[141] Fight For Authority (1)

Chapter 141: Fight For Authority (1)

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Birds chirped and the wind gently blew her hair, the atmosphere was full of the smell of sunflowers. Tsunade sipped tea as she sat outside the wooden hut, behind a small round table with her brother sitting beside her.

Marianne was there too, silent and looking to the side, avoiding meeting gazes with the other two, as she sipped tea.

"Hmm," Hashirama was done with his tea, he drank it a bit too fast and his tongue was burned, though it healed right away. Now he had his head tilted and resting on his hand and stared at his sister in silence.

"How did you grow taller?" He asked, "I was really confident that I would be taller than you since we were the same height last time. How does a woman in her 30s grow two more inches? Unbelievable."

Hashirama stood at 6 feet 2.5 inches, while she stood at the same height as Hancock, at 6 feet and 3 inches. Remembering Hancock, he suddenly blinked.

"It's most likely related to marine training and the food. The food I ate in the last few years was not only tasty but also filled with so much nutrition." She revealed her guess. "There are ten-foot-tall humans working in the marines; Garp is nine feet something, for example. In this world, we humans can surpass our limits if we train and fight hard. Look at me, I was certain for a long time that I wasn't born with Conqueror's Haki, but here we are."

"That makes sense. The limit of biology can be overpowered with training." He said, and for some reason, Marianne snapped her head to look at him right away. "What?"

"It's nothing," she said before she bit her lip and quickly added, "Well you are born with a lottery of a body, it feels privileged talk when you say stuff like that. Though I am sure you didn't mean it like that."

He smiled widely. "I didn't? Maybe." Then he turned back to Tsunade. "Let's forget this subject, where is Hancock?"

They were just burning time, really, there was no worth or cause behind the topics of conversation they'd been indulging in the past few minutes. Now, he was interested in something more important.

"Hancock? Right," Tsunade took a breath in and called out. "Hancock, Shira is looking for you!"

"Where?!" There was not a second of delay before the door of the hut behind them burst open and a tall woman poked her head out. 

Boa Hancock, dressed in her purple and black qipao dress, leaped towards the table and threw herself on Hashirama's back. She put her arms around his neck from behind and smiled with her eyes closed.

"I saw his severed wings when I woke up, honey, it was so satisfying!" She referred to King the Wildfire's Lunarian wings that were cut and Hashirama carried them to the hut. "As expected of my honey, you're always there to avenge me~ kyah! Are you hurt anywhere?"

"He healed himself," Tsunade replied in his stead, for some reason. Sipping tea and staring at her with perplexed eyes. "I never thought I'd see this side of you, Hancock."

Hancock blinked, tilting her head, and then flinched. Her face went red and she hid it behind his head. "..."

Tsunade put her chin in her hand and let out a laugh. "Thanks for taking care of him for the past few weeks. Though be careful, don't let him play with your heart."

"What? I don't play hearts," he said with an offended frown, as he put his arm up to hold her shoulders, and then yanked her around. He put her on his lap, her head inclined on his arm. "She's a cute little girl in the body of a big woman, how can I play with her heart?"

"..." Hancock looked at him with a blush, before revealing a smile and throwing her arms around his neck. She buried her face on his chest. "Mhm…"

"Unbelievable, the Fleet Admiral would have ripped all of his hair out if he saw that annoying woman be dealt with like a baby," Tsunade stared at the scene with genuine astonishment. "No wonder Vivi was ready to attack you. By the way, have you met up with her yet?"

"No," Hashirama cleared his throat. "I'll go talk to her now. Where is she?"

"I talked to her earlier, at least she won't attack you outright if you go meet her now, but still be careful of what you say. Because while I want to say that my brother is an angel who nobody should harm, it's true that you're at fault for going after so many women without handling them properly."

Hancock's arm lock around his neck grew a little tighter than before, but she said nothing. Because when it came to him, the World's Most Beautiful Woman didn't feel very confident. So she just stayed silent as he got up and placed her on the chair.

"So where is she?" Hashirama asked and was promptly given an answer. He nodded and took off to the air, rushing away from the Flower Hill.

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Hashirama found Vivi in a part of the city that was ruined by battle. New, temporary homes made of wood, leaves, and branches filled the landscape now. People needed a place to stay until their homes were built properly, and so did the guests who were residing in the country.

Of course, Vivi wasn't staying in this shabby place. No matter the case, she was still the Princess of Alabasta, she was never disowned, and she was even one of the major fighters in the war. The Royal Family of Dressrosa was bound to show her respect, and so she lived in a mansion shared by the rest of the Senju Pirates, and she was only here for personal reasons.

The Happo Navy was staying in this place, and currently a very loud commotion was ongoing. Vivi was the judge of it all, as she sat on a chair and sipped tea, watching two people duel out their rage and desperation.

"She's holding off pretty well," Hashirama landed right beside Vivi and said, startling her for a bit, causing her to choke on the tea and start to cough. 

She glared at him when she regained her composure, wiping her lips and frowning. She pouted and looked away, "Who're you? This place isn't for outsiders."

Vivi wore short jeans coupled with a denim jacket, with a white tee under it. She looked quite eye-catching in these clothes that she didn't get to wear as a princess.

