Her playful mood surged, and she couldn't resist sliding her hand along those smooth, slender thighs, continuing upward to touch Shia's upper body…
"..."
Shia's face was even redder, but she couldn't push Gion away, so she just stayed sprawled on the sofa, letting herself be teased. Her eyes were still fixed on the night view outside the window.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She poked Gion behind her. "...Sister Gion, look, it's Nao!"
"What, can't take it anymore and trying to trick me?"
Gion's hands didn't stop moving, and her amused voice came from behind:
"When Nao first arrived on that deserted island, he called and said he wouldn't be in Water 7 for at least five or six days. It's only been two days. If you want me to stop, you should have a better reason..."
Her voice suddenly stopped.
As she looked out the window, Gion clearly saw a man, drenched from head to toe, flipping onto the balcony. He struggled to pry open the window, fumbling for a long time without success.
Seemingly noticing the gaze from inside the room, he froze, an awkward smile appearing on his handsome face.
It really was him!
What was this guy doing—skipping the front door in the middle of the night, climbing the balcony like some surprise act… only to get locked out?
Gion got up speechlessly and unlocked the window. Beneath her, Shia seized the chance to escape from her clutches, cheering as she threw herself into Nao's arms, rubbing her small head hard against his chest.
"You're finally back, Nao! Without you these past few days, we were bored to death. Even shopping wasn't fun."
It took a while before Shia reluctantly lifted her head. She helped Nao remove his dripping wet coat and asked curiously, "Didn't you say that deserted island was really far? How'd you get here so quickly?"
"You probably won't believe me, but a stupid dragon gave me a ride."
Nao patted the blue-haired girl's head with a smile. "Big guy, but pretty interesting… mm, I'll tell you all about it later when there's time. There's hot water, right? I need to wash up first."
"There's hot water. I'll get you some clothes to change into."
Gion took the coat from Shia, hung it on the rack, and looked at Nao's dripping figure with some amusement. "It's not even raining outside. How'd you end up soaked like this?"
"Don't even mention it."
Nao spat and looked annoyed. "It's all because of that old man Sengoku. He called me out of the blue while I was on the boat. The boat was passing under a bridge at the time, and I was standing on the deck answering the phone. I didn't notice and got knocked into the water."
The image of a Marine Vice Admiral accidentally falling into the water was too comical. Just thinking about it was almost unbearable...
Shia burst into giggles, while Gion folded her arms and smirked, her eyes full of barely concealed amusement.
See? That's the disadvantage of being too tall. Don't blame the innocent old man. Why did you secretly grow to be 3.4 meters tall and surpass her?
She watched as Nao quickly took off his outer clothes and strode towards the bathroom. She suddenly remembered something and wanted to remind him, but in the end, she just shrugged and gave up. She turned around to get him a change of clothes.
Well, they're already married, so it shouldn't matter anyway...
And sure enough.
Seconds later, just as Nao pushed open the bathroom door—
"Ahhh—!"
Bellemere's panicked scream rang out from inside.
———--
4 a.m.
The noise in the room finally quieted down. Shia and Bellemere, unable to endure, had long since fallen asleep in exhaustion.
Only Gion was still somewhat energetic, tilting her head contentedly as she leaned against Nao's chest, gently tracing circles on it with her fingertip.
"I've already told you the whole story about that dragon. Why aren't you asleep yet?" Nao chuckled, lowering his head as his hand gently stroked her soft, dark hair.
"I'm not that sleepy yet."
The little rabbit shot him a sideways look. "Earlier you said Sengoku called you. What was it for again? Don't tell me he wants you to order a custom warship?"
"Eh?" Nao froze for a moment. He had actually planned to wait until morning, when they went shopping, to bring it up—since the girls looked so tired. "Rear Admiral, how did you guess that?"
"Guess? Did I even need to?"
Gion got up and poured herself a glass of water. After rinsing her mouth, she lazily curled back into Nao's arms.
"Water 7 is the world's largest shipbuilding center. There are dozens of shipyards here. Both the Marines and pirates like to place orders here..."
"Besides, you've never had a flagship of your own. It's about time you gave it some thought. This time, Sengoku-san is probably just reminding and pushing you a bit."
