Chapter 233: The Adopted Son's Wine
Back aboard the Fearless, Eric heard the system's prompt and Fujitora spread across his face.
Kurumi placed her hand on Eric 's chest, stood on her toes, tilted her head back, and exhaled softly, "Ah, Eric -, are you so happy to see your Navy sister?"
After Speaking, she gazed at Eric with her beautiful, heterochromatic eyes.
"Of course not," Eric remained calm, placing his hand on Kurumi's hand, "Just glad you're safe..."
Around them, a group of onlookers.
"Ahem, what are you all doing standing here?" Eric asked, his face slightly awkward as he turned his head.
"Captain, look over there." Da Vinci pointed at the lookout tower of the Fearless, which was charred and blackened.
"What happened? How were you attacked?!"
The group simultaneously complained, "It's because of your lightning!"
"Uh..." Eric scratched his head. By amplifying his thunder ability, he hadn't precisely controlled the lightning, which ended up damaging his own ship.
"Sorry, Fearless-chan... I'll fix you up," Eric sadly patted the ship's hull, feeling as though the ship itself was offering him comfort.
Genos rushed up to Eric and said earnestly, "Teacher Eric , please tell me, how can I become as strong as you (honorific)?"
[Genos ' affection increases, Bond level rises.]
'Of course, it's through hard work (system).' Eric certainly couldn't say that out loud. 'I need to show Genos my strength to raise his affection.'
"Persistent training and..." Eric paused.
"And?" Genos pulled out a notebook, quickly jotting down notes.
Eric crossed his arms and declared loudly, "Strong willpower!"
"Strong willpower?" Genos quickly scribbled in his notebook.
"Exactly. There is a type of energy in this world that is reflected through willpower. Genos , you don't have it yet, that's why you feel weak."
"Teacher Eric , please teach me how to use this power!"
[Genos ' affection increases, Bond level rises.]
'If only I could get the bond level to 3, then I can summon a new companion...'
It seems like the affection needs to be repeatedly pulled to progress...
"Genos ." Kuina approached, though her face was directed at Genos , her eyes glanced toward Eric . "I recommend a teacher to you. My master teaches better Armament Haki than Eric ."
Since Kuina learned Haki from Scáthach , the girl had stopped pestering Eric for lessons and kept saying her master taught better. It was so annoying!
"Although I froze the enemy's ship, we should leave soon." Esdeath interrupted the conversation.
...
In the Fearless' training room.
Kurumi threw out over a hundred pirates from the shadows, all of whom lay on the ground, sluggish and defeated.
Eric grabbed Hawkins, shook him back and forth, and the Hawkins-themed clothes made a "whoosh" sound.
"Thanks to 'Four Emperor' Eric -sama for saving me—am I never going back to my original form?" Even though his condition wasn't great, Hawkins' tone remained flat as ever.
"Kurumi."
"Clockwork Emperor (Zafkiel)! Fourth shot." Kurumi softly responded, stepping forward lightly, raising her delicate flintlock pistol, and firing a bullet containing the time reversal ability at Hawkins, who had the flimsy appearance of clothing.
Hawkins' body inflated, like a deflating balloon, returning to its original size.
The Hawkins Pirates members cheered loudly, "Captain Hawkins!"
Bepo curiously stared at a black cat, "You can talk?"
Faust glanced at him, "Aren't you talking too?"
Standing at 2.1 meters tall, Hawkins was taller than Eric by a head.
"May I ask what Eric -sama needs from us?" Although he spoke respectfully, his tone wasn't humble or servile.
"Which ones are your subordinates? Pick them out," Eric ignored Hawkins' question and gave an order.
"..." With the vast difference in their power and status, Hawkins obediently complied.
"None of these are your crew?" Eric pointed at the pirates who had been locked up for a while.
"Not mine."
Seeing that they had been saved by the "Four Emperor," the pirates loudly called out, "I'm willing to join under your banner, Eric -sama!"
"No need. Kurumi, it's just the right time to give you some 'time.'"
Kurumi's pink tongue licked over her cherry-colored lips, her appearance seductive and alluring. The pirates lying on the ground seemed to forget their situation, continuously swallowing, their eyes focused only on her beautiful, enchanting form.
