Air Pressure Gun

Inside the steamship restaurant.

Stella wore a somewhat reluctant expression. Under Dawn's gaze, she cautiously took the first bite of the food she had just cooked.

Just as she was about to swallow, Dawn, seated across from her, suddenly shot to his feet without warning.

Before Stella could even react, Dawn had already stepped in front of her. One arm wrapped around her slender waist while his other hand cradled the back of her head. Then, domineering and direct, he kissed her soft cherry lips!

"Mm...!"

Stella's beautiful eyes flew wide open, and her mind went blank. She instinctively struggled, pressing both hands against Dawn's iron-solid chest as she tried to push him away.

But the difference in their strength was simply too great. Her resistance was like an ant trying to shake a tree, and all she could do was let out faint, helpless whimpers from her throat. The man's presence was fiercely invasive, instantly enveloping her.

After what felt like an eternity, just as Stella was about to suffocate, Dawn slowly released her. Seeing the beauty before him with flushed cheeks, hazy eyes, and alluring, breathless gasps, he smacked his lips.

"Mm, today's cooking tastes pretty good too."

Only then did Stella recover from the tremendous shock. Covering her slightly swollen lips, she was both embarrassed and angry, stammering incoherently.

"You... what are you doing?! All of a sudden..."

Although they had been sailing together for a month, Dawn had been fairly proper in his behavior aside from occasionally teasing her verbally. This was the first time he had ever made such an intimate move!

Dawn found her embarrassed and irritated look particularly amusing, wearing an expression as though it were only natural.

"What am I doing? Have you forgotten? The main reason I bought you in the first place wasn't to have you cook for me."

Stella suddenly recalled Dawn's blunt declaration from a month ago, one so direct it had made her blush furiously. Her face instantly reddened like a boiled shrimp, her heart pounded wildly, and even her ears were dyed crimson.

"You... you don't mean... now...?"

"You guessed right."

Dawn interrupted her, the teasing smile at the corner of his mouth widening.

"Exactly what you're thinking."

As he spoke, he gave her no chance to react or protest. Bending down, he scooped Stella's delicate body into a standard princess carry.

"Ah! Let me go! You... you little pervert, you disgusting hooligan!"

Stella struggled futilely again, her small fists pounding against Dawn's shoulder. But to Dawn, that force was no more than a scratch. Holding her in his arms, he turned and headed for the bedroom.

Just as flirtation and struggle intertwined—

"Boom!"

A dull, violent crash rang out, and the entire ship suddenly lurched! Plates slid off the dining table and shattered crisply against the floor.

Dawn reacted swiftly, planting his feet as though they had taken root while tightly holding Stella to keep her from falling. The amorous atmosphere was instantly shattered by the sudden disturbance.

The laziness and teasing on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by cold fury. He set down the still-shaken Stella, his expression dark.

"Stay in the restaurant. Don't move. I'll go take a look."

After giving the order, he rushed out of the restaurant like a gust of wind without waiting for Stella's reply. Stella held onto the dining table, patting her chest as she let out a long breath. She did not know whether to be glad that this sudden incident had interrupted Dawn or worry about what was happening outside.

Dawn arrived on deck with a frosty expression and immediately saw the pirate ship that had brutally pulled alongside his steamship, as well as the ferocious figures glaring from the opposite deck. How could he not understand? They had run into pirates foolish enough to attempt a raid!

What a... mood killer!

A surge of evil fire shot up from the depths of his heart. At the same time, he made a mental note.

I need to put developing elemental clone abilities on the agenda as soon as possible! Otherwise, who knows how many more of these irritating emergencies I'll run into while sailing!

As a Logia-type Devil Fruit, the Dark-Dark Fruit should theoretically be capable of developing elemental clone abilities. Clone abilities were the most effective means of guarding against surprise attacks.

As for recruiting new crew members, he had not considered it for the time being. The promising candidates he had in mind were either too young or in circumstances that were difficult for him to reach or handle with his current strength.

He had never considered recruiting cannon fodder to make up the numbers. Of course, certain beautiful women were exceptions, but most of them were still too young. It was not yet time to approach them.

