"Yo! Hancock! Long time no see!"
Jiang Lin raised his hand with a smile, greeting Boa Hancock warmly. His innocent grin and familiar tone instantly sent a chill through the hearts of the nearby Marine soldiers, whose momentary hope had just been rekindled.
"Could it be… the Empress is allied with Jiang Lin?"
The thought flickered for only an instant before being quickly cast aside. After all, Hancock was a Warlord of the Sea. She would never give up that title merely to stand with Jiang Lin.
"Jiang Lin!"
Hancock's gaze fell on him, a trace of admiration surfacing on her beautiful face. She vividly recalled the day Jiang Lin intercepted her pirate ship beyond Amazon Lily and issued his challenge to her.
At that time, Jiang Lin was nowhere near as strong as today. Although he had already copied Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit in those days, he was still no match for her. With a single burst of Conqueror's Haki, she had knocked him unconscious as he pushed himself to the limit.
At present, Jiang Lin alone stepped into the conflict between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marine Headquarters. After successfully repelling Kizaru, he had even struck directly at Whitebeard.
Though it was later revealed that Jiang Lin's strike had only been to copy Whitebeard's powers, such overwhelming boldness and strength were enough to make him a key piece on the board at Marineford, where countless titans gathered.
"Hancock, tell me—do you have any interest in being a man?"
Jiang Lin grinned mischievously at the Empress. He had just unlocked the ability to wield two Devil Fruits simultaneously, and now needed an opponent to test the limits of his newfound power. To him, Hancock was the perfect touchstone.
"You dare!"
Hancock's head snapped up proudly, a flush of crimson spreading across her face—clearly infuriated by his provocation.
"Haha… relax, I'm only joking. Turn you into a man for real? The readers would kill me for it."
Jiang Lin chuckled as he retrieved the Suna Suna no Mi, then loaded the newly acquired Tremor-Tremor Fruit into his system.
"[Gura Gura no Mi (enhanced by Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix)] successfully loaded. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 30 seconds."
With the Tremor-Tremor Fruit combined with the Glint-Glint Fruit, Jiang Lin now held one of his most devastating arsenals.
"Boa Hancock! Fight me!"
He roared, lunging at the Empress.
"You're serious?"
Hancock's eyes narrowed sharply. A hint of shock flickered in her gaze—Jiang Lin's presence was pressing down on her with immense weight. Wielding two Devil Fruits, he seemed like another Whitebeard entirely, and not only Hancock, but the surrounding Marine elites all wore grim expressions.
"So this is his so-called Copy ability…to replicate another's Devil Fruit power perfectly."
From the edge of the battlefield, Garp's eyes widened as he looked toward Jiang Lin. Though far away, he could clearly feel the surging energy radiating from the young man.
But Garp was mistaken. Jiang Lin's strength didn't come from any Copy-Copy Fruit—it was his mysterious system that allowed him to duplicate others' powers.
Regardless of its source, Jiang Lin's ability had already sparked deep fear within Marine Headquarters.
"D… your ability… we cannot allow you to leave here alive!"
From the execution platform, Sengoku glared at Jiang Lin, who was clashing fiercely with Hancock. His expression hardened into grim resolve.
Originally, Ace—son of the Pirate King—was supposed to be the centerpiece of this battle.
But Jiang Lin's sudden intrusion had thrown the entire "chessboard" into turmoil.
"Jiang Lin…"
Sensing the killing intent radiating from Sengoku, Ace's face clouded with worry and guilt. Jiang Lin had revealed his ability to duplicate Devil Fruits to save him, exposing it to the highest powers of the Navy. That sacrifice weighed heavily on Ace's heart.
"Mero Mero Mellow!"
As Sengoku, Ace, and the other Marine leaders struggled with their thoughts, Hancock pressed her hands to her chest, forming a large pink heart before unleashing her signature attack toward Jiang Lin.
"Yata no Kagami!"
In a flash of light, Jiang Lin dodged her strike and reappeared high above her.
"Fall in love with me!"
A mist of pale pink aura spread from Jiang Lin's body, streaming downward toward Hancock.
"Perfume Femur!"
Having suffered from his trick once before, Hancock would not fall so easily again. Launching herself skyward with a single kick, she soared above him, then swung her right leg in a lightning-fast arc toward Jiang Lin's left shoulder.
Clang!
A dull shockwave rippled out as Jiang Lin clenched his fists and effortlessly shattered the air around him.
"Ahh!"
A startled cry escaped Hancock's lips as she lost her balance in midair, plummeting toward the ground.
"Careful!"
Seeing she might be seriously hurt, Jiang Lin immediately stopped his attack, flickering forward in a flash of light to catch her in his arms before she struck the earth.
"Put… put me down!"
Her cheeks blazing red, Hancock leapt from his embrace in flustered embarrassment.
"Ah—sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen!"
Jiang Lin apologized quickly, scratching his head. He had only just obtained the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and couldn't yet control its immense power with precision.
Had he not pulled back in time, Hancock might not have merely stumbled—her body could have been shattered outright.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit truly lived up to Sengoku's words: a power capable of destroying the world. Even one of the Seven Warlords, the Empress herself, had been subdued with ease.
This victory filled Jiang Lin with even greater confidence for what lay ahead.
"You… you…"
Still flushed, Hancock stood frozen, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Love you! Heh heh!"
Jiang Lin teased, forming a playful heart gesture with his fingers before striding past the dazed Empress.
"Lady Boa Hancock… even she has fallen!"
The sight left the Marines behind Hancock dumbfounded, their jaws hanging open.
The Warlords were said to wield power rivaling that of nations—yet even someone of Hancock's caliber couldn't halt Jiang Lin. At this point, only a Marine Admiral might be able to stop him.
"Oh dear, oh dear… it seems I can't avoid stepping in after all."
Kizaru sighed with feigned helplessness. His body gleamed as he transformed into light, reappearing directly before Jiang Lin.
"Kizaru! Perfect timing. I still remember how you beat me down at Sabaody!"
Jiang Lin's smile turned sharp as his gaze locked onto the Admiral. Their eyes clashed midair, and the atmosphere rippled with an explosive tension.