"Well then, I'll not hold back~" Kurumi's lips curled up into Fujitora . Such a beautiful person— they had never seen anyone like her in their life!
"Kurumi-dai... What's this?"
The shadow beneath Kurumi's feet stretched out, and many white arms emerged from it, slowly pulling the pirates into the shadows, just like when she had saved them.
But they had already been saved, so why was this happening?
"Save... save us...!"
"Ugh... ugh... wahhh—!"
Kurumi clapped her hands together, "—I've started."
The pirates' screams echoed in the training room, then abruptly ceased.
The dark shadows seemed to move, as if chewing and rolling nonstop.
Even though there was no sound in the area, all the members of the Hawkins Pirates seemed to hear the sound of teeth crunching on bones and throats swallowing blood and flesh.
"Crack, crack..."
Everyone present, even Bepo, who had joined the Dawn Pirates a while ago, was too scared to breathe, afraid to even make a sound!
Kurumi lowered her eyes, sighed, and as though satisfied after a meal, she rubbed her stomach and tilted her head, smiling.
"—Thanks for the hospitality."
Even the pirates who had been out at sea for a while could hear the teeth clicking, and in the usual temperature, a chill ran down their spines, their bodies covered in goosebumps.
Faust's black fur stood on end as though shocked by electricity.
"Ah, did I scare you?" Kurumi tilted her head, looking cute. "Sorry about that~"
"No..." Hawkins answered for his crew, but wasn't sure what to say to ease the fearful atmosphere. The room fell silent for a moment.
"Anyway, those guys were already going to die. We rescued so many just to confuse Rear Admiral Tsuru 's attention."
Eric looked at Hawkins, extended his right hand, "My target is only you, Basil Hawkins. Join under my banner, what do you say?"
Hawkins looked at the hand and felt an irresistible impulse to immediately grab it. He knelt down on one knee, "I am willing to lead my crew and join the Dawn Pirates."
Hawkins' subordinates nodded repeatedly, clearly terrified by Kurumi's actions.
"Ha ha!" Eric laughed heartily, pulling Hawkins up and putting his arm around him, "From now on, you're my subordinate, no need to be so tense."
"Eric -sama, I still need to drink the adopted son's wine," Hawkins' tone remained calm.
"Alright, alright, I didn't expect you to take it so seriously," Eric laughed, "And don't call me 'sama,' it feels awkward. You can call me Captain or Admiral."
"Then I will call you Admiral Eric from now on."
"A pirate with such formalities," Law sighed.
"You are..." Hawkins looked at Law, who had only recently set sail, not knowing that his bounty hadn't been revealed yet.
Law raised his chin and introduced himself, "Heart Pirates, Trafalgar Law, also under the Dawn Pirates."
That evening, Hawkins prepared the ceremony, holding a wine glass with both hands, facing Eric :
"From this moment, Hawkins willingly becomes a subordinate, the 'Four Emperor' Eric 's unbreakable spear and shield! Let's drink this cup of [Adopted Son's Wine]!"
He then raised the glass and drank it in one gulp.
"…In the future, I will need your power, Hawkins."
Eric also drank the wine.
Hawkins looked at the side, where the sword was slanted against the wall, and asked, "Aren't you going to drink?"
Law closed his eyes and answered, "Eric hasn't yet completed the promise with me. When that happens, I'll drink the [Adopted Son's Wine]."
"Is that so," Hawkins replied, and said no more.
...
That night, Eric found Kurumi.
"Ah, Eric -, are you here for another night attack?" Kurumi's seductive smile made Eric 's heart race.
"Sorry for making you play the villain earlier today," Eric apologized, looking down. "You're really kind..."
Her fair fingers covered his mouth.
"Everything I have is yours. Even if I'm in darkness, as long as you're by my side, I will fear nothing. So, don't say such things again..."
"Kurumi..."
Their lips slowly drew closer.
A pair of Akame and Kurome watched from the doorway, silently observing.
Eric , Kurumi: "..."
'Akizumi, how did you manage to corrupt your sister too?!'
(END CHAPTER)
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