"Y-you… damn it…"
Doll forced the words out through clenched teeth, exhausting every ounce of strength she had left.
The numb weakness inside her body was growing stronger by the second. Her legs had already begun to tremble, and it was clear she was on the verge of collapsing.
But as a highly trained Marine officer with an unyielding will, she refused to submit to the enemy so easily.
Gritting her teeth, a flash of resolve crossed her eyes. Ignoring the risk of further intensifying the effects of the Ecstasy Fruit Powder, she forcibly mobilized the last remnants of strength in her body and activated Geppo, turning and fleeing in the direction away from the warship.
Watching Doll's panicked retreat, Stussy snorted coldly, a trace of disdain flickering in her eyes.
In her view, once Doll had been poisoned by the Ecstasy Fruit Powder, even if she escaped for the moment, she would never escape the drug's effects. There was no need to waste time pursuing her.
Stussy adjusted her clothes, turned back to her own ship, and continued sailing toward her destination—Whitebeard.
Using the Ecstasy Fruit Powder on Doll only strengthened her confidence in the drug's potency, and further convinced her that capturing Whitebeard would soon be well within her grasp.
At this moment, the Virtue Pirates were taking advantage of a lull in their journey to rest on a small island.
None of the crew wanted to miss this rare chance to relax. Everyone except Shiro had already gone ashore in small groups.
Some carried fishing rods toward a stream deeper in the island. Others sat on the beach with portable barrels of liquor, laughing and chatting. Still others explored the island's lush tropical vegetation with curiosity.
From time to time, hearty laughter echoed in the distance, blending with the sound of the waves into a lively scene.
Shiro, meanwhile, lay alone beside a hammock in the middle of the deck, a soft wool blanket beneath him. His eyes were half-closed as he leisurely gazed at the sky above.
The sea breeze brushed through his hair, carrying the warmth of the sun. The tension that had gripped him for so long gradually melted away, even his breathing slowing and evening out.
Suddenly, Shiro's relaxed brow twitched slightly, his presence sharpening in an instant.
His Observation Haki silently spread across the surrounding sea and island. Just a moment ago, an unfamiliar presence had abruptly entered his sensory range.
It didn't belong to any of his crewmates, nor did it resemble an ordinary islander.
Without hesitation, Shiro sprang up from the blanket in one smooth motion. His feet touched the deck lightly, barely making a sound.
He turned toward the source of the presence, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, locking onto a rapidly approaching figure in the distant sky.
When he clearly saw the unmistakable Marine coat fluttering behind the figure, Shiro's eyes narrowed with caution. His right hand instinctively closed around the hilt of his sword, the cool touch of the grip tightening his nerves.
The white Marine coat billowed in the wind, its stark color painfully conspicuous against the blue sea and green island.
In these waters, pirates and Marines were sworn enemies—he had to be ready to fight at any moment.
Just as Shiro's fingers tensed and he was about to draw his blade—
Something unexpected happened.
The Marine suddenly lost all strength, her body dropping straight out of the sky.
Thud!
She crashed heavily onto the deck of the Virtue, the Marine coat slipping off her shoulders and revealing her outfit beneath.
"What the…?"
Shiro frowned, confusion coloring his voice. He didn't approach immediately, instead standing still and carefully observing the Marine before him.
She lay prone on the deck, clearly unable to rise for the moment. Short black hair clung messily to her forehead, a few strands soaked with sweat. Long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes.
Even in such a disheveled state, her tall figure was hard to ignore—especially her long, straight legs, which were particularly eye-catching.
Her attire carried a strong rock-inspired style:
A dark short-sleeved top hugged her slender waist; fitted black leather pants sharply outlined her legs;
A silver spiked choker circled her neck, and oversized hoop earrings caught the sunlight with a cold gleam;
Most striking of all was the black rose tattoo blooming across her exposed arm, lending her a wild, rebellious edge.
"Isn't this Marine Vice Admiral Doll…?"
Shiro blurted out in surprise as he took in her familiar yet strangely unfamiliar face.
But the moment the words left his mouth, he realized something was wrong.
In his memory, Vice Admiral Doll should have been around forty years old.
The woman before him looked barely in her early twenties, her features far more youthful—clearly not yet at the stage where she would have risen to the rank of vice admiral.
As Shiro was still thinking, Doll slowly lifted her head from the deck, her face flushed an unnatural red.
She parted her lips and spoke weakly:
"Please… help me detox…"
Before she could finish, her body swayed, barely able to support even a sitting posture. The redness spread from her face down her neck.
"What kind of poison are you suffering from?" Shiro asked, frowning as he unconsciously stepped forward.
His mind churned with conflict.
I'm a pirate. She's a Marine. We're enemies by nature. Logically speaking, her being poisoned has nothing to do with me—if anything, it benefits me.
But she's already this weak… taking advantage of her now would be disgraceful. If word got out, I'd become a laughingstock.
After a brief pause, Shiro finally suppressed his doubts.
He walked over, crouched beside her, and activated the power of the Paw-Paw Fruit. A pale, translucent paw mark appeared in the center of his right palm.
Gently, he placed his hand against Doll's back, attempting to use the fruit's ability to expel the poison from her body.
He had used this method countless times—it worked wonders on injuries and toxins alike.
But this time, when his power entered Doll's body, it had no effect at all.
The poison seemed deeply rooted in her bloodstream, utterly impossible to expel.
"I… I was poisoned by Ecstasy Fruit Powder," Doll said with the last remnants of her consciousness.
"It's an aphrodisiac… it needs a man's help to detoxify…"
Her breathing grew more rapid, her eyes turning hazy.
After saying this, as if clutching at her final lifeline, she threw herself toward Shiro without hesitation.
Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her cheek pressed against his chest, soaking in the warmth of his body.
Shiro had a handsome face, a tall, well-built frame, and carried the faint scent of the sea breeze.
For Doll, whose reason was being completely eroded by the Ecstasy Fruit Powder, the man before her was overwhelmingly tempting.
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