As the countdown crept closer and closer to zero, the muscles on Luffy's face twisted into an indescribably bizarre expression.
Half of his face still carried the lingering excitement from the battle earlier, the corner of his mouth stretched upward as though he wanted to laugh.
But the other half was desperately holding it back, clouded with despair because he had absolutely no idea what to do.
His eyes instantly turned red.
He looked like he might burst into tears at any moment.
That distorted expression, half crying and half laughing, froze on Luffy's face.
His eyes mechanically shifted around.
"Hey, hey, hey! Luffy, what's with that face?! You're freaking me out!"
Usopp had been lying exhausted on the deck, completely unwilling to move.
But the moment he saw Luffy completely lose control of his expression, a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
He immediately jumped to his feet.
He was terrified Luffy had come up with another insane idea.
Luffy had no time to pay attention to Usopp.
There was no doctor on the ship!
Even if you order me to learn medicine, there's no one to teach me!
The punishment countdown seemed to flash right before his eyes.
There was no sensation of electricity yet.
But memories of certain far more socially devastating random punishments came flooding back.
Suddenly, Luffy's fearfully widened pupils snapped into focus.
It was as though he'd grabbed onto a lifeline.
That's right.
There was still Nami!
Nami had been able to figure out what illness Yosaku had just from hearing about his symptoms.
Like a drowning man spotting a piece of driftwood, Luffy instantly regained his spirit.
Usopp and Johnny only saw a blur.
Thud!
Luffy vanished from the deck.
Only the cabin door remained, violently swinging back and forth.
Immediately afterward, a high-pitched scream erupted from the direction of Nami's room!
"Eek! Luffy?! You bastard!"
Nami's voice was filled with shock, embarrassment, and anger.
"Oh~ Ohhh~~"
Usopp and Johnny looked at each other.
Knowing smiles instantly appeared on their faces.
Usopp jabbed Johnny hard in the shoulder with his elbow, wiggling his eyebrows and snickering.
"See? I told you before."
"So it's really true!"
...
Inside Nami's room, she was in the middle of a restless afternoon nap.
All the accidents that had happened on deck earlier kept mixing together and churning through her mind, making it impossible for her to sleep peacefully.
Half asleep and half awake, she could almost still hear Luffy's carefree laughter beside her ears.
"So annoying... You're even showing up in my dreams?"
Nami muttered.
Just as her consciousness hovered on the edge of sleep, a dark figure smashed open her door like a battering ram.
Bang!
Nami's heart nearly leaped out of her throat.
The sheer fright made her shoot upright in bed.
Her eyes widened in terror, and every trace of sleepiness instantly evaporated.
Anyone who didn't know better would've thought a Marine Admiral had arrived.
"N-Nami!"
"AHH! Luffy?!"
Once she saw who had barged in, her heart was still pounding violently.
Her face had even gone pale.
"Are you trying to scare me to death?!"
"And I told you not to come into my room!"
She grabbed the pillow beside her and hurled it at him.
Her face turned bright red from shock and anger.
Luffy acted as though he hadn't heard a word.
Driven by an overwhelming desire to survive, he rushed straight to Nami's bedside.
"Nami, save me!"
He hurriedly began explaining everything.
He had to be quick.
Otherwise, he was going to explode!
Luffy had experimented with it before.
There was a window of time between the punishment starting and the eventual blowout.
By taking advantage of his properties as a rubber man, holding out for ten seconds wasn't impossible.
During that time, his mind would go blank and his breathing would become rapid, going from comfortable at first to painful at the end. If he continued resisting, it would be like some unlucky guy firing a cannon only for it to explode in his own face.
Luffy had to hurry. If things reached the point where there was no stopping it, he'd be screwed!
"Medical knowledge? That's why?!"
Nami looked at Luffy, who seemed like he was being chased down by some thug demanding repayment, and didn't know whether to laugh or get angry. Even the shock and anger she'd felt earlier had been somewhat diluted by this ridiculous request.
But the more she thought about it...
The angrier she got.
"I'm a navigator! A navigator!! Not a ship's doctor!!"
Nami was so angry that her chest rose and fell violently. Her thin camisole nightdress outlined graceful curves, swaying with each breath like waves stirred by the wind.
Had she somehow become Luffy's personal instructor now?
At least pay the tutoring fee first!
"Please, Nami!"
Every muscle in Luffy's body was tense.
The countdown alarm in his head was becoming increasingly shrill, making his face turn another shade paler.
Nami's heart softened again, and she helplessly put a hand to her forehead.
Still, Luffy hadn't been wrong to come to her.
She really had picked up some medical knowledge to deal with sudden illnesses and injuries at sea. Otherwise, she would've died on some deserted island long ago while sailing alone.
Besides, there didn't seem to be anyone else reliable aboard the ship.
"You win!"
She sighed and resignedly rummaged through the depths of her bedside cabinet.
She pulled out a thick book with a yellowed cover that had clearly been read countless times, then tossed it at Luffy with a smack and snapped,