NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 10: Friends Who Kill Often Know
At that moment, Nami suddenly seemed to remember something. She turned her head to look at Will, curiosity written all over her face as she asked,
"Oh, right! Come to think of it, we still don't know your name."
Karina also looked over. Though she didn't speak, her gaze carried the same inquisitiveness.
"My name...?"
Will remained silent for a moment before replying in a calm tone,
"Will. Aster Will."
"Aster Will..."
Nami had no recollection of the name, but she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she smiled.
"Then I'll just call you Will."
"Mm."
Will gave a slight nod, indifferent to the matter—it was just a name, after all.
Meanwhile, Karina had initially intended to analyze some information from his name, but to her surprise, she found it completely unfamiliar.
"Given this guy's personality, he wouldn't bother giving a fake name."
"But in all of the East Blue, I've never heard of this name before."
"Yet, with his strength, how could he possibly be so unknown?"
"Could he have recently arrived from beyond the East Blue?"
Karina contemplated the possibilities, several guesses forming in her mind.
Will, however, had no idea what she was thinking.
Once their brief exchange ended, he stepped toward the four pirates who were bound together, his gaze thoughtful.
Friends who kill often know—killing is easy, but dealing with the aftermath is troublesome.
Killing them right here on the ship would inevitably stain or even damage the deck.
Taking them back to the island for disposal would be unnecessarily bothersome.
Fortunately, these men were all notorious, ruthless pirates—handling them could be done with a bit more... flexibility.
Having decided, Will grabbed the rope and effortlessly lifted the four pirates all at once.
After spinning in place twice, he suddenly let go.
Like shot puts, the pirates were flung through the air, tracing an arc before plunging straight into the sea.
"Since they're pirates, let them return to the embrace of the ocean."
Will spoke nonchalantly before turning toward the cabin, preparing to inspect the ship's interior and make arrangements for their departure.
Watching the scene unfold, Nami nodded approvingly.
"That's right! That's exactly how you should deal with despicable pirates."
Karina, on the other hand, remained indifferent. She silently followed Will into the cabin.
Seeing this, Nami suddenly remembered something and hurriedly caught up.
"Wait! I almost forgot about the treasure on board!"
The three disappeared into the ship's interior, and the sea returned to its usual calm.
Only the bubbles rising on the distant surface of the water lingered for a while—until they, too, gradually vanished.
...
The ship's interior was surprisingly spacious.
Even someone as tall as Will could walk through it without feeling cramped.
Perhaps this was due to Torragia's own large stature—when the ship was built, its design had likely been tailored to accommodate his frame.
Now, it conveniently suited Will as well. He didn't have to hunch or squeeze his way through and could move freely.
Reaching the innermost part of the lower deck, Will pushed open a heavy door.
As light streamed in, a dazzling pile of treasure reflected back at them.
"Whoa~! There's so much money in here!"
Nami and Karina's eyes lit up instantly. They gasped in awe, barely able to contain their excitement.
In comparison, the small fortune they had previously stolen from Torragia's underlings was utterly insignificant.
Will, though a bit surprised, didn't share their enthusiasm.
Because he knew one thing very clearly—
As long as he was strong enough, all the treasures of the sea could be his. There was no need to worry about money.
To him, wealth was only useful as long as it was sufficient. Anything beyond that was unnecessary.
Watching the two women clutching the treasure, eyes sparkling and grinning like fools, Will spoke up.
"Since you both love treasure so much..."
"From now on, all the ship's finances will be managed by the two of you."
"Huh?! Me?!"
Nami and Karina exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with shock.
Then, both of them simultaneously frowned and turned to glare at each other.
"Yes, I'll leave it all to you. I have no interest in money."
Unbothered by their small rivalry, Will simply turned and left the treasure room.
Walking through the corridors, he climbed the stairs.
Passing by room after room, he finally stopped at the door to the captain's quarters.
Opening it, he found the space unexpectedly tidy.
Will searched through the room, hoping to find something of greater value.
Click—
One of the desk drawers was locked. Will's eyes gleamed.
Rather than searching for a key, he simply extended a finger and easily pierced through the lock, pulling the drawer open to reveal a rolled-up map inside.
Untying the string, he spread it out on the desk and examined it closely.
"This is... a map of the Grand Line?"
The scribbled, chaotic notes covering it depicted various routes and details about some sections of the Grand Line's waters.
"Excellent. With this map, along with Buggy's, navigating the Grand Line should be much smoother."
A satisfied smile crossed Will's face. He didn't continue studying it, instead rolling it back up for safekeeping.
"I'll hand it over to Nami later—best to let the expert handle it."
With that thought, he left the captain's quarters and made his way back toward the treasure room.
...
Upon his return, he handed the map to Nami, who was sprawled atop a heap of gold coins, studying it with interest.
Meanwhile, he instructed Karina—who had been busily counting money—to sort through the intelligence files in the captain's quarters.
As for himself, he began clearing the ship of useless junk, tossing everything unnecessary into the sea.
Night fell.
In a particularly good mood due to the newfound riches, Nami volunteered to cook dinner.
After their meal, the three didn't engage in much conversation, each choosing a clean room to rest and recover from the day's exhaustion.
Lying back on his bed, Will checked his newly gained Purity Points.
[Gained 2000 Purity Points]
[Purity Points: 23,400]
According to the system's description, the amount of Purity Points gained after a battle depended on the strength and willpower of the opponent.
Moreover, killing yielded more points than merely defeating an opponent.
Satisfied with the rewards of the day's battle, Will decided not to draw any new talents or skills for the time being.
After "hearing" that the two women in the adjacent rooms had already fallen asleep, he slowly closed his eyes.
Regulating his breathing, he swiftly drifted into slumber.
...
------
more advance and fast update chapters on
pat reon.com/yuuwand