Grand Line, First Half — Amazon Lily Kingdom.
Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle...
The dense jungle rustled violently, and suddenly a huge wild boar, squealing, burst forth with several arrows stuck in its body. However, standing before the giant boar was a tall female warrior with long orange hair and a plump figure, wielding a three-meter-long glaive.
"Stop it, Marigold!"
At this moment, another tall female warrior with long green hair burst out of the bushes, carrying a snake bow and a quiver, hot on its trail.
"Leave it to me, Ane!" The warrior named Marigold smiled cruelly, raising her glaive.
"Oonk, oonk, oonk—!" The boar was terrified, desperately charging towards her.
Boom—!
The glaive struck the ground, cleaving a large gash, but the giant boar managed to dodge it.
"Damn it!" Marigold's expression changed slightly, and she cursed under her breath, quickly chasing after it with her glaive.
The warrior named Sandersonia, seeing this, immediately drew her snake bow to its fullest, aiming at the giant wild boar fleeing ahead.
"Gotcha!" she yelled. With a release of her right hand, the bowstring twanged, and the arrow hissed as it flew, like a flash of lightning, directly embedding itself in the boar's back fifteen meters away.
"Oonk, oonk, oonk—!" The boar squealed, immediately collapsing to the ground. However, this boar was over three meters long and possessed tenacious vitality; it was still struggling on the ground, trying to get up.
But then, a beautiful black-haired female warrior suddenly appeared, moving with swift agility. Her long, slender legs swept out like a whip, delivering a powerful kick to the boar's head.
Thud—!
With a muffled thud, a visible shockwave rippled outwards. The spot on the boar's head struck by the whip-kick instantly petrified and shattered like stone.
"Onee-sama!"
Sandersonia and Marigold quickly ran over, calling out respectfully.
"Hmph~" Boa Hancock snorted softly, raising a hand to brush back her long hair. Her beautiful dark blue eyes gazed at her two younger sisters, scolding them unceremoniously, "You two are useless! You couldn't even catch a mere wild boar!"
Sandersonia and Marigold lowered their heads, silently accepting the reprimand. However, Hancock didn't say much more. She then had Marigold carry the boar, and the three of them left the jungle.
Not long after, the three arrived at an open space by the coast. Sandersonia skillfully set up a campfire and prepared pots and bowls. Marigold, meanwhile, processed the boar's carcass, expertly bleeding it, skinning it, and cleaning its insides. As for Hancock, she stood alone by the shore, gazing at the boundless blue sea, her exquisite face devoid of any emotional fluctuation, lost in thought.
Suddenly, she sharply looked up, seeing a News Coo flying overhead. Hancock's graceful eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she elegantly waved to the News Coo in the sky, calling out in a clear voice, "Little bird, a newspaper for me!"
In an instant, the News Coo heard the voice, looked down, and saw Hancock waving below.
"?-?! ! !"
Its eyes instantly turned into pink hearts, and it quickly flapped its wings down, like a fawning dog, taking out the latest newspaper from its satchel and handing it to Hancock without even asking for money.
"Hehe~ Little thing!" Hancock chuckled softly, no longer paying attention to the fawning News Coo. She opened the newspaper and began to read.
"Amphitrite Cross... It's that Marine from that night! So handsome! So amazing! But why is he a hateful Marine?! No, I must cut out this photo!" Hancock cradled her flushed cheeks, behaving like a lovesick maiden, rubbing her face against a certain photo in the newspaper repeatedly... until Sandersonia's voice reached her.
"Onee-sama, dinner's ready!"
"Ah, ah~ I know... I'm coming..." Hancock quickly put away the newspaper, her expression somewhat flustered.
...
New World — Totto Land, Whole Cake Island.
A few flickering candle flames cast a particularly dim light in the castle hall. A massive figure leaned back on the high throne.
"Zeus!"
"Prometheus!"
"See? You two actually have a kindred spirit now!"
"Mamamama~ How interesting!"
This was a monster nearly eight or nine meters tall, wearing a two-horned pirate hat, a large pink dress, and high heels. She had long, curly pink hair, thick lipstick, and light purple eyeshadow. Her bloodshot eyes stared with a savage smile at the latest issue of the World Economy News Paper in her large hand.
Behind her, a cute, chubby-cheeked yellow sun with a toothy grin floated in mid-air. Beside it was a white cloud with a lazy expression, wearing a red and white cap with a yellow brim, curiously looking at the newspaper's contents.
Big Mom Charlotte Linlin, Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, Queen of Totto Land, one of the New World's most powerful pirate rulers.
"Kukukuku~ Mama, should we send someone to kill him? Perorin!"
"Perospero, don't presume to decide for me!"
Charlotte Linlin looked down at the hall, seeing a slender, sharp-faced, heavily made-up middle-aged man standing in the center. He had a long, pointed nose and a tongue that reached his chest, like a gossiping woman. He had long, dark blue hair with light blue spots, wore a top hat adorned with several lollipops, and a light yellow long coat with a light yellow wide collar, holding a candy cane in his hand.
This person was her eldest son—Charlotte Perospero, a core member of the Big Mom Pirates and the Candy Minister, one of Totto Land Kingdom's 34 ministers.
Perospero shivered, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead, as he repeatedly said, "I merely offered a suggestion, Mama. This matter is naturally for you to decide, Perorin!"
"Hahahaha~ How about I make him my next husband?" Charlotte Linlin bared her teeth in a savage grin, speaking with great interest.
"Uh~" Perospero's expression stiffened. He said with some embarrassment, "Mama, that kid named Amphitrite Cross is only 17 years old... isn't that a bit too young?"
What kind of joke is this? Am I supposed to call a 17-year-old kid 'Papa'?! The thought made Perospero involuntarily shiver, and he roared frantically in his mind. No! Impossible! I absolutely will not!
"Only 17, huh? He does seem a bit young!" Charlotte Linlin pondered for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, "Mamamama~ What about Smoothie? Although she's a few years older... hmm, it seems Galette might be a better fit."
Perospero raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, cautiously saying, "If it's about age, Galette is indeed a better fit. But Mama, that kid is already a Marine Captain, I'm afraid he won't agree to our proposal!" He added, "Moreover, that kid is highly valued by Marine Headquarters. Some of our usual threats might not even work on him!"
After listening to her eldest son, Charlotte Linlin's eyes narrowed, and she fell into deep thought. For a moment, the hall was enveloped in silence. Perospero watched his mother, feeling a chilling awe, not daring to utter a sound.
After a long while, Charlotte Linlin slowly spoke, "Then go test him. See if that Marine brat truly has the same ability as me... If he does, and he's unwilling to join us, then find a way to kill him in the New World!"
"Phew—" Perospero let out a soft sigh of relief, then respectfully bowed, responding in a deep voice, "As you command, Mama!"
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