A Sleepless Night.
Time swiftly rolled into the next morning.
Sunlight poured into the spacious room, bathing it in a golden glow.
*Puru puru puru…*
The sound of a Den Den Mushi rang out.
Before long, a large hand picked it up.
“Who’s this?” Vir’s voice came through, tinged with irritation.
“Is that Vir?” A robust, energetic voice responded from the other end.
The moment Vir heard it, he snapped awake.
Though Golden Lion hadn’t appeared much in the story, his voice wasn’t unfamiliar to Vir.
So, he’s already here?
That was fast.
“It’s me.” Vir replied.
“This is Golden Lion speaking. I’m guessing that old geezer Whitebeard already filled you in. I can see Amazon Lily now—probably ten minutes out from landing.”
Shiki spoke politely, not a trace of the domineering attitude you’d expect from a top-tier powerhouse. But that made sense. When you’re seeking medical help, acting high and mighty doesn’t exactly win you favors. And Vir? He wasn’t one to roll over just because someone was strong.
“Got it. Don’t stir up trouble with the locals. Head straight to the tallest building on the island. I’ll be waiting.” Vir said, then hung up.
Shiki looked at the Den Den Mushi, its head now drooping, and didn’t think much of it. A doctor of this caliber having a bit of an attitude? That’s just par for the course. Whitebeard himself had been tamed by the guy, so a little courtesy wouldn’t hurt.
But someone wasn’t pleased.
“Who does this guy think he is? Does he even know who he’s talking to?” Behind Shiki stood a curvaceous young woman with striking features—though a bit on the short side.
They were floating a thousand meters in the sky, speeding toward Amazon Lily.
That young woman was Jina, a veteran crewmate who’d been with Shiki since she was two years old.
Loyal to a fault and practically worshipping the man, she was also the ship’s doctor for the Golden Lion Pirates. That was the main reason Shiki brought her along—to learn something.
Even if she couldn’t grasp a medical technique of that level just by watching, getting some exposure and building a connection with this doctor couldn’t hurt.
“Jina, I didn’t bring you here to pick fights with the doctor. If you’re here to learn, act like it.” Shiki said with a generous tone.
“The guy’s got skills, so he’s got the right to be a little cocky. Besides, he didn’t say anything out of line.” He chuckled, entirely unbothered.
A man who once tried to recruit Roger and stormed Marineford alone for him wasn’t the petty type.
If anything, he found Vir interesting.
If the chance came, he’d definitely try to recruit him.
But Jina didn’t share his perspective.
“I still can’t stand people like that! Acting all high and mighty just because someone needs him. How good can his medical skills really be?”
“Jihahaha! And yet, he’s the one who managed to fix up Whitebeard.” Shiki only laughed harder.
“Remember when we saw that old man? You said no one in the world could heal him.”
“But that kid did it.”
“Recognizing your own limits and learning from others is how you grow. Criticizing others just for their attitude? That’s a bad habit.”
Puffing on his cigar, Shiki spoke with amusement.
His tone suggested Jina wasn’t just the ship’s doctor. It was almost fatherly, like he was lecturing a daughter. Jina, though still miffed, didn’t argue back.
“Hmph. Fine. Let’s see if he’s really as amazing as they say.” she muttered, falling silent.
Shiki just smiled, saying no more.
Jina was practically his adopted daughter, much like Ace was to Garp.
He’d found her over a decade ago—abandoned, for reasons unknown.
Maybe it was the emptiness after Roger’s death that made him keep her.
Whatever the reason, she stayed.
And now, at twenty, she was a skilled doctor and a capable fighter—nearly on par with a Marine Vice Admiral.
Rare for a ship doctor.
Her medical studies had always been for one purpose: to cure Golden Lion.
But now, someone else had taken that role.
While good for him, it left her bitter.
And this guy’s arrogance, acting like he was above everyone?
If she got the chance, she’d teach him a lesson.
Even if her medical skills didn’t measure up, she’d settle it with a fight. A spar, a beatdown—whatever it took.
Clearly, this sky-dwelling doctor hadn’t caught up on the latest news from the seas…
Back in Hancock’s room, Vir hung up the Den Den Mushi and rose from the sofa.
He stretched, his joints cracking like firecrackers.
*Crack! Crack! Crack!*
Each sound was a testament to the previous night’s hardships.
He glanced over.
On the comfy bed lay a graceful figure, lounging lazily.
Her eyes were gently closed, but the trembling eyelashes and uneven breathing gave her away.
She wasn’t asleep.
Last night had been… complicated.
Hancock had walked in on Vir fresh out of the bath.
Vir, in turn, had caught Hancock holding her undergarments.
Awkward, to say the least.
Both seemed to forget whose room this was, leading to the awkward encounter.
Seeing the white undergarment in Hancock’s hand, Vir couldn’t help but blush.
Is this how you test a man’s willpower?
What kind of man could resist—no, wait, what kind of man couldn’t resist this?!
Sure, he’d caught a glimpse of Hancock’s upper half before—but back then, the mood hadn’t been like this.
Now, though?
The vibe was all wrong.
Middle of the night, a man and a woman—one shirtless, the other… indescribable.
Under these circumstances, Vir’s sturdy physique failed him.
Pathetically, his nose started bleeding.
A quick intravenous injection from his nearby medical kit was the only thing that saved him.
In the end, there was no helping it.
This was Hancock’s room.
What could he do?
Let her have the bed.
(Though the way she looked at him suggested an invitation to share it.)
But he had work tomorrow.
If he climbed into that bed, sleep would be the last thing on his mind.
Even if he passed one test, what about the next one? And the one after that?
Reluctantly, Vir gave up the comfy bed for the sofa.
He thought that would let him catch some rest.
But then…
Hancock came out of her bath wrapped only in a towel, and his brain nearly short-circuited.
Sleep? What sleep?
The test was getting out of hand.
To make matters worse, she seemed too shy to change into pajamas with him there.
So, she just… didn’t.
Slipping the towel off under the covers, she made no further moves.
Hiss~
Playing that bold, huh?
And he couldn’t shake the feeling of danger all night.
Like if he actually fell asleep, he’d wake up to something terrifying.
Like someone was watching him.
And so, the tragic result:
He spent the entire night wide awake on that damn sofa.
Sleepless night? That was no exaggeration.
Looking back, he should’ve just taken the bed…