Garp continued, "I felt the aura of a clash of Haoshoku on my way here and rushed over. Have you already awakened Haoshoku?"
Hera felt the power within her body. As her aura surged, a wave of pressure emanated from her. "I think I've mastered it."
Garp laughed heartily as he felt Hera's terrifying Conqueror's Haki. "Excellent! As expected of my granddaughter, to possess such spirit. Very good, very good indeed."
Hera's Haoshoku was incredibly powerful, but her application of it was too crude. For now, she could only forcibly condense it or use it to suppress a specific individual.
She couldn't yet infuse her attacks with Haoshoku like Garp or Shanks.
Hera asked Garp how the Armament Haki technique 'Ryuo' was performed.
Garp scratched his head and asked back, "Ah? What technique is there to it? Just hit people more and let the Haki flow."
Hera was speechless. This guy knew absolutely nothing about theory. She thought to herself, "I'd better figure it out on my own."
Garp pulled Hera outside as he spoke. "Forget about that, come see. I hunted a lot of prey on that island. Those mutated animals are delicious."
The food Hera ate turned into nutrients that sustained her, and her condition soon improved significantly. She nodded and said, "Go on out first, I'll be there in a moment."
As Garp and the others left, Hera held back Ain, who also wanted to go out, and handed her a Devil Fruit. "This is the Paramecia Float-Float Fruit. It's considered one of the strongest Paramecia fruits. I'm leaving it to you."
Ain nodded. Looking into Hera's slightly weary eyes, she asked, "Did you defeat Golden Lion so early just for me?"
Hera avoided Ain's gaze and said tsundere-ly, "It's not because I was afraid you wouldn't adapt without a fruit ability. I just wanted you to start training your fruit ability early to serve me. Besides, I just happened to need an intimidating opponent to help me awaken my Conqueror's Haki."
Ain chuckled at Hera's words. She leaned in to hug Hera's upper body as she sat on the bed and kissed her on the cheek.
"Alright then, I'll thank the Captain who was most worried about me not being able to adapt without a fruit ability."
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Hera's face turned red at a visible speed, steam practically rising from her like boiling water. She hurriedly pushed the hugging Ain away.
"W-W-What are you doing?!"
Ain smiled at the beet-red Hera, licking her lips as if savoring the sensation from a moment ago.
"What's wrong, Captain? Haven't you and Kuina done this sort of thing yet?"
Hera pulled the quilt up to cover her upper body and answered weakly, "No, not yet."
Ain nodded with satisfaction and leaned her head close to Hera's ear. "Then, does that mean I'm one step ahead of Kuina?"
Ain's seductive voice echoed in Hera's ear. The warm breath Ain exhaled brushed against her ear, making Hera shudder involuntarily and let out a soft moan.
Watching Hera's fair ear tremble slightly before her eyes, Ain, driven by a sudden impulse, actually reached out her tongue and licked it.
Hera couldn't take Ain's teasing any longer. She suddenly threw off the quilt and fled without looking back.
Having escaped, Hera patted her already developing chest and crouched down, covering her ears. Her face was as red as a cooked shrimp as she muttered to herself, "How did it turn into this?"
She shook her head, tossing the stray thoughts away.
Nami saw Hera run out of the room and crouch on the ground without saying a word. She went over to help her up. "What's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?"
Hera shook her head. Nami pressed her forehead against Hera's to check her temperature.
With a panicked look, she turned to Reiju. "This is bad! Hera's forehead is burning up. Quick, check if she's caught some kind of virus."
Reiju hurried over and felt Hera's head. "It is indeed a bit hot. Is there anywhere else you feel uncomfortable?"
Hera waved her hands frantically. "It's not a virus. I'm not sick. Don't ask, just don't ask!"
Reiju looked at Ain, who had followed Hera out, and seemed to realize something. She smiled and said, "Alright, I believe you're not sick. You're still young, though, so take care of your body."
Hera quickly explained, "It's not what you think! Ain and I were just... just..."
Perona also leaned in and asked, "Just what? What does your blushing have to do with Ain?"
"It's nothing! I'm going to eat roast meat!" After saying that, Hera ran off without looking back.
Reiju couldn't help but sigh, "What a sinful woman." Then she began to think. Based on her observations since joining the crew, the Captain, who was so overbearing toward enemies, seemed to prefer being passive when it came to feelings.
She then clenched her fist, seemingly having made some kind of decision.
Ain noticed Reiju's small movement and looked over. Their eyes met.
Reiju said, "The Captain belongs to everyone. You can't think of hogging her all to yourself."
Ain nodded, which served as a silent agreement to Reiju's words, and followed Hera to find Garp.
Perona had a face full of question marks. "What are you guys talking about? What do you mean the Captain belongs to everyone?"
Nami seemed to understand the meaning behind their words. Her face turned red, and she vanished as a bolt of lightning.
In the latter half of the New World, aboard the Whitebeard Pirates' ship, Ace, who had been defeated after challenging Whitebeard, rushed forward once again while Whitebeard was sleeping. Marco was so used to this scene that he didn't even bother to look.
Whitebeard, who appeared to be fast asleep, rolled over and swatted the charging Ace away with a single palm. The surrounding commanders all laughed at this familiar sight.
Thatch, the Fourth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, patted the blown-away Ace and laughed loudly. "Still haven't given up? You're one stubborn guy."
Ace shook his head, his eyes still full of confidence. "I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King. How can I lose confidence just from a little setback?"
Ace's former crewmates, the members of the Spade Pirates, all nodded. "That's right! Boss won't lose confidence just from a little blow."
Just then, a News Coo in the sky delivered today's newspaper. Ace grabbed a copy, and after a few glances, his expression changed drastically, and he began to laugh happily.
Seeing Ace laughing so happily, the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates curiously looked at the newspaper in his hand and asked, "What's wrong, Ace? Why are you so happy to see Golden Lion defeated by the Marine?"
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