Adrian suddenly spoke.
Nojiko's heart jumped violently.
How does he know my name?!
That was terrifying.
If someone knew your name, maybe they just heard it somewhere.
But if someone knew about you…
That meant they understood you.
And someone who understood you was someone you couldn't deceive.
"I—I… I'm not Nojiko. You've got the wrong person."
She denied it immediately.
Maybe he knew her, maybe he didn't.
Maybe he'd just overheard the name.
Either way—
She absolutely wasn't going to admit it.
But Adrian just shook his head.
"Denying it is useless. You live in Cocoyasi Village. You have a younger sister named Nami. Your mother was Bell-mère. And your entire village knows about Nami's deal with Arlong, yet everyone pretends they don't, forcing her to shoulder it alone."
He smiled faintly.
"Want me to say more?"
Nojiko's mind shattered on the spot.
"How… how do you know so much?!"
Her eyes widened, filled with disbelief and fear.
Adrian leaned slightly forward.
"How I know isn't your concern. What you should care about is this—if you don't obey me… I guarantee not only you will die, but the entire Cocoyasi Village will die with you."
He said it with a gentle tone and a bright smile.
The kind of smile that chilled her to the bone.
Nojiko trembled.
The proof of his danger was lying right beside them—
Salt-Broiled's corpse.
And there was the other man—
the one wearing bandages, standing expressionless behind Adrian.
Even at a glance earlier, she had felt an overwhelming pressure from him.
Arlong's aura was brutal and frightening—
but compared to this man?
Arlong felt like a thug.
This one felt like a mass murderer drenched in blood.
"What… exactly do you want?"
Nojiko took a deep breath, steadying the chaos inside her.
She had to understand their intentions.
If they meant harm to Cocoyasi Village—
She would rather die than lead them there.
Adrian smiled politely.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself."
"My surname is Grim, given name Adrian. You can call me Adrian."
"My profession—outlaw."
"Although I've just debuted, I have big dreams. Right now, my outlaw crew is just me and this subordinate. I don't understand the seas well, so I need a navigator. A cook would also be nice."
"And based on my intel, your sister Nami has exceptional talent as a navigator. Perfect for joining my outlaw crew. You, on the other hand, seem like you can cook. So—both of you should join us."
Nojiko froze.
She had prepared herself for anything—
Except recruitment.
He continued cheerfully:
"At first I just wanted you to guide me to Arlong Park so I could run an outlaw operation. But I suddenly remembered: if I want to live as an outlaw, I'll eventually need to sail. And while Zabuza comes from the Land of Water, that doesn't mean he's a professional navigator. His main job is being a ninja. Navigation is at best a side skill."
"Why rely on amateurs—when professionals exist?"
"And since I'm still a newbie outlaw, and my first job only got me an E-rank… that's unacceptable."
"So I thought—why not commit another outlaw action?"
"Kidnapping counts, right?"
He shrugged casually.
He hadn't tried it yet.
But it definitely should count.
And more importantly—
Nojiko and Nami were significant characters in this sea.
Their involvement would surely raise the impact of any outlaw event.
And impact meant higher ratings.
"So—are you going to obediently lead us there?"
"Or are you going to refuse, making us kill you, then go to Cocoyasi Village ourselves… and slaughter everyone there?"
Adrian leaned in, smiling warmly.
"Choose, Nojiko. I'm really looking forward to your answer."
A jolt of adrenaline ran through him.
God… being an outlaw feels ridiculously good.
Translators's Thoughts:
Adrian has officially stepped into full villain-protagonist mode—calm, smiling, and terrifyingly persuasive. Poor Nojiko walked in hoping to help strangers and ended up facing a man who not only knows her entire backstory but casually threatens an entire village while recruiting her and Nami like it's a job interview.
And the worst part? Adrian is enjoying it.
Our rookie outlaw is evolving fast… and Cocoyasi Village is about to experience a storm unlike anything Arlong ever caused. Stay tuned!
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