The next day, with the sun rising over the desert, Shirahoshi had already informed Toto that they should depart soon.
Upon hearing this, Toto insisted that there was no way he could let such stunning beauties walk on foot through the scorching desert hell, and he prepared a group of camels for them.
"They can cross the sea of sand without collapsing…" he said, patting their necks.
But as soon as he looked at Shirahoshi again, he realized they had a big problem… a very big one. She couldn't ride any of them.
Her giant body was simply incompatible with any normal mount. The camels wouldn't even get close to her.
Toto tried to play it off, scratching his head with an awkward smile, but Tiberion noticed, and his red eyes narrowed.
He remembered that during the Alabasta arc, when the Straw Hats were crossing the desert, a giant crab helped them move faster.
He couldn't recall the crab's name exactly, but that didn't matter.
What mattered was that if there had been one giant crab… there had to be more.
Without saying a word, he turned and walked away.
The women watched him, confused, while Toto tried to warn him about how dangerous the desert was—but Tiberion's presence silenced him instantly.
Once he was far enough, he stopped and closed his eyes.
He extended his Observation Haki.
His senses expanded, piercing through everything and picking up everything. The desert suddenly came alive.
And there they were.
Not one—several.
Giant presences, motionless beneath the surface, slowly moving, hidden beneath kilometers of sand.
And they were even bigger than he had imagined.
Smiling to himself, he went to find the largest one.
…
It didn't take him even five minutes to find it.
It was like a crimson mountain emerging from the sand, shaking the ground like an earthquake. Round, serious eyes protruded from its shell like antennae.
Its massive pincers rose instinctively in a defensive gesture.
!
But it froze.
Tiberion simply stood there, hands in his pockets, letting his presence speak for him.
His aura grew into a crushing pressure, making the crab feel like an ant.
The crab stared at him for a few more seconds, trying to comprehend what kind of creature it had encountered, then lowered its pincers and bowed.
'Easy.'
Tiberion nodded silently and, with a single leap, landed on its shell.
…
He returned with a calm stride, riding the crab as if he were the King of the desert, and Toto's eyes widened like saucers.
"I-Impossible… H-How did you tame it?"
Shirahoshi jumped with excitement.
"It's a giant crab! It's so cute!"
"Where did you find it?" asked Hina, stunned.
"It wasn't hiding. It was just waiting for someone who knew where to look."
Toto, speechless, could only nod awkwardly.
The ladies climbed onto the shell, settling in without difficulty, and for the first time since setting foot in the desert, Shirahoshi had a comfortable means of transportation.
The farewell was brief.
Toto watched as the crab walked away, kicking up another sandstorm with every step, the sun setting in the background.
And so they departed for the capital.
…
Kingdom of Alabasta — Alubarna
Ever since the king had announced the official competition to win the princess's hand, Alubarna had completely transformed. In the vast grounds in front of the Royal Palace, several battle platforms had been erected, and around them stretched what could only be described as a literal human sea.
It wasn't hundreds. Or even thousands.
It was over a million people.
Men from all over the world had come to register, while countless others watched each fight wide-eyed.
At all hours, day and night, someone was fighting.
"What the hell?! How many have signed up already? This never ends!" grumbled a sweaty young man, with a palm leaf on his head to shield himself from the sun.
"Too many. And the worst part is they keep coming. Even guys in armor and golden capes… like it's some kind of war."
"See those two over there? They've got over twenty straight wins!"
"The one with the straw hat? That guy's stretchy! I saw him stretch his arm like it was made of rubber! What the hell is that?"
"They say he ate one of those cursed fruits… what were they called? Sea fruits? Magic fruits?"
"Devil Fruits, you fool," corrected an old man from behind, squinting, "And they're rare… very rare. But they give powers no normal person should ever have."
"Well, that guy definitely has it! He jumped five meters and knocked someone out with a single punch! The guy didn't even see it coming."
"And the swordsman? The one with green hair," someone pointed out. "He fights with three swords, one in his mouth... looks like a damn assassin. Hasn't lost once."
"That guy doesn't fight, he hunts. You watch him move, and it's like watching Death itself."
"But listen… the other one, the blond—did you see how he fights? He shouts weird stuff while he kicks! Who does that?"
"Hahaha! I thought he was insane. But crazy or not, he shattered a guy's jaw with one kick. It wasn't even funny!"
"His leg strength is unreal. Those three didn't come here to compete."
