Chapter 129: Aside from My Looks, I Am Good for Nothing

"You! How could you possibly..."

Nami’s beautiful eyes widened in shock, and she stood frozen on the spot. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the lonely pain she bore deep within her heart would be so nonchalantly voiced by this heartless man right to her face.

After her adoptive mother’s death, having witnessed the collusion between the Navy and the pirates, and having seen the filth of this world, she had become silent and reserved. The fact that the Fish-Man Pirates were holding her village hostage was her deepest secret—something she hadn't even shared with Nojiko. To outsiders, she remained the ever-radiant Nami.

Loneliness, helplessness, longing, resentment... All these emotions eventually coalesced into a profound sense of despair—a despair so overwhelming that it left no room for resistance. At least, in the eyes of the Fish-Men, Nami’s only hope was that 100 million berries.

If Tang Shen were to tell her now that those 100 million berries were nothing more than a fixed-term deposit for the Fish-Man Pirates, one wondered if this girl would collapse on the spot.

"My navigator, please remember your current status. Slaves do not have the right to refuse their master," Tang Shen said leisurely, taking a bite of his meal as he spoke.

Clenching her fists, Nami bit her lip hard. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and a sense of helplessness and loneliness like she had never felt before consumed her heart. In front of this man, she felt as if everything about her had been seen through, rendering all her previous tricks useless. Ultimately, with a complex expression, she cast one last look at Tang Shen before sitting down obediently and eating in small, kitten-like bites.

After the meal, Tang Shen satisfiedly set aside his cutlery, a comfortable and relaxed smile on his face. Food restored stamina, and his energy from the earlier battle had mostly returned.

Seeing this, Koby secretly breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the fine beads of sweat from his forehead. The guy in front of him was a cold-blooded killer; if he didn't like something, he might just cut him down without a second thought, just like Alvida.

"Well fed and rested, it’s time we go see our former captain."

He stretched comfortably. Having a cook on a voyage truly completed the experience. However, Tang Shen wasn't the type to put off revenge until tomorrow. Alvida must have a fair amount of experience points by now, and with her 3 million berry bounty, how could he let such a walking mountain of gold escape?

On the vast, endless sea, on a deserted island.

Alvida, bloated like a water-filled balloon, was washed ashore by the waves. After vomiting up a few mouthfuls of seawater, she finally drifted back to consciousness.

"Damn bastard! How dare he call me ugly!! I’ll tear him to pieces!! Koby! Koby!!"

Upon waking, she reached for her massive iron club, only to find it missing. Looking around, she saw a desolate, rocky island with no signs of life. Her loot, Koby, the bootlicking crew members, and the Swan, the most beautiful ship on the sea, had all vanished.

A cold breeze blew.

Her massive, heavy legs shivered, and Alvida stood there, disheveled in the wind. She suddenly realized she had been tossed away by that damned man. But how could that guy have had such strength? It was impossible to resist, and for the first time, a surge of desperate, raging fury ignited in her heart.

Just as she was about to vent her rage, Alvida’s gaze was suddenly caught by a fruit in the distance.

It was a fruit with swirling patterns and a bewitching purple hue!

"This... could this be!"

Her eyes widened in disbelief, staring fixedly at the fruit that made her heart skip a beat. As a somewhat well-known pirate in the East Blue, Alvida was reasonably knowledgeable. She had vaguely heard of the extremely rare treasures of the sea—the abilities of the Devil. Once consumed, one would become a cursed person, but would also gain bizarre powers!

And what truly made her heart race was the information that followed: any single Devil Fruit was worth... at least 100 million berries!!

"Hiss..."

Alvida gasped, a flush of extreme excitement spreading across her pockmarked face as she scrambled toward the Devil Fruit, casting all dignity aside.

Out at sea.

"Nami, Koby, are you keeping up? If you lose the trail, you’re going into the sea to feed the sharks tonight."

Tang Shen lay leisurely on a sun lounger on the deck of the Swan, enjoying the quiet afternoon sunlight. Beside him sat a glass of aged red wine. A gentle breeze blew, the sea shimmered, and seagulls flew by as clouds drifted across the sky.

Now, this is what you call life!

I've accidentally become the person I hate the most.

Unlike Tang Shen’s contemplative mood, the two responsible for steering the Swan were walking on thin ice. Koby, in particular, was staring fixedly through a telescope, his eyes so sore and swollen he dared not blink for even a second.

"Miss Nami! At nine o'clock, that deserted island! That’s where Miss Alvida washed ashore!" Koby said with absolute certainty.

Since the meal, the two had been assigned to track Alvida. Thanks to Nami’s excellent navigation skills and Koby’s decent observational abilities, Tang Shen had been saved the trouble. Tang Shen didn't care much for Alvida, but out of curiosity about the turn of events, he had decided to follow her and finish her off to avoid future trouble.

"Then dock there. Koby, stand at the bow and call your former captain over. Nami, the deck is too dirty; it’s time for a wash."

The previous battle had left quite a bit of blood on the deck. After all, Tang Shen was a fine young man who loved life and cleanliness; how could he stand such a smell?

The two wanted to cry, already envisioning their miserable, dark future.

The Swan slowly docked at the deserted island.

"Miss Alvida! Are you there!!"

Koby shouted from the bow, his voice carried by the sea breeze to the island. Alvida, who was clutching the precious Devil Fruit, sprang up from the ground as if electrified, her entire body buzzing with excitement.

"That... that sounds like... that idiot Koby's voice?!"

She rushed to the shore in a frenzy, spotting the Swan she had been desperately thinking about. She recalled that after she had hit the water, a Navy ship had appeared. Could that bastard have been dealt with by the Navy? And had Koby successfully retrieved her glorious Swan?

"Koby!! You idiot! I'm here! Bring the ship over immediately!!"

She commanded Koby sharply, as if she had regained her former majesty.

Koby shuddered, his voice dropping instantly. At the sight of Alvida, all his old fears resurfaced. If this woman found out he had betrayed her, she would probably tear him apart! Trembling, he looked toward Tang Shen, finding the latter still lying comfortably on his sun lounger. Weakly, he said, "Captain... Miss Alvida has been found!"

"Oh?"

Rubbing his sleepy eyes as he sat up and stretched, Tang Shen was surprised to find that his stamina had recovered a bit more. It seemed rest could also restore stamina in the game; not bad at all.

Standing up and walking to the rail, he saw the Swan had already docked.

Alvida, who had been excited, suddenly stiffened, her pupils constricting. She saw a figure appear beside Koby—the very figure she feared most. Without a second thought, she trembled violently, clutching the precious Devil Fruit tightly.

Alvida turned and ran!

Facing the sea breeze, which made Tang Shen’s black hair dance, his sharp, hawk-like eyes instantly spotted what Alvida was holding. A playful smile curled at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes brightened. He laughed softly, "It seems that besides being handsome, I'm not entirely useless!"

The protagonist's luck!

No explanation needed!