"It wasn't much," Shirahoshi replied with a sweet smile, "Big sister and I were watching your battle the entire time… and that's why we felt at ease."
The tide gently brushed against her massive tail, while her gaze—filled with tenderness—was fixed solely on Tiberion.
Beside her, Hancock stood with her back straight and her chin raised, as always. But her face was completely red.
Her eyes avoided Tiberion's.
Every time he looked at her, her breathing grew erratic. She pretended to be composed, but her hands, clenching her clothes tightly, betrayed her.
Then, he spoke.
"You still haven't answered my question."
She felt like the world stopped for a second.
Her legs, despite her firm posture, faltered.
"W-What…?" she tried to dodge the question, but she already knew what he meant.
Tiberion was staring at her with an intense gaze, waiting.
She clenched her teeth, and a flood of thoughts rushed through her mind.
What else does he want me to say…?
Wasn't everything that happened between us enough?
Didn't it make it clear that I gave myself to him?!
But then she realized that nothing was ever normal with Tiberion.
He didn't demand answers out of need.
He did it out of dominance. Because even if she was already clearly his… it had to be said aloud.
And more than that: because she, in her own way, needed it too.
She would never admit it to anyone else, but she felt that if she didn't say it, her place wouldn't be secured.
And that thought terrified her deeply.
Taking a deep breath. Her cheeks still burning, her pulse out of control, and finally, in a trembling but resolute voice, she said it:
"I-I… of course I'm willing to be… Tiberion-sama's woman."
Once the words were out, it felt as if the weight on her back melted away.
And deep down, that certainty gave her peace.
A small smile appeared on her lips, while her gaze, now steadier, lifted to meet his.
"Very well," Tiberion said without looking away from Hancock's eyes, "From this day forward, you are a woman acknowledged by me… Tiberion Hanma."
!
Hancock felt the ground beneath her feet turn soft for a moment. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.
She was truly his now.
And just when she thought she could breathe, Tiberion spoke again.
"Let's go. Let's continue."
This time his tone was different—charged with an unmistakable desire—and his gaze wrapped around her like an invisible claw, without the need to raise a finger.
"E-Eeeh...?" Hancock stepped back, eyes wide open, "Y-You still want more?!"
Inside, her heart was beating absurdly fast. Not from excitement this time. From panic!
And, as a desperate reflex, she turned her head looking for her new sister.
"Shirahoshi… you… you have to save me, please!" she whispered.
She swallowed hard and added, "We… we made a promise! Do you remember?"
During those three days while Tiberion was fighting, she and Shirahoshi had spent a lot of time together. At first, there had been a certain discomfort due to their age difference, personalities, and even height, but little by little, their conversations had begun to flow.
Shirahoshi, with her innocent nature and unfiltered way of speaking, had told her everything.
Everything…
Including how, before coming to the East Blue, she had been with Tiberion having sex for three days straight, until her body could no longer take it and she fainted from exhaustion.
And even then, he hadn't been satisfied.
Hancock felt the blood drain from her face just remembering that.
And although she had been with him once—an encounter that still made her tremble just thinking about it—she knew she wouldn't be able to endure another like it… not without a truce.
"Yes, yes," Shirahoshi replied immediately, with no concern at all and a smile on her face, "Don't worry, big sister, I'll take good care of husband too."
Hancock's eyes widened.
"'Take good care of… husband'?" she repeated to herself, horrified.
Shirahoshi, unaware of Hancock's inner turmoil, nodded enthusiastically, and as if they were talking about preparing a meal and not about sharing an insatiable monster, added:
"I don't want him to get in a bad mood! When he gets frustrated, he becomes very intense…"
Hearing her speak so openly, Hancock felt a chill run down her spine.
What kind of mermaid was Shirahoshi…? How could she speak so calmly about something like that?
And why, despite how terrified she felt, was there a part of her that longed for him to dominate her again?
