One Piece: Yujiro Hanma

"..."

The silence that followed Tiberion's statements seemed to absorb all sound.

Makino, who just moments earlier had been trying to maintain her composure behind the bar, suddenly felt her knees give out beneath her.

"Ah…?"

The blush that already colored her cheeks deepened until it dyed her ears red.

Did he really say that?

Her heart pounded against her sternum with such force that she feared everyone could hear it. She tried to hold Tiberion's gaze, but the overwhelming confidence in his eyes made her drop her own again.

What is he planning…? Why me?!

Is this some kind of cruel joke?

And yet, there was an undercurrent pulsing beneath the fear and shame, trying to break free.

Behind her, the pirates shifted in their seats.

Truly worthy of Lord Tiberion! This surpassed all levels of boldness.

Not to mention that Lady Shirahoshi was right beside him.

And it was also the first time he had ever seen Miss Makino!

How could he say something like that so shamelessly?

'What a pair of guts.'

Shirahoshi, unaware of the tension just moments before, looked up from her plate just in time to hear the proposal.

The piece of cheese-covered bread in her fingers was forgotten; her mouth went dry and a strange knot formed in her throat.

The taste of the food that just seconds ago had been pure delight suddenly turned to ash. A strange feeling began to emerge in her chest, while her enormous eyes gleamed with confusion, slightly misty.

Anxiety? Sadness? No… it was jealousy.

She looked at Makino with a surge of strong emotion, then turned back to Tiberion, searching his face for some sign of mockery, but found only a terrifying calm.

Shirahoshi swallowed hard and, with a rare burst of courage, exhaled:

"Husband… I can give you a child too."

Her words fell over the bar like another stone in an already disturbed pond. Those words came from an innocent place, but the tremble in her voice revealed something deeper: a desire to remind Tiberion that her loyalty, her love, and her very nature were right there, ready to fill any void.

"Shirahoshi, you must learn to be patient." Tiberion fixed her with a piercing gaze before turning to Makino.

"Right now, I'm very interested in Miss Makino. I want her to bear my child… and the lady won't reject me, will she?"

!

Before Makino could process it, he leapt over the table, closed the distance between them, and wrapped her in an embrace that knocked the air from her lungs.

Her face ended up level with his abdomen, the contrast in height reminding her just how insignificant her own body was compared to this man.

A jolt of electricity ran down her spine.

And beyond the physical contact, she was startled to discover that the greatest danger wasn't his strength—it was the magnetism radiating from him.

As she breathed in his warm breath, she caught his scent, a masculine fragrance that triggered something deep in her chest: a burning desire that made her knees go weak.

How can someone smell like that…?

And she understood it all in an instant—she was falling under this man's spell.

Everything was happening too fast, and she had never been that type of woman. And yet… a pulse of terror flared into a question that consumed her from within:

'Would my body even survive an encounter with someone so big and muscular?'

Tiberion watched her doubts as if reading an open book.

"It seems Miss Makino… harbors inner doubts," he murmured softly. "Allow me to put them to rest for you."

With that promise, he slid an arm under her thighs and back, lifting her up; the ease with which he did so drew a startled shriek.

"Kyaaa!"

Makino managed to stammer a fragile, "No… I… I don't know…," but her hands clung to the open shirt of Tiberion, as if afraid of falling.

Her face, burning hot, pressed against his broad chest.

To Tiberion, this hesitation was meaningless. No woman who got this close could resist him—and even less someone as kind and gentle as Makino.

That kind of pure soul embraced the bond with a devotion that made them perfect for carrying on his lineage.

As he carried her toward the back of the bar, his thoughts drifted to his genes.

The strength of the Y chromosome is the key.

In the clash of genes, his always prevailed. A 99.9% probability of conceiving a male.

There would be no genetic war; Makino's code would surrender before the aggressive assault of his genes.

"..."

The back door had closed barely a minute ago, but for Shirahoshi, time stretched into an eternity.

Her eyes were flooded with tears that refused to fully fall, unable to fully understand the emotion swelling in her chest.

Was this what they called jealousy?

It simply felt as though something inside her had torn open, as if she suddenly had to share her husband with a world she didn't understand.

The pirates left their tables and cautiously approached—rough-looking men, yet so small beside the mermaid they seemed like children asking for permission.

"Lady Shirahoshi, please, don't be upset."

"Lord Tiberion is not at fault." Another stepped in with an almost reverent tone. "The amount of testosterone his body produces exceeds that of an ordinary man by dozens of times—even female Sea Kings are affected by him."

"We believe he doesn't want this to happen either, but if he doesn't release that energy… his body would eventually suffer damage."

