One Piece: Saving Hancock with the Batto Batto no Mi

On the bustling Lovers' Lane in the Dressrosa Kingdom, light music flowed melodiously, blending with the fragrant scent of blooming flowers, creating a thick romantic atmosphere.

Outside an open-air restaurant, beneath a large umbrella, beside a dining table, Sephiroth—wearing slightly loose casual clothes—let out an exasperated snort. He sat in his chair, his gaze sweeping across the entire restaurant towards couples shamelessly displaying affection, some holding hands, others feeding each other, making his heart shrink. Immediately after, he glanced at Maynard, who sat across the table, his bulky physique and dark skin a stark contrast.

"Damn it! Why do I have to be placed in this kind of place... and with you of all people!?" Sephiroth complained, a clear expression of disgust on his face. "Maynard, could you please move to the table next to mine, and not sit at this one...?"

"Why?" The dark-skinned man, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and a slightly tilted baseball cap, wore a confused expression and scratched his head where it didn't itch.

Hearing this, Sephiroth pressed his hand to his forehead, his voice full of helplessness: "Because even if I'm misunderstood as a single dog, I don't want to be misunderstood as gay..." He took a breath. "This is a couples-themed restaurant. Can you please sit at another table?" If he had a choice, he would definitely want to change restaurants for lunch! However... The frustrating part was that all the restaurants on this street were couples-themed restaurants! Therefore, no matter which one he used, the result would be the same—an annoying dilemma.

"Cough!" Maynard glanced left and right. After seeing the strange looks from the surrounding couples, he smiled awkwardly, flustered, and rose to move tables, stepping a few paces away.

Sephiroth sighed softly. He picked up the menu on the table, glanced at it, then immediately fell silent again. The menu, filled with cheap romance-themed dish names—"Eternal Love," "Pink Passion," "Lover's Kiss"—made him uncomfortable. Humans were creatures easily influenced by trends and atmosphere! When he hadn't seen the couples around him, he felt nothing in his heart, but after spending a morning on Lovers' Lane... Empty, lonely, cold! Now all he wanted was to find a fragrant, gentle, and sweet girl to hold tightly for comfort.

"Sephiroth, so you're here..."

Sephiroth diverted his gaze from the menu, lifted his head, and looked at the pink-haired girl who had suddenly appeared beside him, a bright smile gracing her face.

"Huh?! Scarlett, Princess, what a coincidence!" Sephiroth's expression brightened, a sense of relief emanating from his eyes. "Have you eaten? If not, would you be interested in having lunch with me...?" Great! Finally, he wouldn't be mistaken for an out-of-place single dog!

"Mm! Okay! Coincidentally, I also made a bento box, how about we eat together!" Scarlett hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. An irresistible bright smile bloomed on her face like a flower. She reached out, pulled up a chair next to her, and quietly sat beside Sephiroth, her heart fluttering.

At this moment, as the pink-haired girl sat down, Kyros, who stood three meters away, watching with a blank expression, also came into Sephiroth's view. Seeing this situation, the corner of Sephiroth's mouth twitched slightly. He inwardly shouted: Crazy! Does this count as 'committing a crime in front of the husband'...?

While he was stunned, Scarlett had already opened the bento box. A tempting aroma immediately spread. The ingredients inside were exquisite: shrimp, chicken drumsticks, fried fish fillets, fried pork slices, oysters, seasonal vegetables, fruit slices, and... two heart-shaped fried eggs!? Her intentions were crystal clear.

"Ahem! If I eat this... is that alright?" Sephiroth looked at Scarlett and Kyros in the distance with a guilty expression. It seemed he had just snatched someone else's couple's bento, leaving them without lunch. This round of acquired resentment truly is...!?

"Of course it's alright! This is just one of... the small ways to repay you for saving me yesterday..." The pink-haired girl shyly lowered her head, rubbing the hem of her skirt with both hands, not daring to look directly into Sephiroth's eyes, her cheeks flushed.