"Pff… and here I was thinking my training would take me far. Now I don't know if I should sign up or just head home with my teeth still in place..."
"Bro… if those guys are here, we're just here to decorate the background."
But just then…
An unexpected stir erupted at the back of the crowd—but it wasn't a scream. It was a collective whisper that grew like a rising wave.
"What… what is that?"
"No way…! Did you see that woman?! Where the hell did she come from?!"
"Oh my god… look at those eyes! But they're not cold… they're like blue fire!"
"And that body! She looks like a goddess walking among mortals!"
"Her outfit! Look at what she's wearing! It's like… like she doesn't even care about the heat…"
"Those legs… did you see that waist? And her boobs, man! They're enormous! That's not normal!"
"I didn't know you could have an ass like that and still walk with such grace… how does she do it?"
"No, no, no… that's not human. She's a trap. She looks at you and you forget how to breathe."
And just when some thought they'd seen it all, a colossal shadow stretched over the crowd. Everyone turned their heads and then they saw her…
"What the hell is that…?"
"Is that… a woman?"
"She's a mountain in a dress!"
"No! She's a mermaid! I swear on my mother! Look at the tail…!"
"Holy shit, yeah! She is a mermaid! But I've never seen one that big… or that beautiful!"
"Look at that lovely face! How can someone be so massive and yet so delicate?"
"I don't know if I want to marry Princess Vivi or be adopted by her instead…"
"Who the hell is this now? An assassin?"
"Maybe she's a bodyguard?"
"I don't know, but if she looked at me, I'd drop to my knees without her saying a word."
"I'd drop to my knees even if she didn't look at me!"
"No joke… that woman terrifies me! But I can't stop staring!"
"What if she's a Marine? What if she's spying on all of us?"
"She can spy all she wants—with that body, I'd tell her everything I dreamed about last night."
"Hey… is it just me, or does she have an even better body than the first one?"
"I don't know, but the only thing I regret is that they're wearing too much."
"Tch… if I could be with one of those women, even if they broke my ribs to make soup with them, I'd die happy."
"Pah, that's nothing! I'd eat my own shit every day if I had to!"
Meanwhile, Tiberion walked at the front, moving with a relaxed stride, his hands sunk into his pockets and his gaze fixed on the combat arenas. His imposing body, taller than most, didn't emit even a trace of hostility or threat.
And yet, despite his presence, no one was looking at him.
Every gaze was locked behind him, pulled like magnets toward the three figures following in his wake. It wasn't that people were stepping aside for Tiberion… they were doing it for them.
And so, without really knowing how, the crowd began to part, forming a path for him. Some did it subtly, others clumsily, some without even realizing it… but all of them, absolutely all of them, moved aside.
Behind him, Shirahoshi advanced in silence, arms pressed against her body, her face flushed beneath her veil.
With every step, she felt the eyes of the crowd lift toward her—not with mockery, not even with fear, but emotions like awe, desire, and confusion… and she wasn't used to that.
Deep down, she was still a shy girl.
And seeking a bit of comfort, Shirahoshi quickened her pace.
"H-Husband… wait for me!"
Tiberion, without stopping, turned his head just slightly toward her.
She drew as close to his back as she could, searching for shelter, and said nothing else. She simply walked closer, her head down, trying to make herself smaller.
"…Huh?"
The word "husband," spoken so softly in Shirahoshi's voice, echoed like a stone thrown into a still pond, shattering the collective silence.
The crowd froze, and the murmurs died down. It was as if the desert heat itself had stopped moving.
Everyone thought the same thing.
Did we hear that right…?
But no one said it at first.
Until someone finally dared:
"…'Husband'? Did she say 'husband'…?"
And then the murmur exploded.
"The mermaid? That goddess from my dreams just called…?"
"No way! Who?!"
Eyes darted around, desperately searching for a man worthy of such a title. And that's when they finally saw him.
The man walking ahead.
The one those three women were following.
"…"
And silence returned.
Because when their eyes landed on him, no one could speak.
A towering man, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist that made him appear even larger, arms like tree trunks full of veins, and a gait so calm it intimidated more than any show of force.
The sun barely reflected off his bronzed skin, and he didn't show the slightest trace of hostility toward them… he just walked, with an overwhelming sense of certainty, as if he were the king of the world.
"Shit… that guy's scary."
"How the hell didn't we see him before?! He was walking right in front of them!
"He was right under our noses and we didn't notice… How does he do that?"
"Hold up! That's the 'husband'? No wonder! Look at that physique! That guy looks like a damn gladiator!"
