"…"
The light slowly faded, consumed by the vastness of the silence that had taken hold of the surroundings. There wasn't a trace of wind left. Even the constant ebb and flow of the sea seemed to have come to a halt.
Only an absolute silence remained, so dense it weighed heavily on the chest.
And then, in the midst of that suffocating stillness, a subtle, wet sound broke the calm.
"Plop… plop…"
The blood had started to drip.
Tiberion still held his fist high, as firm as ever, but the scarlet droplets slipping from his knuckles could not be ignored. Thin threads ran slowly down the back of his hand, tracing the bulging veins that stood out beneath his skin.
And there, on that fist that seemed made never to break… was a cut.
Not just any wound.
It was a perfect line, running horizontally across all the knuckles, from the pinky to the index finger, dividing with disturbing precision the joints of his clenched fingers.
The flesh was open.
The flesh was clearly split, revealing right at the center of the incision a thin whitish strip: bone. It had been cut—barely. But visible.
The blood flowed in a steady, spaced rhythm, like a clock marking time in drops.
"…"
Tiberion slowly lowered his arm, his gaze still fixed forward, though his eyes eventually dropped to his own hand. His fingers trembled—almost imperceptibly—as another drop slipped from his knuckle and crashed onto the blackened ground.
"Tch"
A faint click escaped his mouth as he raised his eyes and narrowed them.
In the distance, Mihawk remained firm in his position, but he was no longer the unshakable image of the world's greatest swordsman. His always-elegant figure was clearly affected.
Though he still gripped his sword with both hands, his arms were trembling.
It wasn't a slight vibration or a mere shiver. It was an uncontrollable tremor that made his muscles quiver, as if he could barely bear the weight of his own sword.
From his wrists, thin crimson lines began to slide down, slowly descending over his bare hands.
"…"
Mihawk didn't say a word.
But his clenched jaw, irregular breathing, and slightly furrowed brows revealed the truth.
!
Everyone present watched in complete shock. No one spoke, no one breathed normally.
They just stared wide-eyed at the scene before them.
Both were injured.
But the truly terrifying part was that none of them had ever imagined that Mihawk—proclaimed the greatest swordsman in the world, wielding Yoru—had only managed to make a superficial cut on Tiberion Hanma!
HE HADN'T EVEN SEVERED HIS ARM!!
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT BODY?!
When Mihawk launched that slash, it gave the impression of a blow that could slice a kilometer-high mountain clean in half without fail. That strike should've been enough to cut through any part of a body!
But NO!
Tiberion was only bleeding a little… HOW ILLOGICAL!
Jinbe, with arms crossed and a deep frown, couldn't help but swallow hard.
As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he knew perfectly well just how powerful Mihawk's swordsmanship was.
A slash at full power could cleave the clouds and the sea.
And yet, it couldn't slice through Tiberion's arm—and now he watched him TREMBLE. Literally.
And then, Hancock…
Boom
Her heart skipped a beat. Her face was completely flushed. 'What an unbelievably resilient body…!'
She had seen it up close before… but this went beyond anything physical! If she were ever to be with him… Would she even survive?! WHAT KIND OF MAN WAS THIS?!
Even she felt a shiver—a mix of excitement and terror.
Gion also trembled, clenching her fists tightly.
The image of her own slash that failed to pierce through Tiberion's skull came rushing back to her mind. Now she understood everything.
Tiberion hadn't lied to her…
'His bones truly were over eight hundred times harder than steel!'
Still holding the hilt of his sword, Mihawk looked at the wound on the fingers of Tiberion's right arm, and that was when he fully understood:
'There truly is something in this world… that my sword cannot cut…'
Though he said nothing, his hawk-like eyes gleamed subtly.
With a single motion, he sheathed Yoru across his back. Then he raised his gaze, and his eyes locked onto Tiberion's red ones—like two blades refusing to dull.
"Tiberion Hanma… next time, Yoru will take your arm. Only you deserve to witness her in her purest form."
Tiberion shoved both hands into his pockets and laughed as if he had just heard the greatest promise of his life.
"Hahahahaha!" he laughed with excitement. "I like that! Finally, someone with courage and purpose! I look forward to that day, Mihawk… though right now, I'd like to kill you."
