Chapter 480: Looting Marine Base

"Is this the base?" I asked, landing with a soft thud as I jumped down from the small ship, hands still tucked in my pockets.

Before us stood a squat Marine building in the center of the small island. Weather-beaten and unimpressive, but it carried the emblem of justice all the same. The waves crashed gently on the rocky shoreline behind us, but the silence was unsettling.

Nami dropped down beside me, narrowing her eyes. "Strange. I’m surprised the Marines didn’t sound any alarm when we approached. They had to have seen us."

"Either they’re asleep," I muttered darkly, "or they’re setting up an ambush."

"And if it’s the latter?"

"I don’t care."

My voice came out low, quiet—too quiet. But even Nami could hear the restrained fury underneath.

I walked forward at a steady pace. My steps were slow but deliberate, every movement radiating tension. Behind me, Nami followed with unusual silence. She could feel it too—this wasn’t just about stolen money anymore.

It was personal.

Then suddenly—Ka-cha!

A sharp crack split the air.

In one motion, I turned and grabbed Nami’s wrist, yanking her down just in time as a bullet tore through the air, missing her head by inches.

"Sniper," I hissed, already scanning.

I spotted him near the roof edge of the base, just as he was loading another round. I kicked a loose stone from the ground—just a pebble, really—but it flew with the speed of a bullet.

Crack!

The rock struck him directly in the forehead. He dropped backward, unconscious before he even hit the rooftop.

More movement. I tensed.

"Ambush confirmed," I said grimly.

Several Marines burst from the building with rifles in hand, opening fire without warning.

I moved in a blur, pushing Nami toward a nearby barrel. "Hide there! Stay out of sight!"

"What about you—"

"No time!"

Bullets whizzed by, some grazing my clothes, one slicing across my shoulder. The sting barely registered. My mind was already in the zone.

I leapt forward, closing the distance between me and the frontline Marines.

They panicked.

One tried to swing his rifle as a club.

I ducked.

Whoosh!

I spun low and delivered a sweeping kick to his legs.

He collapsed.

The next one lunged forward.

"Eighth Form: Serpent’s Coil!"

My leg lashed out in a tight, spinning arc, striking the Marine in the side of the neck. He flew back, colliding with two others behind him like bowling pins.

Three down.

More were coming.

I raised my voice just enough for Nami to hear me behind cover.

"Nami!"

"What?!" she called back, clutching her staff tightly.

"Start looting."

She blinked, confused. "What?!"

"Take everything that isn’t nailed down. Find the vault. Any safe, any locker, anything that looks valuable—take it. We don’t have time to waste here."

"But—"

"No ’but’! Luffy and the others are heading for Arlong Park right now. We can’t let them fight alone—not after everything Nami’s been through."

Nami’s eyes widened. It was the first time I’d referred to her pain so openly. And the way I said it—it wasn’t pity. It was anger. Not at her, but for her.

She nodded, clutching her sack tightly. "Alright. Just don’t die on me."

"I’ll be fine," I replied with a dry grin, parrying a bayonet with my forearm before elbowing the attacker in the gut. "This is me holding back."

With that, Nami darted off toward the side of the building, eyes sharp as she scanned for windows, storage doors, anything that could get her inside unseen.

A group of five Marines surrounded me now. One shouted, "You’re under arrest in the name of the World Government!"

I smirked. "I’ll pass."

One lunged—blade drawn.

I sidestepped and grabbed his arm, flipping him over my shoulder and into the dirt. His head hit the ground with a satisfying thud.

The others hesitated. I could see doubt forming.

"Run," I told them.

They didn’t.

So I dashed in.

Elbows, knees, low kicks—everything flowed like water. One by one, they dropped. Not dead—but they’d wish they were when they woke up.

Inside the base, Nami had found her way through a broken window. She moved like a shadow—quick, quiet, and ruthless. Drawers opened. Cabinets were emptied. She even found a small safe beneath the captain’s desk. A few lockpicks later—click—and it was open.

Stacks of berri.

Ledgers.

A few gold-plated medals.

She shoved it all into her bag, heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and bitter satisfaction. This was her money. She knew it. Stamped with the village code she’d memorized from a young age.

Back outside, I was standing amid a dozen unconscious bodies, catching my breath.

Nami burst from the front doors with two heavy sacks in each hand. "Got it!" she shouted.

"Any trouble?"

"Nothing I couldn’t handle."

"Good. Then let’s get out of here before reinforcements show up."

As we ran back to the ship where Usopp waited, Nami glanced over at me. "You were really ready to take on a whole base for me, huh?"

I didn’t slow down. "Next time, remind me to burn the paperwork too."

Nami laughed—actually laughed, for the first time in what felt like forever.

"I’ll consider it," she said.

We boarded the ship, breathless but victorious.

Nami dropped her sacks on the deck with a loud clunk.

"We’ve got what we came for," I said, turning toward the helm. "Now it’s time to pay Arlong a visit."

~~~