Wasted Ship Island.
After Sephiroth finished discussing business with Tom, he took the three girls to the entrance of Water 7.
"RENTAL BULL SHOP…"
Hancock murmured softly, a little confused, "Why is the entrance to Water 7 still a shop?"
Hearing this, Sephiroth immediately smiled and explained, "Well…! It's related to the architectural style of Water 7.
In Water 7, waterways are far more numerous than land streets, making it more convenient to travel by water.
Therefore, people here use special fish animals for transportation.
The fish in my house are still at other boarding places, and our boat is gone, so we can't enter directly by water. We can only rent one first."
As he spoke, the four had already walked into the shop.
At the counter, a plump young man wearing glasses and reading a newspaper immediately greeted them, "Welcome! Are the four of you looking to rent a BULL?"
"Yes, please give us two swordfish that can carry two people each."
"Alright!"
The Boss nodded in agreement. He first dragged out two small wooden boats with only two seats from the warehouse, then selected two blue swordfish from the fish pond, fitted the wooden boats onto their backs, put on harnesses, and released them into the river waterway.
"Is this a BULL?"
Hancock looked at the animal, which had a neck and head very similar to a horse, but a fish body below.
A curious expression appeared on her face. She reached out her right hand to touch it, and the swordfish immediately snorted and rubbed against her hand.
"Hahaha! It seems to like you! …Renting a swordfish for one day is 250 Berries.
How long would you like to rent it for?" the Boss asked with a beaming smile.
"One day is enough."
As he spoke, Sephiroth pulled a five-hundred Berries banknote from his pocket and handed it to the Boss.
"Welcome back to our shop next time!"
After the four had successively boarded the swordfish, the Boss immediately waved goodbye to them with a chuckle.
Hancock, sitting on the same swordfish as Sephiroth, tugged on his sleeve, her face full of hope, "Let's go to the commercial street first! I want to buy some clothes…"
He turned his head to look at the red short top and short skirt the girl was wearing, and immediately understood, nodding.
Recently, Sephiroth had also noticed that Hancock seemed to have a slight case of mysophobia; she didn't like using things that others had used.
Because of this, the girl had even used needles, thread, and scissors to make a set of white short top and short skirt from her own white cloak…
After receiving instructions, the two swordfish didn't need them to pull the reins to urge them on. Being quite intelligent, they swam very consciously towards the commercial street of Water 7.
"Sephiroth, why are there so many buildings under this water?"
Marigold leaned over the edge of the wooden boat, looking down through the clear water.
Buildings submerged in the seawater came into her view.
"Ah, that! …Our Water 7 experiences a huge tsunami every year, so terrifying that it submerges more than half of the city's buildings.
Even if the seawater recedes later, the water level will still be a bit higher than before."
"Over time, the land of this island has been continuously submerged.
Due to the excessively high water level, the residents of Water 7 had no choice but to build new houses on top of the existing structures.
Therefore, the underwater buildings you see are actually Water 7 from decades ago…"
"Then won't this island eventually be submerged?" Sandersonia asked in surprise.
"Hmm! Indeed…
However, if Tom builds the sea train, this island will be saved and regain its vitality…"
The four chatted idly, though most of the time, the three girls asked questions and Sephiroth answered.
Water 7, Commercial Street.
After tying up the two swordfish, the four went ashore.
On the somewhat desolate street, there weren't many pedestrians. Occasionally, they could see a few people dressed as shipwrights, gathered together, drinking in silence.
"This city… seems to have a lifeless feeling!" Boa Marigold murmured softly.
"There's nothing that can be done about it… Due to the land being submerged by seawater, plus the rampant pirates plundering on the sea…
The city's economy has also become increasingly sluggish…"
As he spoke, Sephiroth's voice gradually lowered, his eyes somewhat lost in thought.
His original father, the purchasing manager and shareholder of a shipbuilding company called Hughes Shipbuilding Company, was attacked by the Beasts Pirates at sea while taking Sephiroth to negotiate iron and timber business, and died saving Sephiroth…
Such incidents, as the Great Pirate Era intensifies, will become more and more frequent.
In this chaotic era, without absolute power, sometimes even living is a luxury!
Hancock very keenly noticed Sephiroth's emotional change.
Immediately, she reached out her right hand and grabbed his left hand, playfully changing the subject, "Let's go! I have so many things to buy!
There's no time for you to keep daydreaming."
"Oh!"
Sephiroth immediately snapped back to reality, nodded, and cast aside the inexplicable emotions that had arisen in his heart, no longer dwelling on them.
Soon, the four walked into a clothing store and began to choose their outfits…
Hancock pulled open the curtain of the fitting room, displaying the purple short top and white denim hot pants she was wearing in front of him.
"Sephiroth, how do I look in this outfit?"
"Beautiful…"
"Sephiroth, how do I look in this outfit?"
"Very good…"
…
"Sephiroth…"
"Uh, uh, uh! Very good…"
Sephiroth sat on a chair provided for resting in the clothing store, answering distractedly.
His gaze, however, was directed at two stunningly attractive young ladies with incredibly hot figures inside the clothing store. They were trying on various cool and sexy swimsuits and discussing which one was more suitable.
It must be said that the girls in the One Piece World have an enormous deviation between their upper and lower limits of attractiveness. Some can be ugly beyond measure, but some can also be beautiful beyond measure…
Suddenly!
He found his critical gaze blocked by a cute, pretty face.
The girl's face was very close; the boy could even see himself in her eyes.
Boa Hancock: (ㅇ ㅅ ㅇ ❀)
Stare ~!
Sephiroth: ( ^ ～ ^ ; ) ゞ
"Cough! …Hancock, why are you looking at me like that?"
Sephiroth slightly guiltily turned his head away, not daring to continue looking directly into her eyes.
Seeing this, Marigold instinctively pressed her hands to her chest and teased with a giggle, "Hehehe…! So, Sephiroth, you like them big?"
"Cough! Have you all finished buying clothes?
If you're done, let's go!"
Sephiroth coughed lightly, attempting to forcefully change the subject.
"Hmph!"
Hearing this, Hancock immediately snorted softly. She turned around and walked straight to the swimsuit section.
After a selection, she finally chose a white bikini swimsuit, went into the fitting room, and pulled the curtain…
A moment later, Hancock, wearing a white bikini swimsuit, her pretty face slightly flushed, pulled open the curtain.
"How… how do I look?"
The girl's eyes held a faint shyness. She lowered her head slightly, her index fingers constantly intertwining in front of her.
It must be said that Hancock already possessed the initial charm of the future Pirate Empress, like a budding flower about to bloom.
Her delicate, dewy skin, long, fair legs, and above them, a smooth abdomen, a slender waist that could be encompassed in a single grasp, and a developing bosom made even more alluring by the white bikini. Several strands of her black hair draped over her exquisite and delicate collarbones, her snow-white neck was like white jade, and the features on her pretty face were refined and perfect. Regardless of whether her expression was one of anger, fury, or shyness, it was always so endearing.
"Uh!? Very… very beautiful."
After a few glances, Sephiroth turned his head, looking elsewhere, but in his heart, he was secretly muttering, "Oh no! This is the feeling of falling in love…"