and well, for some reason, she just wanted him by her side. Only then could she truly feel that Qin Ming was still alive, still in her world. Unfortunately, Qin Ming wasn¡¯t a mind reader, and he was busy being surrounded. He had no time to decipher a woman¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Captain! That straw hat guy is untying Zoro!¡± The marines noticed Luffy¡¯s actions and quickly reported to Morgan. ¡°Stop him!¡± Morgan knew how powerful Zoro was. If Zoro was freed, even with his overconfidence, he didn¡¯t think he could handle Luffy, Zoro, and Qin Ming all at once. He was getting desperate. But with Qin Ming blocking the way, Morgan, despite his anxiety, couldn¡¯t lead the marines to Luffy in time. While intercepting the marines, Qin Ming also kept an eye on Nami. When she was about seven meters away from him, something fell from her hand. She seemed oblivious to the marines chasing her and turned back to pick it up. As Nami bent down to retrieve the fallen item, the marines caught up and raised their swords to strike her. ¡°Stupid woman! What are you doing?!¡± Seeing Nami about to be cut down, Qin Ming panicked. He dashed forward with lightning speed, pulled Nami into his arms, and delivered a spinning kick that knocked the marines back. ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?!¡± Qin Ming genuinely felt that Nami was acting strange today, completely unlike her usual clever self. Instead, she seemed a bit foolish. ¡°Listen up! If you¡¯re tired of living, don¡¯t flaunt it in front of me. If you want to die, go die somewhere else!¡± Seeing Nami so careless with her life, risking it just to pick up something, Qin Ming was furious. He scolded her mercilessly. As Qin Ming berated Nami, Zoro, tied to the wooden post, kept urging Luffy: ¡°Hey, hurry up!¡± Luffy, however, was pouting and complaining: ¡°Huff, this is so hard to untie. Damn, these ropes are really tight.¡± ¡°Uh, I passed out earlier. What exactly¡­¡± Koby, who had fainted when he saw Luffy get shot, had just woken up. Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a large group of marines charging at them with swords. His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he shouted, ¡°Lu¡­ Luffy! Mr. Zoro! Danger!¡± ¡°Wait a second, you¡¯re so noisy.¡± Luffy seemed completely unaware of the marines charging at them with swords. He was still leisurely untying Zoro¡¯s ropes. ¡°Do I have time to wait now?¡± Poor Zoro was being driven mad by Luffy¡¯s unbearable slowness. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with Qin Ming here, we¡¯re safe. No one will bother us.¡± Luffy calmly reassured Zoro, completely oblivious to the marines getting closer and closer to his side. ¡°Qin Ming, is that his name?¡± Zoro asked Luffy, ¡°Don¡¯t you know he¡¯s injured? How can he hold off the marines like this?¡± Blocked by the marines, Zoro couldn¡¯t see that Qin Ming had left to save Nami. He thought Qin Ming was struggling because of his injuries. ¡°What? He¡¯s injured? How did that happen? Who hurt him?¡± Luffy, wearing his red vest, was shocked. Then he said something that nearly made Zoro lose his mind: ¡°I saw his back was all red. I thought he just liked wearing red clothes like me, so he dyed his back red.¡± ¡°You idiot! That¡¯s blood! Blood stained his clothes red! Now hurry up and untie me!¡± After a brief conversation with Luffy, Zoro was on the verge of a breakdown. ¡°Okay, I get it. We need to help him quickly! But which of these three swords is yours?¡± Luffy finally sped up untying Zoro, his expression turning serious. ¡°All three swords are mine. I use three swords.¡± Zoro glanced at the three swords on Luffy¡¯s back and explained. ¡°So, you¡¯ve decided to join us and fight against the marines, against the government?¡± Luffy grinned at Zoro: ¡°If you don¡¯t join us, I won¡¯t untie you. You can fend for yourself. I need to go help Qin Ming.¡± ¡°Are you a demon?¡± Zoro¡¯s sharp eyes bore into Luffy as he spoke word by word: ¡°Fine, rather than die here, I might as well try being a pirate with you!¡± ¡°Great! You¡¯ve finally agreed to join us!¡± Luffy¡¯s face lit up with a bright smile, while Zoro was on the verge of losing his patience: ¡°Now that you know, hurry up and untie me! The marines are almost here!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a lot like Qin Ming, always in a rush. Look, I¡¯ve already untied one of your hands.¡± As Luffy spoke, the marines were almost upon them. Zoro couldn¡¯t stand Luffy¡¯s unnerving calmness any longer. He stretched out his newly freed left hand and shouted, ¡°You idiot, give me the swords!¡± As Zoro shouted, the marines raised their swords and swung at them. ¡°Anyone who defies me will die!¡± Morgan, slowly walking towards them, saw his men about to strike Luffy and Zoro. Confident that they were doomed, he declared with authority. Morgan, who had been brutally beaten by Qin Ming just minutes ago and was barely recognizable, didn¡¯t dare confront Qin Ming again. He decided to deal with the ¡°softer targets,¡± Luffy and Zoro, to regain some confidence before taking on Qin Ming. Most importantly, Qin Ming, now enraged by Nami, radiated an intimidating aura that made Morgan, who had already suffered at his hands, too scared to approach. Unfortunately, Morgan made a fatal mistake. Luffy and Zoro were far more dangerous than Qin Ming at this moment. Koby, seeing Zoro and Luffy about to be struck by the marines, was so terrified he couldn¡¯t even speak. The marines swung their swords at Zoro and Luffy, but their blades were blocked by Zoro. Zoro, with two swords in his hands and one clenched between his teeth, stood firmly in a classic three-sword style stance, blocking the dozen swords coming at him. ¡°Roronoa Zoro!¡± Morgan, his face swollen, broke into a cold sweat as he saw Zoro easily block the marines¡¯ attacks. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so cool!¡± Luffy, seeing Zoro¡¯s three-sword style, was instantly excited. ¡°Don¡¯t move! Anyone who moves will die!¡± Zoro¡¯s terrifying, Asura-like aura made the marines tremble in fear, tears streaming down their faces. They all thought, He¡¯s terrifying! ¡°Before we go help our other companion, there¡¯s something I need to make clear to you!¡± Zoro, maintaining his three-sword stance, spoke seriously to Luffy: ¡°I¡¯ve agreed to join you and become a pirate! Since I¡¯m going against the marines, I¡¯m already a bad guy!¡± ¡°But listen well, I have my own ambitions!¡± Zoro continued: ¡°I will become the world¡¯s greatest swordsman! So, I don¡¯t care about my reputation. Even if I¡¯m infamous, I¡¯ll make sure my name is known throughout the world!¡± ¡°You were the one who invited me. If you hinder me from achieving my dream, you¡¯ll have to commit seppuku to apologize!¡± Zoro spoke to Luffy with utmost seriousness. At that moment, a cloud passed overhead, blocking the sun and casting a shadow over Zoro and Luffy. ¡°The world¡¯s greatest swordsman, that sounds great. To be the Pirate King¡¯s companion, you need a title like that.¡± Luffy looked at Zoro, his face filled with confidence¡ªa confidence so deep it seemed ingrained in his very bones, without a hint of awkwardness. ¡°Hmph, you sure talk big. So, your first companion must be quite impressive too, right?¡± Zoro suddenly thought of Qin Ming. If someone with ambitions as grand as becoming the world¡¯s greatest swordsman was only deemed ¡°qualified¡± by Luffy, then Qin Ming must have some lofty goals as well. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Qin Ming, he¡¯s an amazing fisherman. We¡¯ll never run out of fish to eat.¡± Luffy swallowed as he spoke, clearly thinking of something delicious. His words left Zoro stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected that the fierce fighter Qin Ming was just a fisherman. At that moment, both Luffy and Zoro heard Qin Ming¡¯s furious roar: ¡°Are you two done talking yet? Hurry up and help me!¡± While Luffy was untying Zoro, Qin Ming had been berating Nami, spraying her with his words. To Qin Ming¡¯s surprise, Nami just lay in his arms, seemingly unresponsive to his scolding. But he still enjoyed venting, feeling like he had never been so satisfied in his life. With this, Nami probably won¡¯t dare to hit me with her ¡°iron fist¡± on the ship anymore. I scolded her so much, and she didn¡¯t even fight back. She must be intimidated. Qin Ming imagined a future on the ¡® ship where he wouldn¡¯t have to endure Nami¡¯s abuse. The thought made the future seem bright, and even the sunlight felt warmer. But as Qin Ming continued to scold Nami, he suddenly stopped. Nami was crying in his arms, pounding his chest and sobbing, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Qin Ming was shocked by Nami¡¯s sudden outburst. He was utterly confused. Did I scold her too much? Is that why she¡¯s cursing me to death? Nami, recalling the moment she thought Qin Ming had been shot dead, felt a wave of fear and held him tighter. Her shoulders trembled as tears streamed down her face. Qin Ming was completely baffled. He had no idea what was going through Nami¡¯s mind. In Qin Ming¡¯s memory, Nami wasn¡¯t a crybaby. Yet today alone, he had seen her cry multiple times. When did the crafty cat burglar become a weepy kitten? It didn¡¯t make sense! In truth, Qin Ming had saved Nami multiple times today, and unconsciously, her trust and reliance on him had grown exponentially. Initially, Nami had been somewhat annoyed by Qin Ming, especially after their first encounter where he had shamelessly groped her chest. But during their journey to on the small boat, Nami had seen a different side of Qin Ming. She witnessed his relentless training, his drive far beyond that of an ordinary person. It both shocked and intrigued her. She wondered what motivated Qin Ming to push himself so hard. Qin Ming would never know that during their trip to , when he was too exhausted to move after training, Nami had considered throwing him overboard more than once. After all, Qin Ming was completely drained at those moments. If Nami had acted on her thoughts, he would have been doomed. But in the end, Nami didn¡¯t do it. Instead, she took care of him. Her sharp intuition told her that Qin Ming trusted her deeply, though she didn¡¯t know why. This trust made her feel comfortable, and the thick wall of ice around her heart began to crack. Having spent years alone at sea, constantly risking her life to steal from pirates, Nami rarely trusted strangers. She was wary, even resistant to the idea of trusting others, a result of the traumatic experiences of her childhood. The concept of ¡°companions¡± was something she deeply disliked. When she and Qin Ming arrived at , Nami hadn¡¯t had the chance to fully understand Qin Ming before she was nearly crushed by Morgan¡¯s falling stone statue. Qin Ming had saved her just in time. This incident changed Nami¡¯s perception of Qin Ming. Then she saw him risking his life, despite his injuries, to distract the marines and save Zoro. Nami, who had always believed that companions were merely tools for mutual benefit, watched Qin Ming fight desperately against the marines, nearly dying without a hint of regret. For some reason, she rushed out to help him, almost getting herself killed in the process. Fortunately, Qin Ming managed to defeat the marines and save her. It wasn¡¯t until Qin Ming was about to be executed that Nami realized how important he had become to her. Otherwise, for the sake of her village, she would never have risked herself to help him. When Qin Ming was beating up Morgan and intimidating the marines, Nami had countless opportunities to leave the marine base safely. But she didn¡¯t. She wanted to make sure Qin Ming was safe. As Qin Ming smelled Nami¡¯s faint scent and felt her arms tightly around him, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the softness of her chest against him. Qin Ming forced himself to stay calm and was about to say something when he saw the marines he had knocked down earlier getting back up and charging at him again. ¡°Let go of me! They¡¯re attacking!¡± Qin Ming, held so tightly by Nami, couldn¡¯t move freely to fight back. He had to remind her. ¡°No! I won¡¯t let go!¡± Nami, remembering that she would soon have to leave and steal the map to the from the , might never see Qin Ming again. This was her moment of willfulness. Qin Ming felt utterly helpless. He tried to break free from Nami¡¯s grip but found her strength surprisingly formidable. He couldn¡¯t shake her off immediately and had to dodge the marines¡¯ attacks while holding her. Held so tightly by Nami, Qin Ming struggled to evade the marines¡¯ strikes. He wanted to fight back but couldn¡¯t move his limbs freely. Seeing Nami acting completely irrational, like a madwoman, Qin Ming thought, Due to Nami¡¯s actions, Qin Ming could only defend himself, unable to counterattack. He wanted to call for Luffy¡¯s help but heard Zoro speaking to Luffy in a serious tone. He decided to wait until they finished their conversation. But as time passed, and he had already taken several hits while protecting Nami, Luffy and Zoro still hadn¡¯t stopped talking. Qin Ming couldn¡¯t take it anymore and shouted, ¡°Are you two done talking yet? Hurry up and help me!¡± Chapter 17 - Let’s Fight Together! Chapter 17: Let¡¯s Fight Together! ¡°What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and take care of them!¡± Upon hearing Qin Ming¡¯s shout, Morgan turned his head and noticed that Qin Ming was being held by a woman with short orange hair, making it difficult for him to move. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to deal with Qin Ming, Morgan ordered the marines to attack Luffy and Zoro while he himself headed towards Qin Ming. ¡°Quick, duck, Zoro!¡± Luffy, noticing Morgan changing direction, realized he was going after Qin Ming. He lifted his right foot and told Zoro. The marines, armed with swords but frozen in fear by Zoro¡¯s intimidating presence, saw Luffy lift his foot and remembered how he had stretched his leg and kicked an entire row of marines earlier. They were instantly alarmed. ¡°Rubber Whip!¡± As soon as Zoro crouched slightly, Luffy stretched his right leg and swung it in a wide arc. The dozen or so marines behind Zoro didn¡¯t even have time to react before they were swept away by Luffy¡¯s elongated leg, as if they were nothing more than trash. Though Zoro had seen Luffy use this move before, he was still surprised. He looked at Luffy and asked, ¡°What exactly are you¡­?¡± ¡°I ate the Rubber Fruit. I¡¯m a rubber man.¡± Luffy retracted his long, elastic leg, which swayed back and forth. ¡°A¡­ rubber man?¡± ¡°Captain, we¡¯re no match for them! They¡¯re ridiculously strong!¡± ¡°They¡¯re way too powerful, and we can¡¯t even beat Zoro!¡± ¡°Not to mention, many of us were already injured by that guy with the strange weapon. How can we possibly handle all three of them?¡± The marines had truly lost their fighting spirit. Qin Ming alone had already beaten them badly, and now with the addition of the formidable Luffy and Zoro, they had no courage left to fight. Morgan, who had been relentlessly attacking Qin Ming, heard the marines¡¯ words. His swollen face darkened, and with a furious swing of his axe, he forced Qin Ming, who was still holding Nami, to retreat. He then turned around and growled, ¡°I order you, as your captain, to stop boosting their morale and crushing our own! Anyone who disobeys will shoot themselves!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need weak and incompetent subordinates like you!¡± Morgan¡¯s face, already swollen from Qin Ming¡¯s beating, looked even more terrifying as he roared at the marines, who were still stunned by his words: ¡°Those of you who just spoke defeatist words, kill yourselves now! That¡¯s an order!¡± The marines, hearing Morgan¡¯s command, showed expressions of anger and resentment, but none dared to defy him. After a moment of hesitation, several marines, under Morgan¡¯s tyranny, actually raised their guns to their heads, ready to shoot themselves. ¡°What kind of messed-up navy is this?!¡± Qin Ming finally had a moment to breathe, as the marines were too disgusted by Morgan¡¯s order to continue attacking him. They no longer wanted to serve under Morgan. Not only did Qin Ming find this navy absurd, but Zoro, with a sword clenched between his teeth, also muttered, ¡°What the hell is wrong with this military?