"Marine, that creature is the Guardian Deity of Amazon Lily.
To raise your hand against it, is to challenge me!"
Boa Hancock's frosty declaration froze the tension mid-air. The atmosphere on deck faltered for a brief moment.
Everyone on the Marine warship stared blankly.
A "Guardian Deity"? Was this some kind of joke? No one had ever heard of such a thing.
Akainu snorted coldly.
"Boa Hancock, I'll give you one chance to take that back. You really want to bring ruin down on your own nation?"
But the Empress simply smiled, breathtakingly. Like a hundred blossoms blooming at once, her beauty dazzled the entire deck.
In an instant, the Marine soldiers on board were entranced.
"No matter what I do, I am always forgiven… I'm simply too beautiful," Hancock said loftily. "That includes all of you. And for you to dare scold me... Hmph."
A gentle, disdainful hum at the end of her words said everything.
She didn't take the World Government's Marines seriously in the slightest.
Yet even after her arrogant speech, the Marines didn't grow angry, on the contrary, their infatuation only intensified.
"Hancock! Hancock!"
"The most beautiful woman in the world!"
"We forgive you! We forgive you!"
Akainu's face darkened to a thundercloud.
"Idiots, the lot of you!"
His angry glare snapped a few men out of their daze, but the embarrassment lingered.
As the sea fog finally began to clear, the three sides found themselves locked in a tense standoff, staring each other down.
Yato, still in his dragon form, glanced at the Pirate Empress with a strange look.
He'd heard her earlier conversation on deck.
Guardian Deity of Amazon Lily?
Yeah, right. Who came up with that nonsense?
The logic was laughable: if the Gorgon beast was real, then the Guardian Deity must be real too?
Yato understood immediately. The Empress was spinning a grand lie to cover up some secret. A myth sold to her entire nation to protect whatever truth lay hidden.
She knew full well he wasn't any deity. He was a mysterious sea dragon of unknown origin who had shown up out of nowhere.
But still, she committed to the act. Bold, this woman was, truly bold.
Yato mused with amusement, though his voice remained calm.
"Stay out of this. Admiral or not, I can handle this myself. This is my domain, the sea."
Akainu, one of the Navy's three greatest powers, was indeed formidable. His combat prowess was at the peak of the world. But as a Devil Fruit user, he had a fatal weakness: seawater.
And unfortunately for him, Yato's current form, the sea dragon, had absolute control over water.
They hadn't fought yet, but Yato didn't feel even slightly intimidated. He might lack battle experience, but his innate advantage was enough to make up for that.
Hearing Yato's presumptuous claim, Hancock's delicate brows twitched. Her beautiful eyes narrowed in irritation.
"What are you looking at?" Yato said evenly, his breath thick with draconic mist. "I'm just speaking the truth."
"Hmph. Insolent creature." Hancock's brows arched higher, her irritation deepening.
But she couldn't let her anger erupt. Now that Yato had been declared their island's Guardian Deity, she had no choice but to maintain the lie. So she turned her cold gaze instead toward Sakazuki.
Compared to her, Akainu's mood was even worse.
He had simply wanted to deal with an unusual Sea King…
Now things had spiraled into this circus.
If he attacked again, it would place him in direct opposition to Hancock.
He wasn't afraid of that, she was a pirate, after all. Marines and pirates were natural enemies.
But given the recent balance of power, the Navy had come up with a plan to counter the Four Emperors of the sea.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea.
And recruiting Hancock was critical. That mission came straight from Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself.
Akainu glanced at the sea dragon again, his thoughts turning sharp.
A Sea King that ate a Devil Fruit? If that's what this is, the scientists at Punk Hazard would love to dissect it. Guardian Deity? Don't insult my intelligence.
He let out a deep breath and gradually withdrew his magma power. The air cooled, the stifling heat fading.
"If you insist… then so be it," Sakazuki said gruffly. "Boa Hancock, about the Seven Warlords- "
But before he could finish, Hancock coldly interrupted:
"I'm not interested. Leave."
"You…!" Sakazuki's gaze turned deadly. "You really want to die!?"
The heat that had just faded returned in a sudden surge.
"Refuse the Warlord title, and your Amazon Lily, your kingdom of women, will be destroyed because of you. Do you think the Calm Belt can protect you? The Navy now has warships that can sail windless seas. Next time we meet, it'll be a Buster Call."
"A threat?"
Yato chuckled and cut in.
"Give it up. Do you really think a woman like her can be scared off? A Marine Admiral resorting to cheap intimidation, how pathetic. If you want to fight, I'll join you. I could use the sparring experience."
She had stood up for him earlier. This was his way of returning the favor, not that he needed it, but Yato was someone who repaid kindness.
"Damn it…"
Akainu's face grew darker still.
One sea dragon was troublesome enough. If the Empress joined in too… even he couldn't be sure he'd walk away unscathed.
Sure, he might win. But at what cost? The ship itself could be sunk by the dragon's water-based powers.
And that was the true problem: Water Manipulation.
A natural nemesis to all Devil Fruit users.
Realizing this, Akainu suddenly fell silent. The seething rage on his face vanished, replaced by stony calm.
"Empress Boa Hancock… I hope you won't regret this foolish decision."
With a sharp snap of his Justice cloak, Sakazuki turned from the bow.
"We're leaving!"
…
The massive Marine warship turned slowly, sailing off into the distance, eventually becoming a black speck on the horizon.
And just then, a familiar voice echoed in Yato's mind.
[Mystic energy detected. Location: 3 o'clock direction. Distance: 20 meters.]
[Current transformation: Sea Dragon]
[First Transformation: Sea Dragon]
Star Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Ability 1: Ocean Current Manipulation
Ability 2: Dragon's Might
Ability 3: [Locked]
A translucent, floating interface suddenly appeared within Yato's mind.
He stared at it, stunned.
"Wait… there are star ratings too?!"
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters