Chapter 232: A Lover’s Jealous Complaints!!
Cobra's words fell into the grand hall like a stone dropped into a deep lake, sending silent ripples through the atmosphere.
The gilded palace instantly became deathly quiet.
"Save… Alabasta?"
Luffy finally swallowed the meat in his mouth and scratched his head with greasy fingers, pure confusion written across his face.
"Did something happen here? Doesn't everything look fine?"
Instinctively, he turned toward Vivi.
Yet the princess herself had widened her sky-blue eyes in shock, her delicate face filled with bewilderment.
Clearly, she had known nothing about the "request" her father was about to make.
"Father!"
"What exactly happened? Why… do I know nothing about this?"
Cobra looked at his daughter's anxious expression and let out a heavy sigh filled with helplessness and the burden only a king could carry.
"This afternoon, Marine Headquarters sent a top-secret message through a direct Den Den Mushi line…"
"Alabasta has already… been targeted by the legendary pirate known as 'Golden Lion' Shiki."
The words "Golden Lion" exploded through the magnificent hall like thunder.
The color instantly drained from Vivi's face until she was as pale as the porcelain dish beside her.
Her slender fingers unconsciously tightened around her dress.
As the princess of this kingdom, she knew exactly what the name "Golden Lion" represented.
Yet in sharp contrast to Vivi's fear—
The core members of the Straw Hat crew showed something entirely different in their eyes.
Not fear.
But blazing excitement.
"Interesting…"
Zoro slowly set down his wine glass, the corner of his mouth curling into an almost feral grin.
His lone eye gleamed coldly with excitement at the prospect of facing a powerful opponent.
"Golden Lion… I heard he's a master swordsman. One of the monsters who rivaled Whitebeard and Roger."
He licked his lips, his hand unconsciously resting on the hilt of his sword.
"An old monster at that level… cutting him down should be fun."
"Hoo…"
Sanji leisurely exhaled a perfect smoke ring, the smoke curling upward beneath the palace lights.
The gaze beneath his blond hair was sharp as a hawk's.
Not the slightest hint of fear appeared in his eyes—only the amused look of a hunter watching prey walk into its own trap.
"The Float-Float Fruit, huh? A flying turkey delivering itself to the kitchen…"
He smirked faintly.
"I bet cooking him will have a unique flavor."
"Y-You all…?!"
Cobra was completely stunned.
The worry on his face was instantly replaced by disbelief.
He had never imagined they would react so directly—so eagerly.
This was far beyond what he considered a "normal" response.
At that moment, a warm hand gently rested upon Vivi's trembling shoulder.
Nami stepped beside her and gave Cobra a calm yet reassuring smile.
"King Cobra, you don't need to worry so much."
"Because one of the main reasons we returned to the first half of the Grand Line…"
"…was specifically for Golden Lion Shiki."
"Eh?!" Vivi and Cobra cried out simultaneously.
Under everyone's focused gaze, Nami calmly explained everything.
"So please rest easy."
Her orange hair shimmered vibrantly beneath the palace lights as she looked toward Cobra.
"We'll definitely take care of Golden Lion Shiki."
The moment she finished speaking, she suddenly whipped around, a vein bulging on her forehead as she glared at a certain idiot secretly reaching toward another gigantic slab of meat.
"Right, CAPTAIN?!"
"Huh?"
Luffy, caught in the act of "stealing meat," jumped in surprise.
Then he broke into an incomparably bright grin and nodded firmly.
"Yeah! Of course! We'll just beat him up!"
"Thank you… really… thank you all so much!!"
Vivi could no longer hold back her tears.
Crystal-clear droplets streamed down her cheeks—tears of joy and gratitude.
She looked at the familiar faces before her.
The reckless yet dependable captain.
The greedy navigator who treasured her friends more than money.
The flirtatious cook who still upheld his code of chivalry.
The directionally hopeless swordsman striving to become the world's greatest.
As long as they were here…
No storm or terrifying enemy seemed impossible to overcome.
A long-lost feeling called "safety" slowly warmed her nearly frozen heart.
Cobra looked at his daughter's tearful smile, then at the fearless young pirates before him.