¡± Koby, standing beside Zoro, was utterly shocked. He had always dreamed of joining the navy to fight for justice and protect the innocent. But now, the navy he saw was not only corrupt but also trampled on lives without a second thought. Koby¡¯s body trembled uncontrollably. He felt as if something inside him had shattered, causing him immense pain. At that moment, Koby¡¯s eyes behind his thick glasses turned slightly red. Meanwhile, Nami, who had been clinging to Qin Ming, finally let go and stepped away from him without hesitation. ¡°Well, goodbye. If we ever meet again, make sure to pay back the money you owe me.¡± Nami¡¯s pretty face still bore clear tear streaks, but as she spoke to Qin Ming, she wore a satisfied smile¡ªa warm, heartwarming smile. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before Qin Ming could react, Nami turned and ran off without looking back. Watching Nami quickly run out of the marine base without a hint of reluctance, Qin Ming was completely baffled. Qin Ming felt the warmth of Nami¡¯s tears on his chest. Her tears must have been really hot. As Nami was about to disappear from his sight, Qin Ming suddenly remembered something and hurriedly shouted at her retreating figure: ¡°Don¡¯t forget to pay me back the few hundred berries you stole from me next time! Don¡¯t try to weasel out of it!¡± Nami, who had been running away feeling sentimental about possibly never seeing Qin Ming again, stumbled at his words and nearly fell face-first onto the ground. Seeing Nami almost trip while running, Qin Ming couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself: In truth, Nami had brought up the money issue to ensure Qin Ming would remember her in the future. Little did she know that Qin Ming didn¡¯t need any reminders¡ªhe was already fixated on the few hundred berries she owed him. It made her feel like she had misread the situation. After all, in the vast expanse of the sea, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to never meet again. That¡¯s why Nami had acted so differently this time. Meanwhile, Luffy had already charged at Morgan, throwing a punch: ¡°I¡¯m the enemy of the navy! Go ahead and sentence me to death!¡± Luffy¡¯s words were filled with anger. Clearly, Morgan¡¯s disregard for his subordinates¡¯ lives had infuriated him. As Luffy and Morgan began their fight, Qin Ming noticed that Nami had run back. He happily waved at her: ¡°Are you back to return my money?¡± Nami, her face dark, ignored Qin Ming and walked past him. She bent down to pick up the nunchaku on the ground¡ªthe weapon Qin Ming had hastily made using her materials. ¡°You should leave that to me. You don¡¯t know how to use it.¡± Qin Ming, seeing Nami about to take the nunchaku, spoke up. ¡°You idiot! This is mine, mine, mine!¡± Nami tightly gripped the nunchaku in her hands, her face as dark as coal. She yelled at Qin Ming, spraying him with saliva, completely different from the gentle, caring woman she had been moments ago. The scene was eerily similar to when Qin Ming had berated Nami earlier, except now their roles were reversed. Compared to the bright, sunny smile she had given Qin Ming earlier, Nami now looked like the embodiment of a demon, scaring Qin Ming so much that he instinctively took a defensive stance. Qin Ming, now on high alert, stepped back from Nami. Just as he was about to say something, Nami gave him a playful yet charming smile: ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll let you have this. Come and take it.¡± Nami held out the nunchaku to Qin Ming, her bright eyes filled with sincerity. Qin Ming hesitated: ¡°If I take this, you promise you won¡¯t hurt me?¡± ¡°Of course, why would I hurt you?¡± Nami¡¯s smile widened, showing no trace of malice. Qin Ming¡¯s guard lowered slightly, and he said, ¡°If you swear, then I¡¯ll believe you.¡± ¡°Fine, I swear. If I hurt you after you take this, I¡¯ll owe you money for the rest of my life. How¡¯s that?¡± Nami didn¡¯t hesitate to make the oath. Qin Ming, hearing this, immediately felt reassured. For a money-obsessed person like Nami, owing someone money for life was the most severe curse imaginable. Thus, Qin Ming reached out to take the nunchaku from Nami. Just as his hand was about to touch it, Nami¡¯s face transformed into a terrifying shark-like grin, and she delivered a powerful punch to Qin Ming¡¯s head: ¡°All the money is mine! How dare you ask me to pay you back? I¡¯ll beat you up!¡± ¡°WAAAAHHHH!!!!¡± Qin Ming clutched his head, letting out a earth-shattering scream, while Nami walked away without looking back. A few marines had considered stopping Nami from leaving, but after seeing her deliver a single punch that ¡°instantly defeated¡± Qin Ming¡ªthe same guy who had beaten them up earlier¡ªthey turned pale and their legs trembled. They didn¡¯t dare to even think about stopping her. While Qin Ming was suffering Nami¡¯s ¡°wrath,¡± Koby finally let out his pent-up frustration and dissatisfaction with the twisted navy. He shouted at Luffy, who was fighting Morgan: ¡°Luffy, crush this rotten navy!¡± Though Koby¡¯s shout was loud, it was nothing compared to Qin Ming¡¯s ear-piercing scream of pain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that guy? He got lightly tapped on the head by a woman and is screaming like the world¡¯s ending. Isn¡¯t that embarrassing?¡± Zoro, with a sword clenched between his teeth, watched Qin Ming clutching his head in pain and couldn¡¯t understand what the fuss was about. Poor Zoro. In the future, after experiencing Nami¡¯s infamous ¡°Iron Fist,¡± he would often look at Qin Ming with guilt, thinking, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have mocked you back then.¡± ¡°That woman is really strong. She took down Qin Ming in one hit.¡± Luffy, who had just punched Morgan away, had a different reaction to Qin Ming¡¯s predicament. Morgan, sent flying by Luffy, happened to be heading straight towards Qin Ming. Qin Ming, still crouching on the ground and wondering if Nami had lost her mind, saw Morgan flying towards him. He leaped up and delivered a powerful kick to Morgan¡¯s already swollen face: ¡°I¡¯m already annoyed! Get lost!¡± Morgan was sent crashing to the ground in front of the marines who had been ordered to shoot themselves. ¡°Captain Morgan¡­ he¡¯s completely outmatched!¡± The marines, seeing Morgan lying on the ground unable to get up, were utterly stunned. Luffy jumped onto Morgan, grabbing him by the collar: ¡°What kind of navy is this? You¡¯ve ruined Koby¡¯s dream!¡± Luffy began punching Morgan¡¯s swollen face relentlessly: ¡°And you hurt Qin Ming too! Unforgivable!¡± Qin Ming, still crouching on the ground, heard Luffy¡¯s words and felt even more frustrated: ¡°The injury on my back wasn¡¯t caused by him. It was because of you that I got hurt.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Luffy, while still punching Morgan, glanced at Qin Ming in confusion. ¡°Yeah, if you hadn¡¯t broken that statue, I wouldn¡¯t have been injured.¡± Qin Ming rubbed his head, which was still throbbing from Nami¡¯s punch, and explained to Luffy. ¡°The statue?¡± Luffy continued punching Morgan, while the marines watched in horror, too scared to intervene. Then Luffy seemed to remember something and looked at Qin Ming in shock: ¡°Was that statue¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, you finally figured it out.¡± Qin Ming thought Luffy had realized the truth, but Luffy¡¯s next words were completely off: ¡°Was that statue supposed to be you? Now that I think about it, it did look a lot like you. I¡¯m sorry I broke it!¡± Qin Ming was driven to madness by Luffy¡¯s words. His previously gloomy mood, caused by Nami¡¯s departure, was completely gone. He now wanted to strangle Luffy. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he wondered, Zoro, watching from a distance, also muttered, ¡°That statue did look a lot like him. I mean, they were both injured.¡± Luckily, Qin Ming didn¡¯t hear Zoro¡¯s comment, or he might have truly lost his mind. The statue had been broken in half, and Qin Ming had been injured on his back. Zoro¡¯s logic was beyond comprehension. As Luffy continued to pummel Morgan, a voice suddenly rang out: ¡°Stop!¡± Luffy ignored it and kept punching Morgan. The voice came again: ¡°I said stop, you idiot!¡± ¡°If you want him to live, stop now, or I¡¯ll shoot!¡± Helmeppo, holding a gun to a hostage, threatened Luffy. It was a scene all too familiar. Qin Ming was almost moved to tears. Helmeppo, trembling, pointed his gun at Qin Ming¡¯s head as he crouched on the ground. Qin Ming was utterly baffled. Unfortunately, with Koby being watched by Zoro, Qin Ming was the only one left alone, crouching on the ground. Thus, Helmeppo had chosen him as the target. ¡°Helmeppo-sama¡­¡± The marines, seeing Helmeppo point a gun at Qin Ming and use him as a hostage, were instantly terrified. Did Helmeppo not realize that Qin Ming had already beaten Captain Morgan to a pulp? How could he possibly think Qin Ming would be so easily subdued? ¡°You should give up. You can¡¯t handle Qin Ming.¡± Luffy barely glanced at Helmeppo before continuing to punch Morgan. ¡°Hey, kid, don¡¯t move, or I¡¯ll shoot!¡± Helmeppo threatened Qin Ming, then turned to Luffy: ¡°I¡¯ll really shoot! Your friend will die!¡± ¡°Then shoot!¡± Luffy said nonchalantly, completely ignoring Helmeppo as he continued to punch Morgan, who was howling in pain. ¡°Sigh!¡± Qin Ming sighed, then delivered a powerful punch to Helmeppo¡¯s face: ¡°You get lost too!¡± Helmeppo didn¡¯t even see Qin Ming¡¯s punch coming before he was sent flying. Qin Ming then jumped onto Helmeppo, who was now sprawled on the ground, and began punching him relentlessly. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to bully others with your power!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to raise vicious dogs!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to be a useless rich kid!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to oppress innocent people!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to take me hostage!¡± Qin Ming vented all his frustration on Helmeppo. With each shout, he felt more justified in beating Helmeppo up, so he continued without hesitation. The unfortunate Helmeppo became Qin Ming¡¯s punching bag. Some marines, seeing Helmeppo being beaten to a pulp, wanted to step in, but Zoro took a step forward, still holding a sword between his teeth. His cold gaze swept over the marines: ¡°You¡¯d better all stay where you are. Anyone who moves will get cut down!¡± The marines, feeling as if they had been plunged into an icy abyss by Zoro¡¯s gaze, didn¡¯t dare to move. And so, in the marine base, Luffy sat on Morgan, beating up the base¡¯s captain, while Qin Ming pummeled the captain¡¯s son, Helmeppo. The marines watched in stunned silence as Luffy and Qin Ming taught the arrogant, tyrannical father and son a brutal lesson. The sound of their agonized screams made the marines feel as if they were in a dream. This is a marine base! What do you think this place is¡­? Chapter 18 - Friends (Part 1) Chapter 18: Friends (Part 1) ¡°Ah, I¡¯m hungry.¡± After delivering another punch to Morgan, Luffy jumped off him and turned to Qin Ming, who was still busy beating up Helmeppo. ¡°Stop messing around with them. Let¡¯s go get something to eat!¡± Qin Ming, hearing Luffy¡¯s words, glanced at Helmeppo, who was lying beneath him. The once-arrogant rich kid was now completely unconscious, his face twisted in pain, making his already unattractive features even uglier. Qin Ming thought to himself. After thoroughly beating Helmeppo, he felt a sense of satisfaction, and his earlier frustration had completely vanished. He felt incredibly refreshed. Just as Qin Ming was about to throw another punch, Morgan suddenly stood up behind Luffy. His face, already battered by Qin Ming and Luffy, was now completely unrecognizable, covered in blood and looking utterly terrifying. ¡°I am Captain Morgan, the Axe-Hand!¡± Morgan, breathing heavily and with a dark expression, raised the giant axe attached to his right arm and swung it down at Luffy, who had his back turned. Luffy seemed completely unaware of the danger behind him and continued walking towards Qin Ming. When Morgan¡¯s axe was less than a centimeter away from Luffy¡¯s straw hat, Koby, standing far away, turned pale and screamed, ¡°Luffy, watch out!¡± As Koby shouted, a figure swiftly passed by Luffy. ¡°Oni Giri!¡± Zoro, with a sword clenched between his teeth and his other two swords crossed, delivered a single strike that sent the towering Morgan flying. Morgan¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness, a large X-shaped wound now marking his body. ¡°Zoro.¡± Luffy adjusted his straw hat and turned to Zoro. ¡°Just a small matter, Captain.¡± Zoro, wearing a dark green bandana and still holding a sword in his mouth, replied casually. ¡°Captain¡­ Captain Morgan has been defeated!¡± The surrounding marines stared in shock at the fallen Morgan and Helmeppo. Many of them still couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. Zoro sheathed his three swords and coldly scanned the marines. ¡°If any of you still want to capture us, step forward now!¡± The marines, hearing Zoro¡¯s words, exchanged uneasy glances, but none dared to step forward. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re free!¡± ¡°We¡¯re liberated from Morgan¡¯s control! Long live the navy!¡± After a moment of silence, the marines erupted into cheers. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Their captain was just defeated, and they¡¯re celebrating?¡± Luffy, puzzled, looked at the cheering marines. ¡°They must have been forced to do evil things out of fear of Morgan.¡± Koby, realizing that these marines weren¡¯t inherently evil but had been coerced by Morgan¡¯s tyranny, felt his hope in the navy reignited. He looked much more spirited than before. Just as Koby¡¯s faith in the navy was restored, Zoro suddenly collapsed to the ground. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m starving.¡± Zoro, lying on the ground and staring at the blue sky, hadn¡¯t eaten for three weeks while tied to the wooden post. It was no wonder he was starving. Luffy gave Zoro a knowing look and then turned to Qin Ming, who had just finished beating up Helmeppo. ¡°You carry Zoro back.¡± ¡°Why me? Why don¡¯t you carry him?¡± Qin Ming shook his hands. He had beaten up quite a few people today and was indeed feeling tired. ¡°Because both of us are hungry. We¡¯ll meet you at the eating place.¡± Luffy said this, patted his slightly deflated stomach, and walked out of the marine base without looking back. Koby, seeing this, bowed to Qin Ming and said, ¡°Please take care of Mr. Zoro,¡± before hurriedly following Luffy. Qin Ming mentally complained but walked over to Zoro and helped him up. The two of them slowly made their way out of the marine base. As they left, Qin Ming noticed that the marines made no move to stop them. Instead, their gazes held a hint of gratitude. This made Qin Ming feel secretly pleased. He had beaten up quite a few people today, and instead of seeking revenge, they were thanking him. Life was truly strange. Some time later, at a restaurant in ¡°Ah, that was satisfying. Not eating for three weeks really takes a toll.¡± Zoro, patting his slightly bulging stomach, let out a satisfied burp. ¡°What? You¡¯re already full? If I hadn¡¯t eaten for that long, I¡¯d be dead by now.¡± Luffy, still shoveling food into his mouth, spoke to Zoro. ¡°Why are you eating more than me?¡± Zoro, seeing that he was already full while Luffy still looked ravenous, was utterly shocked. ¡°Because the food here is just too good, right, Koby?¡± Luffy swallowed a piece of meat and turned to Koby, who was helping Qin Ming bandage his wounds. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I ate a lot too.¡± Koby scratched his head apologetically and spoke to the restaurant¡¯s owner. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You saved us, after all.¡± The owner, holding a stack of empty plates, smiled warmly. ¡°By the way, why did it take you so long to get back here? I¡¯ve been eating for over an hour before you showed up.¡± Luffy, still stuffing his face with meat, asked Qin Ming, who looked somewhat annoyed. ¡°If I told you we got lost and that¡¯s why we were late, would you believe me?