"I didn't use any force!" Hikaru said helplessly.
"Kaya is very smart. After learning that we're all your consorts, she kept insisting she wanted to be one too~" Robin covered her mouth and chuckled, exposing Kaya's thoughts right in front of her.
The moment those words left Robin's lips, Hikaru knew he was in the clear. It seemed Robin had already prepared Kaya mentally, and she must have understood by now that being with him would strengthen her body.
"Aah~ Sister Robin! I never said that!" Kaya's face turned crimson as she trembled in embarrassment. Even if that was what she truly felt, how could she let someone just blurt it out in public?
"Kaya, Sister Robin is just teasing you. Don't take it too seriously~" Vivi hugged Kaya, trying to calm her down.
"Oh?"
Hikaru glanced at Robin, noticing her playful smirk. He instantly understood that she had deliberately set this up to help ease the situation for him. Smiling at Kaya, he said teasingly:
"I didn't say it, but I did think it~"
"Ugh..." Kaya was at a loss for words. In a fluster, she grabbed the corner of her blanket and pulled it over herself, hiding her face.
Seeing this, Hikaru turned to the three women and told them his next plan.
"We're leaving Syrup Village tomorrow. You should head back to the Going Merry and make the necessary preparations."
"Understood~"
The three women immediately caught his meaning and nodded in agreement.
Nami, who had been lying on Hikaru like mist, slipped off him and left with Robin and Vivi.
Now, only Hikaru and Kaya remained.
Without hesitation, Hikaru moved closer to Kaya and gently took her hand. The moment he did, she trembled slightly but instinctively leaned toward him.
…
"Onii-chan~" Kaya called out timidly, testing the words as they left her lips.
"Hmm? Since when did you start calling me Onii-chan? Weren't you always calling me 'big brother' before?"
"I'm learning from Sister Nami... She's only a year older than me, so I thought if I called you the same way she does, we'd feel... closer." Seeing him still smiling, Kaya felt relieved.
"As long as you're happy~" Hikaru chuckled, freeing one hand to playfully pinch her cute nose.
"Onii-chan, will you take me with you tomorrow?"
"Of course! Not just you, but the entire Yasuie Manor as well."
"Eh? Yasuie Manor is so big... How are we supposed to move it?"
"They must have told you by now, right? I'm a god. Moving a small manor is nothing for me."
"Hmm~ I thought you were just joking before... So, am I now... your friend... or your... divine consort?"
"Goddess," Hikaru answered firmly.
Satisfied with his response, Kaya drifted off to sleep with a peaceful smile.
…
The next morning, Hikaru was awakened by Nami's loud, impatient shouting outside.
By noon, Kaya—now looking more radiant than ever—joined Hikaru and the others for lunch.
Before leaving, she gave Merry an entire year's wages upfront, officially ending his service at the estate.
Once everything was ready, Hikaru raised his hand and waved. A deep rumbling echoed from beneath Yasuie Manor. The entire estate trembled violently as if breaking free from the earth's grasp.
Moments later, the entire manor lifted off the ground, rising into the air and leaving behind a massive circular pit where it once stood.
Under Hikaru's precise control, the edges of the removed land were smooth and clean, forming a perfect cylinder—like a floating miniature island.
While most of the crew remained unaware of how he had done it, Robin and Kalifa were sharp enough to notice that this wasn't the power of the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Fruit). Instead, it resembled something more akin to the ability of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Float-Float Fruit).
Robin's eyes sparkled with curiosity. She made a mental note to ask Hikaru about it the next time they spoke.
Kalifa, on the other hand, was simply overjoyed. To her, the stronger Hikaru was, the better. As for why he was so powerful—that wasn't her concern.
The massive disturbance couldn't go unnoticed. The villagers of Syrup Village looked up in shock, their eyes widening at the sight of the floating estate.
"Wait... Isn't that Yasuie's—no, Kaya's family estate?"
"Should we call the Marines?"
"Forget it… The less trouble, the better…"
Faced with the sudden and bizarre sight, most of the villagers chose to turn a blind eye. However, as always, there were a few reckless youngsters eager to investigate.
"Go! Fight the pirates!"
Usopp, along with Pepper, Carrot, and Onion, charged toward the floating island with fiery determination. But no matter how fast they ran, there was no way they could catch up to an island soaring through the sky.
What awaited them was nothing but a massive, empty crater.
…
East Blue – Waters Near Sea Island
A violent storm raged across the sea, lightning crackling through the dark clouds.
Inside a room in Yasuie Manor, Robin suddenly sat up straight, her sharp eyes fixed on Hikaru, who was sitting by the window, lost in thought.
"My dear god-husband~" she purred playfully. "This floating manor we're riding on… it's not the ability of the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Fruit), is it?"
"Hmm~" Hikaru responded lazily.
"Did you find the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Float-Float Fruit) after defeating the Golden Lion?"
"No," Hikaru smirked. "I used my divine power to strip him of his floating ability."
"Eh? Divine power?" Robin blinked in surprise. "You really are a god..."
"Of course. Did you think I was just calling myself that for fun?"
"Uh…" Robin hesitated. She had always dismissed the idea of gods as myths, but now she was starting to question everything.
…
"Onii-chan! Onii-chan!"
At that moment, Nami burst into the room, her excitement palpable. The second she stepped in, her large, curious eyes darted between Hikaru and Robin, as if searching for something.
When she found nothing unusual, she pouted in disappointment. Even Robin, usually composed, was momentarily at a loss and averted her gaze.
"What is it this time?" Hikaru asked, already used to Nami's dramatic entrances. "You didn't detect another pirate crew, did you?"
With Hikaru's guidance, Nami had recently unlocked some of the basic abilities of her
Yu Yu no Mi (Cloud-Cloud Fruit). In just a few days, she had learned to manipulate clouds, summon rain, create storms, and even generate thunder. But the most crucial ability she had gained was cloud-based perception.
By using the clouds to relay information over vast distances, Nami's range of awareness had expanded significantly—almost rivaling Hikaru's own.
"How did you know?!" Nami gasped, though she didn't actually seem all that surprised.
Hikaru no longer underestimated her warnings. The last time she had sensed pirates, it had led to him easily dealing with Kuro's crew and winning Kaya's heart.
To him, Nami was the girl of destiny in this world. Since becoming his consort, she had brought him nothing but good fortune and opportunities.
"Alright, let me take a look~"
Hikaru activated his Observation Haki, sweeping his awareness across the sea.
And then—
His expression shifted slightly.
The Red-Haired Pirates? Shanks?!
He hadn't expected to encounter Shanks at this point in time. Logically, the Yonko should still be in the New World.
At that very moment, as Hikaru's Observation Haki locked onto the Red-Haired Pirates, both Shanks and Benn Beckman seemed to sense something. Their sharp instincts kicked in as they abruptly raised their heads toward the sky.
Unfortunately for them, thick layers of clouds—carefully conjured by Nami—completely obscured their vision. Even their Observation Haki was unable to pierce through the dense cover.
All they could tell was that someone had been watching them.
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