"That thing's not exactly essential." Nao shrugged indifferently. "Didn't Kuzan go without one too? He's been a Vice Admiral for seven or eight years."
"No, he actually did have a beloved flagship. And right after his promotion to Vice Admiral, he even sent his own design draft here to Water 7."
A hint of nostalgia flickered in Gion's eyes. "If I remember right, he named it the Aokiji. The figurehead was this oversized green dog head. Looked ridiculously silly. I teased him about it constantly. But he treated it like treasure. When he first got it, he'd walk around the deck every single day after meals, like he couldn't get enough of it."
The Aokiji? With a giant green dog's head on the prow?
That had to be young Aokiji imitating his idol, Garp… The thought made Nao chuckle, and he couldn't help but ask, "So what happened? Why haven't I ever seen that ship?"
"Destroyed."
Gion shook her head softly. "It was sunk to the bottom of the sea by a man named Patrick Redfield. Because of his interference, Kuzan's operation that time ended in near total annihilation."
"Who?"
Nao looked confused—he had no memory of that name at all.
"It's a bit obscure," Gion yawned. "But his title is far better known. You should've heard of it—Red the Aloof."
That guy?!
Nao was deep in thought. That title was very familiar to him.
A legendary pirate of the old era, known as the "Red the Aloof," "Earl Red," "Count Red." A monstrously powerful man who, on his own, could stand shoulder to shoulder with Roger and Whitebeard!
This was Sengoku's evaluation during a casual conversation at the dinner table. Nao had no knowledge of this person in his previous life, and most of his impressions came from that conversation.
However, Garp, who was drunk at the time, was quite dismissive of this "Aloof Count," scoffing and saying that Sengoku was exaggerating and that Patrick wasn't significant enough to leave his name in history.
"Kuzan took it to heart. He's always wanted revenge against Red the Aloof. He even swore he wouldn't order another battleship until he put that man away in Impel Down. Unfortunately, when he finally crossed paths with him four years ago, he still couldn't win."
"Well… the monsters of the old era are something else," Nao murmured in awe.
He could understand Kuzan's feelings. But as someone who had crossed into this world, he couldn't quite feel them the same way.
In this world, whether Marine or pirate, people often held a special attachment to their very first ship.
Just like the Straw Hat Pirates—if the Going Merry's keel hadn't completely broken beyond repair, Luffy would never have tearfully said goodbye, and the Thousand Sunny would never have been born.
Speaking of which…
Nao instinctively glanced out the window. The hotel stood high in the central city, and from afar, the sea was faintly visible.
It was here, after all, that the Going Merry's spirit had returned to the sea…
"What are you staring at?" Gion poked his side when she noticed him spacing out. "So Sengoku called you for nothing? Don't tell me you're just going to ignore it and not order yourself a flagship?"
"No, I'll still need one."
Nao came back to his senses and shook his head. "Originally, I wasn't planning on it. But old man Sengoku hinted over the call that the situation in the New World is stirring up again. Kaido and Big Mom have made their moves, and the new generation of pirates who have come to the Grand Line from the four blues have been popping up like mushrooms after the rain since the second half of the year."
"When we return to headquarters after this honeymoon, I won't be able to live as leisurely as last year. Most of my time will be spent carrying out missions. A personal flagship, and a reliable team of subordinates I can trust—these are things I need to start preparing."
"I see…"
Gion frowned. So the situation was becoming unstable again…
The reason why Fleet Admiral Kong was so generous and gave them and Nao a full four-month honeymoon was.
First, because of Nao's great service. A rare exception like this wouldn't draw criticism, and it was something no other Vice Admiral at Headquarters could hope for.
Second, the battle at G-1 Branch had drastically shifted the balance of the New World. The Marines had regained the initiative, forcing two Emperor into a defensive retreat.
And yet now, only a few short months later, things were already…
"Ever since the Great Pirate Era began, it's always been like this."
Gion buried her head against Nao's chest, her muffled voice low. "Peaceful days never last long. Of course, it's our duty as Marines—I've long since gotten used to it. But really… when will this kind of life ever end?"