The salty wind struck hard against the sails of the warship. In the distance, the sea continued to sway as if nothing had happened… but everyone knew that ship no longer belonged to the Marines.
Tiberion had claimed it.
At that moment, when the silence seemed to devour everything, a dozen pirates suddenly appeared along the sides, quickly climbing aboard from small boats.
No one knew exactly where they had come from, but it was clear they had been waiting for the signal to join in.
"Lord Tiberion!" shouted one of them, "We've arrived! We came to guide your new ship!"
Another, with even more fervor, shouted as he dropped to his knees on the deck:
"Rest assured, Lord Tiberion! In life we are yours, and in death we will be too!"
Their faces clearly showed fear and submission, as if serving Tiberion made them immune to death.
None of those who climbed aboard were fools: they knew what Tiberion was capable of… but they also knew that sailing with him was a gamble for survival, for dominance, and for their future.
Tiberion looked at them for a moment without showing any emotion.
He already knew these pirates had been following him, but he allowed it because they were the same ones who had accompanied him since Sabaody.
"Set course for Alabasta."
"Understood!"
Immediately, the group sprang into action.
Each one took their post. The helmsman, leaning lightly against the bridge's railing, carefully examined the nautical charts the Marines had left on board.
His eyes moved quickly, and in an instant, he knew which course to take.
At his command, the sails began to unfurl, and the ship started to move.
…
It was already the fourth day, with the sun beating down harshly on the deck of the ship, and in the midst of the calm, three figures dominated the deck with absolute tranquility.
Tiberion was lying on his side on a spread-out blanket, wearing nothing but a scandalously tight red slip that left his colossal member fully exposed.
To his right, Hancock—closer to him—was reclining on a lounge chair. Although she didn't remove any clothing to sunbathe, the sunlight hitting her was enough, and while her expression remained serene, she would occasionally glance toward Tiberion with a glint in her eyes that was hard to hide.
She couldn't help it. Three days had been enough to make her realize that behind that beastly nature, there was sweetness—and what surprised her most wasn't that Tiberion had flooded her with essence… but that, when he noticed her body couldn't take anymore, he simply stopped.
He cared for her
That gesture changed everything.
And although she felt deeply grateful to Shirahoshi, who had stepped in more than once to take her place, deep down she couldn't help but feel in competition.
Despite her delicate appearance, Shirahoshi was very strong… too strong—especially her endurance.
But more than that, she had a natural connection with Tiberion. That's why, in silence, Hancock had made a promise to herself: to surpass her, no matter what. To be the best woman for him. The strongest. The most loyal—and above all, the most desired.
As for Shirahoshi, she was sleeping, although uncomfortably due to her size. She took up a large space on the other end of the deck, lying on her side.
Her expression was completely happy. Eyes closed, and from time to time she murmured words with a silly smile.
It was then that a panting pirate burst onto the deck.
"Lord Tiberion!" he shouted, bowing respectfully, "Two warships have appeared ahead! They're blocking our path!"
Tiberion didn't even look at him—he simply said the obvious.
"Keep going."
And those words alone were enough.
The pirate straightened immediately, his face glowing with excitement.
That tone… that absolute confidence—that's what they wanted. When he ran to the command cabin, he wasted no time relaying the order:
"Brothers! Lord Tiberion has spoken! If they get in the way, we ram them!"
"DAMN RIGHT!"
"This ship is from headquarters! There's no way two secondary base vessels are stopping us!"
…
Several kilometers ahead, on the deck of the first ship blocking the route, the air was thick with the distinct smell of tobacco.
Smoke swirled around the man who, firm as a statue, stared straight ahead.
"Colonel Smoker!" an officer shouted from the lookout post, "A ship is approaching at full speed! It's not slowing down and looks like it's going to ram us!"
"..."
Smoker didn't respond.
From his position, one glance was enough to recognize it: it was a ship from Marine Headquarters. Large, fast, and with no intention whatsoever of stopping.
