In another sea, not long after Buckingham Stussy had set sail, her stunning looks and researcher identity allowed her to successfully infiltrate numerous research institutes and laboratories.
After repeatedly stealing and robbing valuable items from research institutes and laboratories, she had earned herself the nickname "Science Bandit."
Enraged scientists and the shadowy backers behind them had put a hefty bounty on the damn woman in the Underground Dark World.
Feeling the pressure mounting, Stussy saw the news and reports about the Rocks Pirates and Elysium Island. She promptly decided to head to Elysium Island and lay low for a while.
She would see if she could find a chance to infiltrate the Rocks Pirates.
If she could secure the protection of the world's strongest pirate crew, then she could steal whatever she wanted from then on.
And she wouldn't have to worry about anyone coming after her!
Most importantly, she thought this Great Demon Lord Houka was pretty handsome, and powerful too!
···
Meanwhile, Captain John, a jewelry collector who had only just entered the New World, couldn't even get an Eternal Pose pointing to Elysium Island.
He could only continue down his path of plunder, following the Log Pose and making his way across the seas, building his reputation as he went.
Byrnndi World was still roaming Paradise in the Grand Line.
Thanks to the powerful abilities of the More-More Fruit, his name was growing ever more famous.
Even the World Government had taken notice of this newcomer.
In particular, the World Government's historical records mentioned a superpower who had once possessed the More-More Fruit.
This prompted the World Government to try and nip this arrogant pirate in the bud before he could grow stronger. They quietly sent Cipher Pol agents to infiltrate the Walder Pirates.
After seeing all the news about the Rocks Pirates, Byrnndi World could hardly wait to enter the New World and prove his strength!
The so-called world's strongest pirate crew would be blown to pieces by one of his cannons sooner or later!
Even the World Government would be destroyed by his hand.
He was the strongest pirate!
Byrnndi World was growing more arrogant by the day, even more so than the future Iron-Headed Kid.
If Rocks dared to rob the Heavenly Tribute, then Byrnndi World could do it too!
His title of "World Destroyer" was even more powerful and imposing than Rocks's title of "Overlord of the New World"!
···
Above the Skull Castle on Elysium Island,
Houka's room had been buried beneath an endless flood of love letters.
The honest Sambel was working very hard to collect all the letters sent to Houka and pile them up in his room.
"Damn, I never thought I'd become the world's male succubus before Shakky, the succubus of this repressed era."
Houka looked at the mountain of letters. His words sounded a little dismissive, but he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes.
He had become the biggest star in the pirate world, even more famous than Rocks.
Now, Shiki and Xiong were jealous of him, and even Rocks was deeply displeased.
Houka had stolen all the spotlight from him!
What was so great about being handsome?
This was a world where strength reigned supreme!
"Vice Captain, all the women in the world have been captivated by you!"
"I heard that a Celestial Dragon woman in the Underground Dark World offered two billion Beli to capture you alive!"
Sambel grinned and handed him several widely circulated candid photos of Houka.
In the photos, Houka wore a white robe and a White Wolf Cloak, floating in the air.
His silver hair and the crescent-shaped mark on his forehead made him look so handsome and aloof.
Wasn't he the spitting image of Sesshomaru?
In another photo, Houka wore a red aristocratic outfit, his demon wings unfurled as he struck the elegant, dashing pose of a vampire noble.
The two completely different styles had made noblewomen of every taste fall for Houka's looks.
"Nice work with the candid shots. You deserve a reward!"
To be honest, even Houka was stunned by how handsome he looked in those photos.
He hadn't expected the Moon-Moon Fruit and the Vampire Fruit to have the added effect of making him more attractive.
"Boom!!"
"Houka, get over here and train!"
"Or those Celestial Dragon women will capture you and make you their gigolo!"
Rocks kicked the half-open door to Houka's room so hard that it flew off its hinges. It crashed into the mountain of letters, sending them scattering through the air.
Without a word, Rocks grabbed Houka and dragged him away, refusing to let the little bastard stealing his spotlight "lose himself" in love letters.
When he'd just learned that four Celestial Dragon women had joined forces to offer four billion Beli for Houka's capture, Rocks had been both jealous and worried!
Houka's bounty in the Underground Dark World had already surpassed his own.
Rocks was furious!
But he was even more worried that the outrageous bounty would cause countless pirates and bounty hunters to go after Houka.
So Houka had to get stronger and improve his ability to protect himself!
···
As Rocks forcibly dragged Houka to the training grounds, Golden Lion Shiki and Silver Axe Xiong each looked at Houka as though he were a treasure.
"Kyahahaha! Four billion Beli! Houka, you're worth four billion Beli now!!"
Golden Lion Shiki floated over to Houka, his large hands trembling as he reached for him.
If he captured Houka alive and sold him to those crazed Celestial Dragon women, he'd be rich.
"Damn, Houka, I'm honestly afraid I won't be able to stop myself from going after you!"
A flash of greed and fervor showed in Silver Axe Xiong's eyes beneath his sunglasses.
Who would've thought that a pretty boy like Houka would have a bounty higher than that of Rocks, the World's Worst Pirate?
Nearly ten times higher than his own.
Those Celestial Dragon women sure had money!
"With those Celestial Dragon women making a fuss and the newspapers singing your praises, you've become even more famous. More female pirates are flocking to Elysium Island."
Whitebeard Newgate read the newspaper, feeling as though the world had become a little unreal.
How had Houka suddenly become so famous?
He suspected Houka had deliberately let those reporters and paparazzi take those candid shots.
Otherwise, how could they have turned out so good and perfect, even more handsome than the stars?
"Get lost!!"
Houka kicked Golden Lion Shiki away as he tried to get handsy.
Houka had no idea his photos would become such a sensation. He'd only cosplayed as Sesshomaru and a vampire noble to indulge in a little vanity.
Who knew that before the Great Pirate Era, this world had been living through such a repressed age?
No wonder the Kuja Pirates could become an international celebrity crew in the future, and Shakky could become the Supreme Succubus who brought the world economy to a halt for a week.
This era was truly dull and repressive!
Houka had only shown a little of himself, and he was already at the peak of this repressed era.
"Houka, I heard your body is the only mutated body in the world capable of withstanding multiple Devil Fruit abilities."
"If I have children with you, will every one of them inherit a body that can handle multiple Devil Fruit abilities?"
Charlotte Linlin looked at Houka with shining eyes. Only now did she realize that, besides being powerful and able to predict the future, her good friend Houka also had a mutated body capable of withstanding multiple Devil Fruit abilities.
If Houka's mutated body capable of wielding multiple Devil Fruit abilities were combined with her Steel Balloon mutated body, she wondered what kind of monstrous offspring they might produce.
At the thought, Charlotte Linlin couldn't help drooling...