"You're telling me you punched a Celestial Dragon?"
Bahr and the others had just returned to the ship when Miss Valentine's group arrived. Hearing Enel casually mention this from his God Seat, they were left speechless.
Well, damn. So this guy was partly responsible for the chaos on the island.
"Those insects groveling on the ground dared disrespect this god," Enel said, lifting his eyelids with undisguised arrogance. "I merely enlightened them as to who truly deserves their reverence."
Bahr's eyelid twitched violently. "Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble? Why the hell would you bother with those idiots? Do you have any idea how much trouble this will bring?"
Clashing with Bartholomew Kuma was one thing, but laying hands on a Celestial Dragon? This guy really had a talent for stirring up disasters.
"Tch, you called them idiots yourself. What's the big deal?" Enel dug at his ear lazily, his tone dripping with impatience. "And they dare call themselves 'gods'? You Blue Sea folks really have no taste."
"You don't know shit!" Bahr suppressed the anger rising in his chest, his voice lowering. "The ones you ran into were just trash. The Celestial Dragons have real powerhouses among them. More importantly, their status is special. Hit one, and a Navy Admiral could be on our asses any minute. Marineford's just a few hours away!"
Everything had been going smoothly—lying low for a few days while the ship was coated, then heading to Fish-Man Island to relax. Now this idiot had ruined it all.
No matter how many times he warned him not to stir the pot, Enel had gone and poked the Celestial Dragon hornet's nest. It was like he went out of his way to find trouble.
Enel, that guy, was truly a handful.
"Oh? So you're allowed to throw hands, but this god can't teach some trash a lesson?" Enel suddenly rose from his seat, his voice thick with displeasure. "That 'Blasphemer' title of yours—did you earn it for nothing?"
Bahr: "..."
That jab hit right where it hurt, leaving him with no retort. The anger in his chest had nowhere to go.
Staring at Enel's face, which radiated nothing but self-assured righteousness, Bahr could only twitch his lips and raise a thumb sarcastically. "Fine, you're amazing. Truly good, good, good."
What was done was done. Enel was just like that, and honestly, the Celestial Dragons had it coming.
Enel sat back down, tilting his chin up with a disdainful snort. Internally, though, he sighed in relief. He'd expected Bahr to humiliate him, but this outcome was much better than anticipated.
See? They were just maggots. So what if he hit them? Nothing to fear!
"Is everyone back?" Bahr rubbed his throbbing temples and turned to Nico Robin beside him.
Robin replied softly, "Paula and the others went to gather supplies. They haven't returned yet."
"Send someone to find them immediately. Tell them to get back now." Bahr's tone brooked no argument. "Once we've packed up, we set sail—straight for the New World."
Robin blinked, instinctively pressing, "Boss, we're not going to Fish-Man Island?"
"No." Bahr shook his head, his gaze resolute. "An Admiral could show up any second. The island isn't safe anymore. We leave first, figure things out later."
Noticing the slight dimming in Robin's eyes, he knew she was still hung up on the island's Historical Text. He added, "Don't get obsessed with those stones. What you're looking for isn't there. If you don't believe me, I'll take you to see for yourself next time."
Of course he wanted to go to Fish-Man Island, but the current situation left no room for delay.
Enel had punched a Celestial Dragon. The World Government would be watching like hawks. An Admiral might already be on the way, and if things escalated, even his own identity would be exposed.
Sabaody Archipelago was a critical strategic point for the World Government, heavily fortified. If a full-blown conflict broke out, escaping unscathed would be near impossible.
Fish-Man Island would always be there. There was no need to gamble on this narrow window.
Robin fell silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement. She knew Bahr, despite his unpredictable nature, always kept his word. "I'll make the arrangements."
Bahr massaged his temples, then turned to Pascia, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'll take you to your room first."
A bellyful of frustration—might as well blow off some steam.
In the shadows of Sabaody Archipelago, Shalria peered through a telescope, her perfectly made-up face twisted with exertion, her knuckles white. "When the hell is the Navy Admiral getting here?!"
The guard behind her broke into a cold sweat, bowing hastily. "Your Highness, Admiral Kizaru has already arrived on the archipelago. He's currently pursuing Straw Hat Luffy, who attacked Roswald Saint—"
"Straw Hat Luffy? Why waste time on that trash?!" Shalria slammed the telescope down, her voice shrill with impatience. "Why isn't Kizaru coming here? Are my concerns unimportant?!"
The guard lowered his head, not daring to respond, though inwardly he scoffed. Roswald Saint is your father… When he was attacked, you didn't even bat an eye. Yet you're obsessed with that 'Blasphemer' Bahr.
Seemed like that incident in East Blue, where she'd been abducted, had truly driven her to madness.
Just then, another messenger rushed over, kneeling on one knee. "Your Highness! Admiral Aokiji's battleship has entered the archipelago waters. Estimated arrival in ten minutes!"
Shalria's eyes instantly lit up, her earlier agitation vanishing, replaced by a sickening excitement.
