Chapter 279: Boys Forbidden!
Deep beneath the sea—
The Thousand Sunny ascended steadily upward, wrapped in a transparent blue coating bubble.
“Tch… no matter how many times I see it, this ship is seriously ridiculous.”
Leaning casually against the railing, Trafalgar Law glanced at the enormous Sea Kings swimming outside the coating, admiration clear in his tone.
On a normal coated ship, people would already be panicking by now.
One wrong move meant total destruction.
Yet aboard the Sunny, everyone could leisurely enjoy the scenery.
“That’s only natural!”
Franky slapped his chest proudly, his mechanical joints clanking loudly.
“This is the dream ship I personally built after spending three whole months combining Pluton blueprints with Vegapunk’s research data!”
Whenever the Sunny was mentioned, Franky became absurdly energized.
“Pluton…”
Law rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes darkening slightly.
…
Meanwhile — Men’s Bath.
“Franky’s hot spring is AMAZING—!!!”
Luffy yanked off his loose bathrobe and tossed it casually onto the dry floor beside the pool.
Years of training had shaped his body into lean, balanced muscle without excessive bulk.
Barefoot, he slipped into the steaming hot spring like a fish.
“Woooahhh—!!”
Warm water instantly wrapped around him.
The perfect temperature seeped through his skin, and a wave of relaxation rushed straight into his brain.
Luffy narrowed his eyes blissfully.
“So comfy… I seriously don’t get why Usopp and Chopper refused to come.”
He muttered softly, recalling their horrified expressions earlier when he invited them.
They had waved their hands frantically like they’d seen ghosts.
Still—
The confusion lasted less than a second.
“Ah, whatever!”
He shook his head, splashing water everywhere, then found a comfortable spot against an artificial rock and sank deep into the spring.
‘I’m getting the whole bath to myself! This is awesome!!’
He closed his eyes contentedly.
The water rippled quietly.
Only the soft sounds of flowing water and the Sunny’s low engine hum echoed faintly.
Luffy was nearly asleep when—
Splash… splash…
Two distinct sounds of people entering the water rang out nearby.
“Hm?”
Luffy opened his eyes instinctively.
Through the hazy steam, two dazzlingly pale and curvaceous figures emerged from the water and approached him.
The rising mist softened their silhouettes—
Only making them even more breathtaking.
“Luffy, you jerk! You started soaking without waiting for us!”
Accompanied by a playful complaint, an orange-haired figure glided toward him like a mermaid and immediately squeezed herself into his arms.
Warm, soft skin pressed directly against him.
Nami casually rested her wet head on Luffy’s shoulder, completely relaxed.
Nearby, Robin elegantly approached through the water as well, smiling gently at the two of them through the steam.
Luffy: “!!!”
Feeling the incredibly soft, unmistakably feminine sensations pressed against his chest and arm—
Luffy froze completely.
His brain seemed to shut down from overheating.
His eyes turned into blank circles.
“M-Maybe… I walked into the wrong bath?!”
His voice dried up.
Had he soaked too long and accidentally entered the women’s bath?
But he distinctly remembered seeing “Men’s Bath” earlier!
“Could it be…”
Nami tilted her head slightly against his shoulder, warm breath brushing his neck.
“…that Luffy’s embarrassed?”
“You didn’t enter the wrong bath,” Robin explained calmly from the other side.
“This really is the men’s bath.”
She paused.
Then smiled mischievously.
As she moved closer and wrapped herself around Luffy’s arm, her voice grew softer.
“But…”
“Sometimes changing the rules and enjoying a little ‘special service’ can be fun too, right?”
The moment Robin revealed that familiar dangerous smile—
The kind that always meant trouble—
Luffy shivered slightly.
But…
The warmth pressing against him from both sides…
Nami’s faint citrus scent…
Robin’s elegant fragrance mixed with books and cool perfume…
Luffy blinked.
Then slowly relaxed.
He looked down at the two beautiful women pressed against him.
Then at Robin’s smiling eyes.
Then at Nami’s completely natural expression.
‘…Whatever!’
‘Who cares?!’
Luffy stretched out his arms and boldly wrapped them around both women’s waists, pulling them closer.
After all—
They were both women he cared about deeply.
Skinship like this…
Didn’t really seem like a big deal anymore!!
…
Meanwhile — Outside the Bath.
Sanji, Brook, and Usopp stood frozen in front of the men’s bath entrance like three statues whose souls had departed.
All three stared blankly at the sign hanging over the curtain.
Originally, it read:
[Men’s Bath]
But someone had neatly taped another handwritten sign beneath it:
[NO BOYS ALLOWED.
Especially curly eyebrows, long noses, and skeletons.
Violators enter at their own risk!!!
— N & R]
(Obviously signed by Nami and Robin.)
Silence filled the hallway.
Only the slight vibrations of the Sunny and distant water sounds remained.
“…”
Usopp’s lips trembled as he pointed weakly at the “long nose” line.
Brook remained frozen while adjusting his top hat, empty eye sockets staring into the void.
As for Sanji—
His knees gave out entirely.
THUD.
He collapsed onto the cold floor dramatically.
His blond bangs covered most of his face, but despair radiated from him like a dark aura.
“Why…”
“WHY?!”
His voice suddenly exploded with grief.
“WHY DOES THAT RUBBER IDIOT—THAT UNCULTURED CAPTAIN—”
“GET TO BATHE WITH NAMI-SAN AND ROBIN-CHAN—?!!!”
His anguished scream echoed through the hallway.