¡± Qin Ming popped a piece of meat into his mouth and asked Luffy. ¡°You must be joking. Getting lost in this small town? That¡¯s just being a super directionally challenged person! Hahahaha!¡± Luffy laughed heartily, swallowing a large piece of meat in one gulp. He didn¡¯t notice that Zoro¡¯s face had turned dark. Indeed, when Qin Ming had carried Zoro out of the marine base, he realized he had no idea where Luffy¡¯s so-called ¡°eating place¡± was. So Qin Ming asked Zoro for directions, and Zoro confidently claimed he knew the way. In truth, Zoro had eaten at that restaurant before. Seeing Zoro¡¯s confidence, Qin Ming, though skeptical, thought the town¡¯s layout was simple enough. Surely Zoro wouldn¡¯t get lost in such a straightforward place. Thus, Qin Ming carried the weakened Zoro and followed his directions. Little did he know, under Zoro¡¯s guidance, Qin Ming ended up in a dead end twenty-nine times. At one point, staring at a trash can at the end of a dead-end alley, Qin Ming, sweating profusely, seriously considered tossing Zoro into it. On his very first day knowing Zoro, Qin Ming learned what it truly meant to be directionally challenged. Every time Zoro gave directions, it led to a different dead end. By the time Qin Ming realized what was happening, they were already stuck. What frustrated Qin Ming the most was that, twelve times in a row, they ended up in the same dead-end alley, despite taking different routes each time. Qin Ming was on the verge of a breakdown. Fortunately, they eventually ran into little Rika, who was out running errands. Otherwise, Qin Ming and Zoro might have wandered around until nightfall without finding Luffy. When Qin Ming saw Rika, it was like seeing an angel. The little girl with her twin tails and adorable face seemed to have pure white wings behind her. Meanwhile, Zoro, whom Qin Ming was carrying, felt like a green-haired demon. It was terrifying! On the way back to the restaurant with Rika, Qin Ming couldn¡¯t help but think, Earlier, Qin Ming had suggested asking for directions, but Zoro kept insisting, ¡°Trust me one more time,¡± even going so far as to choke Qin Ming in his enthusiasm. Thus, Qin Ming ended up trusting Zoro twenty-nine times, carrying him all over , only to end up in dead ends every single time. By the end, even Qin Ming was completely disoriented. ¡°Did you see that? They¡¯re the pirates who defeated Captain Morgan.¡± ¡°I saw them walking back and forth so many times. What were they doing?¡± ¡°Who knows? They¡¯re pirates. Maybe they were doing some special training. Look at the guy carrying the other one¡ªhe¡¯s sweating so much. The training must have been intense.¡± As Qin Ming carried Zoro around , the conversations of the nearby residents reached his ears, making him feel utterly embarrassed. This isn¡¯t training¡ªit¡¯s just getting lost! As for the sweat on his forehead, it was all from the stress of dealing with Zoro¡¯s terrible sense of direction. From that moment on, Qin Ming vowed never to trust Zoro¡¯s sense of direction again. If anyone claimed Zoro wasn¡¯t directionally challenged, Qin Ming would be the first to argue otherwise! ¡°Just eat your food and stop talking!¡± Zoro, with a dark expression, scolded Luffy, who was still laughing at the idea of a ¡°super directionally challenged person.¡± ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re amazing! Koby told me you taught that nasty Helmeppo a lesson. Where¡¯s the pretty orange-haired sister who was with you? Did you listen to her and beat up Helmeppo? I knew she wouldn¡¯t lie to me.¡± Little Rika, helping Koby tend to Qin Ming¡¯s wounds, spoke cheerfully to him. Hearing Rika¡¯s words, Qin Ming, who had been scowling, immediately broke into a warm, friendly smile. ¡°Yeah, I stormed the marine base and gave that bully Helmeppo a good beating. He won¡¯t dare to cause trouble anymore.¡± Qin Ming remembered the first time he met Rika, when Nami was still with him. Nami, upon hearing that someone had bullied a little girl, had promised Rika that she would teach Helmeppo a lesson. But when Nami found out that Helmeppo was Captain Morgan¡¯s son, she had passed the task to Qin Ming, who had initially ignored her. Now that Qin Ming had beaten up Helmeppo at the marine base, Nami was no longer here, and he felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness. ¡°Why did it take you so long to show up? If you had been any later, we¡¯d all be done for.¡± Qin Ming shook his head, adjusting his mood, and asked Luffy the question that had been weighing on his mind: Why had it taken Luffy so long to find Zoro¡¯s swords? ¡°Well, what could I do? I had to search the entire marine base. It took a lot of time to find Zoro¡¯s three swords.¡± Luffy, after swallowing his food, explained to Qin Ming. ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t know where Zoro¡¯s swords were at first? So you searched the entire marine base?¡± Qin Ming asked, puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t Helmeppo tell you where Zoro¡¯s swords were?¡± ¡°You mean that guy with the weird haircut?¡± Luffy, while eating, recalled, ¡°I remember seeing him at the top of the marine base. He was already unconscious, probably knocked out by that Morgan guy.¡± At this point, Luffy looked apologetically at Qin Ming. ¡°That¡¯s where I accidentally broke your statue. I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s appetite diminished at Luffy¡¯s words. He asked Luffy, ¡°Do you know why Helmeppo was knocked out?¡± ¡°Let me think. I jumped up to the top of the marine base and heard some marines saying someone had broken into the captain¡¯s room to steal something. Then that guy with the axe on his arm got really angry and slapped Helmeppo unconscious. That¡¯s probably what happened.¡± Luffy¡¯s casual remark sent shockwaves through Qin Ming¡¯s mind. So, when Nami and I were stealing the map from Morgan¡¯s room, Luffy¡¯s sudden appearance exposed us. Morgan, furious that someone had broken into his room, accidentally knocked out Helmeppo in his rage. Then, because Helmeppo was unconscious, Luffy couldn¡¯t find out where Zoro¡¯s swords were and had to search the entire marine base, wasting precious time. That delay nearly cost us our lives! Qin Ming hadn¡¯t expected that his and Nami¡¯s theft of the map would set off a chain of events that led to Luffy taking nearly ten extra minutes to leave the marine base. That delay had almost gotten Qin Ming, Zoro, and Nami killed. ¡°Were you¡­ really serious about finding Zoro¡¯s swords?¡± Qin Ming asked Luffy skeptically. ¡°Actually, it was quite a surprise. Zoro¡¯s swords were in the same room where I was eating snacks. Hahahaha!¡± Luffy¡¯s words made Qin Ming¡¯s face darken. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, while I was searching for Zoro¡¯s swords, I entered a nice-looking room and found a table full of snacks. I was a bit hungry, so I went in and had a good meal. But there was no meat, so I wasn¡¯t satisfied.¡± Luffy said regretfully, completely oblivious to Qin Ming¡¯s increasingly dark expression. ¡°After eating the snacks in that room, I continued searching for Zoro¡¯s swords. I searched every room in the marine base but couldn¡¯t find them. Then I went back to the room where I had eaten the snacks and finally saw the three swords there. I was so careless! Hahahaha!¡± As Luffy laughed, Qin Ming, his face now as dark as coal, suddenly jumped at Luffy and grabbed him by the neck, shaking him violently. ¡°You idiot! If you hadn¡¯t been so busy eating, you would¡¯ve found the swords sooner! Do you know how dangerous it was outside? Do you know how close we were to dying?¡± Qin Ming was truly furious. If Luffy had been delayed by some unforeseen circumstance, it would have been understandable. But the fact that Luffy had been too busy eating to notice the swords in the same room made Qin Ming¡¯s blood boil. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Ming choked Luffy until he coughed, spraying bits of meat all over Qin Ming¡¯s face. At that moment, it seemed like Qin Ming and Luffy were on the verge of a fight. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? I knew you were outside, so I felt safe searching for Zoro¡¯s swords. Because you¡¯re a reliable person. See? In the end, we¡¯re all fine. I knew I could trust you as a partner.¡± Luffy grinned widely at Qin Ming, his smile pure and genuine. Hearing Luffy¡¯s words and seeing his sincere, infectious smile, Qin Ming was stunned. His grip on Luffy¡¯s neck loosened, and a warm, comforting feeling spread through his body. Seeing the tension between Qin Ming and Luffy, Zoro, who had been about to tell Qin Ming to calm down, was surprised when Qin Ming suddenly let go of Luffy¡¯s neck. Then, to Zoro¡¯s astonishment, Qin Ming slung an arm around Luffy¡¯s shoulders and smiled. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m totally reliable. Next time something like this happens, just sit back, make yourself a cup of tea, and enjoy some snacks. I can handle it all by myself. After all, I¡¯m a trustworthy guy! Hahahaha!¡± For a moment, Qin Ming¡¯s boastful laughter and Luffy¡¯s carefree, hearty laughter filled the restaurant. ¡°Two idiots!¡± Zoro sat back down, watching Qin Ming and Luffy with a faint smile on his face. Koby and little Rika, the young girl, stared at Qin Ming and Luffy in shock, completely baffled by their sudden change in demeanor. ¡°What are they doing?¡± The little girl with twin tails asked the pink-haired boy with thick glasses. ¡°Maybe¡­ This is what they call friendship between men. Probably, I guess.¡± The boy adjusted his glasses and, after a moment of hesitation, gave the little girl an uncertain answer. Chapter 19 - Friends (Part 2) Chapter 19: Friends (Part 2) ¡°Qin Ming, are you an idiot?¡± While Luffy was eating meat, he suddenly turned to Qin Ming, who was sitting beside him. Qin Ming, who had been happily eating, spat out his food all over Luffy¡¯s face upon hearing his words. ¡°What are you talking about? Out of all of us, you¡¯re the least qualified to call anyone stupid,¡± Qin Ming wiped his mouth and replied honestly. ¡°If you weren¡¯t stupid, how could you drink tea while eating snacks? You should be using delicious meat juice instead. Your taste buds are really weird,¡± Luffy said, immediately leaving Qin Ming speechless. Seeing Luffy acting foolish, Qin Ming decisively shut his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t fuss over such trivial matters. By the way, since you¡¯ve raised the flag of the Pirate King, you must have gathered quite a few people, right? Where are the others?¡± Zoro, sitting on the other side, asked Luffy. He recalled how Qin Ming had risked his life to save him, even drawing the Navy¡¯s attention despite being injured. Qin Ming was a great companion, so the others Luffy had found must be decent too, right? ¡°Aren¡¯t we all here already?¡± Luffy¡¯s words left Zoro dumbfounded. He stared blankly at Qin Ming and Luffy, who were busy eating. ¡°So¡­ there are only three of us?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Luffy continued eating meat, completely oblivious to Zoro¡¯s shocked expression. ¡°Three people? What kind of pirate crew is that?¡± Zoro was speechless. As a former pirate hunter, he had never seen a pirate crew with only three members. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with three people? Qin Ming and I can take on a hundred enemies each, and you¡¯re strong too,¡± Luffy said, completely unfazed by the size of the crew. Zoro glanced at Qin Ming, remembering his ferocity in battle. He was indeed no ordinary person, but something still felt off. ¡°What about the ship? Where¡¯s the pirate ship?¡± Luffy pointed to the window of the restaurant, signaling Zoro to take a look. Zoro walked to the window and saw a small, lonely wooden boat docked at the port. A white dog was even urinating on the post the boat was tied to, leaving Zoro utterly stunned. Zoro forced a dry laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t be so dissatisfied. I actually have a ship too,¡± Qin Ming said, recalling the small wooden boat he and Nami had arrived in. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was still there. ¡°Where¡¯s your ship?¡± Zoro¡¯s eyes lit up, hoping Qin Ming¡¯s ship might be better. ¡°If it¡¯s still there, you should be able to see it from the window,¡± Qin Ming replied, taking a sip of the meat broth. It was delicious, and he licked his lips in satisfaction. Zoro looked out at the port again and, sure enough, there was another small wooden boat docked alone. However, Qin Ming¡¯s boat was even smaller than Luffy¡¯s, driving Zoro to the brink of madness. Seeing Zoro¡¯s extremely dissatisfied expression, Qin Ming knew the boat he and Nami had used was still there. He sincerely said to Zoro, ¡°Well, we now have two ships in our pirate crew. If you want, you can have my boat all to yourself. That way, you won¡¯t have any complaints, right?¡± ¡°You idiot! We¡¯re part of the same pirate crew. How can we split up?¡± Zoro roared at Qin Ming. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re just afraid of getting lost at sea alone, aren¡¯t you?¡± Qin Ming bluntly pointed out Zoro¡¯s fear, immediately making Zoro want to draw his sword and cut him down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, someday we¡¯ll have a ship this big,¡± Luffy finally stopped eating and gestured exaggeratedly, his face full of excitement. Zoro laughed even more exaggeratedly, his expression full of disbelief. ¡°Keep dreaming.¡± ¡°And we¡¯ll need a pirate flag too,¡± Luffy said, stuffing more meat into his mouth, already lost in his fantasies. ¡°I think Luffy must have left his planning skills in his mother¡¯s womb when he was born,¡± Koby said, seeing Zoro¡¯s exasperated expression. ¡°I actually called this guy my captain,¡± Zoro muttered, feeling like an idiot for ever acknowledging Luffy as his captain. A vein popped on his forehead. ¡°Big brother, is it true that you want to become the Pirate King? You¡¯re so brave!¡± Little Rika approached Luffy, her big eyes filled with innocence. ¡°Yeah, I am brave, but I¡¯ll become even stronger because I¡¯m going to be the Pirate King,¡± Luffy said, chewing on meat and grinning confidently at Rika. Qin Ming glanced at Luffy, who was chatting with Rika, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh in his mind. Next, Zoro asked Luffy where they planned to go. Luffy immediately replied with enthusiasm, ¡°Of course, we¡¯re heading to the !¡± ¡°What? Are you talking nonsense again? There are only three of you, and you want to enter the ? That¡¯s like walking to your death!¡± Koby, who was bandaging Qin Ming¡¯s back wound, was so shocked by Luffy¡¯s words that his hand slipped, accidentally touching Qin Ming¡¯s wound. ¡°Ah!!¡± Qin Ming cried out in pain as Koby accidentally touched his wound. Koby quickly apologized to Qin Ming and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The is filled with countless vicious pirates from all over the world! If you rashly enter the , you¡¯ll be torn to pieces by those pirates!¡± ¡°Is the really that scary?¡± Rika asked Koby, puzzled. Seeing that Koby had stopped bandaging his wound halfway, Qin Ming had no choice but to ask Rika to help him. ¡°Of course! There are two major oceans in this world, and the divides them. It¡¯s said that there¡¯s a town in the center of the . If you pass through this town and sail at a right angle around the world, you¡¯ll enter the !¡± Koby held a glass of juice, sitting on a chair with a serious expression. He continued, ¡°Legend has it that the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, once ruled the entire world, and he chose to hide the world¡¯s greatest treasure, , in the . Because of this, countless pirates have flocked to the , engaging in brutal battles.¡± ¡°Now, the has become a terrifying battlefield. People call it the Graveyard of Pirates. Countless pirates have died there.¡± Koby¡¯s body trembled slightly, and his slightly chubby face showed a hint of fear. He was genuinely worried for Luffy and the others. