The Black Pearl left Nanohara, sailing away at full speed.
"Hahaha!"
Allen couldn't stop laughing as he pointed toward the sky.
"Hey, bastard! Send a storm, lightning, or a tidal wave! Send the devil himself after me if you want, but taking my life won't be easy! Do you hear me?!"
"Who are you yelling at?" Kaya asked.
The other girls were curious as well, although they assumed the answer would be something nonsensical.
"Luck! Fate! The world! God! Or whatever bastard keeps making some legend from the old era show up on every island just to try and kill me!"
The girls were left speechless. Still, they had to admit he had a point. Out of every port in Alabasta, out of every possible place, Garp had appeared exactly where they arrived.
While a pitch-black ship was certainly eye-catching, for it to show up at the exact moment they reached the coast was unbelievably bad luck. Even so, they had managed to escape.
"This calls for a celebration!" Allen exclaimed. "Nojiko, Mikita, Uta! Food, drinks, and music! Today we celebrate another day of being alive!"
The three girls laughed before carrying out their captain's request.
Hina was in shock. Did this guy not know fear? He had just been on the verge of dying at Garp's hands, and now he was acting as if nothing had happened.
"That's fine, Captain, but first that arm," Nami said tiredly.
"Ah..."
Allen remembered that he had broken his arm; when he looked at it, he saw a large bruise.
"Kaya!"
"Roger!" the girl replied as she got to work.
Even though she knew that, with Allen's resilience and incredible healing ability, he would be as good as new in just a couple of days.
After this minor setback, they continued with the plan
A celebration worthy of a true pirate crew began with a grand banquet. This occasion also served as an official welcome for Vivi and Robin, who had now formally joined the crew.
Throughout the banquet, laughter never ceased. Nami showed the girls how she could pick a lock in mere seconds.
Robin used her ability to sprout hands on the girls' bodies, startling them.
Uta sang new songs she had composed, earning applause from everyone, while Allen, unwilling to be outdone, told the girls stories from his past adventures. They were so absurd that the girls couldn't help but wonder how Allen had managed to survive until now.
As night fell, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and the girls split into smaller groups of two or three to chat.
Allen swept his gaze across the deck until it landed on Nojiko, who was currently talking with Uta.
[Don't forget Nami's sister~]
"You're becoming a pervert," Allen said.
[Not as much as you! Hmph!]
For some reason, Lenalee enjoyed watching Allen get into trouble every time he had to level someone up. He just hoped she wouldn't develop some strange fetish.
Still, Lenalee had a point.
At the moment, Nami had reached Level 4, Kaya Level 3, and Uta Level 5, leaving Nojiko as the only member of his original crew still at Level 1.
Sensing Allen's gaze, Nojiko smiled at him with slightly narrowed, charming eyes. She seemed strangely amused and teasing, perhaps because of the alcohol, or perhaps because Uta had told her something interesting about her experience with Allen the previous night.
Nojiko had already told Allen that she wasn't a shy girl and that he shouldn't expect her to act like Nami.
....
That night, Allen went to Nojiko's cabin, knocked on the door, and she opened it.
"…!" Allen froze for a moment.
Nojiko was wearing a lace lingerie set as she looked at him in silence.
"Do you like it, Captain?" she said teasingly.
Allen smiled, letting out a breath. "Yes… you look beautiful…"
Nojiko blushed. This guy, who just a few days ago had gotten nervous at any sign of her interest, was now looking her in the eyes as he complimented her.
While the cute younger brother made Nojiko want to tease him, this Allen made her feel nervous.
"Uh… I… no."
Nojiko was at a loss, but luckily Allen wasn't; he took her hand and led her into her cabin, guiding her to the bed. He sat down, then pulled her hand and sat her on his lap.
Nojiko felt more embarrassed than ever, but Allen didn't care; he just watched her in silence.
"Fine, just do it, and let's get this over with!" the girl said, hiding her embarrassment.
"No."
"Huh?"
Allen laughed and leaned in closer.
"You're so cute right now. I'm sorry, but I'm going to take my time." Nojiko wanted to protest, but Allen had already sealed her lips with his.
That bastard had stolen her lips, and not only that—he even slipped his tongue into Nojiko's mouth, making her melt.
Nojiko stopped thinking and wrapped her arms around Allen's neck as his body held her close.
By the time Allen left the room, twenty minutes had already passed, and Nojiko was now asleep—or rather, she had fainted.
It was all too much for the girl.
