Lovesickness Becomes an Illness, Only Norse Can Cure It

Ten warships had suffered varying degrees of damage beneath the invincible sun and needed to return to headquarters immediately for repairs and maintenance.

Aokiji no longer had the mood or time to bring up the World Government's support for Marine Headquarters, led by Sengoku, to recruit Boa Hancock under the title of Seven Warlords of the Sea.

As for what had happened today, he would report it truthfully.

Norse's will had to be conveyed to Fleet Admiral Sengoku. After all, placing a bounty of one hundred Berries on such a terrifyingly powerful man had already been a suicidal provocation and a disastrous start. They could not continue making mistakes. His bounty had to be reissued immediately, or a pirate with strength comparable to an emperor of the seas would be driven down an endless path of crime.

What was more, this guy seemed to care deeply about his bounty now. Since there was a cause, he had to demand an outcome worthy of his own strength!

Meanwhile.

Norse returned to the Kuja Pirates' ship.

For him, that battle had truly only used a portion of his strength. That was all.

Yet that portion alone had driven Aokiji into a desperate corner.

Aokiji's freezing ability was actually quite powerful, and Norse had acknowledged that from the start.

But unfortunately, Aokiji had been facing a powerful opponent who could fly—and whose attacks all descended from the sky.

More importantly, Aokiji's Devil Fruit ability had been completely countered by the light and heat of the Sun Fruit. Any freezing technique he used was helpless and utterly vulnerable before the sun's attacks!

As for whether using the power of the sun brought terrifying side effects to Norse's body, there was really no need to worry too much about that.

So long as he had not been driven into a desperate situation or forced to his limit, Norse's body would not suffer any substantial harm.

But if one had to name an external side effect, then it could only be this.

Whenever Norse used the Sun Fruit, the blood in his body boiled furiously, as though what flowed through him was incomparably noble blood. If he did not believe himself invincible and act arrogantly, Norse would feel uncomfortable all over.

He would even feel an uncontrollable urge to erupt completely.

Therefore, if he did not want to see himself burst out under those side effects and kill innocent people, Norse had to carry himself with heartfelt invincibility—even an absolutely arrogant personality.

In short, during battle, every word he spoke was law. No one could be allowed to court death by trying to break his rules. No one could be more invincible or more arrogant than him, or once the Sun Fruit erupted completely—

Even he himself would be unable to immediately stop the sun's ultimate power.

But then again, Norse was truly a cold-hearted good man. During battle, he was always suppressing his need to maintain an invincible bearing and an arrogance greater than anyone else's.

"Norse, why did you just let those Marines go? They're all the Dragon People's lapdogs. It would've been better if they all died," Gorud pouted, unhappy that those Marines could still return alive.

"Honestly, I think we let them off too easily!"

Sonia did not show it openly on her face, but she said, "Sigh, what a pity. Ten warships... who knows how many supplies they had onboard? If we could've seized all of them and used them to aid the people of our country, I think our citizens' lives would only get better and better."

"Mm, that makes sense!"

Norse nodded. "Fine, then next time, no matter who comes, if they don't leave their supplies behind, they all die!"

"Now that's more like it!" Gorud immediately felt a little happier.

In truth, she knew that as vice-captain—and with strength as terrifying as his—Norse was not someone she had any right to demand things from or blame. Besides, Norse had faced all of this alone today.

The two of them had merely watched the show and done nothing useful.

Now that she reflected on it, Gorud felt terribly embarrassed. She had not helped at all, yet she had still had the nerve to make demands of Norse. Even if her elder sister had been here, she probably would not have said something like that!

"I'm sorry, Norse. I regret saying that to you," Gorud said, her cheeks flushed red.

"Hahaha... Don't, absolutely don't be like that. I quite like the real you. Don't feel inferior just because I'm strong."

Norse could not help laughing. Naturally, he had not taken such a thing to heart. Besides, he was not using the Sun Fruit's power right now, so his invincible posture and arrogance could be controlled quite well.

"I-I'm not feeling inferior!"

Gorud suddenly widened her bewildered eyes and argued, "I apologized because I was embarrassed, okay?"

"Alright, alright, we should head back at once. Elder Sister is still lying in bed, waiting for Norse to return!"

