Raki had never seen a man as handsome as Hikaru.
The men of the Shandia and Sky Island tribes were all a bit rugged and unkempt, their appearances far from refined.
With this contrast, she no longer felt like she was making a sacrifice for her tribe. Instead, it seemed like she had struck gold.
It wasn't surprising—most men in the pirate world looked eccentric or downright bizarre. Given that, her momentary daze was understandable.
Hikaru noticed Raki hesitating, lost in thought. His eyes flickered as he spoke, his voice calm but tinged with amusement.
"Hmm?"
"Yes!"
Snapping back to reality, Raki's face turned red. She opened her mouth, trying to come up with an excuse for her lapse in composure.
But before she could speak, she caught the hint of impatience in Raki's expression. Not daring to say too much, she quickly stepped forward, settling at his side.
With that, the two began talking, Raki recounting her past in the Shandia tribe.
The Next Morning
Raki awoke to the familiar sound of Conis' gentle morning greeting.
But today, he wasn't in the mood to rise early. Instead, he reached out lazily, pulling Conis into his arms before she could walk past him.
"Ah~ Lord God, the angels are still waiting outside..." Conis gasped, her voice tinged with embarrassment.
Raki ignored her, content to indulge in his morning rest.
At this moment, even if Shirahoshi herself arrived, she would find herself subdued in his embrace, waiting quietly.
Only after a long while did he finally get up, dressing leisurely as the two girls assisted him.
As he finished breakfast, Raki clenched his right fist, his eyes gleaming as he studied the Armament Haki wrapping around his hand.
Solid.
His relentless training was paying off. His stamina had improved, and his Haki had become denser and more refined.
He was now able to harden his Armament Haki, and his reserves were sufficient to coat both hands completely.
It wasn't that he wasn't trying hard enough—different people had different physical limits.
The fact that he had overcome the weakness of Devil Fruits to seawater and was immune to Seastone's suppression was already an incredible feat.
Still, one mystery remained: could he wield the powers of multiple Devil Fruits?
The risk of exploding and dying held him back from testing it on himself.
I'll have to experiment on pirates first. Once I'm certain I can survive, I'll give it a shot myself.
His thoughts were interrupted by Conis' soft voice.
"My Lord God, the Ark 'Little Proverbs' has been completed. When would you like to inspect it?"
Conis was no longer just the kind-hearted girl who loved playing the harp. As Hikaru's sole consort, she had taken it upon herself to learn everything necessary to assist him.
This included governance, management, and administration—anything that would make ruling the Kingdom of God more efficient.
"Oh? I have nothing else to do. Let's go take a look."
Then, turning to Raki, he added, "You should come too. Learn from Conis—you'll be assisting her in the future. With both of you handling affairs together, things will be much easier."
Raki had only recently joined the God's Palace and was still adjusting. Giving her a role would help her integrate more smoothly into her new life.
Arpaiado – A Hidden Cave
The rhythmic sound of hammering echoed through the dimly lit cavern.
At the center stood a massive airship, its unfinished frame hinting at the long road ahead before completion.
This was the Ark Maxim.
Though still under construction, its grand design promised unparalleled power and mobility.
Nearby, in an open clearing, a smaller, fully built airship stood proudly.
This was the Ark Mini-Proverbs—a more compact version of Maxim, designed for Hikaru's personal use.
Unlike its larger counterpart, Mini-Proverbs produced a smaller amount of Thunderclouds, but it retained nearly all of the same functions.
A flash of lightning illuminated the cave as Hikaru teleported in, accompanied by Conis and Raki.
The moment they arrived, Martins, the Captain of the Divine Army, hurried over and bowed respectfully.
"Lord God!"
Hearing his call, the busy workers paused, standing at attention and offering their greetings.
Hikaru nodded slightly before following Martins toward the center of the cavern.
"My Lord God, the Mini-Proverbs has been completed and is ready for use at any time."
The Ark Maxim was a vessel designed specifically for Rumble-Rumble Fruit users.
With three propellers on each side and a massive rear thruster, it relied on infinite energy generated by lightning to propel itself.
It could fly freely across the Grand Line, soar high into the upper atmosphere, and—if Hikaru desired—venture into outer space, reaching the legendary Infinite Land… the Moon.
In the world of One Piece, Enel had once reached the moon using the Ark Maxim, making him the first pirate to set foot on its surface.
Now, Hikaru was poised to rewrite that history.
"Thank you for your hard work," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I will not treat you unfairly. Once Proverbs is completed, there will be even greater projects ahead. You won't have to worry about running out of work."
His words carried weight, not just as a promise but as an incentive to fuel their determination.
"Yes! We will not disappoint Lord God's trust!"
Martins, the Captain of the Divine Army, looked at him with undisguised gratitude.
If anyone owed Hikaru the most, it was undoubtedly him.
He had long seen through Enel's true nature. Once the Ark was complete, the so-called "God" would have eliminated them all—mere disposable tools to his ambition.
But then Hikaru arrived.
Like a savior descending from the heavens, he had overthrown Enel, taken the throne, and saved them from a grim fate.
Hikaru stepped forward, running his fingers across the hull of the Mini-Proverbs, lost in thought.
"The time has come… it's time to intercept."
Hikaru's Philosophy
Hikaru never concealed his true nature.
He never suppressed his desires.
He was greedy for wealth and thirsted for power—anyone could see that from the moment he arrived in this world and claimed Conis as his own without hesitation.
Having crossed space and time, he had only one goal—to live the happiest life possible.
Drink the finest wine.
Enjoy the best luxuries.
Seize absolute power.
Spend countless riches.
And take the most beautiful women as his own.
That was the path he had chosen in this pirate-infested world.
To Hikaru, this world was already rotten to the core.
A Navy of Justice? Nothing but lapdogs of the Celestial Dragons—they would never uphold true justice.
Evil pirates? Of course, they were wicked, but anyone who claimed there were "good" pirates was delusional. A thief is still a thief.
Justice? Evil? None of it mattered.
Position? Reputation?
Hah! Nothing more than the fleeting opinions of others.
He would define his own place in the world.
As for reputation? Let them talk.
He would become God—the Supreme Ruler.
The God who governs all things.
Now that he had arrived in this world and been given such a perfect starting point, why shouldn't he indulge?
And as for Nami, Robin, Boa Hancock, Shirahoshi, and the other paper wives he had once admired from a distance—merely staring at their figurines in his previous life…
Now that they existed before him as real, living women…
Would he let them slip through his grasp? Never.
Even if the path ahead was difficult, he would take them all.
For strength.
For pleasure.
No matter the reason—he would not let them go.
At that moment, Conis and Raki stood by his side, their figures illuminated by the soft glow of the cave's lanterns.
The pieces were in place.
And soon, the world would know the name Hikaru.
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