While fighting the urge to vomit, Luffy felt a new kind of power awakening within his body.
"Damn system…" Luffy muttered once more.
"Ahh~ In the end, the healing fruit wasn't even necessary…" he said as he quickly recovered to normal.
Luffy moved his arm and punched the air in front of him.
Boom!
In an instant, the atmosphere cracked like glass. The power of the quake spread outward, and the sea below began to stir with massive waves.
Mimicking Whitebeard's movements, a single punch could unleash a massive shockwave—but the downside was that it consumed a lot of physical energy.
Of course, that wasn't a problem for Luffy now.
He then looked at the other fruit in his hand.
The healing fruit.
It was meant as a backup for his safety, but in the end, it had proven unnecessary.
Stowing it away, Luffy picked a direction and accelerated forward.
Ten minutes later…
It was unclear how far he had flown, but all he could see around him was the vast open sea.
"I'm lost?!"
Luffy laughed, remembering how often he'd made fun of Zoro's terrible sense of direction—yet here he was, lost himself.
Floating at an altitude of 100 meters in the sky, Luffy activated his Observation Haki.
Immediately, his gaze snapped toward the horizon.
"Huh? What's that…"
There was a tiny black dot, barely visible.
Luffy flew closer, and the black dot grew larger.
It was a pirate ship, pulled by two massive Sea Kings.
Perfume Yuda—the ship of the Kuja Pirates.
With a soft smile, Luffy sped toward it.
---
Marineford.
The Marines were busy cleaning up the battlefield.
The Navy had suffered heavy losses—numerous dead and injured, even many captains and high-ranking officers were wounded.
"Hurry! Move these rocks!" Vice Admiral Momonga, his head wrapped in bandages, shouted sternly at his subordinates.
"There are still soldiers alive under there—move quickly!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Scenes like this were unfolding all across the island.
---
At the ruins of the execution platform.
Sengoku sat on a stone, arms bare and his body weary.
He was still haunted by memories of the recent war.
He had been far too careless!
Looking back, once the three Admirals left their posts one after another, Luffy had been able to approach the execution platform easily.
If only he hadn't let his guard down…
It was his fault!
Sengoku sighed and glanced to the side.
Garp approached, supporting Zephyr, both of them wounded.
Seeing Garp, Sengoku's face darkened.
"Your grandson played me like a fool, Garp!"
"I'm sorry."
Instead of laughing loudly as usual, Garp apologized quietly, looking downcast.
Sengoku froze for a moment.
Garp helped Zephyr sit on a nearby rock.
"About this… I knew from the beginning that Luffy might try to save Ace. They're sworn brothers. But I kept that to myself…"
Garp finally sat down and sighed. "I'll take full responsibility."
"And what's the point of saying that now, Garp? You can't take responsibility. I'm the Fleet Admiral!"
Sengoku's expression was complex, though he couldn't blame Garp entirely.
"Sengoku, you…" Zephyr looked shocked. From his tone, he sensed something deeper in Sengoku's words.
"I'm tired. Let someone younger take over as Fleet Admiral."
Sengoku spoke flatly.
In this war, the Marines had killed Whitebeard.
But every other objective had failed miserably.
Ace had been rescued. Whitebeard's main force remained intact. Though they'd suffered heavy losses, they weren't destroyed.
They couldn't even handle Luffy.
The worst prisoners of Impel Down were now on the loose!
"I'll hand in my resignation to the higher-ups…"
He then glanced at Zephyr and frowned. "Why are you so badly injured?"
Zephyr, with a bandage on his head, replied helplessly, "I was drinking tea at HQ… and got hit by a massive punch out of nowhere."
"Hahahaha! You should be grateful I saved you, Zephyr."
"This is your grandson's fault, Garp!"
Zephyr's expression darkened.
"Don't be so angry. Want some senbei?"
---
In front of the inner bay.
Moria commanded a group of zombies, having them carry Oz's massive corpse.
