The cabin door swung open, and a breathtaking woman stepped inside. She wore a scarlet crop top, a flowing skirt, and a white cape that trailed behind her with effortless grace. This was the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
Her first bounty had reached 80 million Berries, an astonishing figure for a rookie pirate.
Hancock stood tall at 191 centiters, her figure both elegant and striking. Her long jet black hair frad her face in a refined hi cut. A smooth, broad forehead drew attention to her deep blue eyes, narrow and cold yet captivating. Her nose was straight and delicate, her lips soft and unmarked, while golden serpent shaped earrings coiled from her ears.
A small kitten wandered into her path. Without a glance, Hancock nudged it aside with her foot, then stepped onto the head of her massive sea serpent and commanded it toward the Marine warship.
Known across the seas as the Pirate Empress and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, her presence alone made ordinary Marines uneasy. Yet the mont they saw her face, discipline shattered. Hearts replaced their eyes as every sailor fell under her charm.
Observing their reaction, Hancock smiled faintly with disdain.
"So you have finally co to fetch . The answer I gave before was a lie. I have no intention of fighting, and I have no intention of losing my position as a Warlord. I will also be taking your supplies."
Vice Admiral Momonga clenched his teeth, unable to contain his anger any longer.
"Enough of this nonsense. For the execution of Portgas D. Ace, the Navy will deploy the Three Admirals along with our strongest forces against the Whitebeard Pirates. Accept the summons or lose your title. Those are your only options."
Hancock calmly sat down, crossing her long legs with deliberate elegance.
"I do enjoy being a Warlord. How about this instead. Escort , or your sailors will suffer an unfortunate accident, turn to stone, and sink beneath the sea."
Momonga's expression darkened.
"I said, stop this at once."
Ignoring him completely, Hancock rose to her feet, her posture proud and unyielding. Then she spoke with absolute confidence.
"No matter what I do, whether I kick a kitten or take a life, the world will forgive . Do you know why. Because I am beautiful beyond compare."
At her declaration, both Marines and pirates erupted into cheers, hearts practically visible in their eyes. To anyone still thinking clearly, the scene was absurd.
Hancock slowly ford a heart shape with her fingers.
"ro ro llow."
Beams of heart shaped light spread outward. Every entranced Marine was instantly turned to stone. Only Momonga resisted, driving a blade into his own leg to force himself to remain conscious.
The power of the Love Love Fruit turned anyone who felt desire for its user into stone.
Hancock raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
"Using pain to resist . How clever. Crew, move in."
The Kuja Pirates boarded the Marine ship without resistance, seizing supplies while Momonga stood helpless, his crew petrified around him.
As the pirate ship began to depart, Momonga issued one final warning.
"Boa Hancock, I will wait here for two days. If you still refuse, the World Governnt will strip you of your title."
...
Within Amazon Lily, Aether observed several duels between the Kuja warriors. Their movents were sharp and disciplined, their arrows precise.
Suddenly, a disturbance caught his attention. A man in strange clothing dashed across rooftops, dodging a storm of arrows while carrying a woman.
"So Luffy has already arrived on Amazon Lily."
Aether watched as Luffy disappeared into the distance, chased by the island's elite guards. Every one of them was a skilled warrior.
What intrigued Aether most was sothing else entirely.
Every capable fighter on this island could use Armant Haki.
Although their mastery was basic, their sheer numbers made them dangerous. A coordinated volley of Haki infused arrows could overwhelm even powerful pirates.
It was no wonder this nation had survived for centuries within the Calm Belt. Every citizen here was a warrior.
The Calm Belt itself was a windless sea dividing the Grand Line from the four Blues. It was ho to countless Sea Kings, including enormous creatures rarely seen elsewhere. So were said to rival small islands in size, ancient beings rumored to possess intelligence close to that of humans.
After watching for a while, Aether lost interest in Luffy and turned back toward the duels.
Just then, a bell rang from the distant port.
A wave of excitent swept across the island as countless won rushed toward the harbor.
From their chatter, Aether learned that their ruler, the Snake Princess, had returned. Only the strongest Kuja warriors were permitted to sail with her.
"So the Empress is back."
Curious, Aether followed the crowd.
"The most beautiful woman in the world. Let see for myself."
The entire island had gathered at the harbor. Even the guards had abandoned their posts. The noise was overwhelming, like a festival in full swing.
Aether rubbed his chin, clearly out of place among the excitent.
To blend in, he raised his voice along with the others.
"I love you, Hancock."
A girl nearby glanced at him, confused, but said nothing.
Petals drifted through the air as Hancock stepped onto a red carpet, leading her procession. Aether's eyes sharpened slightly.
She truly lived up to her title.
Even won like Nami and Jewelry Bonney paled in comparison. Nico Robin ca close, yet even she fell just short in Aether's eyes.
For the first ti since his rebirth, Aether admitted sothing to himself.
This woman could stir genuine desire.
As Hancock and her entourage entered the palace, Aether turned to leave.
Not far away, a small elderly woman noticed him. Her expression changed instantly, and she quietly followed.
A short while later, Aether walked along a quiet path. Without warning, he stopped and spoke calmly.
"You can co out now. I already know you are there."
From the shadows, an old woman erged. She leaned on a cane, her long white hair flowing in waves. Barely a ter tall, she looked fragile, yet her eyes were sharp.
When their gazes t, she gasped.
"You... who are you?"
Aether raised a hand slightly, cutting her off.
"Relax. I have no connection to Gol D. Roger. I am just a pirate, Augustus D. Aether. And you, Elder Nyon, forrly known as Gloriosa, the Empress of Amazon Lily from two generations ago."
Her eyes widened in shock.
"You... know who I am?"
Aether was not surprised. As the forr ruler, she still played a role behind the scenes, overseeing the island's intelligence network.
Gloriosa stared at him, unable to hide her astonishnt.
Once, she had abandoned the island for love, only to return heartbroken and live in obscurity, assisting the current generation. Only the Boa sisters knew her true identity.
Yet sohow, this man standing before her knew everything.
===
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