The black smoke dissipated, and Hancock walked out gracefully. Her tattered clothes hung on her body, revealing her smooth, white, powerful waist.
Only a few scraps of cloth barely covered her important parts, leaving large areas of snow-white skin exposed.
What made Marigold and Sandersonia's eyes widen in horror was that the clothing on Hancock's back had disappeared!
Clearly, that Marine had seen it! He had seen the mark!
"Ahhh—! Look away! It's the Gorgon's Eye! You must not look at the Snake Princess's back! That is the Gorgon's curse!"
"Run away! Anyone exposed to the Gorgon's Eye will be turned to stone!"
Seeing Hancock's state, the other female warriors, who were still on alert, instantly fell into chaos.
To hide the fact that they were once slaves of the Celestial Dragons, Hancock and her sisters had fabricated a story that the Gorgon cursed them for slaying it.
Anyone who saw their backs would be cursed and turned to stone!! That was why these Kuja warriors were panicking so much.
"You all... retreat now. Guard the Kuja Palace!"
Hancock walked closer slowly, keeping her back to Atlas, and calmly issued orders to the Kuja warriors.
Hearing this, the Kuja group, who had been ready to fight, retreated tactically toward the palace.
"Sister, you..."
"You're back! Sister..." When Hancock got close, Marigold and Sandersonia finally saw it clearly.
Smooth and flawless, without a single blemish! Where was the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon?
That kind of brand was impossible to remove.
After returning to Kuja Island, the three sisters had tried other methods, attempting to remove the mark that humiliated them.
But unfortunately, whatever those disgusting Celestial Dragons used to brand them... even if they endured the pain and forcibly carved off the flesh on their backs...
When the wound healed, that hateful brand was still there!!
Like a maggot in the bone!
"Let's go back first..."
Hancock took a deep breath, glanced at the shocked Marigold and Sandersonia, and said calmly.
Just a moment ago, before she could react, that rude man had barged in and roughly placed his hand on her back.
A trickle of warmth flowed into her body. She felt a wave of comfort transmit to her brain nerves, almost making her moan out loud.
Fortunately, she held it back in time, avoiding embarrassment in front of this Marine.
But the moment Atlas's warm hand left, she could clearly feel it; the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon on her back was gone!!
"Marine... regarding this conscription, let's talk inside the palace."
Then, Hancock bit her red lip and spoke to Atlas in an awkward tone.
Marigold and Sandersonia, confused and full of doubts, followed Hancock toward the palace.
"Hey! Smoker, you guys don't need to follow. I'll go alone!" Atlas waved to the exhausted-looking Smoker, indicating they could stay on the ship.
...
Inside the Kuja Palace.
Hancock, now properly dressed, sat on her bed, leaning against the coiled Salome, her expression complex.
Below her, Atlas sat on the only chair. Marigold and Sandersonia held their weapons, still staring at Atlas with strict vigilance.
However, they occasionally cast confused glances at Hancock.
Finally. Marigold and Sandersonia couldn't hold back. Marigold asked first:
"Sister... the Gorgon's Eye on your back?"
She was still cautious. Marigold wasn't sure if the mark's disappearance was related to the Marine before them, so she tried her best to hide the existence of the Hoof of Dragon.
"The Hoof of the Dragon is gone!!" Hancock subconsciously touched her back, only relaxing slightly when she felt the smooth skin.
"Sister!" x2 Marigold and Sandersonia cried out anxiously.
"Don't worry. In front of him, it should be fine..." Hancock shook her head, revealing the secret she had hidden for years to the three people present:
"Years ago, our successful escape from Mary Geoise was also thanks to this Marine. I still remember—"
"At that critical moment, if not for the timely arrival of that Conqueror's Haki, perhaps the three of us would never have walked out of that hell."
"Oh? Is that so? What a coincidence. But..."
A wicked thought suddenly popped into Atlas's mind. He rubbed his forehead and sighed, shaking his head:
"That was just a mistake on my part back then. I didn't expect you three to be former slaves of the Celestial Dragons. I am a Marine, after all. Should I arrest you or not?"
"What a dilemma!"
Shing—!
Hearing this, Marigold and Sandersonia instantly aimed their weapons at the still "troubled" Atlas, and the atmosphere in the room froze.
"This guy... as expected, how could a Marine not obey the Celestial Dragons!"
"Damn Celestial Dragon lapdog!!"
"Put down your weapons! Marigold! Sandersonia!"
Hancock looked at the unmoved Atlas; a trace of helplessness added to her already complex expression.
"You... you really are nasty!!"
"Aren't we all?" Atlas waved his hand indifferently.
"Alright, you two don't need to be so tense. Although I don't know this Marine's objective, one thing is certain—"
"He shouldn't bear us any malice, because... He personally removed the Hoof of the Dragon from my back!"
"Ah? Really? Sister, can I ask him for help too?"
"Wuuu wuuu—! Can that mark really be removed? I really don't want to exist in this world carrying it anymore!"
Hearing this, Marigold and Sandersonia burst into tears of excitement, seemingly recalling the painful memories of Mary Geoise.
"You know very well what the Celestial Dragons did to us, so..."
Hancock's expression gradually lost control, even tinged with a sobbing tone.
Clatter—!
"Please help us remove the marks from our backs! Please!!"
Marigold and Sandersonia suddenly dropped their weapons, interrupted Hancock, and fell to their knees with a thud, begging Atlas.
"Hehe..."
