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Red was taken aback, both surprised and intrigued by Luffy's words.
"You mean... Busoshoku Haki!?" he asked, his tone laced with disbelief.
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded enthusiastically, clenching his fist and staring at it with intensity. "I think... I can feel some kind of weird power inside me. I just don't know how to use it yet, like you were talking about, Red!"
He tilted his head thoughtfully and added, "Actually, I started feeling this way after you taught me that headbutt move. But now... it feels stronger."
"What did you just say?!"
Red shot to his feet, his face lighting up with excitement.
Pokémon moves can help Luffy train Busoshoku Haki?!
The idea hit him like a lightning bolt, and his mind started racing.
"If Busoshoku Haki really is, as I suspect, a manifestation of life energy or the power of blood and vitality..."
He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
"Then the techniques in Pokémon—moves that are all about harnessing the body's potential—might have a connection to it!"
His mind churned with possibilities, and a faint smile played on his lips.
Interesting... Very interesting.
If this theory held true, then he had grossly underestimated the potential of the machine.
By mastering physical control through Pokémon moves and boosting physical strength via level-ups, even non-combatants like Nami might be able to develop Busoshoku Haki someday.
And if that was possible, then what about Kenbunshoku Haki? Could perception-based Pokémon moves—like Ancient Power, Detect, or Calm Mind—help train that?
Or even more intriguingly, could moves that strengthen willpower be used to awaken Haoshoku Haki in others?
This machine might be far more powerful than I thought, Red mused, his red eyes gleaming with newfound determination.
"It seems I've only scratched the surface of how to use this machine properly," he murmured to himself. "In the future, we'll have to focus not just on progression but on uncovering all the potential uses of the game world."
Raising his head, he turned back to Luffy and grinned.
"Good job, Luffy!"
"Huh?" Luffy blinked in surprise, but Red continued:
"You've already found a way to connect with Busoshoku Haki. Now, I want you to help guide Zoro's training!"
"Leave it to me!" Luffy slapped his chest proudly and laughed.
Even though he had no clue how to teach others, his confidence was as unshakable as ever.
Red's tone grew serious.
"Listen up. Busoshoku Haki is a crucial ability for surviving the Grand Line. It's not just about boosting attack and defense—it's the key to fighting opponents with Logia-type Devil Fruits."
He swept his gaze over Luffy and Zoro, his expression grim.
"If we don't learn how to use Busoshoku Haki, we'll be at the mercy of Logia users the moment we enter the Grand Line. I've seen too many pirates underestimate the Grand Line and end up as corpses."
His words hung heavy in the air.
"I don't want us to become one of them," he added firmly.
"You two—don't underestimate the Grand Line!"
Red paused for a moment, then glanced sideways at Nami, his tone softening slightly as he continued, "Take, for example, the most powerful pirate crew in the East Blue today..."
"Huh?!"
Nami, who had been tuning out the conversation, suddenly froze. Her eyes widened, and she turned to Red with a trembling gaze.
Red didn't miss her reaction.
He went on, his voice steady.
"The Arlong Pirates. They're nothing more than remnants of the old Sun Pirates—a crew that couldn't hack it in the second half of the Grand Line, the New World. Just scraps, really."
"But here, in the East Blue, they rule. They've made themselves kings, oppressing humans and leaving the Marines powerless to stop them."
He sighed, shaking his head.
"It's pirates like them that give the East Blue its reputation as the weakest of the seas."
His gaze turned sharp.
"The strongest crew in the East Blue... is just trash that couldn't cut it in the New World."
Zoro's eyes narrowed as Red's words sank in, the weight of his own inadequacy pressing heavily on his shoulders. His grip on Narukami tightened, but the fire in his heart burned brighter than ever.
"It seems I really have been like a frog in a well, staring at the sky..." Zoro muttered softly, almost to himself.
But the moment his hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his fighting spirit ignited, coursing through his veins like wildfire. He straightened, his voice ringing with determination:
"Don't worry, Vice-Captain!" he declared. "No matter what it takes, before we set foot in the Grand Line, I'll master Busoshoku Haki!"
