Chapter 44
Shakky and Ren walked into the auction house casually, their steps unhurried as the guards moved aside, unknowingly influenced by Ren's illusion. The air felt heavy with greed and desperation, yet neither of them paid it any mind as they passed through without resistance.
"Your illusion has grown quite strong," Shakky said, glancing at him with approval. Ren laughed lightly, his hands in his pockets as he moved forward. "Of course it has. I've been training, you know."
They soon arrived in front of a cage, where three young girls were locked inside. Ren's eyes fell on the black-haired one, and a faint smile formed on his lips as something within him stirred. Without hesitation, he shifted into his Solar Kitsune form.
His body expanded to nearly three meters, golden fur glowing faintly as sparks of light drifted from him like embers. Those sparks gently touched the girls, and their wounds began to heal at a visible pace. The air turned warm and soothing, like sunlight after a storm.
Hancock slowly opened her eyes, her vision hazy as she saw a radiant fox standing before her. Golden sparks rained down on her and her sisters, easing their pain as if it had never existed. Her breath trembled, caught between fear and comfort.
Ren extended one of his tails, wrapping it gently around her and lifting her along with her sisters. The warmth was overwhelming, soft and safe in a way she had never known before. "So warm… soft… comfortable…" Hancock murmured before drifting back to sleep, clutching the tail.
Ren returned to his human form, though several tails remained partially manifested, still wrapped protectively around Hancock. His eyes glowed faintly as Sandersonia and Marigold were lifted with telekinesis, their bodies floating effortlessly beside him.
"Well, since we are here, let's see what more treasure this place has," Ren said calmly. Shakky's lips curved into a knowing grin as she followed him deeper inside the auction house.
A staff member guided them to a secured storage area and opened the door without question. Inside, rows of valuables were neatly arranged, but Ren's attention was immediately drawn to five chests placed separately from the rest.
He stepped forward and opened one, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw its contents. "Mero Mero no Mi?" he muttered, picking it up carefully. Shakky glanced at a nearby Devil Fruit encyclopedia and nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it's the Mero Mero no Mi… one of the strongest Paramecia, especially in the hands of a beautiful woman."
Her gaze shifted toward Hancock, who was still asleep, wrapped securely in Ren's tails. "Well… you aren't thinking—" she began, but Ren cut her off calmly. "No. She will decide for herself whether to eat it or not."
Ren moved to the other chests and opened them one by one, revealing more powerful fruits. "Shiro Shiro no Mi… Doa Doa no Mi… Zoan—King Cobra… and Anaconda," he listed, his tone steady but clearly satisfied.
Shakky smirked, crossing her arms as she looked at the collection. "We really hit the jackpot this time." Ren nodded, already thinking ahead. "With the Castle fruit, storage won't be a problem… and the Door fruit gives us a huge strategic advantage."
After memorizing everything, Ren created perfect illusions of the Devil Fruits and placed them back into the chests. The same was done for the Boa sisters' cage, ensuring no one would notice their disappearance.
They returned to the inn, placing the sisters gently in an extra room they had booked. Once everything was settled, Ren headed to his own room, with Shakky quietly following behind him without a word.
The next morning, Hancock slowly woke up, rubbing her eyes as confusion filled her expression. The surroundings were unfamiliar, clean, and safe—something she had long forgotten existed.
Before she could gather her thoughts, loud voices echoed from outside the room. "Damn it, why were you in Ren's room?" Yamato shouted, her voice filled with irritation.
Ulti puffed her cheeks beside her. "Yeah, why were you in his room?" she added, glaring at Shakky. Shakky only smiled calmly, completely unfazed. "Well, I'm his wife. That's why."
"Damn it! So what if you're his wife? Who are you showing off to?" Yamato snapped back, clearly annoyed. Ren sighed as he stepped in, grabbing both Yamato and Ulti by their collars and lifting them effortlessly.
"You two are getting too spoiled," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "After we return, until you awaken Armament and Observation, no hanging out with me."
Yamato's eyes watered slightly before she turned her face away with a huff. "Who wants to hang out with you?" Ulti crossed her arms, equally upset. "You always hang out with that white-haired idiot anyway, so what's the difference?"
Ren paused, feeling a hint of guilt at their words. He exhaled softly and lowered them back down. "...I'm sorry," he admitted, realizing how difficult balancing everything was becoming.
Shakky watched the scene with an amused smile before clapping lightly. "Now that everyone has calmed down, let's go meet our guests."
Ren ruffled Yamato and Ulti's hair gently, his tone softer now. "Let's go?" They both huffed but followed him regardless, unwilling to stay behind.
They entered the room, where Hancock stood protectively in front of her still-sleeping sisters. Her eyes were sharp, wary of everyone around her despite the warmth she had felt earlier.
Ren smiled slightly as nine fox tails appeared behind him, swaying gently. Hancock froze the moment she saw him. "Y-you… you are the fox I saw in my dreams?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Ren grinned faintly. "That wasn't a dream. And you're free now."
After a brief conversation, with Shakky and Gloriosa explaining things further, Hancock slowly relaxed, though her guard did not fully drop. She glanced between them, still trying to process everything.
"I can't believe you two were former empresses of Kuja," she said quietly. Shakky smiled. "We'll be meeting Tritoma soon. Don't worry."
Ren clapped his hands lightly. "Now that you're up, let's go." Hancock tilted her head in confusion. "Go where?"
Yamato and Ulti grinned at the same time. "To the amusement park, of course!"
"But won't that be a problem?" Hancock asked hesitantly. Yamato laughed confidently. "Nope. Ren keeps an illusion on us so no one can ruin our fun."
Hancock looked at Ren with amazement, still struggling to understand his abilities. "But what about my sisters?" she asked, glancing back.
Gloriosa placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "They're just sleeping from exhaustion. They'll wake up tomorrow. I'll stay with them."
Hancock nodded slowly, finally agreeing. Soon, they left the inn and began exploring Sabaody together, visiting a restaurant before heading out for shopping.
Hancock, at first hesitant, gradually began trying on clothes and shoes, her earlier fear slowly fading. Laughter replaced silence as she, Yamato, and Ulti moved from shop to shop without restraint.
By the time they reached the amusement park, all three girls were completely immersed in the experience, enjoying themselves without holding back. Ren watched them with a faint smile before eventually joining in.
Page One quietly enjoyed his rare moment of peace away from Ulti, almost moved to tears by the calm. Jack, meanwhile, explored everything curiously, buying food that caught his interest.
Shakky observed everything from a distance, her attention lingering on Ren, her expression unreadable yet filled with quiet satisfaction.
By afternoon, Yamato, Ulti, and Hancock had all fallen asleep from exhaustion, resting comfortably on Ren's tails as he walked in partial transformation. Their breathing was soft, completely at ease.
They returned to the inn, and Ren carefully placed each of them in their respective rooms. Once done, he turned to Shakky. "Did you give the Devil Fruit to Gloriosa?"
Shakky shook her head. "After meeting Tritoma, I went to Sleepy Hollow Town and found it… but I was waiting for you."
Ren nodded slightly. "Then let's give it to her now."
Without wasting another moment, Ren and Shakky walked toward Gloriosa's room together.