Starting with two Kamui, they raised the flag of rebellion in One Piece.

Chapter 133 Approaching Each Other, Bearing the Burden of Justice

So, for the next period of time, Li Mingyuan stood in the corridor trying to calm his turbulent emotions.

Like a statue, it didn't move for a long time.

Until nearly five minutes later.

Once he was sure that his mindset and emotions had returned to normal and that he no longer felt that impulsiveness, he took the medical kit and returned to the captain's cabin.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Nami. It took a little while because I forgot where I put the first-aid kit."

"Is there anything in your body that's still bothering you?"

Li Mingyuan knocked on the captain's cabin door, then pushed it open and entered, making a point of calling out to alert the crew.

As soon as he entered the room, Li Mingyuan began to carefully observe the situation inside.

As we can see, Nami is still on her bed and hasn't left yet. However, compared to her stiff state before, she seems much more normal now, and even the expression she makes when she looks back at herself is no different from usual.

But apart from that —

If we're talking about changes, then there have been some.

That was Nami at that moment. Although her expression seemed normal, she was wearing something on her earlobe for some reason.

A faint rosy hue.

Most importantly, there's the way Nami is looking at him.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Li Mingyuan paused for a moment, but still couldn't help asking.

"Huh? What happened to me?"

Upon hearing Li Mingyuan's words, Nami, who had been checking her knees and arms for bruises after his initial greeting upon entering, looked up at him with a bewildered expression.

"Sorry, I was a little distracted just now."

"Because this is the first time I've encountered this situation outside of my home."

Nami said somewhat awkwardly, "It's just a minor bump and bruise, and someone's brought a first-aid kit to check on me. While I'm happy about your concern, isn't it a bit of an overreaction?"

"I'm not some young lady who needs protection. On the contrary, I've been fighting wits and courage against pirates at sea for so many years. Ordinary small pirates can't hurt me. I'm not that fragile, let alone injured to this extent."

"I already checked you when you went to find the first-aid kit, and you're perfectly healthy."

As she spoke, Nami raised her arms and, feigning health, even gave Li Mingyuan a strength demonstration.

At first glance, the reply seems to have absolutely no problems.

Despite this, Li Mingyuan still felt that something was not quite right.

"Did I see wrong? But—"

Li Mingyuan frowned slightly.

Even now, no matter when or from what angle, even if he observes Nami out of the corner of his eye, he can feel that she seems to be staring into his eyes, making an unobtrusive eye contact with him.

Yes.

Nami's gaze was constantly following her own eyes.

That inexplicable sense of ambiguity gave Li Mingyuan a strange feeling, as if Nami was looking into the depths of his heart through her eyes, the windows to her soul.

Her silence conveyed her desire for a deeper connection with herself.

"call!"

Li Mingyuan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The instant his eyes met Nami's, that hallucination from before began to resurface; he could feel his heart pounding.

He felt a strange urge, an inexplicable feeling that even if he held Nami in his arms right now, she wouldn't refuse.

However, Li Mingyuan's rational mind told him that it was absolutely impossible for that to happen. The conflict between reason and instinct left Li Mingyuan feeling somewhat confused and at a loss.

Fortunately.

Just then, Li Mingyuan noticed the tables and chairs scattered to the side.

Especially the sea chart that Nami lent out, which was lying on the ground, carrying some unknown dream.

"What a pity, such a rare nautical chart, it's gotten covered in dust in just a short time."

Li Mingyuan bent down, picked up the nautical chart, and then straightened the tables and chairs one by one.

After doing all this, he looked at Nami again.

"Even though you say you're fine, it's also the captain's duty to care about the crew's condition."

"Now that you're on my ship, no matter what you've been through in the past, you're my navigator. Making you feel at home is worth it for me."

"Now, keep the nautical chart safe."

"I've already written down the route details we discussed in my diary. Now, this nautical chart is no longer of any use to me. It's time to return it to its rightful owner and let it be put to good use by someone who can make it valuable."

Under Nami's somewhat dazed gaze, Li Mingyuan shook the dust off the sea chart and placed it in Nami's hand.

During this process, Li Mingyuan did not forget to check on Nami's condition, using his own eyes to confirm whether there were any bruises on the exposed parts of Nami's skin from previous bumps and falls.

After confirming that Nami had no obvious external injuries and that she had accepted the sea chart.

Only then did Li Mingyuan reveal a slight smile.

"You don't seem to be injured. So, can we consider our discussion over?"

"If you want to rest in bed a little longer, that's fine too. If you want to go back to your own room, that's fine too. I plan to stay in my room and read for the rest of the time until it's time to go out to sea. It's up to you."

Li Mingyuan sat back down in the chair, this time facing the bed, and took out a book from the bookshelf next to him.

It seems they really intend to end the conversation and kill the remaining time before heading out to sea by reading a book.

Nami blinked at that moment.

Recalling how Betty was thrown out of Li Mingyuan's bed after only staying there for a short while, and then looking at herself now, not only was she allowed to continue resting on Li Mingyuan's bed, but she was even being asked if she was comfortable.

"Could it be that I'm so weak in his eyes? He suspects I'm injured just from the slightest bump?"

Nami couldn't help but smile wryly, thinking to herself.

Li Mingyuan's generous behavior made her suspect that the other party probably still felt she was putting on a brave face, so they deliberately softened their stance to give her a way out and a legitimate reason to rest on the spot.

But the problem now is that she really wasn't injured.

More importantly, if she continued to stay in the room, she simply didn't know how to face Li Mingyuan!

Nami's seemingly normal conversation with Li Mingyuan was, in reality, a facade of composure. She was merely putting on a brave face; in fact, she hadn't recovered from the unexpected turn of events.

Even now.

Just looking at Li Mingyuan's profile made her heart beat faster and faster.