The words, spoken with utmost respect, were meant as a balm; yet the echo they left in Shirahoshi's heart was a tide of contradiction.

She nodded, fully aware of the reality of her husband—she knew about his energy; even she couldn't keep up with him.

But even so… how could she stop that sharp pang of sadness from rising when she imagined another woman feeling the warmth she knew so well?

"I-I know…" she murmured shakily, "But still, I can't help feeling sad…"

Clenching her hands, she nevertheless obeyed.

"I will obey my husband's words." Her gaze rested on the back door. "No matter what happens: as long as he's happy, I'll be fine. And… as long as I can stay by his side forever… I'll already feel satisfied."

As she said this, she wiped her tears with her hand, and a faint glimmer of determination lit up her eyes.

"..."

The pirates took a step back. They were truly impressed by Lord Tiberion's power.

…

Several hours later, when the sky over Foosha Village had turned gray, a roar startled the residents.

Seven Marine warships, escorted by over a dozen division vessels, appeared in a tight formation.

Anchors dropped; ramps slammed against the docks, and immediately, thousands of Marines descended and cordoned off a wide perimeter around the harbor.

At the sight of the white uniforms, many residents broke into cheers:

"Mayor, the Marines are here! We don't have to be afraid anymore!"

That shout was enough to bring Woop out of the crowd, his mind racing: Was Makino okay?

Ever since Tiberion Hanma and the pirates had shut themselves in the bar, too many hours had passed without any sign. Had the polite young woman who lived alone and made a living through her kindness suffered some kind of abuse?

With that worry burning in his chest, he ran to meet the Marines.

…

At the dock, Gion was waiting.

"Officers, thank heaven you're finally here!" shouted Woop, bowing respectfully. "I'm the mayor of Foosha Village. You see, a group of pirates docked in the village. Among them is a very dangerous man—Tiberion Hanma, the one the World Government is so desperately hunting. Right now, he's inside one of the village bars and hasn't come out in hours. We fear for the owner, Miss Makino… she's young, kind… and fragile."

Gion listened with a furrowed brow.

Makino… another potential victim of Tiberion's brutality?

The thought made her clench her teeth—knowing Tiberion, his violence, and those urges that surpassed anyone's endurance. With so many hours gone by, the reasonable thing was to assume the worst. However, she didn't allow that assumption to cloud her voice.

"Don't worry, Mayor," she said, trying to reassure him. "Now that we've arrived, we'll protect your village."

"Deploy positions. Prepare to redirect the battle to the sea if Tiberion tries to escape."

Then she turned back to Woop, her expression serious but not cruel:

"Please gather the residents and keep them away; a sudden battle could break out."

"Y-Yes…" Woop stammered, feeling the weight of responsibility.

Each word pressed harder on his anxiety: the thought of a fight in the heart of the village terrified him, but the fear of what might have happened to Makino pushed him into action; he turned and ran off once again.

From the deck of one of the ships, a laugh echoed.

"Kishishishi… Vice Admiral Momousagi, aren't you being a little too cautious?"

"The enemy is Tiberion Hanma—five billion on his head. If we can capture or eliminate him right here, using all of Foosha Village as a battlefield shouldn't be a problem… right?"

"..."

Moria's comment drew silence.

Gion turned slightly, her gaze sharpening like the edge of her katana.

"Seriously?" she replied, lowering her voice. "Setting aside the fact that I would never do such a thing… If Vice Admiral Garp finds out you tried to destroy his hometown, he'll guarantee your grave with his own hands."

"Th-The hometown of H-Hero Garp?" Moria paled, swallowing hard. "K-Kishishi… I was just joking."

A refined click of heels against the deck announced the arrival of Doflamingo, arms crossed over his chest, narrow sunglasses reflecting the gray sky.

"And what's the plan to make him come out?"

Gion inhaled. Every time he was mentioned, it reminded her of the horror of that night—when Tiberion raped her. The memory pierced through her with a shiver that turned into murderous intent.

"Don't worry," she said, restraining her rage behind a shell of discipline. "I know that man. Just declare war to his face—he'll come out and fight."

"Are you sure he'll come out?" asked Hancock, stepping forward. "Or are you underestimating him? This whole display…" Her gaze swept across the warships and the other Shichibukai. "Wouldn't it be enough to intimidate him?"

Gion raised an eyebrow.

"From what I see, you believe you can make him come out… or even defeat him on your own." The sharp question echoed across the dock.

"Don't underestimate me." Hancock lifted her chin.

"Isn't he just a man? I'll capture him effortlessly."

________

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