Makino's breath hitched. She stared at the ceiling for a long moment, completely still, before sitting up with wide eyes and crimson cheeks.
"Oh no…" she muttered, barely above a whisper. "Did I just have sex with Valen?"
Her entire face turned red as the memory flooded in—his warmth, his hands, the way he whispered her name.
Across the room, Valen blinked and whispered, "Status Window."
[Status Window]
[Name: Valen Rosé]
[Race: Human]
[Titles: N/A]
[Level: 3 (Exp 0/350)]
[Stats:
Strength: 3
Endurance: 3
Stamina: 4
Agility: 4
Vitality: 5
Will: 5]
[Stat Points: 12]
[Skills: Swordsmanship (1★), Gentle Hands (1★)]
[Traits: Handsome (2★)]
'Put two points on each stat,' Valen thought. He wanted to be well-rounded.
A pulse ran through his body.
Immediately, his muscles tightened and grew more defined, his breath deepened, and a warmth spread through his limbs. He could feel it—power, resilience, swiftness, even mental clarity. And with the Handsome (2★) trait, every enhancement refined his features even further. His body wasn't just stronger—it was sculpted to perfection.
Yeah… he thought with a quiet grin, flexing his hand as he marveled at the subtle yet impactful change.
Meanwhile, Makino was quietly dressing, her back turned. She hadn't noticed anything different yet. Her shoulders were still stiff from embarrassment, but Valen could see her stealing glances at him in the mirror.
He cleared his throat. "Ehm… Makino-san… I know this might sound strange, but… would you like to join my pirate crew?"
Makino froze mid-button. "Ah?" she blinked at him.
She turned slowly, brows furrowed in confusion—and maybe disbelief. They had just crossed a very intimate line, and now he wanted her to become a pirate?
"Valen… I don't think that's—"
But she stopped. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes going distant. A buried memory surfaced—her as a little girl, watching pirate ships pass by the coast, pretending a broom was her saber. She had always wanted to go on an adventure, but the village kids had laughed. "You're too weak! You can't even step on a beetle without squealing!"
But now… maybe this was her chance.
Valen wasn't just some reckless dreamer—he was already stronger than most adults in the village, and something about him… it made her want to follow him. Maybe it was because she had just had sex with him. Or maybe, it was because she knew, deep down, she could trust him.
"…Okay, Valen." She smiled, her cheeks still pink, but her voice steadier. "I'll join you."
His eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes." She nodded. "I want to follow you."
[Makino has joined your pirate crew.]
[She has been registered in 'Crew & Harem.']
[Please select a name for your crew.]
Valen blinked. 'A name, huh?'
He'd thought about it before—dozens of names, cool ones, edgy ones, even absurd ones. But two always came back to him:
Pink Haired Pirates or Rosé Pirates.
"Hey, Makino-san—" he started, but she cut him off with a little laugh.
"Call me just Makino, alright? You're a man now…" she teased.
Valen flushed a little. "O-Okay, M-Makino…"
He took a breath and continued. "Do you think it's better: Pink Haired Pirates or Rosé Pirates?"
Makino raised a brow, amused. "Hmm… Rosé Pirates. Definitely."
"Really?" Valen asked, surprised.
"It's egocentric," she admitted with a smirk, "but it's unique. The other one just sounds like you're copying Shanks."
Valen chuckled.
[Your pirate crew has been named: Rosé Pirates.]
[Crew & Harem updated.]
[Crew Members: 1]
[Crew Member: Makino – Role: N/A]
Makino stepped closer to Valen with a soft expression in her eyes.
Before he could ask what she was doing, she leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"W-What was that for?" Valen stammered, his face immediately turning red.
Makino giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "You're really a mystery, Valen, you know that?"
"Huh?"
"You just had sex with me," she said, tilting her head with amusement, "and now you're blushing just because of a little kiss on the cheek?"
"W-Well…" Valen scratched the back of his head, avoiding her eyes. "That was… different!"
Makino chuckled and shook her head fondly. "You're cute when you're flustered."
...
