"Oh my god! Did the cliff just crumble away?"
Nami stared blankly at the flattened battlefield, her mind struggling to process what she was seeing.
"Pirate Miss, you're awake?"
A cheerful, unfamiliar voice pulled her out of her daze.
"You fainted from the shockwave earlier. There was a strange transparent barrier around you, so I couldn't check on you properly. I'm a doctor, but I'm not like Trafalgar Law, I can't treat people from a distance."
The man chuckled lightly.
"Still, it's good to see you awake. That barrier must have been Shirogai's doing, your crew's vice captain."
"Who?!"
Nami snapped her head toward the voice, instantly on guard.
"It's an enemy!"
Only now did she notice the man standing on a chunk of rubble not far away, smiling casually at her.
He was neatly dressed, his upper body exposed, showing a well-built physique. A long staff rested on his shoulder, and his expression was relaxed.
"This guy… he's from the Red Hair Pirates…"
Nami tightened her grip on her Clima-Tact.
She didn't know this man was Hongo, one of the Red Hair Pirates' core members and their doctor.
Hongo jumped down lightly, resting the staff on his shoulder.
"Relax, Pirate Miss. That barrier around you hasn't disappeared yet. Even if I wanted to attack, I couldn't."
"Barrier…"
Nami blinked, finally noticing the faint, nearly invisible dome surrounding her.
"So Shirogai protected me…"
A small warmth stirred in her chest. Without thinking, she reached out and touched it.
Crack… crack…
The moment her fingers made contact, the barrier fractured.
Whoosh!
Before she could react, it shattered completely, dissolving into nothing.
"Oh no… I broke it…"
Nami froze, then slowly looked back at Hongo.
Now there was nothing separating them.
"It's gone."
Hongo adjusted his grip on his staff, his tone still polite.
"Looks like we'll have to fight after all. Pirate Miss, you may go first."
"My crew isn't here, I…"
Nami hesitated.
Then her expression hardened.
"That's wrong. I'm not the same person anymore. I can fight on my own."
Her eyes sharpened with determination.
"Bring it on! I'm not afraid of you!"
During her time with the Big Mom Pirates, she had endured harsh training. Even Big Mom had acknowledged her potential.
"I've survived too much to run away now."
She steadied her breathing and raised her Clima-Tact. Gold flowed from her body, coating the weapon.
"Come out, Golden Magic Weather Wand!"
The staff transformed, wrapped in radiant gold, gleaming brilliantly.
"A Devil Fruit ability?"
Hongo's expression turned serious.
"Controlling gold? That's… Tesoro's power, the Gold-Gold Fruit."
His eyes narrowed.
"But there should only be one user."
Understanding dawned on him almost immediately.
"So it's Shirogai."
Only that man could do something like this.
"To think he can grant Devil Fruit abilities… terrifying."
Hongo exhaled slowly, regaining his composure.
"Enough talk."
Nami suddenly shouted and hurled the golden staff.
"Take this!"
Whoosh!
The weapon shot forward…
Then landed far away, nowhere near Hongo.
…
…
The two stared at each other in silence.
"Mistake…"
Nami's face flushed bright red as she pouted.
The air turned painfully awkward.
"…Is that your attack?"
Hongo scratched his head, clearly unsure how to respond.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, he flipped backward, narrowly dodging something rushing at him from behind.
Boom!
The golden staff slammed into the ground where he had been standing moments earlier, leaving deep craters.
Hongo blinked.
"Ah… so that was intentional."
He smirked.
"You're more cunning than you look."
Nami lifted her chin proudly.
"The prettier a woman is, the more dangerous she is. You should know that."
With a flick of her wrist, she controlled the staff, sending it spinning back toward him.
"It won't work twice."
Hongo swung his staff and struck it away.
Whack!
But the moment he hit it, the weapon split into three sections.
Each piece spun independently, attacking him from above, the center, and below.
"Oh? Interesting."
Hongo reacted quickly, deflecting all three with precise movements.
"The power is lacking. You won't beat me like this."
Then his expression changed.
The three sections regrouped in the air, releasing thick black clouds.
Thunder crackled within them.
"Heh…"
Nami's confidence returned.
"This is my real attack."
She raised her hand and brought it down sharply.
"Storm incoming, be careful!"
Boom!!!
Lightning roared within the clouds.
"Golden Magic Weather, Golden Lightning!!!"