"Phew, it really is comfortable here, don't you think, Elizabeth?"
"Indeed, it's different from the hot springs of Wano Kuni."
In the baths of Nine Snake, various women are enjoying life inside. Muscular women, petite girls, and large sumo wrestlers, all sorts of women could be seen among the Nine Snakes.
Elizabeth and Olga are practically inseparable, and Elizabeth doesn't show much interest in her egg. It seems it won't hatch anytime soon.
This is related to the reproductive ability of the Snake Monster Lizard itself. The egg production is low, and the incubation period is long, which is a significant reason the Snake Monster Lizard is considered nearly extinct by the outside world.
The unique geological environment creates a distinctly different experience; however, her only dissatisfaction is with the sign next to her.
"This area is deep water..."
"No, little one, the front is the deep water zone. You should wait two more years before swimming there."
The effects of pure gold are still present. Although she has been growing over these ten years, her growth is much slower compared to normal people.
Her face has lost some of its childishness, gradually resembling her mother, but her body has hardly developed.
"I'm not a child, I'm already 25 years old."
Using an eight-year cycle as the basis, plus the nearly 17 years since leaving the belly of the Sea King Type, if calculating her real age, even Gloriosa would have to call her 'elder sister.'
When negotiating with some so-called senior individuals, Hundred Beasts would always send Olga to handle it, as seniority claims are ineffective on her.
Hancock has once again appeared here, after a few words managed to clear out others from the bath, but this time she is wrapped in a python.
"Sister Olga, this is Salome, my friend."
Many people in Amazon Lily are accompanied by a snake, and Hancock's white python with red flowers stands out among them. Without the mark of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon, the three sisters walk around here unencumbered, as there are no men in Nine Snake.
Hancock has developed more than Olga, the biggest difference being the ability to float.
"A nice pet, it seems to be quite good in the water?"
"Yes, Salome loves swimming."
"That's a good hobby. For a Fruit Ability user, such a partner is very important."
After all, pirates sail the sea, so there must be certain protective measures against falling into the water. No ship would be so foolish as to have only Fruit Ability users aboard; if that were the case, if the ship sank, everyone would just say goodbye together.
Being unable to fly, Olga relies on Elizabeth to prevent falling into the water. Whether it's the Snake Monster Lizard's ability to run on the water surface or Inteleon's gliding and diving abilities, they effectively prevent such scenarios.
Otherwise, even in the bath, she wouldn't soak until only her head was above water. That sense of powerlessness would lead to slow bodily reactions if faced with real danger.
However, danger sometimes comes silently. For her, Hancock now represents such a danger.
"Wait, what are you doing?"
"Cleaning your back for you."
"Hey, I've told you countless times, keep your hands to yourself!"
Because she was soaking deeply in the water, Hancock's little mischievous thoughts partially succeeded. However, with the disparity in strength, Olga soon turned the tables, and Elizabeth didn't intervene because it didn't constitute a real danger.
....
The next day, you could see dark circles under Gloriosa's eyes, suggesting she hadn't rested well, but she had made up her mind, and moving was too dangerous; becoming a part of the Seven Warlords of the Sea seemed like a much better idea.
"What do you plan to do?"
"Does the succession of your Nine Serpent Emperor have any rules?"
"Amazon Lily selects several emperor candidates from each generation. These are all strong young warriors, and Hancock was originally a candidate for emperor succession."
It aligns well with the pirate culture—an emperor doesn't necessarily have to come from a direct line, but they must be powerful. This is the only way a Pirate Realm can continue to exist.
"That makes it much easier; we can push Hancock to that position."
"But isn't that decision made by the World Government?"
"That's right, it's decided by the World Government, but their so-called Seven Warlords of the Sea have too many vacancies now, and they are likely searching for more candidates."
Indeed, this is the case. When the Seven Warlords of the Sea system was first proposed, the situation at The Sea wasn't so chaotic, but with Roger's initiation of the Great Pirate Era and the subsequent emergence of the Sea Emperors, the World Government has also increased its efforts in this regard.
"They need intimidation. Among the current pirates, is there anything more intimidating than the Sea Emperors? So, if Hancock can showcase her Fruit Ability during her first voyage discovered by the World Government and defeat a strong enough enemy, the invitation will come soon."
"You mean..."
"We will put on a play. If we claim a victory over a high-level official under the Sea Emperor, that's a significant accomplishment to present. However, there's one issue—whether Hancock can be the Nine Serpent Emperor and whether she can assume the position of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
The position of the Seven Warlords of the Sea is no child's play. Although it isn't as easily challenged as the position of the Sea Emperor, it still requires genuine strength.
According to the normal timeline, she became the emperor of Amazon Lily at 18 and assumed the position of the Seven Warlords of the Sea shortly thereafter.
She's currently 15 years old, three years younger, but her three years as a slave were spent in proper training.
Even though she ate the Fruit Ability sooner in the slave timeline, the Heavenly Celestial Dragons didn't intend for her to petrify others. In terms of strength, she isn't much different from her 18-year-old self in the original timeline, already touching the lower limit of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
However, Gloriosa is unsure whether Hancock can truly fulfill the role of Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Nine Serpent Emperor.
Ultimately, they reached an agreement. The Nine Snakes would test Hancock's strength in their way, and once confirmed she could achieve the task, they would inform Hundred Beasts and even agreed to their request.
Amazon Lily is an entire nation; placing all eggs in one basket is unnecessary.
And so, Olga, with Hancock bidding her farewell, left Amazon Lily, as the ships of Hundred Beasts headed north toward the North Sea.
After some navigation, they approached the waters of Freyvans, but the atmosphere was completely different from what Yamato had imagined.
According to the records of the guidebook, ships should be entering and leaving Freyvans continuously, but currently, the vicinity is very desolate, with no ships entering, and even those bearing different national flags undergo detailed inspections before exiting...