It felt a bit strange to be drinking wine aboard a Marine ship, especially during an official mission. But considering this was a summons specifically for a certain Warlord, the unusual preparations seemed… tolerable.
A visibly nervous sailor poured a glass of red wine for Luffy.
"Sir Luffy…" he said, holding the glass with both hands, trying to hide the tremble.
Luffy took the glass naturally and took a sip. His eyes turned toward the sea ahead.
"Is it going to take six or seven days to get back too?" he asked casually.
Momonga, standing beside him, answered with a restrained sigh.
"That would be ideal… but with her, nothing is guaranteed. That woman never responds to summons."
The bitterness in his voice made it clear how he felt about the situation.
Luffy raised an eyebrow.
"Why did they send me to fetch her?"
Momonga crossed his arms, gazing at the horizon with a dark look.
"Boa Hancock, captain of the Kuja Pirates… She and Mihawk are the only Warlords who act entirely on their own. The others, troublesome as they may be, at least show up from time to time. But Hancock…" He gritted his teeth.
"She's never attended a single meeting. Not one!"
Luffy let out a low, disbelieving laugh.
"Seriously? Since she became a Warlord?"
"Eleven years. In the eleven long years since she became a Warlord, not once has she come."
"And the Government still puts up with it?"
Luffy asked, shaking his head with an amused smile.
"They're really generous, huh…"
Of course, it was a joke.
The truth was far darker.
Luffy knew the World Government was anything but benevolent. Behind the façade of order, a secret project had been in development for years: the Seraphim Project.
The Seraphim are a special type of Pacifista unit developed by the Marines' Special Science Group with the goal of replacing the Warlords as one of the Three Great Powers. They are living weapons built as clones of former Warlords, infused with the Lunarian Lineage Factor and enhanced with Green Blood, which replicates Devil Fruit powers.
Like the original Pacifistas based on Bartholomew Kuma, the Seraphim units are cyborgs modeled after existing individuals—in this case, resembling the Warlords of the Sea, though much younger in appearance and significantly larger, actually taller than their originals.
"They couldn't get my genetic material… but I need to stay alert," Luffy thought, glancing at the food in front of him.
Extracted genes. That could happen in many ways. A strand of hair, a drop of blood, or even leftover food.
"Straw Hat Luffy, I won't disturb you while you eat," said the officer with a respectful bow.
"If you need anything, the crew is at your service."
He turned to leave, but paused at the door.
"Oh, just one more thing," he added, glancing back.
"About the Pirate Empress… it would be wise not to anger her. If you catch her off guard, you might end up turned to stone. Literally."
Luffy looked up from his plate, chewing calmly.
"Turned to stone, huh? Thanks for the heads-up. I know her power well."
"That's a relief. Good luck."
Clack. The door closed.
Luffy stayed silent for a few seconds, then resumed eating, deep in thought.
"If she used her Mero Mero Mellow on me… would I turn to stone?"
He reflected seriously.
The answer? A hundred percent yes.
Hancock's ability was far too treacherous. A single thought… a sigh… just one spark of desire or admiration, and your body would be petrified. It didn't even have to be lust. Even a "how cute" or "how beautiful" was enough.
The Seraphim created from Hancock, S-Snake, resembles a young version of Hancock but with the same hairstyle and earrings as the adult version.
Through the Green Blood, S-Snake possesses an artificial version of Hancock's Mero Mero no Mi, allowing her to turn people into stone statues—so long as they're charmed by her. She mainly relies on her cuteness to achieve this.
But of course, S-Snake hadn't been created by Vegapunk yet.
"Not everyone's perverted enough to fall for a little girl… right?" Luffy murmured uncertainly.
But he knew even an innocent thought could be fatal.
The only real defense was Haki.
"My current Haki… yeah, I can resist it if I focus." He closed his eyes briefly.
That's why he had to stay in control. He couldn't afford to let his guard down—not even for a second.
And he hadn't even arrived at Amazon Lily yet.
---
The only real precaution to avoid being turned to stone was simple but vital: activate Haki before the petrification power hit. Once turned to stone, even your thoughts would freeze with your body. There'd be no time to react. Not even to release Haki in response.
But for Luffy, this wasn't a major concern.
After all… he could see the future.
Time passed like the wind over the sea.
Seven days later.
The Marine warship, with its flag waving boldly, cut through the chaotic currents of the Grand Line. Eventually, it breached the boundaries of the impossible—and entered the legendary Calm Belt.
A sea with waters smooth as mirrors… and home to the colossal Sea Kings.
For normal vessels, crossing this region was madness. But Marine warships were no longer ordinary. Technology had evolved.
A special substance, similar to Kairoseki, was installed on the lower hull. From there, it emitted a unique pheromone—a repellent scent hated by the sea beasts. An invisible, silent… and effective shield.
[You sailed through Paradise for 7 days. Reward: +700 Adventure Coins.]
Inside the main cabin.
Luffy sat at the edge of the bed, arms crossed, gazing lazily at the blue sea beyond the window.
A metallic, digital notification sound echoed in his mind.
During that week of calm as the ship cut through the treacherous waters of the Grand Line, his crew back in Water 7 had made great progress.
His earlier investments were finally bearing real fruit.
Almost all of his subordinates had now mastered Rokushiki.
[Total Feedback: +5200 Adventure Coins.]
The highlight? Obviously Zoro.
He had become the third member of the crew to fully master Rokushiki techniques, right after Vivi and Nami. Everyone was constantly improving, but Zoro's progress was simply monstrous.
[Adventure Coins: 4005 → 9905]
Suddenly, a soft knock echoed at the door.
"Luffy-sama!" announced a sailor from outside.
"We're about to enter the waters of Amazon Lily!"
Luffy stretched, yawning as if waking from a light nap.
"Got it," he replied casually.
Amazon Lily was a land completely inhabited by warrior women. An isolated country, sealed off from the outside world.
On the throne of that island sat a woman feared and admired across the globe: the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
Even before becoming a Warlord, her first bounty had reached an impressive 80 million.
Now, years later, the value on her head had already surpassed 1.6 billion—though that bounty was completely frozen.
And that didn't even account for her true power.
---
Meanwhile, in the heart of the island covered in lush jungle…
"Nee-sama!" Marigold's voice rang urgently as she entered the hall adorned with exotic columns and tapestries.
"We just received word from the Marines! A warship has already reached the coast. They're asking for us to go meet them."
Seated atop a massive pink python, wearing a flowing dress that revealed her regal poise, Hancock wrinkled her nose slightly.
"Hmph. At least they know the rules of Amazon Lily. Since they didn't ask permission to set foot on sacred ground… let's consider it a polite gesture."
Despite her words, visible disgust marred her flawless expression.
"I hate Marines. And I hate the World Government even more," she said coldly.
"I have no interest in that ridiculous Warlords meeting."
Sandersonia, seated nearby, hesitated.
"Sister… are we just going to ignore them?"
Boa Hancock closed her eyes for a moment. Then, as if a decision had formed within her, she rose with elegance.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she stepped forward in her thin red stilettos.
"A warship dares to enter the territory of the Sea Kings. How arrogant…" she murmured, a venomous smile on her lips.
"If they disappear at sea, I wonder if Headquarters will accept that outcome peacefully?"
The tone was ironic—but also threatening.
She turned to her sisters.
"Come, Marigold. Sandersonia. Let's… welcome them our way."
Her gaze gleamed with destructive charm—and a touch of cruelty.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."