Back inside the royal chambers, Hancock looked at Granny Nyon's stone statue, now surrounded protectively by Enishida and the others, her expression complicated.
Even now, she couldn't understand why the other party would make such a request.
After all... they had leverage over her...
Seeing Hancock remain silent, Meiser spoke up, "Release Granny Nyon from her petrification."
As he spoke, Meiser lifted his control over Enishida and the others. Now that he had returned, there was no need to keep them restrained any longer.
"Bzz—"
"Huh?"
The moment Enishida regained consciousness, a trace of confusion flickered in her eyes.
Had she been standing in this spot earlier?
Just then, she noticed Hancock standing beside Meiser and gasped inwardly. "Serpent Princess?"
"Why is the Serpent Princess standing with a man...?"
The warriors in the room were equally bewildered, unable to recall what had just happened. It was as if a portion of their memories had been erased.
"What happened to them just now...?" Marigold asked.
"Ah, just put them under temporary hypnosis to keep them in line," Meiser replied casually.
Marigold: "???"
So he really had controlled Enishida and the others?
What a... terrifying man!
"You despicable man, what did you do?"
"Serpent Princess, what's going on?"
"It's nothing. All of you, withdraw for now," Hancock waved dismissively. "And from this moment onward, no one except Sandersonia is permitted to enter the royal chambers. Understood?!"
Enishida blinked. Though she didn't understand the situation, since the Serpent Princess had given the order, she had no choice but to comply.
With that, Enishida nodded. "Yes, Serpent Princess."
Then, she led the warriors out of the room.
Hancock paid them no further mind, striding purposefully toward Granny Nyon. Once face-to-face, she deactivated her Devil Fruit Ability.
"Huh?"
Granny Nyon, now restored to normal, looked at Hancock in confusion, her mind still catching up.
"Hancock?"
"Mhm."
This time, Hancock didn't nitpick, simply nodding in acknowledgment—a reaction that surprised Granny Nyon.
Slowly, Granny Nyon began recalling what had happened earlier.
She remembered... Hancock had been about to petrify Meiser when she had jumped in to push him away.
And then... the next thing she knew, Hancock was standing right in front of her.
Did that mean she had been turned to stone just now?
That girl really didn't hold back—wait, no!
Where was Meiser?!
At this thought, Granny Nyon spoke up. "Hancock, what did you do to Meiser?"
"Granny Nyon, I'm right here."
Hearing Granny Nyon's concern for him, Meiser couldn't help but smile.
Granny Nyon turned at the sound of his voice, and upon seeing him unharmed, she sighed in relief. "Good, you're safe..."
She was genuinely afraid Hancock would use her Devil Fruit Ability to petrify Meiser and then shatter him with a kick.
Hiss... Wait a minute!!
Granny Nyon suddenly noticed something odd.
Where was Meiser's jacket?
No—wasn't Hancock wearing Meiser's jacket?!
Glancing back at Hancock as she walked toward her seat, Granny Nyon's eyes widened in shock.
That was indeed his jacket...
Just what had happened while she was petrified?
Thinking this, Granny Nyon asked, "What's going on here?"
"Ah, we had a fight," Meiser replied.
Granny Nyon: ???
A fight?
With Hancock?
Looking at Meiser, who bore no injuries whatsoever, Granny Nyon was utterly speechless.
She knew exactly how strong Hancock was.
Even against a Marine Admiral, Hancock could hold her own.
Yet this young man had faced her and emerged completely unscathed?
How was that possible?
"So... I underestimated his strength after all?" Granny Nyon thought in astonishment.
"He really did fight Big Sis," Marigold chimed in. "Over by the back mountain."
"The place is completely wrecked now."
Granny Nyon: ...
Granny Nyon fell silent again. To come out of such an intense battle without a scratch... This young man's strength was far more terrifying than she had imagined.
In that case... they truly did have the qualifications to participate in this war.
"Granny Nyon," Hancock stopped walking and turned to look at her. "What was it you wanted to say earlier?"
"Did I say anything?"