She raised the telescope again, her pupils locking onto the deck of the Ark Maxim through the lens, her voice trembling with eerie glee. "Tell Aokiji to come here immediately!"
Once the guard retreated with her order, Shalria stared at the massive ship, murmuring to herself, her lips curling into a vicious grin. "Good 'Master'... You belong to me alone."
Her gaze swept over the faint silhouettes of several women on the deck, her eyes suddenly turning murderous. "As for those eyesores... They all deserve to die."
If not for her need to find her "Master," she would've had those women captured long ago.
Inside the Ark Maxim's cabin, Bahr lounged on a velvet sofa, a glass of amber liquor in hand, his eyes fixed on the figure in the center of the room.
Pascia swayed to the melody playing from a Dial in the corner, her off-shoulder dancewear accentuating the delicate curve of her neck, the silver chain around it rising and falling with each breath.
Her skirt barely reached her thighs, the sheer fabric of her long legs brushing uneasily against the carpet, the golden bells at her ankles occasionally tinkling before she deliberately muffled them with lighter movements.
Her slender wrists traced trembling arcs in the air, like a frightened snake cautiously testing the waters before recoiling. Her waist twisted stiffly, clearly afraid of missteps, the flare of her skirt far more restrained than usual.
Her steps followed the rhythm as she inched forward, the golden bells daring only the faintest whispers. When the music crescendoed into a rapid passage, the spin meant to bloom into a flourish instead tightened with tension, her skirt failing to fan out as intended, barely lifting in a timid half-circle.
When she glanced up at Bahr on the sofa, the smile in her eyes was tinged with timidity, as if testing whether he was satisfied.
Halfway through the song, fine beads of sweat had already formed at her temples, trickling down her cheeks. Her arms ached, but she didn't dare lower them, biting her lip as she continued, every turn and toe-tap radiating cautious deference, terrified of displeasing him.
The golden bells at her ankles finally rang a little louder, only amplifying the unease in her gaze—like a peacock straining to display its plumage, afraid its feathers weren't vibrant enough.
As the Dial's melody softened, she ended with a deep curtsy, her forehead nearly touching her knee, her voice barely audible. "U-um… Boss… Was that… okay?"
Bahr watched Pascia's tense posture, then suddenly chuckled, patting the space beside him. "Come sit. Your hands are shaking so badly."
Her past as a slave had turned her into a frightened bird, wary and fearful of everyone. That was normal—she'd need time to adjust.
Pascia jerked her head up, a flicker of panic in her eyes before she nodded hurriedly, gathering her skirt as she shuffled over barefoot. The golden bells chimed softly as she sat, her legs tucked tightly together, as if afraid any excessive movement might offend.
Bahr pulled her onto his lap, his palm resting on her waist, immediately feeling the muscles there tense.
Tsk. Looks slender, but feels surprisingly supple. Must be from years of dancing.
He flicked the silver pendant dangling at Pascia's temple, his voice softening. "Relax. I won't hurt you."
Pascia bit her lip, saying nothing, only burying her face deeper into Bahr's shoulder, her long hair cascading to obscure most of her face, her breaths deliberately light and slow.
Bahr's fingers trailed down the silver chain around her neck, brushing over the pearl-adorned pendant resting against her chest, smirking inwardly.
Truly 'generous.' Among the women I've met, she's easily the most 'open-hearted.'
Now that he thought about it, the cost of rescuing her from those slavers had been worth it.
He'd paid a price to "save" her—it'd be a waste to just pity her without reaping any benefits. At the very least… he ought to have some fun, no?
Seeing Pascia still uneasy, Bahr gentled his tone. "Don't worry. I promised you—one month with me, and I'll give you money to go home. That offer stands."
The pendant rose and fell with Pascia's breathing. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice barely audible. "B-Boss… you're not lying to me?"
Bahr's hand slid to her waist, fingers brushing the stiff boning of her corset, his tone casually assured. "Why would I bother lying?"
Pascia trembled slightly, but his words made sense. In her current state, she was at his mercy—he had no reason to deceive her.
And though they'd only just met, she could faintly sense the "kindness" in him. The tension in her shoulders eased slightly.
She lifted her head, the fear in her eyes not yet fully faded, but now mixed with a hint of resolve. "I-I'll stay with you properly, Boss. I won't make you angry."
Bahr chuckled lowly, his fingers trailing down to her ankle, where he toyed with the golden bells, the delicate chimes scattering through the quiet room.
Leaning down to her flushed ear, he was about to speak when the ship suddenly lurched violently, bottles clinking on the shelves.
Pascia gasped, instinctively clutching Bahr's sleeve.
Bahr raised a brow, mentally cursing Enel for whatever nonsense he was up to now, but he patted Pascia's back reassuringly, his fingers still idly playing with the bells at her ankle.
Just as he was about to tease the skittish girl further, the cabin door burst open with a bang.
Nico Robin stood at the entrance, her brows furrowed as she took in the intimate scene, her voice urgent.
"Boss. Aokiji is here.Those three words shattered the ambiguous atmosphere in an instant. The smile on Bahr's face faded.
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