"Tch!"
The proud Pirate Empress couldn't accept losing to a nobody like Luffy, no matter what. It was something her arrogant heart just wouldn't admit.
But now that it had come to this, Hancock knew she had little room left to resist.
That said, "no chance" didn't mean she would surrender or give up.
If her legs couldn't move, then she'd use her hands to get around!
Suddenly, her delicate hands slammed against the ground, launching her body soaring high into the air.
Luffy retracted the wild energy he'd gathered in his hands above the crater, shaking his head in helplessness.
Looks like getting her to surrender peacefully was impossible.
Luffy hadn't wanted to go all out, but at this point, he had no choice.
The Empress floated in the air, still stunningly beautiful, her curves graceful and alluring, completely unbothered by the revealing tears in her clothes.
Armament Haki clung to her remaining leg, her whole body taut and stretched out midair.
The pride of the strong was often stubborn to the extreme, even shattered into pieces, she wouldn't utter the word "surrender."
Watching her elegant figure above, Luffy wrapped Armament Haki around his arms.
Simultaneously, the Sky Flame wrapped around his fists and elbows like ropes.
A faint smile curved his lips as he took his stance, fully prepared for close combat, showing no slack despite Hancock's injuries.
Though Luffy didn't quite understand the mentality of those who'd rather die than yield…
He couldn't help but admire them.
A clumsy, powerful punch shot toward the sky, carrying fierce flames that seemed to burn the very void.
His gauntlet slammed violently against the Empress's jade foot descending from above.
An immense force erupted instantly.
Boom!
A deep, crisp roar echoed from their clash, resonating like a temple bell through the entire world.
Both Luffy and Hancock gritted their teeth.
Raw physical strength, Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki, the heat of Sky Flame,
At this moment, a complex swirl of energies wrapped around them.
The intense battle cracked the earth, sending a fissure stretching all the way to the coastline.
The crashing waves roared, flooding inward through the crack toward the island.
The other end of the crack extended toward the island's center, where the castle stood.
If no one intervened, the castle would be destroyed by the aftershock of their battle, a pitiful structure barely rebuilt, now facing destruction once more.
High above, Moria, Robin, and Brook watched the fight.
The sudden ground collapse left no time even for surprise.
Moria hurriedly summoned his shadow, unleashing his Devil Fruit power toward the fissure threatening the castle.
"Shadow Spear!"
The Doppelman transformed into a long, dark-purple spear, thrusting directly at the crack.
But the spear's narrow range only partially slowed the fissure, splitting it in two, one heading toward the training ground, the other toward the side hall.
"Cien Fleur: Delphinium!"
Suddenly, a massive pink fist burst from the ground, crashing fiercely in front of one crack.
The earth immediately collapsed there, halting the fissure's advance.
"Phew~"
Robin exhaled in relief and turned toward the other crack.
Brook drew his bone sword, his slender form suddenly darting toward the fissure.
His two bony legs blurred, moving too fast to see clearly.
A pale blue flame ignited behind him.
"Soul Solid!"
Brook pointed his sword low, his figure transforming into a streak of blue flame.
Moments later, fire and fissure intertwined.
Boom!
An iceberg erupted from the ground, freezing the entire crack solid with no movement.
"Yohohoho~ Luffy, you really are impressive!"
Having secured the castle, Brook sheathed his sword into his cane and wiped the nonexistent sweat from his brow, admiration in his voice.
Robin and Moria looked up, eyes on the fractured land split in two.
The howling wind whipped Hancock's long hair, but her figure was like an iron nail, firmly nailed to Luffy's fist.
Her imperial gaze radiated invisible pressure, arrogantly scornful like a true sovereign.
But she was arrogant, Luffy was even more so.
The Conqueror's Haki wrapped around his fist suddenly exploded with supreme power.
The split world began to shift.
Winds rose, clouds swirled, and the sky darkened as if sinking, blocking out all sunlight.
"Tch~"
Hancock clenched her teeth, face strained, enduring the scorching flames burning from Luffy's fist and resisting the overwhelming pressure of heaven and earth.
Luffy's lips curled into a grin, revealing teeth.
His eyes suddenly grew fierce as an overwhelming, soul-crushing aura erupted once more from his gaze.
The massive aura burst like a flood, pressing down on the Empress's Mental Power.
His heavy fist surged forward like a battering ram.
Pft!
The already injured Empress spat blood violently, her body uncontrollably propelled backward by the huge punch.
Thud!
She slammed into the ground, rolling several times.
Her proud expression gone, she lay in disgrace on the earth.
Her hair was dusted with dirt.
Her remaining leg was broken and useless, no longer able to fight.
Struggling, she raised her head to look at Luffy stepping closer.
At that moment, Luffy's figure felt towering and unreachable to Hancock.
Around him swirled the blazing fire of a fierce sun, a divine and demonic power like a lord of heaven and earth, intimidating all.
"Damn… ah."
With her last strength, Hancock uttered two words from her throat.
Though she knew it was the adverse effect of Luffy's Conqueror's Haki, her heart couldn't help but feel an urge to kneel.
In that instant, humiliation, worship, resentment, and submission all tangled inside her mind, restless and chaotic.
"Enough fighting, right?"
Luffy smiled as he reached the Empress's side, speaking as if the entire fight had been just a game to him.
Only he knew that to maintain the stalemate with Hancock, his coins were nearly depleted.
But…
Looking at the fallen, helpless Hancock, Luffy couldn't help but laugh.
Thinking of his plan,
This was definitely worth it! Hahaha!
Physically and mentally exhausted, Hancock heard Luffy's strange chuckle and, disturbed in Mental Power, tears welled in her eyes.
In more than twenty years, her tears had been rare, these few drops recalled memories of being caged as a child.
Luffy ignored her and moved forward to bind the Empress.
He noticed that the fierce battle and flames had nearly destroyed Hancock's clothes, barely covering her most sensitive areas, with the sky people's tattoo on her back fully exposed to the air.
After thinking for a moment, Luffy took off his own tattered shirt and draped it over her back.
Feeling the cloth, Hancock suddenly panicked.
Summoning whatever strength she had left, she resisted Luffy's Conqueror's Haki influence and shouted, "You saw all of this!?"
"Nah, I'm not blind," Luffy replied casually as he reached to embrace her.
"Bastard! What do you think you're doing? Ugh!"
The fallen Empress tried to resist, but Luffy quickly delivered a hand chop to her neck, muttering quietly, "Women are such a hassle~."
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