One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

Late at night, a hurried sound of a door closing echoed through the silent corridor.

Luffy practically staggered out of the overheated palace chamber as though fleeing for his life.

He shut the door behind him and leaned heavily against the cool, ornate surface, exhaling deeply while his chest still rose and fell unevenly.

"This is insane… seriously insane…"

He wiped his forehead with one hand, only to find his palm damp with sweat.

His straw hat had tilted crookedly at some point, several strands of black hair sticking to his forehead, making him look unusually disheveled.

He had never imagined that the Pirate Empress—normally so proud and untouchable—could unleash such terrifying energy once her emotions overflowed completely.

At that point, it was no longer something a kiss or an embrace could soothe.

It was a storm.

A gentle yet violent storm that threatened to sweep away every ounce of his consciousness.

Her powerful arms.

Her flexible waist.

Especially those long legs that could casually shatter boulders with a kick—

They had all become deadly weapons aimed directly at him, filled with burning obsession, as though she truly intended to drain every last bit of strength from him.

To be fair…

Hancock's stamina, honed through years of intense training, was genuinely incredible.

And the experience brought by that body filled with both power and beauty…

Honestly, it was enough to leave anyone dizzy.

Her skin was as smooth as the finest silk, carrying a faint sweet fragrance that wrapped around him completely whenever she embraced him.

Luffy liked her.

Liked everything about her passion and honesty.

…But no matter how much he liked it, there was no surviving a level of affection that felt like there was no tomorrow!

Luffy shook his head, trying to throw all those intoxicating and dangerously tempting memories out of his mind.

In the end, he could only let out a resigned sigh.

That sigh carried satisfaction, exhaustion…

And a fresh new respect for women as a species.

Right now, only one thought remained crystal clear in his mind—

Go back to his room.

Sleep.

And absolutely do not let anyone disturb him.

Perhaps only a deep, dreamless sleep could restore the energy that had been thoroughly drained by "love."

...

Luffy walked leisurely toward his room, wanting nothing more than to collapse onto his bed and forget Hancock's "sweet torture."

However—

The moment he turned the final corner and saw his door, his footsteps abruptly stopped.

Moonlight flowed quietly across the polished corridor floor.

And directly in front of his room stood a slender figure pacing nervously.

She stood half-turned toward the door, repeatedly lifting a hand as though intending to knock—

Only to hesitate at the last second and pull it back again, as if the door weighed a thousand pounds.

The moonlight outlined her nearly flawless profile.

Her willow-like brows were slightly furrowed.

Her clear eyes brimmed with hesitation and expectation, long lashes trembling softly.

Beneath her delicate nose, soft pink lips were unconsciously bitten lightly between her teeth, exposing her nervousness.

Her smooth pale skin glowed softly beneath the moonlight.

And her distinctive red-and-white hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, the ends swaying gently as she shifted restlessly.

She wore a simple dress, yet her graceful figure turned the quiet hallway itself into a breathtaking scene.

Luffy blinked, almost suspecting he was hallucinating.

"U-Uta?"

He called out instinctively, his voice especially clear within the silence.

He never expected to see her standing outside his room this late at night.

The girl by the door trembled slightly before quickly turning around.

The instant she recognized him, the hesitation in her eyes lit up into dazzling relief and embarrassment at being caught.

"Luffy!!"

Her voice carried surprise, grievance, and relief all at once.

The next second, she rushed toward him like a bird finally returning home.

Her skirt fluttered lightly as red-and-white hair danced behind her.

Luffy instinctively opened his arms—

And immediately found himself hit by the full force of her embrace.

Uta practically crashed into his chest, wrapping both arms tightly around his waist as though using every ounce of strength she had.

Luffy blinked in surprise before laughing softly and hugging her back without hesitation, locking her warm body firmly against his own.

The moment froze there.

Moonlit hallway.

Closed door.

A young man and woman tightly embracing one another.

Their bodies fit perfectly together as Uta buried her face against his chest, greedily breathing in his scent—

Sunlight.

Ocean breeze.

And faint traces of another woman's lingering fragrance.

Yet instead of loosening her embrace, she hugged him even tighter, as though wanting to overwrite every trace of it with herself.

That broad, sturdy chest carried the warmth and reassurance she had longed for throughout all her wandering.

After a long while, Luffy finally loosened his grip slightly and looked down at the girl pressed against him.

Deliberately putting on a stern face, he teased:

"Uta, sneaking around at night and trying to knock on my door… what exactly are you planning?"

Uta immediately puffed up her cheeks, her pretty face turning slightly red.

"Luffy! You did that on purpose! You know exactly what I want to say!"

Her voice carried playful accusation, but the arms around his waist didn't loosen even slightly.

"Alright, alright."

The smile in Luffy's eyes became impossible to hide.

His heart softened completely.

He tightened his embrace again, nearly lifting her off the ground, causing her to let out a startled cry.

Of course he knew what she meant.

From the childhood memories of music and adventure they once shared…

To their long separation…

To the past three months where she practically never left his side after reuniting—

Every lingering glance.

Every unfinished sentence.

Every ounce of affection in her eyes.

Luffy had noticed all of it.

The paper-thin barrier between them had already become almost nonexistent.

In fact, he was certain—

If he wanted to, he could do anything to her right now.

And the girl in his arms would never resist him.

She would only blush deeply while accepting him wholeheartedly.

All it would take was for either of them to take that final step and break through the final layer between them.

Then every emotion they had accumulated would naturally overflow.

Uta seemed to sense the understanding in his embrace.

