"Star ratings?"
Yato blinked in surprise and focused carefully on the mental display before him. After a moment, he understood its function.
[Correct] said the voice of the Fantasy Gene.
[Five stars is the maximum. Each additional star unlocks a new ability. Your current form, Sea Dragon, is rated two stars and thus grants two powers.]
Ocean Current Manipulation and Dragon's Might, two formidable abilities.
The first hardly needed explanation. Its ability to counter Devil Fruit users alone made it a deadly asset.
As for Dragon's Might… its full potential had yet to be realized. Yato couldn't quite control it properly yet, but he suspected it was something akin to "Haki."
Curious, he asked,
"So how do I increase the star level?"
[By absorbing mystic energy. In the case of Devil Fruits, consume one, and your star level will rise.]
"Got it," Yato nodded. "Earlier, you said you detected something nearby? Was it a Devil Fruit?"
[Mystic energy detected. Direction: three o'clock. Distance: approximately 20 meters. Exact object: unknown.]
Twenty meters…
Yato turned his draconic gaze. In that direction floated a ship, one of the Kuja Pirates' vessels.
"There's something I need… on that ship."
A hundred eyes immediately turned toward him, curious, awestruck, and overwhelmingly female.
It was an all-woman crew, led by none other than Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress.
Yato opened his mouth, just about to say something,
"Guardian Deity!"
"The Sea Dragon… King of the Ocean?"
"Are you really the Guardian Deity of Amazon Lily?!"
A chorus of amazed voices rang out across the deck.
Yato instinctively wanted to deny it. He had zero interest in playing some divine mascot.
But then he remembered, there was something he needed on that ship.
Fine. If pretending to be their Guardian gets me what I need, I can work with that.
He cleared his throat and quickly slipped into character.
"That's right. I, no, this dragon, was never meant to appear so soon. But I sense it… a great upheaval is coming. In the years ahead, even the Four Emperors of the New World may fall.
Amazon Lily will be in grave danger!"
He delivered the line shamelessly, without blinking.
The response was immediate.
Many of the Kuja women nodded solemnly, fully convinced.
A small pang of guilt surfaced in Yato's heart… which quickly vanished.
From the side, Boa Hancock sneered. Her cold gaze swept across the deck, clearly a warning aimed straight at him.
Yato pretended not to notice.
"Amazon Lily is in danger?" Amanda exclaimed, eyes wide. "Guardian Deity, what do you mean?"
"Well…" Yato opened his jaws, trying to improvise, but honestly… he hadn't thought that far ahead. Still, his priority remained whatever was emitting that mysterious energy onboard.
"Tch. What a load of nonsense," Hancock muttered under her breath, lips curling in disdain.
Even Yato's thick dragon skin turned a bit red with embarrassment, though fortunately, no one could tell under all the scales.
"Ahem… you must be the current Empress?"
"Guardian Deity." Hancock deliberately emphasized the title as she cut him off, her voice icy.
"If there's no emergency, then why don't you return to wherever you came from?"
"That won't do," Yato said without hesitation.
"Now that I've appeared, I, this dragon, must remain to protect you. The dangers ahead are far beyond anything you can imagine!"
"Oh, thank goodness," Amanda sighed in relief. "With the Guardian Deity here, we should be safe."
"Amanda!" Hancock snapped sharply.
But Amanda turned, smiling sincerely.
"Empress, don't worry. The Guardian Deity has watched over us for ages, this time will be no different!"
Amanda was a woman in her thirties, her black hair coiled into a traditional updo. As she spoke, her expression was one of absolute devotion.
Yato had seen that look before. Once, on a trip to Dubai before his transmigration, he'd passed through a plaza and seen that exact same expression on the face of a religious zealot.
Yeah… this one's definitely easy to trick.
Yato snickered inwardly.
He suspected Hancock was now seething with the urge to murder him.
Onboard, aside from Hancock herself, most of the crew clearly believed the myth. Some were a bit skeptical, but still leaning toward belief.
Only Hancock knew the truth: this so-called "Guardian Deity" was a complete fabrication.
And yet… she couldn't say anything.
That silence, being cornered like this, was something Hancock hadn't experienced since becoming Empress.
She felt an uncomfortable tightness in her chest.
"Ah, how rude of me!" Amanda suddenly said with bright enthusiasm.
"This isn't the right place for conversation. Guardian Deity, please accompany us back to Amazon Lily!"
She turned toward Hancock.
"Lady Hancock?"
Seeing how far things had gone, Hancock's jaw clenched. Her delicate face flushed with frustration. She glared at Yato for a long moment before snorting coldly and turning away.
"Hmph. I couldn't care less.
But if the 'Guardian Deity' tries anything inappropriate- "
Her red high heels clicked against the deck as she stormed into the cabin.
Yato didn't hear the rest, but he could guess.
Interesting… she's not exactly how I imagined her.
In the original timeline, Hancock was known for being domineering and proud. But right now, she seemed uncharacteristically constrained.
Sure, part of it was because of the secret she was hiding…
But it felt like there was more to it.
As he pondered this, Yato turned to Amanda and asked,
"What year is it?"
"Eh? Oh! Guardian Deity, it's the year 1510 of the Sea Era."
"1510?!"
Yato's eyes widened, and realization struck.
Monkey D. Luffy would begin his journey in the year 1520. That meant this was ten years before the main storyline!
Which also meant…
Boa Hancock was only nineteen years old.
She had ascended the throne at eighteen. No wonder she wasn't as commanding yet.
"So that's it… she's still just a girl."
Yato shook his head and muttered,
"No wonder she looks so young and unsure. Even Akainu looked younger…"
Smirking to himself, he turned to Amanda and said cheerfully:
"Let's go, then. To Amazon Lily!"