[OP Marine Officer Luffy] Chapter 466- 470

Chapter 466: Alpha's Unexpected Victory

Alpha folded her arms across her chest and raised her chin proudly, projecting an image of absolute confidence. But her occasional glances in Luffy's direction and the nervous tapping of her fingers betrayed her inner anxiety.

While she genuinely believed in Vegapunk's capabilities, the unanimous opposition from everyone—including her own sister and Luffy—had planted seeds of doubt in her mind. However, these uncertainties were swiftly dispelled the moment Vegapunk delivered his answer.

"Well, this is a little difficult," Vegapunk's voice crackled through the Den Den Mushi, "but if we have all the necessary equipment, it's not impossible to accomplish."

"See, even Dr. Vegapunk—" Luffy began, preparing to announce Alpha's defeat, but his words died in his throat.

His entire body went rigid, and his eyes widened in shock as he stared at the transponder snail in disbelief.

"Doctor, what did you just say? Could you repeat that?!" Luffy exclaimed, suddenly animated.

Vegapunk sounded slightly confused by Luffy's reaction, but he clarified nonetheless: "It's no problem. During my research on transferring Devil Fruit powers to objects, I discovered a viable method for extraction as well. I don't currently have the apparatus to implement this technology, so constructing it would require some time, but the theory is sound."

It wasn't just Luffy anymore—everyone except Alpha sat frozen in place, as if they'd been petrified by the Mero Mero no Mi.

In the stunned silence, Alpha leapt from her seat with a jubilant shout, pumping her fist triumphantly.

"YES! I was right! I won the bet!" she cheered, dancing around the table before snatching the Den Den Mushi from Luffy's slack grip.

Vegapunk, still unaware of the context surrounding his revelation, continued to explain: "You start capturing pirates with Devil Fruit abilities. I can definitely assist with this project."

"Thank you, Doctor! You're absolutely brilliant!" Alpha gushed.

"What's going on? Why this sudden interest in Devil Fruit extraction?" Vegapunk inquired, perplexed.

Alpha's smile turned smugly victorious, but she kept the details of their wager to herself. "Never mind that. You wouldn't understand even if I explained. Just focus on preparing whatever you need for the extraction process. We'll capture someone with Devil Fruit powers and contact you when we're ready."

"I understand," Vegapunk replied. "But before you go, there's one condition."

His tone shifted to something more serious. "What about Luffy? Tell him I can build this extraction device for you, but in the interests of scientific advancement, he needs to reconsider my proposal. I can modify the arrangement entirely according to his preferences to minimize any discomfort. If he agrees to this, I'll begin work on your extraction device immediately."

"You mean about Lilith, right?" Alpha responded without hesitation. "I accept on his behalf. I look forward to your good news, Doctor!"

Click.

With their terms established, Alpha ended the call. She turned to face the table of astonished faces, strutting back to her seat with the swagger of a conquering hero.

She clapped her hands loudly to recapture everyone's attention. When she was met with stunned silence, her lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Why so quiet? Yamato, you were laughing so happily before. Keep laughing now!" she taunted.

Yamato glared at her with barely contained fury, but under Alpha's triumphant gaze, her resolve crumbled. Like a defeated stray dog, she lowered her head in humiliation.

Having savored Yamato's surrender, Alpha shifted her attention to Kalifa, who had struck her earlier. She blew dramatically on her right hand and, before Kalifa could react, delivered a swift flick to her sister's forehead.

Kalifa covered the spot in disbelief, staring at her suddenly emboldened sister with shock as indignation flared in her eyes.

"What are you staring at? That was payback," Alpha declared. "Do you see where you went wrong now? CP9 agents like you have no brains whatsoever."

Kalifa's teeth audibly clenched as rage coursed through her. In all their years together, this was the first time her supposedly dim-witted sister had so thoroughly humiliated her.

Watching Kalifa's furious yet helpless expression, Alpha felt as refreshed as if she'd downed an ice-cold drink on the hottest summer day.

Having dealt with her two primary tormentors, Alpha surveyed the rest of the women with undisguised contempt. Her gaze finally settled on Luffy.

