Darian stood on the beach, watching the distant Marine warship turn its cannons toward Hatchan and the sea cow.
"Annoying," he muttered.
He raised his right fist. A sphere of white, vibrating light formed around it.
To create a tsunami large enough to wipe out a warship instantly, Darian needed more than his base power. He needed to overclock his ability.
"Heavenly Path: Gear Boost - Second Gear!"
VMMM!
Steam rose from his skin as his Devil Fruit output multiplied tenfold.
He punched the empty air in front of him.
"Tenfold Amplification - Sea Tremor Fist!"
CRACK!
The atmosphere shattered like porcelain. White fractures spread through the air, but unlike his fight with Arlong, Darian didn't unleash a shockwave forward. Instead, he channeled the entire force of the impact downward—into the ocean floor.
For a moment, the sea went calm.
Then, the water began to recede. It pulled back rapidly from the shore, exposing hundreds of meters of wet sand and coral.
"What the...?" Nezumi screamed from the deck of the Marine ship as the water level dropped beneath them.
Then, the ocean returned.
A massive wall of water, fifty meters high, rose up from the deep. It roared like a thousand beasts, blotting out the sun.
"Darian!" Nami gasped, clutching her chest. "That's... incredible."
The tsunami crashed down.
BOOM!
The Marine warship didn't stand a chance. It was smashed into splinters the moment the wave hit. The wreckage was swallowed by the churning whirlpools and dragged into the abyss.
Colonel Nezumi, his corrupt crew, and their greed—all gone in an instant.
Darian lowered his fist, panting slightly. That punch had drained a significant amount of stamina. If not for the intense 'dual cultivation' session with Nami the night before, he might have collapsed.
He turned to Nami and Nojiko, grinning despite his fatigue.
"Believe me," he said. "I'll get even stronger."
Nojiko stared at him, her eyes wide. She looked at the destructive power he wielded, then at his handsome, sweating face. A complex mix of fear and attraction swirled in her chest.
That Evening.
Cocoyasi Village.
The celebration continued. The villagers, freed from eight years of tyranny, seemed determined to party for a week straight. Bonfires lit up the streets, and music filled the air.
Nami had gone to Dr. Nako to get her tattoo redone. Darian waited for a while, but getting a tattoo—even a cover-up—took time. Bored, and knowing Nami was safe, he decided to wander the festival.
Of course, he wore his mask. But even with half his face covered, his Human Path pheromones and natural charisma acted like a magnet.
Within minutes, he was surrounded.
"Mr. Darian! Mr. Darian! Tell us about your adventures!"
A girl with long brown hair clung to his left arm, pressing her breasts against his bicep. She blinked up at him with starry eyes.
"Yes! We want to hear too!"
Another girl, this one with short blonde hair and tanned skin, latched onto his right arm. She was petite, but her chest was massive—easily larger than Nami's. To get his attention, she leaned forward, giving him a clear view down her low-cut top. Darian could see deep cleavage, pink areolas, and even the hint of hard nipples.
The two girls glared at each other over Darian's chest.
"Back off, skank," the brunette hissed. "He's talking to me."
"Mr. Darian!" The blonde whined, rubbing her massive tits against his arm. "She's being mean! I'm scared!"
Darian sighed, though he wasn't exactly suffering. The scent of perfume, sweat, and female arousal was thick in the air.
'If Nami sees this, I'm dead,' he thought. 'She'll cut my balls off and feed them to the fish.'
He looked around for help and spotted Nojiko watching from the edge of the crowd. She was leaning against a wall, looking cool and detached, but her eyes were amused.
Darian shot her a desperate, pleading look. 'Help me.'
Nojiko laughed softly. She pushed off the wall and sauntered over. As Nami's sister and a known "bad girl" in the village, the crowd parted for her.
"Alright, ladies," Nojiko announced, her voice smooth but authoritative. "I'm borrowing the hero for a minute. Nami told me to keep an eye on him. If you eat him alive, I'll have to answer to her."
The girls pouted but backed off. Nojiko had a reputation, and no one wanted to cross Nami's sister.
"Thank you," Darian exhaled, extricating his arms from the cleavage sandwich. "I was about to drown."
Nojiko crossed her arms, pushing up her own impressive chest. She smirked at him.
"Really? It looked like you were enjoying yourself."
"Well," Darian admitted honestly. "Being popular feels great. But being torn apart by a mob of horny fangirls? Not so much."
Nojiko chuckled. "At least you're honest."
Darian looked at her. With her blue hair, tattoos, and tanned skin, Nojiko had a wild, exotic beauty that was different from Nami's. She was cooler, more mature.
The music changed to a slower, rhythmic beat. People were dancing around the main bonfire.
Darian extended a hand, bowing slightly.
"Since you're guarding me," he smiled, his eyes twinkling behind the mask. "Why don't you dance with me? I need a partner who can handle the heat."
Nojiko blinked, surprised.
Because of her tattoos and her association with Nami (who the village had pretended to hate), Nojiko had been an outcast for years. No one asked her to dance. No one approached the "delinquent" sister.
She looked at Darian's hand.
"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice softer now. "People might talk."
"Let them talk," Darian said.
Nojiko bit her lip. A flush crept up her neck.
She reached out and placed her hand in his.
"Fine," she whispered. "But don't step on my feet, Hero."
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