Chapter 51: 51: The Empress Appears
Aimee and Lori stared, completely mesmerized. They could feel Luffy's excitement, his energy practically radiating with anticipation.
Luffy burst out laughing. "Who are all of you? And why are you here?"
The woman who had performed over 200 moves per second stepped forward. "Luffy-sama! We came here with Lady Hancock."
In an instant, Luffy understood. So, the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock was already here, then. He tried sensing her with Haki but didn't pick up on her presence nearby. Deciding to focus on the moment, he put those thoughts aside for now.
Luffy stepped closer, his hands in his pockets, eyes blazing as he took in the stunning figure before him. "Hmm… Nice physique! Beautiful face! And…" He grinned. "Your squat dance skills are impressive."
He reached out, saying, "Let me help you train. Let me test the squat-dance technique with you."
The woman jumped back, eyes wide. "Luffy-sama! What are you trying to do?"
Her face showed a mix of shock and confusion, as if she'd encountered something totally unexpected. Luffy gave a goofy laugh. Admittedly, he probably looked a bit like a maniac right now.
With a sudden surge of his Conqueror's Haki, the air around them intensified. The woman's shock faded as she regained her composure. "Luffy-sama!" she said with a new determination. "You really want to test my skills?"
Luffy nodded.
"Perfect!" she exclaimed. "I've wanted to test myself with you for a long time. Everyone says that only if Luffy-sama approves can we truly call our technique top-tier. Even with over 200 moves per second, I've yet to be tested by you. Until then, my squat dance remains unfinished, imperfect."
The straightforwardness of her words made Luffy chuckle. "That's why I'm here to test it," he said as he stepped forward.
The rest of the women started to move back, realizing it might be best to give them some space.
Luffy turned and addressed the room. "You should all stay and watch. This is how the squat-dance technique is done."
The women exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
"Yeah!" one of them exclaimed. "We've trained so hard for this. It would be a waste if we couldn't see Luffy-sama's assessment."
"Yes!" said another. "This will be a great learning opportunity."
"Right," Luffy said, arranging the space around him. "Pay close attention."
He gestured to the woman, giving her the cue to begin.
The cabin was filled with applause and cheers, everyone watching with rapt attention.
"Wow!" someone shouted. "Luffy-sama is amazing!"
"No, look at her! She's unstoppable at over 200 moves per minute!"
"Can you believe it?" another marveled. "I wish I could do that!"
The women watched, their admiration clear, their excitement filling the room.
Several minutes later, Luffy nodded, looking satisfied. "You're impressive," he said. "But you look tired. Are you okay?"
The woman, now exhausted, was on the verge of falling asleep. "Luffy-sama, I can't go on. This training intensity is too much. I need to rest…"
With that, she drifted off to sleep, leaving Luffy smiling approvingly.
"She's definitely got potential," he remarked. "Two hundred moves per minute… Plus, you have the looks to match. You don't need to follow Hancock anymore. Train with me, and I'll push you even further."
Luffy's offer sparked a mixture of envy and admiration among the others. They all knew how valuable his attention and guidance were.
"I wish I could be her," one murmured, clearly envious. "Luffy-sama's training is incredible."
"If I could train with him, even for a moment, I'd be so grateful… but I'm worried he wouldn't be interested in me," she added quietly.
Hearing her, a few others chimed in with similar hopes, eager to be trained by him.
Luffy, picking up on their murmurs, chuckled and called out, "Alright, you all! Actually, all of you here… come over!"
A wave of disbelief and joy swept over them as they realized he was serious.
The swordswoman stepped forward. "Luffy-sama! What about us veterans? Surely you won't just guide the newcomers. We need your guidance too!"
The archer nodded, saying, "Yes, please!"
"Luffy-sama!" Aimee pouted, crossing her arms with a playful grin. "When you first assigned us our own training homework, you said that was our special practice. Now, with all these new sisters around, don't tell me you've forgotten about us old-timers!"
Lori joined in, her face full of mock indignation. "Look, Luffy-sama!" she said. "I've reached a hundred reps, just like you said makes an expert! You can't just overlook us now, right?"
With a smirk, she demonstrated her squat-dance, hitting over a hundred reps with ease. Luffy nodded in approval. "Impressive!" he said. "You're all excellent. I'm a fair teacher, after all." With a grin, he gestured them closer. "Alright, come on, everyone."
He announced a new training class, his own special program: The Luffy Dance Workshop.
Excitement filled the room as everyone prepared to show off their skills. Laughter, clapping, and the sounds of training filled the small cabin, creating a lively, unforgettable scene. Some were cheering, others were laughing, a few even teared up with joy.
It wasn't until dawn that the training finally wrapped up, and soon the cabin was filled with soft snores as the exhausted women drifted off to sleep, sprawled all over in peaceful slumber. Only one person remained awake, sitting calmly as he sipped tea and read a book.
It was Luffy, smiling as he enjoyed his quiet moment. "The stories in these books…" he mused. "They're actually pretty good. More interesting than I expected."
The book was a gift from Boa Hancock herself, who'd worried he might get bored. She had sent along several books and a variety of tasty treats and fun activities.
Luffy took a sip of tea, feeling pleased. "These stories feel genuine, even better than what I wrote in my past life. Back then, my books drew so much excitement, but…" he chuckled. "They can't quite compare to these tales."
He couldn't help feeling nostalgic, reflecting on how a whole year had flown by since he'd arrived in this world. Yes, a year. Just one more year before he'd set out on the seas again, taking up the journey that belonged to the Luffy of this world.
"Without me, the world might be in trouble," he said with a chuckle, setting the book aside. "I came here to live freely, to enjoy this life, but… if Luffy doesn't reach Laugh Tale, well, then why am I here at all?"
A sense of responsibility stirred within him. He felt his heart shift, not merely for his own enjoyment but to protect those he loved and cared for. After training with all these amazing women, he felt a new connection—a desire to protect this world and everyone in it.
"They're all my family now," he murmured to himself. "Every one of them feels like… my own kin. How could I turn my back on that?"
Suddenly, he sensed someone approaching the door.
Creak!
The door opened, and Luffy's eyes went wide as a strikingly beautiful woman entered the room. Her face was breathtaking, her figure flawless, and everything about her exuded elegance.
For a moment, Luffy felt his words fail him. Compared to the beauties from earlier, who might rank around sixty on his personal scale, this woman was a clear ninety.
"You are…" he stammered, but quickly caught himself. Who else could it be?
It was none other than Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress, the most beautiful woman in the world and the person who had occupied his thoughts so often.
Dressed in a stunning, form-fitting outfit complete with black stockings, she had an aura that made Luffy's heart race, his mind reeling.
"Whoa…"
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