The flames roared, but they didn't burn. Instead, they surged into Darian's outstretched palm like water into a drain.
When the fire touched the white halo emanating from his skin, it dissolved into pure energy, flowing directly into his body. Instantly, the exhaustion that had plagued him since the fight vanished. His "battery" was full again.
This was another facet of his Devil Fruit: Energy Absorption.
It wasn't just absorption; it was more like "Charging."
Vibration, Lightning, Lubrication, Charging. Individually, they seemed random. But combined in a fruit that looked like a pink cucumber... well, Darian had a feeling the "true" nature of this fruit was something far more scandalous than simple combat.
As he absorbed the fire, he realized the potential. Kinetic energy, electrical energy, heat energy, shockwaves—he could theoretically absorb it all and convert it into stamina or redirect it.
However, there were limits. He sensed that if an attack was too powerful, it would overwhelm his "storage capacity" and hurt him. Like a battery, if you overcharge it, it explodes.
But for a wooden ship fire? It was a light snack.
In just a few breaths, the raging inferno was gone, leaving only charred wood and smoke.
Before Darian could even lower his hand, Nami let out a cheer and sprinted into the smoking ruins of the captain's cabin.
Crash! Bang!
Moments later, happy laughter echoed from the dark room.
Nami emerged, dragging a heavy iron-bound chest that was nearly half her size. It slammed onto the deck with a heavy thud.
Thump!
"Open, open, open..." Nami muttered, pulling a set of lockpicks from her hair. With a few skilled clicks, the heavy padlock popped open.
The iron plating had protected the contents from the heat. As the lid creaked open, the glow of gold illuminated Nami's face.
"Yes!"
She squealed in delight. Based on a quick glance, there were at least 20 million Berries in cash and gold bars inside. With this haul, she was terrifyingly close to her goal. Just one more big job, and she could buy back Cocoyasi Village. She could finally be free.
"That's fantastic, Darian!"
In her excitement, Nami forgot herself. She threw her arms around Darian, hugging him tightly and burying her face in his chest.
"Uh..."
Darian stood there, arms hovering, unsure of what to do. He could feel her warmth, her softness, and the sheer relief radiating off her. For a moment, the greedy thief was just a happy girl.
Then, just as quickly, she pulled away and dove back into the box to count the money.
Darian shook his head and went back to checking on the injured woman. The "Lubrication" treatment seemed to have stabilized her. Her breathing was steady.
Satisfied, Darian walked over to Nami.
"So," he said, eyeing the pile of cash. "I did the fighting. I put out the fire. I saved the ship. I think I deserve at least half, right?"
The air froze.
Talking about money with Nami was like trying to take meat from a hungry tiger.
"Impossible!" Nami shrieked, slamming the lid shut and draping her entire body over the chest like a protective dragon.
She glared at him, her eyes burning with intensity. "Don't even think about it! This is all for my... savings!"
"But—"
"You still owe me!" she interrupted, ticking points off on her fingers. "I saved you from the ocean. You owe me for food, water, and lodging for the past two days. That's 22 million Berries."
Darian blinked. "Wait, this morning it was 11 million. How did it double?"
"Inflation!" Nami snapped. "And that's not the worst part! You ate that Devil Fruit! That was easily worth 500 million Berries! You ate my retirement fund! So now you owe me... let's say a nice round 1 billion Berries!"
Darian opened his mouth, then closed it. He was now a billion Berries in debt. He had officially been scammed into indentured servitude.
"Fine," he sighed. "I guess I'm working for you."
Nami huffed, satisfied. She quickly packed up the valuables. She even searched the rest of the ship for more loot, but finding nothing, she decided to add another fee to Darian's tab for "throwing Bakal into the ocean without collecting his bounty."
It was a total robbery. And it was a complete success.
The prostitute and her two companions were left on the ship. They were terrified but unharmed. They decided to wait until morning to sneak away, likely looting whatever scraps were left.
Later that night, back on the small boat.
Nami sat on her bed, surrounded by piles of cash. The moonlight filtered in through the small porthole, illuminating her satisfied smile.
This haul was incredible. Usually, it took her months to earn this much. Today, she did it in an hour.
She glanced at the locked cabin door. Darian was outside on the deck again.
Maybe I was too harsh on him, she thought, guilt pricking at her conscience.
Sure, he ate a fortune in fruit. But he also saved her life. He killed a pirate worth 15 million Berries with a single punch. And he absorbed fire like a wizard.
With him by her side, she wouldn't have to sneak around anymore. She could take on bigger targets. Maybe... maybe even Arlong.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Arlong was a monster. A Fish-Man. Darian was strong, but Arlong was a nightmare.
Still, her mind drifted back to Darian's new face.
When the lightning had illuminated him earlier... thump, thump. Her heart skipped a beat just remembering it. He was devastatingly handsome now. The way the other women on the ship had looked at him—like hungry wolves—had made Nami irrationally annoyed.
"He's actually a good guy," she whispered to herself. He hadn't taken advantage of the women. He had tried to heal the injured prostitute.
Nami bit her lip. Leaving a billion-Berry debtor (and a very handsome one) out in the cold sea breeze seemed... wasteful.
Outside on the deck, Darian sat cross-legged, unaware of Nami's internal conflict. He was too busy staring at his hand, watching small arcs of electricity dance between his fingers.
He had a feeling this adventure was just getting started.
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