Sonia did not think much of it. In her mind, it was obviously just their usual bickering, so why distinguish it so clearly? She said, "Gorud, you should think of it this way: as long as we remember that we saved Norse's life, then no matter what we do, Norse will definitely forgive us. So don't hold back. Besides, no matter how powerful Norse is, weren't we little shrimps the ones who fished him out of the sea? What is there to feel inferior about?"

Gorud, however, felt a huge headache coming on because of Sonia. Why could she never keep her mouth shut?

She said gloomily, "Sonia, you... you said something you shouldn't have again. Didn't Elder Sister remind us that from now on, we must never say such things to Norse again? And you can't tell Norse that Elder Sister wants to see him so badly right now either, understand?"

Sonia covered her mouth, her eyes full of disbelief, and stammered, "But... you... you said it even more clearly and directly than I did, didn't you?"

Norse was truly speechless at their mindless performance. "Can you two try a different routine? I've seen this exact routine from you two no fewer than a thousand times over the past three years. I really surrender. I'm numb to it. It makes me want to puke. I can't help wanting to beat the crap out of you two!"

"Oh... alright, then we'll be direct."

Sonia and Gorud suddenly turned serious and said in unison, "Our elder sister has lovesickness. Granny Zha Mi said you were probably the one who caused it, but you're also the only one who can save her."

"Wahahaha..."

Norse clutched his stomach and burst into laughter. Unable to contain his excitement, he said, "Does this mean I'm going to turn my fate around, step on the Pirate Empress, and reclaim all the dignity I lost over the past three years?"

"Y-you... what are you laughing at?"

"Exactly! And who said we'd let you step on our elder sister? Granny Zha Mi said the solution is actually very simple. Then our elder sister will get better!"

"Oh? Then I'd love to hear the details!" Norse calmed down, though he was still somewhat delighted by her misfortune.

"Of course, you need to confess your love to our elder sister!" Sonia said.

"Pfft... But I don't even like her. Why should I be the one confessing to her?"

Norse acted as though he'd just heard a joke. Wouldn't that mean the Empress was controlling him rather than him controlling the Empress? Being bound to three women was already grievance enough, and now they were trying to pull this stunt on him?

"Norse..."

"Waaah..."

Suddenly, both Gerd and Sonia had tears welling in their eyes, looking utterly pitiful as they hoped to win Norse's sympathy.

"Lord Norse, please save our Empress!"

After learning that only Lord Norse could cure the Empress's lovesickness, the other girl pirates on the ship immediately dropped to one knee and pleaded without losing their dignity.

"Ah... you're really putting me in a difficult spot. It doesn't necessarily have to be me confessing to her, okay? She can confess to me instead. Even though I don't like her, I'm willing to reluctantly accept her confession. What more do you want from me?"

Norse firmly refused to be the one to confess. Right now, all he wanted was to knock out the last few rotten teeth in old woman Zha Mi's mouth. How could she have the nerve to make such a request?

"But we already said that you might not agree. If it's Grandma Zha Mi, though, that would be dangerous, because our sister would be even more embarrassed to speak up. She might rather let it rot in her heart until it became an illness, then quickly die amid the torment of depression."

"Norse, don't be like this, okay? Our sister is such a peerless beauty—wouldn't you be happy? Besides, we really don't want to see our sister keep suffering like this."

Looking at the group of red-eyed girls with tears shimmering in their eyes, Norse felt immense pressure. Why had fate arranged things this way? It had sent him to a country full of women, and now it was assigning him another woman.

"Sigh, women are such a pain. I must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck. If it weren't for you, I, Norse, would've become emperor in the New World long ago."

"What are you talking about? If it weren't for us, you would've drowned long ago."

"Exactly. No matter how powerful a Devil Fruit user is, do you think they can still turn things around in the sea?"

Sonia and Gerd muttered among themselves, completely failing to realize that Norse was deliberately saying that just to give himself a way out.

"You're so naive and stupid, I don't even know how to describe you."

With a dark expression, Norse said seriously, "If you want me to save your sister, fine. Have her wash herself clean and come to my room tonight..."

"What????"

"Oh... I mean, find a way to bring her to my room tonight. Remember, if you miss the deadline, it's bye-bye. Besides, I need time to prepare myself mentally too. This really isn't easy."

Norse thought, Who wasn't doing this for the first time? It wasn't something to fool around with.

P.S. I posted over six thousand words today and made up for the chapter I owed yesterday. In any case, thanks to all the friends supporting me. In a few more chapters, I'll get the story smoothly onto the main plot, and I'll add a few more chapters for you every week.