Chapter 168: 168: The East Blue
Boa Hancock maintained her highly aggressive posture, remaining silent as she gazed down at him.
Suddenly, her jade-like fingers brushed across his firm abdominal muscles, traveled over his well-built chest, and finally traced along his sharp jawline. Looking down from above, the Pirate Empress examined her prey without saying a word.
It was obvious to Aether that Boa Hancock was unhappy about Judge's proposal earlier that day, or rather, she did not want to see Reiju join the Aether Pirates.
At this moment, Boa Hancock radiated an imposing aura that made even Aether swallow nervously. He had never seen her like this before, and even his tone became noticeably more careful.
"Boa Hancock, you should know what kind of person I am, so please let..."
Before Aether could finish, her crimson lips suddenly bit into his neck.
Her sharp teeth left a clear mark on the muscle he had intentionally relaxed.
Boa Hancock tasted the faint metallic tang of blood before lifting her head and meeting his gaze with her star-like eyes.
Only after seeing Aether's expression soften and his gaze drift away did she finally speak.
"Who is Rouge? And who is Hina? And where did that Baccarat come from?"
"..."
Aether was rendered speechless.
He hadn't expected her intelligence network to be this effective.
What surprised him even more was that she had somehow missed two people: Carina and Shyarly.
Looking at her delicate eyelashes trembling before him and thinking about her unwavering devotion, the countless thoughts in Aether's mind ultimately condensed into a single sentence.
"Boa Hancock, I'll treat you well for the rest of my life."
The tenderness in his voice finally melted some of the frustration that had been building within her.
Boa Hancock gritted her teeth and immediately sealed his lips with her own, using a rough and possessive kiss to leave her mark.
As for Aether, he found himself both flushed and speechless.
No man could remain completely unaffected when confronted with such a stunning beauty.
The helpless part was that he had once again been forced into a passive position by a woman.
Still, it carried a unique charm of its own.
Suddenly, Aether's eyes widened.
"Hey, hey, Boa Hancock, that's a little too stimulating. Don't lick there, ah!"
"Woman, you're playing with fire."
A man's dignity could not be challenged forever.
Aether immediately turned the situation around and pinned the beauty beneath him.
Soon, the sounds of a man and woman echoed through the room.
Unfortunately, those sounds were overheard by Reiju, who had originally intended to stop by and chat with Aether.
The inexperienced mature beauty instantly blushed and hurried away.
As she left, only one thought lingered in her mind.
Those two were definitely having an affair.
...
The next morning, Aether gently released the beautiful woman sleeping in his arms.
After placing a kiss on the sleeping princess's forehead, he quietly left the room.
Inside the magnificent golden hall, he encountered Reiju.
The dark circles beneath her eyes were impossible to miss.
As for the rest of the Vinsmoke Family, none of them were anywhere to be seen. Perhaps they simply did not wish to face the black-market merchant who had essentially forced a business deal upon them.
Looking at Reiju's panda-like eyes, Aether could not resist teasing her.
"My new crew member, what's wrong with you? Insomnia?"
"It's nothing. Just some work I needed to take care of."
Reiju rolled her eyes at him.
Was she supposed to tell him that it was all his fault?
After hearing those sounds all night, she had spent hours tossing and turning in bed.
Reiju felt her reaction had been somewhat excessive.
Perhaps it was because the man before her was the person her father had ordered her to build a close relationship with, perhaps even someone she was supposed to make fall in love with her.
Aether paid little attention to her strange behavior and unexpectedly changed the subject.
"You know your brother Sanji joined the Straw Hat Pirates, right? Do you want to know how he's doing these days? His situation isn't exactly ideal."
The mention of Sanji immediately caught Reiju's attention.
This was the younger brother she believed she had failed.
In truth, she had not received any news about him in over two months.
"You know about Sanji? How is he now?"
"Hmm, I know quite a bit about Sanji. As for the affairs of the Vinsmoke Family, I know a thing or two as well. In my opinion, Judge's decisions have been extremely foolish. Among the five siblings, Sanji's future achievements will be the greatest. He'll surpass all of you, including Judge."
"..."
Reiju didn't know why Aether valued Sanji so highly, but his words resonated deeply with her.
If Sanji truly surpassed all four of them, it would prove that everything their father had done over the years had been wrong.
Thinking about that possibility, a bright light appeared in her beautiful eyes.
She unconsciously stepped closer.
"Captain, you seem to think very highly of Sanji. So where is my third brother now? I haven't heard anything about him in over three months."
Her ample chest nearly brushed against his body.
Aether deliberately chose not to answer immediately.
Teasing a mature beauty was surprisingly entertaining.
"Miss Reiju, important intelligence requires an equivalent exchange."
Reiju instinctively slipped into an act.
Putting on a shy and charming expression, she attempted to use her feminine appeal.
"Captain, this information is trivial to you. Can't you just tell your newest crew member? Is that... not... possible?"
The deliberately coquettish tone nearly gave Aether goosebumps.
A beautiful woman acting cute was undeniably difficult to resist.
"No means no. Sanji's whereabouts may not be important to me, but they're important to you. The value of information isn't determined by its importance to the seller, but by its importance to the buyer."
Watching Aether maintain a serious expression, Reiju smiled beautifully.
A mischievous glint flashed through her eyes.
Then, without warning, she leaned forward and sealed his lips the moment his guard dropped.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
Aether's mind went blank.
He only felt a foreign warmth slip past his teeth as their tongues intertwined in a silent contest.
He had been forcefully kissed.
And it was a very thorough one.
As a man, there was no way he could remain passive.
Aether wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her soft body against his chest.
Her full breasts pressed firmly against him as he turned the situation around and took control.
By the time their battle ended, Reiju was panting softly in his embrace.
Her body felt weak, and a faint haze lingered within her beautiful eyes.
A trace of bashfulness also appeared on her face.
Aether didn't fully understand why Reiju had chosen to act this way, but having read the original story, he held a favorable impression of the woman in his arms.
Since she had taken the initiative, there was no reason for him to retreat.
When Reiju finally recovered from her lack of oxygen, her beautiful face had already turned bright red.
Just as she tried to push away his chest with her slender hands, Aether pulled her back once more.
A moment later, her lips were captured again.
Neither of them spoke.
...
Two days later, Aether departed from the Germa Kingdom alone in a small boat.
The remainder of the journey would be completed by himself.
Boa Hancock, as the person overseeing the transaction, temporarily remained in the Germa Kingdom. Meanwhile, the newly recruited Reiju had become her assistant, helping negotiate prices with her own father.
Once personnel from headquarters arrived to take over the 200-billion-Berries business deal, the two women would return to the New World.
As for Aether's next objective, it was to meet the man he had replaced at the top.
The man once known as the world's most dangerous criminal.
Garp's son.
Monkey D. Dragon.
Before that, however, there was one place he had always wanted to visit.
A location in the East Blue.
The town where beginnings and endings converged.
Loguetown.