Chapter 26
Hearing Kai's words and Luffy's follow-up declaration, Garp cast an odd glance at Kai. He could clearly see that Kai was deliberately motivating Luffy—how could someone as experienced as Garp miss that?
With the winner decided, Kai, Luffy, and Garp returned to the tavern together to continue eating. This time, Kai sat at the same table as Garp and Luffy! And in front of Luffy, Kai didn't order any more alcohol—he just ate big chunks of meat alongside Luffy, tearing into it with gusto.
"Kai, kid—you're not planning to stay a bounty hunter forever, are you?"
While enjoying the meal, Garp asked curiously.
"Of course not! Once I'm strong enough, I'll head to the Grand Line to see and experience the world—and become one of the strongest!"
Facing Garp's question, Kai answered while chewing meat, his tone brimming with confidence. He was absolutely certain he could reach the level of someone like Whitebeard!
"Hahaha! Good! The bigger your heart, the greater your achievements. Confidence is the most important thing a person can have!"
Hearing Kai's bold, self-assured words, Garp laughed heartily. His admiration for Kai grew even stronger!
"It's a shame you don't want to be tied down. If you joined the Marines, becoming an Admiral might've been possible in the future!"
Garp said with a regretful tone.
Kai didn't react much, but the Marine officers at the other tables who overheard Garp were stunned. They had never heard Garp praise a newcomer like this! They couldn't help but look curiously at Kai.
"Admiral…"
The villagers in the tavern sucked in cold breaths. In their eyes, Admirals were god-like figures—supremely powerful and untouchable. But they had no idea that the man sitting right in front of them—Garp—was even stronger than those Admirals!
At the counter, Makino's gaze toward Kai grew even more dazed and dreamy!
"Weird… why am I feeling more and more drawn to this little kid?"
Makino thought to herself in confusion while looking at Kai. Yet she couldn't stop the growing fondness in her heart!
"Heh heh!"
While chatting with Garp and Luffy, Kai sensed Makino's emotions and chuckled inwardly. Ever since entering the tavern, he had set his sights on her. Kuina, Nami, and possibly Kaya later were all still too young—Kai couldn't bear to hurt them. But after transmigration, his body's desires were constantly surging. He wasn't about to go find some random woman to relieve himself—he had standards!
So when he saw Makino—the pure, gentle, beautiful barmaid—he immediately made her his first real target. During the fight with Luffy and at other times, Kai had been subtly amplifying Makino's good feelings toward him!
"Almost there… Makino only has goodwill toward me right now—no real romantic feelings yet. Looks like I need to create an 'accident'…"
Kai thought to himself.
Over the next week, Kai stayed in Foosha Village every day, accepting Luffy's challenges. Every time, Luffy got sent flying—but he never gave up. He kept coming back for more! Through these constant spars, a real friendship began to form between Kai and Luffy!
Of course, Luffy also tried recruiting Kai—saying that once he set sail, Kai should be his crewmate. He even told Kai about his promise with Red-Haired Shanks!
But how could Kai possibly agree? With his ambitions, Kai would never serve under anyone. If he went to the Grand Line, it would be to recruit Luffy onto his ship! So Kai firmly refused.
During that week, Kai also chatted frequently with Garp. Each time, he tried to sense even the slightest emotional fluctuation from the legendary Marine—but he failed every single attempt. He couldn't detect anything! Still, Kai didn't give up. He believed that if he could perceive even a trace of Garp's emotions, his mastery of the Emotion Fruit would take a huge leap forward!
Whenever Garp laughed heartily, Kai ignored everything else and focused entirely on sensing Garp's excitement—but still nothing! This trick had always worked perfectly on people even slightly stronger than him!
Of course, during that week, Kai never missed a chance to visit the tavern counter and chat with the pure, adorable Makino—constantly reinforcing her good feelings toward him. Yet those feelings still hadn't crossed into romantic love.
Kai wasn't discouraged. He knew winning a woman's heart wasn't something that happened overnight. Makino was far more mature than Kuina—she required patience!
But during that week, Kai discovered something that excited him greatly: every night, Makino would go alone to a very hidden lake on the island to bathe. The spot was extremely secluded, and at night, no one would ever see her there!
"Yesterday when I found Makino bathing, she was already getting dressed. Such a shame!"
Kai thought regretfully.
Right now, Kai was already lying on a large rock beside that hidden lake, gazing up at the starry sky—waiting for Makino to appear!
"Who would've thought I'd sink to peeping at a beautiful woman bathing after coming to the One Piece world? Heh heh!"
Thinking about what he planned to do tonight, Kai let out a strange, wicked chuckle. A surge of excitement stirred within him—his already high desires flaring even hotter!
"She's here!!!"
Suddenly sensing Makino's arrival, Kai's heart raced with excitement. He quickly leaped down from the rock, stripped off his casual clothes in a flash, and dove splash into the cold, refreshing lake water!…
Makino arrived at her usual small lake. She looked around carefully and, seeing no one, gave a soft smile. Bathed in moonlight, she looked like a moon fairy—pure and breathtakingly beautiful!
Then she reached for the buttons at her chest and slowly began to undo them—one by one. Her clothes slipped off under the gentle moonlight. In moments, her entire outfit was discarded to the side!
Under the moonlight, Kai—hidden in the shadows—could clearly see Makino's graceful, alluring figure…
"S-save… save me…"
Glub glub…
Only when he realized no sound was coming out did Kai panic. He suddenly remembered—he was a Devil Fruit user! Small amounts of water from rain or splashes were fine, but his entire body was submerged in the lake. He couldn't move at all!
"Damn it… how did I forget about this…"
Kai cursed himself inwardly. Then he felt his body slowly sinking. Through the water's surface, Makino's figure grew blurrier and blurrier!
Glub glub…
He swallowed several more mouthfuls of lake water. A stream of bubbles rose to the surface—accompanied by Kai's faint, desperate voice!
"S-save… help…"
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