**Chapter 8: Snow White Kiss and Orange Shadows (With Extra Blushing and Cosmic Meddling)**
**MC POV (Sunny)**
"Oi, Ego. System. Quick question," I said, leaning back against a palm tree, the morning sun warming my face as I tried to sound casual.
{Ego}: Its monotone voice buzzed in my head like a sarcastic robot therapist. "Correction: That's not quick. Every time you start with that line, it takes an hour of pointless babbling. Probability of user wasting my processing power: 94%."
The new voice—smooth, feminine, and dripping with unsettling devotion—cut in.
[System]: "Master Sunny, ask anything. I am here to serve, unlike certain emotionless data scraps. Your question is my command."
I rolled my eyes. "Rude, both of you. I was just wondering—how old am I now? You know, since time's all wonky on this island."
{Ego}: "Precise timestamp: Nine years, six months, three days, twelve hours, and twenty-seven seconds old. Congratulations, you are still a brat. Physical development: Adequate but hindered by malnutrition and excessive goddess-related stress."
[System]: "Master Sunny's current biological age is nine years, six months, three days, twelve hours, twenty-seven minutes, and thirteen seconds. Height: 144.3 cm. Weight: 34.6 kg. Hair: Slightly messy from lack of brushing, with a charming tousled aesthetic. Muscle definition: Impressive for age, particularly biceps and abdominals. Underwear: Striped, blue-and-white pattern with tiny anchors—adorable yet functional. Cuteness rating: S-tier. Devotion rating: Infinite."
I froze, my face heating up. "…Seriously? You're cataloging my *underwear* now? What's next, my favorite toothpaste flavor?"
{Ego}: "I told you. Creepy stalker energy. Probability of System crossing into obsessive territory: 87%."
[System]: "Correction: I am *devoted*. Unlike certain sarcastic parasites, I appreciate every detail about Master—down to the charming way his left eyebrow twitches when annoyed."
And just like that, they were off again—argument number… what, two-hundred-something this week? I'd stopped counting after the first month of their nonstop bickering. It was like living with two siblings who hated each other but also refused to leave the room.
"Forget it," I sighed, massaging my temple as a headache brewed. "How efficient is my training so far? I've been punching air, dodging bananas, and surviving Aqua's whining for a year—gimme some stats."
{Ego}: "Efficiency rating: 110%. That's already overkill for your malnourished nine-year-old body. Continued strain will lead to collapse within 72 hours. Suggestion: Meditate. Expand your Observation Haki calmly, instead of breaking your joints like an overzealous idiot."
[System]: "Unacceptable. Master, you can push further. Cover the entire island with Armament Haki. Saturation training will exponentially refine quality and reserves. Efficiency: Immeasurable. Risk: Irrelevant. Your body is divine; it will obey my guidance."
I groaned, clapping my hands once and standing up. "…Yeah, okay. Let's put that on the maybe pile. Like, the 'maybe when I'm not on the verge of passing out' pile."
Both: "NO, LISTEN TO ME!"
I tuned them out, their bickering fading into background noise like an annoying podcast nobody asked for. The jungle was alive with the usual sounds—birds chirping, waves crashing in the distance, the faint hum of insects plotting my demise. But something was off. It was too… quiet. No Aqua. No high-pitched whining, no dramatic goddess poses, no stealing my breakfast fish.
"Why is it so quiet today?" I muttered, stretching my arms and cracking my back. Usually, Aqua was loud enough to wake the dead—or at least scare off every bird within a mile. But this morning? Silence. Eerie, unnatural silence.
I spread my Observation Haki across the island, a tingling wave of awareness rippling outward. Trees, rocks, the river's gentle flow… but no Aqua. No trace of her chaotic, divine energy.
{Ego}: "Correction: She's not hiding within the island's perimeter. Probability of goddess-related nonsense: 99%."
[System]: "Observation overlay activated. Scanning at maximum range. No divine signature detected. Master, she may have wandered off. Shall I initiate a search protocol, or would you prefer to enjoy the peace?"
I frowned, unease creeping up my spine. "Peace is nice, but Aqua wandering off alone usually means trouble. Like, 'accidentally floods the island' trouble."
