Mikita and Marianne, the two newcomers, still hadn't fully accepted their transformation into true goddess concubines. It was clear they were struggling to come to terms with it.
Although they acknowledged their status as goddesses thanks to Robin's persuasion, they found comfort in the fact that Hikaru hadn't made any direct moves on them yet. As long as he left them alone, they were content to do nothing.
Before long, under Hikaru's guidance, the group successfully crossed the Calm Belt and arrived in the East Blue.
But that raised a question—how did Krieg manage to return to the East Blue from the Grand Line?
Hikaru had been wondering about this for a while. The only explanation he could come up with was that Krieg was absurdly lucky. Perhaps when he entered the Calm Belt, instead of getting stranded, a group of Sea Kings had unknowingly helped him drift back to the East Blue.
[Upside Down Mountain has five waterways arranged in an "X" shape—four leading in and one leading out. With its violent currents, frequent storms, and towering height, turning back from there is impossible.]
What Hikaru didn't expect was that as soon as they left, the Marines arrived in Alabasta looking for him.
Alubarna, Royal Palace
"King Cobra, have you seen this man before?" Vice Admiral Flying Squirrel asked seriously, pointing at a portrait.
"No," Cobra replied firmly.
Flying Squirrel frowned, his small mustache twitching slightly.
"He's the user of the Goro Goro no Mi. If I'm not mistaken, the heavy rainfall that recently saved Alabasta was caused by him."
"Oh? Is that so?" Cobra, an experienced politician, remained unfazed by the vice admiral's imposing presence.
"I'm extremely grateful to him. It's a pity I never had the chance to meet him—otherwise, I would have personally rewarded him."
Seeing Cobra's unwavering stance, Flying Squirrel could only sigh in frustration.
He had searched all over Alabasta, yet his Observation Haki had failed to pick up any trace of Hikaru.
At this point, he strongly suspected that Hikaru was traveling in the air with Hina or had some kind of flying transport. Otherwise, with the Marine intelligence network, it shouldn't have been this difficult to track him down.
"Honestly, King Cobra, if we weren't ordered to hunt him down, we would've already issued a bounty on him…"
"Marshal Sengoku himself said he wants him to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea. If he agrees, he'll even receive a beauty as a reward."
"If you happen to know how to contact him, please pass on the message. If he's willing to accept, tell him to name a location—we'll go to him and sign the agreement in person."
With that, Flying Squirrel left the palace, leading the Marines away in disappointment.
After waiting in Alabasta for a few more days with no response from Cobra, the Marines finally set off to continue their search.
Of course, Cobra wouldn't dare reach out to Hikaru while the Marines were still lurking around—he feared they might be monitoring him.
Only after the Marines had left for good did he finally send a message to Hikaru, informing him that the World Government wanted to recruit him as a Warlord.
East Blue, Conomi Islands
Hikaru read Cobra's message.
Join the Shichibukai?
The right to legally plunder meant nothing to him—he could take what he wanted whenever he pleased.
Apart from Admiral Kizaru, who in the World Government could even match his speed, let alone catch him?
Shaking off the thought, he refocused and expanded his Observation Haki, scanning the island. They were now hovering in the sky, not far from Cocoyasi Village.
With Robin's sharp intellect and skills, getting lost was never an issue.
Since Nami was undoubtedly the most iconic female lead among pirates, she was his primary target upon arriving in the East Blue.
Besides, she would be easy to win over—saving her from Arlong's tyranny would be more than enough to earn her trust and gratitude.
But something felt off—his Observation Haki wasn't picking up Nami's presence.
Hikaru sighed. She must have gone out to "earn money."
Moments later, he descended toward Nami's home, landing the Little Proverb in an open area beside the orange grove.
"This place is under the rule of a group of fish-men, but their strength is nothing special. You're more than capable of handling them," he explained.
Leaving his crew behind, he set off toward the orchard where Nojiko was hard at work.
Meanwhile, the girls remained on the ship, all occupied with their own interests.
"Damn that Arlong… When will this nightmare finally end?"
Nojiko sighed inwardly. She had always been bold and kind, carrying the weight of hardships that most people couldn't even imagine. Yet, for the sake of her younger sister, Nami, she endured it all—taking care of her, supporting her, and ensuring their survival.
Suddenly, a voice called out to her.
"Nojiko~"
"Hm?"
She turned her head instinctively but was immediately overwhelmed by an imposing aura unlike anything she had ever felt before. The sheer presence of the man before her made it obvious—he was no ordinary person.
"You… who are you?"
"My name is God Hikaru, and I've come here for you and Nami," Hikaru stated, as direct as ever.
"God? For me and Nami?"
Nojiko was stunned. How did this man even know who she was? She rarely left the village, let alone interacted with outsiders. Could it be… that Nami had stolen money from him, and now he had come to settle the score?
"Where is Nami? I didn't sense her presence in the Conomi Islands."
Nojiko's heart sank. So it's finally happening. She had always known that one day, Nami's actions would catch up with her. If you walk by the river often, eventually, you'll get your feet wet.
She forced a bitter smile.
"Nami is out… 'working.' Big brother, how much money did she take from you? We'll pay it back, I promise."
"Pay back the money?" Hikaru chuckled, realizing her misunderstanding.
"Alright, then compensate me with yourself and Nami. How about both of you become my divine consorts?"
"What?"
Nojiko blinked in disbelief. God? Divine consorts?
This man sounded even more outrageous than Arlong, who constantly boasted about the superiority of fish-men over humans.
"Brother, stop joking…"
She laughed awkwardly, assuming this was some kind of prank. She was just a simple girl who spent her days tending to orange groves. Years of working under the sun had tanned her skin into a warm, wheat-like shade.
Meanwhile, the man before her carried himself with an air of nobility. His clothes and demeanor spoke of wealth and power. How could someone like him possibly be interested in her and Nami?
"I'm serious." Hikaru's tone left no room for doubt. "If you agree, I'll wipe out the fish-men here for you."
"What!?"
Nojiko gasped, immediately scanning the surroundings in panic. Fortunately, there was no one else nearby. She quickly stepped closer, lowering her voice.
"Brother, please… keep your voice down! You can't just say things like that out in the open. If someone hears you—"
She froze mid-sentence, caught off guard by the cold, unwavering look in Hikaru's eyes. That was when she realized—he wasn't joking.
A wave of emotions surged through her. She thought about the people in the village who had suffered under Arlong's oppression. She thought about herself. About Nami.
And most of all, about Bell-mère… their mother, who had been taken from them.
A flicker of determination ignited in her gaze as she whispered:
"Can you… really kill Arlong and his crew?"
"As easily as crushing an insect."
Hikaru lifted his right hand, and in an instant, crackling arcs of lightning danced across his palm, filling the air with an electrifying hum.
Nojiko's eyes widened in shock, her body instinctively taking a step back.
"This power…"
Nojiko: Independent and strong, she loves and protects Nami with unwavering devotion. To Nami, she is both a sanctuary and an emotional anchor.
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