At that mont, Hancock appeared before the group of won. To them, she was not only an uninvited guest, but a colossal threat.
A woman of unmatched beauty, reputation, and strength. Especially for those like Reiju, who had heard of the Snake Princess before — fear rooted deep in their hearts.
"Who is she…?"
Faced with a woman whose beauty rivaled her own and whose strength far surpassed it, Hiyori felt a wave of dread and nervousness.
Reiju whispered, "That's the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock. She rules over the all-female kingdom of Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt. To be honest, there's no one in the world who can compare to her power. Among won, only Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors, stands at a similar height! And even among pirates, Boa Hancock is known not only for her incredible strength but also for being the most beautiful woman in the world. What's even scarier — she's said to possess the Conqueror's Haki! You know how rare that is, right? The only woman known to wield it besides her is Big Mom!"
Reiju had barely taken a breath as she said all this, leaving Hiyori utterly stunned. A wave of inferiority washed over her. Compared to Hancock, she felt like nothing more than an ugly duckling. And Hancock wasn't just a graceful swan — she was a mythical phoenix.
Hiyori was shaken to her core. How could a woman be so powerful and beautiful?
"What is she doing here…?"
She looked toward Hancock, who just monts ago had radiated nobility and pride, but now stood bashfully before Elior — like a shy maiden in love. Hiyori couldn't believe it. That look was the exact sa one Reiju had when she looked at Elior late at night.
Hiyori couldn't make sense of it at all.
Bonney murmured beside her, "It's probably another one of those romantic debts of his. You know how... charming I am — well, perverted. I've even got a thing going on with a certain female admiral candidate in the Marine…"
"What kind of relationship?" Hiyori asked, curiosity piqued. Ever since coming to Paradise, she had slowly begun to understand more about the world, including how terrifying a Marine admiral truly was. What kind of connection does Elior have with a future female admiral?
Bonney's voice dropped to a whisper.
"You know… the kind of 'talking' adults do at night. Hiyori, don't play dumb!"
"Ugh…"
Hiyori's cheeks flushed red. She hadn't expected that at all.
Hiyori muttered, "So this Boa Hancock... is probably the sa?"
"I'd bet on it. Ninety-nine percent sure" Bonney replied.
anwhile, Elior had taken Hancock into a private room. They were alone.
He hadn't planned anything inappropriate — but Hancock had requested to speak with him.
He knew well that she had fallen for him ever since he killed three Celestial Dragons. But that wasn't the only reason. During the war, Elior had displayed overwhelming strength — and more than that, he radiated a terrifying, awe-inspiring Conqueror's Haki.
She had fallen—deeply.
But now, Hancock was asking for a private audience not to pursue romance, but for sothing more personal. She wanted Elior to see the cursed symbol on her back — the mark of a forr slave of the Celestial Dragons.
"Lord Elior… I want you to see… the truth about … about the Celestial Dragons…"
She had summoned all her courage just to speak those words. Even so, she bowed her head in sha and fear. She had no idea if the man she loved could accept that she had once been a slave. In this world, there was no status lower than that — and being a slave to the Celestial Dragons was a living nightmare.
Elior understood imdiately what she ant.
She was trembling, her voice breaking. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"The past doesn't matter. What's important is how we face the future, right?"
"…Mm."
When Hancock finally gathered the strength to turn around, Elior saw it: the massive slave brand burned into her back. A symbol of her pain, her past, and perhaps the reason she had built up such pride and arrogance—to hide the scar buried in her soul.
In that mont, Hancock's emotional walls crumbled.
Then, Elior heard the familiar voice of the system in his mind:
[Sign-In Successful — Reward: Hand of Elimination (Can remove any scar)]
Elior's eyes lit up. He instantly understood: Hancock exposing her back had triggered a new system event.
The slave brand on her back could never be removed—unless one were to cut off the flesh entirely. That's what Fisher Tiger had done: rebranding slaves of the Celestial Dragons with the mark of the Sun Pirates to cover the scar.
But Hancock had never had that option. She had lived with that curse.
Until now.
With the Hand of Elimination, Elior placed his right hand on her back.
Hancock flinched instinctively, her body trembling from fear and uncertainty.
"I'll erase this mark" Elior said gently. "So you'll never have to suffer nightmares again."
As his hand began to glow, Hancock felt a warm sensation wash over her back—like the comforting warmth of winter sunlight.
"Lord Elior… Can this really disappear…?"
He didn't answer right away. Half a minute later, he said, "Take a look in the mirror."
Three minutes later, Reiju and the others, who had been eavesdropping from outside the room, suddenly heard a sharp cry from within. Then, nothing—silence, thanks to the soundproof walls.
"He… during the dayti…?" Hiyori was stunned.
So were Reiju and the others.
They had misunderstood everything.
Inside the room, the brand on Hancock's back was completely gone. Her skin was smooth, flawless, and pristine. She had never even dared to look at her back before—but now, she could.
"Lord Elior… Please allow to serve you for the rest of my life…"
"Please… will you let ?"
Ten minutes had passed. Hancock now knelt before Elior, tears streaming down her face, her voice trembling with sincerity. Having that mark erased felt like a dream—one so surreal, she pinched her own thigh to confirm it wasn't an illusion.
It was real.
She cried—not out of sorrow, but from the overwhelming relief and gratitude. Because Elior had accepted her, scars and all. And more than that—he had freed her from them.
From that mont on, all she wanted was to devote herself to him.
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