"Calm down. Are you seriously starting to think you're his navigator?"
Nami slapped her cheeks and opened the door.
The moment she stepped outside, she looked up.
Luffy leaped into the air.
Immediately afterward, a gigantic fist that seemed to blot out the sky appeared before her eyes.
"S-So big."
Nami's mouth fell open.
......
Could a rubber man become a giant?
That was the question Luffy had been thinking about yesterday.
Before all this, he'd thought his existing techniques were already good enough.
There was no need to waste more time thinking up new ones.
But yesterday, whenever he stopped concentrating on experimenting with and developing his abilities, that countdown immediately started ringing beside his ear.
And then came the reaction.
It hadn't given him even the slightest opportunity to slack off.
So in only a single day, Luffy had managed to figure out this new technique.
Its name was—
"Gum-Gum Giant Pistol!"
Aboard the warship, the Marines from Headquarters were preparing to show off their skills when they suddenly looked up and saw a fist large enough to blot out the sky.
"You've gotta be kidding me?!"
"Why the hell is there a giant in the East Blue?!"
"That's not a giant! It's a Devil Fruit ability!"
"Fire!"
Rody's eyes widened as he hurriedly issued orders.
Where the hell had he ended up?
Anyone who didn't know better would think he'd somehow sailed into the Grand Line.
Giants were pure monsters when it came to raw stats.
When it came down to it, size was power.
Even among the Marines, having a larger body provided an obvious advantage.
That was even more true among pirates.
Most famous great pirates were enormous.
Something like that appearing in a small sea like the East Blue was practically unfair.
Ever seen a fist the size of a sandbag?
Well, forget a sandbag.
A fist almost bigger than the entire Marine warship was coming down.
The bullets striking the gigantic fist were completely useless.
Damn it!
"Iron Body!"
Rody's face darkened as he shouted.
As a commissioned officer from Marine Headquarters, he naturally knew at least one or two techniques from the Six Powers.
Ever since graduating from the training camp, Rody had devoted himself to mastering this particular technique.
Iron Body was invincible!
"Come on!"
Rody faced the Giant Pistol head-on.
The instant they collided, his face distorted.
Then more than half of the entire Marine warship was destroyed along with him.
Encounters between pirates and Marines were simply that brutal.
If this had been another pirate crew, after achieving a victory like this, they would've killed everyone and looted everything.
If some organization like the Cross Guild appeared a few years later, they might even capture the Marines and exchange them for bounties, completely turning the tables.
But Luffy and the others had no such intentions.
As long as the Marines couldn't fight anymore or chase after them, that was enough.
"Our captain is seriously that strong?!"
Usopp's eyes practically sparkled.
Why did some people get such ridiculously cool techniques?!
A giant!
He'd actually seen one!
Even if it was only a fist.
"It looked cool, but isn't the side effect a little too much?"
Zoro couldn't help staring at the figure falling from the sky.
"...Catch me, you bastards!"
Luffy yelled.
The technique had definitely looked cool.
But the side effects weren't small either.
His body had now shrunk down to the size of a child.
There was only one comforting thing.
【Automatically adjusting the plan according to the executor's current physical condition. Rest for three minutes, then replenish your energy with food for thirty minutes...】
I-I can eat?!
Could fights like this happen more often?
No.
The real problem right now was whether someone could catch him!
Even if he was rubber, falling from this height still hurt!
"Seriously. The moment I'm not around, you guys start causing trouble."
Nami gave a light snort.
Luffy felt himself crash into something soft.
Then he was lifted into the air.
Held up high.
"Nami, put me down!"
"What's the big deal? You're pretty cute when you look like a kid."
Nami smiled happily.
The moment she'd seen the side effects Luffy suffered, she'd already made her decision.
She wasn't going to agonize over it anymore.
As expected, asking Luffy and the others for help was simply too risky.
With how ruthless Arlong and his crew were, they would never show mercy.
One careless mistake could get them killed.
After this last job, she'd finally have the hundred million Berries she needed.
Then she could buy Cocoyasi Village back from Arlong.
After that, she could come back and become their navigator...
As for the money she was going to steal, couldn't she just consider it Luffy paying her salary in advance?!
"Nami, you're going to regret this."
Luffy gave her dead-fish eyes.
Do you have any idea how precious my hard-earned break time is?
And you're wasting it holding me up like a little kid.
Besides, Luffy had just awakened his passive talent.
The side effect that shrank his body would disappear soon.
Don't blame me for not warning you.
"Hehehe, I won't regret it. Whoever regrets it is a puppy."
"Are you worried you've lost your dignity as captain?"
Don't worry.
You didn't have much to begin with.
Nami had finally gotten a chance to mess with Luffy, and her mood had brightened considerably.
Just as she was preparing to put him down—
Suddenly.
Little Luffy became big again.
Nami didn't have time to react.
Her pupils abruptly contracted.
"Luffy?!"
With a scream, Nami flailed around helplessly, not knowing where to grab.
The sudden weight from above pressed directly down on her.
Then, like a little thieving cat, she instinctively started clawing at anything she could reach.