The second they stepped inside, Nami's slender arms wrapped around Chrollo's neck. Chrollo didn't hesitate; he slid his hand around her waist and leaned into the moment.
"Babe... you're honestly stunning," he murmured. "I can't wait to tell you some stories about the sea."
"A long night like this is best paired with red wine," Nami purred. "Let's keep the drinks flowing, and then... we can go until sunrise."
She gracefully spun away, expertly pulling two crystal glasses from the cabinet and filling them to the brim. While Chrollo's back was turned—or so she thought—she discreetly poured the white powder into his glass with a quick shake.
She turned back and handed him the spiked drink.
"Why don't we do a cross-cup toast?" Chrollo suggested, offering his arm.
"I'd love to~"
Their arms intertwined in a mock-intimate gesture as they raised their glasses, both wearing smiles that were as fake as they were charming. Nami didn't notice that at the exact moment their skin touched, a black-and-white compass pattern flickered onto her wrist before vanishing.
"By the way, I didn't catch your name, handsome," Nami said.
"Chrollo."
"Well then, Chrollo, here's to a very... deep sleep tonight."
"Sweet dreams," he replied.
Nami watched him drain the wine, a smug grin spreading across her face. Heh. It doesn't matter how amazing the man is; they all fold for my charm eventually. That watch and those earrings look like they're worth a fortune. I'm getting closer to that 100 million.
She felt a brief pang of regret as she looked at his near-perfect features. Honestly, if my life weren't such a mess, I'd actually want something to happen with a guy like this.
"It's getting late," she whispered. "Time to turn in."
"Yeah," Chrollo smiled at her. "Time to rest."
Wait... that's weird. Why are my eyelids getting so heavy? How strong was that wine...?
Then, the world went black.
---
"My head is killing me!"
Nami groaned as she blinked awake. She was still in the same room, but Chrollo was nowhere to be found.
"What happened? I was handing him the drink... how did I end up passing out?"
She rubbed her aching temples and instinctively reached for her inner pocket—the place where she kept her cash. A second later, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the inn:
"WHERE IS MY MONEY?!"
Nami sat there in total shock. "I'm a professional thief, and I just got robbed?!"
As she replayed the previous night in her head, the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "That bastard! He swapped the drinks!"
She checked her clothes—they were perfectly intact. She let out a small sigh of relief. "Okay, fine. He only stole my money, not... well, me."
Then her eyes narrowed. "Wait... a literal goddess was lying unconscious in front of him, and he just took the cash and left? Does he think I'm not attractive enough to bother with?! That jerk!"
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. All the money she had worked so hard to save was gone in a single night, and her ego had been completely trashed.
"Damn you, Chrollo! You absolute scumbag! If I ever see you again—!"
She started trashing the room in a fit of rage until a voice yelled from downstairs: "Hey! Who's breaking my furniture up there?!"
"S-sorry!" Nami squeaked, immediately bolting for the window.
She wandered the streets, aimlessly kicking a pebble as she replayed Chrollo's words from the night before.
"Well, look who it is... Nami." A mocking laugh snapped her back to reality.
She looked up and saw a yellow-haired Fishman with oversized lips. Hatred and fear flared in her eyes simultaneously. She forced a strained smile. "Oh... hey, Chew. What a coincidence, seeing you here."
"Ho-ro-ro-ro!" Chew circled her like a shark. "It's no coincidence. Arlong sent me to see how your 'map collecting' is going. Did you find it? That Grand Line chart hidden in Orange Town?"
He narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning predatory.
"Not... not yet."
"Don't play games with us!" Chew's voice turned cold. "Arlong said that if you try to run, everyone in Cocoyasi Village is toast."
"I... I know. I was just about to head back and report to him." Nami's smile turned bitter.
"Good. Then you're coming with me right now. By the way, the village's monthly 'protection fee' is due again." Chew glanced at Nami's pockets. "I hope you've gathered enough this time."
Nami followed him like a ghost, her spirit crushed.
---
Suddenly, it began to rain.
Nami tilted her head back, her face covered in a mix of rainwater and tears. The tiny spark of hope Chrollo had ignited the night before flickered and died, leaving her hollow.
My dream is dead.
How could someone like me ever hope to sail across the sea? People like me... we're just meant to live like rats in the gutter.
"God..." she whispered. "If there really is a heaven... why is this ocean full of demons? Someone... please save me..."
---
A pirate ship with a saw-shark flag quietly sailed away from Orange Town. Not long after, a gargantuan, whale-shaped cruise ship emerged from the shadows and began to tail it at a distance.
This was another of Chrollo's 23 Nen abilities:
> [Fate Echo Compass (Specialist Type)]
> [Activation Requirement: The user and target must make skin contact for at least 5 seconds—often in a cross-armed gesture. The user attaches a portion of their aura to the target, leaving a compass-shaped mark on their wrist.]
> [Effect: The user can precisely track the target's direction and location. They can even sense the target's current mood or state of mind.]
Because of the Black Whale's sheer size, tailing a pirate ship directly would be impossible without being spotted. But with this ability, it didn't matter how far Nami got; Chrollo knew exactly where she was going.
The pirate ship would lead them straight to Cocoyasi Village. The despair had set in, and the seeds of hope had been planted. Once Chrollo wiped out the Arlong Pirates—the nightmare that had haunted her for years—Nami would follow him to the ends of the earth.
"You had a drink with me, Nami," Chrollo whispered, sensing her crushing sadness through the mark. "That makes you part of my crew."
"You asked for a god? Well, you won't find one. But you did find a thief."
---
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