"What!!" Reiju's voice trembled as the realization struck her. Her eyes widened further, disbelief written across her delicate face. Admiral… that is the highest power in the Navy. One of the strongest existences in the world!
How could Drake have reached such heights?
Yes, she admitted he was strong—terrifyingly strong—but she had never imagined he could stand among the Admirals. "I can't believe Drake is actually that powerful…" she whispered, her expression still frozen in shock.
Betty exhaled lightly, her tone calm. "Don't be fooled by his youth. He trains relentlessly, day and night. With that kind of discipline, reaching Admiral‑level strength isn't impossible."
Honey Queen glanced toward Drake, a playful smile on her lips. "By the way, have you noticed? He's grown taller. He used to be 183 centimeters, now he's 185. I bet even after we enter the Grand Line, he'll keep growing."
Baccarat brushed her hair back gracefully. "He's only nineteen. His body is still developing. Isn't it natural for him to grow?"
Reiju fell silent, her gaze fixed on Drake with admiration shining in her eyes. A man so young, yet so powerful… what heights will he reach? Surely, becoming a Shichibukai cannot be his ultimate goal.
Calm Belt – Amazon Lily Harbor.
The sky was clear, the sun brilliant, the sea calm. A perfect day to set sail.
"Who dares place a cat in the path this empress must tread!"
Boa Hancock's cold voice rang out as she kicked a white cat aside with her right foot.
An obese woman rushed forward, scooping the cat into her arms. She knelt quickly, trembling. "Forgive me, Snake Princess! I will be more careful in the future!"
Hancock ignored her, her gaze proud and arrogant, her steps noble as she strode toward the harbor.
"Master Snake Princess, please let me go to sea with you!" "Your Majesty, take me with you, woo woo woo~" "Snake Princess, the sea is where women belong! Please, I beg you, let me join you!" "I can still fight! I want to serve my country—don't abandon me, Lady Snake Princess!" "No, I want to go out to sea too~~"
The voices of her subjects rose in desperation, but Hancock's expression remained cold.
Marigold approached respectfully. "My lady, everything is prepared."
Sandersonia nodded. "Food, weapons, every supply—we've left nothing behind."
Elder Nyon leaned on her cane, her face heavy with worry. "Snake Princess, the Grand Line is far more dangerous than the Calm Belt. Especially in the New World, where nearly everyone wields Haki. If you encounter a strong opponent, you must be cautious. If it becomes too much, then—"
"Shut up!"
Hancock's voice cut like a blade. She glared at Elder Nyon, her finger raised in accusation. "Glorious, you would have this empress flee without a fight? I am a Shichibukai, the queen of Amazon Lily. How could I lose to anyone?"
Her hair whipped as she tossed it back, her tone dripping with disdain. "You are nothing but a traitor who abandoned this country. Tend to Amazon Lily and stop spewing such foolishness!"
Elder Nyon's face flushed with anger. "Snake Princess, you cannot remain arrogant forever! If you face an opponent you cannot defeat, you must run!"
Marigold and Sandersonia quickly stepped forward, their voices calm yet firm. "Elder Nyon, don't worry. We'll be careful."
Then, without hesitation, they followed Hancock toward the ship, their loyalty unwavering.
Elder Nyon shook her head, her expression helpless. "It seems the Snake Princess still needs to suffer a little. But perhaps that is good. When she enters the New World, she will learn her own shortcomings. Setbacks will teach her."
Soon, the great ship left the harbor, slowly gliding out of the Calm Belt and into the Grand Line…
Two days later – Hancock's chamber.
Hancock rolled restlessly on her bed, her face clouded with doubt. "What should I do? I really want to call Drake…"
She stopped rolling and sat atop Salome, her cheeks cupped in her hands. Her face flushed with shyness. "No… this won't do. Drake must be busy right now. I can't bother him."
Marigold and Sandersonia exchanged helpless glances. For two days, their sister had been in this state—whether sitting or standing, she muttered to herself. And every time, the only word on her lips was "Drake."
At first, they hadn't understood. But Elder Nyon explained: Hancock had fallen in love.
Amazon Lily was a land of women, untouched by men. Love was foreign to them, and so Hancock's behavior left her sisters puzzled.
Finally, Sandersonia spoke. "Sister, if you want to call him, then call him directly. He won't be angry."
