The Flower Capital, already glowing with lantern-light and drowning in music, suddenly grew louder as a wave of murmurs spread through the banquet hall.
"Admiral Aokiji…?"
"Why is he here?!"
Gion, Hina, Doll, Ain, Kuina, and Kujaku all stiffened at the same time, their hands pausing mid-sip and mid-bite as the tall, lazy figure of Kuzan wandered casually into the hall with his hands in pockets, face half-asleep, breath misting faintly in the warm air.
He didn't even look at the shocked Marines staring at him. Instead, he stopped in front of a table loaded with food, plucked a warm sake bottle from its tray, and sat down with a relaxed groan.
"Ahh… warm sake. Wano's hospitality really hits the spot," He muttered before pouring himself a drink.
Every woman at the table exchanged looks.
Gion cleared her throat sharply. "…Admiral Kuzan. What are you doing here?"
The Admiral lifted the sake cup to his lips, took a long sip, sighed loudly in satisfaction, then finally glanced their way.
"Oh... You all noticed me. That's surprising," He said lazily. "I thought the Oirans would've kept you too distracted."
He nodded toward the stage where the oiran troupe was dancing in perfect rhythm, the shamisen echoing beautifully across the hall.
Tokikake leaned forward, unable to hold back anymore. "So you did come to take us back, didn't you? Sengoku-san sent you?"
Kuzan didn't bother hiding it. He simply nodded.
"Mmm. Yeah. Sengoku-san figured Luffy was about to cause… well… a new disaster, so he told me to follow." He popped a piece of crispy tempura into his mouth. "But… when I arrived, I saw festivals, food, music, dancing…"
He waved his cup lazily around. "Not a single fire. Not a single explosion. That's good enough for me."
Everyone stared at him.
Kuzan leaned back, chuckling." And let's be honest… sending Sakazuki after Luffy? Not a good idea. The old man knows that. He knows they'd probably sink half of Wano fighting over something stupid."
A ripple of agreement spread across the Marines.
Then he shrugged, already reaching for a skewer of grilled yakitori. "But since the kid already caused a mess before I arrived… eh, what's one more? Let's just skip the paperwork and enjoy the party. It's not like Sengoku-san can see us from Marineford, right?"
He waved dismissively at Tokikake. "Now stop interrupting. You're ruining the ambience."
Tokikake froze, his jaw hanging, with sake halfway to his lips.
Gion pinched the bridge of her nose, and Hina almost choked on her drink.
Doll burst into laughter.
Kuina looked impressed while Ain whispered under her breath, "Is this really an Admiral…?"
Kuzan, now fully immersed in the performance on stage, tapped his foot to the shamisen's rhythm.
"Nice," He murmured, eyes half-closed. "Wano festivals are the best."
And just like that, the hall relaxed again.
The plates clattered, the sake cups refilled, laughter erupting, the music soaring.
The Marines and heroes of Wano returned to celebrating, while an Admiral casually enjoyed the party as though he had always belonged there.
------
Back on Onigashima
The entrance hall of Onigashima had grown strangely peaceful after their clash.
It was quiet except for the distant crackle of torches and the faint rumble of thunder still lingering in the walls from Luffy's lightning.
Luffy and Yamato sat on the stairs overlooking the vast ocean, the cold wind drifting in with the smell of the sea.
Luffy had found an unopened sake barrel lying among the debris and casually cracked it with his thumb, pouring himself a cup.
Yamato, sitting beside him with her knees pulled up, watched him with wide, curious eyes while nursing her own cup awkwardly, clearly unused to quiet company.
After telling Luffy everything about her childhood, Oden's execution, Kaido's cruelty, her obsession with inheriting Oden's will, Yamato let out a long, shaky exhale. She clearly didn't realize how much she had spoken until it all spilled out.
Silence washed over them for a moment.
Then Luffy chuckled softly, swirling the sake in his cup.
"You really are like someone I know."
Yamato blinked, her brows knitting together. "Someone you know? Who?"
Luffy raised his cup to his lips, taking a slow sip before answering, his eyes turning faintly nostalgic, a rare sight on him.
