Chapter 47 – The Bathhouse
With Crocodile's death, the war that had swept the entire kingdom finally ended once everyone learned the truth.
In the banquet hall, to thank Dante Voss and the others, the Royal Family laid out a lavish feast for everyone to enjoy.
Although the country had just emerged from war and was mired in poverty, feeding them well was no problem.
Confronted by such a spread, Luffy couldn't control himself; he opened his gaping maw and stuffed food into his stomach at lightning speed.
Watching Luffy eat, the rest of the crew—already hearty appetites—felt a subtle pressure.
They always ate quickly, or Luffy would snatch everything.
After all, Luffy's stomach is a bottomless pit!
Dante Voss, however, wasn't flustered.
A coil of black energy encircled his seat; whenever Luffy's greedy claws reached over, the energy consciously blocked them.
Vivi watched everyone eat and smiled happily.
As a princess she had grown up under great pressure, but since joining the Straw Hats she'd felt a joy she'd never known before.
The nearby guards were stunned to see her smile; it had been a long time since Vivi had last shown one.
The Straw Hats devoured the feast in the blink of an eye, and everyone was delighted.
Luffy and Chopper even performed their only party trick—"Chopsticks in the Nose"—making the whole room roar with laughter.
Seeing this, Dante Voss felt a weight lift from his heart.
Since arriving in this world he had been constantly fighting for survival; in Mary Geoise, where death could come at any moment, every step was perilous.
In the end, he had survived.
But darkness had seeped into his heart, turning an ordinary man ever more bloodthirsty.
Yet ever since he joined the Straw Hats, it felt as if his soul had been redeemed, the darkness slowly fading.
He knew, however, that these days wouldn't last.
He planned to leave the crew after they reached the next island together.
His strength had already reached Shichibukai level; once he slew that "Thunder God," it would rise even further.
By then the cooldown of the stone of translocation would finish, and his safety would be guaranteed.
Only then would his true journey in this world begin—without any restraints.
With a system that grew stronger through slaughter, Marines, pirates, and the World Government would all become his prey.
He would rise amid carnage; he would ascend to godhood upon mountains of corpses and seas of blood!
By then, they wouldn't be hunting him—he would be hunting them.
The roles of hunter and hunted would reverse!
After the meal, Vivi led everyone to experience the palace's pride: its grand bathhouse.
Sanji asked Igaram with ill intent, "By the way, where's the women's bath?"
Igaram roared, "You idiot! Why would I tell you? Princess Vivi is in there!"
Sanji patted his shoulder, eyes shining. "Don't be so stingy!"
"The women's bath is behind that wall," Cobra said casually, pointing at a partition.
Igaram bellowed at him, "Your Majesty, you bastard!"
Curious, the Straw Hats crept along the wall toward the other side.
Dante Voss joined them—purely out of curiosity, of course!
Once atop the wall, he saw an identical bath on the other side, but only two people were inside.
"This feels great!"
Nami laughed as Vivi scrubbed her back. "A bath this big could never fit on the ship."
"Of course it could!"
Vivi replied while scrubbing, "The sea is vast!"
"There are giants, dinosaurs, and snowy lands where cherry blossoms bloom—many things beyond imagination."
Longing for the sea sparkled in Vivi's eyes.
But a casual glance caught the peeping crew, and she cried, "What are you all doing?"
"Those jerks!"
Nami didn't mind; she was used to it.
She closed her eyes and stood. "Listen up—100,000 Berries each!"
Everyone looked at her in confusion.
Nami suddenly whisked off her towel, revealing her curvaceous body; startled, the guys recoiled.
Dante Voss stayed put, his eyes widening, a fire igniting inside.
Though he'd expected it, the sight still stunned him—he was, after all, a virgin.
Seeing Dante Voss still staring, Nami blushed; she'd thought none of them would dare keep watching.
She quickly wrapped the towel back around herself, cheeks red, and glared at Dante Voss.
"Pay up—100,000 Berries!"
Looking at her outstretched hand, Dante Voss smiled, drew 100,000 Berries from his backpack, and tossed them over.
Nami snatched the cash mid-air, grinning ear to ear.
Dante Voss glanced at the cold 1.4 billion Berries in his backpack, then took out another 100,000 and asked Nami,
"Nami, I still want to watch—shall we continue?"
"Drop dead! For you it's a million Berries!" Nami's face turned even redder.
Dante Voss's lips curved upward; he produced more cash, bringing the total to a million, and waved it.
Nami froze—she'd only meant to scare him off, but he was filthy rich.
"Nami…" Vivi's face flushed at her friend's boldness.
Eyes lingering on the money, Nami didn't bare herself again—even she had limits.
"A treat like that happens only once; if you want another peek, ask next time." She slid back into the bath, avoiding Dante Voss's gaze.
"Is that so?"
Disappointed, Dante Voss turned to Vivi, his smile widening. "Then Vivi, how much do you charge?"
Vivi's fair skin blushed crimson; she clutched her towel tight. "No way!"
"All right."
Dante Voss chuckled and returned to the men's bath.
"I never imagined Dante Voss was like that—I thought he was so aloof," Vivi murmured, face still red as she sank into the water.
"Well, boys will be boys—they're all a bit perverted," Nami consoled her.
After bathing, everyone went back to their rooms to rest, ready to depart the next day.
Their mission here was complete; there was no reason to stay.
Yet news of a Shichibukai's death soon spread worldwide, causing a colossal uproar.
The Marines issued a new bounty poster showing Dante Voss with his face half-hidden.
Unaware of his identity, they used the epithet "Scarlet Swordsman" as his name, setting the bounty at 100 million Berries.