Since Will got into One Piece relatively late, he had only skimmed through the early East Blue arc.
That was why he had some lingering expectations for the future Emperor, Buggy the Clown—a character some speculated was deliberately hiding his true strength.
Unfortunately, after a brief encounter, Will concluded that Buggy was genuinely weak.
The guy had been falsely credited with hidden power when, in reality, there was none to speak of.
Rather than believe Buggy was secretly suppressing his abilities for no reason, Will was more inclined to think that the clown simply had absurdly good luck, always managing to escape danger at critical moments.
"If it's really just luck," Will mused, "then that means Buggy, who got blown away just now, will probably survive unscathed."
Turning toward the direction Buggy had been sent flying, Will pondered for a moment. But he didn't dwell on it too much.
He had already figured out Buggy's true level, so there was no need for further investigation.
Pushing his thoughts aside, Will shifted his gaze to the staircase.
Karina and Nami, who had originally been standing there, were now nowhere to be seen.
Only a severed hand—Buggy's, tied up with rope and rendered immobile—was left behind.
Will wasn't surprised.
During his fight, he had already sensed the two slipping away at the first opportunity.
He hadn't bothered to stop them because everything was within his control.
Without urgency, Will walked to the edge of the rooftop and raised his voice, calling out:
"You two, stop wasting time hiding in the shadows! Hurry up and find me Buggy's sea chart."
After saying that, he turned and walked toward the staircase, picking up Buggy's bound hand and tying it to his waist before leisurely making his way downstairs.
He seemed entirely unconcerned about whether the two women had heard him or whether they would comply.
Meanwhile, in the shadows along the wall of a nearby building, Nami and Karina stood cautiously against the surface.
Hearing Will's words, the two instinctively exchanged glances, shock evident in their eyes.
"How the hell did he know we were hiding against the wall in the shadows?!" Nami thought, unable to comprehend how they had been discovered.
Karina, however, seemed to have an idea. Her expression turned uncertain as she hesitated before speaking:
"I have a theory... but if I'm right, then we can forget about ever escaping from him."
"Huh?" Nami asked curiously. "Why do you say that? What did you figure out?"
Karina didn't play coy, instead explaining her thoughts directly:
"I can't be sure, but I've heard rumors."
"Some gifted individuals on the Grand Line can wield a special ability separate from Devil Fruits."
"This power is called Haki."
"Haki is divided into three types, and one of them—Observation Haki—allows a person to sense the exact position and distance of their enemies."
"Some even say that advanced users can predict attacks before they happen, making them nearly invincible in battle."
"Given what Will has demonstrated so far, I can't help but think he's already mastered this so-called Observation Haki."
"Observation Haki?!"
The concept, which sounded just as mythical as Devil Fruits, left Nami feeling a sense of disbelief.
After years of surviving in the East Blue, she had never encountered anyone with such an ability.
But then again, she had also once thought Devil Fruits were just legends—until she saw them firsthand.
So, if Haki really existed, it wouldn't be that strange.
"Sigh..."
After weighing her options, Nami sighed, her tone complicated.
"Fine. If he's already caught us, we might as well listen to him and go find the sea chart for the Grand Line."
"I'd rather not get caught and thrown into the ocean."
After spending some time with Will, she had a decent grasp of his personality. She doubted he would show mercy just because they were women.
"Yeah, for now, that's our best option," Karina agreed with a slight nod. Then, with a sly smile, she turned to Nami.
"Well then, lead the way, Cat Burglar~."
"You've told me so much about Buggy's crew, so I'm sure you know more about where he keeps his sea chart than I do."
"Hmph, you sly fox," Nami scoffed, but didn't argue. She stepped out from the shadows and headed toward another building.
"The chart should be in that warehouse, along with Buggy's treasure."
Thinking about the piles of treasure inside, her pace instinctively quickened.
Karina followed leisurely behind, her eyes glinting with amusement.
--
A short while later.
Will emerged from the tavern's kitchen, carrying a large sack filled with clean food and alcohol over his shoulder.
As he stepped outside, he saw Nami and Karina approaching from the other direction.
Both were each carrying a sack even bigger than themselves.
The bulging bags were stuffed full, with gold chains and jewels peeking out from the openings, gleaming in the sunlight.
Additionally, both women had several smaller pouches tied to their waists, which were clearly filled with even more treasure.
Seeing this, Will once again marveled at how physically strong people in the One Piece world were.
These two young women were effortlessly carrying such heavy loads as if it were nothing.
"Let's go. Back to the ship."
Will didn't bother asking if they had found the sea chart. He simply turned around and started walking.
"Understood!" Karina and Nami quickly followed behind him.
The three of them strode boldly through the town's streets, not seeming the least bit worried about any remaining pirates getting in their way.
Woof—woof woof—!!!
Suddenly, sharp barking echoed from nearby.
The trio stopped and turned toward the sound.
From around a street corner, a small, dust-covered dog emerged.
It wasn't much to look at, but it ran toward them and stopped a short distance away, standing its ground and barking at them with unwavering determination.
"Huh? There's a dog here?" Nami looked surprised.
Karina pondered before guessing, "Maybe its owner fled the town in a hurry and forgot to take it along."
Will remained silent, simply listening to the dog's barks.
He could sense a distinct feeling of gratitude from the little creature.
It reminded him of certain wild animals he had encountered before—like the lion that had just beaten up its own crewmates to please him.
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