"So fast!"
Beckman was extremely surprised. After Hancock's body was enveloped by something akin to a shadow, her speed, strength, and technique had all increased by more than one level. As the fight wore on, he even noticed that the wounds on Hancock's body were gradually healing.
Recalling the series of opponents he had encountered so far, Alucard, Kaido, and other unkillable bastards, as well as the ghastly monsters he saw at Arderay...
Beckman, a man with one of the world's top-tier minds, couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "Is self-healing ability this common in the world now?"
Beckman once again used his weapon to block one of Hancock's powerful leg strikes. Glancing at the long, beautiful leg, even with his exceptional composure, a flicker of desire stirred deep within him.
"Perfume Femur!"
Hancock seized the opportunity, drawing a pink, heart-shaped arrow and shooting it at extreme speed in less than half a second.
After being imbued with the Vampire bloodline granted by Alucard, her combat style shifted to close-quarters combat as the primary focus, supplemented by her Devil Fruit. However, the Love-Love Fruit, combined with Hancock's face, which was capable of toppling nations, remained an almost invincible power.
"Don't underestimate me!"
Beckman instantly suppressed his distracting thoughts. He moved his body to the side, avoiding the attack. The tip of his coat was hit and began to turn to stone. Beckman quickly tore off the petrifying piece of fabric with his hand to avoid complete petrification.
"Astonishing reflexes. Truly worthy of the Vice Captain of the Red-Hair Pirates," Hancock leaped onto Salome, her pet and subordinate, looking down at him. She enjoyed this posture the most.
Beckman twirled his sniper rifle twice in his hand and chuckled. "And truly worthy of Alucard's woman."
"W-Woman..."
Hancock froze upon hearing Beckman's words. A blush crept up both cheeks as she cupped her face, lost in a sudden romantic delusion.
"A chance!"
Beckman wouldn't give his opponent any time to breathe. Seeing Hancock's lapse, he aimed a shot directly at her throat. Hancock swiftly dodged, but the bullet still grazed the flawless, jade- like skin of her neck.
"A terrifying woman, even if she's inexplicably strange." Despite her antics, Beckman still felt deep apprehension regarding Hancock's strength.
Hancock touched the injured spot on her neck. When she lowered her hand, the wound had already healed, causing Beckman to click his tongue again. "No wonder they're called the Immortal Pirates..."
"Disgusting man."
Hancock snapped out of her delusion, her face covered in dark lines. She spread her arms, and the burst of Conqueror's Haki that erupted from her sent everyone within a hundred-meter radius reeling backward. "I will absolutely turn you into stone!"
Seeing the people who had been knocked out around them, Beckman was shocked. "She possesses the 'King's Spirit' as well!"
On another part of the battlefield, Stragus, wielding a sword and a saber, faced off against Yassop. As they clashed with bullets and blade slashes, Stragus mocked his opponent.
Yassop shot at Stragus. Hearing the taunt, his reloading hand hesitated, and his reaction was a beat slow. A sword slash wounded his shoulder, though it wasn't fatal. He quickly finished loading his bullet and questioned Stragus. "What do you mean?"
Stragus instantly closed the distance with Yassop, attempting to slice Yassop's neck with the giant sword in his right hand while speaking to try and break his concentration. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Do you think you escaped Arderay based on your own skills?"
Stragus's move was sinister. Sure enough, after he spoke that sentence, Yassop's reaction was another beat slow, and the blade of Stragus's sword was inches away from separating Yassop's head from his neck.
Bang!
Another powerful sound rang out, striking Stragus's blade. The impact slammed the tip of Stragus's sword into the ground, while another member of the Red-Hair Pirates slapped Yassop, jolting him awake. "What are you spacing out for in the middle of a major battle!"
Stragus grit his teeth, biting his lower lip. He was so close! Just a little bit more, and he could have taken out Yassop, one of the Red-Hair Pirates' key officers...
Turning his head, Stragus narrowed his eyes, his anger barely contained. "Lucky Roux..." Crunch~
Lucky Roux, wearing small glasses, bit off a large chunk of the drumstick in his left hand. His right hand held a pistol. It was clearly his intervention that had thwarted Stragus's lethal strike.
Lucky Roux stuffed the last of the meat into his stomach, patted his exposed belly, and sneered. "Just fight. Why talk so much trash?"
"Tch."
Stragus scoffed, covering both his saber and sword in pure black Armament Haki. "If you have a problem with it, you can speak up too, can't you?"
At that moment, a bizarre sight unfolded. Lucky Roux's bulging, obese body began to steadily shrink. The clothes that had seemed too tight on him now fit perfectly after he reached a normal physique.
"A Devil Fruit user?" Stragus questioned.
The now-slender Lucky Roux's voice was no longer thick. He grinned. "I don't need to reveal that to you, do I?"
"Hmph, you're right. You're all going to die anyway!" Stragus roared and swung his swords in attack.
"Not necessarily. You Yonko crews are truly arrogant."