PHOENIX NEST – MAIN OFFICE
"So…" She tilted her head slightly, her tone calm, but direct. "Where are we going?"
"A different world." Riser answered without hesitation, keeping his gaze on her. "Full of ninjas."
Merlin didn't change her posture, but her focus adjusted immediately.
"Ninjas?" She repeated, her tone direct, without exaggeration, just seeking confirmation.
"Yeah." Riser took a short step, moving away from the table and aligning himself more with the exit. "We're in a world of pirates… now we're going to one of ninjas."
Merlin absorbed the information without an exaggerated reaction, just reorganizing her reasoning quickly.
"Should I make any preparations?" She kept a functional tone, already anticipating practical needs.
Riser didn't answer right away. He closed his eyes for a second, organizing his response before speaking, without changing his body position.
"Something that can hide your beauty." He opened his eyes and finished without changing his tone. "Nothing flashy."
Merlin tilted her head slightly, the corner of her mouth moving subtly.
"Arrogant, huh?"
Riser let out a short laugh, without stepping back.
"For you and Hancock." He adjusted his posture, already facing the door. "Both of you draw too much attention."
Merlin didn't respond with a remark this time. She simply accepted the instruction and gave a slight nod.
"Alright." She slightly raised the cup before placing it back on the table. "I already have something in mind."
Riser didn't waste time.
"Well… I'll go unfreeze Hancock." He placed his hand on the door, already ready to leave. "Then I'll come back here."
Merlin kept her eyes on him, without moving.
"Of course, Riser-sama." She answered naturally, without hesitation.
Riser didn't reply. He simply activated demonic teleportation, and his body disappeared in the same instant, leaving no residue or interval. The shift was direct, taking him immediately to the next point without the need for additional preparation.
PHOENIX NEST – MAIN QUARTERS
The room remained exactly as it had been left, without any change since the moment of the freeze. Hancock was still in the same position, her body interrupted in the middle of getting up, her hand resting on the mattress and her gaze fixed on a nonexistent point.
Riser didn't approach immediately. He held his position for a second, visually confirming her state before acting.
"System, unfreeze Hancock."
[OF COURSE, HOST.]
The change happened instantly.
Her body completed the interrupted movement, air flowed back into her lungs, and her breathing resumed its natural rhythm. The gesture that had been cut halfway was completed without flaw, as if it had never been interrupted.
Riser took a step forward.
"Hancock."
She opened her eyes in the same instant, without confusion, simply following the continuity of her previous state. Her focus found Riser immediately, and her expression changed quickly, replacing any trace of neutrality with something lighter and more satisfied.
"Dear…" She slid her leg fully off the bed and approached without hesitation. "You're back."
Her body adjusted quickly, without resistance, as if time had never been interrupted.
"Do you want to do it again?" She tilted her face slightly, her tone natural, without shame or doubt. "I still have energy."
Riser didn't respond immediately.
Hancock didn't get to continue. Her focus shifted in the same instant, interrupting her own speech before going further. Kenbunshoku Haki activated automatically, expanding her perception beyond the room.
The reading came clean.
Nothing moved.
The flow didn't exist.
She stopped mid-step.
Her eyes adjusted, and her body froze for a second before reacting.
"Dear…" Her tone changed, firmer now. "My sisters… they—"
"Calm down, Hancock." Riser cut in before she finished, keeping his tone steady. "This is my doing."
He kept his gaze on her, without looking away.
"I'm the one who made this happen."
Hancock remained still for a second, absorbing the answer while her Haki continued confirming the same thing repeatedly. Nothing around was active, nothing responded, nothing moved forward.
Her focus returned to him.
The concern didn't disappear, but it was reorganized.
"So… it's under control?" She asked, her tone lower, but direct.
Riser didn't hesitate.
"It is."
"Incredible…" Hancock smiled, her eyes fixed on him as she absorbed the answer.
"If you can stop the entire world…" She tilted her face slightly, still looking at him. "Then there's no limit for you anymore, right?"
"That means…" She paused for a second, her gaze softening. "We can stay like this for as long as we want."
She fell silent for a moment, and her expression changed slightly.
'So… we can enjoy a lot more… without anyone interrupting…'
Her smile widened a little more.
"Hancock!!!"
She blinked quickly, returning to normal.
"What is it, dear?" She answered, her tone light, but with a faint trace of embarrassment appearing.
"Stop daydreaming." Riser kept his gaze firm on her.