"Luffy," she began with exaggerated sweetness, "you heard my conversation with the doctor. Didn't you say you'd agree to any one request I made? Well, all I ask is that you cooperate with Dr. Vegapunk and contribute to the advancement of science. You have no objections, right?"

"What the hell?!" Luffy exploded internally, desperately wishing he could travel back in time and slap some sense into his past self. This is what happens when you make careless bets! What was I thinking?!

Chapter 467: Alpha's Victory Lap

"No... no problem," Luffy managed through gritted teeth.

Alpha immediately brought her fingers to her mouth and let out a triumphant laugh that echoed through the dining room. Compared to her smug satisfaction, Luffy felt like a complete clown. He wished he could run away to Gotham City and let Batman lock him up.

He wasn't alone in his misery. All the women at the table shared the same regret. They'd thought this bet was a guaranteed win with zero chance of failure. But who could've guessed Vegapunk would actually have mastered such an impossible technique? Was there anything that crazy scientist couldn't do?!

"I'm sorry, I was wrong, Miss Alpha is a genius!" Koala suddenly blurted out, breaking the awkward silence. She quickly repeated it two more times.

Alpha gave her a pass since Koala had shown her some support earlier. But the others weren't getting off so easily.

One by one, Alpha cornered them all, forcing them to repeat the humiliating phrase three times each. Luffy, Gion, Hina, and even the proud Hancock had to honor the bet, though Hancock could barely get the words out.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong, Alpha..." Hancock whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Nope, try again! Too quiet!" Alpha taunted, cupping her ear dramatically.

"I'm sorry, I..." Hancock said a bit louder.

"Still can't hear you!" Alpha practically shouted.

"I'M SORRY! I WAS WRONG! MISS ALPHA IS A GENIUS!" Hancock finally roared, her face burning with humiliation.

"Much better! Now two more times!" Alpha said with a satisfied grin.

Just you wait... Hancock thought murderously as she forced herself to repeat the phrase.

After everyone had followed Alpha's demands and loudly proclaimed her genius three times, she finally seemed satisfied. She knew she might face retaliation later from some of these vindictive women, but who cared? This moment of triumph was worth it. She could die happy now.

Thanks to this little incident, the temperature around the dinner table dropped to sub-zero. Yamato, who normally loved competing with Alpha, sat in stony silence. Kalifa, who typically kept her younger sister in check, was fuming. The arrogant Hancock and the usually composed Robin had both retreated into sullen silence after their forced apologies.

With everyone giving each other the silent treatment, Luffy decided he'd better break the ice. After a thoughtful pause, he cleared his throat and spoke in a calm tone.

"Well, a loss is a loss. It's only right to accept defeat gracefully," he said, trying to sound mature about it. "Let's talk about what Vegapunk said. If word got out about this technique, it would cause an uproar across the world."

His words gradually pulled the women out of their sulking. They suddenly realized there were bigger issues at stake. This was no time to be nursing wounded pride – Vegapunk apparently had a way to extract Devil Fruit powers from users!

Once again, the eccentric scientist had completely shattered everyone's understanding of what was possible. They couldn't help but acknowledge that Vegapunk's reputation as the world's greatest mind and most brilliant scientist was well-deserved.

After a moment of reflection, Luffy turned to Kalifa. "Send a message to Ain, Nami, and the others. Ask them to try capturing a pirate with Devil Fruit abilities. If Dr. Vegapunk can successfully extract those powers..." He trailed off, not needing to state the obvious implications.

A brief silence fell over the table before the women started chatting excitedly. The conversation grew louder and more animated as the possibilities sank in, and expressions of excitement and joy returned to everyone's faces.

Even the slowest person could understand what this meant. If they could hunt down enough Devil Fruit users among the pirate ranks, they'd be able to equip Marines with those same abilities. The combat potential of their G-66 branch would skyrocket overnight.

They could reward their best-performing soldiers or academy graduates with powerful Devil Fruits. Of course, they'd need to be discreet – if they wiped out a pirate crew and suddenly their own people started displaying those exact same powers, the World Government would definitely get suspicious about where those fruits came from.

