The waters of the East Blue were still shaken by the tremors coming from Dawn Island. The remains of warships floated adrift, marking the path of Jinbe as he urgently moved away.
He swam forward at a steady pace, pushing through the waves with strength. But he wasn't alone.
In his arms, he held the massive fin of Shirahoshi. Her colossal size made transport completely impossible… if not for the fact that he wasn't trying to carry her entirely, but only helping to propel and guide her through the sea, protecting her while she regained consciousness.
Then, she woke up.
Her giant eyes opened suddenly under the water, blinking with confusion at first… until she suddenly understood what was happening. She felt the soft pull of Jinbe holding her tail.
She felt the distance and immediately understood that he was taking her away.
"Eh…? J-Jinbe-sama…?" Still submerged, her fearful voice was clearly heard at first, but it soon filled with anguish and rage, "W-What… what are you doing?! Are you taking me away?! N-No, I don't want to!! I'M NOT LEAVING MY HUSBAND LIKE THIS!!"
Her words burst forth from the depths of her being with a fury that completely contrasted her sweet nature.
But Jinbe did not stop.
"Princess, listen to me…" he replied without turning his gaze, "That place is too dangerous. I cannot allow you to stay exposed to that battle. The right thing is for you to return to Fishman Island. There, you'll truly be safe…"
"NO!" Shirahoshi interrupted, pushing herself forcefully in the water, making her gigantic body twist violently.
"I don't care about the danger! I… I'm not a child anymore! I made a promise with him, Jinbe! We made a promise!! A promise of love!!"
But Jinbe kept a firm grip on her tail, swimming through the sea.
"Princess…" His tone remained calm, but firmer, "Even if your husband, Tiberion Hanma, is powerful, even if you trust him with all your heart… there are moments when he won't be able to protect you. This is one of those moments. Your presence up there… could kill you. Or worse, could make him hurt you without meaning to."
But Shirahoshi didn't hear a word.
"I don't care! I don't care!! I want to be with him!! Take me back!! TAKE ME TO MY HUSBAND!!" she shouted with force, tears bursting uncontrollably from her eyes.
She tried to break free with every shake of her tail, but Jinbe, with his experience and strength, kept guiding her.
To him, Shirahoshi was still an innocent child.
A child trapped in an immense and majestic body, unable to see the true magnitude of the dangers surrounding her.
But to Shirahoshi, that didn't matter.
The only thing she felt was the emptiness that grew with every meter of distance separating her from Tiberion.
And her heart, completely in love, could not tolerate it.
So, she didn't think any longer and gave an order.
A faint, invisible wave spread quickly and, in an instant, several colossal figures emerged, shaking the sea.
They were the Sea Kings, and they immediately took position, forming a circle around Jinbe and Shirahoshi, completely blocking him.
Seeing this, Jinbe furrowed his brow and came to a sudden stop.
The Sea Kings stared at him with their enormous eyes, and none of them moved… but their presence alone was enough to make it clear they would not allow the princess to be taken any farther.
Aware of this, he closed his eyes for a moment.
"…Princess… up there… it's truly dangerous," he said at last, with a heavy voice, as he opened his eyes.
"I know," said Shirahoshi, with a determined look that completely contrasted with the delicacy of her features, "But my husband will protect me. Besides… I am his woman. We got married on Fishman Island. And papa approved it."
"…"
Jinbe couldn't say a word.
And for the first time, the princess's voice didn't sound childish or fearful. She didn't seem like a little girl seeking comfort. She was a woman who had made a decision.
"Jinbe," she continued, lowering her tone, with a calm expression, "I know you're doing this for my sake… I know. But this is not what I want."
"..."
Jinbe looked at her closely. There was no rebellion in her words, no whim in her expression.
Only determination.
And in that instant, the memory of Queen Otohime came to his mind.
That same gaze… that same conviction… just like her mother...
"Ay…" he sighed with a heavy heart, "Alright… I only truly hope that Her Highness hasn't chosen the wrong person."
And carefully, he changed direction.
…
As soon as her hands touched the sand, Shirahoshi thrust herself forward in desperation, rushing ahead at full speed, her heart pounding strongly.
In the distance, she caught sight of a silhouette standing in front of the sea, with dark hair blowing in the wind, and a slender, imposing figure. She was facing away, watching the sky split by lightning.
Boa Hancock.
Shirahoshi recognized her instantly and her movements became quicker.
And when she was close enough, she shouted without holding back her excitement:
"Big sister! Can I stay with you? Let's wait together for husband!"
The phrase echoed through the air like thunder.
!
Hancock remained motionless.
Her face didn't move at first, but her eyes opened as if struck by an arrow. She blinked several times, confused… and slowly turned her face.
Shirahoshi, radiant and with blushing cheeks, looked at her with joy.
Too much confidence…
Hancock clicked her tongue inwardly. She crossed her arms with an elegant motion and gave her a look that would have turned any other living being to stone.
