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On the sparkling surface of the sea, a gentle breeze pushed their small boat steadily into the distance. After hearing Nami's explanation, Satori blinked, processing the new term.
"The Grand Line?"
He remembered Garp mentioning it once—a place described as a "graveyard" for the weak but a paradise for the strong.
"Yes," Nami nodded firmly. "It's not like the East Blue. It's incredibly prosperous, a place where everyone with a dream wants to go. Most importantly, that's where the powerful individuals gather. If a tournament claims to be the 'World's Number One,' it wouldn't be held in a remote place like this. It has to be in the Grand Line."
Satori pinched his chin, nodding as the logic clicked. "Then we really should go there. But..." He ruffled his hair in frustration. "It's already been over a month. The tournament must be over. If I find the location now, Grandpa Master Roshi and Krillin will already be gone!"
Seeing his rare troubled expression, Nami couldn't help but reach over and pinch his cheek. He looks so cute when he's worried, she thought. She offered a reassuring smile. "Satori, don't worry. If they participated in such a huge event, they would have left records or information at the venue. Even if they've left, we can find out where they went next."
Satori looked up, his eyes wide with hope. "Really?"
"Really. Would I lie to you?"
Satori shook his head earnestly. "No, I trust you." In the half-month they had spent together, Nami had become his most reliable companion. He clenched his small fists, determination burning in his gaze. "Then it's settled! Next stop: the Grand Line!"
The duo returned to an uninhabited desert island that served as their secret base. In a hidden cave, Nami laid out their accumulated treasure. She divided it into two equal piles, despite Satori's previous offer to give her everything.
Nami took a deep breath, looking at him intently. "Satori, I want to ask... are you willing to take me with you to the Grand Line?"
Satori tilted his head, genuinely confused. "What are you talking about? Aren't we going together?"
Nami felt a sudden, warm sense of relief. A genuine smile broke across her face. "Hehe, alright then! From now on, you'll be the Captain, and I'll be your Navigator!"
"Huh?" Satori blinked.
"As your Navigator, I have to tell you: our current boat is way too small for the Grand Line. We need a real ship, and those cost a lot of money." She pointed at the treasure. "You're the Captain, so you should pay for it. But..." she took a box from her own pile and added it to his, "since I'm the crew, I'll bear some of the cost too."
Satori watched her move the boxes, completely bewildered by her financial logic.
"We're still a little short," Nami continued, her eyes gleaming with a plan. "But I've located a group of pirates nearby. Their Captain has a bounty of 15 million Berries—the highest we've ever faced. If we take him down, we'll have enough money. Plus, they supposedly have a navigation chart for the Grand Line. It's killing two birds with one stone!"
Satori's fighting spirit flared up. "So, if we beat them, we can set off?"
Nami snapped her fingers. "Bingo! But be careful, Satori. This guy is much stronger than the ones before. Do you have the confidence to win?"
Satori raised his eyebrows and gave a heavy, determined nod. "Of course! No matter who it is, I'll definitely defeat him!"
Apple Town
The town was eerie and deserted; the residents had long since fled or hidden. However, in the central square, a rowdy banquet was in full swing.
"Wahahahaha! With the navigation chart of the Grand Line in my hands, my—Buggy's—era is about to begin!"
Buggy the Clown, a former apprentice of the Roger Pirates and an old acquaintance of Red-Haired Shanks, stood before his crew, hoisting a sake bowl high.
"Captain Buggy! Your leadership is flashy and brilliant!" his subordinates cheered, their faces flushed red with drink.
Buggy laughed up at the sky, unaware that a small boy and a clever Navigator were already closing in on his 15-million-Berry bounty.