"Lady Shalria, please! I beg you!"
"No! Please don't!"
Princess Anna, bound tightly to a torture rack, looked in horror at the branding iron in Shalria's hand. Her beautiful face was drained of color, etched with fear.
Her once-elegant dress was torn to shreds, and her entire body was marked with whip scars. It was obvious—Shalria had tormented her brutally.
"Hehe... Princess Anna, consider this my personal reward to you."
"What's the matter? Are you disobeying my orders now?"
Smiling, Shalria waved the branding iron just inches from Anna's delicate face.
"N-No... I wouldn't dare..."
Anna couldn't stop trembling, eyes fixed on the red-hot iron drifting near her skin.
Bang!
The room's door burst open as Sora walked in, holding two severed heads by their hair.
"Lady Shalria, I brought you a gift."
He tossed the heads of Roswald and Charloss directly at her feet.
"Father...!"
As Shalria stared at the heads of her father and brother, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the spot.
Anna fainted as well, the branding iron that clattered by her feet sending her into unconsciousness.
Tsk tsk tsk... these Celestial Dragons really are into messed-up games.
Sora glanced at the tied-up Anna with a look of intrigue. Her clothes were mostly shredded, though still covering the essentials. Her fair skin, lined with bloody lash marks, carried an unsettling, twisted allure.
[Name: Anna]
[Identity: Princess]
[Special Skill: None]
[Talent: Endurance]
[Favorability: -50]
[Combat Power: No Star Rating]
[Endurance: Doubles the duration of all abilities]
Sora checked her information, gave the unconscious girl a glance, and nodded.
"She really can endure."
And with her Endurance paired with his own "Mind Link" ability—reducing energy use, cooldowns, and extending durations—they would be an unbeatable combo.
Then he turned to look at the Celestial Dragon, Shalria.
[Name: Shalria]
[Identity: World Noble]
[Special Skill: Authoritative Discipline]
[Talent: None]
[Favorability: -200]
[Combat Power: No Star Rating]
[Authoritative Discipline: Forces submission over time from those lower in strength or status]
Tch. That's a damn good skill.
With my Crew-Crew Fruit, it's perfect for recruiting others to my side.
Sora smirked. Shalria was a canonical character, already a special crew candidate, but he hadn't expected Anna to meet the conditions too.
He left the palace briefly, stormed the Celestial Dragons' ship, and quickly eliminated the few guards remaining on board.
Then, Sora returned to the kingdom, heading for the second floor of the grand banquet hall.
"Let's see how effective this 'Instant Bond' thing really is..."
As Anna and Shalria slowly regained consciousness, Sora smiled faintly.
"You... You actually killed Celestial Dragons...?" Anna stared at the two severed heads in disbelief.
"So what if I did?"
Sora took a step toward her.
"No, please don't kill me!"
Staring at the blood-dripping sword in his hand, Anna's face went completely pale.
"Princess, if you want to live, you'll obey my every command. Got it?"
With one swing, Sora sliced through the chains binding her. Then, with a grin, he let the tip of his sword glide gently from her smooth throat downward.
"I'll obey! I'll do whatever you say!"
Anna shivered, nodding desperately.
"Anna, would you like to join my pirate crew? Become my subordinate?"
Sora asked with a chuckle. This was mandatory—only by joining could his Crew-Crew Fruit recognize her as an official crew member.
"I will!" Anna agreed immediately.
『Ding! Anna has joined the crew. The pirate crew is officially established. Please assign Anna's crew role.』
[Combatant / Cook / Doctor ... Servant]
"Servant."
Sora didn't hesitate.
"Now that the ceremony is done, let's move on to the real point of
'Instant Bond'..."
"You know what to do, don't you, Princess Anna?"
Sora sat on a nearby chair.
Anna's face went white as a sheet. Trembling, she crawled over to his feet on all fours.
Sora exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing with satisfaction.
Just this morning, she had looked at him like he was a worm. Proud and noble like a peacock. And now, here she was—groveling at his feet like a dog.
That feeling... was indescribably satisfying.
『Ding! Bond with Anna established. Gained ability: Endurance』
Sora blinked at the system message, then started laughing.
"So that's all it takes to form a bond, huh...?"
"Well then, my path forward is crystal clear."
"Robin... Nami... Hancock, Tashigi, Yamato, Smoothie..."
He thought of all the powerful and alluring women in the One Piece world, and couldn't help but grin.
He gently nudged Anna aside and walked over to the unconscious Shalria.
If intimacy with Anna could form a bond, then there was no way he'd let a Celestial Dragon like Shalria get away.
Her skill was way too compatible with his fruit. He had to have it.
Raising his hand—
Smack! Smack!
Two crisp slaps landed on Shalria's cheeks, leaving clear red prints.
Anna trembled beside him, then quickly grabbed Sora's discarded cloak and wrapped it around herself.
When she saw the slap marks on Shalria's face—remembering what Shalria had just done to her—Anna felt a surge of twisted satisfaction.
『Ding! Anna's favorability +10. Current: 10. HP Regen +1/hr』
Sora narrowed his eyes and delivered another pair of fierce slaps.
『Ding! Anna's favorability +5. Current: 15. HP Regen +1/hr』
"Ugh..."
Shalria groaned, woke up, turned her head—
—and fainted once more at the sight of her father and brother's severed heads.
Sora raised his hand again.
Smack! Smack!
『Ding! Anna's favorability +3. Current: 18. HP Regen +1/hr』
Shalria stirred again.
Smack! Smack!
『Ding! Anna's favorability +2. Current: 20. HP Regen +2/hr』
Shalria: "..."
Dazed, she held her face, completely shocked by the repeated slaps.
"Aah... Please... don't hit me again."
Seeing Sora's hand raise once more, she crumbled to her knees, pleading.
"Shalria, would you like to join my pirate crew?"
Sora gently tapped her cheek with the flat of his blade, smiling just like she had when holding the branding iron to Anna's face.
"I... I will!"
Terrified by the sword dancing over her skin, Shalria nodded frantically.
『Ding! Shalria has joined the crew. Please assign Shalria's crew role.』
Again, Sora chose Servant.
That role suited the fall of a princess and a former world noble best.
"Here, this special collar's for you."
He took a collar nearby and fastened it around Shalria's neck. She shivered, not daring to resist.
Then Anna rushed over, holding Shalria down as she eagerly shouted:
"My lord, let me help you!"
Sora: "..."