"No! That guy's not a gladiator… he looks more like a beast. You just know that if someone crossed him, he'd crush them with his bare hands."
"Did you see the way he walks?! He doesn't even bother to look around!"
"I'm telling you… a woman like that mermaid wouldn't call just anyone 'husband.' There has to be more to him."
'More'? Can't you see it? That guy's not normal. He gives off an energy… I don't even know how to explain it… just being near him gives you chills."
"Yeah… it's even hard to breathe just being here. I can't imagine trying to breathe standing next to him."
"I'm curious… a mermaid that size calling a guy a bit over three meters 'husband'? Wouldn't that be… awkward when they're alone?"
"Who gives a damn if she's big or small?! What matters is that they fit, bro! And that guy definitely fits everything!"
However, just as the murmurs were reaching a boiling point, one figure suddenly came to a stop.
Hancock.
She turned around, and the look in her eyes, which had until now remained indifferent, flared with fury.
She stared directly at the crowd that had dared to speak out loud.
"…Pathetic creatures," she spat in a voice just barely louder than a whisper, yet still sharp and clear enough for everyone to hear.
Her tone wasn't one of anger—it was pure disdain. "You're nothing but dust blown by the wind."
The wind itself seemed to stop for a moment. Then, without taking a single step, she raised her exquisite hands and formed a heart with her fingers.
And the instant her fingers met in the air… the very moment the heart closed, a rosy flash burst from its center.
A translucent, radiant beam of energy shot out, spreading rapidly like a wave of liquid light, sweeping across and touching dozens… no, hundreds of people.
The moment the light touched their bodies, they froze instantly.
There were no screams.
One hundred and twenty men—some with expressions of shock, others with mouths still open from laughing just seconds earlier—were turned into stone statues on the spot.
"..."
Those who hadn't been hit felt a chill run down their spines.
"D-Did they… turn into stone?"
No one answered the question, as all eyes were fixed on the statues.
Terror swept over them—those had been human bodies… and now they were nothing but stone.
Stone that, only seconds ago, had been alive.
"..."
Silence still reigned when Hina stepped forward.
Though her eyes were hidden behind her sunglasses, the firmness of her gaze could still be felt.
With a furrowed brow and a mix of disappointment and restrained anger on her face, she spoke:
"Don't you think that was unnecessary?"
"They were just regular people. Ignorant, maybe—but harmless," she continued, without lowering her voice. "Why use your ability on them? What were you trying to prove?"
"..."
Hancock didn't even blink at her words. She slowly turned her head and looked Hina up and down, as if trying to figure out what had given her the nerve to speak to her that way.
"Are you trying to tell me how I should act?" she replied quietly. "Do you actually believe this scum has the right to mock… my man?"
She spat out those last two words as if they were sacred.
"...."
The tension between the two had been visible even before Hancock had turned people to stone.
Hina clenched her jaw.
She wasn't like Shirahoshi, who always obeyed without question. And she didn't even call Hancock "big sister." That alone annoyed Hancock deeply.
"Even so, your reaction was excessive." Her voice didn't waver. "Do you really think it's worthy of a Shichibukai to petrify over a hundred people just for speaking without thinking?"
Hancock smiled, but it wasn't a smile.
"Oh, how sweet. You're worried about them?" she tilted her head. "Do you really believe those creatures deserve my compassion?"
"It's not compassion. It's common sense," Hina shot back immediately. "Anyone in their position, without knowing the truth, would've thought the same. They were just surprised, confused. And you know it."
"..."
The crowd, a few meters away, didn't even dare to breathe loudly—they remained frozen, quietly watching the scene unfold.
Hancock narrowed her eyes, silent for a moment.
"How arrogant you sound," she said as she stepped forward, chin held high. "Do you know what Tiberion-sama would do to them… if he actually got angry?"
Hina frowned, but didn't back down.
"I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about us."
But Hancock was no longer listening. She had lowered her gaze.
"A few days ago… some insects made the mistake of speaking too much in front of him," she whispered with false sweetness. "Do you know what happened? They died before they could finish their sentence."
She lifted her head and locked eyes with Hina through her glasses. With a smile, she looked as beautiful as she was terrifying.
"Believe me… they had a much quicker death than the one I would've given them."
Hina swallowed— not out of fear, but from the tension. She understood the message perfectly. Hancock hadn't done it out of jealousy alone. She had done it because she could.
And because she knew no one was going to stop her.
