"Wow! This town is huge!" A boy wearing a straw hat gazed at the bustling crowds of Loguetown, his face brimming with excitement.
"I'm going to see the execution platform!" Luffy shouted, then dashed off ahead, leaving the others behind.
"Hey! Luffy!" A long-nosed man started to call out to his captain, but Sanji clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"No need to worry, Usopp. Luffy's not that moss-headed idiot." The curly-browed cook blew out a ring of smoke, glanced around for a moment, then continued, "So this is where the Great Age of Piracy began, huh? Honestly, though, it's way too lively." (And so many beautiful ladies.) Sanji thought to himself.
"Yeah, after all, the Goldglint Trading Company's headquarters is right here in Loguetown," the orange-haired navigator said, rubbing her smooth chin. "I've heard their fashion is unrivaled in the East Blue. I absolutely have to check it out while we're here!"
Usopp nodded. "Mm, I need to buy some tools and equipment, too."
"I'm going to see if there's any good ingredients." (And beautiful ladies.) Sanji's lips curled into a sleazy grin.
"I've got stuff to buy, too," the green-haired swordsman said seriously.
"I can lend you some," Nami said with a smile like a cat that had just stolen a fish.
"But it'll be triple interest!"
Zoro's face darkened with black lines...
After parting ways with the crew, Nami set off alone in search of the Goldglint Trading Company's clothing store.
The streets of Loguetown were wide, lined with countless shops. Nami noticed something they all had in common: every sign bore the emblem of a golden iris, marking them as properties of the Goldglint Trading Company.
Stopping and starting along the way, Nami arrived at the entrance of a particularly lavish clothing store. She checked the name, stepped inside, and her eyes instantly sparkled like stars. After all, women are born to love clothes.
Excitedly picking up a gorgeous dress, Nami was just about to find a fitting room when a thoroughly revolting voice interrupted her.
"Miss, have you found something you like?"
Nami shuddered and turned toward the voice. There stood a sleazy-looking fat man, dressed head to toe in name brands, a golden iris emblem pinned to his chest. His fingers, neck, and ears dripped with gold and jewels—a textbook nouveau riche. Several black-suited men trailed behind him, clearly bodyguards.
Nami felt a wave of nausea. How does a weirdo like this even exist?
"Mr. Loki," a store clerk approached and gave the fat man a slight bow, but the man paid him no mind.
Loki ogled Nami up and down with his beady little eyes, his face the picture of a lecherous pig.
"Miss, whatever clothes you like, just tell me. This whole store belongs to my family!" Loki declared proudly.
Nami's expression froze. What kind of top-tier idiot is this?
I'm King Sucker, dumb and loaded—don't miss your chance!
That's what Nami read on Loki's greasy, overflowing face.
Her bright, lively eyes blinked. A slight smile curved her lips, and she looked at Loki like he was a walking, talking ATM.
After more than a year away, Sherlock stepped foot on his homeland once again. He tugged at the hood over his head and walked the familiar yet strange streets of Loguetown. The clack-clack of his leather boots echoed beneath him, and the faint excitement in his heart gradually settled.
Let's see... the annual East Blue Cooking Competition is being held today, isn't it? Too bad I can't be a judge anymore. The thought left Sherlock feeling a little down.
Just then, a commotion rose in the distance. Sherlock turned to look and saw two towering pirates squaring off against a female Marine. A fight was inevitable.
The Marine wore glasses, had delicate features, and a slender build. A swift sword hung at her waist, forming a stark contrast with the ferocious pirates.
Sherlock's eyes narrowed slightly. One hand slipped inconspicuously toward the pistol at his waist. But what happened next far exceeded his expectations.
A flash of blade light. The combatants swapped positions. The two pirates collapsed, slashed multiple times. The female Marine half-raised her sword in a graceful pose.
Oh. So besides the trash at Branch Four, the Marines do have some skilled ones... Sherlock thought.
But then—perhaps losing her balance—the Marine pitched forward and performed a classic face-plant right on the flat ground. Even the glasses on her nose flew off, landing at the feet of a green-haired man. The surrounding townsfolk burst into good-natured laughter.
Hm. A powerful airhead. Sherlock raised an eyebrow, finding it amusing. And those glasses look like the same brand as mine.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. He slipped through the crowd and left.
On the other side, Zoro bent down in mild surprise and picked up the Marine's glasses. He hadn't expected someone with such masterful swordsmanship to have such terrible balance.
