Seeing that his attributes had not increased at all, Luo Ye couldn't help but shake his head. It was unrealistic to expect the pirates of East Blue to provide him with any significant power boosts. He needed to settle matters here quickly so he could move on to the New World, where stronger pirates awaited.
Like many others who had traversed into the world of One Piece, Luo Ye had activated a system called "The Strongest Hunting" after arriving in this world. As long as the prey was successfully killed, abilities would be dropped from the defeated foe. The stronger the opponent, the stronger the abilities Luo Ye could acquire.
Over the years, Luo Ye had defeated countless pirates, steadily improving his strength. Pirates like the Bloody Hand, who only slaughtered civilians and had bounties of no more than 8 million berries, had little to offer in terms of growth.
"It's better to hunt down someone like Golden Lion Shiki," Luo Ye muttered, shaking his head.
In this world, Shiki had not been locked in Impel Down after being defeated by Luffy as in the original story. Instead, Luo Ye had tracked him down and personally ended his life. The abilities he obtained from Shiki had been an incredible boon, particularly the power of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Float-Float Fruit), which had given him remarkable control over gravity. Luo Ye was very satisfied with this acquisition. Not only did he possess the ability, but the side effects of the Devil Fruit had no impact on him.
"Well, it looks like I'll have to visit Theresaros when I return," Luo Ye mused.
Thinking of Doflamingo and his misfortune, Luo Ye sighed. If any of the other Admirals were dispatched, at best, Doflamingo would be locked in Impel Down. But if Luo Ye took action, Doflamingo wouldn't have a chance to survive.
At that moment, Luo Ye frowned, staring at the overturned pirate ship. "Come out, don't hide," he called out.
The sailors on the warship immediately tensed at Luo Ye's words. They had thought all the pirates had been wiped out and were preparing to leave. But now it seemed that there was still one who had slipped through the cracks.
"Damn, I'm being humiliated in front of the Admiral!" Kurts muttered bitterly.
Just as he was about to have someone investigate, a blonde-haired girl timidly emerged from the back of the ship.
"A woman?" Kurts' vigilance spiked. Women who went to sea as pirates were often tough and formidable, and he suspected this one was no exception.
Seeing the sailors preparing to act, the girl quickly explained, "Please wait, I'm not a pirate!"
Kurts wasn't going to trust her so easily. "If you're not a pirate, why were you on a pirate ship?"
"I… I was going to steal their treasure…"
Everyone on the warship was momentarily stunned. Stealing from pirates? This woman must be incredibly bold!
"My name is Nami, and I'm from Cocoa West Village. I hate pirates more than anything. I would never join a pirate crew, please believe me!"
Luo Ye quickly recognized her as the navigator from Luffy's crew in the original timeline—Nami.
Nami had snuck onto the Bloody Hand Pirates' ship intending to steal their treasure, but before she could finish the job, the ship was sunk. Thankfully, it was the Marines who had destroyed it, or Nami feared her luck would have run out completely. These Marines were different from the corrupt officers back in her hometown, and she felt like she was seeing a different side of the organization.
"She's not a pirate. Let her go," Luo Ye said nonchalantly to his adjutant.
He hadn't expected to encounter Nami here, still playing the same old game of stealing treasure.
The adjutant looked uneasy. "Mr. Admiral, are you sure about this?"
"Admiral?" Nami froze at the mention of the title.
A Marine Admiral—how powerful must he be? And if he were willing to help, could he even save her village, Cocoa West?
Without hesitation, Nami shouted, "Mr. Admiral, I'm really not a pirate! I can prove it—if you come to my hometown, you'll see for yourself!"
Cocoa West Village? Luo Ye paused. If memory served, Cocoa West Village was under the control of Donquixote Doflamingo's forces, and the corrupt Colonel Mouse from the East Blue branch worked with the Evil Dragon, who occupied the village.
At this point, Nami didn't expect Marine forces from a branch to help, but seeing an Admiral like Luo Ye made her cautiously hopeful. Perhaps this was a chance.
Luo Ye considered her request. "I'll go, but you don't need to give me your treasure," he said after a pause.
Nami, who had been holding back tears, froze in surprise. "Really? Thank you, Mr. Admiral! Thank you so much!"
Nami was ecstatic, her fears momentarily forgotten as she saw the first true hope in a long time. This Marine Admiral might be the key to saving Cocoa West Village from the clutches of the Dragon and the pirates.