A question mark popped up over Granny Nyon's head—she couldn't recall saying anything at the time.
"Does petrification cause temporary memory loss...?" Meiser mused silently. "And it seems they don't remember what happened while petrified either."
In a way, this ability was practically a form of sealing.
He wondered if the next Devil Fruit Ability User could undo the petrification caused by the previous one.
If so, the possibilities would be endless.
Pushing the thought aside, Meiser spoke up. "Granny Nyon, what you meant to say was: 'I'm a friend of Shakky's.'"
"Ah—yes, yes, that's right!"
With Meiser's reminder, Granny Nyon nodded in recollection. "That was it."
"Hancock, Meiser is Shakky's friend. You should lend him a hand."
Hearing this, Hancock gave Meiser a strange look. "I didn't expect you to know Shakky."
Marigold also stared at him in surprise—what a coincidence.
"Yeah, we're pretty close," Meiser said with a smile.
If it hadn't been for Shakky's intel back then, they might never have found Merry.
"He doesn't just know Shakky—he knows Rayleigh too," Granny Nyon added.
At that, both Hancock and Marigold fell silent.
All their former benefactors... now connected to this guy. Was this fate?
"I don't know why you two were fighting, nor why you've both returned here so calmly now.
But... since you're back, let's talk."
After speaking, Granny Nyon paused briefly before continuing: "Meiser's request is simple—he just needs the Eternal Log Pose to Marine Headquarters."
Granny Nyon hurriedly spoke her piece, afraid Hancock's capricious nature would interrupt her again.
"Granny Nyon, we've already settled it," Meiser said.
"Settled it?"
Granny Nyon was stunned. How?
"Yes, settled."
"What did you two discuss?"
This time, Meiser didn't answer. Instead, he glanced at Hancock.
There was something unusual about this woman's back, and he wasn't sure if Granny Nyon knew about it—so he wouldn't answer carelessly.
Noticing Meiser's gaze, Hancock remained silent for a moment before sweeping the chamber with her Observation Haki. Confirming no unwanted listeners were present, she finally spoke: "He... saw the mark on my back."
Granny Nyon: !!!
Hancock's words immediately changed Granny Nyon's expression.
She knew all too well what that meant.
Could it be... this boy had forced Hancock to compromise through threats?
Perhaps sensing Granny Nyon's suspicion, Hancock added, "He didn't threaten me. We made a deal."
"A deal?"
A question mark practically appeared over Granny Nyon's head. What kind of deal could make Hancock yield?
"I can remove the mark on her back," Meiser explained. "In exchange, she'll undo your petrification and give me the Eternal Log Pose to Marine Headquarters."
At this, Granny Nyon fell completely silent.
That Meiser had some method to remove the mark from Hancock's back was surprising enough.
But what truly shocked her was that his first condition had been to save her!
For a moment, Granny Nyon's emotions were complicated.
"Thinking about it... he didn't use this to threaten Hancock... That alone speaks to his character."
This boy might just be...
Having reached this conclusion, Granny Nyon made a decision.
Just then, Sandersonia rushed in from outside, announcing, "Sister, I'm back."
"Everything handled?"
"Yes." Sandersonia nodded. "The Straw Hat Boy requested a massive amount of meat. I've already had Kikyo and the others prepare it."
"Once it's ready, they'll deliver it to Granny Nyon's place."
Honestly, the Straw Hat Boy's appetite was terrifying.
Even during the journey here, he'd devoured countless huge portions of meat without showing any signs of slowing down... What kind of body did he even have?
"Thanks," Meiser said to Sandersonia with a nod.
"Hmph, I was just following Sister's orders."
Meiser simply smiled, unbothered.
"Sister, why did you call me here?" Sandersonia asked.
"He can remove the mark on my back," Hancock said. "I intend to let him try."
"Eh?!"
Upon hearing Hancock's words, Sandersonia froze in shock before exclaiming incredulously, "Sister, you told him about this?"
"He saw it himself."
Sandersonia fell silent. So he had witnessed it with his own eyes?
In that case...
Clang!