Stopping in front of Mihawk, he challenged him. The ground cracked beneath his feet, and his shadow eclipsed that of the world's greatest swordsman.
"You may leave now!" he declared arrogantly, as if granting him the right to live.
Immediately after, in front of everyone, without hiding a thing, he raised his injured hand. While Mihawk and the others watched closely, the bone began to slowly regenerate, and then the skin gradually closed up, the fibers reconnecting as if turning back time.
The marines were left speechless. But Mihawk showed no surprise—he simply observed… though inside, it bothered him.
That monster was healing right in front of him!
He was proving that not even his finest slash was enough to leave a lasting mark!
All kinds of emotions condensed into Mihawk's aura, which became sharper than ever. But, true to his word, he didn't raise his sword again. He turned around, and with elegant steps, allowed himself to be escorted back to his ship by the marines.
He had kept his word: just one slash.
Next time… it would be to the death.
"Kuma, you're up. You can attack me together if you want."
Turning his head sharply, Tiberion fixed his gaze on Kuma's figure.
He hadn't forgotten.
This man, with nothing but his ability, had sent him flying dozens of nautical miles away, and the insult hadn't been erased. He felt it in his bones—more than Mihawk's cut.
But before Kuma could take a single step, Jinbe stepped forward and addressed him with utmost respect.
"Just a moment ago, I learned that Lord Tiberion Hanma is the husband of Princess Shirahoshi. I, Jinbe, as a member of Fish-Man Island, have no reason to help the World Government against the Prince Consort of the kingdom."
His words were clear to all. From the beginning, he had doubted accepting the World Government's summons.
And now, with the truth revealed, his loyalty left no room for hesitation. He couldn't oppose someone who shared a bond with THE PRINCESS.
And based on what he had just seen—and what he had heard—he would've only received a brutal beating from Tiberion.
Hancock, her cheeks already flushed and her voice trembling from embarrassment, hurried to speak, lowering her head slightly with a nervous gesture—though still holding onto a hint of pride:
"T-Tiberion-sama…! P-please, don't misunderstand anything! T-this humble one would never dare to become your enemy!"
Her words came out broken, struggling to maintain composure, but it was clear that her emotions were overwhelming her. And before the silence could become unbearable, she continued:
"A-and about earlier… it wasn't out of disdain or rejection! I… I ran away because… because when I saw you, I was overcome with such emotion that I thought my heart would stop! That was the only reason!"
As soon as she finished, a stifled sob escaped her. The words hung in her throat as she covered her face with both hands, unable to meet his gaze for even a second longer. Her shoulders trembled. The tears she fought to hold back threatened to burst at any moment.
She felt exposed, vulnerable… as if all her dignity was about to collapse before the man who moved her the most.
She had said all that… in front of so many witnesses! She, the Snake Empress, reduced to a lovestruck woman stripped of all control and pride!
But then, Tiberion's voice shattered her thoughts.
"Oh? So you want to be my woman?"
He smiled broadly as he said it, looking her directly in the eyes, with an intense gaze.
Like a real man—a true man—he had to get straight to the point. Always direct. No detours.
If he had to ask, it would be only the essential.
And of course, even if Hancock resisted… she would still end up being his woman.
!
Hancock, still covering her face with her hands, froze.
A second later, her entire body shivered.
Her hands slowly lowered, revealing a beautiful face completely flushed, with her eyes wide open and her lips slightly parted—like someone who had just heard a marriage proposal.
"W-WHAT?! I-I… your… woman?!"
Her voice came out broken, filled with emotion, as if her soul had been shaken from deep within. And the moment she said it, she took a step back, staggered clumsily… and fell to her knees, her cheeks burning.
'A-Ah…! That's my Tiberion…! So direct… so manly… so… so ruthlessly honest…!'
Her mind exploded in a storm of hearts, wedding bells, and a white dress fluttering in the wind.
He had spoken those words in broad daylight! Without any warning! In front of everyone! So… boldly manly!
She kept trembling, hands pressed to her chest, trying to contain the overwhelming emotion pouring from every pore.
Of course, Tiberion already knew what she was thinking.
He could see it in every gesture: her ragged breathing, her weakened legs, her dilated pupils, her uncontrollable blush… Hancock had fallen. And not just in any way.