"Sorry…" She answered quickly, adjusting her posture while avoiding direct eye contact for a second.
"It's fine." He kept his tone steady. "But now let's get to the reason I came here."
Hancock stopped smiling. Her focus returned completely to him, and her attention became firmer.
"What happened?" She asked, now more serious.
"I'm going to travel." Riser answered directly.
Hancock didn't say anything at first, but her gaze changed, more attentive, more tense.
"And I want to take you with me."
The change was immediate.
"Phew… that's a relief." She let out a breath without realizing. "But where to, husband?"
"It's kind of complicated to explain." Riser took a step forward. "So I'll show you."
"Come closer to me."
Hancock approached without hesitation, reducing the distance until she stood right in front of him.
Riser activated the Sharingan. His eyes turned red instantly.
Hancock blushed as she looked directly at them.
"What beautiful eyes…" She said without looking away.
"They're more than beautiful." Riser kept his gaze locked on hers.
The contact was direct.
The effect came instantly.
Hancock froze.
It lasted only a second. Her eyes blinked again, and her body resumed movement without flaw as she leaned on the bed, organizing her perception before speaking.
"This is…" She brought a hand to her head, her gaze trying to follow what she had just seen.
"It's the world I want to take you to." Riser kept his tone direct. "A place of ninjas."
Hancock remained silent for a moment, her hand still on her head as the information organized itself. Riser didn't interrupt, just watched, giving her space to process at her own pace.
'Well… let's see how she handles this.'
Hancock took a deep breath once, stabilizing her body before answering, her gaze already firmer than before.
"Well, husband…" She exhaled slowly, her tone returning to normal. "So when are we going? Is it going to be like a romantic trip?"
"We're going now." Riser answered without reacting to the last part. "We just need to go to Merlin."
Hancock gave a slight nod, already adjusting her focus to the next step.
"Of course… but what should I wear?"
"It doesn't matter." Riser answered in the same tone. "Merlin will handle the clothing. For now, just wear anything so we can go to the office."
"Yes." Hancock answered without hesitation, excited.
She got out of bed without concern, moving naturally as she looked for something to wear. There was no hesitation in her actions, only urgency to match the pace he had set. Within seconds, she had already taken care of what was necessary to leave.
Riser's gaze followed every movement with precision, not out of distraction, but control. He didn't interfere, didn't comment, just observed as she finished preparing, registering every detail without changing his posture. Nothing there was new to him, but that didn't lessen the impact of what was before his eyes.
"It's all ready, husband." Hancock finished, already turning her full attention back to him.
"Alright… give me your hand." Riser extended his without changing his tone.
Hancock took his hand instantly, without any doubt.
The teleport was activated.
Both disappeared from the room.
PHOENIX NEST – MAIN OFFICE
The two appeared directly in the office, without any visible transition between points. Hancock took a deeper breath as soon as her feet touched the ground, her body quickly adjusting its balance after the displacement.
Merlin was already positioned in front, waiting.
"Riser-sama, I already have the right spell to conceal a bit of mine and Hancock's charm." She spoke directly, without delay, already anticipating the next step.
"That's great." Riser answered without delay. "And also make clothes for me and for you that fit the concept of the world we're going to."
"Of course, Riser-sama." Merlin confirmed instantly, without needing further explanation.
Hancock released Riser's hand and took a step forward, standing beside Merlin without questioning. Her movement was natural, already assuming she would be part of the process.
Merlin didn't waste time. She activated her magic directly, without visible preparation, and applied the spell first to herself and Hancock, maintaining focus on precise execution.
Riser watched without interrupting.
He kept his gaze on them for a few seconds, analyzing the result without changing his expression.
"I don't see any difference in either of you." He said directly, without adjusting his tone.
Hancock also looked at Merlin and then at herself, expecting to notice some change, but found nothing evident.
"I don't see it either." She commented, her tone more neutral now.
Merlin maintained a firm posture.
"You are very strong, Riser-sama." She answered without hesitation. "Besides, the spell only conceals presence slightly, it doesn't alter appearance."
Riser gave a slight nod.
"That makes sense." He answered, accepting the logic without argument.
Merlin didn't continue the topic. She already moved on to the next step.
"Now I'll make our ninja outfits." She declared, already drawing her magic again.
The energy formed in a controlled way around them, without unnecessary dispersion. The effect wasn't chaotic, but precise, shaping directly over their bodies according to her intention.
The process was quick.
The clothes formed without error.
The fit was complete.
And, in that moment, everything was ready for the crossing.
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