I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 297 Who do you think I am? Move the boat closer!

In the bathroom.

The sound of gurgling water could be heard.

Hikaru Uchiha sat under the showerhead, glancing to his side through the reflection in the tiles.

From this angle, she could clearly see Esdeath's fair and tall body, which was faintly visible in the misty fog, presenting a texture like white jade carving, making it unforgettable.

"Hmm? Is everything ready?"

Esdeath seemed to notice her gaze and turned to look at her.

With this movement, her body was exposed to Uchiha Hikaru, making her curves even more pronounced.

"Then sit down. I'll help you rub your back first, and then you can help me later."

"……good."

Uchiha Hikaru sat down on the stool as instructed, with his back to Esdeath, and his movements looked very obedient.

It's not that she hadn't bathed with Esdeath before, but back then, "bathing" was just a literal term; it meant that the two of them would sit in one pool and soak separately, which wasn't much different from a modern public bathhouse.

But now...

This was the first time for her to engage in such a close gesture as helping each other scrub their backs.

especially……

As Esdeath bent down, Uchiha Hikaru felt a warm touch on his shoulders and back, causing him to instinctively shudder and arch his back.

"call……"

Esdeath placed her left hand, which wasn't wrapped in a towel, on Uchiha Hikaru's shoulder and gently breathed into her ear, feeling a slight tickle: "Relax a little, Hikaru-sama, this isn't a battlefield... But it's quite rare to see you so tense. Compared to usual, you seem to have become a little cuter."

"...What do you mean by cute or not? You're talking like a little kid."

As Uchiha Hikaru spoke, he carefully relaxed his body.

Her intention was to avoid extensive physical contact.

But Esdeath seemed to lean forward deliberately, and the soft, smooth touch that followed made Hikaru Uchiha's relaxed body tense up again, and his heartbeat quickened a few beats.

then.

Then Esdeath's voice rang in her ears: "He does look quite small, like a boy."

"?"

Uchiha Hikaru glanced back, then followed Esdeath's gaze to his own chest, his lips twitching slightly: "If that part gets too big, it'll probably affect my movement... But if it's on someone else, then it doesn't matter."

A larger size might look better. Like Esdeath.

He paused for a moment.

As if possessed, Uchiha Hikaru suddenly spoke again, "If I were a boy, would Ai think it would be better?"

"Um?"

This time, Esdeath paused slightly, then smiled: "Maybe. But... for me right now, even girls aren't necessarily an option."

"?!"

Uchiha Hikaru's eyes widened in surprise as he turned to look at Esdeath.

The latter was also looking at her.

Eyes facing each other.

The atmosphere around them suddenly quieted down, even the sound of rushing water stopped abruptly. In this small, enclosed space, the two people's breathing and heartbeats became more and more distinct, and a romantic atmosphere quietly brewed, as if tinging the air with a layer of cherry blossom pink.

for a long time.

Uchiha Hikaru suddenly came to his senses and coughed awkwardly, "Um... the water's getting cold, it's my turn to scrub your back."

"……Um."

Esdeath nodded, her gaze lingering on her face for a few more seconds, before untying the towel and handing it to her. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Hikaru-sama."

……

Uchiha Hikaru and Esdeath took a little too long to bathe.

After they dried themselves off and came out, Akame and Leone went in and spent about ten minutes washing themselves.

Erii then took a shower alone. Forty minutes into her shower, Uchiha Hikaru barged in and pulled her out—the girl was still obsessed with her little yellow duck; despite not having a bathtub, she had managed to create a puddle under the showerhead and played with her duck for ages. If Uchiha Hikaru hadn't come in, she probably could have entertained herself for another hour.

After everyone had washed up and changed into clean clothes...

Uchiha Hikaru and the others came out of the gravity training room and returned to the deck to get some fresh air.

At this moment, Kikyo and Miko had already set up tables and chairs on the deck, and placed various fruit juices, drinks, snacks and desserts on them, inviting everyone to come and enjoy them.

Not all of this food was prepared by Bulma.

Some of the other items were bought and brought over by Miko and the others when they came from their respective worlds, so even Uchiha Hikaru hadn't tasted them all. This was quite an eye-opening experience for him.

In this process.

The Blue Planet sailed towards a certain direction in the depths of the ocean.

……

"Reporting to Lord Jack, we have spotted an unfamiliar ship ahead. The flag on board is one we've never seen before; it must belong to another pirate crew!"

On the sea.

On a huge wooden sailboat.

The burly man called "Jack" raised his eyelids and glanced at the crew members who came to report to him.

He was quite tall.

Standing over 8 meters tall, he stands out even among the Beast Pirates, whose average height is 3 meters. With his bulging muscles and two pairs of lifelike ivory ornaments on his head and shoulders, he looks like a colossal mammoth, inspiring awe in all who behold him.

now.

Jack frowned.

"We're almost at Wano Country, how come there's another pirate crew we've never seen before... Can you see who's on that ship?"

"...There were quite a few people on their deck, seemingly having an outdoor meal, most of them women and children."

The crew member's tone was tinged with doubt as he said this.

Other ships do not appear frequently in this area, but they do appear occasionally. Those who are able to sail to this point on the Grand Line are basically established pirate crews, or at the very least, rising stars with considerable strength—such as Gecko Moria, who led his crew to challenge the Yonko Kaido.

A ship with the vast majority of its crew being women is truly rare.

"Lord Jack, should we go around them?"

"This ship seems a bit strange. Lord Kaido's orders to us are to return to Wano Country as soon as possible. It's best not to cause any unnecessary trouble at this time..."

The crew member asked a question tentatively.

"Avoid them?"

Jack snorted and then yelled, "Who do you think I am? Move the boat closer!"

(End of this chapter)