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard from customers that no one who enters the ever returns,¡± the restaurant owner said, wiping a plate and looking at Luffy with concern. ¡°But since is in the , we have no choice but to go there,¡± Luffy said nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal. ¡°There¡¯s no other way. We have to go there. I have no objections,¡± Zoro agreed with Luffy. Seeing how determined Luffy and Zoro were, Koby could only hope that Qin Ming would talk some sense into them. He rushed over to Qin Ming, grabbed his hand, and shook it vigorously. ¡°Mr. Qin Ming, please talk to them! No matter what, going to the now is too dangerous!¡± Koby¡¯s sudden movement caused Rika to accidentally touch Qin Ming¡¯s wound again, making him grit his teeth in pain. Qin Ming sat up straight and said to the anxious Koby, ¡°You¡¯re not coming with us anyway, so why are you so worried?¡± ¡°Even¡­ even if I¡¯m not going, I can still worry about you! Is that wrong? Can¡¯t I worry about you?¡± ¡°You should worry about yourself,¡± Qin Ming¡¯s words left Koby momentarily stunned. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Zoro gently tapped Koby¡¯s head with the hilt of his sword. ¡°Even though you were a slave, the fact that you stayed on Alvida¡¯s pirate ship for two years is undeniable. Don¡¯t underestimate the Navy¡¯s intelligence-gathering abilities. If they find out, you can forget about joining the Navy.¡± Hearing Zoro¡¯s words, Koby lowered his head in despair. ¡°I¡¯ve never had close friends since I was a child, let alone someone who would risk their life for me. It¡¯s because I¡¯m a coward!¡± ¡°Mr. Luffy, even though we haven¡¯t known each other for long, can someone as useless as me be considered your friend?¡± Koby¡¯s voice was so soft that even Rika¡¯s breathing was louder. He lacked confidence, but his eyes showed a glimmer of hope as he looked at Luffy and the others. ¡°Of course! Even though we¡¯re parting ways, we¡¯ll always be friends!¡± Luffy grinned at Koby. Hearing Luffy¡¯s words, Koby¡¯s eyes, which had been dim behind his thick glasses, brightened. His eyes moistened, and he almost cried on the spot. ¡°Thank you so much. From you, I¡¯ve learned that people should live for their beliefs.¡± Koby looked at Luffy, Zoro, and Qin Ming, remembering how Luffy had chosen the path of the Pirate King, ready to sacrifice everything for it. Zoro, in order to become the world¡¯s greatest swordsman, had endured three weeks without food just to survive. Qin Ming had risked his life to set sail with Luffy. They all had their own convictions, their own unshakable determination. That¡¯s why they kept growing stronger. This made Koby realize that he could no longer be as cowardly as before. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve decided to go to the ,¡± Luffy said to Koby. Zoro added, ¡°Exactly.¡± What left Qin Ming speechless was that Koby, moved by Luffy¡¯s words, foolishly replied, ¡°Ah, right.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it! I think it¡¯s too risky for you to go to the now!¡± Koby quickly realized he had gone in circles and was almost convinced by Luffy. ¡°Listen, Koby, if you really want to join the Navy, you need to change. If you just keep dreaming without taking action, you¡¯ll never get anywhere.¡± Qin Ming felt he should encourage Koby. For some reason, seeing Koby¡¯s lack of confidence reminded him of his past self, who had been too afraid to pursue his dreams. Hearing Qin Ming¡¯s words, Koby¡¯s spirits lifted. ¡°Qin Ming is absolutely right. That¡¯s why I eat a lot of meat every day. If I just wanted to eat meat but didn¡¯t actually eat it, I would have starved to death long ago.¡± Luffy¡¯s casual remark made Qin Ming¡¯s face darken. He almost couldn¡¯t resist the urge to punch Luffy. At that moment, the door of the restaurant opened, and a group of Navy soldiers walked in. ¡°We heard you¡¯re pirates. Is that true?¡± A Navy captain with a square face approached Luffy and asked. ¡°Yeah, we just found another crewmate. We¡¯re about to do what pirates do!¡± Luffy answered honestly. ¡°Even though you caused a commotion at the Navy base, you also saved us and this town. For that, we¡¯re grateful. But now that we know you¡¯re pirates, as members of the Navy, we can¡¯t ignore it!¡± The Navy captain lowered his hat and said sternly, ¡°Please leave this place immediately. Out of respect, we won¡¯t report this to headquarters.¡± ¡°Hey, Navy, what are you talking about? You were under Morgan¡¯s control, scared out of your wits! If it weren¡¯t for them, who knows what would have happened to you!¡± ¡°They¡¯re the town¡¯s saviors!¡± The townspeople, who had suffered under Captain Morgan and his son Helmeppo, were outraged by the Navy¡¯s attitude. They couldn¡¯t believe the Navy would treat the people who had freed them from oppression like this. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Thanks for the food, ma¡¯am. It was really delicious,¡± Luffy stood up from his chair, unfazed by the Navy¡¯s attitude. He even thanked the restaurant owner with a smile. Seeing Luffy leave, Qin Ming and Zoro naturally followed. However, when the Navy soldiers saw Qin Ming, they couldn¡¯t help but show fear. After all, Qin Ming had been the one who had beaten them up the most at the Navy base. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you with them?¡± The Navy captain asked Koby, who was watching Luffy and the others leave. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡­¡± Koby was flustered by the sudden question and didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°Even though we¡¯re parting ways, we¡¯ll always be friends!¡± Koby remembered Luffy¡¯s words from earlier, how Zoro had been concerned for him, and how Qin Ming had encouraged him. His heart was torn between pain and guilt. Luffy and the others hadn¡¯t gone far, and now he was being forced to deny his friendship with them. It was a bitter feeling. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ with them!¡± Koby¡¯s eyes turned red behind his glasses. He bit his lip and forced out the lie. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± The Navy captain clearly didn¡¯t believe Koby and called out to Luffy and the others. ¡°Is it true? He¡¯s not with you?¡± The Navy captain asked Luffy. ¡°I know what this guy used to do,¡± Luffy turned around and pointed at Koby. ¡°Mr. Luffy¡­¡± Koby¡¯s heart sank. ¡°I forgot where it was, but there was this really fat female pirate, I think her name was Alvida or something,¡± Luffy gestured to show the female pirate¡¯s size to the Navy soldiers. ¡°Idiot, her name is Alvida. You got it wrong,¡± Qin Ming corrected Luffy. ¡°Oh, so you know her too,¡± Luffy glanced at Qin Ming and walked over to Koby. Koby pursed his lips, looking at Luffy and Qin Ming. The thought of his past being exposed made him break out in a cold sweat. He screamed in his heart. ¡°That female pirate was a mean, fat, and ugly old hag. This guy stayed on her ship for two years,¡± Luffy said in a mocking tone, poking Koby¡¯s head with his finger. ¡°It¡¯s true. I was on Alvida¡¯s ship and heard this kid flattering that fat woman. He even called her the most beautiful woman in the world. It was hilarious,¡± Qin Ming joined in, poking Koby¡¯s head from the other side, making his head sway back and forth. Koby was furious, especially when Qin Ming revealed how he had been forced to flatter Alvida. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore and shouted, ¡°Please stop!¡± In a fit of rage, Koby punched both Luffy and Qin Ming. The sudden outburst shocked everyone in the restaurant. Zoro, seeing Koby throw punches, wasn¡¯t angry but instead looked relieved. He knew Luffy and Qin Ming had deliberately provoked Koby. ¡°You dare hit me!¡± Luffy punches Koby hard in the face, sending him flying towards Qin Ming. ¡°You bastard! We¡¯re pirates! How dare you attack us!¡± Qin Ming also punched Koby. ¡°You brat!¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Qin Ming and Luffy publicly beat up Koby. On a shelf in the restaurant, several polished plates reflected the scene of Koby being beaten by Luffy and Qin Ming. The Navy captain, seeing that Luffy and Qin Ming weren¡¯t holding back, shouted, ¡°Stop it! You pirates, I won¡¯t allow you to cause trouble in this town!¡± ¡°Enough, you two have gone too far!¡± Zoro grabbed Luffy and Qin Ming from behind and dragged them away from the beaten Koby. By now, Koby was bruised and battered, looking utterly miserable. ¡°I can see now that you¡¯re not with them. Please leave this place immediately!¡± The Navy captain shouted at Luffy and the others. Koby lay on the ground, his body aching from Luffy and Qin Ming¡¯s punches. But his resolve grew stronger. Koby struggled to his feet, his body in pain. He glanced at Luffy, Qin Ming, and Zoro¡¯s retreating figures, made up his mind, and mustered his courage. He bowed deeply to the Navy captain and shouted, ¡°Please let me join the Navy! Even if it¡¯s just as a janitor, I¡¯ll be happy! As long as I can be a Navy soldier!¡± At that moment, Koby felt an overwhelming sense of excitement. For the first time, he felt that his dream was within reach. ¡°Captain, I object!¡± A Navy soldier stepped forward and said to Koby, ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t fully trust you. There have been pirates who pretended to join the Navy as spies. We need to investigate your background first¡­¡± Koby stared blankly at the man who had objected to his joining the Navy. His face gradually showed despair, but then he thought, Is my belief in the Navy so weak? So fragile? Just because one person objects, am I going to give up on my lifelong dream? After a brief but intense internal struggle, Koby finally shouted out the dream he had kept hidden for so many years. ¡°I am going to become a Navy Admiral!¡± The moment Koby shouted those words, the entire room fell silent. Even Rika stared at Koby in shock. The Navy soldier who had objected to Koby¡¯s joining was also stunned, unable to speak. Some of the Navy soldiers broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing Koby¡¯s declaration. A Navy Admiral was a position many could only dream of, yet this young boy had boldly declared his ambition to become one. It was truly shocking. The Navy captain looked at Koby intently. Despite his injuries, Koby¡¯s eyes now shone with determination, free from fear and hesitation. The captain was moved. ¡°We¡¯ve lost too many comrades to pirates. Don¡¯t underestimate the Navy. I¡¯ll allow you to join!¡± ¡°Yes, thank you!¡± Koby felt his blood boil with excitement as he was accepted into the Navy. His voice carried a new sense of confidence. As Koby was accepted into the Navy, Luffy and the others arrived at the port, ready to leave ¡°You guys really acted poorly. It¡¯s no wonder you were found out,¡± Zoro said to Luffy and Qin Ming. ¡°I think Koby will figure something out,¡± Luffy said carelessly. ¡°True. If Koby had given up so easily, our punches would have been wasted,¡± Qin Ming said, then turned to Zoro. ¡°Cut the rope tying the boat with your sword.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you untie it yourself?¡± Zoro asked, though he still did as Qin Ming said and cut the rope with his sword. ¡°Because the rope is wet. It looks like a dog peed on it. If I untied it with my hands, I¡¯d be an idiot,¡± Qin Ming said, causing Zoro¡¯s face to pale. ¡°What? My sword touched dog pee?!¡± ¡°You bastard! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? You¡¯re asking for a beating!¡± Zoro grabbed Qin Ming by the neck and started shaking him. ¡°Hahaha, you two are really something,¡± Luffy laughed heartily, watching Qin Ming and Zoro wrestle on the port. After Qin Ming and Zoro gave each other black eyes, they boarded the small boat and set sail. Just then, they heard Koby¡¯s voice. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Koby?¡± Luffy stood at the bow of the boat, looking at Koby, who was running towards them. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll never forget what you¡¯ve done for me!¡± Koby saluted them with a standard Navy gesture, shouting at the small boat drifting further away. ¡°What Navy soldier thanks pirates?¡± Zoro sat on the boat, waving at Koby on the shore. Qin Ming lazily lay on the boat, a slight smile on his face as he secretly waved at Koby. ¡°Exactly,¡± Luffy grinned, waving his arms enthusiastically at Koby. ¡°See you again, Koby!¡± ¡°All hands, salute!¡± Behind Koby, a loud voice rang out. At the port, a large group of Navy soldiers stood behind Koby, saluting Luffy and the others. ¡°Your friends are truly loyal,¡± the Navy captain said to Koby, implying that he had seen through Luffy and Qin Ming¡¯s poorly acted ruse. Despite that, he had still accepted Koby into the Navy. ¡°Yeah,¡± Koby¡¯s tears finally flowed, for himself and for his friends. ¡°All those who saluted the pirates have violated Navy regulations. You¡¯re all punished with no meals for a week!¡± The captain sternly reprimanded the Navy soldiers. On the small boat, Zoro asked Luffy, ¡°Why are you so set on becoming the Pirate King?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s delicious, right?¡± Qin Ming joked. ¡°It¡¯s not about food. I want to become the Pirate King because I made a promise to a man,¡± Luffy stood at the bow of the boat, taking off his straw hat. He looked at the hat with a nostalgic expression. ¡°I promised to gather a crew of strong companions, find the world¡¯s greatest treasure, and become the Pirate King!¡± Luffy put the hat back on and turned to Qin Ming and Zoro. ¡°Now I¡¯ve found two companions. This hat is proof of my promise!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Luffy laughed heartily, stepping onto the bow of the boat. Facing the sea breeze, he shouted, ¡°Set sail! To the !¡± As dusk approached, thick clouds covered the sky, and the setting sun cast streaks of crimson light across the sea, reflecting golden ripples on the water. The small boat drifted slowly on the sea, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun¡­ Chapter 20 - Two Problems Chapter 20: Two Problems , a certain sea area, on a small wooden boat drifting with the wind. ¡°509, 510, 511¡­¡± Qin Ming, drenched in sweat, was doing one-handed push-ups on the small wooden boat while counting aloud. Seven days had passed since they left . During these seven days, Qin Ming had returned to his relentless, day-and-night training routine on the small boat. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Ming¡¯s fierce determination to train non-stop even impressed Zoro, a training fanatic himself, and sparked a competitive spirit in him. As a result, Zoro also began practicing his swordsmanship on the boat. However, on Zoro¡¯s first day of training, he nearly split the small boat in half with his sword. Seeing that Zoro couldn¡¯t control his strength, Qin Ming and Luffy had no choice but to beat him up to make him behave and give up the idea of practicing swordsmanship on the fragile boat. While Qin Ming was busy with his grueling training, Luffy and Zoro, having nothing better to do, sat on the boat chatting. ¡°You said you wanted to go to the , but you don¡¯t know anything about navigation. Isn¡¯t that ridiculous?¡± Zoro said to Luffy. After joining Luffy and Qin Ming on the small boat, he had discovered a tragic truth. Although there were three people on the boat, no one was willing to row. They simply let the boat drift with the wind. At this rate, it would take a miracle to reach their destination. Luffy had no intention of rowing, and Qin Ming was too focused on his training. After training, he was too exhausted to even think about rowing. As for Zoro, since he couldn¡¯t train on the small boat, he preferred to sleep rather than pick up an oar. Most importantly, even if they were willing to row, they had no idea which direction to go in the vast, endless sea. It was better to save their energy. So, despite having three people on the boat, no one rowed. The poor oar lay lonely on the small boat, gathering dust. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Qin Ming and I have always relied on drifting. We¡¯ll eventually reach an island,¡± Luffy said to Zoro. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a bounty hunter who drifted around the seas?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember being a bounty hunter for a living,¡± Zoro said lazily, resting his hand on the side of the boat. ¡°I set out to sea to find someone, but I got lost and couldn¡¯t find my way back. I had no choice but to target pirate ships to make a living. That¡¯s all.