"Is the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock... deliberately testing Admiral Luo Yu with this 'offering herself' act?"Smoker, chewing on his cigar, looked visibly unsettled.
Even he had to concentrate hard to resist the overwhelming aura radiating from Hancock's every move—The power of her Devil Fruit.
In the original records, even seasoned Vice Admirals like Dalmatian had to injure themselves to stay sane under her influence.
A testament to just how broken Hancock's charm could be.
"C-Captain Smoker… I think Admiral Luo Yu might be thinking about something entirely different,"Ain suddenly whispered, her voice uncertain.Almost reflexively, she glanced down at her own… respectable "assets."
But compared to Hancock?
Well… she was probably a full fist short.
Still, thinking about Luo Yu's way of doing things…
Ain's mind flashed with an absolutely ridiculous thought:
"Can a woman ever be more tempting than a performance bonus?"
"Hancock… was that really necessary?"Elder Nyon sighed as she leaned on her cane.
She understood clearly—
Hancock's grand gesture was not just about gratitude,But a challenge.
She was determined to prove what she had once declared—
That in the face of absolute beauty, there was no such thing as true loyalty.
Now, every eye turned to Luo Yu.
The question hung in the air:
Faced with the most beautiful woman in the world, would this newly minted admiral accept her offer—or not?
"Oi, brat!" Garp suddenly roared with laughter, breaking the tension."Everyone's waiting! If you like her, just say yes already! I'll personally help arrange the marriage!"
"Garp, shut it!"Tsuru immediately snapped."Admiral Luo Yu, you don't have to feel pressured. If you don't want this, you can absolutely say no."
"Refuse?"Luo Yu snapped out of his thoughts, took a swig of his rough rice liquor, and smiled.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, as a man, how could I possibly reject such sincerity in public?"
Everyone froze.
Even Hancock's smug expression wavered.
As Luo Yu began speaking, the entire crowd thought the same thing—
"So in the end… he's just another man unable to resist her beauty."
Tsuru opened her mouth, clearly about to intervene again.
But then—
Luo Yu kept talking.
"But… I'm a Navy admiral, and Hancock is a pirate. If we marry, wouldn't that be considered a military-political alliance?"
"From that angle, it would strengthen cooperation and create a powerful allied front."
"That sounds like a significant contribution, right?"
"So… can I apply for a performance bonus based on this political marriage? Say, ten billion berries or so?"
"If that's the case—I'm in."
Dead silence.
The entire plaza felt like time had stopped.
Even the haughty Boa Hancock—
Her expression cracked.
When Luo Yu began his response, everyone thought it was the start of a legendary romance.But the second half?
It nuked the room.
"A political marriage bonus…?!"
"This is the world's most beautiful woman offering herself, and he's talking about submitting paperwork for performance evaluation?!"
"Ten billion as a bonus?!"
Was he treating Boa Hancock like a hen that lays golden eggs!?
"Colonel Ain… was that what you meant earlier?"Smoker's cigar had snapped clean in half in his mouth.
Ain gave a bitter smile and nodded."That's exactly what I meant. Admiral Luo Yu's priorities… they're very Luo Yu."
"Apparently, performance points really are more tempting than the world's number one beauty."
"But… I think I'm starting to really like this about him."
"You like him?" Smoker blinked.
Ain's face flushed bright red."N-no! I mean I admire his principles! Not being swayed by beauty—that's admirable, especially for the Navy!"
"Fair enough. I didn't think Admiral Luo Yu would reject her that way. Really caught us off guard,"Smoker muttered.
"Guess it's true… people who reach the rank of admiral aren't just strong. They think differently too."
Meanwhile, Luo Yu looked at the pair calmly.
Deep down, he absolutely appreciated beauty.
But if marrying Hancock meant skipping decades of struggle, unlocking ten billion berries in bonuses…
Wasn't that better?
That could open 800 to 1,000 silver loot boxes in one go!
Even if the drop rate sucked—he believed in brute force.Something had to pop eventually.
And if it didn't?
He'd start suspecting he was cursed.
"You brat, thinking about performance bonuses at a time like this? If Sengoku hears about this, he'll kick you into the stratosphere!"Garp shouted, eyes wide—then burst out laughing.
"But damn, you're really something. This is what I call staying single with dignity!"
"Political marriage bonuses? No one in Marineford has ever said that out loud."
"I get it though," he continued. "You're just turning Hancock down in a roundabout way. That's fine."
"Hancock! You heard the man. Let's forget the whole 'offering yourself' thing."
"But—if Luo Yu ever decides he wants you for real, I'll be the first to propose on his behalf!"
"Luo Yu, come on. Say something and wrap this up already."
Everyone's brains were fried.Their worldview utterly shaken.
If they hadn't seen this with their own eyes, who would believe that Boa Hancock, the world's most desired woman, would get rejected—publicly?
Even Elder Nyon looked like she'd been struck by lightning.
"Garp, when did I ever agree to call you Grandpa?"Luo Yu rolled his eyes, stepping out of the crowd.
"You've got the same bad habit as Whitebeard—forcing titles on people."
"But thanks for dealing with the Celestial Dragons. Would've been a nightmare without you."
"Anyway—great weather today. Perfect for a little sailing."
"Koby, go get the ship ready."
"As for you, Hancock… I'll come find you the moment that proposal bonus becomes real."
"Too much nonsense today. I need some sea breeze to clear my head."
With that, Luo Yu downed another mouthful of liquor and turned to leave.
The Marines stationed at the edges finally snapped out of their daze and scrambled to follow him.
Of course, as they left, they couldn't help but steal one last glance at Boa Hancock—The woman who'd just been rejected in front of everyone.
Would she explode in rage?
"Hancock… are you alright?" Elder Nyon asked nervously. "Admiral Luo Yu only meant well—don't take it to heart."
But before she could finish—
Boa Hancock's ears turned crimson.
The usual arrogance vanished.She cupped her cheeks in her hands and said shyly:
"D-did you all hear that?"
"I never thought… there would be someone in this world who isn't moved by my beauty."
"But he said… if the time is right, he'll overcome all obstacles and personally propose…"
"Should I… should I start calling Vice Admiral Garp 'Grandpa' now!?"