Chapter 311: Roronoa Zoro Meets His First Compatriot, Nami
Everyone in the restaurant was momentarily stunned by the girl who had just stumbled through the door. It wasn't just her sudden arrival, but her figure, which seemed… remarkably developed for someone her age.
An errant thought, quickly dismissed. What truly drew their attention was the small, heavy-looking money bag she clutched in her hand, emblazoned with a crudely drawn skull and crossbones.
The girl seemed to realize she had an audience. Her eyes widened, and a nervous tension seized her frame as she looked at Ren and the other patrons. She quickly plastered on a shaky, practiced smile.
"Ahaha~ Uh, just passing through! Don't mind me, I'm leaving right now~"
With that, she spun around and yanked the shop door open. A soft, impenetrable white light greeted her instead of the familiar street she'd just fled. She stared for a second before silently pulling the door shut again, her back slumping against the wood in utter defeat.
After a long, tense silence, her voice came out as a small, trembling whisper. "Where… is this place? What was that light?"
Ren sighed softly, hearing the strain in her voice even though her back was to him. "Uh… this is a restaurant that connects to other worlds."
"Another world?!" Her head whipped around, her eyes wide with panic. "Can I go back?! I'll pay anything! I have to go back!"
Ren's gaze drifted to the money bag she held in a white-knuckled grip. "Don't be nervous," he said, his voice gentle and reassuring. "This is just a restaurant. You can leave by opening that same door. But from your reaction… it seems like something is wrong?"
Hearing that a path back existed, the girl let out a shuddering sigh of relief. The tension in her shoulders eased, and she nodded. "Yes… I have a reason I absolutely must return. I'm so glad I can go back!"
Roronoa Zoro, who had been quietly nursing his drink, narrowed his eyes. For some reason, he caught the distinct scent of salt and sea spray clinging to her. "You're from the sea?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.
The girl started, surprised by his perception. She nodded again. "That's right. The sea in our world is vast… but it's full of pirates. And the Marines…"
At the mention of pirates, both Lucifer and Ren cast strange, knowing glances at Zoro. The swordsman stiffened slightly before letting out a light cough to cover his reaction. "Is this the currency of your world?" he asked, changing the subject.
He casually tossed a coin onto the bar. It spun in the air before landing with a soft clink. The girl's eyes widened as she recognized the familiar gleam of a Belly.
"So… you're from my world too?!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with genuine excitement. "That's amazing! There's someone else from home here!"
Zoro watched her sudden burst of energy, a faint hint of amusement on his face. He coughed lightly again. "Hmph. Barring any strange coincidences, we should be from the same place. You're the third person from my world I've met since coming here."
"Oh? Who were the others?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Hawkeye Mihawk, and a man named Shanks."
The girl's expression shifted to one of deep thought, her brow furrowed. Then, with a sudden look of realization, she nodded. "Oh~ Never heard of them."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Zoro nearly choked on his sake. The sheer anticlimax of her response was staggering. With that dramatic pause and thoughtful expression, anyone would have expected a gasp of shock or recognition. Her casual dismissal left him feeling completely off-balance.
The girl just offered a cheerful grin. "Those are minor details! Let's get acquainted! I'm Nami!"
"Roronoa Zoro," he grunted, recovering his composure.
Nami nodded, then found an empty stool at the bar and sat down, finally taking a proper look around. The warm, peaceful atmosphere seemed to soothe her frayed nerves. She let out another small sigh, this time one of contentment. "Are you the owner of this restaurant? You look so young!"
Ren smiled. "You're not the first person to say that. It looks like you're planning on getting something to eat?"
"Definitely!" Nami nodded enthusiastically, her smile widening. "To be honest, I'm starving! Mr. Shopkeeper, since this is another world, can I use my money here?"
"Of course."
"That's great! But… I have no idea what you even serve here."
Ren considered this for a moment. "Well then, Miss Nami…"
"Just call me Nami is fine~"
He was a little surprised by her straightforwardness, but he nodded agreeably. "Alright, Nami. Is there anything you particularly like to eat?"
Nami tilted her head, thinking. "Does liking tangerines count?"
Ren paused. "We could make juice out of that, at most. What about actual food? Any preferences for meat, vegetables, seafood… though, I suppose you get plenty of seafood in your world."
She thought for another moment, then shrugged. "Hmm~ In that case, just give me something that will fill me up. Anything is fine~"
"Eh? You're surprisingly easy to please."
"Of course!" she declared with a proud little grin.
Ren nodded and headed back into the kitchen. With the immediate issue of food settled, Nami began to properly observe her surroundings. The decor was exquisite yet understated, the storefront was immaculately clean, and the chairs felt soft and comfortable. A faint, pleasant floral scent hung in the air. Simple yet beautiful, comfortable yet warm—that was her assessment of the place.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. She turned to the green-haired man beside her. "What did you say your name was again?"
"Roronoa Zoro."
Nami swallowed hard, her eyes going wide. "As in… the Pirate Hunter?!"
Zoro simply nodded, taking another swig of his drink. "I'm not a Pirate Hunter anymore," he said casually. "I'm a pirate now. So you don't need to be afraid."
Nami let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I can't believe the first person I meet from home is the famous Pirate Hunter. Why'd you stop? Didn't you make a lot of money doing that?"
"It was decent," he admitted. "But for various reasons, I got dragged onto a ship by some idiot. It doesn't matter. As long as I can achieve my goal, I don't care if my name becomes infamous or renowned across the seas. As long as the name Roronoa Zoro becomes synonymous with the world's greatest swordsman, and that name echoes throughout the world… that's enough for me!"
A flicker of envy crossed Nami's face as she listened to the conviction in his voice. "Eh… That's a really incredible dream. But I… I don't really have the right to pursue dreams…"
Hearing this, Lucifer, who had been listening quietly, tilted her head. "If you want to do it, then do it," she stated simply. "There's no such thing as having the right or not. It's your dream. What does it have to do with anyone else?"
The others nodded in agreement. Nami's hand tightened around her money bag, her eyelids fluttering. For a fleeting moment, it looked as if she were about to cry, but she quickly forced the emotion down, replacing it with a brittle smile. "It's nothing, really. No big deal, right?"
Lucifer tilted her head again, her gaze sharp. "This is another world. You can say whatever you want here. Who knows, maybe we could even help you solve your problem."
Nami was taken aback. She looked at the people around her. Aside from Zoro, none of them looked like they could fight. They were all quite beautiful, but they seemed delicate. If only she knew the true measure of power contained within that room, she might have fallen to her knees and begged for their help on the spot.
She gave a wry, dismissive smile. "You wouldn't be a match for them…"
At her words, the expressions of everyone—save for Zoro—became incredibly strange. The beings currently gathered in this small restaurant weren't just 'strong.' With an Archangel, the Queen of Hell, a Cerberus, a walking magical superweapon, and two mages who operated on a dimensional level, what kind of opponent would they not be a match for? It would probably take a Demon King or two just to make it a fair fight.
(Arlong? No, no, no! With this lineup, they should be going after Kaido!)
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