¡± After listening carefully to Zoro¡¯s explanation, Luffy concluded, ¡°So, you¡¯re just lost.¡± ¡°You, who know nothing about navigation, have no right to say that!¡± Zoro retorted, clearly annoyed by Luffy¡¯s comment. ¡°Seriously, how can you be a pirate without knowing navigation? It¡¯s laughable. How are we supposed to get to the like this? I think you should find a navigator soon,¡± Zoro suggested to Luffy. Luffy immediately expanded on the idea: ¡°And a cook, and a musician¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll worry about those people later!¡± Zoro shouted, frustrated that Luffy didn¡¯t seem to grasp the seriousness of their situation. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry,¡± Luffy and Zoro lay weakly on the small boat, looking like they were on the brink of starvation. ¡°Qin Ming, we¡¯re hungry!¡± Luffy shouted at Qin Ming, who was still doing one-handed push-ups. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just eat a few hours ago?¡± Qin Ming paused after completing 600 one-handed push-ups, panting heavily as he spoke to Luffy and Zoro. ¡°Listen, I feel like something¡¯s off with my body.¡± ¡°What? You still look human to me,¡± Luffy sat up, glanced at Qin Ming, and said something that made Qin Ming want to punch him. Suppressing the urge to beat Luffy up, Qin Ming said, ¡°I feel like I¡¯m growing too fast. I don¡¯t know why. If it¡¯s because of a Devil Fruit power, I don¡¯t even know when I used it.¡± In fact, Qin Ming had initially been pleased with his rapid growth. Just two days ago, he could barely manage 400 one-handed push-ups, but today he had completed 600 with relative ease. Despite his intense training over the past week, his progress was unnaturally fast¡ªso fast that it was hard for him to accept. ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? It doesn¡¯t have to be because of a Devil Fruit. Maybe you¡¯re just a genius, and that¡¯s why your training is so effective,¡± Zoro said. As soon as the words left his mouth, Luffy chimed in, ¡°Exactly. If you don¡¯t think you¡¯ve used a Devil Fruit power, then that must be it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a genius, Qin Ming. You¡¯re amazing,¡± Luffy¡¯s words filled Qin Ming with pride, making him feel a bit smug. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it either. Turns out I¡¯m naturally gifted. What a surprise,¡± Qin Ming laughed arrogantly, no longer concerned about the reason for his rapid progress. ¡°But both of you are Devil Fruit users. If you both fall into the sea at the same time, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d save you,¡± Zoro said, stroking his chin as he suddenly realized the dilemma. If Luffy and Qin Ming fell into the sea and were far apart, he wouldn¡¯t know how to rescue them. ¡°What are you talking about? Qin Ming and I are reliable people. There¡¯s no way we¡¯d both fall into the sea and cause you trouble. That would never happen,¡± Luffy said confidently, patting his chest. ¡°Exactly. We¡¯re trustworthy. The chances of what you¡¯re describing happening are lower than you finding your way home on your own,¡± Qin Ming said, making Luffy laugh. ¡°Well said! After all, Zoro¡¯s the one who gets lost all the time. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Shut up, both of you!¡± Zoro snapped, clearly irritated by their teasing. ¡°Alright, Qin Ming, we¡¯re hungry. Go catch us something to eat,¡± Luffy said, feeling even hungrier after laughing. ¡°Maybe your stomach should be filled with stones. You get hungry too easily,¡± Qin Ming said as he grabbed a fishing net, ready to catch some fish. ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t want fish today. Catch something else,¡± Luffy stopped Qin Ming just as he was about to cast the net. Luffy pointed at a large bird flying overhead, drooling as he said, ¡°I want to eat that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fisherman, not a bird catcher,¡± Qin Ming looked up at the bird, which had a wingspan of at least 13 meters when fully spread. ¡°Give it a try. Maybe someday you¡¯ll be able to catch anything from the sky or the ground. Then you¡¯ll be the world¡¯s greatest hunter,¡± Luffy¡¯s words struck a chord with Qin Ming. ¡°The world¡¯s greatest hunter? That sounds amazing,¡± Qin Ming¡¯s eyes lit up, and he made up his mind. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you the skills of the future world¡¯s greatest hunter.¡± ¡°Wow, go for it, world¡¯s greatest hunter!¡± Luffy cheered, clapping his hands. His words filled Qin Ming with pride, making him feel on top of the world. After observing the bird¡¯s flight pattern for nearly ten minutes, Qin Ming finally figured out its habits. Every three minutes, the bird would fly low for about 25 seconds. That was the perfect opportunity to catch it. Qin Ming saw the bird descending, and when it was about ten meters above him, he threw the net with all his might. The net, about 13 meters long, spread out perfectly and actually caught the bird as it flew about ten meters above him. ¡°Hahahaha! Did you see that? It¡¯s my prey now. This is the power of the future world¡¯s greatest hunter. There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t catch!¡± Qin Ming was both excited and thrilled. Catching a bird wasn¡¯t as hard as he thought. He turned to Luffy and Zoro to boast. But as Qin Ming turned to look at Luffy and Zoro, he heard the bird he had caught let out a strange cry. Before he could react, he noticed that Luffy and Zoro seemed to be getting shorter. When Qin Ming realized what was happening, he saw that the bird he had caught had called two other birds. Together, they grabbed the net and carried Qin Ming away. Now Qin Ming was truly embarrassed. He had set out to catch a bird, but instead, he had been caught by the birds. How could he face anyone after this? Qin Ming, clutching the net tightly, was now being carried away by three large birds. He flew through the air, looking down at the sea below. As a Devil Fruit user, he couldn¡¯t afford to let go. ¡°Oh no, Qin Ming¡¯s been captured by those birds!¡± Luffy, finally snapping out of his daze, panicked and shouted. He tried to stretch his arms to grab Qin Ming, but the three birds had already flown far away with him. ¡°What kind of world¡¯s greatest hunter is this?!¡± Zoro watched Qin Ming being carried further away, his face filled with worry. He grabbed an oar and started rowing furiously to chase after them. Meanwhile, Luffy looked up at the birds and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea! If I ride one of those birds, I can catch up to Qin Ming and save him!¡± ¡°Gomu Gomu no Rocket!¡± Luffy stretched his arms, grabbed the mast of the small boat, and used his rubber elasticity to launch himself into the air, heading straight for the birds. ¡°Interesting. He¡¯s actually reliable in a crisis,¡± Zoro muttered as he watched Luffy soar towards the birds. If Luffy could ride one of them to catch up to Qin Ming, that would be perfect. But after a moment, Zoro noticed something was wrong. Instead of riding the bird, Luffy seemed to have been caught by its beak! Up in the air, Luffy was in shock. He hadn¡¯t expected to be caught by the bird¡¯s beak the moment he got close. ¡°Ahhh! Help me!¡± Luffy screamed at the top of his lungs as the bird carried him away, still biting his head. The bird, now carrying both Luffy and Qin Ming, flew further away. But with Luffy struggling to free himself, there was no way he could save Qin Ming. Qin Ming, still clutching the net, saw Luffy being carried alongside him. He asked Luffy why he was still screaming for help, as if it wasn¡¯t embarrassing enough. Luffy explained that since they were both Devil Fruit users, falling into the sea would be disastrous. Their only hope was to call for Zoro¡¯s help. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Qin Ming joined Luffy in shouting for Zoro¡¯s help. ¡°Zoro, come save us!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be the Pirate King! I can¡¯t be defeated by a bird! Zoro, think of something!¡± And so, Qin Ming and Luffy continued to shout for help, their voices echoing across the vast sea. ¡°Shut up, you idiots!¡± Zoro rowed furiously, chasing after Qin Ming and Luffy, who were now far in the distance. His eyes widened in panic as he shouted at them. Poor Zoro. He never could have imagined that his two companions, who had just confidently assured him of their reliability, would disappear from the boat in a matter of seconds. Qin Ming, who had claimed to be the world¡¯s greatest hunter, had been captured by birds while trying to catch one. And Luffy, the captain, had gone to rescue his companion only to be caught by a bird himself. Zoro rowed with all his might, watching Qin Ming swinging from the net and Luffy being carried by the bird. He couldn¡¯t help but think, Chapter 21 - A Reunion Chapter 21: A Reunion Qin Ming¡¯s fishing net was caught by a large bird, and before he could let go, the bird dragged him and the net into the air, flying rapidly forward. The sound of the wind whistled in his ears. Glancing down at the sea below, Qin Ming tightly gripped the net and began climbing upwards. The bird, which had caught the net, occasionally swerved during its flight, causing Qin Ming¡¯s body to sway uncontrollably. Several times, as he climbed, he nearly lost his grip and was almost thrown off. If he could reach the top of the net, he could potentially ride on the bird¡¯s back, which would be far better than the constant risk of falling into the sea. With this thought in mind, Qin Ming continued to climb. His hands, gripping the net, never loosened, and his palms were soon bloodied from the friction. Although both Qin Ming and Luffy had been taken into the sky by the bird, Qin Ming¡¯s situation was undoubtedly more precarious at the moment. As for Luffy, he had been grabbed by the head by another bird and was now spinning in circles in the air, lagging behind Qin Ming. Zoro, meanwhile, was rowing furiously in his small wooden boat, trying to catch up to Qin Ming and Luffy, who were being carried away by the birds. However, the speed of his boat was no match for the birds¡¯ flight, and he could only watch helplessly as the two drifted further away. After some time, as Qin Ming was about to reach the top of the net, he spotted land ahead¡ªa small town, it seemed. His heart leapt with joy. But then it struck him: even if he reached the land, how would he get down? The birds were at least forty to fifty meters above the ground. If he fell from that height, he would either die or be severely injured. After all, Qin Ming wasn¡¯t like Luffy, who was made of rubber and could withstand falls much better. Qin Ming¡¯s resilience was nowhere near Luffy¡¯s level. Just as Qin Ming was pondering how to first get onto the bird¡¯s back, he saw a cannonball flying towards him from a distance. This left Qin Ming dumbfounded. The cannonball was heading straight for him at an alarming speed. In the blink of an eye, it was right in front of him. Just before the cannonball hit, Qin Ming let go of the net and dropped to the lowest part of it. He quickly grabbed the net again to prevent himself from falling to the ground, but his hands were now raw and bleeding from the rough netting, causing him immense pain. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Qin Ming was stabilizing himself after the drop, the cannonball exploded. In the split second before the explosion, Qin Ming clearly saw a large red nose printed on the cannonball. It was a Buggy Ball, the signature ammunition of , a pirate known for his immortality. Qin Ming cursed Buggy¡¯s ancestors a thousand times in his mind, but he knew that survival was his top priority now. When the cannonball exploded, Qin Ming¡¯s vision was filled with a fiery red light. The heat around him was unbearable, and the scorching waves of air made him feel as if he were being roasted alive. His mouth was dry, and he felt extremely uncomfortable. Although he had let go in time to avoid being directly hit by the cannonball, the bird that had been carrying him was now dead, and Qin Ming was inevitably falling. Moreover, the shockwave from the explosion had altered his trajectory. Instead of falling straight down, he was now plummeting at an angle. His clothes were torn and scorched, and his body was covered in burns, each one stinging painfully. Qin Ming was beyond frustrated. It was only natural¡ªhis old wounds hadn¡¯t even fully healed, and now he had new ones. He couldn¡¯t possibly be happy about this. Qin Ming glanced down. He was now less than thirty meters from the ground, and anxiety began to creep in. Ever since his battle with Morgan, Qin Ming had made a resolution to face death without fear, but that didn¡¯t mean he would simply accept it when death came knocking. As Qin Ming was falling at an angle, he spotted a chimney on one of the houses below. An idea immediately formed in his mind. With this thought, Qin Ming tightened his grip on the slightly tattered net. As Qin Ming rapidly descended at a 45-degree angle, nearing the roof of a house, he threw the net with all his might, aiming to hook it onto the chimney. Qin Ming¡¯s hands clenched the net tightly. The immense force from his rapid descent caused the net¡¯s rough fibers to dig deep into his palms, making him feel as if his hands were being severed. The pain was so intense that he couldn¡¯t help but scream. Although the net had slowed his fall, Qin Ming¡¯s body still slammed into the roof several times as the net swung wildly. The impact left him feeling as if his entire body was about to fall apart. But Qin Ming was still grateful to be alive. Lying on the roof, he looked up at the blue sky, gasping for breath, a sense of relief and joy washing over him. After resting for a while, Qin Ming got up from the roof and cursed, ¡°Damn it! That bastard Buggy dared to fire at me. I¡¯ll make him pay for this!¡± ¡°Who dares to insult our Captain Buggy?!¡± ¡°Step forward! We¡¯ll teach you a lesson. How dare you speak ill of Captain Buggy!¡± Just as Qin Ming finished cursing Buggy, he heard several rough voices. Qin Ming was already in a foul mood, and hearing these pirates threaten him for insulting Buggy only made things worse. ¡°It was me who insulted Buggy. Got a problem with that?¡± Qin Ming walked to the edge of the roof and saw three fierce-looking pirates on the street below. They bore Buggy¡¯s insignia, clearly his subordinates. No wonder they were so quick to defend him. To his surprise, Qin Ming also spotted Nami, whom he had parted ways with just a week ago. Nami looked up at Qin Ming, who was standing on the roof. She noticed that he was covered in injuries, his face blackened from the explosion, and his hair slightly singed. It was clear that he had been caught in a violent blast. Nami saw that Qin Ming¡¯s hands were red and bloody. She hadn¡¯t expected to see him in such a state the second time they met. For some reason, her heart ached at the sight. ¡°So, you¡¯re here. Did you manage to steal the map?¡± Qin Ming asked, feeling uneasy under Nami¡¯s gaze, which seemed both concerned and angry. He noticed the map in her hand. Nami had indeed successfully stolen the map from Buggy. She had been chased by the three pirates, who were trying to reclaim the map. While fleeing, Nami had heard the loud explosion in the sky, but she hadn¡¯t realized that Qin Ming had been caught in the blast. ¡°So, you know she stole our map? Are you her boss?¡± ¡°That must be it. They look like a pair of thieves. Let¡¯s capture them and hand them over to Captain Buggy!¡± The three pirates, seeing that Qin Ming and Nami seemed to know each other, quickly concluded that they were accomplices. ¡°Hey, kid! Get down here!¡± The three pirates surrounded Nami while shouting at Qin Ming, who was still on the roof. Qin Ming, already furious from being shot at by Buggy, now had these pirates to vent his anger on. ¡°Damn it! Your captain fired at me. If I don¡¯t beat the crap out of you to vent, I might as well quit being a pirate!¡± With a cold expression, Qin Ming jumped down from the two-meter-high roof. He cracked his knuckles and gave the three menacing pirates a smile. ¡°You asked for this!