Still, Hina didn't look away.
"So what do you plan to do now?" she asked in a whisper. "Leave them like that? Turned to stone for the rest of their lives?"
Hancock stared at her a few more seconds before narrowing her eyes.
"Why that look?" she asked with annoyance. "If it bothers you so much, all you have to do is ask."
"Say 'I'm sorry,' and call me big sister. That's it."
"What…?"
"Those are the conditions. Do they sound unfair?" she stepped closer. "I have no obligation to undo anything. At the end of the day, I'm still a pirate. I couldn't care less if they live or die."
"You, on the other hand… even if you're not wearing your Marine uniform, you still try to play the moral figure. But if you insist on acting like the virtuous one here… I promise you, you can't compete with me."
Hancock gave her a mocking smile and turned around, starting to walk away.
"..."
For a moment, no words were spoken.
Hina didn't say a thing—she just stood there, motionless.
She closed her eyes for a second.
She needed something to ground herself again.
Then, she reached inside her clothes and pulled out a thin cigarette. She lit it calmly, unhurried, as if the entire crowd wasn't watching her in silence.
She took a long drag, her eyes still fixed on the spot where Hancock had stood moments ago.
The smoke left her lips thick—just like her mood.
Was her pride worth it?
Lifting her gaze, she watched the smoke rise slowly into the sky, and in that instant, she made a decision.
This wasn't about pride.
And then, without letting her voice waver for even a second, she drew in a deep breath and shouted:
"Wait…!"
"I'm sorry… B-Big Sister… are you satisfied now?!"
!
A few meters away, Hancock stopped in her tracks.
Her hips swayed as she turned, and her expression—previously stern—softened into a delighted smile, undeniably pleased.
"Hmm… Well now. See? It wasn't so hard," she said with venom dripping from her voice. "Dear little sister Hina… since you said it with such conviction, it would be disrespectful not to return the favor."
And just like that, Hancock kept her promise.
The petrified bodies began to return to their original form.
"..."
And among those still unable to take their eyes off the group moving forward, fear, shock, and disbelief slowly blended into a single, undeniable conclusion.
After all the commotion… they had come to realize a very important truth.
Those women already belong to someone!
They're in love! Completely devoted to a single man!
And the most shocking part… is that all of them follow him!
One name now consumed their thoughts. A name that hadn't even crossed their minds until seconds ago. But now… now they saw it clearly.
It was Tiberion…
TIBERION HANMA!
The very same man on the wanted posters. The one the World Government has labeled the most dangerous criminal of the moment. The one with a bounty of five billion berries.
FIVE BILLION!
And there he was.
Walking among them like it was nothing.
At first, no one had recognized him.
How could they?
They had been blinded by the magnetism and presence of the women—by the curves of one, the overwhelming height of another, the commanding aura of the third… and hadn't even realized that they all revolved around him!
Some had seen his face on the "Wanted" posters…
But of course—how could they make the connection?
The image on the poster looked like a stylized caricature! Who would've imagined that the real man would look like that… so calm and imposing?
Who would've thought that was the same monster with such a massive price on his head?!
"No way… so that's Tiberion Hanma…!" one whispered, eyes wide, "Five billion bounty… five billion! Are we insane?!"
"I swear, when he walked past me… I felt a chill like I'd just been struck by lightning," another added, swallowing hard. "It was like staring death in the face…"
"Shhh! Lower your voice, dumbass!"
"You want him to hear you? He could kill us with a blink!"
"With a guy like that in the tournament…" said one, who had already dropped all pretense of calm, "forget about the title of fiancé. That spot's already taken!"
"Tch… it's not fair. Being strong really is the best thing you can be. Just look at the women around him… they're like something out of a damn dream. To say I'm not jealous… would be lying to myself."
A mix of resignation and terror swept across the faces of every man present.
Because after that revelation, no one wanted to step into the ring anymore.
The mere number of his bounty had been enough to freeze the will of more than half the crowd. And those who remained were only still there because they didn't know how to back out without looking like cowards.
Fiancé of Princess Vivi?
To become the man worthy of touching her, sharing her bed, becoming part of a royal family…?
To have it all?
Please.
Who in their right mind would even dare think of that now?!
Sure, dreaming was free…
But approaching Vivi now meant walking straight into death.
And no dream was worth that much.
A woman like Princess Vivi would never let some nobody lay a hand on her… not now!
Not after the most dangerous monster in the world had set his sights on this competition!
________
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