"Link, did Hancock's clone succeed?"
"Where is she, where is she? Let me see."
Just as Link stepped out of the lab, Nami, who had been passively sensing with her unique talent, immediately notified Karina and the others to come see Link's result.
Looking at the curious, expectant faces, Link, wearing only white shorts, smiled. "It worked. Come in."
Then Link led Karina and the others into the lab.
In the tech-filled room, the most eye-catching thing was an open culture pod. Green fluid was splashed on the floor, with two rows of tiny green footprints.
Following the prints, everyone except Hancock and Robin had hearts in their eyes and cried, "So cute."
At the end of the prints sat a chair.
On it, a small figure, a little girl who looked eleven or twelve.
She had long straight black hair, deep blue eyes, a delicate, adorable face, and wore an oversized white uniform.
So young, yet she gave off a cool, lofty air.
This little girl was Hancock in her childhood, almost identical to the original story's Seraphim S-Snake.
Different was that Little Hancock's hair was not white, her eyes not starry, but still deep blue.
Her skin was fair as jade rather than brown.
There were no Lunarian black wings or flame behind her.
Though lacking that race's abilities and any cyborg mechanization, she was the most perfect clone.
Only such a clone could become a Devil Fruit user.
"Is this a clone of me?"
Hancock walked up to Little Hancock and finally breathed in wonder. "How amazing. She looks exactly like I did as a child."
Hearing her, the girl wrapped in Link's uniform rolled her eyes, habitually flicked her hair, and quipped, "Making a fuss. A clone of me, in a growth phase, will of course look like I did as a child."
Robin's eyes lit with interest. "Then do you also have the original's memories?"
Little Hancock's lips curled. "Of course. Aside from not having the Love-Love Fruit and a physique not yet as strong as the original's, everything the original has, I have, including—"
Her tone paused, her pupils shrank, and an invisible shockwave burst from her.
The wave brushed past Karina and the others, making clothes flutter and eyes narrow.
A faint dark red crackle threaded the air.
"Even Conqueror's Haki can be cloned. Science is unbelievable."
Karina and the rest were full of awe.
They had yet to notice that it wasn't only Conqueror's Haki, but also the hallmark of top fighters—Conqueror's coating.
Robin sighed as well. "It's practically a permanent wood clone."
"Yes, the most perfect clone," Link agreed with a nod.
With Hancock successfully cloned, Link felt ever more certain that Edward Weevil should be a Whitebeard clone.
Even failed attempts can produce successful individuals.
Stussy goes without saying. If her identity hadn't been exposed in the original story, who would believe Miss Bakkin and Stussy were clones.
In Rokushiki and Haki, Stussy excelled, her mind razor sharp, even better than the aged original.
The difference between a perfect clone and a wood clone is largely that they don't share information, and clones can grow. Given opportunities the original never had, they might surpass the original.
Becoming one of the dark kings, infiltrating the World Government as the Celestial Dragons' strongest shield—Stussy is the best example.
Just then Karina asked, "Since she's a perfect individual, what should we call Hancock's clone?"
"Little Hancock, or Snake Maiden, or Snake Princess," Link said with a smile. "If it's Little Hancock, we could also give her a name."
Little Hancock's brows knit. "Call me Snake Maiden."
Hancock and Snake Princess are for the original. Little Hancock sounded too awkward.
Knowing she was a clone, she didn't want another separate name.
Her mission at birth was to become a Float-Float Fruit user.
In that case, like Link's wood clones, she would serve as the original's perfect double.
Worthy of being Link's number one admirer's clone. To please Link, she even volunteered to be a tool person.
If Link knew her inner thoughts, he would have scooped her up and doted on her like a daughter.
Without a doubt, Little Hancock—no, Snake Maiden—would be the crew's darling.
If Karina and the others couldn't help themselves, they would surely smother the little big sister with affection.
Even without the Love-Love Fruit, Hancock is officially one of the three peerless beauties, the greatest beauty of her era.
Fruit or not, her charm is top tier.
With the name set, Link's big family gained another member.
A new member unlike any other.
After they left the lab, Link immediately called Sandersonia and Marigold to prepare clothes for Snake Maiden.
Seeing their elder sister as a child, Sandersonia and Marigold fell at once.
They feared Hancock very much, but not Snake Maiden, even with Hancock's regal memories and bearing.
They couldn't help it. She was too cute.
Even when she put on full dignity, it was the adorable dignity of a little grown-up.
When she first stepped from the pod and showed a shy, spoiled look at Link, he fell on the spot, though no one saw that embarrassing moment.
Since Snake Maiden looked like Hancock as a child and still remembered Sandersonia and Marigold as her elder sisters, they didn't make her a fitted cheongsam but a shoulder-baring kimono like the one from back then.
Gazing at the kimono, Snake Maiden's eyes turned wistful, then she smiled and changed into it. Unlike the original's hime cut, she kept her long straight black hair and simply tied the locks at her temples.
In that instant, Snake Maiden seemed to be Little Hancock crossing time, past and future at once.
The only difference was that this Little Hancock was terrifyingly strong.
<><><><><><
Read Advanced Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo247
~ Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]