"She can shapeshift?"

Hank Flower watched, a low whistle escaping his lips. His gaze drifted, lingering on the mermaid's long, pale legs.

Damn, those are some fine legs, he thought.

The mermaid, Morgan Clearwater, seemed to snap out of a daze, suddenly realizing the wound on her chest no longer ached.

What the hell? Did it heal?

She quickly turned, lifting her top to check.

The gash on her left breast was gone, vanished without a trace.

But... why were there fingerprints?

She didn't dwell on it, turning back to Bruiser. "Bruiser, did you heal me?"

"Me? I don't have that kind of power."

Bruiser grinned, gesturing with a massive claw towards Hank. "It was Hank. He's the one who patched you up."

Morgan turned to Hank, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you for saving me."

Hank rubbed his nose, feigning seriousness. "Bruiser said you're someone who repays kindness. He said if I saved you, you'd compensate me."

Bruiser: "..."

Not even two sentences in, and he's already asking for payment? Talk about blunt.

Morgan paused, her gaze sweeping over Hank before a soft smile graced her lips. "What kind of compensation do you want?"

"Treasure chests, food, weapons... I'm not picky," Hank cleared his throat.

"Those are too mundane. I'll give you something better."

A chuckle escaped her lips.

"Something better?"

Hank's interest was piqued. Before he could even speculate, Morgan was suddenly in front of him.

A faint, alluring fragrance tickled his nostrils. Before he could react, a warmth pressed against his lips.

Morgan's lips were on his.

Hank's eyes widened, his mind buzzing.

Did she just force a kiss on me? That came out of nowhere.

Wait, no tongue? What kind of kiss is this?

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After the brief kiss, Morgan retreated a few steps, a blush rising on her cheeks. "My name is Morgan Clearwater. I'll come find you again, in time."

With that, she dashed towards the sea, bare feet flashing, and plunged into the waves, disappearing beneath the surface.

Hank finally snapped out of it, muttering, "What about my compensation? A quick peck and that's it?"

"Brother, congratulations! You've hit the jackpot!"

Bruiser's voice boomed, filled with amusement.

Hank frowned, confused. "What are you babbling about? What jackpot?"

Bruiser chuckled. "You've snagged yourself a royal."

Hank was even more bewildered. "Spit it out. What's going on?"

Bruiser explained, "Mermaids have a tradition. 'A kiss to seal the deal.' Basically, the Sea Clan princess has taken a liking to you. That's why she kissed you. You've caught her eye, which means you're in."

Hank: "..."

He hadn't expected things to take this turn.

All he did was heal Morgan. Why was she offering herself to him?

Bruiser eyed Hank, a hint of envy in his voice. "You're one lucky bastard. Other than being a pretty boy, what do you have? How did you manage to catch the Sea Clan princess's eye?"

Hank's face darkened. "What do you mean, 'other than being a pretty boy'? I'm strong as hell, and I've got a healing talent. I'm a total package! Can you find anyone better? It's only natural Morgan would be interested in me."

Bruiser was silent for three seconds before blurting out, "Now that you put it that way, you two do seem like a good match."

"I'm not that easy," Hank scoffed.

Sure, Morgan was gorgeous and had a noble status.

But they had just met. They barely knew each other.

How could they just jump into a relationship like that?

"Hank, does that mean you're not interested in the princess?"

Bruiser asked.

"It's not about being interested or not. We just don't know each other. What if we rush into things and our personalities clash?"

Hank explained.

"So that's what you're thinking."

Bruiser's eyes darted around before he suddenly exclaimed, "Wait a minute! If you don't like the princess, why were you so handsy earlier? You even gave her a little squeeze."

Hank coughed violently. "Watch your words. When was I 'handsy'? I was healing her! Don't slander me, or I'll make you regret it."

Bruiser stammered, "B-but you squeezed her after you finished healing her. How do you explain that?"

Hank swallowed hard. "You saw wrong. When did I squeeze her? Don't talk nonsense."

Bruiser insisted, "I saw it clearly. I'm not talking nonsense."

The Machete chimed in, "Brother, I saw it too. You definitely squeezed her, and quite firmly. You even looked like you wanted more. A man's gotta own up to his actions. No use denying it."

Hank glared at The Machete. "Mute Chopper!"

The Machete: "..."

"Hank, I didn't see anything just now. Don't mute me," Bruiser pleaded, fear evident in his voice.

Hank narrowed his eyes, his voice calm. "It's good to admit your mistakes. Let's go back."

...

Back on The Sand, Petal was still piling up thatch.

The giant sea turtle was roasted to a crisp, a rich, meaty aroma wafting through the air, making mouths water.

Judging the turtle done, Hank signaled Petal to stop. "Alright, let's dig in."

Bruiser and Petal rushed to the turtle, their mouths watering at the delicious smell.

"Hank, hurry up! I can't take it anymore," Bruiser urged.

"Have some self-control."

Hank chuckled, then sliced off two pieces of turtle meat with The Machete, handing one each to Bruiser and Petal.

He cut another piece for himself and took a bite.

The tender, juicy meat burst in his mouth, the rich flavor sending him into a state of bliss.

Bruiser and Petal were also stuffing their faces, praising the deliciousness of the meal.

"Here, have some more."

Hank sliced off two more pieces for Bruiser and Petal.

...

An hour later, the giant sea turtle was gone.

Hank had only eaten about two pounds.

The rest was devoured by Bruiser and Petal, who had polished off over fifty pounds of turtle meat between them.

"What a couple of gluttons," Hank muttered, storing the turtle shell in his Spatial Bag.

It could be used as a bucket or even a bathtub.

Waste not, want not. Every resource was precious.