Armament Haki infused around her arms as a murderous glint flashed in Sandersonia's eyes.
She would kill this man!
"Stop, Sandersonia!"
"Sister, he must be lying to you!" Sandersonia insisted. "I refuse to believe he's capable of such a thing. If we eliminate him—"
"Sandersonia!!!"
"Sister, I..."
Meeting Hancock's stern gaze, Sandersonia trembled before letting her arms drop limply to her sides.
She only wanted to protect their secret—what was wrong with that?
Seeing Sandersonia's expression, Hancock's heart softened as she sighed. "Sandersonia, we have no other choice."
Sandersonia: ???
Glancing between Hancock and the downcast Marigold, confusion flickered across Sandersonia's face.
Had something happened that she wasn't aware of?
"Stand down, Sandersonia."
After a brief hesitation, Sandersonia wordlessly moved to Marigold's side.
"You have my word—I won't deceive you," Meiser said.
Sandersonia shot him a cold look. "I'll judge that for myself."
Since her sister had given the order, she wouldn't argue further. But... if this man dared lie to them, she'd kill him even if it cost her life.
"When can we begin?" Hancock asked.
"I'm ready now." Meiser produced a Sealing Scroll. "I always carry the necessary tools."
Marigold eyed the scroll curiously. Was this the device he'd use to remove their marks?
Just then, Granny Nyon suddenly interjected, "Wait!"
"Hmm?"
The abrupt interruption startled the other four.
"What is it?"
Meiser paused in unsealing the scroll. "Do you have concerns, madam?"
Perhaps she wanted an explanation of the procedure—though he doubted she'd understand the technical details.
"Before we proceed, there's something you should see."
Granny Nyon unfolded a newspaper detailing Meiser's slaying of three Celestial Dragons, holding it up for Hancock to read.
"A... newspaper?" Marigold tilted her head. "Granny, what are you—?"
Sandersonia also stared in confusion at their elder's unexpected action.
Hancock's hands trembled as she stepped forward, her eyes locked on the printed words.
"That's right," Granny Nyon said with a grave expression. "Not long ago, shocking news shook the world!"
"At the Human Auction House on Grove 1 of Sabaody Archipelago, three Celestial Dragons were killed."
"And the one who killed them... is the man standing before you now."
"Meiser, the Blood-Eyed Ninja—with a bounty of 400 million Berries!"
Thud—
Thud—
Thud—
Three dull sounds echoed as Hancock and her two sisters collapsed to the ground simultaneously.
Not only that, cold sweat broke out on all three women's faces as their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
Meiser: "???"
Meiser stared at them in confusion, utterly baffled by their reaction.
What was the big deal about three dead Celestial Dragons? Why were they acting so traumatized?
Could it be... that the Celestial Dragons had some connection to them?
At this thought, Meiser frowned.
Seeing this, Granny Nyon let out a deep sigh.
"Ah..."
She had expected this.
"You... killed Celestial Dragons...?"
Sandersonia stared at Meiser in disbelief. This man... dared to slay gods?!
"Just who... are you...?" Marigold stammered.
"Me?"
"I'm just an ordinary ninja, that's all."
"Ordinary—?!"
Someone who dared to kill Celestial Dragons calling himself just an ordinary ninja... Was this what true strength looked like?
"You... you really killed Celestial Dragons?" Hancock trembled as she looked at Meiser. "You... really—?"
"Yeah."
Meiser nodded. "Those three bastards tried to take my friends and comrades as slaves, so I cut them down."
Hancock: "!!!"
Watching Meiser say this so casually, Hancock clenched her fists, gripping the hem of her dress tightly in her palms.
She never imagined that someone in this world would actually dare to raise a hand against Celestial Dragons—let alone kill three at once!!
"To think... there really is someone like this..."
"Someone who dares to defy the heavens..."
Trembling uncontrollably, Hancock's tears began to flow freely.
It was as if... the towering mountain weighing on her heart had finally been lifted.
In the end, the woman could hold back no longer. Covering her face, she broke into loud, unrestrained sobs.
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