Allen returned to his cabin, but on the way he stopped to talk with Nami about their next destination. Although they had originally planned to head to Drum, unfortunately they hadn't been able to obtain a Log Pose for that island. As a result, they decided to skip it and sail directly to Jaya instead.
Kaya agreed with the decision, saying there was no longer any need to visit the Kingdom of Drum since she had managed to buy several medical books in Alubarna, many of which contained techniques and knowledge unavailable in the Four Blues. With those alone, she believed her skills as a doctor would improve significantly.
Since that was the case, Allen stopped worrying about it, though he promised Kaya he would make it up to her.
....
The next day.
The sea was so calm it felt unnatural. Yet it was precisely because of that that Nami remained tense.
With the Grand Line's unpredictable weather, there was no telling whether an ice storm or something even worse might suddenly appear.
A smile spread across Allen's face as he stepped out of his cabin and saw Nami like that.
Planning to tease her, he quietly approached from behind and wrapped his arms around her.
"Kyah! What are you doing?!"
Nami jumped in surprise at the sudden embrace, but realizing there was only one person who would do something like that, she immediately grew embarrassed and annoyed.
Does this guy have no sense of delicacy?! Doesn't he know what it means to be a gentleman?!
Allen laughed.
"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself," he shamelessly replied without letting go. Instead, he hugged her even tighter.
"You..."
Nami was left speechless. Over the past few days, something about Allen had changed. The bastard no longer ran away from situations like this—instead, he deliberately created them.
It made Nami feel conflicted. Part of her wanted them to become even "closer." After all, after "that" night, claiming they were still just friends—or simply captain and navigator—was nearly impossible, and the excuse of leveling up was as flimsy as a dry twig!
It was true. Nami liked her captain. It wasn't a secret anymore, and she had recently accepted that fact. But on the other hand, seeing the bastard grow so close to Kaya, Vivi, Robin, and now even Uta made her feel powerless.
Did that bastard want a harem?
Was Nami supposed to defeat all her rivals before winning Allen's heart? Who did he think he was, the Princess of the Moon?!
The guy was lucky that a beauty like Nami had fallen for him, yet he still wasn't satisfied. He wanted more and more beautiful women.
Nami remembered how Allen had stood against one of the strongest men in the world for Tashigi and Hina, making her feel even angrier and more jealous. He had fought Arlong for her, but that weak fish couldn't even begin to compare to Garp.
"Bastard!" Nami growled, puffing out her cheeks into a pout.
Allen blinked in confusion. He had no idea where Nami's sudden anger had come from. Was it because of the hug? He had done much more than hug her that night.
"Nami?"
"Hmph!"
Allen tried to figure out what was wrong, but Nami stubbornly refused to answer no matter how many times he asked. However, she underestimated him.
"Come on, tell me what's wrong. You know that as the most absolute being in the world, there's no problem I can't solve."
Nami snorted mockingly.
"Who bullied my Nami? I'll go kick their ass."
Nami nearly laughed as she imagined Allen punching himself in the face.
"If you keep pouting like that, your cheeks are going to look like a hamster's."
"...!"
Nami froze in shock, and Allen seized the opportunity to tickle her.
"Ah! What are you doing?! Stop! Hahaha!"
Nami wasn't about to let him attack her unilaterally, so she fought back, and before long the two of them were playfully wrestling.
People's jaws would drop if they saw the terrifying White-Haired Demon playing around like a child with his navigator aboard his ship.
....
From the deck, two girls had been watching them. One was Vivi, who was feeding Karoo.
Although she felt a trace of envy watching Allen and Nami interact, she still smiled.
While Allen's recent change had made him more "proactive" in getting closer to the girls, benefiting several who wanted to become closer to him, the greatest change had occurred within Allen himself.
Vivi didn't quite know how to explain it. This change made Allen seem much more relaxed. Before, even when he acted carefree, he always gave the impression that he was tense, as though he were constantly on guard.
Vivi chuckled as she watched Allen and Nami, but soon noticed the expression of the other girl who had also been watching.
Tashigi stood on the deck while the sea breeze gently swayed her hair.
"Are you alright?" Vivi asked as she approached.
"Princess?" Tashigi turned in surprise that Vivi had spoken to her.
Tashigi had always drawn a clear line between herself and the others to make it clear she wasn't one of them and had no intention of becoming part of the crew.
"Call me Vivi. I'm not a princess anymore," Vivi said with a peaceful smile.
Officially, Nefertari Vivi had been removed from the royal family after joining Allen Walker's crew. At least, that was what had been announced to the entire world through the World Economic Journal.