Before this, it was a face that seemed ordinary, but for some reason, it suddenly became so handsome that she could hardly look at it directly. It made her wonder if a person's face could change in appearance depending on how long she had been exposed to it.

Nami worried that if things continued like this, she might really give herself away, and even do something more embarrassing.

Ultimately, it's strange enough to say how I looked at him!

Yes, I couldn't help but glance at it twice, but what could I do? That kind of thing just happened...

How could I not notice the other person's expression?!

Nami stole glances at Li Mingyuan's expression and felt an urge to curse.

Normally, how could an ordinary person possibly notice that someone is watching them? And to actually say it out loud—

The only thing she can be thankful for now is that Li Mingyuan didn't say anything more about the awkward close encounter just now, and it seems that he didn't hear what she accidentally blurted out earlier.

Otherwise, she really didn't know how she could stay on the ship any longer.

After some thought, Nami decided that she didn't want to stay in Li Mingyuan's room any longer, and that she also needed some peace and quiet for a while because her thoughts were a bit chaotic.

Li Mingyuan sat at the table, looking at his bed.

Nami was lying on her pillow, reading today's newspaper with her hand open.

Unlike Betty's situation a few days ago, Li Mingyuan not only felt no aversion, but also felt a kind of pleasure that he couldn't tell others. This was because Nami's behavior showed that she seemed to be relaxing her guard against him more and more.

Just now, for a fleeting moment, Nami showed a determined expression, and he thought she meant to tell him that she was leaving the room.

Strangely, after he glanced at Nami a few more times, Nami showed a conflicted expression. When she finally spoke, she said that she still wanted to lie there a little longer.

"Hehe, this sense of distance is really delightful."

Li Mingyuan was in a very good mood.

Outside the cabin, on the deck.

Karina is still practicing singing, and occasionally she twists her body and practices dancing.

Unbeknownst to them, this was the moment.

On the other side of their ships, a warship was also sailing away from the island.

"Oh dear, we're staying longer than planned."

"If that happens, I'm sure I'll get scolded again when I get back."

Garp stood at the bow of the ship with his arms crossed, his justice cape fluttering in the sea breeze, laughing heartily as he spoke.

Beside Garp, a figure wore a helpless expression.

"It's not just about this one island. Ultimately, Mr. Garp, you shouldn't be in the East Blue right now. If headquarters hadn't sent me here, you would definitely still be looking for that pirate."

He said, "This alone is enough to give Marshal Sengoku a headache."

He was tall, wearing a white suit vest and a dark blue shirt, and had a green eye patch on his forehead.

The man with curly hair was sitting on the steps under the mast.

Around him, the marines watched nervously, each busy with their own tasks, not daring to even breathe too loudly, for fear of attracting the attention of Garp and the man.

The man who came uninvited to Garp's ship at this moment was named Kuzan.

He also had another identity in the navy.

One of the three admirals with the highest combat power in the Navy Headquarters, codenamed "Aokiji"!

"Don't make things difficult for headquarters anymore, Mr. Garp."

Aokiji sighed.

Garp scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed even though he'd been asked this many questions.

In particular, the person who said this was none other than Kuzan.

"Sorry, sorry! It seems I went a little too far this time."

Garp patted Aokiji on the shoulder and said casually, "I'll be more careful next time."

Even disregarding his special master-disciple relationship with Kuzan, the fact that a Marine Admiral would be dispatched to the East Blue, the weakest sea, specifically to welcome him back speaks volumes.

Garp knew perfectly well that it was most likely the notification and report from a few days ago that made Sengoku realize something was wrong.

Although he intended to extend his time in the East Sea by taking preventative measures, it seems that the effect was counterproductive, making Sengoku realize that he might stay for an unknown period of time.

In addition, whether it was because he stayed on the island for too long, or because of the news from the island a few days ago that had spread to the outside world, he was caught red-handed.

That wretched Warring States period —

When I get back this time, I won't hold back on his collection!

"Really, thankfully the issue of compensation for the residents has been resolved in the past few days, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to do now."

"Although my initial plan was to finish up what I was doing and then continue looking for Ace, it seems that this is the only way it can end here."

Garp turned around and looked at the island receding into the distance, a hint of regret on his face.

Ace, Ace, what exactly do you plan to do to Grandpa?

Thinking of this, even Garp felt a pang of melancholy.

Seeing Garp like this.

Kuzan couldn't help but shake his head and rub his forehead, momentarily at a loss for words.

If possible, he would certainly like Garp to complete this East China Sea voyage and return to the Navy smoothly.

After all, if Garp's grandson were to become a pirate, even just by immersing himself in the situation, he could sense that the other person would definitely not feel good.

If that grandson remains unknown in the future, that's fine. But if he makes a name for himself or fails in a battle, the situation will be terrible. The former means that the other party will become an enemy of the Navy, and Garp may have to face him personally one day. The latter means that the other party will most likely die, and the white-haired man will bury the black-haired man.

Rationally, he wanted the old man in front of him to complete the journey.

However, the main reason he came in such an urgent manner this time was because there was a situation in the New World.

According to reports, Kaido's Beasts Pirates, one of the Four Emperors, are making moves and may be about to embark on a new expedition!

The Big Mom Pirates were already at the center of the storm recently, and with the Beasts Pirates' actions at this moment—no one could predict what would happen.

If it were just a fight between pirates, that would be fine.

However, just in case, even just in case, Kaido's target is the Navy, or there's a possibility that Kaido is allied with Big Mom, ask...

The questions would be disastrous, and there is even a risk of a new Pirate King being born.

At this point, the Navy Headquarters could not allow Garp to continue running amok in the East China Sea.

As someone who bears the burden of justice, he had no choice but to come.