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Half an hour later, inside the laboratory.
"Kikyo, you can relax a little more," Shaka said with a smile as he continued his massage.
Kikyo, her face flushed, was lying down, letting out a soft sigh of relief. "I-I'm sorry, that was rude of me... It just felt so comfortable!"
She had never felt this relaxed before. Training always left her with minor injuries and built-up tension, but after Shaka's skilled hands worked through her muscles, she felt lighter than ever.
"It's normal," Shaka reassured her, focusing on her tense shoulders. "Once the others return with the medicine, I'll do some acupuncture and cupping therapy as well. With an herbal paste and some medicinal tea, your cramps should be gone in three to five days."
Normally, menstrual pain isn't so easily cured. But Shaka had combined medical knowledge from Dr. Kureha and traditional techniques from the Land of Flowers to develop this treatment.
"That would be amazing—thank you, Lord Shaka!" Kikyo beamed, clearly excited. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she asked curiously, "By the way, are you carrying a weapon on you?"
She pointed at Shaka's lower body, puzzled.
Just a moment ago, he hadn't looked like that… and now, well, something seemed different. Plus, whenever she accidentally brushed against it, it felt incredibly warm.
Shaka let out a sigh, giving her cheek a light pinch. "Kikyo, you really don't realize your own charm, do you?"
As he continued massaging her smooth back, he spoke with a hint of helplessness. "I am a man, after all."
"But don't worry about it—it'll go away on its own in a bit."
Truth be told, Kikyo's bold warrior attire wasn't making things any easier for him. He hadn't been with a woman in over a year, so naturally, his body reacted. Still, he had his limits. He wasn't some noble gentleman, but he wasn't the type to take advantage of a patient either.
Kikyo blinked, her golden eyes filled with surprise. "Oh… so that's how it works?"
She looked at him curiously, then back down at the "tent" in question, fascinated. "I have heard that men's bodies are very different from women's… Is this part of that difference?"
Shaka groaned. "Hey, don't touch it!"
Thankfully, White Dragon was outside keeping watch. That creature was intelligent enough to understand human behavior, and the last thing he needed was its judgmental stare.
He considered whether he should find a female panda to keep White Dragon company. Now that he wasn't constantly on the run from the World Government, he could start thinking about things like that.
He had no intention of recruiting male crewmates—he wasn't trying to conquer the seas. He simply wanted to adventure freely with his close female companions. Becoming Pirate King or ruling the world had never interested him. If he'd wanted power, he wouldn't have abandoned the throne of the Land of Flowers in the first place.
That said, some problems were unavoidable, so raising a few powerful battle pets wouldn't be a bad idea.
Maybe he should visit Egghead Island and have a chat with Vegapunk about those Seraphim. Leaving such weapons in the hands of the World Government was a waste.
Kikyo, meanwhile, pulled her hand back quickly, her face bright red. "I-I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?"
Shaka sucked in a breath. "It's not pain, it's… never mind!"
He looked at her, stunned. Was she seriously this bold?
He had always assumed that this cold, disciplined warrior avoided men entirely.
Kikyo tilted her head. "Is it… a mushroom?"
She examined it thoughtfully. It did seem a little big.
Then, suddenly, she remembered something.
Once, she had overheard a conversation between some retired warriors from the Kuja Pirates. They had talked about men, mentioning that when they were excited, a certain mushroom would grow bigger.
And if one were to blow on it seriously, it would return to normal.
Did that mean… Shaka was excited?
"You've worked so hard massaging me, Lord Shaka," Kikyo said, hesitating only briefly before making up her mind.
"I'll help you too!"
Before Shaka could even react, she was already leaning forward—
And literally blowing air.
"Whoo… whoo…"
Shaka was speechless.
Watching this pure-hearted warrior—who clearly had no idea what she was doing—seriously blowing air on him…
Well.
Let's just say, his so-called "restraint" was now facing its greatest challenge.
Deep down, he sighed.
What officer could possibly endure such a test?
He took a deep breath and decided to guide her properly. "No, that's not how you do it… Get a little closer."
"Like this… Yes, but don't use too much force."
Kikyo, focused and determined, nodded and carefully followed his instructions.
Of course, Shaka wasn't about to let her effort go unrewarded. He flipped her over and continued his massage, exploring the incredible softness of her body.
He even used a special technique he had developed during his training in the great temples of the Land of Flowers—an art refined to perfection: The Lotus Finger Technique.
"Mmh… Lord Shaka…"
Kikyo trembled, her entire body going weak.
A suppressed, breathy sound escaped her lips, her muscles tensing involuntarily.
And then—
"drip, drip…"
"....."