But those were concerns for later. Right now, the priority was for Ain and her team to capture a Devil Fruit user for the initial experiment.

Kalifa quickly pulled out her Den Den Mushi and briefed Ain on the situation, keeping the details vague. She simply explained that they needed to bring back a Devil Fruit user alive for some important research.

With that taken care of, the dining room's atmosphere lightened considerably. Gion, Hina, and Hancock resumed their drinking contest where they'd left off.

Hina's body had started to sway noticeably, and she looked about ready to collapse at any moment. Still, the stubborn woman refused to give in. Even if she lost, she was determined to go down fighting – she'd rather be carried away blackout drunk than surrender voluntarily.

Chapter 468: A Contest of Strength and Spirits

Yamato transformed the humiliation she had just experienced into determination, challenging Alpha once again with fire in her eyes.

Alpha showed no fear toward her defeated opponent, readily accepting the challenge with a confident smirk. Her frame tensed as she prepared for another round.

This time, however, Kalifa didn't stand by Alpha's side. Instead, she joined Kujaku in cheering enthusiastically for Yamato, which made Alpha so furious she nearly choked on her food, her face turning an interesting shade of purple.

Meanwhile, Luffy had almost finished eating, or perhaps he no longer had the appetite to continue. His attention kept drifting elsewhere. Across the table, Mansherry sat with flushed cheeks after sipping a few drops of wine. The Tontatta princess would steal occasional glances at him, her usually composed demeanor replaced with something shy and adorable.

Luffy couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He immediately downed the cola in his cup, the bubbles tickling his throat. Just then, Robin spoke up with a playful glint in her eye:

"You guys continue eating. I'll take Sherry to pick a new room."

"Is it just picking a room?" Robin's tone was filled with amusement, her words carrying a suggestive undercurrent.

Koala and Violet exchanged knowing glances before turning to Sherry with equally ambiguous expressions, barely containing their smiles.

The tiny fairy's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. She lowered her head in embarrassment, not daring to meet anyone's gaze, her blonde hair falling forward to hide her face.

Luffy rolled his eyes at them but said nothing. he stood up with purpose, gently pulled Sherry to her feet, and walked straight toward his bedroom.

Everyone present stopped their activities to watch the pair leave, a momentary hush falling over the room. Only after the couple disappeared from sight did they return to their normal activities, conversations resuming with renewed energy.

Robin observed the two competing groups with great interest, her analytical mind already at work. She casually took out money from her pocket and flicked them onto the table. The sound caught the attention of several people nearby.

"Would anyone like to place some bets?" she proposed with a sly smile. "I'll put my money on Hancock and Alpha in each group."

Hearing this proposition, Koala and Violet's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. They each reached into their pockets and pulled out whatever change they had on them, placing it on the table with confident smiles.

Koala grinned. "Hehe, when it comes to eating, Yamato is definitely unbeatable. I bet on Gion and Yamato!"

Violet tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If we're competing in drinking, Vice Admiral Gion wouldn't lose easily. But for appetite, Alpha has mastered Life Return, so he's won many contests before." She nodded decisively. "I'll bet on Gion and Alpha!"

Nearby, Kujaku who had been cheering for Yamato noticed the betting activity. she quickly abandoned her posts and rushed over to join the impromptu gambling circle.

"Count me in!" Kujaku exclaimed, her ornate hairpins jingling as she hurried over. "I'll also back Vice Admiral Tsuru and Yamato!"

Kalifa adjusted her glasses with a smirk. "Hmm~ For the drinking contest, Hancock should excel at this. I'll bet on Hancock and Yamato."

Yamato, who was frantically devouring another plate of food, noticed this commotion from the corner of her eye. With her mouth still half-full, she called out excitedly:

"Don't worry about your money! Consider it already in your pocket!"

"Hmph! Kalifa, what do you mean by that? You're looking down on me, aren't you?" Alpha shot her sister a glare of dissatisfaction. "Fine, I'll bet on myself too—my entire month's salary!"