"Do what you want."
Anyone who dared address her with such freedom would have been turned into a statue without the slightest remorse. And yet, she did nothing more.
Why…?
Perhaps because that girl was the mermaid princess, and the memories of her own past still burned within her.
Or perhaps… because that stupid and innocent mermaid, with her huge eyes and absurd purity, didn't stir contempt in her.
No.
She stirred something much more annoying.
"..."
However, just as she turned her face to keep watching the battle, Shirahoshi's words echoed more clearly in her mind.
"Let's wait together for husband!"
"Together…"
"For husband…"
Her pupils contracted.
Her chest began to rise and fall irregularly.
Time stopped.
An internal jolt ran through her body, and the muscles in her cheeks trembled.
She discreetly brought a hand to her chest, trying to calm the wild beating of her heart.
Had that mermaid… just said… "let's wait together"?
Us…?
Does that… mean she includes me?
That I… am already Tiberion's woman?
That Tiberion is my husband…!?
Her mind clouded, and her vision turned into a whirlwind of images.
An altar.
Her with a veil.
And him waiting for her, majestic and bloodied, with that muscular body.
Even though she had already been completely subdued by him… even though every corner of her body had already been marked by Tiberion, hearing from another voice, spoken so naturally, that "Tiberion was her husband"… shook her like never before.
It was… the unspoken confession she had waited for so long!
"A-ah…" she let out unintentionally, and an involuntary smile began to form at the corners of her lips, like a flower blooming shyly under the sun.
But she covered it instantly with a trembling hand.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to cry from happiness.
She wanted to throw herself at that absurd girl and hug her for giving her that simple phrase...
But she did nothing.
She just bit her lip, staring at the sky, completely euphoric and overwhelmed.
And then, as if the sea itself knew exactly how to destabilize her more, Shirahoshi's sincere voice reached her from the side:
"Mmm, yes! Let's wait together for husband! Aren't you also one of his wives, big sister?"
!
Hancock's heart gave such a violent jolt that she thought she heard it beating in her own throat.
That way of saying it… so natural, so shamelessly honest… was like an arrow of light piercing her chest.
'This mermaid… really knows how to talk,' she thought with surprise and approval.
For a few seconds, she stayed silent, eyes fixed on the sky, pretending indifference while her insides burned.
And finally, with a measured voice, she replied:
"Of course I am… What did you expect?"
She tried to sound nonchalant. Even lowered her head with false modesty, as if saying it meant nothing to her.
But the moment the words left her mouth, a jolt of electricity shot down her entire spine.
It had been like breaking a dam.
Saying it out loud… thrilled her.
Because yes, many had seen it.
Many had seen her being lifted by Tiberion into his arms without her resisting and being carried to the ship as if she belonged to him. And neither of them came out for hours.
And the sounds from inside the ship… didn't need translation.
It was absurd to keep denying it. And deep down, she didn't want to deny it anymore.
She was his.
And there was no reason to stay silent.
In fact, if she loved Tiberion like she said she did—and she did—then she had to declare it. Claim her place with her head held high. Not like those others… like that EMPTY-EYED BITCH Momousagi, who didn't even know if she was there, if she surrendered, or if she simply existed as an obstacle.
No.
She was Boa Hancock.
And she belonged exclusively to Tiberion.
"Hehehe…" Shirahoshi laughed, tilting her head toward her. "I knew it! I knew you loved him too! I can see it in your eyes!"
Hancock barely turned her face, avoiding a smile.
But her chest swelled with pride.
She was being acknowledged.
And not just by anyone, but by another woman who also loved him—and who, even so… treated her with respect.
But just when the atmosphere seemed light, Shirahoshi lowered her gaze.
The previous excitement faded a little, and her voice grew softer.
"But… big sister… when is he going to finish fighting?" she asked with a sigh. "I miss him a lot…"
Hancock slightly pursed her lips, eyes narrowing.
'How clingy she is…' she thought in silence, feeling a slight annoyance.
But it wasn't jealousy. It was something else. It was that Shirahoshi spoke to her as if they were already friends… and that, somehow, filled her.
So she answered with certainty.
"Don't worry. He's invincible. We just have to wait here."
…
Three days later…
The coast was still marked by scars, and the terrain had been ravaged by the brutality of the battle.
Just a few meters from the shore, where the water lapped at the black sand, lay Garp.
His body, once imposing and rejuvenated, now looked ruined, completely defeated. His torso was bare, covered in deep wounds, dark bruises, and burns.
And now, one of his eyes had also closed forever, covered by a streak of blood running across his face.
His breathing was labored—each breath seemed like another fight. His chest rose and fell as if carrying the weight of his entire life.
And maybe it was.
Tiberion stood in front of him, imposing, completely naked, without a single trace of regret on his face.
The blood on his knuckles contrasted with the energy still pulsing through every muscle. And even though he no longer attacked, his fighting spirit remained alive… eager for more.
