Taurus may have looked like a bull, but he was still the Taurus Celestial Spirit of the Golden Zodiac!
To try and subdue him without the Celestial Spirit Key was, in the eyes of both Nami and Taurus, the height of foolishness.
Moqi was effortlessly sent flying once more. It seemed unlikely he would return easily this time.
In the distance, Liki, who had been preparing to enjoy the show, widened his eyes in shock at the scene before him. With a face full of terror, he turned and fled at full speed, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Ah, done and dusted!"
Nami laughed heartily, stepping forward once more, satisfied as she looked at the defeated enemy.
"How is Sister Makino doing over there..."
As she spoke, Nami quickly turned her gaze toward the battlefield where Makino and Kabaji's pirates were engaged.
She found that the situation there was much the same. Apart from Kabaji himself, who was struggling to hold on, all the other pirate lackeys had somehow been defeated!
"Vile woman, let me show you the true power of Kabaji the Acrobat!"
Kabaji gritted his teeth, his expression darkening to the extreme. Ever since his underlings had been swiftly dealt with, he had launched several attacks himself. Yet the woman before him moved as lightly as a piece of paper, easily evading all his assaults!
"This time, let's see how you dodge!"
With a furious shout, his unicycle sped forward. As he closed the distance with Makino, Kabaji's mouth suddenly moved!
"Acrobatics: Fire Breath!"
A torrent of blazing fire erupted from Kabaji's mouth. At such close range, with such a large-scale flame attack, it seemed almost impossible for Makino to dodge!
Yet, as the flames surged toward her, Makino merely furrowed her brows slightly, showing no intention of evading. Her eyes flickered with a pale blue energy, and though her body remained motionless, the flames split as if hitting an invisible barrier in front of her, bypassing her entirely and reuniting behind her.
Surrounded by the flames, Makino didn't feel even a hint of heat.
"What?!"
Seeing his attack so easily evaded, Kabaji's expression changed drastically. Yet his body dared not relax for even a moment. He immediately maneuvered his unicycle to a stop not far from Makino, taking a deep breath as the unicycle beneath him began to spin slowly.
"Acrobatics: Spinning Monkey, Astonishing Policewoman Trio 'Hot Spring Murder Case'!"
A string of rather domineering move names spilled from his lips. Kabaji's eyes gleamed sharply, clearly preparing to unleash his ultimate move!
"Let's end this in one strike!"
With that, the unicycle beneath Kabaji's feet began to spin rapidly, enveloping him in a thick cloud of smoke that obscured his form.
Hovering in mid-air, Makino watched silently, her expression unchanged. Suddenly, from within the smoke where Kabaji's figure had vanished, a loud shout rang out, and a figure shot skyward, trailing smoke as it soared into the blue sky!
Makino quickly looked up. The figure was Kabaji, poised with his sword ready for a strike! In the high sky, he swung his long sword like a god of death, the blazing sun behind him making it hard for Makino to keep her eyes open!
Then, that dangerous figure dove down at an incredible speed, leaving no chance for an ordinary person to intercept!
"Makino!!"
"Run!!!"
"(That's what he said.)"
On the other side, Hololokim, who had also been watching the spectacle, suddenly spoke, merely conveying Luffy's words from within.
Trapped, Luffy and Zoro could only watch the battle unfold. Though they were already impressed by Makino and Nami's performance, even they were moved by Kabaji's technique!
Luffy clenched his fists, worried for Makino. Even Nami, nearby, was flustered, preparing to command Taurus to assist.
However, as the target of the attack, Makino remained calm and composed. Watching the rapidly descending figure, she even allowed a gentle smile to grace her lips.
"I can feel it. Now, I can do so many things~"
"Toushan, I won't be a burden to you anymore~"
As she spoke, a pale blue energy surged from the scene! Makino's determined gaze fixed on Kabaji. Her body trembled slightly, and a substantial wave of energy radiated from her, striking the diving Kabaji.
Not only did it stop him instantly, but it also sent him flying backward! The force was so immense that Kabaji was launched like a meteor, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye!
The onlookers, who had been worried for Makino, were left dumbfounded. Gazing at the figure with long, flowing green hair standing gracefully in mid-air, they all shared the same thought.
"Monster!"
The battle concluded. Toushan smiled as he leapt to the ground. Watching his wives display such prowess filled him with pride. It felt like training Pokémon, seeing his little creatures defeat opponents so powerfully was a source of joy.
However, Toushan's heart also underwent some changes. During Makino's final strike, he felt her intentions! In that moment, many things became clear to him.
Protecting women, shielding them from storms, was a man's romance. Standing beside a man, sharing the burdens, was a woman's romance. Having a loved one by your side, advancing hand in hand, was a romance shared by both!
Toushan understood Makino's intentions and made a decision in his heart. From today onward, all enemies would be faced together by everyone! If his wives encountered any insurmountable challenges, he would be there to back them up!
Imagining fighting alongside his wives, Toushan couldn't help but laugh.
"It seems quite interesting indeed..."
As he walked to the center, Makino and Nami approached him with smiles. Having easily dealt with the pirates using the Celestial Spirit Key Toushan provided, Nami's feelings for Toushan deepened. As for Makino, she had long been deeply in love with the man before her.
Looking at the sweet smiles of his two wives, Toushan keenly sensed a hint of something beneath those smiles.
"Oh? It seems this battle wasn't as easy as you made it seem."
He mused to himself but didn't expose them, gently ruffling their hair.
The three of them presented a scene of sweet harmony.
The battle hadn't been as easy as the two had made it seem. It was Makino's first fight, and seeing the pirates she had beaten into a bloody mess left her feeling unsettled. Yet, in front of Toushan, she chose to stubbornly suppress it.
Nami, on the other hand, had summoned both Hololokim and Taurus, which was quite taxing for her. Moreover, Taurus was a Celestial Spirit of the Golden Zodiac, which consumed even more of Nami's energy.
However, knowing she would soon face the much stronger Arlong and his crew, Nami couldn't afford to falter under such pressure!
<><><><><><><><>
~# Keep the chapters coming — Support with Power Stones!
~# We get our encourage by Every Power Stones you send