As several people began cheering for their chosen champions, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. The room filled with shouts of encouragement and playful taunts. Eventually, the three drinking contestants also joined the gambling game, each placing bets on themselves.

And the results...

In the drinking contest, Hina was the first to be eliminated. Her alcohol tolerance was merely average, making her no match for the other competitors. No one was particularly surprised when she slumped forward, her forehead hitting the table with a soft thud.

What shocked everyone, however, was that Vice Admiral Gion, who had been favored by most bettors, fell second. Koala, Violet, and Kujaku, who had bet on her victory, immediately let out wails of despair as their money vanished before their eyes.

Hancock, who was herself teetering on the edge of intoxication, looked at her two defeated opponents lying unconscious across the table. With great effort, she opened another bottle of wine and raised it triumphantly.

"The drinks from Amazon Lily... are the strongest in the world," she declared proudly, her words slightly slurred. "How could you possibly... hope to defeat me?"

Moments later, Hancock collapsed onto the table with a loud thump, falling into a deep sleep punctuated by soft, ladylike snores.

In the other competition, Yamato undoubtedly claimed the final victory in the battle of appetites. Even though Alpha had employed her newly acquired Life Return technique to expand her stomach capacity, she was still thoroughly defeated by Yamato's insatiable hunger.

Now Alpha could only lie slumped in her chair, groaning in pain with her distended belly, while Yamato stood tall and proud.

"Ahahahaha! That feels good!" Yamato exclaimed with satisfaction. "Now we've each defeated the other once. Let's see if you still have the right to make fun of me!"

After letting out a thunderous burp that seemed to shake the room, Alpha raised her head with considerable effort and looked at Yamato with a gleam of determination in her eyes.

"Don't get too cocky," she warned. "You may have won this round, but our war is far from over. I'll challenge you again."

"Bring it on! I won't lose next time either," Yamato replied confidently, slapping her massive hand against the table hard enough to make the dishes jump.

In that moment, as they locked eyes across the table, a mutual respect bloomed between them—the pleasure of finding a worthy opponent reflected in both their gazes.

"What a pity! I was only half right in my predictions," Robin's amused voice interrupted their moment of connection.

She collected her portion of the winnings, cradling the coins in her arms as she began counting them with a satisfied smile. Seeing this, Kalifa, Koala, and Kujaku also divided their spoils, their laughter filling the room as the night's festivities continued.

Chapter 469: Three Ladies, Second Round

The betting pool had been chaotic, with Kalifa emerging as the clear victor among both groups. Her instincts had served her well, and now she sat smugly counting her winnings.

Koala and Kujaku had fared decently enough. It wasn't the jackpot, but at least they'd walk away with something in their pockets.

Violet, however, stared glumly at the table. She'd bet wrong. Twice. There would be no new dresses or jewelry this month—not on her Marine salary.

But even Violet's misfortune paled in comparison to Alpha's devastation. The newly marine and ex government agent had gambled her entire month's salary on the wrong woman. As a mere recruit working the night shift, that salary was all she had to live on.

Her face drained of color as the reality sank in. No clothes. No food. Nothing.

Turning to her sister Kalifa with the most pitiful expression she could muster, Alpha's eyes welled up with tears.

"Sister, please... I need food," she whimpered, her large eyes glistening.

"Hmph." Kalifa pushed her glasses up with one finger, the light reflecting off them menacingly. "Don't look at me like that. Go to the cafeteria and figure it out yourself."

Kalifa hadn't forgotten the prank her troublesome sister had pulled. She gathered her winnings with a satisfied smirk, not forgetting to help the thoroughly intoxicated Vice Admiral Gion to her feet before departing.

With her sister proving useless, Alpha desperately turned her pleading gaze toward the others. Robin, Koala, and Violet caught her look and immediately stood up in unison, helping Kujaku and Hancock to their feet before escaping to their respective quarters.

Only Yamato remained, carelessly lounging in her chair with a broad grin.

"It's fine!" Yamato declared, patting Alpha on the shoulder with enough force to nearly knock her over. "Keep your share. And if that's not enough, swing by the Marine Academy anytime! I'll treat you to something delicious."