¡± Nami watched as Qin Ming approached her. She opened her mouth several times but found herself unable to speak. If it hadn¡¯t been for Qin Ming¡¯s timely appearance, Nami would have been caught by the pirates. If that had happened, she would have been taken back to Buggy¡¯s crew and likely killed. When the pirates accused Qin Ming of being her boss, Nami initially wanted to deny it. But after glancing at Qin Ming¡¯s injuries, she felt a strange softness in her heart and decided to remain silent. In fact, a thought crossed her mind: perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be so bad to team up with Qin Ming in the future. The last time they parted, Nami had been worried about dragging Qin Ming into trouble. But now, seeing him injured, she found herself unwilling to part ways with him again. Nami thought wryly. As Qin Ming began to pummel the three pirates, Nami watched with a mix of amusement and concern. She remembered how fiercely he had fought back at and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. ¡°We¡¯re part of Buggy¡¯s crew! If you mess with us, our captain will make you pay!¡± The three pirates were quickly beaten to a pulp by Qin Ming. They tried to escape, but Qin Ming blocked their path, leaving them no choice but to endure the beating. ¡°Buggy?¡± Qin Ming sneered, then shouted, ¡°If your captain dares to come after me, I¡¯ll make his nose even redder and rounder!¡± Mentioning Buggy only fueled Qin Ming¡¯s anger, and he continued to beat the pirates mercilessly. The three pirates, realizing that Qin Ming had no fear of their infamous captain, inwardly lamented their terrible luck. They had run into a fearless madman. As Nami thought this, her gaze towards Qin Ming grew increasingly tender, and a warm smile crept onto her lips. Unfortunately, during their last encounter at , Nami had been too focused on Qin Ming to overhear Luffy and Zoro¡¯s conversation. As a result, she still didn¡¯t know that Qin Ming was a pirate¡ªthe very thing she despised most. After Qin Ming had thoroughly beaten the three pirates into unconsciousness, he felt a bit of relief. However, when he glanced at Nami, he noticed her looking at him with a soft, affectionate expression. This sent a chill down his spine. He remembered how Nami had acted similarly the last time they met, clinging to him before suddenly delivering a powerful punch. Now, seeing her gentle smile again, Qin Ming grew wary. Was she planning to hit him again? Just as Qin Ming was considering putting some distance between himself and Nami, he heard a loud explosion above, followed by Luffy¡¯s voice. ¡°Whoa! Who¡¯s firing cannonballs at me? I¡¯m falling!¡± Qin Ming looked up and saw Luffy flying towards him from above. He immediately shouted, ¡°You idiot! Don¡¯t crash into me!¡± As he shouted, Qin Ming leaped towards Nami. Nami, seeing Luffy falling from the sky, thought to herself, Nami couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of emotions whenever she saw Luffy. She still remembered how his antics had led to Qin Ming accidentally groping her on their first meeting, leaving her both embarrassed and furious. Qin Ming thought, feeling relieved. His improved reflexes had allowed him to avoid Luffy¡¯s trajectory. But Qin Ming¡¯s relief was short-lived. As Luffy was about to hit the ground, he stretched his arms and grabbed the edge of the roof Qin Ming had been standing on. With a quick flip, Luffy landed safely. However, as Luffy landed, a large shadow loomed overhead. The force of Luffy¡¯s landing had caused the roof to collapse, and the massive structure was now falling directly towards Qin Ming and Nami. Qin Ming¡¯s face fell. ¡°Damn it, Luffy, you idiot!¡± Seeing the heavy roof coming down, Qin Ming tried to pull Nami out of the way, but Nami reacted faster. She pushed Qin Ming to the ground and shielded him with her body, intending to take the brunt of the impact herself. Qin Ming thought, both angry and worried. If the roof hit Nami, she wouldn¡¯t survive. What frustrated Qin Ming the most was that if Nami hadn¡¯t pushed him down, he could have easily dodged the roof with his current strength, even while injured. But now, it was too late. In truth, Nami had genuinely believed that Qin Ming couldn¡¯t avoid the falling roof, which was why she had instinctively shielded him. Nami had no idea that Qin Ming¡¯s strength had nearly doubled in the short week since they last met. As the roof came crashing down, Qin Ming, seeing Nami¡¯s determined expression, quickly rolled over, placing himself on top of her to take the impact instead. Nami thought, feeling both touched and worried. However, Nami had misunderstood Qin Ming¡¯s intentions. He was simply acting out of a sense of duty to protect her, especially since she had tried to shield him first. If he didn¡¯t do something, he wouldn¡¯t feel like a man. ¡°Gomu Gomu no Pistol!¡± Luffy¡¯s voice rang out, followed by a loud crash. Qin Ming thought, relieved as Luffy¡¯s punch shattered the falling roof. As Qin Ming tried to get up, a sharp pain shot through his head. A large piece of debris had struck him, forcing his head downwards. At that moment, Nami, who had been smiling at Qin Ming, froze. Qin Ming¡¯s head had suddenly dropped, and his lips pressed firmly against hers. The warmth of their lips meeting left both Qin Ming and Nami wide-eyed and completely stunned. They stared at each other in disbelief. It turned out that after Luffy shattered the roof, several large pieces of debris had struck Qin Ming¡¯s head, causing him to lose control and accidentally kiss Nami. Now, with five pieces of debris neatly stacked on his head, Qin Ming realized that his head had been hit five times in quick succession, leading to this unfortunate accident. It was truly a tragic turn of events. Chapter 22 - Clash, Qin Ming vs. Luffy!!! Chapter 22: Clash, Qin Ming vs. Luffy!!! ¡°That was really dangerous just now, you almost got hit.¡± Luffy slowly walked towards Qin Ming, looking at the scattered rubble and tiles from the roof he had smashed, and carelessly remarked. ¡°Huh? Qin Ming, is that a stone hat on your head? It kinda looks like my straw hat, hahaha.¡± Seeing Qin Ming lying on the ground with five neatly stacked stones on the back of his head, the top one noticeably larger than the others, Luffy burst out laughing. From his angle, it looked like Qin Ming was wearing a stone hat. Since he was standing behind them, Luffy didn¡¯t yet know what had happened between Qin Ming and Nami. Qin Ming was still in a semi-petrified state. Normally, if he heard Luffy say something like that, he might have jumped up and punched the guy. But right now, Qin Ming was in no mood to deal with Luffy. The moment he realized Luffy was approaching, his first reaction was to quickly get up from Nami. When Qin Ming stood up, he felt dazed, his thoughts sluggish, as if he had developed dementia. Glancing at Nami, whom he had just helped up, Qin Ming noticed that she also looked stunned, clearly still in shock. Everything had happened too suddenly. Without any warning, Qin Ming and Nami had ended up lip-to-lip. What made it worse was that this was both of their first times kissing someone of the opposite sex, and the experience felt utterly terrible. Qin Ming couldn¡¯t help but think, He thought that as a man, if Nami didn¡¯t object, he would take responsibility for what had happened. But what Qin Ming couldn¡¯t accept was that during his first intimate moment with a girl¡ªespecially Nami¡ªhe had five stones stacked on his head. Qin Ming felt deeply embarrassed, thinking he had completely ruined his image in front of Nami. It was natural. When a man kisses a girl, he wants to show his most handsome side. Nami¡¯s feelings, however, were far more complicated. She knew she had developed some feelings for Qin Ming, but they weren¡¯t at the point where they should be kissing. Yet, it had happened. What made Nami feel even more awkward was that Qin Ming¡¯s kiss hadn¡¯t been gentle at all. In fact, it had been quite forceful. When Qin Ming had kissed her, Nami had felt her lips being pressed hard, almost painfully. Of course, Qin Ming hadn¡¯t been able to control his strength at that moment, given the force of the impact. Nami¡¯s primary concern was still her hometown. Although she had considered teaming up with Qin Ming before, it had mainly been to quickly raise 100 million Berries. As for her feelings for Qin Ming, honestly, Nami hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead. For years, Nami had been living a life of stealing from pirates, constantly risking her life to gather money, all for the sake of saving her village. Every time she narrowly escaped death, she would think of her home, the orange groves, her sister, the people of her village, and , the woman she considered her mother. These were the things that kept her going, giving her the strength to continue stealing from dangerous pirates. But after parting ways with Qin Ming the last time, Nami had found herself thinking about him during her quiet moments. It was the first time she realized that some things weren¡¯t so easy to forget. When she saw Qin Ming again in , she felt a flicker of joy. But before she could express it, the two of them had shared an unexpected ¡°surprise,¡± leaving her struggling to process it. ¡°Hey, Luffy, do you know what you did wrong?¡± Qin Ming grabbed Luffy by the collar, thinking that if Luffy hadn¡¯t smashed the roof, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such an awkward situation with Nami. This glutton had screwed him over again. ¡°I did go a bit too far,¡± Luffy admitted, looking genuinely remorseful. ¡°I wrecked someone¡¯s house. When the owner comes back, I¡¯ll make sure to apologize.¡± ¡°No, you should be apologizing to us! No, actually, an apology isn¡¯t enough to fix this.¡± Qin Ming was driven to frustration by Luffy¡¯s single-mindedness and started yelling in his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two? Your lips are all swollen. Did you both get some kind of lip-swelling disease?¡± Luffy, completely oblivious to why Qin Ming was so upset, glanced between Qin Ming and Nami, noticing their swollen lips and confused expressions. ¡°That¡¯s not it! We just¡ª¡± Qin Ming, who had just regained his composure, was about to come up with an excuse when Nami, blushing furiously at the memory of Qin Ming¡¯s lips on hers, suddenly exploded, ¡°Stop talking!¡± Before Qin Ming could finish, Nami¡¯s fist sent him sprawling. Qin Ming crouched on the ground, clutching his head. Earlier, he had been hit by falling debris, leaving a bump on his head. Now, Nami¡¯s ¡°Haki-infused¡± fist had added to his pain. It was a miracle he hadn¡¯t cried out. ¡°I remember you. You¡¯re with Qin Ming. What¡¯s your name again?¡± Luffy scratched his chin, looking at Nami. ¡°I¡¯m Nami, a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates. Let¡¯s find a place to talk.¡± Nami glanced at Qin Ming, who was still crouching on the ground, and sighed. She remembered that both times she had run into Luffy, she and Qin Ming had ended up in unfortunate situations. But right now, her mind was too chaotic to even think about hitting Luffy. Some time later, in an empty house in . ¡°Is this your home?¡± Luffy asked, sitting on a chair in the living room. ¡°No, I¡¯m a wandering thief. I don¡¯t know whose house this is. Everyone in town has fled to escape the at the bar.¡± Nami sat casually on the table, explaining to Luffy. Meanwhile, Qin Ming found some bandages and basic medical supplies in the house and started tending to his wounds. ¡°Oh, are they that scary? That Nami pirate.¡± Luffy¡¯s words made Nami furious. ¡°Nami is me! The pirate is Buggy!¡± Qin Ming noticed that after talking with Luffy for a while, Nami seemed to regain some of her spirit. He couldn¡¯t help but admire Luffy¡¯s ability to unintentionally say things that drove people crazy. ¡°Buggy is infamous for his love of cannons. There was a town where some kids made fun of his nose, and he bombarded the entire place. He¡¯s also said to use some strange techniques.¡± Nami¡¯s expression grew serious as she explained Buggy to Luffy and Qin Ming. Qin Ming, however, didn¡¯t react much, still focused on treating his wounds. Luffy, on the other hand, looked around and asked a question that nearly made Nami lose her temper. ¡°But why is the town so empty?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say everyone¡¯s evacuated? Are you two even listening to me?¡± Nami shouted at both Luffy and Qin Ming. Qin Ming, realizing he needed to remove his shirt to treat some of his wounds, ignored Nami¡¯s yelling and took the bandages and medicine to a separate room, closing the door behind him to tend to his injuries alone. Needless to say, Qin Ming¡¯s actions infuriated Nami. The fact that she didn¡¯t immediately beat him up showed remarkable restraint. The truth was, Qin Ming felt awkward around Nami now. Whenever he looked at her, she would avoid his gaze, and when she looked at him, he would instinctively look away. They couldn¡¯t even make eye contact. It was incredibly awkward. About ten minutes later, Qin Ming emerged from the room, only to find Luffy tied up with rope by Nami. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qin Ming rushed over to Luffy, untying him while shouting at Nami. ¡°Why are you a pirate? Why did you lie to me?¡± Nami¡¯s once-bright eyes were now dull, filled with despair as she stared at Qin Ming, asking him these questions. Hearing her words, Qin Ming¡¯s hands froze as he untied Luffy. He turned to look at Nami, seeing her pale, distraught face, and found himself unable to speak. While Qin Ming had been tending to his wounds, Nami had learned from Luffy that both he and Qin Ming were pirates. This revelation hit Nami like a thunderbolt. She had always hated pirates, and now the person she had started to trust, even feel something for, turned out to be one of them. In that moment, Nami felt as if she had been transported back to eight years ago, to the day had died at the hands of pirates. A heart-wrenching pain filled her chest. The person she had thought she could trust, the person she had even considered giving her heart to, was a pirate¡ªthe very thing she had despised for so many years. It felt like a cruel joke. ¡°Do you know who I hate the most in this world? Pirates! All I care about is money and oranges! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that you¡¯re a despicable pirate?!¡± Nami¡¯s emotions were out of control. Tears filled her eyes as she screamed at Qin Ming. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hey, Qin Ming, why did you make our navigator cry?¡± Luffy, still tied up, saw that Nami¡ªwho had just agreed to join them as their navigator¡ªwas crying. And it seemed to be because of Qin Ming. Luffy, who valued his crew deeply, assumed Qin Ming had done something to upset her. Nami had initially agreed to join Luffy¡¯s crew with the intention of leading them into a trap set by the . But when she saw Qin Ming, she had struggled to keep her emotions in check. She had easily tricked the naive Luffy into letting her tie him up, claiming it was necessary to take him to Buggy. Luffy, being Luffy, had fallen for it without a second thought. ¡°Yeah, he treated me really badly. You have to help me.¡± Nami sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she spoke to Luffy. Her words were a mix of truth and lies, and Luffy, being the simple-minded person he was, believed her completely. At this point, Nami still held a sliver of hope for Qin Ming. She naively thought that if Qin Ming and Luffy had a falling out, maybe Qin Ming would stop being a pirate. That would count as turning over a new leaf, right? ¡°She¡¯s our crewmate now. How could you treat her so badly that she¡¯s crying? And she¡¯s a girl! You¡¯re the worst!¡± Luffy¡¯s face was filled with anger as he suddenly stretched his head towards Qin Ming, shouting, ¡°Gomu Gomu no Headbutt!¡± Qin Ming dodged Luffy¡¯s attack, which ended up smashing a hole in the wall. Seeing that Luffy wasn¡¯t holding back, Qin Ming¡¯s anger flared as well. ¡°You idiot! Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Yeah, you should die! Anyone who bullies their crewmates deserves to be punched!¡± Luffy¡¯s expression was serious, his brows furrowed with anger. He wasn¡¯t joking around. Qin Ming, already frustrated by the situation with Nami, was now being attacked by Luffy, who hadn¡¯t even bothered to hear his side of the story. Even the most patient person would lose their temper. ¡°Can¡¯t you think for yourself? Can¡¯t you listen to explanations?