Chapter 499: I'm Never Washing My Face Again! Modeus Departs
On one side of Amazon Lily, a truly touching scene was unfolding as the brothers Luffy and Ace were finally reunited. On the other side, a beautiful empress was gritting her teeth, her complaints echoing across the courtyard.
"Sister... Sister-sama... about Mr. Ren..."
The moment Hancock heard Sonia's hesitant voice, she erupted. "That Pandemonica! She infuriates me! Ah! And you, Rayleigh!"
Rayleigh, who had been quietly observing the reunion, was startled by the sudden accusation. "Hancock? What does this have to do with me?"
Hancock spun on him, her voice sharp with indignation. "Why did you eat so quickly?! Do you have any idea how difficult it is for me to visit Mr. Ren's shop?! Are you actively trying to make me miserable?!"
A muscle in Rayleigh's jaw twitched. She's blaming me for this? Is she serious?
But just as quickly, Hancock's entire demeanor shifted. A brilliant realization dawned on her face. "But... with the worlds connected... Mr. Ren can come to see me at any time! One month here is but a single day in his world... In that case... when he comes to visit, I can keep him all to myself for an entire month! Yes! This is perfect!"
Rayleigh was left speechless. He made a mental note that it was absolutely necessary for Shakky to sit Hancock down and explain the fundamentals of love. The Pirate Empress was more than just a blank slate when it came to romance; she was a void.
Sonia and Marigold wisely chose to remain silent. If they tried to interject, this could go on forever.
Rayleigh let out a weary sigh. "Well then, I'll take Ace back first. Luffy, you should come along. It's time you understood the kind of strength you'll need to continue on your path."
Luffy nodded eagerly, his attention fully captured. Hancock, however, completely ignored the three men, her mind lost in her own world. Suddenly, she balled her fists and made a grand declaration to the heavens.
"I'm never washing my face again!"
Both Rayleigh and Ace felt their mouths twitch in unison. Without a second thought, they grabbed the utterly bewildered Luffy and dragged him away. Sonia and Marigold simply covered their faces with their hands. Their beloved Sister-sama was truly... not normal.
The whole outburst had started just a moment before.
Sonia, noticing her sister's odd behavior, had asked with genuine confusion, "Sister-sama, why do you keep covering that side of your face?"
At her question, Hancock had shot to her feet, her eyes gleaming with a strange light as she looked down at Sonia. "Sonia, can you possibly understand?"
"Eh? Understand what?"
"The feeling... of being called 'little girl' while Mr. Ren pinches your cheek..."
"Uh... So, Sister-sama, you mean..."
"Exactly! So... I'm never washing my face again!"
And that was, more or less, how it had happened. Upon hearing her vow, Sonia and Marigold could only cover their faces and sigh in resignation. At least, they reasoned, Ren could visit whenever he wanted. As long as that was possible, their sister's obsession was, theoretically, manageable.
Elsewhere, while Zoro continued his patient wait, Dracule Mihawk was already nearing his home on Kuraigana Island. He had departed as soon as he heard Ace had vanished; anyone capable of disappearing without a trace from the depths of Impel Down was impossible to track.
He had wanted to test the strength of the world's strongest man, but it was clear that opportunity was now lost. The thought left Mihawk with a distinct sense of pity.
Back at Ren's shop, a welcome quiet had finally settled in. Just before closing time, however, the door slid open and Nanami Minami bustled in to buy breakfast, explaining that the water had been shut off at her house.
"Eh?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she took in the new interior. "I was wondering why you weren't open for so long! So you were renovating! As expected of Shopkeeper Ren, this new style is absolutely beautiful."
Ren simply offered a quiet smile. Nanami was picking up food for her family, so she didn't stay to eat. Grabbing the takeaway bags, she promised to come back for a proper meal with Hinami Aoi and the others soon before heading out.
Nami, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. She had never lived in a world like this before. The thought of having to stay here, even for a short while, was daunting. It was completely unfamiliar territory, a map with no markings.
But then, in the midst of her anxiety, she discovered something. Her eyes, scanning a travel website on a nearby computer, suddenly lit up. Unfamiliar architectural styles and stunning landscapes filled the screen.
Nami was, at her core, a pirate with a grand dream: to travel the entire world and draw a complete map with her own hands. It was a huge part of the reason she sailed with Luffy and his crew.
Her voice filled with budding excitement. "Shopkeeper Ren! What does the world map of this world look like?"
After Ren pulled one up for her on the monitor, Nami's eyes went wide with awe. "The oceans are so vast! But... the landmass is enormous, too! It's all just... immense continents!"
Ren watched her, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Nami, you seem very interested in traveling."
She nodded enthusiastically. "Mm! I want to travel all over the world! To draw my very own world map! But now... now that you have this shop... once we've finished exploring our world, I can come to your world to travel! And there are so many other worlds, too!"
The dream of seeing the world is a romantic one, and it was impossible to dislike a cheerful girl so dedicated to such a dream.
Lucifer considered this for a moment. "If we could synchronize the flow of time, Nami, your idea would be much simpler to achieve. By then, Yuko should be back as well. We could have her take you around."
Ren nodded in agreement, then turned to Lucifer. "What are your plans for today? You're going to the Pokémon world to catch some Pokémon, right?"
"That's right! And you promised to come with me!"
"I did," Ren confirmed, a slightly puzzled look crossing his face. "But what about Courage and the others?"
Lucifer waved a dismissive hand. "They're going to check out the venue for their business. Sora will definitely be dragged away by Akemi for one thing or another. We'll have Cerberus and Lanterby take Nami and Aoandon to get familiar with the area. We can find them after we're done catching!"
The arrangement sounded perfectly reasonable to Ren.
Pandemonica, however, looked confused. "Hm? So... Boss... what about me?"
Lucifer glanced at her, equally puzzled. "Pandemonica, aren't you supposed to be sleeping during the day?"
"A good point... But Boss, don't you feel something is... strange?"
Lucifer tilted her head. "Strange? No, what strange feeling?"
Ren spoke up softly, his brow furrowed. "Actually, I had the same feeling yesterday. I just have this sense that something is going to happen today..."
At that very moment, deep within the fiery plains of Hell, a beautiful girl with heart-shaped pupils closed the book she was reading. A look of keen anticipation spread across her face.
"Finally finished..." she murmured to herself. "Time to go!"
As she vanished in a flicker of movement, Justice, the Awesome Demon, happened to be strolling past. She caught the tail end of the girl's departure and a wide, knowing grin split her face.
"So that girl Modeus has already set off, huh? Ha! The last one who went over never came back. The others are bound to find out soon! This is getting interesting! Guess I'll go take a look, too~"
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