"Old man…" he growled, "Your era is over. It's time to go home and retire."
He didn't say it cruelly—he said it acknowledging the history before him… and he said goodbye to it without hesitation.
Garp didn't respond.
His eyes—or rather, the only one he could still open—were fixed on the sky. A sky he had seen thousands of times. From the sea, from ship decks… a sky that no longer felt like his.
The air tasted like defeat, and it wasn't bitter.
It was inevitable.
He had pushed his body beyond limits no other man in the world today could reach. He had revived his youth through sheer willpower.
But the price was high… far too high.
He heard Tiberion's words as if they came from another world.
And deep inside, he accepted the truth.
"Tsk…" a dry, breathless laugh escaped from the corner of his bloody lips, "Damn bastard…"
The salty breeze brushed his side, lifting the sand around him.
'I really am old…'
'I can't fight anymore…'
The thought didn't hurt—it was just a realization.
He had given everything.
And if Tiberion didn't kill him, it wasn't out of mercy for him.
It was for someone else—it was because of the girl, Makino. And thinking of her made him sigh, 'I don't regret it…'
With that last thought, he closed the eye that remained open, letting the sun and the sea foam envelop him completely.
After that, Tiberion turned his gaze toward Makino, and his voice, when he spoke to her, was soft.
"I'm sorry for leaving your village in this state… but it happened."
"I'm leaving. Take care. See you in a year, Makino."
And without waiting for a response, he turned around.
There was no drama—he simply left.
"..."
Makino watched him walk away without moving. Her lips trembled, but she held back. Because she knew that if she said one more word… there would be no turning back.
And that was dangerous.
"Thank you… Tiberion," she whispered softly.
The words dissolved into the wind, but they didn't need to reach him.
They were only for her.
Because in that moment, she knew that a man like Tiberion… didn't belong to anyone, and yet, he could leave a mark so deep that no distance could ever erase it.
No matter how much she longed for him, how much she dreamed of him… being by his side meant following him into a world that wasn't hers.
One where there was no space for the calm of home, nor for the little things she valued.
Probably, the best thing was to keep that distance. To keep him in her life as a burning memory that never fades.
Because that way, everything would remain beautiful. Intense and unforgettable.
But when she lowered her gaze and looked at her belly, her expression changed.
Without knowing why, she gently placed both hands over it.
It was just a feeling.
A very clear intuition—clear as a lighthouse in the dark.
There was no way to know yet, not enough time had passed for a real sign, and yet, she felt it.
Inside her body… something was growing.
Something strong.
Something that burned with the same intensity as the man who had just walked away.
Even if it had only been a few hours, it seemed it had been enough.
'He… left me something,' she thought with an inexplicable tenderness, as a tear slid down her cheek, 'It doesn't matter if he doesn't come back. Because now… he'll never be completely gone.'
Her fingers gently caressed her abdomen.
Her child was already there.
And with that, she didn't need anything else.
…
A few meters ahead, Tiberion, walking calmly, was almost in front of Gion.
The sound of his footsteps was like a drum. His shadow fell over her for a second… but he didn't stop.
He didn't even look at her.
"..."
Gion stood frozen, cold inside.
It wasn't fear, nor was it anger.
It was… emptiness.
By reflex, her eyes followed him. She waited for a gesture, a quick glance, a word. Something to confirm that she still had a place in his mind.
But it didn't happen.
Tiberion simply walked past.
And in that moment, she felt something she couldn't immediately define. An emptiness… an uncomfortable silence.
Biting her lip, she lowered her gaze. For a moment, she thought he would drag her, grab her forcefully like other times.
But he did nothing—and that was worse.
Because in her mind… when he got angry at her, when he crushed her, when he made her burn with rage or pain, at least she knew he saw her.
That she was someone.
But now… 'Do I not even matter enough to be despised…?' she thought, clenching her fists tightly.
And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop her eyes from filling with tears.
But she didn't scream, she just stayed there, standing, swallowing everything.
It wasn't that she loved him. No.
It was that she couldn't bear to stop existing for him.
Because when they clashed, when they argued, when she hated him… at least there was fire. At least, she was on his radar.
Now, not even that.
And without knowing why, her body trembled.
What kind of man is he?!
Do I mean nothing to him now…?
And without saying a word, she was left alone.
"Husband! What joy! You've finally returned!" Shirahoshi exclaimed, quickly approaching.
At her side, Hancock walked with a steady pace, more reserved, but with the eyes of a woman in love.
Tiberion, standing before them, smiled. Even though he looked like a monster, in that moment his expression was calm.
"Mm… I made you wait," he said warmly.
He looked at them both carefully, and despite everything he had done… they were still there.
And even if he didn't show it fully inside, that simple fact brought him peace.
Because even if he had the body of a monster… he was not Yujiro Hanma.
He was only playing that role in this world, and sometimes, not even he fully understood what he really felt.
________
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