Tashigi remained silent, clenching her fists as she frowned.
"Are you really okay with that?"
Vivi looked Tashigi in the eyes and smiled.
"I don't know. I left behind my responsibilities, my people, my family, my destiny... everything... just to follow a man who's incapable of being faithful," Vivi laughed.
"..."
Tashigi was left speechless.
Vivi's gaze softened with affection.
"But... I don't regret following my heart."
Tashigi's eyes widened. This princess had truly abandoned her entire previous life for Allen.
"Will it be worth it?" Tashigi asked quietly.
"Who knows? We'll find out~"
Vivi turned around and left, leaving Tashigi standing there with wide eyes. Then she looked toward Allen, who had hoisted Nami over his shoulder despite her protests and carried her into his cabin.
"Hmph... pervert..." the blushing girl muttered.
Later, Allen emerged from his cabin wearing a calm expression. He had successfully raised Nami's level to 6, but little by little it was becoming increasingly difficult to stop at nothing more than kisses and caresses.
'At this rate...'
[Don't worry. I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later.]
'You're enjoying this, aren't you?'
[Me? Do you really think I'm childish enough to enjoy watching the mighty future King of the World get nervous over the possibility of sleeping with a woman for the first time?! Hahaha.]
Allen snorted and ignored Lenalee before heading off to take a cold shower.
Inside the cabin, Nami buried her face beneath a pillow.
'Ugh... I made such an embarrassing sound just now...'
Allen wasn't the only nervous one.
Nami had spent so many years living on the edge that it was practically a miracle she had managed to preserve her innocence until now. And yet here she was, on the verge of giving it to Allen.
He was a womanizer, but he was also her savior and the person she admired most.
'Bastard!'
Nami cursed him, even as her heart continued to pound uncontrollably.
....
A few more days passed before the crew finally spotted their destination.
It was Jaya, according to what they knew, an island famous for being a haven for pirates and home to the lawless town of Mock Town.
For any ordinary pirate, entering Mock Town could be dangerous, but for the famous White-Haired Demon, it was the complete opposite.
Mock Town's harbor was packed with pirate ships. Every kind of crime imaginable took place there.
Illegal goods, drugs, weapons, information—anything could be bought or sold.
Yet those fierce pirates turned pale the moment they saw the black-sailed ship approaching the harbor. Some hurriedly set sail, abandoning cargo that hadn't even been loaded onto their ships, while others simply fled the docks altogether, leaving the port completely open.
The terrifying man who, in just a single month, had shaken the world more than once with his presence.
The demon. The white-haired monster. The man who had challenged both the Marines and the World Government.
The monster who had faced Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Garp, and defeated the Shichibukai Crocodile.
At this point, there wasn't a single person on these seas who didn't know of him.
Allen Walker!
The Black Pearl reached the harbor and dropped anchor.
Allen lowered the gangplank to disembark, only to find there wasn't a single soul in sight.
"Well... that hurts my heart," Allen said sadly.
He had expected admiration for his glory and perfection, but instead everyone feared him.
"Haha, don't worry, Captain! They're all blind! One day they'll understand your magnificence!~" Mikita said with sparkling eyes.
Several of the girls snorted at her shamelessness. Unlike Kaya, who genuinely admired Allen, it was obvious Mikita was trying to win Allen's favor.
Of course, there was some sincerity in her feelings, but there were also ulterior motives.
Several of the girls believed that, at this rate, Mikita wouldn't be officially accepted into the crew anytime soon.
Feeling irritated by the lack of respect, Allen decided to investigate the town by heading to the bar. After all, everyone knew the best place to gather information was a bar.
Two people in this town still didn't know Allen had arrived. One was a pitiful pirate named Bellamy, who might very well bring about his own death, and the other was Blackbeard and his infamous crew, who had already decided to set their sights on Allen's head.
But that wasn't all. Out at sea, a man was riding a bicycle. As strange as it sounded, the ocean froze wherever he passed.
If Robin saw him, she'd turn pale. It was none other than Admiral Aokiji.
"Arara... Garp-san sure loves making me work. Intercept Allen Walker? How exactly am I supposed to do that..."
The Admiral exhaled a breath of icy air as he gazed into the distance.
"If they stay on this route, they should pass through Jaya... what a pain," Aokiji muttered before continuing to pedal across the frozen sea.
====
A/N: The question is: Who has a more distorted perception of reality—Bellamy or Blackbeard? 🍷🗿
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