Alpha burst into tears. Her own sister had abandoned her, yet her supposed rival was the one showing her kindness.

In the end, not only was Alpha's food secured for the next month, but Yamato also helped her stumble back to her quarters as the night concluded.

As for the mess left behind in the restaurant—well, that would be a problem for whoever woke up first the next day.

Time flew by swiftly, and before anyone knew it, afternoon had arrived the following day.

Vice Admiral Luffy, who had worked diligently until dawn, was reluctantly roused from his slumber by the persistent ringing of a Den Den Mushi.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Princess Mansherry poked her head out from beneath the covers and yawned widely.

"Ha~ honey, good morning," she mumbled drowsily.

Luffy took a quick shower and was about to get dressed when he glanced out the window. The sun was already setting on the horizon. He walked back to the bed and gently pinched Mansherry's cheek.

"Please, my princess, look outside. It's already afternoon," he chuckled

”Eh?!"

Startled, Mansherry turned to look out the window. Sure enough, judging from the position of the sun, it was already around three o'clock.

"Ah, it's so late!" she exclaimed, suddenly panicking. "I need to get to the hospital immediately!"

She attempted to throw off the covers, but as soon as she lifted a corner of the quilt, a chill swept over her skin. That wasn't all—a dull ache pulsed through her lower body.

Only then did she fully remember what had transpired between her and Luffy the previous night—or more accurately, early that morning. Realizing she wasn't wearing anything beneath the covers, her face flushed crimson. She quickly wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, retreating deeper into the bed until only her head remained visible.

"No, no! You go out first," she stammered. "I'll change after you leave."

Looking at Mansherry bundled up like a Tontatta dumpling, Luffy couldn't decide whether to laugh or sigh.

"What are you hiding? I've seen everything there is to see already," he said

"Besides, I've already called in leave for you. You can rest at home or go out with Koala if you'd like. No need to worry about the hospital today."

"Eh, really?"

Mansherry tilted her head in confusion. Believing his words, she naively lifted the quilt to examine the source of her discomfort.

"Ah! It's all swollen! It hurts!" she cried out, immediately activating her Heal-Heal Fruit powers to begin healing herself.

In truth, they had been so caught up in their passionate night that she'd forgotten to treat herself afterward. Seeing her so unabashed, starting her self-treatment right in front of him, Luffy couldn't restrain himself any longer. With a swift motion, he scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom.

"Wait! I'm not finished healing yet!" she protested.

"We can wash and heal at the same time," Luffy replied with a grin that sent small sparks across his teeth. "It won't waste much time anyway."

And so, after spending well over an hour in the bathroom—far longer than either had intended—Luffy hurriedly dressed in his Vice Admiral uniform and made his way to his office on the fourth floor.

Pushing the door open with more force than necessary, causing the wood to slightly char where his fingers had touched it, Luffy asked directly:

"What's going on? Where is this visitor I've heard about?"

Inside his office, Kalifa and Kujaku were diligently processing paperwork, the organized stack a testament to their efficiency.

On the nearby sofa sat Hina, Boa Hancock, and Gion, all three arranged in a neat row with identical expressions of agony on their faces.

This wasn't because they had drunk too much the previous night. With their physiques, the alcohol would have metabolized long ago.

No, the truth was that Hina and Gion, upon waking at noon and still smarting from their defeat, had been unable to accept Hancock's victory. With the Snake Princess taunting them with her usual haughty remarks, the three women had simply decided to settle things with three additional rounds of drinking competition—this time with the finest red wine available in Marine Headquarters.

Chapter 470: Vice Admirals Arrive, Hina Feels Frustrated

The three women had only ended their "battle" half an hour ago before stumbling back to their rooms to sleep off the wine. Unfortunately for them, Kalifa had tracked them down and dragged them out of their beds.

As Luffy finally entered the office, Kujaku rolled her eyes at his tardiness, small sparks of annoyance practically radiating from her.

"You're really something!" she snapped. "It's been a full hour since I notified you. If you had arrived any later, we would have left without you."