He frowned, letting out a long exhale of smoke through his nose.
"Tsk… Who the hell charges full speed with that monster in a neutral zone?"
Another officer approached quickly with a binocular in hand.
"Sir! According to the flag… it's a G-1 class ship… probably under the direct command of a Vice Admiral."
Smoker pressed the jitte against his shoulder, thoughtful.
"Vice Admiral…?" he muttered, a hint of irritation in his voice. "Damn it… if we run into one of those arrogant idiots, they'll drag us to the bottom with them."
He clicked his tongue and took one last puff, releasing a dense cloud of smoke that covered half his face.
"Have someone slow down. But don't change course," he ordered. "I'm not about to cause a collision just because of some bastard's ego. We'll wait. If it's really a superior, he'll announce himself. And if not…" he brought the cigar to the side of his mouth, speaking through gritted teeth, "I'll make him swallow his entire bow."
"Y-Yes sir!"
The marines obeyed immediately. Even though Smoker hadn't raised his voice, everyone knew that was his way of declaring he was one step away from losing his patience. And if that happened, no one would be spared.
'Damn lousy pirates on one side, and incompetent superiors on the other… how the hell am I supposed to do my job with these idiots?' he thought as he once again fixed his gaze on the ship that approached like a projectile.
And inside, a deeper irritation boiled with force: he had come here to hunt the Straw Hats. Not to play traffic cop for off-duty marines.
But before he could say anything else, everything happened in a second.
"Quick, change course! That ship isn't slowing down!"
The two Marine ships, despite having all their artillery at the ready, abruptly split to either side.
And then, they saw it pass.
"…"
All the marines, from deck officers to the lookouts, stood completely stunned by what their eyes beheld.
"What… what the hell is that…?"
The deck of the ship that had just passed them—one of the largest war models from headquarters—was almost empty.
No marines, only three figures on deck.
A fully muscular man, tanned skin, and red hair. He was lying on a blanket in a relaxed position, wearing only a red slip that barely managed to contain his groin.
The sight was grotesque, but the presence that man imposed just by lying there made them all shut their mouths.
Next to him, reclining on a lounge chair, was a woman with perfect curves, pale skin, cold eyes, and a presence worthy of a queen.
Without a doubt, she was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen in their lives.
Further back, lying on her side and taking up a lot of space, a majestic creature rested. A colossal mermaid, at least twelve meters long, with a delicate and feminine upper body, and the lower half of a fish.
Even asleep, the smile on her face gave her an angelic aura.
"…"
Smoker stood completely still.
"…Is that thing… a fish?"
"Shut up, idiot! That's a mermaid! I saw one just like her in Sabaody… Those aren't that common!"
"And she's not just anyone," another officer interjected, now with a serious voice. "Colonel! That… that man! That's Tiberion Hanma! The criminal with a bounty of five billion berries!"
Smoker clenched his teeth, swallowing the smoke without responding right away.
"…I know," he said at last, letting the smoke cover his face. "You don't need to remind me."
One of the young officers, trembling, feeling both the obligation and the need, stepped forward.
"And that woman, Colonel… is the Shichibukai. Boa Hancock. Wasn't she supposed to be helping capture that very same criminal?"
"..."
Smoker said nothing. He simply lowered his gaze, then fixed it once more on the ship, which was now starting to pull away.
"Damn it…"
Things didn't add up. That was a Headquarters warship—one of the best equipped. And it had been completely taken. No signs of battle, no damage to the structure. That could only mean one thing:
Tiberion Hanma had taken it clean. Fast. And without resistance.
And Hancock… that woman wasn't just not hunting him—she was sunbathing at his side, as if she were his lover. There was no trace of a disguise or a covert mission.
All of it was far too obvious to be some kind of undercover strategy.
No… what he was seeing was treason. Obvious, shameless, and dangerous treason.
"Colonel!" a corporal broke into his thoughts. "Do we follow him or not?"
The question hung in the air for a few seconds.
