"That move..." Red paused, slightly surprised and delighted, but also a little uncertain.
He asked hesitantly, "Are you talking about... Armament Haki!?"
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded, raising his fist and staring at it. "I think... I can feel a strange power inside my body..."
"I just don't know how to use it like you said, Red!"
"Actually, I started feeling this way after you taught me the Headbutt move. But now, it's stronger."
"What did you say!?"
Red suddenly stood up, excited.
Pokémon moves can help Luffy train Armament Haki!?
Wait a minute!
A spark of realization flashed in Red's mind:
"If Armament Haki really is, as I suspect, a manifestation of the body's life energy..."
"Then Normal-type moves from Pokémon, which hone's physical potential, could also be a way of unlocking the body's potential!"
There might really be a connection between the two!
"Interesting."
Red's eyes gleamed, and he smiled subtly.
If this theory is correct, then he had seriously underestimated the value of the console before!
By learning Normal-type moves to control the body, and combining that with physical enhancements from leveling up...
Maybe even someone like Nami, who isn't suited for close combat, could learn to use Armament Haki!
And if Armament Haki can be learned this way...
Then maybe Observation Haki can be trained using perception-based Pokémon moves, like Foresight, Detect, or Mind's Eye...
And Conqueror's Haki could be awakened with moves that boost mental strength!?
"Hot damn~"
Red, having discovered the proper way to use the console, grew serious.
"Looks like from now on, besides progressing quickly, I'll need to pay more attention to other uses of the game world."
He muttered this to himself, then raised his head and praised:
"Well done, Luffy!"
"Perfect. Since you've found the key to Armament Haki, I'll leave Zoro's training in your hands!"
"No problem, leave it to me!" Luffy proudly pounded his chest and laughed loudly.
Even though he had no idea how to actually teach anyone...
Then Red added:
"Armament Haki is essential to surviving on the Grand Line!"
"It not only boosts attack and defense, but it's also the key to dealing with troublesome Logia fruit users."
"If we can't even use Armament Haki, we might get completely overwhelmed by Logia users the moment we enter the Grand Line!"
"Countless ignorant pirates have died like that on the Grand Line."
"I don't want to be one of them."
"You two as well—never underestimate the Grand Line!"
At that, Red suddenly paused and glanced at Nami from the corner of his eye, then continued with deeper meaning:
"For example, the current strongest crew in the East Blue, the Arlong Pirates..."
"Huh!?" Nami, who had no interest in the training talk before, suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked over, shaken.
Red went on:
"They were originally just remnants of a Fishman pirate crew. Total nobodies in the New World, the second half of the Grand Line..."
"But now in the East Blue, they rule with impunity, and even the Marines can't stop them. They've become tyrants over humans!"
"It's exactly because of situations like this that the East Blue is called the weakest sea!"
"New World trash, strongest in the East Blue?"
"Seems like I really was a frog at the bottom of a well all these years~"
Zoro quickly picked up on Red's meaning and chuckled bitterly.
But the moment his hand touched his sword hilt, a fierce fighting spirit rose and burned inside him again.
He looked at Red and declared:
"Don't worry, Vice-Captain Red!"
"No matter the cost, before we reach the Grand Line, I will master Armament Haki!"
"I refuse to be the one holding back our pirate crew!"
Luffy is strong, Red has mysterious abilities, and Nami is a top-tier navigator praised by Red...
Compared to them, Zoro, who only has a bit of fame in the East Blue, felt completely out of place on this crew.
'I'm still too weak...!!!'
Zoro quietly clenched his fist.
This feeling of frustration, he hadn't felt it in years.
With his thoughts made up, he turned to Luffy and said seriously:
"Luffy, I'm counting on you!!!"
"Hehe~ We're crewmates, aren't we?"
Luffy patted Zoro on the back. Even though he hadn't mastered Armament Haki himself, he still spoke with full confidence:
"Leave it all to me!"
"Red!"
Just then, Nami, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke, making Red raise an eyebrow as he turned toward her.
'She's finally ready?'
He sighed inwardly, then casually turned around and asked:
"What is it, Nami?"
"Just now... You mentioned the Arlong Pirates?"
"That crew of fishmen?!"
Nami's expression was complicated. Her mind recalled what Red had said to her back in Shells Town.
"Yeah. Why? You've heard of them?"
Red pretended to ask, even though he already knew.
As cruel as it was, there were some things Nami needed to say herself.
First, so she could truly trust Luffy and Zoro, and accept them as people she could entrust her life to.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to them, since they already trusted her completely.
Second, so she could finally break free of her inner chains, give up the false hope of buying her village's freedom for 100 million berries.
Only by breaking down would she be able to rebuild and say goodbye to her old self!
"I..." Nami choked on her words.
Luffy and Zoro immediately sensed the change in atmosphere and furrowed their brows.
But Red stepped forward and said gently:
"So, you've made up your mind, haven't you?"
"...Yeah."
Tears glistened as they fell from Nami's cheeks, hitting the deck and soaking it.
She slowly pulled up her left sleeve, revealing a purple tattoo.
Sobbing, she said:
"I'm sorry, everyone..."
"The truth is... I'm a member of the Arlong Pirates."
"What!?"
Luffy and Zoro's eyes widened in shock.
Zoro was about to ask something, but Red raised a hand and stopped him.
Then he spoke to Nami again in a warm voice:
"So that's why you've been gathering money all over the seas?"
"...Yes."
Nami nodded again.
Red pulled out a tissue and handed it to her, then gently pulled her sleeve back down to cover the mark she hated.
"It's still a long way to the next island."
"So, Nami, say everything you want to say!"
"The reason you cry, the pain in your heart, and..."
"What do you hope your crewmates will do for you?"
He put extra weight into that last line.
Nami looked up and met Red's eyes, so full of empathy and encouragement.
At that moment, she felt like Red had known all along—he'd just been waiting for her to say it herself.
She fell silent for a few seconds, took a deep breath, steadied herself, and then looked at Luffy and Zoro.
With clear eyes, she told them everything about herself and about Cocoyasi Village.
Ten minutes later, having finally released her long-held pain, Nami clutched her chest tightly and bowed deeply to the three of them:
"Please... help me!!! Help Cocoyasi Village!!!"
"…"
After a short silence, Red turned his head and looked at Luffy.
"So, Captain, what do you say?"
"Your navigator is asking for your help."
"Are we going to do it?"
"What kind of question is that, Red?"
Luffy, unusually serious, placed his straw hat firmly on his head.
Then he took a deep breath and shouted to the sky:
"Of course we will—!!!!!!!!!!!"
His booming voice was like the wrath of a god, shattering the clouds...
And at the same time, it shattered the chains around Nami's heart.