"Furfurfur… Everyone else is gone, yet you're still lingering around here?"
A low, sinister chuckle came from behind—Doflamingo.
Without turning, Moria replied:
"This is a precious corpse, Doflamingo. You just don't understand the beauty of zombies. They're invincible soldiers who never fall in battle! It's a shame Whitebeard's body was taken by that red-haired bastard…"
"Even if you got it, how would you transport a man that big?"
"Hehehehe… That's none of your—!?"
Moria grinned smugly, but suddenly his pupils shrank.
Doflamingo raised his hand and brought it down.
Immediately, five forked threads pierced through Moria's body from behind at an angle.
Splurt—Moria spat blood.
Turning in disbelief, he stared at Doflamingo.
"You?!"
"Fufurfur… Don't blame me. I was acting under orders from above," Doflamingo smirked.
"Sengoku?! Why?"
Moria was confused. He had participated obediently in the war. He hadn't caused trouble—he was just after the corpses.
"No, even higher than Sengoku."
Doflamingo pointed a finger toward the sky. "I'm curious too… What exactly did you do to anger them?"
Above…? The Five Elders!?
Moria's expression changed.
"Damn it!!"
Suddenly, the sunlight twisted into shadows that elongated and turned into bats.
---
Perfume Yuda – Captain's Cabin.
The Empress sat on the edge of the bed, resting her chin on one hand, murmuring softly:
"Luffy… Are you okay?"
Her sisters stood nearby, exchanging helpless glances.
"Lunch is ready. Shall I bring it to you?" Sandersonia asked gently.
It had been nearly an hour since they left Marineford, and the Empress was still in that same state.
"I'm not hungry. What matters more is Luffy's safety." She gnawed at her fingernails anxiously.
Marigold gave a dry chuckle. "Sister, that man is incredibly strong. We all saw it during the live broadcast. Not even a single Admiral could stop him."
"But the Marines have more Admirals… and the Government has other forces too." The Empress frowned slightly.
"It's fine, don't worry. Even if danger comes, doesn't he have a bunch of magical fruits? He'll be okay. Let's eat some fruit ourselves!"
The mention of fruit jogged her memory.
She pulled out a small healing fruit from her chest, lifted her head, and said to her sisters:
"Luffy gave me this fruit. It can erase the mark from your bodies. But for now… I only have one."
Just as she spoke, a fourth voice echoed in the room.
"Turns out, I've got another one."
The three sisters jumped, looking toward the window.
Luffy gracefully stepped in through it.
(Why is he so good at entering like that?!) Marigold and Sandersonia thought in unison.
"Luffy!" The Empress's eyes lit up with surprise. "Weren't you with Shanks?"
(I got lost… luckily, I saw your ship.)
Of course, Luffy didn't say that.
"I suddenly missed you all, so I came to see you. By the way, is lunch ready?"
"Sandersonia! Luffy's hungry—bring him food!" the Empress ordered excitedly.
"Yes… sister…"
Sandersonia left reluctantly to prepare the meal.
Marigold glared at him.
(You missed us? You're just here to eat!)
(How did this scoundrel make my sister fall for him?)
Noticing her glare, Luffy chuckled and handed over the healing fruit.
"Here. Take it."
The fruit he originally kept for safety was no longer needed.
Marigold took it—and instantly her attitude shifted.
Thinking about it, her sister was already pregnant with his child, and sooner or later, he'd be her brother-in-law. Yep, no problem accepting a gift from family!
Marigold convinced herself and quickly added:
"Luffy, my sister was really worried about you."
Luffy shook his head, sat at the table, and poured himself a glass of wine.
The Empress loved wine and often drank it even aboard the ship.
She quickly joined him at the table.
Luffy glanced at her and smiled.
Soon after, Sandersonia returned with a lavish meal, and Luffy began eating cheerfully.
The Empress handed the healing fruit she had to Sandersonia.
"Marigold, Sandersonia—eat them."