Marigold smiled warmly. "After all, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. He will forgive you anything."
Sandersonia nodded. "Yes, my lady. You miss him, and Drake doesn't even know it. Wouldn't it be better to tell him we're heading to the Grand Line?"
In truth, both sisters were curious. They wanted to see the man who had made their sister so distracted, so forgetful she even skipped meals.
Hancock's eyes lit up, her perfect face glowing with excitement. "That's right. This empress is ready to enter the Grand Line. I must tell him. The one who enters the New World first will be this empress!"
Without hesitation, she seized the Den Den Mushi microphone and dialed…
Meanwhile – Drake's training room.
Reiju leaned back in her chair, legs crossed, her delicate hand resting on her chin. She smiled softly. "I reported Drake's strength just now. My father and brothers are all in shock. They never imagined Drake would be this strong."
Perona fluttered in front of her, delighted by Reiju's gentle nature. "Sister Reiju, why didn't you put it on loudspeaker? I wanted to hear their surprise! It must have been hilarious, horohorohoro…"
Hana rolled her eyes, her tone sharp. "Little girl, you only know how to play. If Reiju had put it on loudspeaker, you'd have gotten bored and gone off to amuse yourself."
Betty exhaled smoke, her voice calm but firm. "Drake trusts you, Reiju. You must understand what you can say and what you cannot."
Baccarat waved her hand, smiling sweetly. "Oh, don't worry. Reiju is kind. She would never harm us. Besides, these aren't top‑secret matters. Reporting them doesn't matter."
Of all of them, Baccarat knew the most. If Drake wanted something hidden, Reiju would never be told. She only heard what Drake allowed her to know. Matters like the alliance with Momousagi—those were highly classified. Only Baccarat was privy to them.
Suddenly, Drake stopped his relentless practice with Shinku Hazama and walked toward the group. His voice was calm, but carried weight. "Baccarat. Pass me the Devil Fruit Illustrated Book."
The girls froze, stunned. Drake had never shown interest in such things before. Why now?
Hana's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Drake… did you discover something that requires your attention?"
Betty took a drag from her cigarette, her tone certain. "If Drake is asking for the book, there must be special circumstances."
Baccarat opened the drawer, retrieved the thick, leather‑bound Devil Fruit Illustrated Book, and handed it to Drake with a graceful smile.
"It's common knowledge: if a person is a Devil Fruit user and tries to eat a second one, they will explode."
Drake opened the Illustrated Book and explained patiently, his tone calm but firm. "Ever since I obtained the Space Fruit, I've been working on this problem—how to use its ability so I can eat two Devil Fruits, or even multiple ones. I have now found a way to completely repel the Devil Fruit curse, allowing me to consume two or more without conflict."
The girls were stunned to the extreme by Drake's revelation.
Everyone knew the iron rule: a Devil Fruit user could only eat one fruit. To break that law was unthinkable. Yet the man before them claimed he had found a way.
"Drake, are you serious?" Hana's beautiful eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief. "I know you don't joke, but this sounds too impossible to be true."
Betty, usually calm, could not hide her concern. "Drake, are you sure you can succeed? This isn't a joke. If you eat two Devil Fruits and fail, you'll explode. There's no way back if it goes wrong."
Perona nodded quickly, her voice trembling. "It's better not to try something so terrifying. If you really explode, it will be horrifying. Drake, I know you're not reckless, but please reconsider."
Reiju's gaze softened, worry shining in her eyes. "In all of history, no one has ever managed to eat two Devil Fruits. The danger is simply too great."
Baccarat, however, looked at Drake's figure with a sweet, confident smile. "Don't worry. It will be fine. My gut tells me Drake can do it."
The others turned to her in shock. Baccarat was Lady Luck herself. If she said it, it carried weight.
"Since Baccarat has said so, then there should be no problem." Betty shrugged, her voice matter‑of‑fact.
Hana muttered, still astonished. "How could it be possible… that one person could eat two Devil Fruits? If the world finds out, it will cause a massive uproar."
Reiju stroked her chin, and spoke with a firm tone. "If they truly discover this, the seas will boil with chaos."
Then she smiled gently, her voice soft but resolute. "Don't worry. I won't report this. I'll pretend I don't know.