"I won't be the one holding this crew back!"
He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling inside him.
'Luffy is insanely strong, Red has powers I don't even understand yet, and Nami's navigation skills are indispensable... But me? I'm just a swordsman with some notoriety in the East Blue. That's not enough.'
I'm too weak.
Zoro gritted his teeth, a rare feeling of inadequacy washing over him. He hadn't felt this way in years.
But rather than wallow in it, he turned to Luffy, his resolve burning in his eyes.
"Luffy, the rest is up to you!"
Luffy, ever confident, laughed and patted Zoro on the back.
"Shishishi~ We're partners, aren't we? Leave it all to me!"
But just then, Nami, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke, her voice sharp and trembling.
"Red..."
Red turned, pretending to act casual as he sighed inwardly. 'So, you've finally decided to face it.'
"What's up, Nami?" he asked, his tone light.
Nami hesitated before asking, "You were just talking about the Arlong Pirates... That pirate crew of Fishmen?"
Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke, her expression unreadable but visibly pained.
Red gave her a knowing look.
"What? You know that crew?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
Nami's hands trembled slightly as memories of Red's earlier words in Shells Town surfaced in her mind.
This wasn't a conversation Red wanted to push, but some things needed to come from her own lips—for her sake.
He had two reasons.
First, she needed to learn to trust Luffy and Zoro, just as they trusted her without hesitation. Anything less would be unfair to them.
Second, she needed to face her pain, let go of the futile hope of buying her village's freedom for 100 million berries, and move forward. Only then could she fully break free of her chains and be reborn.
Nami's voice faltered.
"I..."
Her tone was choked with emotion.
Luffy and Zoro, who had been brimming with energy moments earlier, immediately quieted down, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.
Red took a step closer to Nami, his voice soft but firm.
"It seems you've already made up your mind, haven't you?"
Nami's knees buckled as tears welled in her eyes. Crystal drops fell freely onto the deck as she slowly sank to the ground.
She pulled up the sleeve of her left arm, exposing a purple tattoo etched into her skin.
"I'm sorry, everyone..." she said, her voice breaking. "Actually... I'm a member of the Arlong Pirates."
"What?!"
Luffy and Zoro's eyes widened in shock.
Zoro instinctively moved to ask something, but Red raised a hand, signaling him to stay quiet.
Red's voice remained calm as he addressed Nami.
"So that's why you've been scouring the seas for money?"
Nami nodded, her head hanging low.
"Yes..."
Without a word, Red reached into his pocket, pulled out a tissue, and handed it to her. He gently tugged her sleeve back down, covering the tattoo that she clearly despised.
"There's still time before we reach the next island," Red said. "So, Nami... say what you need to say."
He crouched slightly, meeting her tearful gaze with warmth and encouragement.
"Tell us everything. The things that make you cry, the things that hurt you, and most importantly..." His voice grew stronger.
"Tell us what you need your crewmates to do for you."
Nami stared at him, feeling as though Red already knew everything but was waiting patiently for her to speak.
After a long pause, she took a deep, trembling breath. Her tears subsided as she steadied herself, raised her head, and began to speak.
She told Luffy and Zoro everything—about Arlong, the oppression of Cocoyashi Village, and her desperate attempts to save it.
Ten minutes later, Nami's emotions spilled out like a flood. Her hands clutched at her chest as she bent forward, bowing deeply toward her crewmates.
"Please... Help me! Help Cocoyashi Village!"
Silence followed her plea.
Red turned toward Luffy, his expression unreadable, and said:
"What do you say, Captain? Your navigator is asking for help. Should we?"
Luffy's expression turned uncharacteristically serious as he slowly removed his straw hat and placed it on his head.
He took a deep breath, his posture firm.
"What are you even asking, Red?"
Suddenly, Luffy raised his head to the sky and shouted with all his might:
"OF COURSE—!!!!!!!!"
His voice roared like thunder, shaking the air and shattering the clouds overhead.
The sheer intensity of his declaration seemed to break through the chains around Nami's heart.