Hancock lunged forward, but she was too late to stop what came next.
Bang!
A spray of blood burst into the air, yet Sandersonia did not die.
Nyon had appeared in front of her, kicking the green-haired woman away. But in doing so, she lost one of her arms.
Sakazuki blocked Hancock's kick with ease. With a swing of his molten arm, he struck her in the stomach and smashed her hard against the deck. His hand shifted, magma swirling as he aimed once more at Sandersonia.
Drenched in cold sweat from the pain, Nyon shouted, "Stop! Please, Admiral! They're just children! They never truly meant harm! I'll have Hancock lift the petrification right now! Hancock!"
Pinned to the deck, Hancock's eyes burned with rage and despair. "Impossible! He killed Mari! I'll never forgive—"
One sister had just been murdered before her eyes, another nearly killed. How could she not hate?
Nyon cut her off with fury. "This is no time for your stubborn pride! Do you want Sonia to die too? Hurry up and release them!"
Hancock's entire body trembled. Her clenched fists shook with anger and grief.
"I…" Her voice broke. The weight of choice pressed on her. If Sandersonia was taken from her too… She bit down hard, forcing the word out. "Fine…"
Bang!
The green-haired woman's head exploded into a crimson mist. Blood sprayed across Nyon's body. Hancock, still trapped on the deck, stared in disbelief.
Sakazuki lowered his smoking finger, his voice ice-cold. "I said… are you trying to teach me how to do my job? Who gave you the courage to decide for me? On what grounds do you think you can make decisions in my place? Are all Amazon women this delusional?"
He narrowed his eyes in thought. "I remember years ago, I crushed another Kuja Pirate crew. They too attacked my ship, and after I beat them down like dogs, their captain whimpered the same thing. 'Enough, Marine. We admit defeat. Take all our treasure.' What was that one's name, Carlo?"
Carlo on the ship furrowed his brow, thinking aloud. "Hmm… let me see… Jas… Jasmine. Yes. The Kuja captain was Jasmine."
Sakazuki nodded and turned back to Nyon. "You knew her, didn't you? This must be one of Amazon Lily's unsolved mysteries. None of them escaped. I slaughtered every last one. No survivors returned to the island."
Nyon's pupils shrank in horror. Her body trembled. 'So that was the truth… Jasmine had died by his hand.'
Sakazuki continued coldly, "Who knows which Empress she was. But even after all these years, your people still think the same way. When you can't win, you simply give up. Do you think I'm playing pirate house with you?"
Clack. Clack.
His polished shoes hit the deck as he approached Hancock. He crouched in front of her dazed face. "Children? Meant no harm?"
Smack!
His palm cracked against her cheek, sending her flying into the railing.
She crashed, coughing, her mind snapping back. Rage burst forth as her Conqueror's Haki exploded outward. "You bastard! How dare you!"
"Perfume Femur!"
Her killing intent flared as she kicked with all her strength.
Clang!
Haki clashed, but Sakazuki caught her ankle with the same ease as before.
Crack!
The sound of joints shattering rang out. In a second, he dislocated every one of her limbs with brutal force.
He tossed her limp body onto the deck, grinding her head beneath his boot. "A child who slaughtered thousands in one battle? A girl who turned an entire ship to stone and feels no remorse? Looking at this ship full of statues, still unrepentant, and you call that 'meant no harm'?"
He kicked her hard, sending her crashing over the edge of the ship, landing at Nyon's feet.
Sakazuki leapt down after her, his steps heavy, deliberate.
Nyon snapped out of her daze, stumbling forward and falling to her knees in front of him. "Admiral, please! We'll repay everything! Just don't kill her! Without her, the petrification on the soldiers can't be undone! It's the truth!"
Sakazuki exhaled softly. "There are many things in this world that defy reason."
A wave of Conqueror's Haki poured from him, freezing both women in place. He stepped past Nyon and crouched beside Hancock.
"For example, the Marines' Science Division has a project called 'Pacifista.' What is it? Simply put, it's the technology to transform humans into obedient machines. They remove the brain, the organs, piece by piece, and replace them with machinery.
"When it's done, the body still functions. Even Devil Fruit powers remain. But the person becomes nothing more than a weapon that follows orders. Now tell me. Do you think those petrified soldiers would need her to be freed?
"You'll be dead… yet not completely dead. That's worse than death. Do you understand?"
Hancock's eyes shook violently. "You…"
Sakazuki's hand clamped around her throat, cutting her words short. "I gave you a chance, and you wasted it."
His grip tightened slowly, each second stretching like an eternity. Fear consumed her.
Then—crack.
Her body went still, eyes rolling back into darkness.
In that instant, Sakazuki's Haki surged into her neck, shattering her spine's nerves. Her body was alive but her mind erased. She was now just a husk.
He stood up and tossed her to Carlo on the warship. "Keep her breathing. Send her to Punk Hazard later."
Then his gaze fell on Nyon. "Now, let's talk about Amazon Lily."
Her shoulders slumped, her spirit broken. "It's over. Our elites are gone. The island can't protect itself. What's left to discuss?"
She felt exhausted. Everything they had regained was lost again.
Sakazuki's tone stayed calm. "Accept the Warlord title. You can rebuild the Kuja Pirates. The World Government and the Marines will support you. With the Calm Belt as your shield, large crews can't reach you. Small ones won't be a problem.
"If you serve well as dogs, Amazon Lily will never starve. I kill, but not without purpose. Still, if you seek death, I can erase your island from the map right now."
Nyon let out a hollow laugh. "Do I really have a choice?"
He threw the Warlord papers at her feet. "Once I report back, someone will contact you for aid. You'll have three years to recover. After that, you'll need real results in hunting pirates. If not, your island has no reason to exist. And this time, choose leaders who actually know how to think."
Her body sagged as she rose, bowing deeply. She looked older than before. "I understand."
Sakazuki turned away, heading back to the warship.
Just then, a Den Den Mushi rang from the nearby shore where Nyon had climbed up earlier.
Purururu~ Purururu~
Her heart, which had only just settled, lurched again. 'Damn… Shakky!'
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