Luffy smiled awkwardly but offered no excuse.

Kalifa set down her pen and adjusted her glasses, explaining the situation in greater detail.

"An hour ago, we received notification that a fleet led by Vice Admirals Comil, Momonga, and Doberman is approaching Onigashima. According to our estimates, they'll reach the island in less than half an hour."

"After all," Kujaku added, "these three are Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters, same rank as you. You should at least greet them properly."

Hearing they wouldn't arrive for another thirty minutes, Luffy couldn't help but sigh in relief, then grumbled unhappily.

"If they're not arriving for another half hour, why the rush to find me? Couldn't you have let me sleep a little longer?"

From her position on the sofa, Hancock raised her head slightly, her usual haughty expression somewhat dampened by her hangover. "That's right. And I'm not even a Marine. Why should I care about your Headquarters business?"

Kalifa glanced first at Luffy. "We informed you in advance because we knew you'd waste time." Then she turned to Hancock. "And just to remind you, when we found you three, you were all passed out drunk on a single bed. We're simply being courteous by waking you at all."

Hancock, Hina, and Gion looked gloomily at each other before shouting in unison:

"Assholes! Who gave you permission to sleep in my bed?!"

Kujaku clutched her forehead, suppressing her rage as she gritted her teeth.

"Let me remind you again—you three idiots were sleeping in MY room! You even vomited all over it! Remember to clean that mess up later!"

The three women exchanged surprised glances. They had been completely intoxicated and only vaguely remembered finding a room and collapsing into sleep. As for whose room it was or if anyone else had been present... those details had escaped their alcohol-addled minds.

Faced with Kujaku's furious glare, the three turned away, whistling guiltily.

"Damn drunkards," Kujaku cursed under her breath. After gathering the documents from the table, Luffy spoke up.

"Let's head to Onigashima and wait. Koala and Violet have already picked up Olivia and are waiting on the island. Yamato returned to the academy, and Alpha checked in at the CP station. Robin went to see the doctor—her identity is still sensitive after all."

Luffy nodded in agreement. "Mansherry isn't feeling well and is resting, so let's go." After speaking, he glanced at the three women pretending to be asleep on the sofa. "Are they coming too?"

Hancock immediately refused. "Absolutely not! I am a Shichibukai. You Marines can't order me around!"

Gion was equally decisive in her refusal. "I'm a candidate for Admiral. My rank is higher than theirs. If they want to see me, they should come to me."

"Hina..."

Hina began, also wanting to find an excuse to avoid this meeting. Compared to a Shichibukai and candidates for Admiral's position, she was merely a Rear Admiral from Headquarters. There seemed to be no valid reason for her to refuse.

As she struggled to come up with an excuse, Luffy shook his head and sighed.

"Forget it. It would be embarrassing if you showed up in your current state. You three stay here and look after the base. If anything important comes up, call me."

"Yes, sir~" the three women answered in weak unison.

Luffy shook his head, too embarrassed to look at them any longer. Kujaku and Kalifa exchanged glances and shrugged helplessly.

Before leaving, Luffy used his lightning ability to retrieve three quilts from the fifth floor. Each woman claimed a sofa, and the moment they touched the blankets, they closed their eyes and fell into deep slumber.

The departing trio didn't disturb them further. After informing the soldiers at the base of their departure, Luffy took the two women and set off directly for Onigashima.

On Onigashima, in the lounge of the Marine port, Koala and Violet each held cups of hot milk, sipping them slowly with expressions of absolute comfort.

Beside them sat Olivia, an important figure in their current transaction and the president of Olive Company. Unlike the relaxed Marines, she appeared anxious and impatient.

"Really? The Vice Admirals are almost here, and your people haven't arrived yet?" Olivia fidgeted with her papers. "Whether we can expand our business worldwide depends on this transaction. They shouldn't be late at such a critical moment!"

Violet calmly set down her cup, leaning back in her chair with the nonchalance of someone who had seen far worse crises in her time with the Marines.

"Don't worry," she said soothingly. "Didn't I tell you? Luffy was in quite the fierce battle last night, so he might be running a bit late."