¡± Qin Ming clenched his fists, taking a step forward as he tried to control his anger. ¡°Fine, then answer me this: Did you really bully her? Is she crying because of you?¡± Luffy stared straight at Qin Ming. ¡°You can¡¯t deny it, can you? Because it¡¯s the truth! So what else is there to say?¡± Qin Ming was left speechless by Luffy¡¯s questions. Strictly speaking, he had taken advantage of Nami twice, which could be considered bullying. And Nami was indeed crying because of him. ¡°Looks like no matter what I say, you won¡¯t listen. Let me ask you one more time: Are you serious about this?¡± Qin Ming¡¯s gaze turned cold as he stared at Luffy. ¡°I don¡¯t joke about things like this. I told you, anyone who bullies their crewmates deserves to be punched!¡± Luffy took a step forward, not backing down. ¡°Fine then¡­¡± Qin Ming walked past Nami, who was still crying, and sighed almost imperceptibly. He picked up a fruit knife from the table and threw it at Luffy without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯re tied up, so I won¡¯t take advantage of you.¡± The knife cut through the ropes binding Luffy. Without wasting a second, Luffy charged at Qin Ming, fist raised. ¡°You¡¯re injured, but I won¡¯t go easy on you. Be ready!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be ready. Don¡¯t regret your stupidity only after you¡¯re in hell!¡± Qin Ming clenched his fists and charged at Luffy as well. ¡°Monkey D. Luffy!¡± ¡°Qin Ming!¡± In front of Nami, the two men shouted each other¡¯s names as their fists collided with each other¡¯s faces. The force of their punches created a gust of wind that blew Nami¡¯s orange hair back. Both men were sent flying in opposite directions, crashing through the walls of the house. Qin Ming and Luffy had punched each other so hard that they flew out of the house, leaving Nami standing alone in the wreckage¡­ Chapter 23 - Mutual Destruction Chapter 23: Mutual Destruction ¡°It¡¯s useless. I¡¯m made of rubber. Your attacks won¡¯t work on me.¡± After being punched by Qin Ming and crashing through the wall, Luffy quickly got up as if nothing had happened and slowly walked towards Qin Ming. ¡°Try taking another punch from me, and you¡¯ll see if my fists work on you or not.¡± Qin Ming also stood up. His left cheek, which had taken a heavy punch from Luffy, was slightly swollen. Having crashed through the wall with his own body, he was in so much pain that he was almost breaking into a cold sweat. Combined with his earlier injuries, his condition wasn¡¯t great. But Qin Ming showed no intention of backing down. Since things had come to this, the only thing he needed to do now was to go all out and beat the other guy senseless. Moreover, Qin Ming genuinely wanted to fight Luffy with everything he had. He wanted to know just how big the gap between them was. As for the outcome, Qin Ming didn¡¯t bother thinking about it. ¡°You think you can knock me down?¡± Luffy stretched his arm back and charged towards Qin Ming. ¡°Do you really think you can punch me away?¡± Qin Ming gritted his teeth, enduring the pain coursing through his body, and rushed towards Luffy as well. ¡°Stop being so full of yourself, you idiot!¡± As Qin Ming swung his fist at Luffy, the two of them shouted at each other in unison. ¡°Gomu Gomu no Pistol!¡± Luffy¡¯s stretched arm, using the elasticity of rubber, snapped back at an incredible speed, aiming a powerful punch at Qin Ming¡¯s stomach. ¡°Such a simple move won¡¯t work on me!¡± Qin Ming sidestepped Luffy¡¯s attack, then jumped in front of him and delivered another punch straight to Luffy¡¯s face without hesitation. Luffy was sent flying again, crashing heavily into the wall, which cracked under the impact. ¡°I was too careless. That hurt! Why does your punch work on me?¡± This time, after taking Qin Ming¡¯s punch, Luffy wasn¡¯t unscathed. Instead, he cried out in pain. ¡°Get serious! Go all out, Monkey D. Luffy! Otherwise, you¡¯ll definitely lose to me.¡± Qin Ming¡¯s words made Luffy¡¯s expression turn serious. He adjusted his straw hat and said, ¡°When I first met you, you were really weak. But now, you¡¯ve become so strong, Qin Ming. But that¡¯s to be expected. You¡¯re the hardest-working and most determined person in our crew.¡± After a pause, Luffy looked at Qin Ming and said, ¡°Next, I¡¯m going all out to punch you away!¡± Luffy wasn¡¯t lying. In the month since they had set sail together, he had witnessed how Qin Ming used every spare moment to train relentlessly. Qin Ming¡¯s extraordinary determination and perseverance were something Luffy had seen firsthand, and it was one of the reasons he trusted Qin Ming. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to knock some sense into you, you blockhead!¡± Qin Ming saw Luffy leap into the air and quickly took a few steps back to create some distance. ¡°Gomu Gomu no Stamp!¡± Luffy, now in the air, aimed his feet at Qin Ming¡¯s face and stretched his legs, kicking down with tremendous force. Qin Ming barely managed to dodge as Luffy¡¯s feet slammed into the ground, creating a small crater and sending Qin Ming flying from the shockwave. ¡°Gomu Gomu no Whip!¡± As soon as Qin Ming steadied himself, Luffy, now back on the ground, stretched his left leg and swung it towards Qin Ming. ¡°I won¡¯t just keep taking hits!¡± Qin Ming ducked under Luffy¡¯s sweeping leg, then grabbed Luffy¡¯s outstretched foot with his left hand and yanked him forward. ¡°Take another punch!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s bloodied right fist slammed into Luffy¡¯s face as he flew towards him. At the same time, Luffy swung his own fist, landing a heavy blow on Qin Ming¡¯s right cheek. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both Qin Ming and Luffy were sent flying in opposite directions, crashing to the ground and rolling several times before coming to a stop. ¡°So you had sharp stones hidden between your fingers. That¡¯s how you hurt me.¡± Luffy¡¯s face now had several cuts. He had clearly seen the sharp stones Qin Ming had hidden between his fingers, which was why he had felt pain from Qin Ming¡¯s punches earlier. The sharp stones Qin Ming had hidden in his fist were barely visible, which was why Luffy hadn¡¯t noticed them the first time he was hit. ¡°But if you keep doing that, your hand will be ruined.¡± Luffy wiped the blood from his face and walked towards Qin Ming. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Before my hand is ruined, I¡¯ll make sure you taste defeat!¡± Qin Ming was breathing heavily. His right hand, with the stones still wedged between his fingers, was drenched in blood and trembling uncontrollably. Every time he punched Luffy with full force, the stones dug deeper into the flesh between his fingers. The pain was excruciating, something most people wouldn¡¯t be able to endure. Qin Ming¡¯s current method of fighting Luffy could be described as ¡°killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of his own.¡± But it was the most effective way he could think of to deal with Luffy. Since Qin Ming didn¡¯t know Haki yet, the only way he could hurt Luffy, a rubber man, was by using external objects. If Qin Ming had more time, he might have been able to create spiked gloves, which would have made fighting Luffy much easier. Originally, Qin Ming had considered using stones in both hands, but that would have limited his attacks to punches only, which would have been a disadvantage. So he only used stones in his right hand, leaving his left hand free for other attacks. Meanwhile, Nami, who had been watching from behind, was completely stunned. This wasn¡¯t how she had imagined things would go. Nami had planned to make Qin Ming and Luffy argue, leading to a fallout, so she could convince Qin Ming to stop being a pirate. But what she hadn¡¯t expected was that after a brief argument, Qin Ming and Luffy would start fighting so fiercely, as if they were trying to kill each other. It was the first time Nami truly realized that men and women were completely different creatures. As Qin Ming and Luffy fought harder and the commotion grew louder, Nami began to worry. If this continued, one of them might actually end up killing the other. What bothered Nami the most was that she could only watch as Qin Ming and Luffy accumulated more and more injuries, unable to do anything. When she had heard Luffy say he would punch Qin Ming because of her, Nami had thought it was just talk. But now, seeing how seriously they were fighting, Nami, who had always despised pirates, began to see them in a new light. Remembering how Luffy had repeatedly called her his ¡°crewmate,¡± Nami felt a strange emotion stirring within her. Then she thought of Qin Ming, who had risked his life to save Zoro at the Marine base in . For some reason, this thought suddenly crossed Nami¡¯s mind. If Qin Ming had known what Nami was thinking, even in the heat of battle, he would have jumped up and shouted at her, You¡¯re too cruel! Tricking the naive Luffy into being your free bodyguard? How am I supposed to live peacefully after this? ¡°Take this, Qin Ming!¡± Luffy was breathing heavily. He had taken dozens of punches from Qin Ming¡¯s stone-filled fist, leaving him covered in cuts and bruises. As he spoke, he stretched both arms far behind him. Qin Ming knew immediately that Luffy was about to go all out. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his bloodied, numb right hand and charged at Luffy with all his might. ¡°Come on, Monkey D. Luffy! No matter who the opponent is, no matter how strong they are, I won¡¯t back down! Especially when the opponent is you¡ªI can¡¯t run away!¡± Both Qin Ming and Luffy looked disheveled, covered in dirt and bruises from their intense fight. But their expressions and eyes were strikingly similar¡ªunyielding, determined, and filled with an indomitable will. ¡°Because I know you¡¯re that kind of person, I have to punch you away when you make a mistake, Qin Ming!¡± Luffy looked at Qin Ming as he spoke, then launched his stretched arms forward with lightning speed. ¡°Gomu Gomu no Rocket!¡± ¡°If yours is a rocket, then mine is a stone cannon!¡± Qin Ming planted his left foot forward, cracking the ground beneath him from the sheer force. He stood his ground, fists clenched, veins bulging on his arms, and unleashed all his strength in a punch aimed at Luffy¡¯s incoming fists. Qin Ming and Luffy¡¯s fists collided with tremendous force, creating a powerful shockwave that made their clothes flutter. After a brief moment of stalemate, the immense impact sent both of them flying in opposite directions. Qin Ming crashed through three buildings, flying across two streets before finally collapsing, completely exhausted and in unbearable pain. The stones he had been gripping between his fingers finally fell out. During the final clash with Luffy, the stones had severely injured Qin Ming¡¯s right hand. The wound between his middle and index fingers was so deep that the bone was visible. Luffy, on the other hand, crashed through two buildings before slamming into the wall of a third. His left hand, injured by the stones in Qin Ming¡¯s fist, was now too damaged to use effectively. Covered in wounds, he couldn¡¯t get up either. In their final exchange, Qin Ming had deliberately exposed more of the stones in his fist to maximize the damage to Luffy. But the more the stones were exposed, the more they hurt Qin Ming in return. In the end, Qin Ming and Luffy¡¯s all-out fight had left them both severely injured, though Luffy was in slightly better condition than Qin Ming. Qin Ming tried several times to get up, but his body felt completely drained. His consciousness grew heavier, and eventually, he succumbed to his injuries and exhaustion, passing out. Just before he lost consciousness, he thought he heard Nami¡¯s voice, though he couldn¡¯t make out what she was saying. Some time later, Qin Ming felt something licking his face. It was itchy, and he slowly opened his eyes to see a white dog licking him. The dog looked a bit dirty, and as soon as it saw Qin Ming awake, it started barking urgently. Qin Ming struggled to sit up, but before he could gather his thoughts, he saw a cannonball flying towards him from a distance. What made Qin Ming speechless was that he could see the big red nose on the cannonball. As Qin Ming thought this, he quickly picked up the dog and, despite the intense pain coursing through his body, ran as fast as he could to get away. The explosion sent Qin Ming and the dog flying forward, crashing to the ground. Qin Ming looked back at where he had been moments ago. The area was now completely destroyed, with an entire row of buildings in the town obliterated by Buggy¡¯s cannonball¡­ Chapter 24 - The Story of a Man and a Dog Chapter 24: The Story of a Man and a Dog Qin Ming was now covered in wounds¡ªscrapes, burns, cuts, and even his bones ached all over. The bandages that had once wrapped his body were now soaked red with blood. After crashing through thick walls multiple times, the wounds on his back, which had nearly healed, split open again, the pain so intense that he almost passed out. He glanced at the white dog that had just saved his life. The dog was not only filthy but also injured, with wounds that seemed to have been inflicted by the claws of a fierce beast. Qin Ming also noticed tears glistening in the dog¡¯s round eyes, its dirty face streaked with water¡ªits own tears. This white dog was likely Xiuxiu. If it was crying, then the pet shop it had guarded for so long, the place filled with memories of its deceased owner, had probably been burned down by Buggy¡¯s men. The injuries on its body were also from fighting a ferocious lion while protecting the shop. A dog, willing to risk its life to protect something so important, even against a lion many times its size¡ªsuch loyalty and courage were truly awe-inspiring. Qin Ming looked at the burning building in the distance. Beside him, Xiuxiu kept barking and crying, staring at the flames. Qin Ming heard some noise in the distance. Gasping for breath, he crouched down and patted Xiuxiu¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. How about I take you to beat up some bad guys?¡± Xiuxiu barked, looking at the deep, bone-exposing wound on Qin Ming¡¯s right hand. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re really smart. Don¡¯t worry, this little injury won¡¯t stop me from beating people up!¡± Qin Ming wasn¡¯t lying. Buggy had fired cannons at him twice, and he was determined to teach that guy a lesson. If it hadn¡¯t been for Xiuxiu earlier, he would have been blown to pieces by Buggy¡¯s cannonball. Xiuxiu had saved his life, and Buggy¡¯s crew had destroyed what was most important to Xiuxiu. Whether for personal reasons or justice, Qin Ming decided to go after Buggy. Dragging his injured body, Qin Ming slowly walked forward with Xiuxiu. Every few steps, he left a bloody footprint, a stark reminder of how severe his injuries were. After walking for a while, Xiuxiu suddenly barked happily and ran ahead, picking up an empty pet food bag. It brought the bag to Qin Ming, wagging its tail and rubbing against his leg. Qin Ming immediately understood. This empty pet food bag was the last one Luffy had retrieved from Buggy¡¯s subordinate, Mohji, the . It seemed Xiuxiu had found him because of Luffy. Luffy had helped Xiuxiu, deeply moved it, and since Qin Ming carried Luffy¡¯s scent, Xiuxiu had grown close to him and even woke him up in a critical moment. Thinking this, Qin Ming felt both exasperated and amused. Sometimes, things in the world were just so coincidental, so unbelievable. In truth, despite his severe injuries, Qin Ming decided to go after Buggy for another reason¡ªhe wanted to confirm the safety of Luffy and Nami. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to rest and recover properly. Ever since Zoro had nearly died from a hail of bullets, Qin Ming knew that every action he took in this world could lead to extreme consequences if he hesitated. If he chose to hide and recover, believing that Luffy and the others would be fine, only to have something irreversible happen, he would never forgive himself. So Qin Ming didn¡¯t dare to gamble. Even if he had to crawl, he would personally ensure Luffy and the others were safe. After walking a few streets, Qin Ming unexpectedly encountered Mohji, bruised and battered, riding his pet lion, Richie. As soon as Xiuxiu saw Mohji and the lion, it charged forward, barking loudly, its fur bristling, ready to attack. ¡°You damn mutt, get lost!