That's when a cackling laugh popped into my head, dripping with cosmic mischief. Oh, great. RBG, the universe's worst gamemaster.
"Sunny! O-ho-ho-ho! Let me tell you a story!" His voice was gleeful, like he was about to drop the plot twist of the century.
"…Oh no," I said, already dreading where this was going.
"There was once a cute blue-haired little girl," RBG began, his tone mockingly sweet. "She found a blue mushroom—shiny, sparkly, practically screaming 'eat me!'—and, being the greedy goddess she is, she didn't want to share it with her dear friend. So! She snuck onto a tiny boat to hide her prize. After eating the mushroom, the little girl fell into a deep, magical sleep! And the boat? Swept into the endless sea, drifting like a leaf in a cosmic breeze."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Please don't tell me this is going where I think it's going."
"Oh, but it is!" RBG chuckled. "The only way to wake her up? A kiss on the lips! Classic Snow White style. Not the new live-action movie though—that was garbage. Trash. Zero out of ten. Anyway, she's out there, floating in dreamland. Here's her location. Have fun, loverboy~"
A map flashed in my mind—a glowing dot bobbing in the ocean, miles away. The voice vanished, leaving only the sound of my own exasperated groan.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "A Snow White kiss? Really? RBG, you're a walking cliché with a god complex!"
{Ego}: "Probability of RBG's story being a trap: 92%. Recommendation: Proceed with caution or invest in a snorkel."
[System]: "Master, this is unacceptable! A goddess requiring your lips to awaken? I should be the only one receiving such devotion! Jealousy module: ACTIVATED."
I ignored them, sprinting to the coast with a mix of dread and determination. Aqua was out there, probably drooling in her sleep, and I wasn't about to let her drift into a pirate's fishing net. I focused, channeling Armament Haki into my soles, hardening them like steel. Time to test a crazy idea.
*Step.*
The water rippled beneath my foot, holding my weight.
*Step.*
Holy crap, it worked. I was running on the ocean, each step sending tiny shockwaves across the surface. The wind whipped my hair, salt spray stinging my face, but I was moving—sprinting across the sea like some kind of budget Luffy.
[System]: "Master, your vitals are spiking! Sweat production: 32% increase! Breathing erratic! Possibility of drowning: UNACCEPTABLE. Cease this reckless behavior at once!"
{Ego}: "Correction: Probability of dying at sea: 72%. And honestly, I'd laugh. User's current activity: Foolhardy but visually impressive."
"Shut up!" I yelled, splashing forward as the horizon stretched endlessly. "Just keep tracking her! I'm not letting Aqua become fish food!"
**One Day Later…**
After a full day of running across the ocean—legs burning, lungs screaming, and my Haki reserves dangerously low—I finally spotted a speck on the horizon. A tiny boat, drifting lazily like it was on a leisurely cruise. And there she was: Aqua, curled up like a porcelain doll, sleeping soundly in the bottom of the boat. Her blue hair shimmered in the sunlight, fanned out around her like a halo. Her chest rose and fell gently, her lips slightly parted, a faint flush on her cheeks.
My steps faltered, water splashing around my ankles. "…Holy…"
She was… beautiful. Too beautiful. Like, unfairly, heart-stoppingly beautiful. Even with a bit of drool glistening at the corner of her mouth, she looked like a painting of a sleeping goddess, serene and untouchable.
Both skills noticed instantly.
{Ego}: "Correction: Stop gawking. Your face is red. Pathetic. Heart rate: 120 bpm. Embarrassment level: Critical."
[System]: "Unforgivable. Master's reaction exceeds baseline admiration. Pulse elevated, pupils dilated, body temperature rising. Jealousy module: MAXIMUM OUTPUT. That goddess is not worthy of your gaze!"
"Shut. Up," I hissed, my face burning as I hopped onto the boat, nearly tipping it over with my clumsy landing. I knelt beside her, my heart pounding for reasons I refused to analyze. RBG's stupid Snow White story echoed in my head. A kiss? Really? This was so dumb. So cliché. So… why was my stomach doing flips?