If she could, she wouldn't want to be some high-ranking Marine officer, nor bear meaningless titles like "the aloof flower" or "Headquarters' number one beauty swordswoman."
All she wanted was what she had now, since the honeymoon began—to stay by her beloved's side, travel the world together, and quietly enjoy the simple happiness of each day.
Nao gently caressed the little rabbit's cheek. His dark, inky eyes stared out at the equally deep night beyond the window. After a long while, he smiled faintly and whispered:
"One day, it will."
———
The Next Day.
It was nearly noon when the women finally woke from their long sleep. Nao, who had spent the whole morning meditating on swordsmanship out on the balcony, finished his training and joined them as they set out to explore the city.
Though Water 7 at this time wasn't nearly as prosperous and magnificent as it would be a decade later, with the Sea Train still unfinished, it still had many sights worth seeing.
The group spent their days happily sightseeing. For the women, having Nao back at their side filled them with comfort and ease. Compared to the previous days of aimless shopping, with a constant hollow emptiness in their hearts, the feeling was entirely different.
After several days, they had toured nearly all the major attractions of Water 7.
By the fourth day before their departure, while the women went shopping for souvenirs on the market street, Nao slipped away to visit the Helena Shipbuilding Company, where he left behind a rough sketch of his basic design for the flagship and placed an order.
This shipbuilding giant had long been a frequent partner of Marine Headquarters. Each year, they handled hundreds of orders worth billions of Berries from Marineford alone.
As soon as Nao revealed his identity, he was immediately received with the highest-level hospitality. The company's president, who had been resting at home, rushed over in person upon hearing the news.
Helena Company agreed to all of Nao's requests without hesitation. No deposit was required, and the boss even cheerfully offered him a forty-percent discount.
A famous name carries its own weight.
In the late summer of Sea Circle Calendar 1503, the name Natsuya Nao was the best possible pass, no matter where you were or what industry you were in.
…
"Vice Admiral Nao, take care!"
"Leave the flagship to us. Rest assured—we'll deliver your ship to Marineford within two months, exactly as you requested!"
As the sun set, in the twilight, a group of upper-class people in expensive suits bowed and warmly sent Nao to the door.
Nao casually waved his hand, signaling them not to follow him anymore. He took out his sunglasses from his pocket and strode away, heading towards the hotel.
Buying souvenirs was the last part of their trip to Water 7. Judging by the time, Gion, Shia, and the others should already be back at the hotel by now.
After spending their final night there, tomorrow morning he would take the women and depart from this dreamlike city of water, beginning their return journey to Marineford.
Of course, they would take a completely different route from the one they came by, allowing them to visit several other famous tourist destinations along the way and perfectly conclude their four-month honeymoon.
"Hmm?"
Just as he turned at a street corner, Nao suddenly stopped, as if he had noticed something. He narrowed his eyes and looked toward a quiet alley nearby.
It was empty. Aside from a black cat sleeping lazily by a sewer opening, there was no one in sight.
"You've been following me since two streets ago," Nao said leisurely, his gaze fixed on the garbage pile next to the black cat. "Did you really think you could hide like that? Come out, you two brats."
With a creak, the rusty lid of a garbage bin was pushed open, and two thin boys emerged dejectedly from inside—one short, the other tall and lanky.
"I knew hiding here was a bad idea," the short boy said, holding his nose as he climbed out. He glared at his companion. "It stinks so bad I'm about to die. What kind of rotten idea was that, Flam!"
"Tch! Why blame me? If you hadn't let out a fart, we definitely wouldn't have been discovered!" the tall, lanky boy with blue hair retorted angrily. "It's your own fault for ruining the plan, and you dare blame me? Just wait till we get back—I'll beat you up!"
"Who's afraid of you? If you have the guts, let's fight right now!"
Flam?
Nao was slightly stunned. He vaguely remembered that this was Franky's real name on the family register before he became a cyborg, wasn't it?
When the two boys pushed and shoved their way out under the streetlight, and Nao got a clear look at the blue-haired boy's face, his expression couldn't help but turn somewhat strange.
Heh, it really is this kid...