In this private space, a man and a woman alone. The only other living things were Nika and Salome a tanuki and a snake.
There were many implications.
Why was Luffy standing so close?
Was it because of her amazing beauty and care? Could he no longer resist kissing her?
She was... It was her first time. What should she do?
Should she close her eyes?
Even an Empress could feel her heart about to burst.
Luffy stopped a step away from Hancock. He saw her flushed face. He was confused, but spoke seriously. "Hancock, I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Wh-What?"
Her voice was very soft.
"About Haki training. I've watched, and felt, that the Haki on your island, Amazon Lily – especially the use of Busoshoku Haki – is very refined. It seems to be its own system."
This had been on his mind since his arrival. As soon as he landed, he had seen Marguerite and the other warriors use Haki-coated arrows. It greatly increased their power.
And after fighting Hancock, he could feel that her use of Haki was slightly different from him.
Merging different perspectives could bring unexpected results.
The importance of "learning" had grown in Luffy's mind since he left the East Blue.
"So, I'd like to ask for your guidance. Especially in the more systematic methods of Busoshoku Haki – coating, hardening, how to project it."
"So, Haki."
Hancock looked a little disappointed. So, it was not a kiss.
Too bad.
Seeing how serious Luffy was, she knew he wasn't joking. In terms of Haki capacity and intensity especially Conqueror's Haki she knew Luffy was stronger than her.
Their fight had proven that.
That he would respectfully ask her for guidance made her happy, in a way.
He had used the word "guidance"!
"Is this some kind of teacher-student role-play?"
Hancock's imagination started running wild again. A blush spread across her cheeks. Her eyes wandered. She muttered to herself, "Should I find a riding crop? Or... Salome. Salome could take its place."
Salome: "????"
Women in love had vivid imaginations. Before leaving, Hancock had read some of Nyon's hidden... books. For research.
"Teacher-student role-play?"
Luffy was confused. "What does that mean?"
He couldn't see the connection between Haki training and games.
He tried to explain. "It's not a game. I just think your methods are very efficient. If I can learn from them, I might be able to combine them with my own and become stronger."
"I see. I understand."
Hancock nodded, a little disappointed.
She had hoped for more... intimate interaction.
Then, she thought: Haki training, especially teaching, sometimes required physical contact, right?
When she trained the Kuja warriors, she would sometimes correct their stances by repositioning their arms.
So...
"Luffy and I will touch?"
The thought shot through her mind. Her still-erratic heartbeat quickened.
"Can't you?"
Luffy, seeing her hesitate, was not surprised.
Schools and factions often guarded their knowledge.
When he was a child and saw Garp using some cool Marine technique, Luffy asked him to teach it. Garp laughed and said, "If you want to learn the Six Styles, then join the Marines! I'll teach you myself!"
If Hancock said no, he wouldn't force her. He would find another way. Or just keep sparring with Nika.
"No. I mean, of course I can!"
She almost shouted. Her voice rose.
Immediately, she put on a serious face and nodded firmly. The curve of her lips betrayed her excitement.
Hancock said, "I can teach you!"
What Luffy had guessed was true. The Haki of Amazon Lily was based on a relatively complete theoretical system.
It was very different from Luffy's own method, which was basically sparing with Garp and fighting for his life.
Haki was Haki. But the techniques and details were different. The Amazon Lily style was more systematic.
For example, how to coat Haki more efficiently. How to control the intensity and density. How to switch between offense and defense.
Knowledge is power!
Luffy had never thought of these things.
After learning Haki, he had taught Zoro and the others using the most basic, brutal method:
Beat them until they learned.
It was simple. It worked. But it was painful.
If they learned there was another way... he wondered how they would feel.
Lucky for him, Luffy was a cheat. His Haki development had been smooth. He didn't need to be tortured.
Now, he just needed to refine his techniques. He could see his Haki proficiency leveling up in real time.
Hancock was a good teacher. Strong. Knowledgeable about Haki. And she could explain things clearly.
Luffy already had a strong foundation. Hancock helped fill in some gaps.
He extended his arm. Flowing Haki solidified on its surface, forming a barrier.
During his fight with Hancock, to avoid direct contact, he had used flowing Haki.
It worked, but it was fragile. Hancock's instruction helped him harden it.
"Hey, Hancock. Look at this."
He held his arm out to her.
The moment her finger touched his arm, she froze. Her face turned red.
Her eyes glazed. Her breath quickened.
Was there a side effect?
No, it was probably... physiological. Luffy's medical knowledge told him so.
"Are you okay?"
Luffy reached out and touched her forehead. It was hot. He murmured, "A little warm. Are you seasick? Weak from the trip?"
Strong people didn't usually get sick.
In his memory, he had never been sick. Bacteria just died inside him.
Rayleigh said Roger died of an incurable disease. Luffy had been surprised. Was it really a disease? Not something else?
Strong people died in battle. Of old age. By drowning. All kinds of reasons. But dying of illness was rare.
He knew nothing about female strong people.
If he asked the only female Emperor, Big Mom, he would probably get a punch.
"Do you need to rest?"
Hancock, barely holding on to her sanity, tried to focus on the person making her feel so strange.
But his concerned touch and question almost made her lose her mind again.
She was saved by the word "rest."
If she rested now, would their wonderful teacher-student interactions end?
No! Absolutely not!
"I'm fine!"
She shook her head hard, pushing pink thoughts away.
"Are you sure?" Luffy asked.