She had fallen as only she could—already imagining herself as a wife.
After all… there was nothing more seductive to the heart of the Empress than a man capable of crushing World Nobles like cockroaches.
"…"
The marines present were petrified.
The emotional shock they had just witnessed was not something easy to digest. The dialogue between Tiberion and Hancock—and more than that, her visible reaction—hit them like a bomb exploding right in their faces.
The Empress… was interested in that monster?!
No! He wasn't even a monster! He was a beast!
They couldn't help but glance at Hancock from the corner of their eyes as she covered her face with both hands, trembling in shame and excitement like a girl in love.
'WHAT KIND OF JOKE IS THIS?!'
That was the most beautiful woman in the world! The one everyone dreamed of, the one no man could even look at without being turned to stone by her scorn…
And now… she was trembling with love before a man who looked like a beast!
'SO UNFAIR!'
That's what everyone was thinking, chewing on their frustration. If training like animals and speaking like cavemen was all it took to win over the Empress, they would've done it since the day they joined the Marines!
Some lowered their heads, unable to bear the humiliation. Others swallowed hard, feeling that their years of service… meant nothing compared to that beast.
Still atop the Sea King, Gion watched everything unfold.
"Sigh…"
Bringing a hand to her forehead, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
'How the hell does this bastard get so lucky!?'
Another woman—naïve and sweet—falling at his feet! First Princess Shirahoshi, and now Boa Hancock!
Two of the most influential women in the world, completely captivated by his presence!
But beyond the rage boiling inside her, what truly set off the alarms was something else.
'If Hancock actually becomes his woman… the power he'll control will be downright terrifying!'
He's already unbelievably strong, but if you added Poseidon… and on top of that, the Snake Empress…
He'd be an uncrowned Yonko… no, even more powerful!
Gion clenched her teeth.
'And to think that Hancock, who always strutted around acting cold, distant, untouchable… turns out deep down she loves these wild, musclebound brutes!'
She had to bite her tongue not to let out a bitter, ironic laugh.
But then she remembered…
The weight of that "training" still lingered in every part of her body. Her breathing grew uneven, and the color began to rise—from between her thighs upward.
'Damn it, I can't even mock him!'
She couldn't provoke anything! If she drew Tiberion's attention again… she knew exactly what would come next!
"Ohhh… what a relief~! I knew it, I knew it! From the moment I saw her, I knew she could be my sister too…"
Shirahoshi clasped her hands in front of her enormous chest, letting out an emotional sigh. Her eyes sparkled with genuine joy as she sat atop the Sea King's head, wagging her tail like a happy child.
"I didn't feel anything bad in her heart… not a single thing! And if that helps my husbaaand get healthier and stronger, then… I'm really happyyy~!"
But while the princess celebrated, Tiberion didn't wait for Hancock's reply.
He vanished in the blink of an eye—and reappeared right in front of Kuma.
His red eyes blazed with fury, and his right fist, coated in a reddish Haki, launched forward, distorting space from the tension of thermal release.
BOOM
The punch landed—but Kuma reacted instantly. And though his reflexes were impeccable, the blow was so colossal that he barely managed to block it with his palm.
Even so, it wasn't enough. The flesh sank inward, and Kuma was sent flying backward like a cannonball.
His body tore through hundreds of meters in mere seconds before he managed to stabilize himself midair.
But Tiberion wasn't done.
Ñ
He activated 20% of his Demon Back. His back arched, muscles swelled, and veins bulged. The air around him began to warp—and then he vanished again.
This time like a bolt of lightning. And he reappeared right behind Kuma.
BAM
The second punch shot forward like a spear, but this time, Kuma's eyes gleamed with a crimson glow. In a fraction of a second, he activated his maximum speed, vanishing from the spot and reappearing dozens of meters away.
Without wasting a moment, he extended both arms and began compressing the atmosphere around him. The air in front of him began to crystallize, forming a gigantic, invisible bear paw that pulsed with energy.
Tiberion's punch, having missed its target, struck the ground.
A seismic wave rippled through the earth like a chain explosion. The surface within several hundred meters shattered instantly like glass under a hammer.
All of Foosha Village trembled.
________
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