One Piece: Saving Hancock with the Batto Batto no Mi

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Pirate Threat



Inside Scarlett's bedroom in the Dressrosa Royal Palace, the atmosphere was filled with sweet anxiety.

"Ugh~! Ugh~! I'm so embarrassed, did he return my message, or did he misunderstand...?" Scarlett threw herself onto the soft pink bed, hugging a pillow with both hands, burying her flushed face in it, trying to hide her embarrassment. The pink-haired girl kicked off her shoes, revealing her beautiful, delicate feet. Because of the embarrassment and anxiety in her heart, she continuously swung her slender legs in the air to vent her emotions, like a small child.

"Big Sister, what are you doing?" Violet slowly pushed the bedroom door open, poked her head inside, and glanced at her shy-looking sister, holding back a laugh.

"I confessed to Sephiroth..." Scarlett replied, her voice muffled from behind the pillow.

"Really?" Hearing that, the black-haired girl's face immediately showed an expression of surprise. She truly hadn't expected her sister to progress so quickly, to be so bold.

Scarlett still had her face buried in the pillow, and she said in a muffled voice: "Yes!... But, I feel like he might have responded to me, but he might also have misunderstood..."

"Huh!? What do you mean...?" Violet, with a confused expression, pushed the door fully open and walked to the edge of the pink bed. She once again used her mind-reading ability from the Giro Giro no Mi, a Paramecia type, to check Scarlett's thoughts.

"Oh! So you don't know if Sephiroth genuinely said he liked you, or if he was praising the taste of your food and showing his gratitude to you?" Violet said, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"Violet~!" The pink-haired girl pouted, puffing out her cheeks, then sat up from the bed, propping herself up with her hands, staring at her sister to express her displeasure at her innermost thoughts being spied upon—a bothersome violation of privacy.

Wait! If I use my sister's mind-reading ability... A spark of inspiration flashed through Scarlett's mind, and an expression of delight appeared on her face, a cunning plan beginning to form.

Night fell, a bright moon hung high above Dressrosa, and stars twinkled like diamonds in the cloudless sky. Bright moonlight illuminated a single room through an open window, creating a mysterious ambiance.

Near the window, Sephiroth, who had completed his daytime patrol duties, sat in a chair. Utilizing the light from the kerosene lamp on the table, he slowly flipped through a book, enjoying the tranquility of the night. On the table, there was also a bottle of red wine and a stemmed glass, ready to accompany his relaxation. The silver-haired youth casually picked up the stemmed glass, swirled the brownish-red liquid within, and took a small sip.

Knock, knock, knock! A knock sounded at the door. Sephiroth's Kenbunshoku Haki slowly spread outwards. After sensing who it was, he sighed helplessly. Why is she here again!... Believe it or not, this young master will go to great lengths and directly cause a life-threatening situation for you! he thought, slightly irritated. The silver-haired youth put down the wine glass in his hand, stood up, walked towards the door, and opened it.

"It's late at night, what do you need to see me for?"

Standing in the hallway, Scarlett's long, waist-length pink hair flowed over her delicate shoulders, illuminated by the dim light. She wore a white, ruffled spaghetti-strap dress, perfectly accentuating her exquisite collarbones and full chest, showcasing her charming curves. Beneath the hem of her skirt, her beautiful and well-formed calves, and her snow-white feet wore sparkling crystal high heels. The exquisite makeup on the pink-haired girl's face, the scent of perfume emanating from her body, and her entire outfit, all indicated that she was prepared for a significant moment.

"Sephiroth, could you accompany me for a walk in the garden? There's something I want to tell you..." Scarlett pleaded, her voice soft and hopeful.

"Okay." The silver-haired youth nodded and did not refuse. He followed the pink-haired girl, winding through the corridors for a while before finally arriving at the Royal Palace garden.

Under the bright moonlight, the tranquil garden was enveloped in a layer of hazy beauty, creating a romantic atmosphere. In the center of the garden was a fountain pool, its water gushing upwards and flowing into the pond with a soothing gurgling sound. On the ornate flower trellis nearby, vines intertwined in layers, with flowers blooming upon them, exuding a fragrant scent. The neatly pruned flowers in the garden were truly pleasing to the eye. A gentle breeze blew, carrying waves of refreshing floral fragrance, adding to the beauty of the night.

A sweet smile appeared on Scarlett's beautiful face, her eyes as gentle as water, gazing at the silver-haired youth before her with deep emotion. She raised both hands, clasping them, and placed them on her chest, as if gathering courage. She spoke slowly in a soft and touching tone:

"Sephiroth, this might seem sudden, but... I have to tell you something... Ever since you saved me yesterday, I've developed feelings of love between a man and a woman for you in my heart." The confession flowed out, honest and sincere.

Sephiroth stared intently at Scarlett, his heart touched by her courage and sincerity. However... I want your body! That was his most honest thought in his heart, a desire contrasting with the romance Scarlett expressed.

"I..." The silver-haired youth opened his mouth, about to say something, but a premonition stopped him.

Suddenly! His brow furrowed slightly, and he looked into the distance with a serious expression. His Kenbunshoku Haki had detected danger. "Scarlett, now is not the time for this. The pirates are coming..." His voice turned serious, urgent. "After this is over... I'll answer you... Forget it, I won't bring bad luck..." He cut off his last sentence, realizing that such a promise in the midst of this situation could mean misfortune for himself or Scarlett.

As he spoke, the silver-haired youth drew the Butcher's Blade from his waist, created an air portal with his Doa Doa no Mi ability, pushed the door open, and stepped inside, vanishing into another dimension.

After the door closed tightly, Scarlett lifted her skirt and ran towards a room with a window overlooking the garden. She opened the door and went up to the black-haired girl, her eyes full of questions.

"Big Sister, how was it? Did you see what Sephiroth was thinking just now?" Scarlett asked impatiently.

Violet tilted her head and said in an inexplicable tone, a faint smile on her lips: "Big Sister, he said to himself, 'I want your body!'... But as for whether he likes you, he doesn't know himself..."

"Oh dear!" Hearing that, the pink-haired girl's beautiful face immediately flushed, her heart in a turmoil, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, with a hint of almost imperceptible joy...? Even though she didn't get an answer, considering everything, she still had a lot of hope... Plus, he also said he liked her earlier today... Scarlett thought, trying to encourage herself.

"Big Sister, compared to that... Sephiroth just said 'The pirates are coming,' isn't that more important?" Violet reminded, her tone serious, shifting the focus from romantic matters to a more tangible danger.

"Ah! This... In that case, sister, quickly use your ability to look from above and see where the pirates are, then we'll inform Father..." Scarlett said, her tone turning to panic.

Violet nodded, closed her eyes, and used her Giro Giro no Mi ability, quickly covering Dressrosa with her clairvoyance. The black-haired girl's Devil Fruit ability gave her true clairvoyance. She could observe objects within a 4000-kilometer radius of herself. Due to her stamina and the extent of her Devil Fruit's development, she could currently only perform simple bird's-eye views in a state of intense focus, and she couldn't see through objects.

"Strange... They're not at any of the royal ports or beaches... Hmm? Sephiroth is flying towards the sea..." Violet murmured, her eyes closed but her brain processing the incoming visual information. "I see them! I see them!... So many pirate ships! Besides the direction of Green Bit in the north, pirate ships have appeared in all three other directions, and they're all heading towards Dressrosa...!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with fear and urgency. A major threat loomed over the Dressrosa Kingdom.

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