The two sisters were deeply moved.
To remove that mark… was to say goodbye to their past.
"Do you want me to check for you?" Luffy teased.
The two gave him a blank look but still responded:
"We humbly decline. Sister, we'll go bathe in the bathroom. Have fun here."
With that, the two walked out together.
Thinking that they no longer had to lie to their people or bear that cursed mark, the Empress was in a wonderful mood. A gentle, happy smile bloomed on her beautiful face.
"Thank you, Luffy!"
"You think a simple 'thank you' is enough? That doesn't sound very sincere, woman."
"Why?"
The Empress blinked, confused and slightly stunned.
She hesitated, trying to understand what he meant. How could she express her gratitude in a way that felt… more sincere?
"Come here. Sit on my lap."
Luffy leaned back a bit in his chair to make room and gave his thigh a welcoming pat.
Hancock stared at him for a moment. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of surprise and emotion. Sitting on a man's lap… It should've felt bold, maybe inappropriate. But this was Luffy. She had already felt his arms wrapped around her. This wasn't a barrier—it was a relief.
With graceful steps, she approached him and, suppressing the nervousness threatening to overflow, delicately sat on his lap. Her hands gently rested on the chest of the young pirate.
"Are you okay?" she whispered softly, her voice barely audible.
Luffy wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.
"Hancock... In my homeland, when a man saves a woman, they say they're bound together forever."
"Eh?"
The Empress's cheeks instantly turned crimson. Her mind, always ready for romance, was already diving into daydreams—wedding veils, rings, eternal vows.
"How about we make that bond official right now?" Luffy whispered, his warm breath brushing against her ear.
"Mm…" was all she could utter, her voice choked with emotion.
In a firm yet gentle motion, Luffy lifted her into his arms. Hancock let out a quiet gasp, instinctively clinging to his neck. The warmth of his body against hers made her melt completely. He carried her to the bed with unsettling ease.
"I promise you won't regret this," he said, locking eyes with her before pressing his lips to hers in a deep kiss.
His hands slid carefully down her back as Hancock surrendered to the moment, her fingers weaving through his hair, her body curving sweetly into his. Their kisses became slower, more intimate—as if they were dancing to the rhythm of something inevitable and natural.
Soon, their clothes slipped silently to the floor.
---
[A/N: As I mentioned before, I'm pretty much giving up on writing R18... I suck at this haha.]
---
Meanwhile…
In the bathroom, the two sisters had just eaten the healing fruit, staring at one another.
The mark carved into their backs had completely disappeared.
"It's really gone!"
The two exchanged glances and screamed with excitement.
At that moment, Marigold secretly decided never to call Luffy a "bad man" again in her heart.
He's a good man!
A great brother-in-law!
Sandersonia wiped her tears. "We need to treat Luffy well from now on."
"Yes, we were rude before."
"Come on, let's go apologize—right now!"
After taking a bath, the two got dressed and returned to Hancock's room. But when they approached the door, they wore puzzled expressions.
There was a strange sound coming from inside.
"What's going on? That noise is so weird..." Marigold wasn't sure whether she should knock.
"I don't know. Maybe she's injured?"
Sandersonia was equally unsure.
They looked at each other.
"Let's not disturb Luffy while he's eating."
---
That night.
Luffy woke up in Hancock's bed.
She was nowhere in sight, but he figured she was probably taking a bath.
After their "exercise," both of them were sweaty and sticky—taking a bath was the natural thing to do.
He casually threw on a jacket, got up, and poured himself a cup of tea.
At that moment, Sandersonia came rushing in.
"Sister! Luffy!"
"What's wrong, Sandersonia?"
Luffy turned to look at her.
Sandersonia, holding a newspaper, quickly handed it to him and said gravely:
"The Marines raised your bounty!"
---
Monkey D. Luffy
Wanted Dead or Alive
3,500,000,000!
And the photo used was clearly his Nika form!
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."