Thus, the three men formed a tragic sculpture titled:
“Despair and Jealousy.”
Meanwhile, faint laughter drifted from behind the forbidden door.
…
At the same time — Alloy Training Room.
The cold metallic atmosphere filled the room.
Zoro and Law stood facing each other.
Each held a wooden sword.
“Come on, Zoro-ya. Let me experience your Asura Swordsmanship.”
Law lowered his stance sharply.
A wave of pressure exploded outward from him as he charged forward like an arrow.
Zoro’s right eye narrowed slightly.
The moment he opened it again—
His entire aura transformed completely.
‘So this is… the Breath of All Things…?’
Law expanded his Observation Haki.
Yet strangely—
Zoro’s presence gradually disappeared.
It was as though he had merged into the surroundings entirely.
Like an utterly ordinary man.
The bizarre sensation shook Law deeply.
“Hah!”
Zoro crossed his blades and effortlessly blocked Law’s thunderous strike.
Then—
His footwork shifted.
Like a phantom, he appeared behind Law.
The wooden blade descended with terrifying force.
CLANG—!
A sharp metallic sound echoed throughout the room.
Though merely wooden swords—
In the hands of these two master swordsmen, they carried enough killing intent to rival true blades.
The two figures instantly clashed together.
Sword shadows flashed like lightning.
Their movements became too fast to track.
…
Two hours later—
The wooden bath door slid open gently.
Steam poured outward first.
Then emerged three figures wrapped in white bathrobes, cheeks flushed from the heat.
Luffy walked in the middle, stretching lazily.
“Ahhh—! That felt amazing! I’m starving now!”
He rubbed his growling stomach happily.
Then naturally—
He reached out with both hands simultaneously.
One grabbed Nami’s hand.
The other grabbed Robin’s.
“Let’s go!”
Luffy grinned brightly.
“Time to eat!! Sanji definitely made a feast!”
“Eh?”
“Luffy…?”
Nami and Robin froze slightly.
The warmth of his grip wasn’t forceful.
But it carried Luffy’s usual straightforward sincerity.
This…
Might actually be the first time he had casually held both their hands at once.
A subtle warmth spread through their hearts.
Embarrassment.
Happiness.
Disbelief.
Their heartbeats quickened slightly.
After all—
In Luffy’s personal priority ranking…
“Sanji’s cooking” was probably second only to finding the One Piece itself.
The fact that he instinctively dragged them along for something so important…
Didn’t that mean they had reached a similar level in his heart?
The thought made both women smile unconsciously.
They exchanged a brief glance.
Then followed beside him quietly.
The three walked together hand-in-hand toward the dining room.
…
The dining hall glowed brightly with warm lights and delicious aromas.
“LUFFY—!! You’re here!!”
A lively figure suddenly launched herself into his arms.
It was Yamato.
She looked up at him with a bright smile, silver-white hair fading into pale blue flowing beautifully behind her.
“I’ve gotta tell you!”
She grabbed his wrist excitedly.
“I contributed A LOT to tonight’s dinner!”
“Wait!”
Luffy stiffened instantly.
His mind flashed back to one of Yamato’s previous “special meat dishes.”
His smile immediately froze.
“D-Don’t tell me… YOU cooked all this?!”
Luffy wasn’t usually picky.
But—
Once someone got used to Sanji’s god-tier cooking, there was no going back.
“Of course not!!”
Yamato burst out laughing.
“Cooking is Sanji’s territory! I’d never mess with that!”
She dragged him toward a seat beside Uta and sat tightly beside him herself.
“But!”
She proudly pointed at an enormous premium steak.
“I personally caught all the freshest ingredients myself! Pretty impressive, right?!”
Then she glanced guiltily toward Jinbe sitting across the table.
“Though Boss Jinbe helped… a little.”
But when she turned back—
She discovered Uta already leaning into Luffy’s chest while carefully adjusting his bathrobe collar.
Her petite body practically rested against him.
Their hair intertwined slightly.
Yamato blinked.
Meanwhile—
Robin smiled knowingly.
Nami simply snorted softly.
Neither reacted much anymore to Luffy accidentally surrounding himself with beautiful women.
“Hm?”
Luffy himself barely noticed.
After helping Uta sit upright again, he looked around.
“Where’s Zoro? And where’s Tra-guy?”
“Oh, those two?”
Sanji rolled his eyes.
“They’re still inside Franky’s giant metal training room talking about some ‘Asura Swordsmanship.’ Total sword freaks.”
“Forget them. Food gets cold, you know!”
Luffy’s attention instantly shifted completely toward the feast.
His eyes became stars.
“OOOH!! Right!! TIME TO EAT—!!!”
…
Meanwhile — Alloy Training Room.
The room had become hot and heavy from intense combat.
“Hah… hah… haaah…”
Law lay sprawled flat on the alloy floor, chest heaving violently.
Sweat completely soaked his clothes.
“You people… are seriously all monsters…”
His exhausted voice sounded half complaint, half admiration.
Nearby—
Zoro stood calmly with crossed arms.
Internally, he thought:
‘What was this guy expecting? He mainly fights using Devil Fruit abilities, then comes to challenge me in pure swordsmanship and stamina…’
Looking at Law’s utterly drained expression, Zoro actually felt a tiny bit sympathetic.
So he stated plainly:
“You and I…”
“…aren’t the same.”
Law: “……?”
Lying on the floor, Law’s breathing abruptly stopped.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
He turned his head and stared at Zoro’s serious expression.