"Hey, your glasses." Zoro held them out.
"Ah, thank you so much!" Dasqi smiled gratefully at the blurry figure before her.
"!!!"
But when Zoro got a clear look at the Marine's face, his expression changed drastically. He froze as if struck by lightning, unconsciously tightening his grip on the glasses.
Crack~ The sound of shattering glass rang out crisp and clear...
"She should be at headquarters by now," Sherlock murmured to himself as he walked on. Passing a clothing store, a familiar voice caught his attention.
"Oh my god, it's gorgeous!"
"So sexy—my goddess!"
"Elegant and unrivaled!"
"Is that the idiot Loki?" Sherlock's eyes narrowed. After a moment's thought, he turned and entered the store.
At that moment, Nami stood in a pink qipao. The exquisite craftsmanship not only perfectly accentuated her curvaceous figure but also lent her a seductive charm no young girl should possess. The combination made the naturally stunning navigator breathtakingly alluring. Loki, the lustful glutton, nearly popped his eyes out staring.
"Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Wrap this one up too!" Loki bellowed extravagantly. Dozens of already-packaged outfits sat beside him.
"Loki." The voice was soft, almost flat, but it exploded like thunder in Loki's mind.
Loki spun around in panic and found a dark figure standing silently before him. Beneath the wide hood, his face was hidden, shrouded in mystery.
"Long time no see." Sherlock pushed up his glasses and spoke calmly.
Even with the hood, that familiar gesture was enough. Loki's expression turned to shock; the fat on his face quivered from sheer astonishment.
"Didn't you die a year ago?!"
"Well, maybe I just got lucky." Sherlock's gaze flicked subtly toward Nami, who was still browsing clothes. He studied her for a moment, then asked, "Your girlfriend?"
Nami, who had been eavesdropping, nearly tore the dress in her hands.
"Just kidding. What girl would be blind enough to fall for you?" Without giving Loki a chance to retort, Sherlock continued, "Come here a second. I've got a question." With that, he turned and walked out.
Having once experienced Sherlock's methods, Loki didn't dare disobey his brother. He muttered a few instructions to his bodyguards, then waddled after him on his massive belly.
Seeing the disgusting fat pig leave with the mysterious cloaked man, Nami let out a quiet breath of relief. While the black-cloaked figure had been there, she'd felt his gaze on her—like a prickling on her back that made her feel inexplicably guilty, like a thief.
She had the staff wrap up the final dress, gave a slight bow to one of Loki's bodyguards, and said, "Please thank your boss for me later." Ignoring the bodyguard's attempts to keep her, she slung an absurdly large bag over her shoulder and walked out.
It was hard to imagine how her slender frame managed to carry such an enormous load.
Nami hummed a tune, her mood sky-high as she lugged a massive bag of brand-new clothes she hadn't paid a single beri for.
Reaching the area near the shore, she noticed the crowd suddenly thicken. From the decorations and stalls, some kind of event was clearly about to start—lively and festive.
Nami glanced left and right. Suddenly, she spotted a familiar long nose in the crowd.
"Usopp, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, Nami." Usopp had a large pack slung over his back, clearly having scored plenty of loot. He pointed ahead. "They're holding a cooking competition here, and..."
Following his finger, Nami saw a blond, curly-browed man lounging in the contestants' prep area, listlessly puffing smoke.
"Sanji? What's he doing entering this contest?" Nami was utterly baffled.
Duang~ A gong sounded.
A man dressed as the host stepped up, rattled off a long string of boring opening remarks, then gestured toward the judges' table.
"Next, allow me to introduce our distinguished judges..."
"Tch, so much hot air." Sanji spat out a puff of smoke in irritation. His visible right eye followed the host's introduction to the judges' table—then he froze in shock!
"Ahem, and finally, we are truly honored to have Miss Anna, president of the Goldglint Trading Company, join us as a special guest judge for this cooking competition!" The host's voice rose dramatically.
A slender, pale-blonde beauty rose from her seat and gave a slight nod to the crowd below. Instantly, thunderous applause erupted, accompanied by whistles and screams—led by a certain curly-browed man shouting loudest of all.
"Ah! Is this fate bringing us together? Miss Anna...!" Sanji's exposed right eye turned into a heart. His whole body twisted bonelessly.
Nami and Usopp locked eyes in the crowd, both wearing identical expressions of this guy is too embarrassing; I don't know him.
"That idiot!" x2