Chapter 45: This Is Not Scientific, But It Is Magical

"Yeah!"

Nami gritted her teeth, sweat dripping from her forehead as she struggled against the pain. Blue veins stood out on her skin as Leo's wand moved slowly and precisely. Mysterious, glowing symbols emerged on her pale, snow-white skin, like ancient runes being etched in fire. Around each symbol, her skin reddened, tiny blood vessels bursting from the strain.

It looked as if a single touch could break through that fragile layer of skin.

Cold sweat, mixed with tears, streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto the deck below. Her whole body trembled, and her breathing became ragged. There was pain in her eyes—unmistakable—but also something else. A silent plea. Yet, when her memories flickered back to the torment she'd endured under Arlong, her expression hardened.

She couldn't back down now.

Luffy and Usopp stepped forward cautiously, concern written all over their faces. They stopped just a few feet away, watching Nami float mid-air under the levitation spell. They clearly wanted to help but were too afraid to interrupt Leo's intense magical process.

Even Zoro, who had been sleeping off his injuries, rose shakily to his feet. He clutched the hilt of his sword tightly. His hand trembled with effort, knuckles white as he instinctively prepared to defend Nami if something went wrong.

Sanji had just stepped into the cabin but came rushing back out, clutching a towel in one hand. His expression was grim, his eyes avoiding Nami as he lowered his head in silent distress.

Luffy pushed his straw hat down over his eyes, his voice a low growl.

"Arlong…"

"Aaaaaahhhh!!"

Nami screamed, and the towel in her mouth slipped free. The pain had overwhelmed her.

Leo had warned her it would hurt—but this was something else entirely. It wasn't just pain. It was also an unbearable itching sensation, like thousands of insects burrowing beneath her skin.

Had it not been for the burning hatred she felt for Arlong and the iron resolve to free her village, she might have begged to die.

Leo glanced at her with a mixture of sympathy and determination. He picked up the fallen towel and gently stuffed it back in her mouth. Then, without missing a beat, he took the towel from Sanji's hand and tied it around her eyes.

"If you can't bear to watch," Leo said softly to Sanji, "then she doesn't need to see it either."

"Mmmph! Mmmph!"

Nami tried to speak, but with the towel stuffed in her mouth, her voice came out as muffled moans. Her body convulsed as the magic continued to surge through her.

Minutes passed. Then more. The magical energy from Leo's wand began to fade gradually, its glow growing dimmer as Nami's groans became weaker.

A puddle of sweat and tears had pooled beneath her suspended form. Her body hung limp in mid-air, trembling ever so slightly.

Finally, Leo let out a sigh of relief.

"It's done."

He wiped his brow with an exaggerated motion, though there was no real sweat. He looked thoroughly exhausted nonetheless. He flicked the slender wand in his hand—no bigger than a chopstick now—and gently levitated Nami down onto the beach chair where she had been before.

The floating spell dissolved. Nami lay motionless.

Not even a groan escaped her lips.

Luffy and the others rushed to her side in alarm, quickly removing the towel from her face. Her skin was pale, her breathing faint, but steady.

"She's alive!" Luffy shouted, filled with relief.

It was like a switch had been flipped. Usopp and the others broke into cheers, their tension releasing all at once. It was as if they had just won a war.

Leo sighed and slapped his forehead, exasperated.

"Did you all really think I was going to kill her?" he muttered under his breath. "So dramatic…"

Nami stirred.

Her eyelids fluttered open, dull at first, then quickly sharpening with awareness. As she slowly regained her strength, her eyes landed on Leo.

Her expression turned to one of pure rage.

She had begged him for help—and the first thing he did was blindfold her and ignore her screams?

Leo gave her a cheerful grin in return, mouthing something that was clearly impolite.

Nami's eyes twitched. She looked like she might leap off the chair and bite him.

"Alright, alright. Everyone give her space," Leo said, waving his hand.

"She needs air. And Sanji, go make her something to eat. Lots of it—she's going to need plenty of nutrition."

"Right away!" Sanji snapped to attention. "Anything for Nami-swan!"

He bolted for the kitchen with heroic purpose.

"Sanji! I want meat too!" Luffy shouted, raising his arms.

Sanji didn't even turn around. He just waved a hand and disappeared into the cabin.

Leo turned to Nami, who was now sitting up with effort.

"Try standing," he said. "You should be in the third stage now."

He slipped his wand into the inside pocket of his coat, now shrunk to a more manageable size. Leo preferred the smaller version—not only did it feel more elegant, but it didn't resemble a walking stick anymore. It also made him feel… sophisticated.

If he had a blue school uniform, he could almost pass for a Ravenclaw student.

After all, he thought to himself proudly, only someone as intellectual as himself belonged in Ravenclaw.

"Heh… You jerk. You actually dare say that to me?" Nami growled through clenched teeth.

The carved magical patterns on her body were still glowing faintly, and the pain had begun to subside. Her energy was returning fast, and her strength was clearly far above what it was before.

"Oh, come on," Leo said, rolling his eyes. "This was your idea, remember? You were the one glaring at me like you were ready to be torn apart."

"Focus," he added. "The magic pattern should have fully linked now. Try to feel it. You'll notice the difference immediately."

He handed her a simple wooden staff—Nami's. He had put it away during the process to avoid disrupting the engraving.

The moment her fingers wrapped around it, a gust of wind erupted from nowhere. It circled around her body, like a cyclone with her at the center, then dissipated into the open sky.

"What was that?" she gasped.

A strange sense of connection surged through her—like she was no longer just feeling the wind, but becoming part of it. Her strength surged so intensely, it felt like she could crush a battleship with a single punch.

Of course, it was mostly an illusion caused by the sudden boost—but it wasn't far off.

"The essence of wind," Leo said seriously, "is flow."

"The wind never stops. That's your guiding principle from now on."

Nami nodded slowly, her expression turning thoughtful.

Leo continued, "Feel the wind around you. It's everywhere. The answer to your power lies within it."

He waved his hand, guiding a sea breeze to gently blow past her. Nami closed her eyes, immersed in the sensation.

Then suddenly—whoosh—she vanished.

There was a sharp gust of wind, and she was gone.

Everyone stood frozen.

Zoro blinked. "Where'd she go?"

Luffy craned his neck to the sky. "Was that… her?"

Usopp, who had the sharpest eyesight, pointed toward the clouds. "Up there! She's… jumping around in the sky?!"

"Dinner's ready, my princess! Come and—"

Sanji emerged from the cabin carrying a steaming plate of food. He looked around the deck, then frowned.

"…Where's Nami?!"

Usopp, still slack-jawed, pointed skyward again.

Sanji looked up—and almost dropped the food.

"That's… that's not possible! This is unscientific!"

Leo stepped forward with a grin.

"But it's magical, isn't it?"

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

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