Chapter 118: Tatsuya's Fallen "Throne", the Magic of the Straw Hat Pirates
The Going Merry slowly sailed away from the waters of Alabasta, heading toward the unknown distance.
Although the sky was blue and the sea breeze was gentle, the atmosphere on deck was a bit... eerie.
"Sss— Haa—"
In a corner of the deck, Zoro sat cross-legged, holding maintenance tools and incessantly wiping his Wado Ichimonji.
His sharp eyes occasionally peered through the cold light of the blade, staring fixedly at the woman sitting on the second floor of the deck reading a book.
And behind the main mast.
"Hey, Chopper, you go and say hello to her."
"No... you should go, Usopp, you're a brave warrior of the sea..."
The two cowards, Usopp and Chopper, were stacked on top of each other, hiding behind the mast and whispering about the woman named Nico Robin.
They were encouraging each other to go and test this "Former Vice President of Baroque Works."
In addition to the tension on the human side, the animal kingdom was also undergoing a serious "transfer of power."
"Ga! Ga!"
Clay stood on the gunwale, staring intently at Lassoo the dachshund crouching on the deck.
As a weapon that had once eaten the "Gun-Gun Fruit," Lassoo was currently terrified into submission by the Crow's imposing aura.
His two front paws were flat on the ground, and his body was trembling.
"Ga! Ga ga... Gugu ga! (Listen up, newbie! On this ship, I'm the boss of the animals! Even if you can turn into a gun, you still have to listen to me!)"
While cawing, Clay pointed a wing toward the kitchen and then toward Tatsuya's room.
It seemed to be reciting some complex "Going Merry's Survival Rules."
To everyone's shock, Lassoo actually understood!
The dog's eyes widened, looking at this Crow who was fluent in a "foreign language" with a face full of shock.
He then nodded his head incessantly like a pounding pestle, indicating absolute obedience.
The humans didn't understand "bird-speak" or "dog-speak," so naturally, they didn't know what kind of ridiculous rules Clay had established for this newcomer.
Seeing Lassoo submit, Clay laughed with satisfaction, exuding an arrogant aura as if saying, "I am the overlord of the sky."
Just then.
"Yawn—"
Tatsuya stretched and walked out of the cabin, yawning.
The "strenuous exercise" with Nami last night had consumed a lot of his stamina, and now he just wanted to soak up some sun.
He habitually walked toward the corner of the deck with the best view, the most sunlight, and excellent wind protection—
That was the location of his exclusive custom lounge chair as the "Vice Captain."
However, when he reached it, his footsteps suddenly stopped.
He saw that on his original "throne," the woman in purple clothes was currently sitting.
Robin had her legs elegantly crossed, holding a steaming cup of coffee in her hand, with a thick ancient book spread out on her lap.
The sunlight spilled over her intellectual face, making the moment seem peaceful and serene.
"Hey, that's... my spot, isn't it?"
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow, attempting to exert a bit of "Vice Captain's authority" to reclaim his territory.
"Ahem, newcomer. Even though Luffy agreed to let you on the ship, you still have to respect the 'first come, first served' rule..."
"Ara."
Robin closed her book and looked up.
She had no intention of getting up; instead, the corners of her mouth curled into a mischievous smile.
"The scenery here is quite nice, and the sunlight is wonderful."
She looked at Tatsuya, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.
"I presume the magnanimous Vice Captain wouldn't mind sharing this small bit of comfort with a lady who has nowhere else to go?"
Before he could respond.
"Thirty Fleur."
Petals fluttered in the air.
Before Tatsuya could even refuse, several fair-skinned arms suddenly grew from his shoulders and the deck behind him.
"Eh?"
Immediately after, these hands began to skillfully massage Tatsuya's shoulders and back.
One hand even appeared out of nowhere, holding an iced drink and bringing it to his lips.
"Is the pressure alright?" Robin asked with a smile.
"Mm... a bit heavier on the left... wait! What am I saying!"
Tatsuya almost completely surrendered to this sea of tenderness.
This "Hana Hana no Mi" massage service was simply cheating!
"Shishishishi! This is so interesting!"
Luffy sat on the railing, watching Tatsuya being served so submissively by Robin's fruit ability.
He also saw the extra hands Robin had sprouted making funny gestures on Tatsuya's head, causing him to double over with laughter.
"Nami! This woman hasn't paid for her food yet, has she?" Tatsuya tried to find an ally.
However.
"This is a greeting gift, Miss Navigator."
Like a magic trick, Robin pulled a small bag of translucent, high-quality rubies from her bosom—they were from Crocodile's private collection.
"Wow!!!"
Nami's eyes instantly turned into Berries symbols as she snatched the bag of gems.
The next second, Miss Navigator instantly defected.
"Tatsuya! You're being way too stingy!"
Nami accused him righteously, "Robin just joined the ship, what's wrong with her sitting in a lounge chair for a bit? You're a man, be more generous!"
As she spoke, she secretly winked at Tatsuya.
In truth, the gems were just an excuse.
Her real confidence came from their intense passion the previous night, which had completely confirmed Tatsuya's feelings and affection for her.
Since her official status was secure, she naturally dropped most of her hostility toward this mature older sister figure.
Moreover... she had simply given too much.
"I also think Robin-chan is perfectly fine!"
By this time, Sanji was already deeply immersed in Robin-chan's beauty and couldn't extricate himself.
Not only did he not help Tatsuya, but he also specifically brought a plate of exquisite snacks and spun his way to Robin.
"Robin-chan Here is a specially prepared afternoon tea for you Please enjoy~"
"Thank you, Mr. Cook," Robin smiled politely.
"Ah I can't take it" Sanji's nose bled profusely.
Meanwhile, Usopp, hiding behind the mast, finally pushed Chopper out.
"Go on! Chopper!"
Chopper tremblingly moved toward Robin, hiding behind the doorframe with only half his face showing.
"He... hello... I'm Chopper, the ship's doctor..."
Robin set down her coffee and looked at the fluffy little guy, the smile in her eyes deepening.
"Is it Mr. Doctor?"
She reached out and gently patted Chopper's hat.
"You're so cute, Dr. Chopper."
"!!!"
Hearing the words "cute" and "doctor," Chopper instantly lost his composure.
His face turned as red as a tomato, and his body twisted into a pretzel, yet he spoke words that didn't match his feelings.
"You... you bastard... calling me cute won't make me happy... you bastard~~"
Seeing the tragic scene of the entire crew falling for her charms, Tatsuya's face was covered in dark lines.
He could only place his last hope on the only sensible person left.
"Zoro! Say something! This newcomer's overbearing behavior is simply appalling!"
However, Zoro only gave a cold glance toward them and continued wiping his sword.
"Boring."
"I only care if this woman will betray us. As for boring things like who gets the lounge chair... don't bother me."
"..."
Tatsuya was completely isolated and without help.
"Fine, fine, you're all just bullying an honest man."
Tatsuya sighed helplessly and beckoned Clay, who was currently bullying the dog, over to him.
As the sun set, a golden afterglow spilled across the sea.
Tatsuya gave up on fighting for the throne and sat casually on the deck's railing, letting the sea breeze blow through his black hair.
He watched Robin, who was surrounded by everyone, smiling as she answered questions from Luffy and Chopper.
He noticed that in the depths of her eyes, which were usually filled with wariness and detachment, there now seemed to be a hint of real warmth.
"This is the magic of the Straw Hat Pirates."
Tatsuya pulled a piece of candy from his pocket and popped it into his mouth, his gaze softening.
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