Her earlier embarrassment disappeared instantly.

Comfortably narrowing her eyes like a cat finally soothed by its owner, she let out a tiny satisfied hum and unconsciously rubbed her cheek lightly against his chest.

The quiet intimacy continued for a long time.

Only the sound of their breathing filled the corridor.

Then suddenly—

Uta opened her eyes.

She pulled back slightly while still remaining within his embrace and looked directly into his eyes.

Moonlight reflected within those eyes that were normally filled with music and laughter.

But now they overflowed with molten emotion—pure and burning hot.

"Luffy…"

Her voice was soft and shy, yet impossibly clear.

"I really love you."

She had practiced those words countless times.

In lonely corners.

On beaches accompanied only by crashing waves.

Now that she had finally spoken them aloud, she instead felt strangely relieved.

Luffy gazed at his reflection within her eyes, smiling gently.

He raised a hand and softly brushed through her red-and-white hair with endless affection.

"I love you too."

No fancy words.

Just four simple syllables—

Yet they carried overwhelming weight.

He clearly saw her pupils widen slightly before exploding into light brighter than the stars.

Luffy released one arm and instead took hold of her wrist.

His palm was warm and firm, carrying irresistible strength while treating her with unmistakable care.

"Come on."

Turning sideways, he pushed open the half-closed door.

Warm light spilled out from inside, blending softly with the moonlight in the hallway.

"Let's talk inside."

Uta looked at the open doorway to his room before glancing up at his smiling profile.

She didn't refuse.

Or rather—

From the moment she gathered the courage to stand outside his door, the word "refuse" had never existed in her heart.

She nodded lightly, cheeks flushed red, allowing him to lead her into the warm glow beyond the doorway.

The corridor returned to silence.

Only the slowly closing door remained behind, gently sealing away the lingering warmth and unfinished conversation inside.

......

Inside the room—

Luffy released Uta's wrist, his fingertips brushing lightly against her cool skin as they separated.

Stretching lazily, his joints cracked softly.

After all, his earlier "battle" with Hancock had genuinely drained a lot of his energy.

"Um… Luffy…"

Uta's voice was soft, almost afraid of disturbing the peaceful atmosphere.

Her ears had turned completely red as she lowered her head, nervously rubbing her feet together.

"Does this mean… I'm your… woman now?"

The moment she asked it, she nearly wanted to hide herself entirely.

Just saying it made her heart pound wildly, while sweet anticipation quietly filled her chest.

Luffy immediately grinned brightly.

"That's obvious!"

He answered as naturally as breathing.

Before the sentence even finished, one arm had already wrapped around her waist.

Uta suddenly felt her body become weightless.

Before she could even yelp in surprise, Luffy had already lifted her effortlessly and sat down on the edge of the bed with her resting atop his lap.

"Ah—!"

Startled by the sudden intimacy, she instinctively wrapped both arms around his neck, her entire body pressing tightly against him.

Even through their clothes, she could clearly feel the warmth of his chest and the steady beat of his heart.

Holding such soft warmth in his arms caused Luffy's own heartbeat to quicken slightly.

Her body felt unbelievably soft and delicate.

Lowering his head, he breathed in the faint fragrance drifting from her hair and neck.

Unlike Hancock's rich, intoxicating scent—

Uta's was lighter.

Softer.

Like flowers blooming beneath warm sunlight.

Unable to resist, he gently kissed her burning cheek.

The feather-light touch made Uta tremble instantly.

A deeper blush spread across her face and neck as her breathing unconsciously became uneven.

The difference between the two women became strikingly clear in Luffy's mind.

Hancock was like a fully bloomed rose—

Noble, gorgeous, dangerously seductive.

Her passion was overwhelming enough to consume everything instantly.

But Uta…

Uta felt like a white lotus blooming beneath the morning sun.

Pure.

Gentle.

Overflowing with life.

Every shy reaction she made carried sincerity untouched by the world.

When Luffy's hand began wandering teasingly along her waist and gradually lower—

Uta finally regained a bit of sanity from the dizzying intimacy.

Flustered, she quickly grabbed his wandering hand, pressing it tightly between both of hers.

"D-Don't kiss me yet…"

she whispered breathlessly.

"L-Let's talk first…"

Summoning all her courage, she hesitantly asked something she had vaguely learned from Hancock's awkward hints.

"I… I remember… if I'm going to become your woman… shouldn't we… do… that…?"

The final words were barely audible.

The moment she finished speaking, her entire face turned crimson as though on fire.

Luffy couldn't help finding her adorable.

Truthfully, exhaustion had already begun catching up to him.

The intense night with Hancock had drained him badly, and now holding soft, obedient Uta in his arms only made him relax further.

He yawned widely, even tearing up slightly from fatigue.

Then he simply fell backward onto the bed while still holding her.

"Next time."

His voice carried sleepy hoarseness as he tightened his arms around her securely.

"I'm kinda tired today."

As he spoke, he rested his chin lightly atop her head and closed his eyes while breathing in the fragrance of her hair.

It was a posture of complete trust and comfort.

As though simply holding her gave him peace of mind.

The tension in Uta's body gradually melted away.

Though her nervousness and hidden expectations hadn't fully disappeared—

Being held so securely while listening to his increasingly steady breathing slowly filled her heart with warmth instead.

A warmth of belonging.

Of acceptance.

Quietly, she closed her eyes as well and nestled against him peacefully.

On the bedside table nearby—

A worn straw hat and a pair of delicate headphones rested side by side atop the dark wooden surface.

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