Having swiftly decided on his next direction for development, the anger in Dawn's chest transformed into tangible drive. Like an enraged lion, he stormed toward the point where the ships had boarded, ready to teach these idiots who had interrupted his "good thing" a lesson they would never forget.

Seeing Dawn charge over on his own initiative, the pirates raised their swords, guns, and muskets, preparing to attack.

But Angelica raised a hand to stop them. She lightly leaped onto the railing, her peach-blossom eyes greedily sweeping over Dawn's tall body, handsome face, and dazzling golden hair. Her tongue involuntarily slid across her red lips as though she were admiring a perfect work of art.

"Don't any of you move!"

"I'll personally keep this handsome little guy company! Don't hurt my new toy!"

With a nimble leap, she landed on the steamship's deck like a female leopard, light yet powerful. She deliberately put extra force into the landing, leaving spiderweb-like cracks in the deck to flaunt her extraordinary strength.

Seeing this, her subordinates all wore helpless yet knowing expressions. They were clearly long accustomed to their captain's nature. All they could do was put away their weapons and watch from the sidelines.

"Handsome little guy~"

Angelica threw a seductive glance at the approaching Dawn, her voice sweet enough to cloy.

"Be good and come back to my ship with your big sister. Your big sister can play lots... lots of fun 'games' with you~"

She deliberately thrust out her ample chest.

"Otherwise, if such a pretty face and body get hurt, your big sister will be heartbroken~"

Dawn frowned tightly, making no attempt to hide the disgust in his eyes. His expression was indifferent.

"Sorry, but I'm a germaphobe. I don't like sharing personal items with others."

At a glance, he could tell that this woman had already been with countless men. Combined with the ship full of robust pirates, her "preferences" and "experience" were easy enough to imagine.

As he spoke, Dawn assumed a combat stance. He extended his left palm forward, aiming it at Angelica, while drawing back his bent right arm. His muscles tensed, poised to strike. The stance resembled the opening posture of Luffy's Jet Pistol.

Angelica did not care about Dawn's mockery. She had heard similar remarks many times and had long since become immune. Instead, she let out an even more suggestive giggle.

"Handsome little guy, you'll understand once you 'experience' it for yourself~ Only someone battle-hardened can bring you more... mm... unexpected 'techniques' and 'pleasure'~"

As she spoke, her speed suddenly increased. Carrying a fragrant breeze with her, she pounced at Dawn, her five fingers curled into claws as she reached straight for his shoulder. Her intention was clearly to capture him alive.

Dawn turned a deaf ear to her filthy words, his entire focus immersed in using his ability. A tiny vortex of darkness suddenly appeared in the palm of his outstretched left hand, frantically absorbing the surrounding air and swallowing it into that bottomless alternate space.

Within the alternate space, the air was rapidly compressed by an invisible force, then compressed further!

Over the past month, Dawn had naturally not spent all his time on romance. Strength was the foundation for survival, and he had always kept that firmly in mind.

Based on the Dark-Dark Fruit's alternate space compression properties, he had developed this move.

Just as Angelica lunged close, her scarlet-polished fingers nearly touching the corner of Dawn's clothes—

"[Air Pressure Gun]!"

Dawn's long-prepared right fist shot forward. Thick darkness wrapped around his fist, and at the moment it struck, he instantly released the air compressed to its limit within the alternate space!

"Boom!"

An invisible air cannon carrying terrifying force blasted forth, striking Angelica squarely in her ample chest!

"Pfft—!" The seductive smile on Angelica's face instantly froze, transforming into extreme pain and disbelief.

She did not even have time to mount any effective defense or evade. All she felt was an indescribable force brutally smashing her breastbone and injuring her internal organs.

She spat out a mouthful of blood, her entire body flying backward like a kite with its string cut, hurtling at incredible speed toward her own pirate ship!

"Bang!!!!"

Angelica's body smashed through the pirate ship's railing boards like a cannonball, crashing heavily into the lower cabin with a muffled boom.

Immediately afterward, the compressed air violently erupted where she landed, forming a small shockwave that sent the pirates gathered on deck tumbling in every direction, their bones snapping and tendons tearing as screams instantly filled the air.

The pirate ship, which had been incomparably noisy moments before, fell into dead silence. Only the groans of the injured and the creaking of the ship's structure remained.

TO BE CONTINUED