The crushing pressure weighing upon his chest finally seemed to crack apart beneath their overwhelming spirit.
Perhaps…
The future of this kingdom would once again rest in the hands of these miraculous young people.
————————
"Mmh…!"
A soft, alluring moan echoed gently through the room, lingering with the aftertaste of passion.
The silence of the chamber melted away instantly.
Upon the bed, the storm had finally subsided, leaving only soft breathing in its wake.
Nami's skin glistened with sweat beneath the moonlight, smooth and luminous like polished pearls.
Like a satisfied cat, she lazily rested atop Luffy's warm, sturdy chest, every breath carrying lingering heat against his skin.
The usually sharp and composed navigator now wore a deeply content blush across her beautiful face.
Shyly, she pulled part of the blanket over herself, carefully covering her graceful body.
After a long while, once her heartbeat finally calmed—
A thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.
She abruptly lifted her head and shot Luffy an accusing glare.
"By the way…"
Her voice still carried traces of lazy exhaustion.
"You and Vivi… are you two—"
Before she could finish, she stared directly at him with a look filled with suspicion, unwillingness, and a faint trace of grievance.
Hearing that, Luffy—still half-dazed from the lingering warmth between them—blinked in confusion.
"Why would you think that?!"
"Because during dinner, Vivi looked at you like she wanted to swallow you whole!!"
Nami protested immediately, refusing to back down.
As she shifted slightly, the blanket slipped downward.
Moonlight illuminated her smooth shoulder and delicate collarbone, creating a breathtakingly seductive sight.
"You can't fool me! My instincts are never wrong!"
Luffy froze.
His gaze was involuntarily drawn toward the alluring beauty in his arms.
Right now, Nami radiated the irresistible charm of a mature woman, equal parts playful and dangerously seductive.
For the first time, he realized just how many different kinds of beauty she could embody.
Whether it was a captivating temptress…
An innocent young girl…
Or a proud, commanding beauty…
Every side of her seemed flawlessly natural.
Facing Nami's penetrating gaze, Luffy knew any lie would only make things worse.
"At the moment, there's nothing between me and Vivi."
He carefully chose his words before finally answering seriously.
"At the moment?"
Nami's emerald eyes narrowed dangerously.
A sharp glint flashed through them instantly.
"Uh oh…"
Warning bells exploded in Luffy's head.
He immediately shut his eyes and tensed his body, preparing himself for judgment.
Yet the expected explosion never came.
Instead—
He suddenly felt something warm and soft envelop one of the fingers resting against Nami's waist.
The sensation was incredibly delicate.
Gentle suction and warmth wrapped around his fingertip, sending tingling pleasure through his entire body.
Every pore on his skin seemed to open simultaneously.
Confused, Luffy opened his eyes.
And instantly froze.
Nami had somehow parted her enticing lips and lightly taken his finger into her mouth.
Her tongue teasingly brushed across his knuckle, sending shivers racing down his spine.
"Nami… what are you…?"
Luffy's voice trembled slightly, unsure whether to pull away or surrender to the sensation.
Nami slowly released his finger.
A thin glistening strand of moisture stretched briefly between her lips and his fingertip before snapping apart.
She raised her flushed, breathtaking face toward him, her watery eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"It's just…"
"A little fun between lovers."
"At the very least… when you're with me…"
"I have to be the most special one~"
That bold and straightforward confession ignited something fierce within Luffy.
Possessiveness burned brightly in his eyes.
"Nami… I don't think I can hold back anymore… what do I do?"
His arms tightened instinctively, pulling her soft body even deeper into his embrace.
His other hand gently stroked her silky orange hair as intense affection blazed within his eyes.
In that instant, Nami's mind went completely blank.
The fragile threads of reason snapped apart beneath his heated words and burning embrace.
The only thought remaining in her mind was—
Luffy's body was basically indestructible…!!
"Luffy… wait—!"
Her survival instincts finally kicked in as she cried out in panic.
But the moment she saw the undisguised desire burning in his eyes—
Her thoughts crashed entirely once again.
Only the pounding of her heartbeat and the increasingly brilliant moonlight outside remained to witness the storm returning once more.
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