Whoa! Missed a step—thankfully it didn't hurt when I fell. These beams are way more slippery than the Sunny's mast!
Straw Hat Kid rubbed his arm as he got up from the carpet, his straw hat tilted on his head. His round eyes curiously scanned the furnishings in the bedchamber, and he smacked his lips. "Where is this place? It's so beautiful."
"Straw Hat Kid?" Hancock's pupils contracted sharply as she recognized that grinning face. A cold, murderous aura surfaced on her stunning features, and the collar of her red cheongsam trembled slightly with the tension in her shoulders. "What are you doing here? Who gave you permission to barge into my bedchamber?"
No sooner had she spoken than the chamber door burst open with a loud crash. Sandersonia charged in wielding her Serpent Blade, while Marigold followed, hefting a Battle Axe.
"Intruder!" Marigold's axe slammed into the floor with a heavy thud, kicking up a cloud of dust. She glared fiercely at Luffy and snarled through gritted teeth, "How dare you trespass into our sister's bedchamber! Have you grown tired of living?"
"Sister, are you alright?" Sandersonia held her blade horizontally in front of her, her sharp eyes fixed on Luffy. "This guy is clearly up to no good. Let's capture him right now and deal with him according to Kuja law—throw him to the Poison Pythons!"
"Wait! I mean no harm!" Seeing the two sisters ready to attack, Luffy quickly took two steps back, spreading his hands wide as he shouted, "I just wanted to borrow a ship from your Empress! Don't misunderstand!"
"Borrow a ship?" Hancock raised an eyebrow, her gaze scrutinizing. "What do you need a ship for?"
"To go to Sabaody Archipelago!" Luffy declared as if it were the most natural request in the world. Clutching his straw hat, he added urgently, "I need to get back to my crew! Please lend me a ship!"
"Stop spouting nonsense!" Marigold fumed, grinding her teeth. "You're an outsider—what gives you the right to ask us for a ship? Sister, don't listen to his drivel. Let's deal with him quickly!"
"That's right, sister," Sandersonia agreed. "This guy trespassed into your bedchamber—he deserves punishment. And now he has the nerve to ask for a ship? He has no sense of his own insignificance!"
Hancock cast a cool glance at Straw Hat Kid and was about to nod in agreement with her sisters' proposal when something suddenly occurred to her. Her icy expression softened slightly, and she abruptly waved a hand. "No need."
"Sister?" Sandersonia and Marigold exclaimed in unison, taken aback.
"Since he only wants to borrow a ship, we'll lend him one," Hancock stated calmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Have the guards prepare the fastest speedboat at the dock and send him to Sabaody Archipelago."
Luffy hadn't expected it to be so easy. His eyes lit up instantly, and he hopped up and down, clutching his hat as he cheered, "Awesome! So you're a good person after all!"
Hancock ignored Straw Hat Kid's praise and didn't even glance at Luffy. Instead, she turned and walked to the window, her gaze fixed on the sea outside. The sea breeze lifted the black strands of hair from her forehead, and she couldn't help but ponder.
She recalled that Ryan seemed to care about Straw Hat Kid. If she helped Straw Hat Kid now, maybe the next time she saw Ryan… he might be a little gentler with her, not as heartless as before?
Such thoughts brought a faint blush to Hancock's cheeks, completely dispelling the anger she had felt moments earlier when Luffy barged in.
Meanwhile, the Navy Warship sailed steadily toward Navy Headquarters.
Hina strode slowly down the corridor in black leather boots. Dressed in a rose-red professional suit with a belt cinched at her waist, her signature pale pink hair was neatly parted in the middle and cascaded over her shoulders. Her hands, clad in deep purple gloves, were casually tucked into her trouser pockets, each step exuding the disciplined elegance and sharp authority of a Navy Captain.
As she reached a corner in the hallway and was about to turn, a hand suddenly emerged from the shadows.
Hina reacted instantly, instinctively sidestepping while raising her other hand to chop at the intruder's arm. But the other party moved even faster—before her wrist could complete its arc, it was firmly seized with a grip so strong she couldn't break free.
The next moment, Hina's back slammed against the cold ship wall with a dull thud, making her frown in pain as her expression instantly darkened.
"You bastard, what do you think you're doing? Let go of Hina now!" Recognizing the face before her, a vein throbbed at Hina's temple, her coldly beautiful face etched with fury.
Ryan stood before her, his usual teasing smile playing on his lips. His grip on her wrist didn't loosen in the slightest as his other hand reached out to lightly twirl a strand of her pink hair, taunting lazily, "Why are you avoiding me? Afraid I'll eat you?"
Hina jerked her head away, her pink hair whipping across her face as she narrowly avoided Ryan's touch, her frown deepening.
Ever since the "coercion" on Nyo Island, those humiliating scenes and details had been branded into her memory. Every time she saw Ryan's mocking face, she felt intensely uncomfortable, even instinctively wishing she could deal with him like any ordinary pirate—a single "Black Leg" to snap him in half. How satisfying that would be!
But Hina knew all too well that she was no match for Ryan now. A direct confrontation would only lead to further humiliation, so she could only swallow her anger and silently mark this debt, vowing that one day she would make this scoundrel pay for what he had done.
Taking on the task of escorting Ryan hadn't been voluntary—it was merely because her warship happened to be heading the same way, and Headquarters had issued the order. As for those humiliating incidents, she couldn't bring herself to speak of them openly.
How could she possibly tell anyone that a distinguished Navy Captain had been completely overpowered by a pirate, stripped of all dignity?
She had thought that hiding in her cabin for the few hours of the voyage would help her avoid him, but Ryan had seen right through her plan, cornering her in this secluded hallway with no chance of escape.
Hina took a deep breath and struggled violently against his grip, but Ryan's hold only tightened like an iron clamp. The strength in his hand sent a surge of fury through her, mingled with a sense of helplessness.
In terms of raw strength, she was no match for him—struggling further would be futile.
"Where Hina goes or what Hina does is none of your business!" Hina gritted her teeth, her voice trembling with suppressed rage. "Let go of Hina now, or Hina will call for help!"
"Call for help?" Ryan chuckled softly, leaning in until their faces were mere inches apart. Lowering his voice deliberately, his tone dripping with provocation.
"Go ahead, scream. Let the Marines on the ship come see how their beloved Colonel Hina is pinned in the hallway, unable to move. What do you think they'll assume—that you're incompetent, or that... there's something special between us?"
Hina's face instantly darkened completely as she glared fiercely at Ryan. "You bastard... Mph—"
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