Hancock wasn't originally like this… after being rescued by Naruto, she had once shown an almost 'fanatical' obsession with him.
It even reached the point where no matter what Naruto said, she would only agree unconditionally.
If it were anyone else, having such a beautiful woman obey their every word would undoubtedly lead to some restricted-level scenarios.
But Naruto was different.
He could clearly sense that beneath Hancock's fervent 'love' lay unease and escapism from the past.
It was a denial of her own experiences.
She needed to establish a 'spiritual anchor' to briefly escape the nightmare of being enslaved by the Celestial Dragons.
A certain famous psychologist once said:
"When facing psychological issues, why not try some kind of breakdown therapy?"
Afterward, Naruto intentionally increased the intensity of Hancock's training to the point of exhausting her.
In a state of complete fatigue, Hancock gradually relaxed her suppression of emotions.
Even under Naruto's deliberate guidance, she finally revealed the inferiority complex and fear hidden behind her 'pride' and 'love'. It was after that day that Hancock truly accepted her past self.
She no longer deliberately concealed the shame her past had brought her. It was precisely this courage to face it head-on that allowed her innate Conqueror's Haki to advance to the next level.
Of course, the only downside was that the once utterly obedient Hancock completely let herself go in front of Naruto.
She ran headlong from one extreme to the other without looking back.
Originally, her 'fanatical love' for Naruto was an illusion born from gratitude and inner deficiency. But after resolving her psychological issues, she genuinely grew to like Naruto through their interactions.
"This Empress have words to speak with Naruto. What business do you, this woman, have following us?"
Returning to the present, Hancock's attitude towards Stussy was completely unconcealed.
"Hehe~ This is Linlin's territory. Could it be that the Pirate Empress intends to restrict someone's movements?"
The fear on Stussy's face was acted out very clumsily, as if she were deliberately trying to provoke Hancock.
With her instincts as a CP0's agent, this kind of emotional disguise was as easy as breathing.
Hancock, however, just stared at her for a few moments before disdainfully turning her head away.
Clearly, she wasn't as quick to anger as she appeared.
Such bitchy tactics were easily seen through by Hancock.
And she believed these methods couldn't fool Naruto either.
On the contrary, if she flew into a rage over such petty tricks, it would only give Naruto a chance to run away.
After this brief exchange, both women had a better understanding of each other.
As for Naruto, he acted as if he didn't see any of this, focusing intently on searching for a tavern.
In Gin Town, if there was one thing they had plenty of, it was taverns.
However, due to the drinking competition Naruto had participated in earlier, the stock in many taverns was already depleted.
At a glance, ninety-nine percent of the taverns by the roadside had signs hanging up indicating they were temporarily closed.
Fortunately, perseverance pays off. After walking a long way with the two great beauties, Naruto finally caught the familiar scent of alcohol.
After downing three full large barrels of craft brew, Naruto finally realized something.
The Baku Baku no Mi seemed to have greatly enhanced his tolerance for alcohol.
He hadn't noticed it during the competition earlier, but now, when he actually needed to get drunk, it dawned on him.
"So troublesome..." Seeing Naruto about to continue drinking, Hancock, who was beside him, couldn't stand it anymore.
She still didn't know about Naruto's special ability to 'travel through drunkenness', and only thought he was having another alcohol craving.
A cup suddenly slammed down onto the table in front of Naruto with a bang.
He followed the sound and met Hancock's gaze.
"Drinking alone is no fun at all! Naruto, I will drink with you!"
With that, Hancock gulped down the alcohol in her cup in one go.
Her plan was simple.
By throwing herself into the situation, as long as she got drunk herself, Naruto's character would surely not leave her be.
That way, she could both make the guy drink less and indirectly get close to him.
Killing two birds with one stone.
Click.
At that moment, another cup was gently placed on the table.
Stussy smiled without speaking, her meaning equally clear.
She elegantly, yet swiftly, downed that cup of alcohol in one go.
As she set the cup down, she even stuck out her tongue to lightly lick her increasingly reddened lips.
This time, before Naruto could even react, Hancock was the first to lose her composure.
She seemed to forget her original purpose for drinking. Without waiting for Naruto to pour, she grabbed another cup for herself and gulped it down.
Stussy, on the other hand, seemed to have reached some kind of unspoken understanding and was equally unwilling to be outdone.
A meaningless, alternative battle began right there in the tavern.
The two great beauties went cup for cup, no longer paying any attention to Naruto sitting between them.
Naruto and the bartender were left staring blankly, watching as the two remarkable women easily finished a barrel of wine each.
Right.
He'd forgotten about this.
Whether it was Stussy, a clone, or the exceptionally gifted Hancock, both possessed formidable physical constitutions.
While not quite on the level of a monster like Naruto, a mere barrel of wine was nothing to them.
Naruto was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses and grabbed his own cup to start drinking.
Not for any other reason.
The existing alcohol in this tavern was limited, and he couldn't guarantee he'd successfully reach a 'drunken state' before the drink ran out.
Naruto's drinking speed was far faster than the two ladies'.
Having a big mouth was an advantage.
After a few cups, Stussy slowed her pace, seemingly ready to concede.
She even started actively pouring wine for Hancock and Naruto.
Hancock responded with a disdainful laugh, then clinked cups with Naruto.
Naruto clearly saw Stussy sprinkle some powder into the wine she poured for Hancock.
Seeing that her little trick had been discovered by Naruto, Stussy wasn't nervous at all. She even made a 'shh' gesture to Naruto while Hancock was tilting her head back to drink.
Naruto's nose twitched.
'Hmm… It was just some fast-acting sleep-inducing medication, with no harmful ingredients.'
He thought to himself, 'It seemed she was abandoning a fair drinking contest in favor of underhanded tactics.'
But Naruto didn't mind.
In fact, he preferred it this way. If Hancock could fall asleep, he could peacefully hand her over to the Kuja Pirates waiting on standby not far from the tavern.
Escaping might be shameful, but it's really useful.
But Naruto didn't notice.
While 'brazenly' drugging Hancock's cup, Stussy's fingernail also incidentally grazed the wine as she handed Naruto his drink.
A special, colorless, odorless, and harmless drug created by Dr. Vegapunk seeped from Stussy's fingertip into the wine.
Naruto also drank it down completely unaware.
His constitution was indeed powerful, but quantitative change can lead to qualitative change.
Soon, Naruto felt everything before his eyes begin to sway.
He didn't find it strange, simply thinking he had finally gotten drunk.
Hancock and Stussy beside him had long since slumped over the table, appearing completely unconscious.
'Hiss… Why is it so hot all of a sudden?'
Naruto uncomfortably tugged his collar open a bit, then downed another barrel of wine, only then feeling somewhat refreshed.
Stussy, who was lying on the table, had the corner of her mouth raised slightly.