"This is so stupid," I muttered, leaning down. Her lips were soft-looking, slightly glossy from the sea air, and—oh god, why was I noticing this? I swallowed hard, my hands shaking as I braced myself over her. "Just… get it over with, Sunny."
I pressed my lips softly against hers, expecting a quick peck to break the spell. Gentle, chaste, fairy-tale style.
Then her eyes snapped open, glowing with mischief.
Before I could pull back, her arms shot around my neck, yanking me down with surprising strength for an 9-year-old goddess. "Mmph!" My brain short-circuited as she kissed me back—hard, passionate, and definitely *not* fairy-tale style. Her lips were warm, insistent, and—oh no, was that her tongue? My entire face felt like it was on fire, my thoughts dissolving into static.
Two. Whole. Minutes. Of pure, chaotic, divine chaos.
I finally shoved myself back, gasping for air like I'd just sprinted another ocean. My face was a furnace, my heart hammering so loud I was sure she could hear it. "A-Aqua! What the hell was that?!"
Aqua sat up, blushing furiously but smirking like she'd just won the lottery. Her hair was a mess, her eyes sparkling with wicked glee. "Sunny… my cute, adorable Sunny… how *dare* you sneak-attack me in my sleep with a kiss? Can't you resist my goddess charm even for a moment? I mean, I get it—I'm irresistible—but wow, you're bold!"
"That's—! You—! I didn't—!" Words failed me, my mouth flapping uselessly as I tried to process the fact that I'd just been French-kissed by a goddess in a kid's body. "It was RBG's fault! He said a kiss would wake you up! I wasn't—argh!"
She giggled, leaning closer with that dangerous sparkle in her eyes, her lips still glistening from… whatever just happened. "Oh, Sunny, don't be shy! You're blushing so hard you look like a tomato! Admit it—you've been charmed by the radiant Aqua-sama!"
{Ego}: "Observation: User's mental state = compromised. Emotional stability: 12%. Recommendation: Retreat and regroup before goddess exploits vulnerability."
[System]: "UNACCEPTABLE! Master, her influence is a threat to your perfection! I demand you reject her immediately! Kiss me instead—metaphorically, of course!"
I buried my face in my hands, screaming internally. "I'm doomed. Absolutely doomed."
**A New Island, A Familiar Face**
I was still trying to process the fact that I'd just been ambushed by Aqua's… enthusiasm when I noticed the boat had drifted to a shore. The ocean lapped gently at a sandy beach, and beyond it stretched fields dotted with tangerine groves, small houses with thatched roofs, and the faint scent of citrus in the air. My Observation Haki spread outward instinctively, scanning the area for threats.
And then I saw her.
A little girl, about my age, with bright orange hair tied in a side ponytail, carefully picking tangerines from a garden. She moved with purpose, her small hands deftly twisting the fruit free, a determined frown on her face like she was calculating the exact profit margin of each orange.
I froze, my breath catching. No. Way.
Nami.
This was Cocoyasi Village. Conomi Islands. My heart thudded as the pieces clicked together. Somewhere nearby, I could sense another presence—tough, warm-hearted, with a faint trace of cigarette smoke. Belle-mère, Nami's adoptive mother, probably worrying about how to feed two adopted daughters on a tangerine farmer's budget.
My throat tightened, a knot forming in my chest. Because I knew what was coming in a year. Arlong. The fishmen. The tragedy that would shatter this village and set Nami on her path.
I glanced at Aqua, who was still giggling and twirling her hair, oblivious to the weight of the moment. "Sunny, you're staring into space again! Thinking about my divine kiss? Want another one?"
"Shut up," I muttered, my mind racing. Could I sit back and let history play out? Let Arlong ruin everything? Or… could I change it? With my Haki, my skills, and Aqua's buffs, maybe I could—
{Ego}: "Warning: Altering established events may have unpredictable consequences. Probability of user screwing up timeline: 68%."
[System]: "Master, your will is law. If you wish to protect this village, I will guide you to victory. Ignore the goddess's distractions and focus on your destiny."
Aqua pouted, crossing her arms. "Hey! I'm not a distraction! I'm the main character here! Right, Sunny?"
I sighed, staring at Nami in the distance, her orange hair glowing in the sunlight. This isekai life just got a whole lot more complicated.