After dealing with the Nameless Pirate crew, Noir took all their money and loaded it onto his ship.
Under the tearful eyes of the pirates, the ship with the master and his two disciples sailed away.
Noir sat cross-legged on the deck, his eyes closed.
He tried to comprehend the Observation Haki that the System had awakened in him.
Originally, Haki required systematic learning and training to master, but Noir, with his Conqueror's Disposition and the Way of the Conqueror, could learn it without guidance.
His Armament Haki had already improved in this way, and now the same was happening with his Observation Haki.
Although his beginner-level Observation Haki was difficult to control, it gave Noir significant perceptual abilities.
He could feel wind, temperature, and presence more clearly. Most amazingly, it felt like a seventh sense, informing him of everything around him.
This perception wasn't tied to hearing, sight, or intuition; it felt like a natural ability.
For the time being, Noir's Observation Haki couldn't passively detect his surroundings, but with concentrated effort, it still conveyed considerable information.
On this large ship, for example, Noir's Observation Haki quickly outlined four figures in the darkness of his mind.
One was himself, two were the sisters, and the last one was... who?
Who the hell is that?!
A small figure flickered in and out of Noir's perception, causing him to open his eyes in alarm.
Could it be..?
Noir hurried into the ship, Kaede and Naomi following close behind.
He burst into the cluttered storeroom filled with crates of food, drink, and supplies provided by the villagers.
One particular barrel caught Noir's attention as it wobbled slightly, indicating that someone had recently climbed inside.
"Stop hiding! Come out or I'll cut you!" Noir threatened, his face darkening.
After a moment's hesitation, the barrel's lid was gently lifted, revealing a sweet, smiling face.
It was Nami!
Speechless, Noir stared at the now alcohol-scented Nami and asked bitterly, "Why didn't you stay home? Why did you follow me?"
Nami, eyes sparkling, climbed out of the barrel and said excitedly, "You're going to make money, right?! I want to go too!"
Noir pinched her cheek in annoyance and scolded, "I'm going to fight pirates, Nami. You can't come with me!"
Nami, her face flushed from the pinch, was unperturbed and said cheerfully, "Stealing from pirates? I want to do that even more!"
"What do you mean, stealing?! Chasing pirates is not stealing!" Noir, embarrassed and angry, rubbed her head with his fist.
Despite the scolding, Nami didn't understand the seriousness of the situation and continued to playfully tease Noir.
Noir sighed deeply. They were almost at their destination, so it was impossible to send them back.
He couldn't just throw Nami overboard, could he?
As the ship sailed on, Noir lounged on his deck chair again, while Nami was punished by holding a bucket of water in her back.
Kaede and Naomi were assigned to watch over Nami.
With their eyes wide open, the sisters stared at Nami all the way to their destination.
Nami, annoyed, thought, "Where did my brother find these two idiots? Don't their eyes get tired?"
At the shore of Tandale Village, the ship slowly docked. Kaede and Naomi finally looked away, and Nami sighed with relief.
After being stared at for so long, her nerves were frayed.
Noir looked at the sisters, shocked by their red eyes. "Did they catch rabies or something?" he wondered.
Kaede and Naomi reported energetically, "Master! Nami didn't let up. We both watched her together!"
Noir, confused, asked, "Why didn't you take turns?"
Kaede and Naomi exclaimed in surprise, "You can do that? Master, you're so smart!"
Smart my ass...
Noir could barely keep from cursing.
He could feel his IQ dropping around these three.
Calming down, Noir walked towards the shore and instructed, "You two don't need to follow me. Just keep an eye on Nami."
"Well, you don't have to watch her all the time. Just don't let her wander off."
Nami sulked, "Why can't I come with you? I can help you!"
Noir waved her off with a smile, "Next time, Nami. I'm off to, uh, hunt down pirates. Ahaha!"
With an arrogant laugh, Noir disappeared from Nami's sight.
Nami stomped her foot in frustration, but soon turned back to the silly sisters with a sly smile.
Heh heh heh?
Meanwhile, Noir walked through a forest and soon discovered a village full of people who looked more like sailors than villagers.
This was the place.
Noir confirmed his destination and headed for the village.
Nearby, a group of burly men in sailor uniforms carried heavy crates in pairs.
A burly pirate, left alone, struggled with a crate and spotted Noir. His eyes lit up and he called out, "Hey, kid, give me a hand?"
Caught off guard, Noir replied, "Oh, okay."
He lightly lifted the crate, easing the pirate's burden. The pirate laughed, "Thanks, kid!"
"No problem."
As they followed the group to the village gate, Noir noticed two pirates inspecting people at the entrance.
Chatting casually with the pirate, Noir entered the village without arousing suspicion.
One pirate guard asked the other, "Do you know this boy?"
"No, I thought you did."
...
Inside the village, the burly pirate patted Noir's shoulder gratefully and then left with his companions.
Noir overheard part of their conversation as they walked away.
"Who was that boy?"
"No idea, but he helped me with the box. Must be an intern."
"Oh, got it..."
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