Atlas looked at the two kneeling women, the corners of his mouth curling up. He shifted into a more comfortable position in the chair.
"Helping you is no problem, but it comes with a price..."
He leaned forward suddenly, looking at the three sisters whose expressions changed slightly. He held out his hand with interest, waving five fingers in front of them.
"Five years!"
"...What do you mean?"
The three sisters looked confused, not understanding Atlas.
"Five years per person. Fifteen years in total for the three of you. During this time, Hancock will unconditionally obey my orders!"
The world bustles for profit; the world hustles for gain! There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Equivalent exchange is the unchanging principle.
"What? Impossible!!"
"Keep dreaming! We will never be anyone's slaves again!"
Sandersonia and Marigold flew into a rage, shouting. For them, they would rather die on the spot than become someone's slave again!
And Atlas's condition was basically no different from slavery.
"Do you... think I'm some saint?" Hearing this, Atlas's expression turned cold.
A terrifying aura gradually rose, and the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze, becoming so oppressive that it was hard to breathe!
"Conqueror's Haki?!"
Sandersonia and Marigold looked at each other, seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Although they had heard about it from their sister, seeing this aptitude in a Marine with their own eyes—and seeing him merely restrain it without releasing it fully—made their chests feel tight.
"What is your stance? Marine!" Hancock stared straight at Atlas, her gaze calm.
"Stance is something that can change at any time."
"Then what is your stance?" Hancock pressed, her gaze burning.
"Mine? Justice, of course." Atlas looked at her with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Justice? The lapdog justice that protects the Celestial Dragons?" Hancock sneered sarcastically.
"Currently, yes. But as for those Celestial Dragons... who knows if they'll still exist in the future?"
"—!!?" Hancock's pupils shook, but she forced herself to remain calm. "...I agree!" Her cool voice rang out, drawing the gazes of Sandersonia and Marigold.
"Sister! How could you—!"
"Clap clap clap! Very good—" A smile appeared on Atlas's face as he clapped his hands gently. This woman wasn't entirely ignorant of the situation.
"However, I'm not one to force people into impossible situations. You can choose to refuse excessive demands."
A big stick, followed by a sweet date. It might not work perfectly, but it was better than nothing.
"Even if you made excessive demands, I wouldn't agree anyway!!" Hancock regained her composure, acting as if she hadn't been the one losing control just moments ago.
"Very good!" As soon as he spoke, his afterimage shifted.
Swish—!
A green light flashed, casting a ghostly glow over the entire hall.
"The marks are removed. Next..." Before Sandersonia and Marigold could react, Atlas was sitting back in his chair, exactly as before!
So fast!
Sandersonia and Marigold were shocked. No wonder their sister had no power to fight back against this man.
This terrifying speed... To them, it was like cheating.
"Next, let's talk about my first requirement for you! Hancock!" Atlas looked at Hancock, who was sitting properly on the bed, with a smile.
"First! From now on, you are not allowed to plunder merchant ships or civilians. You may only attack pirate ships!"
The Kuja Pirates' plundering targets were not limited to pirates; merchant ships were often the main prize. After all, most pirates were poor as church mice.
They weren't as oil-rich as merchant ships!
"Then how will the people on Kuja Island survive!?" Before Hancock could speak, Sandersonia and Marigold shouted anxiously.
"I wasn't talking to you, so shut your mouths!!"
Atlas glanced at the two with killing intent in his eyes. His ice-cold words made them feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave!
This man—!
That look just now... did he want to kill us?
"I will naturally consider your problems. The merchant guild I've arranged will coordinate with you to exchange goods."
Atlas naturally wouldn't drive the people of Kuja Island to a dead end. Pure plunder was like drinking poison to quench thirst; it couldn't fundamentally improve Kuja Island's situation.
"Second..."
"Now, follow my flagship to Marine Headquarters. The Marines have already prepared accommodation for the Warlords in Mary Geoise." Atlas looked at the grim-faced Hancock sisters, his voice becoming steady:
"I know your fear of Mary Geoise. But blind fear won't solve the problem. Sometimes... Facing it is more effective than running away!"
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! A call from Vice Admiral Byakko!"
Brannew burst into Sengoku's office, shouting his report urgently.
"[Pirate Empress] Boa Hancock has compromised. She is currently on her way to headquarters!"
"That woman finally compromised. How about the others? How long until the other [Warlords] arrive at headquarters?"
Sengoku spun his chair around, a flash of appreciation in his eyes, and looked at the panting Brannew.
Clearly, this guy had run over as fast as he could the moment he got Atlas's call.
As a desk officer in the Marines, although the distance wasn't long, continuous sprinting was obviously a burden on a body that hadn't been exercised in a while.
"Huff... huff... The other Warlords are still on their way!"
There were only a few current Warlords—
[Pirate Empress] Boa Hancock, [Knight of the Sea] Jinbe, [Hawk-Eye] Dracule Mihawk, and the recently self-volunteered [Tyrant] Bartholomew Kuma.
Although they each joined the Warlords for different reasons, for now, they were cooperating quite well with the Marine conscription.
Even Boa Hancock, rumoured to have the worst personality, had begun to actively cooperate after being persuaded by the Marines.
"What's the movement on Whitebeard's side?" Sengoku nodded with satisfaction. Fortunately, there were no particularly troublesome thorns.
"Reports from the front line say that one-third of the Whitebeard Pirates' allied fleet has already assembled."
"It seems the war might come sooner than expected. Speed up the evacuation!"