December 2, 1498, Age of the Sea Circle
Two days had passed since Orion's encounter with Akainu, and during that time, he had remained quietly inside the Pocket Dimension, together with Olive and the rest of his companions, which also included the people he had saved earlier in the city.
Only when the marker indicating the presence of the Vice Admiral disappeared completely did Orion let out a relieved sigh and decide it was time to resume his journey home.
"Olive, it's time for us to depart. Can I count on you for the remainder of the trip?" Orion asked, caressing his beloved's cheek with his hand.
"Of course, darling! Now I'll show you what my new powers can do!" the sultry pirate replied enthusiastically.
Orion nodded, returning to the surface and stepping out of the Pocket Dimension into the ruined island. After having been the battlefield for Hanafuda and the Charlotte siblings, the city was left completely destroyed, so Orion had offered asylum to those who were willing to follow him.
Most people had refused his offer, unwilling to abandon their homeland and sail to the other side of the world. Perhaps they didn't trust a stranger like Orion enough to take such a risk. However, there were a few who accepted, and they were now inside the Pocket Dimension, with no intention of returning to their shattered homes.
Those who hadn't accepted left the Pocket Dimension in an orderly manner, and after sincerely thanking Orion for his help, they bid him farewell, returning to the ruins of the city to begin rebuilding. They would treat this incident as if it were a natural disaster, refusing to be discouraged by their losses and instead focusing on the positives.
Orion watched as the island's inhabitants headed back toward the city and thought bitterly that in this world, ordinary people were completely at the mercy of the whims of the powerful. In his previous world, that had also been the case, but at least it wasn't as direct and brutal as here. A powerful pirate could destroy the lives of countless common folk simply by existing, even without actively trying to harm them.
Once again, Orion renewed his conviction to make this world a safer place in the future, and for that, he would need to increase both his strength and his influence.
"Are you ready to go, honey?" Olive asked with a wide smile, eager to use her new powers freely.
Two days earlier, after they had successfully escaped Akainu by hiding underground within the Pocket Dimension, Orion had pulled out the Ume Ume no Mi, Model: Pegasus from his inventory and given it to Olive.
The reason he still had the Mythical Devil Fruit was because he had tricked Hanafuda. Orion had discovered a wonderful new use for his ability "Un Fleur", and that was being able to use his inventory at a distance!
"Un Fleur" was a skill with several limitations, as Orion couldn't create a body part that was too large. That was why he normally used it to create small things like eyes, ears, or fingers. Since technically it was part of his own body, he could employ his techniques even when his real body was far away, and so far, the best use he had found was to create Shingan and attack by surprise from a distance.
But there was another advantage as well: if he created a finger at a distance, he could use that finger to place any inanimate object it touched directly into his inventory. His inventory only worked within a limited area around his body, so he couldn't simply affect all objects across a battlefield. However, with the use of "Un Fleur," he could act on objects that were far away, giving him an incredible ability for pickpocketing!
What Orion had done was actually quite simple. He had first observed the battle between Hanafuda and the Charlottes, paying special attention to the Devil Fruit in the Warlord's possession. Then, he had used his Art Coating skill to create an exact replica of the Devil Fruit in question.
Finally, Orion had appeared on the battlefield to help Mozart, and during his first exchange of blows with Hanafuda, he created a finger close to the Warlord's body, activated the inventory power, and successfully stole the fruit.
Then came the deception. Orion had negotiated with Hanafuda, offering him the Devil Fruit in exchange for letting the Charlotte siblings go. However, the Devil Fruit Orion handed over was the replica, which he had also stored in his inventory, while the real one remained perfectly hidden inside.
In this way, Orion had done the Charlotte siblings a favor without really losing anything, earning a debt of gratitude from them. As for Hanafuda's anger when he eventually realized the trick, Orion didn't worry about it in the slightest, since he had no intention of meeting him again anytime soon. He just needed to train and grow stronger, and the next time he saw the Warlord, he would beat him to a pulp if he dared to bring up the matter!
It would be a small lesson for having falsely accused him of trying to seduce his daughter, when he clearly had no such intentions. Orion could be quite petty about certain things.
Olive's body began to change shape, transforming into a majestic white Pegasus, slightly larger than a normal horse. Her wings stretched out powerfully, and currents of wind and electricity formed beneath her hooves.
Olive had tested her powers inside the Pocket Dimension, but the limited space hadn't allowed her to use them freely. Now, she was especially excited to fly through the open blue sky. For someone who loved freedom more than anything, obtaining one of the rare Devil Fruits with the ability to fly filled her with immense joy. That joy, in turn, deepened her love for Orion, who had given her the fruit without hesitation.
Orion truly hadn't hesitated, since the system indicated that Olive's compatibility with the Devil Fruit was extremely high. Besides, she was his partner, and given her immense favorability toward him, he could see nothing but benefits in granting the sensual pirate such a gift.
On top of that, Orion had given Olive a second gift after handing her the Devil Fruit, though this one was a secret. He had used the Character Improving Card on her!
