Clang!
After a brief clash, Luffy was launched backward, landing gracefully on a tree branch with a weightless, ethereal stance. By letting all his strength dissipate during the impact and drifting along with his opponent's force, he clumsily applied his Paper Art technique, giving him an almost ghostly agility.
Luffy's lightness and evasiveness were, in part, thanks to the swordsman pirate's defensive stance, allowing him to absorb force without major resistance. If the pirate had been in an aggressive posture, it would've been impossible to deflect his power so easily.
"Floating around like that—must be that Paper Art the Marines and World Government agents use," the swordsman remarked, watching Luffy's ethereal retreat.
Each impact saw Luffy improve, his body adapting in real time. The pirate, eager to help him grow, pressed on.
"Show me how far you can take this!"
The swordsman surged forward, closing the distance in a flash to strike again.
Clang!
This time, Luffy shot even higher, floating into the sky. Their duel had become a sight to behold, spanning from the woods to the palace gardens and, finally, between ground and sky.
"Impressive, Luffy," Shanks commented as he sipped his tea, glancing out the window where Uta's singing filled the room.
---
By noon, it was time to eat.
The pirates ended their training and, arms slung over one another, sat together in camaraderie. Jesus Burgess had ended up looking like a swollen pig, and Luffy wasn't faring much better, his body trembling slightly from exhaustion and his muscles sore. He could barely hold his chopsticks, clearly on the verge of collapse.
"Ah, poor Luffy is a mess, isn't he?" Uta said, spotting his weakened state. She walked over with a playful grin, poking his shoulder.
"Ouch!" Luffy winced, leaning into Uta for support.
But mischievous Uta stepped back, causing Luffy to tumble face-first onto the ground.
"Ugh, Uta…" Luffy groaned, struggling to open his eyes. Unexpectedly, he caught a glimpse beneath Uta's skirt, making his eyes widen.
Realizing something was off, Uta quickly covered her skirt, looking at him with a glare, "What are you looking at!"
"Uta, I forgive you!" Luffy declared, giving her a thumbs-up.
"You're such a jerk!" She raised her foot to stomp on his face.
"Wait, at least take your shoes off—I'm still eating!" Luffy exclaimed, trying to get up but lacking the strength.
Uta's raised foot halted awkwardly mid-air. Blushing slightly, she lowered it carefully, knowing her outfit wouldn't allow for such an ungraceful act.
"Idiot Luffy!" she muttered, bending down to help him up.
Luffy, catching her gaze, asked, "What's up?"
Flustered, Uta hesitated, fidgeting slightly, "What do you mean?"
Luffy grinned, "Uta, you'd make a great mom."
Embarrassed, Uta blushed furiously, her knees practically buckling. "What are you even saying!"
"So…Mom, can you feed me? I'm totally out of energy! This is my one request of the day!"
Uta's violet eyes filled with disbelief. "How do you manage to say such shameless things? And haven't you already used your 'one request' before?"
"Today's hasn't been used yet."
"No way!" Uta huffed, fidgeting uncomfortably as she ate.
Luffy slumped onto the table, giving her a puppy-dog look. "Uta, you've got rice on your cheek."
Gritting her teeth, Uta snatched up a spoonful of rice, piling it high before thrusting it into Luffy's mouth.
"Appreciate this!" she declared, grabbing a giant drumstick next and stuffing it into his mouth.
Luffy grinned, happily tearing through the meat, leaving only the bare bone as he finished.
Uta's competitive spirit flared up as she watched him devour his food with ease. Determined to one-up him, she marched over to the larger table, hauling an entire roast boar.
"Uta, you'll kill him!" the pirates exclaimed, rushing to pull her away from Luffy before he was buried under the enormous meal.
---
After lunch, Luffy grumbled, "Uta, you're so violent."
"No, Luffy, you're just too shameless!" Uta shot back, her hands fidgeting behind her back.
"You're the shameless one, sneaking up on me and undressing me…" Luffy replied nonchalantly.
Uta's face turned beet red as she recalled her actions while he was asleep. She looked at him, shocked, "You…you knew?"
"Kind of figured it out. I'm pretty aware of my sleeping habits, so I could guess."
"I got it, I got it! It was my bad, so stop talking about it!" she quickly clamped her hand over his mouth, nervously glancing around to make sure no one else was listening.
Feeling her hand's warmth, Luffy decided to change the subject. "Uta, help me fall asleep this afternoon!" he requested eagerly.
"Got it!" Uta nodded, excited to use her powers and explore her abilities further.
Luffy grabbed a fresh change of clothes, took a quick shower, and returned to his room, lying comfortably on the bed. "Alright, Uta, I'm ready!" he said, relaxing in anticipation.
Smiling, Uta began to hum, her voice weaving a gentle lullaby as her powers took effect.
In an instant, Luffy found himself in the drea
mscape, still within the familiar confines of his room. In this world, it was just the two of them.
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