Calm Belt, Amazon Lily.
Boom… boom… boom…
A bell rang across the island.
"The Snake Princess is about to bathe!"
The cry echoed from the palace. Immediately, the people of the city—whether fighting, eating, or chatting—retreated at once. None were allowed to remain. A cordon was established outside the bathing grounds, female warriors standing guard with strict vigilance.
With a bang, the curtains parted.
"The guards will be given to you," Hancock ordered coldly.
"Yes, my Lady," Sandersonia and Marigold replied respectfully.
With her usual arrogance, Hancock walked gracefully toward the bath, her steps noble and commanding.
"Excuse me, Boa Hancock! Give me a moment of your time, let's talk about the Tenryūbitos."
Drake appeared by the bathtub, arms crossed, his gaze calm and unwavering.
Hancock froze in shock. A man's voice? Here?
She ducked into the water, covering herself, then turned sharply. Her eyes widened as she saw him: a young man in black, tall, with messy red hair, mismatched eyes—purple left, green right—and two scars, one across his brow, the other near his nose.
"Who are you?" Hancock's beautiful eyes gleamed coldly, killing intent radiating from her face. He had seen the mark on her back. He must not be allowed to live.
"You must die!" she thought.
Drake's voice was calm. "I am Drake Fathom, captain of the Black Sun Pirates. Soon, I will be a Shichibukai. I came here for one reason: to recruit you into the Shichibukai Alliance."
But Hancock wasn't listening. Panic filled her mind. Why hadn't her sisters entered? Without them, how could she stand?
"Sandersonia! Marigold!" she shouted angrily toward the door.
"I'm sorry, Boa Hancock," Drake said lightly. "I used my fruit's ability to repel all surrounding sound. No one outside can hear what happens here."
Repel sound? Such a skill… Hancock realized her sisters would never come. He had already seen the mark. It no longer mattered.
With a hiss, she rose from the bath, dressed swiftly, and glared at him. "Damn man, how did you get here?" Her tone dripped with murderous intent. Shame and fury burned within her—her slave mark exposed, her body seen.
Drake's reply was cold. "It doesn't matter how. Next, let's talk about the Tenryūbito. You were once their slave. You must hate them. That means we can cooperate."
His eyes locked on hers. "My goal is simple: to drag the Tenryūbito off their altar—and kill them all."
Hancock's face paled, fear filling her eyes. "You… they are the creators. How dare you…?" The shadow of her past overwhelmed her.
"There is nothing I dare not," Drake said with disdain. "When the Tenryūbito are mentioned, you collapse. On the surface, you act arrogant and domineering. But inside, you are fragile, riddled with holes. You pretend to be strong, but you cannot withstand a single blow."
His words cut deep.
Hancock trembled. The mark she had hidden all her life was exposed. Her pride, her mask of arrogance, shattered.
Drake's purpose was clear. He had not come to admire the world's most beautiful woman. He had come to break her façade—to humiliate her, and force her to face the truth.
"You…"
Hancock pointed at the man before her, her face twisting from embarrassment to anger. The deepest secret of her heart had just been exposed. How could she feel anything but rage?
"You will die for this Empress!"
"Mero Mero Mellow!"
Hancock formed a heart with both hands. A large pink heart instantly appeared, flying toward Drake with speed. The air vibrated, blowing Hancock's hair back, making her look even more beautiful.
"Kagami Mantō!"
Drake didn't dodge. He slowly raised his right hand, conjuring a mirror before him.
Bang! The giant heart bounced off, striking the side of the tub. In an instant, that part of the bath turned gray and petrified.
"What!!"
Hancock's beautiful eyes widened, her face filled with shock. How was this possible? Her invincible Mero Mero Mellow had been rejected.
"What is your ability?" she demanded, frowning in disbelief. "Why can you deflect my attack? How did you do it?"
Drake lowered his hand calmly. "I ate the Repulsion Fruit. I can repel any attack in the world. Your Mero Mero Mellow, while flashy, isn't much of a threat."
He looked at Hancock with cold composure. "As for the Shichibukai Alliance—Doflamingo agreed to join. Now it's up to you."
"You want to force this Empress? Do you have the strength to do it?"
With a hiss, Hancock leapt into the air, swinging her right leg toward Drake's head.
"Perfūme Femur!"
A gust of wind surged, the force fierce and deadly.
"It seems I still have to fight."
Drake's right hand was instantly coated in Haki. He reached out, catching Hancock's leg mid‑strike. With a swift motion, he seized her flawless calf.
Whoosh~~
A faint sound echoed, and the two vanished as if they had never been there. Less than a second later, they reappeared in another place.
Hancock blinked in shock. The scenery had changed—lush surroundings, gigantic trees, and strange flowers covered the ground. A deserted island near Amazon Lily.
She was stunned. To be transported here in an instant—what terrifying speed.
"Who are you?" Hancock's eyes locked on Drake, her perfect face trembling with disbelief. "What kind of ability do you have? Why are you so fast?"
Since his arrival, this man had shocked her again and again.
"I am the one who will change the world." Drake's voice was calm, unwavering. "This is a skill I developed—to repel space itself."
He spread his arms slightly. "This place is large enough. If you want to fight, face me here."
Hancock narrowed her eyes, staring intently at him, trying to see through the man who had shaken her pride.
He was strikingly handsome, his expression eternally calm, his body radiating the aura of a true warrior.
Where the hell does this monster come from?
"You are very strong. This Empress recognizes your strength."
As soon as Hancock's feet touched the ground, the impact left a dent. In the next instant, she dashed toward Drake like lightning.
"But don't underestimate this Empress, you bastard!"
"Perfūme Femur!"
Hancock unleashed the same technique as before, but this time the momentum was thunderous, overwhelming, and far more powerful.
Drake remained calm. His right hand was instantly coated in Haki. He raised it slowly, standing firm, waiting for the strike.
Boom~~
A deafening explosion erupted. Dark red lightning crackled violently around them, scattering in every direction. The shockwave tore through the surroundings, uprooting trees, crushing flowers, and shattering plants into dust.
"Que!!"
Hancock's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.
Conqueror's Haki… This man truly has the spirit of a king. How is this possible?
"You… you have the qualifications to become a king." Hancock's voice trembled, her face conflicted. "Impossible… when did Conqueror's Haki become so common? You are definitely not an ordinary man. Who are you?"
Drake pushed forward with his right hand, shoving Hancock aside effortlessly. His gaze was sharp, his tone unwavering.
"Boa Hancock, there is one thing you must understand. Although you are a Shichibukai, your strength is at the bottom of the group. Don't think that possessing Conqueror's Haki makes you powerful—you are completely behind the times."
His expression twisted into a mocking smile. "As a Shichibukai, you think you can remain locked away on your island, imagining yourself the strongest woman in the world. But hiding in the Calm Belt every day, growing lazy, refusing to improve, and lacking any sense of competition… if this continues, Boa Hancock, you will truly become useless".