Fleet Admirals Office.
The truth Garp spoke shocked everyone, and the room fell silent once again.
From his position as a Marine, Garp ultimately chose responsibility over his family ties and his inner 'justice'.
Taro could imagine the immense pain hidden beneath Garp's laughing exterior.
Yet, Garp would not allow himself to take action.
Taro was ultimately helpless and sighed in his heart.
After a long time, Sengoku rubbed his aching forehead for a while before picking up the den den mushi.
"Notify Impel Down. Straw Hat Luffy's goal is to rescue Fire Fist Ace. They are brothers. Have Impel Down capture him as soon as possible!"
"Yes, sir," the messenger on the other end of the den den mushi replied.
Time flew by, and it was nearly noon. Having spent the entire morning indoors, the room full of old fellows, with their deep cultivation of patience, showed no signs of impatience.
Taro, who had just woken up from a nap, was exceptionally restless and bored to death, sitting there and glancing out the window from time to time.
Vice Admiral Tsuru noticed the change in Taro and a smile played on her lips. She stood up and walked toward the door.
"Taro, come with me."
Taro had long since wanted to leave the room. Hearing this, he sprang up and slipped out the door in a flash.
Vice Admiral Tsuru scolded with a laugh, "You brat, no sense of decorum!"
Stepping outside, Taro felt like he had a new lease on life. He took a few deep breaths of fresh air. "I almost suffocated in there. Vice Admiral Tsuru, where are we going?"
"To the harbor."
"Hmm?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru walked past Taro. He hurried to keep up, and then he heard her chuckle softly:
"A few hours ago, Momonga reported that he was returning to Marineford. Didn't you want to meet the world's most beautiful woman?"
"I'll take you to meet her!"
Taro's footsteps faltered. Vice Admiral Tsuru, I was just saying that casually!
Boa Hancock's mind is entirely on Luffy right now. What's the point of me meeting her?!
Seeing Taro stop, Vice Admiral Tsuru looked back at him. "What, frozen with joy?"
Where do you see joy in this?
Taro's lip twitched as he followed again. Fine, at least it'll be a treat for the eyes.
The harbor inside the bay of Marineford.
Marines who had heard the news crowded the entire harbor area, shoulder to shoulder, whispering about how beautiful the arriving Empress was.
If Vice Admiral Tsuru and Vice Admiral Taro hadn't been present, these Marines would likely have climbed every flagpole in the vicinity.
Taro looked around and curled his lip. A bunch of lechers, acting like they've never seen a woman before. How embarrassing.
The warship slowly docked, and two rows of Marine Soldiers quickly ran down, lining up on both sides.
Vice Admiral Momonga, dressed in a light purple striped suit with a serious expression, stepped off the deck.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, Vice Admiral Taro." Momonga greeted them as he walked up.
Vice Admiral Tsuru gave a slight nod in response.
Taro didn't pay any attention to Momonga; his gaze had been fixed on the woman behind him from the start.
She had long jet-black hair, deep blue eyes, wore a pair of snake-shaped earrings, and had a tall, slender figure with exquisite features.
She was none other than the famous world's most beautiful woman, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Emperor of Amazon Lily,
Boa Hancock!
Taro felt a wave of disappointment as he looked at the Pirate Empress, who was wearing an elegant yellow Qipao draped in red silk.
He had been hoping for some fan service, but who knew Boa Hancock would dress so conservatively this time? Even more annoying, she had even thrown an outer robe over it. Simply outrageous.
While he could tell her figure beneath the robe was still explosive, it clearly didn't meet Taro's expectations.
Even though I haven't taken off my pants, you can't just show me this!
Taro complained endlessly in his heart.
"Ahem, Taro, you're being very rude," Vice Admiral Tsuru coughed lightly.
Taro finally snapped out of it. Seeing Momonga's somewhat stiff expression, he gave an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, Vice Admiral Momonga, I was a bit distracted."
Seeing Taro apologize, Momonga was magnanimous, even casting an "I understand" look. "It's fine, Vice Admiral Taro, I understand!"
Taro's lip twitched. Momonga, are you sure you understand?
The moment Boa Hancock stepped off the ship, the Marine Soldiers burst into exclamations. Praises rose one after another, and the eyes of those lecherous Marine Soldiers turned into hearts, their faces wearing looks of infatuation.
The Empress was accustomed to this. She tilted her neck slightly with a hint of pride, and the Marine Soldiers cheered even louder at the sight.
Then, she noticed that among the two Vice Admirals who came to greet her, not only was the old woman named Tsuru indifferent, but that young Marine officer actually looked disappointed.
As a woman, and the world's most beautiful woman whose beauty stunned the four seas and reigned supreme over the Grand Line, how could Boa Hancock tolerate such a look?
She first frowned, then smoothed her expression, adopting a bashful pose with her index finger lightly touching her ruby lips.
"Vice Admiral, am I not beautiful?"
[Mental Attack detected. Defend?]
"Yes."
The moment the Empress struck that pose, Taro felt his heart skip a beat and his body stiffen. Fortunately, the System was a "Straight Man of Steel" and helped him resist the temptation.
Internal Energy instantly flooded his limbs and bones, and Taro returned to normal.
The surrounding Marines cried out in unison, "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!" Some pure-hearted young Marines with weak mental fortitude were even petrified on the spot.
Even Vice Admiral Tsuru was slightly affected, but as the user of the Wash-Wash Fruit, she quickly washed away the inner turmoil.
Taro looked at the surrounding Marines with a headache and said helplessly, "You are very beautiful, but this isn't the place to talk. Please undo their petrification first, and we'll talk back inside."
Boa Hancock was deeply shocked. She had encountered too many people capable of resisting her Love-Love Fruit ability lately.
Vice Admiral Momonga had barely managed to resist by self-harm, which didn't count for much.
Vice Admiral Tsuru's Wash-Wash Fruit ability was one.
Luffy was another.
And now there was this young Marine officer—how did he do it?!
Boa Hancock's expression shifted several times in an instant before she finally extended her palm and undid the Marine Soldiers' petrification.
The Reception Room.
Vice Admiral Tsuru picked up her teacup and took a light sip, her gaze flickering between Taro and the Empress with scrutiny and a hint of amusement.
Taro was nothing like the cowardly, lecherous person her younger sister had described! It seemed her sister had failed to seduce Taro and was just speaking out of spite.
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Tsuru's lips, and she looked at Taro with great satisfaction.
Since he hadn't been able to feast his eyes, Taro stopped looking at the Empress and drank his tea in silence.
He thought to himself that the Empress was probably wearing so much today because she was bringing Luffy into Impel Down.
I'll let it slide this time; I forgive you. But don't let it happen again!
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