When he did, several notifications had appeared on the system screen:
*You have used "Character Improving Card" on the Named Character Olive*
*Olive has obtained the passive ability "Succubus (Level 5)"*
*Olive has obtained the passive ability "Healthy Body (Level 4)"*
*Olive's skills, Observation Haki and Armament Haki, have increased by three levels*
*The bond with companion Olive can be upgraded. Do you wish to register her as a secondary wife? Yes/No*
Obviously, Orion had registered her as a secondary wife without hesitation, and in doing so he received some extra rewards, just as had happened when he had registered Giolla some time ago.
*Olive has been registered as Secondary Wife*
*Your skill Charm Halo (Level 5) has increased by one (1) level*
*Your skill Titanic Semen (Level 0) has increased by three (3) levels*
*Your skill Moonwalk (Geppo) (Level 2) has increased by three (3) levels*
*You have obtained the special skill "Taser Gun (Level 1)"*
Orion had been truly ecstatic at the sheer number of rewards he gained, unable to stop himself from thinking that registering companions in the system seemed to be a much faster way of boosting his powers than countless hours of training!
Even so, Orion knew he couldn't use this method recklessly. Not only because he had limited slots to register companions in the system, but also because the women registered had to meet certain requirements.
Both Olive and Giolla had only qualified to be registered as secondary wives after he used the Character Improving Card on them. Previously, they had only qualified as concubines, and in that role they didn't grant him significant benefits.
Additionally, a high level of compatibility and favorability was required in order to register them as secondary wives or above. So it wasn't something he could just do continually with any woman. Still, Orion couldn't help but wonder what kind of rewards he might obtain if he registered a companion as a main wife.
Currently, he had two slots available for main wives, which he had earned through missions, but none of his current partners qualified to be registered there. Ginny had the required compatibility, but not the necessary favorability, and besides, their relationship wasn't romantic. Robin also had the necessary compatibility, but she was only an eight-year-old girl at the moment, so it would take at least a decade before he could even consider registering her in the system.
As for the rewards he had obtained this time, they were good, though he wasn't too thrilled with the improvements to Charm Halo and Titanic Semen, since he considered them a bit problematic as they grew stronger. Even so… he didn't deactivate his Charm Halo.
The three-level boost to Geppo had undoubtedly been the best part, as he could now use it with much greater ease than before. Although it was a skill he could level up through training relatively easily, it was nice to gain three levels at once.
On the other hand, the "Taser Gun" skill hadn't been as impressive as Orion expected, though that was perhaps due to its current low level. As it stood, the ability only allowed him to generate a weak electric current, affecting people in the same way a taser gun would.
In this fantastical world, however, such a power wasn't particularly effective against monsters of the caliber Orion usually faced. For instance, against someone like Hanafuda, the skill would be completely useless. And against weaker opponents, it wasn't worth using either, since Orion could easily handle them without it.
Nevertheless, Orion maintained the mindset that any skill could prove useful in the right circumstances, refusing to be discouraged by the reward. In his mind, abilities like "Squirrel Cheeks" or "Watering the Plants" had been completely erased. Though, strictly speaking, "Squirrel Cheeks" had proven somewhat useful… improving his relationship with Ginny.
As for the rewards Olive had obtained when Orion used the Character Improvement Card on her, the increase in her Haki control was welcome, and the passive ability "Healthy Body" was something Orion considered very important, since it ensured the general well-being of the beautiful pirate.
However, the passive ability "Succubus" was a little… peculiar.
This ability activated whenever Olive had intimate relations with Orion, and it had a dual effect. Not only could it slightly boost Olive's physical and spiritual power, but it also slightly enhanced Orion's condition!
Additionally, as a bonus, it made the act of love far more pleasurable. For that reason, Orion considered it without a doubt the best skill he had seen since arriving in this world!
This ability was basically like the "dual cultivation" in the martial arts web novels he used to read in his previous life, generating benefits for both sides.
Over the past few days, Orion had wanted to test its effects, but being confined in the small Pocket Dimension with so many people, he hadn't had the chance to do so. After all, Orion wasn't libertine to that extent; he still had some modesty in certain situations, and couldn't simply put on such a show for a crowd of onlookers.
Returning to the present, Olive spread her wings and soared into the air, taking flight at an impressive speed before the astonished gazes of those around. With gales and sparks bursting from her hooves, she ran through the sky as if she could truly walk on air, making the scene look both magical and marvelous.
After a few minutes of freely running across the heavens, Olive descended to the ground, landing beside Orion and returning to her natural human form.
"Darling! This power is amazing! Thank you for giving me the Devil Fruit, I promise I won't let you down! In the future, I'll help you with whatever you need," said the beautiful pirate, hugging Orion with joy and burying his head between her enormous breasts.
Crushed between the two large, soft mounds, Orion didn't try to escape and let Olive vent her emotions.
After a few moments, the beautiful pirate calmed down, releasing Orion from her sweet embrace. Nearly suffocated to death, but without any regrets, Orion straightened his hair slightly and fixed his gaze on Ginrummy.
"What will you do? Are you willing to follow me as my subordinate?" Orion asked seriously.
