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Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: This Isn’t Over!

"So in the end, it's you two acting as my bodyguards, huh?"

Hammer looked speechlessly at the tall-and-short, pretty-and-plain pair in front of him.

Yep, Sengoku assigned him the only free officers available: Gion and Tokikake.

Originally, it was just supposed to be only Gion.

But Tokikake, that shameless pest, sticks to her like glue, impossible to shake off. He's basically an annoying leech.

"Hammer, you're not happy having me as your bodyguard?" Tokikake smirked.

"Oh, right, I heard you found yourself a little girl in Dressrosa, hahaha! Didn't expect that from you, Hammer."

Hammer died inside on the spot. This incident had apparently become public knowledge.

Speaking of which… he wondered how things were going on that side.

....

Dressrosa

"So, this necklace, Hammer told you to bring it here, right?"The pink-haired princess held a small box with the Iceheart Pendant inside, her voice trembling with excitement.

Musu nodded, secretly stunned by the invisible aura coming off Scarlet.

'Conqueror's Haki… and that strong, at her age?'

It wasn't like Musu had never seen Conqueror's Haki, but never this intense in someone so young.

"Vice Admiral Musu, thank you," Scarlet said. "If Hammer sent this necklace, I have to wear it."

Without hesitation, Scarlet put the necklace around her neck.

The next second, a silver light flared, and a wave of cold air filled the room.

"Huh?" Scarlet felt the sudden surge of strange energy coursing through her mind, and her Conqueror's Haki exploded outward in all directions.

"Whoa!"Musu was the first to get hit. The blast of raw Haki slammed into him like a shockwave, launching him backward.

The Iceheart Necklace did more than just block negative energy. It also had another powerful ability: to boost a person's spirit, triggering their latent Conqueror's Haki.

Hammer had used it to awaken his own "Salted Fish King" Haki.

Scarlet already had Conqueror's Haki from her rapier; now the necklace pushed her potential even higher.

"So this is what he planned…" Scarlet muttered, her eyes sharp. "Hmph, Hammer, you're good."

The rapier's emotional hold on her scattered, her mind growing clearer than ever.

When she retracted her Haki, she looked even more regal, calm, and noble. The Iceheart Pendant had worked exactly as Hammer intended.

But sometimes… life doesn't go according to plan.

"Vice Admiral Musu, tell Hammer this isn't over." Scarlet's voice was cool, like ice. "That sword wasn't enough. He still owes me an explanation."

With that, Scarlet turned and strode toward the Royal Plateau without looking back.

Musu silently watched her go, then muttered under his breath: "Brother Hammer… It's not that I don't have your back, but this princess's aura is something else."

"Looks like even now that she's normal again… she's still not gonna let you off the hook."

He turned to leave, too; he still had to meet with King Riku about the wrought iron procurement plan.

....

Marineford, Port, Warhammer

"Hey, Hammer, you still haven't said where we're heading this time," Lanns said helplessly, watching Hammer standing on the deck.

They'd just survived a huge battle.

They'd barely gotten back to HQ, and now they were heading out to sea again? Lance honestly wondered if Hammer had lost his mind.

But looking at Gion and Tokikake next to him… he realized Hammer was dead serious.

"The Grand Line. Jaya Island," Hammer said flatly.

"Jaya Island? Isn't that a pirate-infested dump? Why are we going there?"Lace knew Jaya well enough; they'd been there before.

The place was crawling with pirates. If it were up to Lance, he'd have bombarded the island off the map ages ago.

"Oh? Jaya Island, huh? I've never been there," Gion said, casually polishing her katana, Konpira.

"But, Hammer, I do have a question: what exactly are we going there for?"

"Ugh, can you people not? I'm the commanding officer here. I'm the Vice Admiral!" Hammer snapped.

"Lance, you're just the first mate, don't get ahead of yourself! And you two, you're my bodyguards. Why do you care where I'm going?!"

Hammer was done. Why did he need to file a report on where he went? Not even Sengoku could make him do that!

Clang!

A clear metallic ring, Konpira's blade gleamed as Gion drew her sword.

"Hammer, I'll give you one more chance to organize your words properly," Gion said coolly.

Who was Gion? The Marine's famous "She-Dragon." Calm and gentle normally, ruthless and decisive once the blade is drawn.

"Oh? Drawing your sword on my ship? Gion, clearly, you haven't tasted the sea's beatings enough yet.

"Absolute Space!"

The instant Hammer spoke, the air around Gion froze, and countless phantom hammer strikes materialized around her.

"What?! Damn it!" Gion's face fell, and she instantly coated Konpira in Armament Haki, her blade splitting into a storm of cuts to counter the hammers.

In her mind, she flashed back to when Hammer fought all of them solo, an image that still burned in her memory, fueling her growth to this day.

"Don't underestimate me, I've been training hard!" Gion snarled. "One-Sword Style, Scattered Stars!"

Konpira moved twice as fast, her slashes a blur.

"Oh? Impressive progress," Hammer smirked. "Let me raise the stakes, Absolute Space: Ignite!"

The hammers in the locked space suddenly burst into flame.

"Damn it, One-Sword Style: Mist Slash!"

Flames engulfed Gion.

Desperate, she swung a massive pink slash from the deck straight at Hammer.

She was going for an exchange of injuries.

"Good idea. Pity it won't work!"

"Fracture Hammer!"

Hammer calmly raised his index finger, coated it in Armament Haki, and slammed it into the incoming slash.

Boom!

Gion's strongest slash shattered like glass.

"Impossible!" she gasped.

"Nothing's impossible. Keep training, Gion."Hammer dismissed the Absolute Space and turned back toward the sea, but no one saw how his right hand trembled violently behind his back.

His face twisted in pain.

A thin line of blood ran down his index finger, and he winced in agony. Watching him, Lance could only shake his head.

'Suffering for pride.'

'Hammer was usually good-natured, but Gion had crossed his bottom line.'

"Gion, you okay?" Lance asked.

"Hey, you bastard Hammer, did you really have to hit her so hard?! I'm telling you, this isn't over!"

"And I want my own rematch, OW!"

BOOM!

Before Tokikake could even finish shouting about his beloved, Hammer casually flicked him away with a single hammer strike, sending him flying.

Thus, the Bodyguard Duo suffered another humiliating defeat the moment they boarded the ship.

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