After Sephiroth finished his business with Mr. Tom, he led the three girls towards the entrance gate of Water Seven.
"RENT-A-BULL SHOP..." Hancock mumbled softly, her gaze perplexed. "Why is the entrance to Water Seven a shop?"
Sephiroth smiled, explaining patiently, "Well, it's related to Water Seven's architectural style. Here, waterways are far more abundant than land roads, and traveling by water is much more convenient. Because of that, people here use special animals like fish for transportation. My family's specific type of fish is at another farm, and our ship is gone, so we can't go in directly by water. We have to rent first."
As they spoke, the four of them had already stepped inside the shop. At the counter, a plump young man wearing glasses and reading a newspaper immediately greeted them. "Welcome! Do the four of you wish to rent a Yagara Bull?"
"Yes, please get us two Yagara Bulls that can carry two people," Sephiroth replied.
"Alright!" The boss nodded in agreement. He pulled two small two-seater wooden boats from the warehouse, then picked out two blue Yagara Bulls from the fish pond. Skillfully, he tied the wooden boats to their backs, attached the harnesses, and released them into the river's waterway.
"Is this a bull-fish?" Hancock gazed at the creature, which had a distinctly horse-like head and neck above the water, but a fish body below. A curious expression appeared on her face, and she reached out to touch it. The Yagara Bull immediately snorted and kept rubbing its body against Hancock's hand, as if enjoying the touch.
"Hahaha! Looks like he really likes you!" The boss chuckled. "Renting one Yagara Bull costs 250 Berry a day. How long do you want to rent?"
"One day will suffice," Sephiroth said, pulling a 500 Berry banknote from his pocket and handing it to the boss.
"Welcome back next time!" After the four consecutively boarded the Yagara Bulls, the boss immediately waved, a cheerful smile on his face.
Hancock, sitting on the same Yagara Bull as Sephiroth, tugged at his sleeve and said expectantly, "Let's go to the shopping district first! I want to buy clothes..."
Sephiroth turned and glanced at the short top and red skirt the girl was wearing. He immediately understood and nodded. Recently, Sephiroth had also noticed that Hancock seemed to have a mild mysophobia, she disliked using things that others had already used. Because of this, the girl had even used needle, thread, and scissors to fashion her white cloak into a simple yet elegant white short top and skirt.
Having received their instructions, the two Yagara Bulls didn't need them to pull the reins, being quite intelligent, they swam towards Water Seven's shopping street on their own.
"Sephiroth, why are there so many buildings underwater?" Marigold leaned over the edge of the wooden boat, gazing down through the clear water. The submerged buildings were clearly visible to her.
"Ah, those!" Sephiroth began his explanation. "Water Seven is hit by a major tsunami every year, so powerful that it can submerge more than half the city's buildings. Even after the seawater recedes, the water level will be slightly higher than before." He let out a soft sigh. "As time goes on, the land on this island continues to be submerged. Due to the rising water levels, Water Seven's inhabitants are forced to add floors to existing buildings. Therefore, the underwater buildings you see are actually Water Seven from several decades ago..."
"Then, won't this island eventually sink?" Sandersonia asked in surprise, her voice filled with worry.
"Yes! That's right..." Sephiroth nodded. "However, if Mr. Tom finishes building the sea train, this island will be saved and brought back to life..."
The four chatted casually, though most of the time, the three girls posed questions, and Sephiroth was the one answering, providing insights into the world they were newly exploring.
They eventually arrived at Water Seven's Shopping Street. After tying up the two Yagara Bulls, the four went ashore. On the somewhat desolate street, there weren't many pedestrians, and occasionally they could spot a few people dressed as shipwrights gathered together, drinking glumly.
"This city... feels a bit lifeless!" Boa Marigold mumbled softly, her expression mirroring the somber atmosphere around them.
"Nothing can be done about it... Because the land is being submerged by seawater, coupled with rampant pirates and plunder at sea..." As he spoke, Sephiroth's voice gradually weakened, and his gaze seemed distant, lost in thought. "The city's economy is also getting worse and worse..."
The original body's father, a purchasing manager and shareholder of a shipbuilding company named Hughes Shipbuilding Company, was attacked by the Beasts Pirates at sea while bringing Sephiroth to discuss iron and timber business, and died saving Sephiroth. Things like this would become more and more common as the Great Pirate Era intensified. In this chaotic era, without absolute power, sometimes just surviving was a luxury!
Hancock keenly sensed Sephiroth's shift in mood. Instantly, she reached out her right hand, grabbed his left, and changed the topic with a playful smile, "Let's go! I have so many things to buy! No time for you to keep daydreaming."
"Oh!" Sephiroth immediately snapped back to reality, nodded, and pushed the unexplainable emotions that had risen in his heart to the back of his mind, no longer dwelling on them.
Soon after, the four of them entered a clothing store and began selecting their outfits.
Hancock opened the changing room curtain and revealed the purple short top and white denim shorts she was wearing. "Sephiroth, how do I look in these clothes?"
"Beautiful..."
"Sephiroth, how do I look in these clothes?"
"Very good..."
...
"Sephiroth..."
"Uh uh uh! Very good..."
Sephiroth sat on a chair provided for resting in the clothing store, answering distractedly. His gaze was fixed on two exceptionally sexy and beautiful young women in the clothing store, who were trying on various cool and revealing swimsuits, debating which suited them better. It had to be said that the range of facial beauty in the One Piece World was immense, some could be incredibly ugly, but some could also be stunningly beautiful.
Suddenly! He found his critical gaze blocked by a sweet and lovely face. The girl's face was extremely close, the boy could even see himself reflected in her eyes.
Boa Hancock: (ㅇㅅㅇ❀) Stare~!
Sephiroth: (^～^;)ゞ
"Cough! ...Hancock, why are you looking at me like that?" Sephiroth turned his head slightly, feeling a bit guilty, not daring to look directly into her eyes anymore.
Seeing this, Marigold unconsciously pressed her hands to her chest and teased with a giggle, "Hehehe...! So, Sephiroth, you like them big?"
"Ahem! Have you all finished buying clothes? If so, let's go!" Sephiroth coughed lightly, trying to forcibly change the subject.
"Hmph!" Hearing this, Hancock immediately gave a soft snort. She turned and walked straight towards the swimsuit section. After Browse, she finally picked out a white bikini swimsuit, entered the changing room, and closed the curtain...
A moment later, Hancock, clad in the white bikini swimsuit, opened the curtain, her beautiful face slightly flushed. "How... how is it?" The girl's eyes showed a hint of shyness. She lowered her head slightly, her index fingers constantly twirling in front of her.
It had to be said that Hancock now possessed the nascent charm of the future Pirate Empress, like a flower bud waiting to bloom. Her smooth skin, long and beautiful legs, flat stomach, a waist that could be encompassed by a hand, and her developing chest looked even more alluring in the white bikini. A few strands of her long black hair cascaded over her delicate and slender collarbones, her snow-white neck like white jade, and the exquisite, perfect features on her beautiful face, no matter if her expression was pouting, angry, or shy, she was always so lovable.
"Uh!? Very... very beautiful." After gazing for a moment, Sephiroth turned his head and looked elsewhere, but he secretly mumbled to himself: Oh no! This is the feeling of falling in love...
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