Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Where Sunlight Doesn't Shine, but Daylight Still Reaches
"Isn't this certificate a bit too simple? Just a stamp and a photo? What if we get stopped by the Navy and they refuse to recognize it?"
"This stamp uses a special ink developed by Navy Headquarters," Hina said, rubbing her cheek lightly against the hilt of her signature sword, which she had been meticulously polishing. "The ink's properties are impossible to replicate, so it has built-in anti-forgery protections."
"I see." Ethan Chen nodded and tousled her hair fondly. "But can't you get me a different kind of permit? Like one for an adventurer or merchant? Being labeled a bounty hunter feels like it'll attract unnecessary trouble."
"This is the only one I can give you," Hina replied, pressing a light kiss to the gleaming edge of her blade. "If you want an adventurer or merchant license, you'll need to purchase it from a kingdom."
"One hundred million beli?"
Hina nodded, then leaned in and gently began to breathe on the sword's surface, her movements slow and deliberate as she continued its care and maintenance.
Ethan studied the ink on the certificate. Aside from looking like color-shifting security ink, he couldn't make sense of it. He casually tossed it onto the table, then slid his arm around 2B's waist and kissed her deeply.
2B, sensing the shift in attention, glanced sideways. Her gaze briefly flicked to Hina's chest as the woman hugged her sword to her body. With a small frown, 2B tugged at her own modest curves, giving them a slight bounce as if comparing.
The physiques of humanoid women in this world really were... excessive.
Didn't they find it cumbersome?
Ethan noticed her expression. With a soft chuckle, he slipped his hand beneath her clothes and gently cupped her breast. It was smaller than Hina's, yes, but still full and supple more than enough to fill his palm. He toyed with her quietly, and with his other hand, gently pressed down on Hina's head, urging her not to slack off in her "duties."
Hina, understanding the signal, responded as expected. Her motions grew more devoted, but soon her breath caught, and she coughed, struggling to recover. It took her a moment to catch her breath, wiping her face with embarrassment.
Later that afternoon, Ethan lay in bed with the two women beside him. Gazing at the clouds outside the cabin window, he finally said, "We can't just stay cooped up in the cabin all day. Let's head to the beach. The sand around here's pretty nice. Hina, you got a swimsuit?"
"The beach? Sure." Hina stretched lazily, though as a Devil Fruit user, she couldn't enter the sea itself. Still, lounging in the sun in a sexy swimsuit sounded like a welcome diversion.
She reached for the cigarette box on the bedside table but hesitated. Remembering Ethan's dislike for the smell, she set it down again.
A man who neither smoked nor drank was truly a rarity in this world.
With the plan set, the three got up and began preparing.
Hina rummaged through the wardrobe and tossed a barely-there black bikini toward 2B. "This should fit."
2B unfolded it. "This... is barely clothing."
"It's not about coverage. It's about style. Trust me you'll look stunning."
2B didn't fully understand, but if Ethan liked it, then she would wear it.
The swimsuit was a strappy bikini its fabric covering only the bare minimum, the thin strings sinking slightly into 2B's soft skin, outlining the elegant curves of her body. Her lower piece was just enough to cover what it needed to, while the string along her back disappeared between the swell of her hips.
As for Hina, her swimsuit was no less daring. A strapless crimson top hugged her chest like the Red Line wrapped around the world majestic above, rounded below. With every movement, the lack of support made things bounce playfully, catching Ethan's eye more than once.
Of course, they didn't walk out like that. Both women slipped on their uniforms over the swimwear before disembarking toward the beach on the far side of the island.
The area was perfect ringed by boulders and dense foliage, providing ample privacy. Even so, Ethan ordered his auxiliary bot to activate radar scans to ensure their safety from both prying eyes and dangerous sea creatures.
Once they reached the sand, Hina slipped out of her coat, spread out a towel, and lay down on her stomach. Handing Ethan a small bottle, she said, "Put on some sunscreen for me, would you?"
"My pleasure."
Ethan didn't need to be asked twice. He opened the bottle and poured the cool, viscous liquid onto her back, his fingers spreading it gently across her smooth skin. His touch lingered near the subtle dip of her waist, just above the edge of her swimsuit, fingertips skimming just close enough to tease.
Hina shivered slightly at the sensation. It wasn't the sunburn she feared anymore.
Suddenly, she sat up and straddled him, pinning him onto the towel.
"My turn," she said, holding the sunscreen high.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, expecting the same treatment but instead, Hina poured the lotion onto her own chest. The thick oil ran down her skin in slow, glistening rivulets, catching the sunlight like polished marble.
Then, she leaned forward, pressing herself down against him.
He couldn't breathe for a moment.
It was suffocating but in the best way imaginable.
After thoroughly smothering him with sunscreen head to toe Hina climbed atop his waist, her body glistening, her motions fluid and confident. She took his hands and guided them behind her, letting him help apply lotion to the parts she "couldn't reach."
Though sunlight couldn't touch those places, Ethan's warmth certainly could.
As her body rocked gently above him, he reached up instinctively to steady her, his hands cupping her like a palm tree guarding swaying coconuts from a storm.
He wanted to take in the sight but lying flat made it difficult.
That's when 2B stepped in. She lifted Ethan's upper body and gently laid his head in her lap, her plush thighs cradling him like a living pillow.
Now, he could gaze freely at the waves, the sky, and the rhythmic rise and fall of Hina's hips, like the tide pulling against the shore.
2B leaned down, brushing her silver hair aside, and kissed him.
And just like that, the three of them basked in the warmth of sun, sea, and something even deeper.
A rare moment of peace in a chaotic world.
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NEXT CHAPTER : Beating Down Captain Nezumi
(Just days after Hina's bittersweet departure, Ethan Chen's peaceful island life is interrupted by the arrival of the corrupt Navy officer Captain Nezumi. Accusing Ethan of being a pirate, Nezumi attempts to abuse his authority only to be met with Ethan's fist and 2B's blade. With a forged accusation, a drawn sword, and a Den Den Mushi call to Hina herself, Ethan isn't just defending his name he's making enemies in the Navy.
But how far will Nezumi's influence reach… and what will the Navy do next?)
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