One Piece : Strongest Vice-Captain Mr. 3!

Squinting in the weak moonlight, he saw a uniquely shaped, adorably expressioned Kung-Fu Dugongs!

Ding ding ding!

Quickly, Mr. 3 rang the bicycle bell.

The dazed Kung-Fu Dugongs, emerging from the water, was drawn to the sudden sound. It slowly turned its neck and saw the approaching bicycle.

Perhaps it never expected to see a bicycle on the water, as it blinked its big round eyes in confusion and stood there in a daze.

It wasn't until the wax pathway came closer, and the bicycle wheel was about to roll over its face, that the slow-reacting Kung-Fu Dugongs finally snapped to attention, its eyes bulging and mouth agape: (/?Д?)/?!!

In a panic, the creature dove back into the sea at the last moment, narrowly escaping disaster.

"Ah, my apologies, Mr. Kung-Fu Dugongs!" 

Mr. 3 turned around and called out to the Kung-Fu Dugongs, who had just resurfaced.

Gurgle, gurgle!

The Kung-Fu Dugongs pouted, its mouth opening and closing rapidly, splashing water with its little hands in an exaggerated display of frustration.

"I'm very glad to have your forgiveness. I'll be more careful next time," Mr. 3 replied nonchalantly, not really understanding what the Kung-Fu Dugongs was saying.

Kung-Fu Dugongs: What the heck!!!

"Hahaha, I appreciate your good intentions, and I look forward to our next meeting!"

Feeling the silent fury of the Kung-Fu Dugongs, Mr. 3 was in high spirits, whistling as he rode his bicycle back to the candlelit platform where this all began.

"Mr. 3, should I say you're just bored out of your mind, or that you have a rather relaxed demeanor, riding a bicycle out here on the ocean in the middle of the night?"

Just as Mr. 3 dismounted his bike from the sea, a sultry voice floated from a small merchant ship.

Following the sound, he saw Hancock leaning against the railing in her black and purple robe, her beautiful eyes cast downward, a playful expression dancing on her face.

Swish.

A gust of sea breeze swept in from the distant coastline, lifting Hancock's long, lustrous black hair.

Under the bright moonlight, a beauty that was hard to describe filled Mr. 3's vision; no wonder she was known as the most beautiful woman in the pirate world!

However, the atmosphere was tinged with a hint of awkwardness.

"Well, I'll just say it outright," Hancock said, lifting her hand to tidy her tousled hair, her lovely face filled with disdain. "Mr. 3, your head seems to be a bit messed up."

Mr. 3 scratched his head, ignoring Hancock's jibe and forced a laugh. "Ah, ah ha, Hancock! You can't sleep either? Out here on the deck so late enjoying the sea breeze?"

"Riding a bicycle on the sea in the middle of the night and almost colliding with a Kung-Fu Dugongs—Mr. 3, your head really does seem to be a bit messed up."

Hancock's expression was flat, her snake-shaped earrings swaying in the wind, showing no intention of responding to his greeting.

So why emphasize the same point again…?

Mr. 3 felt helpless; if it were anyone else joking like that, he would've slapped them across the face by now.

But unfortunately, the person in front of him was the Pirate Empress, Hancock, and he couldn't fight back.

Fully aware that his actions must look quite strange to others, Mr. 3 decided not to play coy any longer and activated his powers to lift his bike off the water.

Gugugu.

The solid wax candle beneath him quickly rose, lifting both him and the bicycle over the railing of the small merchant ship and bringing them to the deck in front of Hancock.

"As you can see, Hancock, I'm conducting special training overnight to prepare for tomorrow's battle at Karai Bari Island," Mr. 3 said earnestly.

"Special training?" 

Hancock's gaze shifted to the ordinary sea bicycle. "You don't mean to say you're just going for a leisurely ride, right?" 

She clearly recognized the bicycle, which looked almost identical to that of the former Marine Admiral Aokiji.

As a Warlord of the Sea, it was only natural for her to have encountered Marine Admirals frequently, allowing her to identify it without difficulty.

"You don't understand; this helps sharpen my fruit manipulation skills and speeds up the awakening of my abilities," Mr. 3 explained seriously.

This was the truth.

Of course, he couldn't divulge the secret benefits of stamina recovery and experience boosts that came with the system's reward bicycle.

Seeing he wasn't joking, Hancock withdrew her gaze, her tone a mix of seven parts doubt and three parts curiosity. "Why is it that you, a user of Conqueror's Haki and the most qualified ruler of this sea, are always imitating the Marines?"

Whether it was the candle's powerful flame akin to Akainu's techniques or riding a bicycle on the sea like Aokiji, Hancock found it difficult to understand how another user of Conqueror's Haki would do such things.

Strong users of Conqueror's Haki were undoubtedly proud and domineering figures, and for them, learning to imitate others was almost a disgrace.

After all, there was no real need for it!

"Isn't it obvious? Marine Admirals represent the highest combat strength of the Marine Headquarters. If I can gain insights from their techniques and lifestyle, improving myself and avoiding unnecessary detours, why wouldn't I do it?" Mr. 3 answered without hesitation. 

"Akainu's lava attacks are devastating, and Aokiji's cycling builds both my fruit abilities and mental fortitude. That's the fundamental reason for my imitation!"

"Because it's advantageous, there's no such thing as shame…" 

Hancock lowered her head in thought.

The Mr. 3 before her was different from all the Conqueror's Haki users she had encountered.

He possessed the tenacity of a king while also exhibiting the cunning of a commoner. He could sincerely apologize to a Kung-Fu Dugongs, showing no prideful stubbornness typical of Conqueror's Haki users, and was not fixated on the trivial…

Such a person might not become a hero, but he was undoubtedly a terrifyingly formidable figure, more fearsome than any hero!

As she looked at Mr. 3 again, Hancock felt a hint of wariness in her eyes.

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