The sun was beginning to rise, painting the horizon in soft orange and pink hues. A quiet breeze blew over the calm waves, ruffling the sails and carrying the scent of salt.
Valen and Makino stood at the edge of the dock, next to a tiny boat—barely big enough for three people to sit on comfortably. It bobbed gently in the water, tied with a weathered rope to one of the dock posts.
Valen couldn't believe his luck. Who would've thought Makino's father had kept this old thing tucked away? Sure, it was small—but better than starting in a barrel, like Luffy.
Makino climbed aboard first, her butterfly swords strapped at her waist. She sat with casual ease, like she'd already accepted this new life on the sea.
Valen followed and picked up the rope, glancing back at the village one last time.
"Ready, Makino?" he asked.
"Ready." She smiled, her green eyes catching the first rays of the sun.
Valen grinned.
He slashed the rope.
The boat jerked gently, then drifted forward with the tide.
"Time to become the King of the Pirates!" Valen roared, throwing his hands up toward the open sea.
The waves welcomed them with a soft splash as the boat sailed away from Foosha Village, beginning the journey that would shake the world.
...
An hour passed.
The sea stretched endlessly around them, sky and water blending into a perfect, sun-drenched horizon. The boat creaked gently with each passing wave, carried lazily by the currents. There was no island in sight—just blue, blue, and more blue.
Valen let out a long sigh, resting his chin on the side of the boat.
'Man… I wish I had that Navigation skill from the shop…' he thought, eyes drifting upward. 'At least then I'd know where I'm going…'
He frowned slightly. The Navigation skill cost 1,000 LP, and he currently had none. He could ask Makino to keep sleeping with him until he had enough points… but just thinking that made him feel like the world's biggest pervert.
He peeked at her from the corner of his eye—Makino sat with her legs crossed, basking in the sun, her butterfly swords resting by her hip.
His eyes lingered on the weapons.
"Makino," he asked curiously, "where did you get those?"
Makino turned to him with a nostalgic smile. "Why? You think they don't suit me?"
"No, it's just… y'know, I didn't expect a bar woman to have swords like that."
She chuckled softly. "They were my mother's. My father gave them to her as a gift, back when he was still alive. He always dreamed of becoming a pirate himself. He used to collect stuff like this, hoping one day he'd sail out with his own crew."
Valen's eyes widened a little. "So it runs in the family, huh?"
Makino leaned forward and gave him another kiss on the cheek, her smile soft and teasing.
Valen instantly turned red again. "H-Hey…!"
"You're so cute, Valen—"
"Hey, you two lovebirds!"
The voice cut through the calm like a sudden clap of thunder.
Makino's words caught in her throat. Both she and Valen whipped their heads around.
A tiny raft drifted precariously across the sunlit sea, so small that the woman standing atop it seemed just a breath away from plunging into the waves. Her imposing figure contrasted absurdly with the delicate balance of the raft—one wrong move and it would tip.
She was striking. A deep purple coat flowed behind her like a captain's banner, open to reveal a generous bosom in a revealing white top. Red-and-white striped pants, tied off with a blue sash, hugged her legs, and her broad-brimmed white hat with a crimson plume added flair to her already dramatic presence. She wielded a massive spiked mace with casual confidence, as if daring the sea to challenge her.
"Give that boat immediately to me, the great Alvida!" she bellowed, her voice carrying with the authority of someone used to getting what she wanted.
[Image Here]
Makino's face paled. "Valen! What do we do?" she asked in a panic. Despite her bravado about becoming a pirate, this was different. This was Alvida. The bounty poster she'd seen listed her at 5,000,000 Beri. The poster showed a vastly different woman—much rounder and less striking—but there was no mistaking the resemblance now that she saw her in person. It had to be her.
But Valen wasn't looking at Alvida with fear. He was frowning, lost in thought.
"What's happening now?" he muttered under his breath. "If Luffy never became a pirate, he never met her. So her crew shouldn't have been wiped out... Then why is she like this already? And did she already eat the Smooth Smooth Fruit?"
Questions spun like a whirlpool in his mind, swirling faster than the current around Alvida's unsteady raft.
To be continued...
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Is the story going into a good direction until now?