Over the past two days, Orion had tried to recruit the haughty young woman, but hadn't made much progress. Now that they were about to set off on their return journey to the South Blue, it was time for Ginrummy to make a decision.
She looked at him defiantly, shook her head, and said:
"No, I don't want to be your subordinate!"
Orion sighed, a little disappointed by Ginrummy's answer, but he didn't press further. Everyone had the right to choose their own path.
"Very well, then this is goodby—"
"Wait, wait! Why are you saying goodbye like you're going to leave me here?" Ginrummy interrupted Orion's farewell words, leaving him confused.
"I said I don't want to be your subordinate, not that I don't want to go with you. What I want is to be the subordinate of my big sister!" the girl continued, pointing at Olive with an excited expression. Her eyes sparkled like little stars as she looked at Olive.
"Subordinate of Olive?" Orion repeated, caught off guard.
"That's right! She's the one I want to follow! She's a strong and free pirate, and I want to live like her. If I follow her and join her crew, I'm sure it'll be amazing!" Ginrummy replied with great excitement.
Olive stepped forward and hugged Orion.
"Darling, that's why I told you that you need to be more assertive with little brats like her. They only respond positively if you show them who's boss," Olive said in her lazy, sensual tone.
Over the past two days, she had been in constant contact with Ginrummy, who had been drawn to Olive's image—the ideal of what she herself aspired to become—and had challenged her again and again in different areas.
They had a strength contest, a drinking contest, a beauty contest, a stealing contest, among others. And in every competition, Ginrummy had lost, making Olive's image in her mind grow ever more imposing and impressive.
Eventually, Ginrummy had been completely convinced, deciding to follow Olive, join her crew, become her little sister, and sail alongside her.
Olive released Orion's arms and walked toward Ginrummy, stopping right in front of her and folding her arms across her chest, which only made her enormous breasts appear even larger.
"So you want to follow me? I have no problem accepting a brat like you as my subordinate and showing you the world, but there's something you need to understand," Olive said, pausing slightly and looking at Ginrummy with intensity.
"My pirate crew is under the command of my man, so if you want to join me, you have to show him the necessary respect. Without his authorization, I won't allow you to follow me!" Olive concluded, pointing at Orion, who was standing a few steps behind.
Ginrummy slightly opened her mouth in surprise, looking a bit silly and cute, but immediately regained her composure and looked at Orion with seriousness. Then, she walked toward him and bowed respectfully,
"Sir, I want to join you, please accept me as a subordinate. I promise you won't regret it!"
She was a girl with flexible thoughts, thanks to her years surviving on the streets, and had no problem adapting to new situations. In her mind, the situation was simple. Olive was the person she wanted to follow as her boss, and Orion was her boss's boss, so he was the big boss!
Orion laughed cheerfully at Ginrummy's humble appearance, who earlier had been so combative, and nodded his head.
"Very well, welcome aboard," Orion said, concluding the matter of Ginrummy's recruitment.
He was happy to be able to recruit her, not only because of her great talent, but also because she had a strong compatibility with the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Wolf, and he thought that now that she was in his faction, he could give her the Devil Fruit he had stolen from Guanhao years ago and that had been gathering dust in his inventory.
It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to use it before, but simply that he didn't want to give it to someone who didn't have good compatibility or couldn't make full use of it.
"Alright, then it's time to depart!" Orion said, opening a gate in the air, through which Ginrummy, Gab, his girlfriend Hada, and his shaman master entered the Pocket Dimension.
Once everyone had gone inside the Pocket Dimension, Orion turned and looked at Olive with a smile, who immediately returned to her Pegasus form.
Orion simply jumped onto her back, and Olive took flight, moving at an impressive speed, far greater than that of a ship. Advancing at this speed, they probably wouldn't have any trouble reaching Pacific Kingdom before Robin's birthday.
…
Meanwhile, Hanafuda was sailing on an improvised boat on his way to Wano, when he suddenly felt something in his pocket. The Devil Fruit that was there seemed to vanish!
He put his hand into the pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, staring at it in surprise and confusion.
"Sorry Hanafuda, I kept this Devil Fruit this time. Next time we meet I'll make it up to you. Regards, Orion."
Hanafuda read the words on the paper and his expression darkened. He crumpled the paper in his hands, veins bulging on his neck from anger. However, the next instant, he burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! What an insolent brat! But I have to admit he's pretty crafty. Next time I see him I'll give him a good beating," said the Warlord without a trace of anger.
In reality, he had been indignant at first, but then simply decided to ignore the loss of the Devil Fruit, thinking the situation was somewhat funny. His personality was rather strange, able to be a terrible pirate or a friendly rascal depending on the situation.
As for Orion, he felt appreciation for the boy because of his potential. He hoped he would grow so he could fight him in the future. On the other hand, the Devil Fruit wasn't that important. After all, he had a large collection at his base, so losing one wouldn't make much of a difference.
"But if he dares to touch my daughter, I'll tear him to pieces!" added Hanafuda, his expression shifting completely from friendly to one of pure anger and fury.
If Orion had been present at that moment, he would have thought this individual was bipolar or something, and would have objected that he had no intention of seducing his daughter!
...
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