¡± Mohji, though beaten up by Luffy, wasn¡¯t about to fear a dog. He immediately ordered Richie to teach Xiuxiu a lesson. ¡°Looks like you haven¡¯t had enough of being beaten. Do you really want to get punched again?¡± Qin Ming was breathing heavily, but he endured the pain from his wounds, glaring coldly at Mohji. At first glance, Mohji seemed to be wearing a doll-like headpiece, which looked ridiculous, but it was actually his hair. Riding his lion, whip in hand, Mohji looked down at Qin Ming, who was pale and covered in blood, clearly severely injured. Mohji felt reassured. ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m the vice-captain of Buggy¡¯s crew. How dare you talk to me like that?¡± Xiuxiu suddenly lunged at the lion Mohji was riding, but the lion swatted it away. ¡°So what if we burned down a lousy pet shop? That straw-hat kid came after me just for that. You damn mutt are too much! Kill it, Richie!¡± Remembering how Luffy had beaten him up, Mohji felt a lingering fear but also a growing hatred for Xiuxiu. Seeing the dog again, he couldn¡¯t hold back and ordered his lion to tear Xiuxiu to pieces. ¡°Not while I¡¯m here!¡± Qin Ming stepped forward, shielding Xiuxiu, his gaze growing colder as he looked at Mohji and the lion. ¡°You¡¯re covered in wounds, barely able to stand, and you still want to protect a dog? Are you insane?¡± Mohji saw Qin Ming swaying unsteadily, looking like he might collapse at any moment, yet he still stood up to protect the dog. Mohji thought Qin Ming must be crazy. ¡°I almost feel sorry for you,¡± Qin Ming said, glancing at Xiuxiu, who was struggling to get up after being swatted by the lion. He slowly walked toward Mohji. ¡°You and your stupid lion were just beaten up, and now I¡¯m about to do it again. Are you ready?¡± ¡°What? With your injured body? With one hand useless, barely able to walk without gasping for breath, you think you can take me on?¡± Mohji and his lion laughed at Qin Ming, especially the lion, which snorted disdainfully, clearly not taking Qin Ming seriously. It was no wonder. Qin Ming looked severely injured, his aura weak, and his right hand hung unnaturally, the bone visible through the deep wound. Mohji thought Qin Ming was just bluffing. ¡°Injured? One hand useless? Barely able to walk? Even if I were a cripple, none of that would stop me from beating you up!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s voice grew stronger, and by the end, it was like thunder, startling Mohji and his lion. Before Mohji could react, Qin Ming leaped forward and kicked him off the lion. Mohji crashed to the ground, howling in pain, rolling around, his whip lost somewhere. The lion, Richie, seeing its master thrown off, roared angrily and lunged at Qin Ming, jaws wide open. ¡°Your breath stinks. Keep your mouth shut!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s left foot shot up, slamming the lion¡¯s jaws shut. The lion bit its own tongue, whimpering in pain, but this only enraged it further. As the lion swiped its massive paw at Qin Ming, Qin Ming dodged and headbutted the lion with full force, sending it reeling in pain. ¡°I¡¯ll flip you!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s forehead was bruised, but he ignored it. With his left hand, he grabbed the lion¡¯s neck fur and executed a powerful shoulder throw. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Using just one arm, Qin Ming slammed the massive lion to the ground, causing the earth to shake slightly and dust to rise. The lion lay sprawled on the ground, twitching, unable to get up for the time being. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn,¡± Qin Ming said, shaking his left hand and slowly walking towards Mohji, who had just gotten up, trembling in fear. Qin Ming was breathing heavily, his steps slow but steady, though more blood seeped from his wounds. As Qin Ming approached, Mohji felt a chill, his body trembling as if he were facing a monster. Mohji¡¯s mind screamed at him to run, but Qin Ming¡¯s cold, piercing gaze paralyzed him with fear. What terrified Mohji the most was that Qin Ming, who had been swaying unsteadily just moments ago, now walked with perfect stability, as if uninjured. Mohji¡¯s throat dried up as he stammered, ¡°How can you still stand? You monster!¡± ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t have the habit of collapsing before my enemies!¡± Qin Ming¡¯s face was even paler now, but he raised his left fist, ready to deliver a final blow. ¡°Are you really going to oppose Buggy¡¯s crew for a dog? Wait, are you with that straw-hat kid?¡± Mohji, seeing Qin Ming¡¯s expression, suddenly remembered the boy who had beaten him so badly. Their eyes were exactly the same.Trembling, Mohji made one last desperate attempt to avoid being beaten. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯re right. We are together. I¡¯ll be going after your captain soon, but beating up the vice-captain first isn¡¯t a bad idea. And that dog you mentioned? It saved my life. Isn¡¯t it only right that I do something for it in return?¡± With that, Qin Ming punched Mohji square in the face. ¡°You and your stupid lion, bullying a loyal and brave dog¡ªwas it fun?¡± Mohji was sent flying into a building, unconscious. Qin Ming gasped for breath, staggering slightly, then turned to Xiuxiu, who had run up to him. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll take down that bastard Buggy together.¡± Xiuxiu rubbed against Qin Ming¡¯s leg, seemingly understanding him, its barks now full of vigor. And so, Qin Ming and Xiuxiu walked forward, step by step. Mohji, his face twisted in pain, struggled to crawl out of the rubble, watching Qin Ming¡¯s retreating figure with a mix of hatred and fear. But soon, the hatred faded, replaced by sheer terror. Mohji could clearly see that with every step Qin Ming took, he left behind a trail of bloody footprints, yet his back remained straight, like a man who would never fall. This was Mohji¡¯s last thought before he passed out. The blazing sun shone down on Qin Ming and Xiuxiu, casting their long shadows as they slowly moved forward¡­ Chapter 25 - All the Same Chapter 25: All the Same Qin Ming, leaving bloody footprints with every step, moved forward with Xiuxiu towards the largest bar in town, where loud noises could be heard. As they got closer, Qin Ming could faintly hear voices. ¡°Old man, are you insane? Treasures are supposed to be gold, silver, and jewels¡ªthings that shine and show off the owner¡¯s prestige!¡± Even from a street away, Qin Ming recognized Buggy¡¯s voice. ¡°This poor, rundown town is your treasure? You must be joking!¡± Buggy¡¯s voice rose sharply as he shouted at an old man wearing glasses. The old man, with wrinkled forehead, white hair, and a furious expression, was the mayor of , Boodle. Boodle had finally snapped when he saw Buggy bombarding the town and decided to confront him. Forty years ago, the town had been burned to the ground by pirates, leaving nothing but ruins. Under Boodle¡¯s leadership, the villagers had worked together to rebuild from scratch. Over four decades, the once-charred land had grown into a modest town. But now, Buggy¡¯s crew was wreaking havoc, and Buggy himself had destroyed a third of the town with his cannons. For Boodle, who had poured his heart and soul into for forty years, this was unbearable. Seeing Luffy and the others fighting Buggy¡¯s crew, Boodle¡¯s anger boiled over, and he bravely challenged Buggy to protect the town he cherished. To Boodle, was his most precious treasure, a place he had dedicated his life to. But to Buggy, who only valued gold and jewels, the town was insignificant and easily destroyed. ¡°You scoundrel! You have no idea how much I¡¯ve poured into this place! If you have any guts, fight me one-on-one!¡± Boodle¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead as he cursed at Buggy. ¡°Hahaha, this is hilarious! An old man who doesn¡¯t know his place dares to challenge our captain!¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s lived this long and still has no self-awareness. How pathetic!¡± Buggy¡¯s crew burst into laughter, mocking the sixty-year-old Boodle. ¡°You want to duel me? Old man, what do you think pirates are?¡± Buggy¡¯s face darkened as he extended his right hand towards Boodle. With a whoosh, Buggy¡¯s detached hand flew through the air and grabbed Boodle by the neck, lifting him off the ground. ¡°Let me go, you monster!¡± Boodle struggled, gasping for air as Buggy¡¯s hand tightened around his throat. ¡°Captain, finish him off!¡± Buggy¡¯s crew cheered, laughing as they watched Boodle¡¯s face contort in pain. Buggy had been about to head out to find his missing vice-captain, Mohji, and strategist, Cabaji, when Boodle confronted him. Unbeknownst to Buggy, both Mohji and Cabaji were already lying unconscious elsewhere. Earlier, Buggy had sent Mohji and Cabaji to investigate the commotion in town. After Luffy¡¯s intense clash with Qin Ming, Boodle, who had been hiding in fear, emerged. When Luffy and the others went to find Qin Ming, they saw Mohji attacking Xiuxiu. Luffy promptly beat Mohji and his men. Later, Luffy encountered Zoro, who had rescued three of Buggy¡¯s men. These men, recognizing Nami, attacked her in revenge for her earlier deception. Nami had tricked them, stolen their ship and treasure, and left them to suffer a storm at sea. Luckily for them, they had stumbled upon Zoro, who was chasing after Luffy and Qin Ming, and managed to survive. However, after threatening Zoro, they were beaten to a pulp by him and forced to row his boat. When these men saw Nami again, they attacked but were quickly dealt with by Zoro. Meanwhile, Cabaji arrived with more men. Zoro, seeing Cabaji wield a sword, engaged him in a duel, while Luffy handled the rest. Cabaji¡¯s flashy, circus-like swordplay bored Zoro, who swiftly defeated him. By the time Zoro finished with Cabaji, more time had passed. As for Nami, she was shocked when Qin Ming was sent flying after his clash with Luffy. She wanted to find Qin Ming but hesitated, torn between her concern for him and her anger at his deception. The memory of their accidental kiss also made her reluctant. Nami¡¯s feelings were complicated. She was moved by Luffy¡¯s actions in helping Xiuxiu and was surprised to see Zoro, a renowned pirate hunter, become a pirate. Yet, she couldn¡¯t shake her resentment towards Qin Ming for hiding his identity. Nami thought. From Qin Ming¡¯s perspective, he didn¡¯t feel he had deceived Nami. She had approached him for cooperation without asking about his identity, and they had worked together to steal the map from . Nami had never expected Qin Ming to be a pirate, especially one who had been lying inside a treasure chest when they first met. After dealing with Cabaji, Luffy and the others went to find Qin Ming but realized Boodle had gone missing. Luffy guessed Boodle had gone to confront Buggy and decided to split up¡ªZoro would find Qin Ming, while Luffy and Nami would stop Boodle. Zoro, true to form, got lost almost immediately. Thus, when Qin Ming regained consciousness, no one came to find him. ¡°How does it feel? This is what you get for challenging me!¡± Buggy¡¯s detached hand continued to choke Boodle, lifting him higher. ¡°This¡­ is nothing!¡± Despite the pain and difficulty breathing, Boodle used his fists to strike Buggy¡¯s hand, effectively hitting his own throat. Blood soon spilled from his mouth. ¡°Ow! Who punches their own throat?¡± Buggy¡¯s detached hand could still feel pain, and the repeated blows caused his arm to twitch. Even as he coughed up blood, Boodle didn¡¯t stop. His eyes, behind his glasses, were red with determination. He had one thought: At least let me land one blow, or I¡¯ll die with regrets. ¡°You¡¯ve wasted enough of my time. Die!¡± Just as Buggy was about to finish Boodle, his detached hand suddenly felt intense pain. ¡°Straw Hat guy¡­ who are you?¡± Buggy saw a straw-hatted boy forcibly yank his hand away from Boodle¡¯s neck, squeezing it tightly. For some reason, the sight of the straw hat dude made Buggy uneasy, reminding him of someone who had delayed his dreams. ¡°I¡¯m here to punch you!¡± Luffy declared, still holding Buggy¡¯s hand. ¡°Punch me? Just the two of you?¡± Buggy glanced at Nami, who stood further back. ¡°Captain, that woman stole our map!¡± one of the pirates shouted. ¡°What? She dares show her face here?¡± Buggy¡¯s gaze turned hostile as he looked at Nami. ¡°You! Hand over the map! We¡¯re heading to the , and with my powerful , we¡¯ll make a name for ourselves there. Maybe even find the legendary treasure!¡± Buggy¡¯s crew cheered, envisioning their dominance in the . ¡°Wrong! I¡¯ll be the one to find the legendary treasure! Because I¡¯m going to be the King of the Pirates!¡± Luffy adjusted his straw hat, his expression serious. The laughter stopped abruptly. Buggy and his crew stared at Luffy in disbelief before bursting into even louder, mocking laughter. ¡°King of the Pirates? A thief like you? That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve ever heard!¡± Buggy couldn¡¯t stop laughing, thinking Luffy was just a thief like Nami. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? I¡¯m a pirate. Wanting to be the King of the Pirates is natural, isn¡¯t it?¡± Luffy stepped forward, his body covered in bruises and his left hand still bleeding from his fight with Qin Ming. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re pirates! This is between him and me! I¡¯ll protect my town myself¡ªI don¡¯t need your help!¡± Boodle, coughing up blood, shouted angrily at Luffy. Before Buggy could respond, Luffy punched Boodle, knocking him out cold. Everyone was stunned. ¡°What are you doing? Why did you hit the mayor?¡± Nami yelled, seeing Boodle bleeding and unconscious. ¡°He was in the way!¡± Luffy replied bluntly. ¡°Even so, you didn¡¯t have to go that far! He¡¯s hurt!¡± Nami continued to scold Luffy, but he ignored her and shouted at Buggy, ¡°Big Nose!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nami was dumbfounded, and even Buggy¡¯s crew froze. ¡°You idiot! I told you not to say that to him!¡± Nami panicked, remembering how Qin Ming would have handled things differently. ¡°You¡¯re the one who caused all the trouble earlier, right? How dare you¡­ how dare you call me that!¡± Buggy, who hated being called ¡°Big Nose,¡± was furious. He ordered his crew, ¡°Fire the ! Blow this town and them to pieces!¡± The pirates scrambled to the top of the bar, where their cannons were stationed. As Buggy¡¯s crew prepared to fire, Qin Ming and Xiuxiu arrived on the scene. ¡°Buggy, there you are.¡± Qin Ming walked forward, pale and covered in blood. His slow, deliberate steps left bloody footprints, and the scent of blood filled the air. ¡°Qin Ming?¡± Nami was shocked to see Qin Ming in such a state. She ran over, her concern evident. She reached out to touch his blood-soaked clothes but hesitated. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be this badly injured. she thought regretfully. Qin Ming¡¯s face was deathly pale, and he looked like he could collapse at any moment. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re safe. I have something to do first. We¡¯ll talk later.¡± Seeing the worry in Nami¡¯s eyes, Qin Ming sighed inwardly. He walked past Nami and exchanged a glance with Luffy. Seeing Luffy calm, Qin Ming knew the hothead had cooled down. If Luffy had still wanted to fight, he would have charged at Qin Ming regardless of his condition. Qin Ming thought. Standing about twenty meters from Buggy, Qin Ming took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Get over here and face your death, you damn big-nosed freak!!!!!¡± As Qin Ming challenged Buggy, Xiuxiu barked loudly beside him, ¡°What?! You brat!!¡± Buggy, already furious, was sent into a rage by Qin Ming¡¯s words. ¡°Hahaha, well said, Qin Ming!¡± Luffy laughed heartily. Nami, still worried about Qin Ming, nearly cried out in frustration. Meanwhile, on the bar¡¯s top floor, the pirates fumbled with the cannons, startled by Qin Ming¡¯s shout. Three misfired shots echoed through the air. The deafening cannon blasts and Qin Ming¡¯s booming voice filled the sky, leaving Buggy seething with rage, veins popping on his forehead¡­