Another marine, even more nervous, dared to add:
"That guy… he has a five billion bounty. Maybe we should wait for orders… I mean, just in case."
Smoker still didn't respond, and the silence that followed was more threatening than if he'd shouted.
"…Don't be stupid," he said at last, releasing a cloud of smoke so thick it darkened the sky over his face. "Don't alert the enemy. No flares. Not a damn whisper. Just follow their trail… from a distance."
The marines let out a breath of relief.
"I'm going to contact Headquarters directly. If no one gives me a clear answer in the next few hours, I'll make this public. I want to know what the hell is going on here."
And with that, he turned on his heel, gripping his jitte tightly.
Because even though he didn't say it aloud, he knew exactly what he had seen.
Tiberion Hanma, now the most wanted man on the seas, wasn't just sailing freely on a Marine Headquarters vessel—he was accompanied by a Shichibukai who looked like his lover… and by a very peculiar mermaid.
And worst of all…
No one at the top was answering.
Days went by. And the silence from Headquarters… was more deafening than any gunfire.
…
At Marine Headquarters, they were already completely stunned.
Sengoku stood before the large round table, fists clenched tightly at his sides. His expression—normally stern—was now the reflection of barely contained rage on the verge of exploding.
He had just received the full report.
Garp… his comrade of decades, the Hero of the Marines, had been defeated in the East Blue.
And not just that. His arm had been torn off—and eaten.
By Tiberion Hanma.
"..."
The three admirals were present. Kuzan and Borsalino exchanged looks. Several vice admirals waited anxiously for Sengoku's reaction.
And they didn't have to wait long, as he slammed both hands down on the table.
"That bastard…! That damn monster!" he spat with indignation and fury. His breathing was uneven, unable to accept what he had heard.
"He tore off Garp's arm! He ate it like some wild beast!"
And he clenched his teeth hard.
The trembling in his shoulders made it clear that it wasn't just fury consuming him—it was a deep mix of pain, disbelief, and humiliation.
The man who symbolized the Marines had fallen. And not against an Emperor, not even against an army.
But against a single man.
"What the hell is Tiberion Hanma?!" he growled, stepping forward with his eyes fixed on the report documents.
A vice admiral tried to speak, but Sengoku silenced him with a glare. He didn't want explanations. HE WANTED ANSWERS.
He wanted that monster dead.
And in the midst of that tension, Sakazuki, seated with his torso slightly leaning back and his arms crossed with disdain, lifted his gaze from his seat and frowned with clear contempt.
"He tore off his arm? And ate it…?"
He paused for a second, letting his words be heard loud and clear.
"Tsk… what a disgrace. A symbol of the Marines… reduced to meat for cannibals."
Some vice admirals looked at him uncomfortably, but no one dared to reply. Sakazuki didn't lower his voice or soften his tone. On the contrary, seeing their faces, his expression grew even harsher.
"To face a wild animal like this Tiberion Hanma…" he said, his voice filled with restrained anger and deep scorn, "… these old relics are no longer of use."
"That he managed to last a few more days changes nothing. Garp is finished. That's the truth. Old, slow, and soft."
"He lost an arm… lost an eye… lost his authority. He's not even a shadow of what he used to be. And now, on top of it all, he lets that criminal escape."
Sakazuki turned his gaze aside with disgust and clenched his teeth.
"If I had been there, Tiberion would've been reduced to ashes."
Then he turned his face toward Sengoku. With his sense of absolute justice, it didn't matter what rank he was addressing or the respect he should have shown his superior.
"How many more have to fall before you accept that this new era can't be built on old names? How much longer are we going to cover the downfall of these 'heroes' with excuses?"
He felt not the slightest compassion or sorrow. Only contempt.
To him, what had happened was simple: the weak must step aside. The useless must be replaced. And if a symbol had fallen—devoured by a monster like Tiberion Hanma—it was because that symbol no longer deserved to exist.
________
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