[Image Here]

"What a heartless princess," Hashirama tapped his feet as the chair space under her butt expanded. He slumped to her side. "I'm not a stranger, I'm here to watch my friend's match."

He pointed at the fight that was happening in front of them, in an area that was really just an open space between all these houses. Don Chinjao was clashing with all he had against Beidou, his expression full of rage while Beidou only tried to survive.

Of course, Hashirama was lying when he said he was here to watch the fight. He didn't even know something like this was happening.

There were a lot of spectators too, there was even the 'yes girl' from the now-ruined Donquixote Pirates. Baby 5, who now stood beside Sai and watched the scene in horror. 

When he picked up Sugar and Senor Pink, Sai came to beg him to save Baby 5 as well. It seemed that while Hashirama was busy with his troubles, some things had gone according to canon. Like Sai and Baby 5 falling for each other. Hashirama agreed to the request only because Baby 5 was just a crime tool instead of a criminal; she was the gun that Doflamingo shot people with, a person with a mental illness like hers couldn't be blamed for anything.

Hashirama, as Ra, had met many people like her in his previous lives. Most assassins were trained to be tools, though he didn't feel any pity towards them. If he met Baby 5 first, he might have tried helping her, but they didn't have any connection right now.

That was not the main situation though, the main situation was the duel ahead.

"Yeah, sure you are," Vivi pretended that his reasoning made sense and looked at the match. "Don Chinjao vowed to serve me after I accidentally fixed his head. I told him to not bother Beidou during the war since she was fighting for us, too. However, now that it ended, he came to me with a request to duel it out with her. I would have rejected it, but Beidou accepted it. She said she had run enough and it was time to face reality, so here I am, acting as the judge."

She explained a bit more. Don Chinjao wanted to personally fight Beidou, and in his arrogance, he bet that he'd make her the Clan Head instead of Sai if she won, and she gladly accepted. Sai didn't object as he knew that if his sister could truly beat their grandfather, then she was suited to be the leader more than him.

"Mhm," Hashirama supposed that made sense. Looking at her, he was surprised to see how well she fared. She has grown stronger in the war, she wasn't this strong before. "Good for her, I guess. But really, Chinjao vowed to you? What are you going to do with them after this?"

"None of your business," she snapped at him and sipped tea.

'How cold.' Hashirama tilted his head and watched the match. 'They became a part of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet in the original timeline. If Beidou wins, Chinjao's promise to Vivi won't hold. Then should I try to persuade her to officially join under me? I don't like big groups, but I'll need a fleet if I want to grow my authority and become an Emperor in the future.'

Deciding that, Hashirama watched the fight for a bit longer. Sadly, while Beidou was no pushover and had grown quite strong, she wasn't going to win at that rate. In that case, his plans won't come to fruition.

Vivi was currently annoyed at him, so she might not listen to him if he told her to make the Happo Navy subordinate to the Senju Pirates. She might rather send them to protect Alabasta. No, even if she did listen and ask them to raise the Senju flag, they would be loyal to her, and not him, who was the captain. Which might be troublesome in the future.

"Hmm, alright then." Hashirama decided. And stepped into the arena.

"Shirara, what are you doing?" Vivi called with a frown, putting her cup down.

At the same time, the others finally noticed him. Beidou turned to him first, "W-what? Hashirama?" 

Her body was filled with bruises and her eyes were half closed, the same eyes that locked on the sword on his shoulder and widened. "Oh shit. Run."

"Huh—?" Don Chinjao looked at him and then at the sword on his back. "The Savior of Dressrosa? He's the one whom you gave our sword to!?"

Vivi got up right away, opening her mouth and about to order Chinjao to stay put, to not attack him. 

However, Hashirama spoke first. He raised his arms and pointed at the people around him. "Old man, let's expand on this duel. If you guys win, I'll give back the sword, apologize, and even return Beidou to your clan. But if I win, you'll shut up and let me keep the sword and Beidou will become the Matriarch of Chinjo Clan. On top of that, I'll also take the authority Vivi has over you, I'll be your official superior instead of her."

He added, "As for the flight's procedure, I will fight beside Beidou and you can take anyone in your team, like your grandsons for example. Vivi can come fight for your team too, since even if she is technically my subordinate, it's her authority that's at stake here. I'll let her fight for it."

Vivi, who had opened her mouth to reject the idea from the get-go, closed her lips upon hearing the last line. 

She frowned. "Y-you… Wow, Hashirama! Did you just call me your subordinate?!" She was mad, "Fine, old Chinjao, don't let your pride get in your way, this bastard isn't weak. So call your grandsons, we'll team up against him."

Being his childhood friend and lover, she naturally felt enraged at his words. He didn't really mean them, but by paper it was true, she had to understand that. Regardless, since she must be wanting to beat him due to his recent actions, he had decided himself to give her the chance. So, just as he had expected, she accepted the proposal, and Don Chinjao lowered his head and nodded too, as he had sworn loyalty to her and wouldn't reject an order.

Just like Hashirama planned, the enemy number grew while he patted the injured Beidou's back and told her to stay on the sidelines.

"Why am I not surprised that I have no say in this?" Beidou sighed.

"Just be grateful, damn."

Hashirama rolled his shoulders as he said with a laugh. He decided to flex a little, to make these people realize who they'll be serving under from now on.

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