Chapter 227

The Mark-Mark Fruit is BUG-tier...

But it requires "personally" touching the item to lock on, and "personally" throwing it for the effect to activate.

With Usopp being that weakling......

How could he possibly get close to an enemy just to touch them, all for the sake of activating the Mark-Mark Fruit?

On the contrary......

The Straw Hat Pirates do have someone who can touch whoever they want, whenever they want!

It's......

Robin!

The Flower-Flower Fruit can sprout limbs on any target within line of sight. Paired with the Mark-Mark Fruit, anywhere the eyes can reach—those little hands just need a touch to lock on.

It can even remotely push objects, hurling them toward the target!

If she were to awaken Observation Haki on top of that......

"Tch!"

"Combining multiple Devil Fruits really is delightful!"

"But how do I lure out Vander Decken IX?"

That guy has been hiding in the deep sea for years to avoid Long Gong's retaliation. The Straw Hat Pirates' two trips back and forth never ran into him, apparently.

Consider it his good luck.

Unfortunately, Ma Di still noticed him.

"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?" Boa Hancock draped herself over him: "You can tell me, let this concubine share your worries."

"Huh? Oh! Got it!"

Seeing Hancock,

Sima Di suddenly thought of a plan—a beauty trap!

No, wait!

A mermaid trap.

Vander Decken IX's jealousy and possessiveness are extreme. As long as he takes Bai Xing out for a stroll a few times, that guy definitely won't be able to resist making a move.

And by following the trajectory of the item, he can pinpoint Vander Decken IX's approximate location.

The rest can be left to Jinbe—that rat hiding in the shadows is nothing special in terms of actual combat power.

As for him......

Didn't he say he wanted to taste a mermaid?

The mermaid Princess would be perfect!

Sima Di looked at Hancock and smacked a kiss on her.

"You really are my lucky star!"

"Being able to share Your Majesty's burdens is this concubine's honor." Hancock blushed.

Robin off to the side just watched with amusement, but Vivi seemed a bit displeased.

Clearly the new little sister wasn't winning her favor.

Robin noticed this, lost in thought.

"Emperor, let's go check over there." Robin said, taking Vivi's arm.

"Eh?" Vivi was startled.

Why the sudden need to walk off alone?

But once Sima Di nodded, Robin just pulled her away without giving her a chance to refuse.

Once they were far enough,

Vivi finally caught on and grumbled: "Robin sis! Just leaving Emperor alone with that arrogant woman like that—be careful or Emperor will be stolen away!"

This was a bid for "favor."

Robin, however, looked at Vivi gently and said: "Vivi, you should know that someone as outstanding as Emperor will inevitably have more than just the two of us."

Vivi fell silent.

After a while,

She still stubbornly said: "If it were Robin sis, or even Nami sis, I could accept it! But Hancock... I just don't like her!"

"But Emperor likes her." Robin said softly: "If you throw a tantrum like this, are you trying to make Emperor choose between you and Hancock?"

Vivi fell silent again.

Force Sima Di to make a choice?

For Sima Di, who yields to softness but not to force, the result would probably be......

"Since you chose someone outstanding, you have to learn to compromise." Robin said again: "When I accepted Emperor, I already understood this principle."

"Emperor won't belong to just me alone, so I have to work hard to become better, stronger, to make myself the irreplaceable one."

"Just like how I once accepted you, now you must accept Hancock, and whoever else may come after."

"Understand?"

Vivi was silent for a long time.

In the end, she nodded heavily, her eyes full of resolve!

Hancock?

I can accept you, but I will definitely surpass you!

In the distance,

Sima Di, who had his spiritual sense scanning on, nodded with great satisfaction.

Robin, as he personally appointed "Empress of the Harem," immediately defused the budding conflict.

It saved Sima Di a great deal of effort.

"This world... is truly beautiful," Sima Di mused.

He glanced at HancocK, knowing from her expression that she was also listening with Observation Haki.

"HancocK, you heard that too—get along well with Vivi from now on," Sima Di said.

"Hmph! I'm not unreasonable—it was that girl who provoked me first!" HancocK sneered.

But she had essentially agreed.

When Robin and Vivi returned, the earlier tense atmosphere vanished; though still a bit stiff, with Robin present, harmony would soon follow.

"Boom—"

A building farther off collapsed—it was Jinbe and Hody fighting.

Sima Di had kept his spiritual sense scanning and had seen firsthand how cunning Hody was: the moment Jinbe appeared, he swallowed a "E?" pill.

That was why the commotion had become so loud.

But against the combination of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Jinbe, and the Devil Surgeon Kurokasi, it was merely futile struggle.

He stopped paying attention.

Sima Di led the three women toward a distant shopping street, where the sight of coral, fish-men, and mermaids was delightfully soothing.

The only drawback was...

He hadn't checked in at any iconic scene.

But...

"These shell earrings are so beautiful—they suit Vivi's skin tone perfectly."

"HancocK, these pearl earrings match your elegance perfectly."

"This swimsuit is quite nice—should we three buy the same design?"

"This pajama..."

Robin, as the "Empress," actively livened the mood, encouraging interaction between Vivi and HancocK.

Sima Di watched with a smile, both visually pleasing and deeply satisfying.

Robin's mature wisdom,

Vivi's youthful radiance,

HancocK's noble grace.

All were top-tier beauties—and now all belonged to him alone!

When they had played enough, the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates had also finished their business.