No! Even though I spoke a bit brashly just now, I didn't mean to demand repayment for your kindness. You don't have to resent me so much that your skirt tears, do you? Sephiroth muttered two sentences to himself, misunderstanding Scarlett's actions.

"Ahem! Uh... I appreciate your kindness..." Sephiroth awkwardly cleared his throat. "Uh!?... This bento box is better for just the two of you to enjoy... I can't stand what others like... Hahaha!" Sephiroth chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head, and his tone contained a hint of apology, trying to avoid what he perceived as an awkward situation.

"Huh!?" Hearing this, Scarlett's large, beautiful eyes went blank, and question marks popped up above her head. Wait... the two of us? In an instant, the pink-haired girl caught the keyword. She slowly turned her neck and stared with unfriendly eyes at the burly man standing three meters away, her gaze murderous.

The pink-haired girl stood up. With a 'friendly' smile on her face, she quickly walked a few steps and came before the burly man.

"Hehe! Kyros, have you had lunch yet?" Scarlett's voice sounded sweet, but there was a dangerous undertone.

"No... I haven't." Kyros felt a chill in his heart from being stared at like that and repeatedly shook his head as he spoke.

"Oh~! So you mean you still want to have lunch with me...?" Scarlett's voice became softer, as if holding back suppressed emotions, pressing harder.

"No! No! No!... Absolutely not!" Kyros refused frantically, fear beginning to creep into him.

"Then why aren't you going back for lunch immediately?" Scarlett demanded.

"But His Majesty the King ordered me to protect your safety..." Kyros tried to reason.

"Having Sephiroth here is enough. I don't need your protection..." Scarlett cut him off sharply.

"This..." A difficult expression appeared on Kyros's face, caught between the king's command and the princess's anger.

"Captain, please go back and have a good lunch!" The smile on Scarlett's face became increasingly 'kind,' and the pressure around her grew lower and lower, sending shivers down Kyros's spine.

Gulp! Kyros swallowed, cold sweat running down his back. He quickly took off and approached Sephiroth, saying in a pleading tone: "I will entrust the Princess's safety to you, Sephiroth-sama! ...Thank you very much!" After speaking, Kyros ran away like a flash of lightning, as if some fierce beast was staring at him from behind—a traumatic experience for the captain.

"Alright, now it's just the two of us... Ah~!" This time, Scarlett didn't give Sephiroth a chance to refuse. The smile on her face was incredibly bright and charming, a sweet, victorious grin. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of fried pork, and brought it to Sephiroth's mouth.

"..." Sephiroth's eyelids twitched slightly. He didn't refuse, but opened his mouth and ate the food. Hmm!?... The texture is surprisingly delicious! The flavor and cooking temperature are perfectly controlled, reaching the most amazing balance. A pleasant surprise.

At the same time, through the conversation between Scarlett and Kyros just now, he also discovered some things within his heart. It seemed those two weren't together yet...? After being in this world for so long, he only remembered the more significant events of the Pirate King era. As for the small details... He wasn't a genius with photographic memory, how could he remember everything! Therefore, he had simply mistaken Scarlett and Kyros as already being together. However, seeing the current situation...

"Try my fried egg..." Scarlett smiled sweetly, picked up a heart-shaped fried egg with her chopsticks, and brought it to Sephiroth's mouth, her eyes sparkling.

"..." Sephiroth opened his mouth again and ate the shaped fried egg in a few bites, without much to say.

"Sephiroth, how is it? Is it delicious?" Scarlett asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

"It's very delicious," Sephiroth admitted, a sincere compliment.

"Hehehe! That's good..." Receiving the affirmation, the pink-haired girl felt as if she had eaten honey in her heart, sweet and happy.

On the other side, Maynard looked at the two displaying affection, his heart aching slightly. He then looked at the food prepared by the waiter on the table before him. For some reason, he felt a faint sadness in his heart... He was truly envious! he thought, gazing wistfully at the newly formed couple before him.

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