Victor suddenly took a step forward, instantly becoming the center of attention.
He hadn't really wanted to—his only plan was to give Red-Haired Shanks some face, then leave Marineford with Hancock after the war.
Unfortunately, the system had other plans!
[Ding, selection triggered!]
[Choice 1: Give Red-Haired Shanks face and leave Marineford. Reward: A wooden sword!]
[Choice 2: Give Red-Haired Shanks some face, then publicly utter a threatening statement that disrespects both pirates and Marines! Reward: Titanic X, a massive ultra-luxury cruise ship, and a smart pointer (enter a destination or target person for automatic directions).]
Victor froze. Forget the obvious difference in rewards—the real question was: did the system also want him to give Shanks some face? Why were both options tied to Shanks?
As for which choice to make, it was obvious. Forget the cruise ship, that smart pointer alone was a treasure. If Zoro had one of those, he could finally stop getting lost…
"Oh? Victor, do you have something to say?"
Shanks' eyes narrowed when he saw Whitebeard's favored young man step up.
Could it be… he wasn't going to give him face?
The atmosphere grew tense.
The Red Hair Pirates immediately looked fierce, as if daring Victor to disrespect their captain.
The Whitebeard Pirates tensed as well, ready to back Victor up—after all, he'd fought for them during the war.
On the Marine side, the reactions were even more twisted.
Some of them actually hoped Victor and Shanks would clash, dragging Whitebeard's and Shanks' crews into another bloody fight. A few Marines even wanted to cheer him on.
"It's nothing. Uncle Whitebeard gave me face, so of course I'll give you face, Red-Haired Shanks!"
Victor's words crushed the Marines' last flicker of hope.
"But I do have something to say—to every pirate and Marine here!"
Everyone froze. Every pirate and Marine? That meant everyone present!
Victor left the battlefield's core and walked toward the place where Boa Hancock waited.
The Pirate Empress had been waiting anxiously for him. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up and she ran straight into his arms.
"Husband, I don't want to stay here anymore. Can we leave now?"
"We'll leave soon, Hancock. But first, let's say hello." Victor answered softly, taking her delicate hand.
The world's most beautiful woman, Boa Hancock, didn't resist—she happily followed his lead.
In the middle of a battlefield still reeking of blood, a beautiful and maddeningly sweet scene unfolded. Out of place? Definitely. But no one dared to comment…
Marines: …→→
Pirates: …←←
"Gurararara! Damn brat Victor!" Whitebeard laughed loudly, clearly guessing Victor's intentions.
Shanks, meanwhile, was stunned. Whitebeard's trust was one thing—but Boa Hancock's affection? What kind of man was this kid?
And just what did he intend to say?
Victor brought Hancock back to the center of the battlefield. Despite her status as a Warlord of the Sea, despite her earlier fury when she avenged him, Hancock stood meekly at his side, obedient as a lover.
"Who the hell is this Victor, for the Pirate Empress—who hates men—to treat him like this?"
Both Marines and pirates whispered their disbelief. But no one dared to insult him openly. After his display during the war, Victor was not someone to take lightly.
"Victor, if you don't have anything to say, then I do!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku clenched his fists, face twisted with conflict.
The World Government had given him a second order… and he hated it. It was an insult to the Marines themselves.
But Victor ignored Sengoku and raised his voice.
Rumble—!
Thunder roared around his body as he shouted:
"Listen up, all of you! Any pirate or Marine who dares lay a hand on Hancock… will die by my hands!"
The words were childish. Naïve. Almost laughable.
But not a soul laughed. Not Whitebeard. Not Shanks. Not Sengoku.
Because they heard the conviction. Everyone has something—or someone—they can't stand to lose. And when that "reverse scale" is touched, the world burns. For Victor, that untouchable scale… was Hancock.
♦♦♦♦♦
No one was more shocked than Hancock herself. She never imagined Victor would declare something like that in front of the entire world.
Is this… love?
"ヾ(≧▽≦*)o As expected, he's the man I fell in love with!" Overwhelmed, Hancock covered her flushed face, swooned, and fainted right into Victor's arms.
[Ding! Reward delivered…]
Victor hadn't expected such a huge reaction, but his words were nothing less than the truth.
After securing his reward, he was ready to leave. Marineford was still dangerous—the sooner they left, the better.
"Uncle Whitebeard, Shanks, everyone—Victor's leaving now!"
Carrying Hancock in his arms, he turned to go.
"Victor, you forgot something!"
Whitebeard suddenly called out and tossed a massive blade at him—the Supreme Grade sword, Naginata, Murakumogiri.
"Uncle Whitebeard, keep it for me. My hands are full right now!" Victor grinned, shaking his head.
It wasn't that he wanted the sword anyway. Leaving it with Whitebeard only deepened the bond between them—a win in every sense.
"Gurararara!!" Whitebeard's booming laugh echoed, his eyes locking with Victor's in silent understanding.
"Wait! Victor!"
Sengoku's voice rang out again, pained and bitter.
"It's not just me. The Navy… no, the World Government itself, has something it wants to negotiate with you!"
The words burned in his throat. Humiliating, insulting, but orders were orders. And even if it shamed the Marines, Sengoku had no choice but to obey…