Conqueror’s Desire

The air in Bluehaven City grew colder as night began to fall. The soft glow of oil lamps hanging along the harbor cast dancing shadows over the water. MC and Nami stood before the old man who had offered them a ship, waiting for him to explain the "trial" he had mentioned.

The old man, who now introduced himself as Captain Roderick, crossed his arms with a mysterious expression. "If you truly want this ship, you must prove that you can survive at sea with a calm mind. I will give you one simple task—retrieve something very valuable to me."

MC raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

Captain Roderick grinned. "My star map. I left it long ago in an old lighthouse on the eastern cliffs of this city. The problem is, that place is now occupied by a group of sea bandits who use it as their hideout."

Nami sighed. "Of course, there are bandits. Nothing in life is ever easy."

MC chuckled. "So, all we have to do is take back the map from them? Easy."

Captain Roderick let out a short laugh. "Don't be too confident, kid. These bandits aren't ordinary thugs. They're former pirates—cunning and dangerous. If you want to get past them without unnecessary fighting, use your brains."

Nami smirked. "Oh, don't worry about that. When it comes to intelligence, I won't lose."

The Journey to the Lighthouse

Night deepened as MC and Nami sneaked along a narrow path leading to the eastern cliffs. The old lighthouse stood tall at the edge of the precipice, its silhouette eerie under the moonlight. From a distance, they could see several bandits standing guard around the area.

MC narrowed his eyes. "So, what's the plan? Do we charge in or take a more subtle approach?"

Nami smiled mischievously. "You know I prefer elegance."

Carefully, they crept along the side of the building, searching for a way to enter unnoticed. Nami quickly observed the bandits' patrol patterns and spotted a blind spot near a second-floor window.

"There," she whispered. "If we climb those stacked crates, we can slip in without being seen."

MC looked at her, impressed. "You're getting better at sneaking in. Should I be worried?"

Nami shot him a playful glance. "Maybe. But only if you have something valuable for me to steal."

MC chuckled softly. "So… does my heart count?"

Nami immediately smacked his arm, though her face turned slightly red. "Focus! We're on a mission!"

MC simply laughed before they both started moving.

Infiltrating the Hideout

With swift movements, they climbed the crates and slipped through the slightly open window. Inside the lighthouse, they found a room filled with stolen goods—weapons, jewelry, and even crates of gold likely taken from merchant ships.

"Too much stuff," MC muttered. "How are we supposed to find the star map in all this?"

Nami scanned the room carefully. "If I were a cunning pirate, I'd hide something important in an unusual place."

After a few moments, her eyes landed on an old wooden desk with a locked drawer. "Here," she said.

MC looked at the drawer. "It's locked. Should we break it open?"

Nami pulled out a small pin from her pocket. "Or… we could do it the elegant way."

In seconds, she picked the lock, revealing a rolled-up map inside. The detailed constellations and star positions were drawn with remarkable precision.

"We found it," MC whispered.

But before they could celebrate, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Nami tensed. "Looks like we won't be leaving quietly."

MC grinned confidently. "In that case, we'll leave in style."

Escaping in Style

As the bandits entered the room, MC acted instantly. Grabbing an oil lantern, he hurled it toward the wooden crates, creating a small explosion that sent flames bursting into the air.

"Now, go!" he shouted.

Nami and MC dashed toward the window they had used to enter, but this time, bandits were already closing in from outside.

Nami glanced downward and spotted a thick rope hanging from the lighthouse's side. "Follow me!"

With agile precision, she leaped out, grabbed the rope, and swung down, landing gracefully on the ground.

MC could only laugh as he followed her lead. "You make it look too easy."

Nami smirked proudly. "Of course. I'm more talented than you."

With the bandits scrambling in confusion behind them, MC and Nami sprinted back to the city, the star map secured in their hands.

When they arrived at the harbor, Captain Roderick was already waiting, his expression pleased. "You did it."

MC handed him the map. "Mission complete. So, when do we get our ship?"

Captain Roderick examined the map for a moment before nodding. "You have proven your bravery and intelligence. The ship is yours now."

Nami's face lit up, and MC gazed at their new vessel with pride.

With a sturdy new ship and a new destination ahead, they had taken a huge step toward their journey across the world.

And for MC, this adventure was becoming even more exciting—not just because of the adventures waiting ahead, but because he was starting to enjoy the time he spent with Nami more and more.