Tom Could Talk

"What's strange about that? Lots of animals in this world can talk—deer, crabs, and so on."

Tom breathed a sigh of relief and wrote in his notebook again: That's good.

"Now that you can talk, stop using that notebook to communicate. Isn't speaking directly much better?"

Tom shook his head and wrote: I can talk, but it hurts. Tom doesn't like talking.

"Fine, then don't talk."

"Next, I have a task for you. Clean up the room, and I'll reward you with a box of Dried Fish."

Tom perked up and instantly transformed six arms.

Two swept the floor, two mopped, and the remaining two held rags as they rapidly cleaned the room.

A scene that had once only existed in anime appeared in reality.

Lin Qi carefully pushed open Momousagi's bedroom door.

Compared with the living room, it was much cleaner and looked much the same as usual.

"Momousagi's sleeping posture is so alluring."

Lin Qi stared greedily at Momousagi's raised backside and one long, pale leg.

He carefully shut the door, then checked on Hina. Only after confirming that neither of them had any problems did he leave the house.

Navy Cafeteria.

"Ma'am, three breakfasts to go," Lin Qi said.

"Alright, young man. Please wait a moment."

As Lin Qi stood there waiting for his food, a small hand suddenly patted his shoulder.

He turned around. It was Kujaku!

"Can I help you?"

He had just knocked her out from behind and stripped off her Black Silk Stockings yesterday.

Seeing Kujaku now, Lin Qi felt a little nervous.

She couldn't have found out, could she?

Impossible! He had used Life Return yesterday to alter his appearance and voice.

Kujaku said nothing and simply stared straight at Lin Qi.

Oh no. I hit her too hard yesterday and turned the poor girl stupid. Lin Qi's conscience hurt.

After a long silence, Kujaku slowly said, "I think we should have a talk."

"What could we possibly have to talk about? If you have something to say, say it here." Lin Qi sensed trouble. Had she really found out?

"Are you sure?" Kujaku blinked her adorable large eyes.

"According to military law, attacking a Navy family member carries a sentence of one to ten years in prison. Big brother, do you want to go to jail?"

"Yesterday, you did that to me..."

"Enough!"

Lin Qi clapped a hand over Kujaku's endlessly chattering mouth, cold sweat pouring down his back.

He was certain now. This girl had really discovered the truth.

"Mmph~ Big brother, why are you covering my mouth? Even though you did that to me, I won't make you take responsibility."

Kujaku broke free of Lin Qi's hand and muttered softly.

Pairs of upright, solemn eyes turned toward them.

The cafeteria lady silently set down her serving ladle.

"Damn it!"

Lin Qi could not stand the stares around him, nor could he stand this girl's increasingly outrageous words. He dragged her out of the cafeteria.

After the two left, quiet discussions broke out inside the cafeteria.

"That little beauty just now was Vice Admiral Tsuru's granddaughter, right?"

"That man seemed to be Rear Admiral Lin Qi, who's been in the spotlight lately."

"Damn, this gossip is explosive."

"What I'm more curious about is whether Vice Admiral Tsuru knows."

Lin Qi dragged Kujaku into a corner of the woods and asked with a headache, "How did you find out it was me?"

"Hehe, big brother, your Life Return doesn't work on me."

Kujaku stood on tiptoe, leaned forward, and proudly pointed at her nose. "Studies show that my sense of smell is fifteen times stronger than a human's. I remembered your scent."

"A dog's nose?"

"You're the one with a dog's nose!" Kujaku snapped coquettishly.

"Tell me what you want."

It was Kujaku who had come looking for him today, not Vice Admiral Tsuru. That meant she had not tattled yet.

If so, she must have a bigger demand.

But if she thought she could threaten Lin Qi with this, she was dreaming.

Lin Qi would teach this little girl what regret meant.

"Eh? Big brother already guessed?"

The sweet smile on Kujaku's face suddenly turned twisted, and two hearts appeared in her eyes.

"It's simple. I just want big brother to play with me."

Devil Fruit? Paramecia? A Whip-Whip Fruit Ability User!

Lin Qi: "?"

How had he forgotten? Kujaku and little Sadi from Impel Down were both twisted sadistic dominatrixes.

"You don't mean you want to use your Devil Fruit powers to hit me, do you?" Lin Qi's eye twitched.

"Yes. You won't refuse, right?" The hearts in Kujaku's eyes turned pink.

"Sigh."

Lin Qi pressed a hand onto Kujaku's little head. "Little girl, get this straight. I only stole your stockings, and I even gave you two pairs back."

"Even if you went outside and shouted about it, I wouldn't receive any punishment."

"Then I'll go tell Grandma Tsuru right now."

Kujaku put away the weapon she had created with her Whip-Whip Fruit, turned around, and started to leave.

"Wait!"

Lin Qi grabbed Kujaku at once. If Vice Admiral Tsuru found out, he would be in deep trouble.

If Tsuru got angry, he would probably face a savage beating from Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr.

He had no desire to be hung on a clothesline for days by Tsuru's Wash-Wash Fruit.

Smack!

After being grabbed, Kujaku suddenly came to her senses and lashed Lin Qi's arm with her Whip-Whip Fruit power.

The force was considerable. His clothes tore apart instantly, but Lin Qi's skin did not even redden.

"Big brother, your body is so sturdy~"

"So this was a sadistic dominatrix?"

Seeing one for the first time, Lin Qi truly found it a little hard to handle.

If she were not Vice Admiral Tsuru's granddaughter, he would have pinned her to the ground and beaten her senseless long ago.

Just as Lin Qi was considering what to do, Kujaku used her Devil Fruit powers again...

Lin Qi held onto Kujaku with one hand and did not let go, which meant he took another attack. It did not hurt at all—less than a mosquito bite.

But this outfit of his was completely ruined.

"Such a sturdy body~"

Kujaku gazed at Lin Qi with eyes full of affection. Anyone unaware of the truth might have thought she had fallen for him.

Looking at her expression, Lin Qi was afraid she might faint from excitement.

Vice Admiral Tsuru had such an illustrious reputation. How could she have such a bizarre granddaughter?

Another attack came, but this time Lin Qi caught it in one hand.

"You're bullying me! I'm going to tell Grandma Tsuru!"

Kujaku's chest heaved violently as she looked at Lin Qi with unsatisfied desire.

Lin Qi sneered. "Now we both have something on each other."

"If you dare to tattle, I'll tell Vice Admiral Tsuru about what happened today. I don't believe she'd allow you to act like this."

Kujaku froze.

"Please, big brother~"

Seeing that force would not work, Kujaku immediately changed tactics and pleaded pitifully.

"No. Go back now. I don't have time to play these boring games with you."