"Of course!"
Please continue.
"Are there other things you don't understand? I can explain them," Hancock asked.
"Enough for now. I have a lot to think about, just with the Armament and Observation. I am curious, though, about Conqueror's."
Luffy's eyes moved.
Hearing him, Hancock covered her cheeks. "Conqueror's is... hard."
Beyond natural talent, Conqueror's Haki had to do with will, with ambition. Things that couldn't be taught.
Armament and Observation could be learned with training.
But Conqueror's was the sign of a king. Only one in a million.
"I know," Luffy said, nodding.
Conqueror's Haki depended on a person's inner strength.
"And,"
Hancock, a little shy, touched her cheek. "Luffy, that advanced technique you mentioned – infusing Conqueror's into your attacks. I don't know how to do that. I haven't learned it."
She couldn't teach him that.
"This is enough."
Luffy shook his head. "Just what you've taught me about Armament has helped me a lot."
He could feel it. His control over Haki had improved.
He knew, also, that Haoshoku Infusion was a very advanced skill. As Shiki had said, very few on the sea had mastered it.
For the rest of the voyage, Luffy continued training.
There might be limits to his Devil Fruit and Haki. But there was still room for his body to grow.
Like Garp. He was so strong he could punch a battleship to pieces with his bare hands.
Even Aokiji, who he had fought, had a very strong body.
Kizaru's body was weaker, but still far above most.
To sail these seas, you could not be weak in any way.
This was a weakness of many of his defeated opponents.
Crocodile. Enel. Moria. Shiki and Zephyr had been too old. But the older generation all seemed to respect the importance of a strong body.
Luffy had Nika enlarge herself. Used her as a moving punching bag and weight, for high-intensity training.
Hancock watched him throw punch after punch. What could she say?
In her fantasy, she walked bravely to him. She gently but firmly took his punching hand.
He stopped. Looked at her, confused.
She looked into his eyes. "Luffy. You don't have to try so hard. You're not alone. You have me. Rely on me, please?"
Her fantasy Luffy, now in soft focus, held her hand. "I know, Hancock. I'm counting on you."
Then, in a sun-drenched cabin, they looked into each other's eyes. Slowly, they moved closer. Kissed.
"Ah... no... no, no, no..."
Hancock covered her burning face. A series of sounds escaped her. She squirmed. She was laughing to herself.
Luffy finished a set of weighted squats. He dropped the enlarged Nika. He turned and saw Hancock, face in her hands, squirming and laughing.
He had no idea what was going on in the Empress's head.
"Hancock? What are you doing now?"
"N-Nothing!"
Finally, she emerged from her fantasy. She managed to look calm.
She couldn't think like that anymore. She would overflow.
"Luffy, would you like some tea?"
She noticed he was sweating. She hurried to pour him water.
"Ah. Thanks. I am thirsty."
He took it and drank it all.
In her mind, this small exchange became a tender moment between caring wife and hardworking husband.
Ah, married life was wonderful!
She was about to slip back into her fantasy.
"Hancock. You've been acting strangely."
"N-No, I was just thinking about your crewmates."
She wiped her mouth. "Tell me about them? I want to know more about you."
"There's a lot to tell. You might be bored."
"I'm very interested... Don't misunderstand! I don't want to know more at all!"
Her true feelings were written on her face.
Nika, back in her small tanuki form, snorted.
So. Many. Rivals.
She lay down comfortably. Salome was behind her.
Salome, at first, had tried to intimidate her. After one glare, it was quiet.
Not gonna mess with that.
"My crewmates?"
Luffy sat cross-legged. It was the first time since hearing Ace's execution date that he had smiled.
"Who to start with? Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Franky, Brook... and Nami, Vivi, Robin, Merry. And you already met Perona."
Hancock's ears filtered out the male names. She heard only the female ones.
Nami, Vivi, Robin, Merry!
Four women were on Luffy's crew?!
Plus Perona! The ghost girl in the gothic dress!
That made five!
Hancock's smile froze. She bit her finger. Her mind started to race.
In her fantasy, she confesses her love. Luffy refuses. "Sorry, Hancock. I can't be with you."
"Why?!"
Then, Nami, Vivi, Robin, Merry, Perona – all beautiful, all with their own style – rush to Luffy's side. They surround him. They glare at her, defiant.
"No! I won't lose! I will never lose to anyone!"
Hancock clenched her fists. Fighting spirit ignited in her eyes. Dark, invisible energy seemed to radiate from her.
...
And so, while Luffy, with Hancock, sailed toward Impel Down on a Navy ship, the wheels of fate turned in other places.
The East Blue. The Kingdom of the Bridge.
The place was called Tequila Wolf.
A blizzard raged over this bridge, many, many miles long.
For centuries, countless people from non-World Government nations, as well as criminals from all over the world, had been sent here to work on this seemingly endless project.
Over time, the builders had stayed. They mixed with the new arrivals. An unnatural kingdom built on suffering.
In a small attic, just barely protected from the storm, Robin opened her eyes.
Sent flying by Kuma on the Sabaody Archipelago, after a long flight, she had landed in this snow-covered land.
By luck, she had been found and taken in by a kind girl named Soran.
"Are you... from outside?"
Soran's eyes were wide with curiosity.
She had never left this bridge kingdom. She longed to see the outside world.
This outsider, Robin, was interesting to her. She smelled good.
Was that the smell of freedom?
***
Dive deeper into the story with 30+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!
patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!