"She's one of my closest friends," He replied. "A member of my crew. She's stubborn, loud, strong… always charging into fight without thinking."
He grinned as he continued. "And just like you, she also doesn't like her father, always gets annoyed whenever someone mentions his name."
Yamato's orange eyes widened, her interest instantly piqued. She leaned a little closer, close enough that Luffy could feel the heat radiating from her body.
"You have a crew…? You're a pirate too?" She asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.
Luffy smirked and slowly nodded his head. "Not officially yet. I'm still a Marine… kinda. But that's temporary."
He flicked his finger, releasing a tiny spark of lightning that danced in the air. "I only joined to grow stronger and learn the world better. My real dream… is becoming a pirate. And one day, King of the Pirates."
Yamato inhaled sharply, and her heartbeat quickened. Her fingers tightened around her sake cup. She stared at him with the same awe she once held for Kozuki Oden, only this time, something warmer mixed with it.
"So your friend… you really think I'm like her?" She asked softly.
Luffy nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. You two would get along pretty well. You're the type who'd fight each other first, then laugh like idiots afterward."
He took another sip, his grin widening. "And who knows? I think you'd become very close."
Yamato felt a strange warmth blossom in her chest. Her cheeks flushed a little as she looked at Luffy, the boy who walked into her prison like a storm and shattered her chains without hesitation.
A shy, hopeful smile appeared on her lips.
"I… I'd like to meet her someday," She murmured.
Luffy tapped his cup against hers lightly, the clink echoing through the empty hall.
"You will," He promised with confidence that made her heart thump. "And trust me... You two are destined to be friends."
And as the wind swept through Onigashima, Yamato found herself staring at him, as a woman meeting someone who might change her fate forever.
Yamato's face flushed a deep, startling red, the color blooming across her cheeks like fire ignited by a sudden gust. She jerked slightly, trying to shake her head as if the motion might rattle away the strange storm inside her chest.
'Why… why am I feeling like this?! What is this warmth… this pressure… this—'
"Oi," Luffy's voice cut in, low and amused, carrying a teasing hum. He leaned back just enough to look directly at her face. "You look kinda funny right now."
She froze.
Luffy tilted his head, eyes narrowing in an all-too-knowing way. A soft chuckle escaped him, light yet sharp enough to slice through her confusion.
"It seems like you're conflicted about something," He said as he tapped the side of his sake bottle. "Tell me… are you feeling weird whenever you're close to me?"
Ba-thump... Ba-thump... Ba-thump...
Her heartbeat practically punched her ribs.
Yamato stiffened and stuttered, "H-How… how do you know that…?!"
"Because I've experienced it before." Luffy's smile widened. It was warm, confident, dangerously gentle. He paused, letting the words sink in.
"If I had to explain it in simple words," Luffy continued, "you're feeling the same thing your idol Oden felt… when he met his wife, Toki."
'…What?!'
Yamato's mind exploded like fireworks. She stared at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, completely thrown off balance.
How could he say something like that so casually?! How could he compare her… to Oden's feelings… to Toki…?!
"This—this can't be—" She whispered under her breath, hands trembling. "There's no way…"
Luffy raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his gaze. "You don't believe me?"
He leaned closer, slowly and deliberately.
"Then…" His voice dropped to a low murmur that brushed her ears like a spark. "…let's test it."
Before Yamato could react, Luffy gently reached out and took her hand.
The world didn't just still, but it collapsed into silence.
Yamato's breath hitched so sharply it almost hurt. Her fingers twitched in his grasp, but she didn't pull away. Her heart erupted into a wild rhythm, and it was rapid, uncontrollable, overwhelming.
Thump... thump... thump... thump...
Heat shot up her arms. Her ears rang. Her entire body felt like it might either melt or explode.
'What is this?! Why does it feel like I'm being pulled toward him, no, drawn to him like gravity?!'
Luffy watched her with a soft, teasing smile, tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Heh," He murmured, giving her hand a slight, reassuring squeeze. "See? You're reacting a lot."
Yamato's lips parted, breath shaky, eyes shimmering with confusion, panic, and something dangerously close to longing.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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