Amazon Lily, a mysterious island nestled within the Calm Belt beside the Grand Line.
It is known as the "Island of Women," home to a legendary warrior nation: the Kuja Tribe.
Only women live here, trained as warriors from birth. Each bears the burden of labor and livelihood, even through pregnancy. They give birth to girls only, each one accompanied by a snake that can transform into a weapon at will. They excel in the use of Haki.
The island has upheld one ironclad rule for centuries:
No Men Allowed.
Any man who dares to set foot on Amazon Lily faces only one outcome, elimination.
Of course, such rules mean little to the truly powerful.
And Luffy… well, he wasn't quite at that level yet. Especially when,
"Hmph! A man!" Hancock snapped, her tone imperious. "If I hear even a whisper of you treating Robin poorly, I will lead the entire Kuja army to hunt you down to the ends of the earth!"
With every word, her arrogance inflated, and by the end of her tirade, her chin was tilted so high it practically pointed to the sky, her chest puffed proudly forward.
Though she couldn't see Luffy, her finger pointed straight at him with pinpoint accuracy.
Honestly, the way she used Observation Haki to such a degree was… impressive, if a little infuriating.
Luffy stared blankly at the proud woman he was about to release and couldn't help but wonder, what gave her the nerve to talk to him like that?
Over the past few months, Luffy had defeated "Hancock" nearly twenty times.
If they fought again, he would gladly show her what it meant to be beaten so thoroughly it hurt to watch.
"Alright, Hancock. Time to head back, your sisters are probably worried sick by now," Robin interjected, sensing Luffy's rising irritation and quickly trying to de-escalate.
Luffy had only agreed to release Hancock because of Robin's request. If this petty bickering made him change his mind, she'd never forgive herself.
"Tch." Hancock straightened up, annoyed.
In the world of pirates, same-sex attraction hadn't quite become a concept yet. Robin still saw her as a particularly clingy sister. But Hancock, she saw everything. She knew exactly how Robin looked at Luffy, with open, naked affection.
And the way Luffy just stood there, looking so harmless and innocent, it made Hancock furious.
One day, she swore, she'd reveal to Robin just how monstrous the demon hiding behind that facade truly was!
From the moment Luffy's strange Conqueror's Haki had scrambled her senses, she'd known: this man is not what he seems.
That dominating, suffocating aura, it wasn't something a freedom-loving, conflict-averse pirate should possess.
Damn him! Why is he so powerful?!
Hancock shot Luffy one last icy glare, let out a soft snort through her nose, and turned to board the small wooden boat Luffy's crew had prepared for her.
The Thriller Bark was now stationed 300 nautical miles from Amazon Lily.
With Luffy's abilities, that short journey would've taken barely any time.
But Hancock insisted on traveling with grace, on a simple, handmade boat, no matter how absurd it seemed in the windless Calm Belt.
Luffy was genuinely curious, how exactly did she plan to row across without looking ridiculous?
Unfortunately…
Just as the comedic scene was about to unfold, a chilling voice shattered the peace.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
"Ice Age, Glacial Century!"
Whoooosh!!!
A terrifying wave of power exploded outward, followed by a howling surge of frigid air. A bone-deep cold swept across the island in an instant, plunging the temperature to an arctic low.
In the blink of an eye, the summer warmth vanished, and the Thriller Bark was thrust into a frozen winter.
Even the clouds above, overwhelmed by the plummeting temperature, huddled together for warmth, discarding their coldest bits as snowflakes that drifted slowly to the ground.
The world froze. Even time seemed to come to a halt.
Blood began to thicken in people's veins. Cellular activity slowed to a crawl.
Emotions numbed under the crushing weight of the cold.
Only Robin, trembling uncontrollably, served as a flickering sign that life still stirred.
The once-roiling sea had become a solid sheet of ice, trapping the massive ship in place.
Even Hancock's little boat was frozen in place mid-launch.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
"Ahh… no wonder I couldn't find you after all that searching."
A lazy, almost sleepy voice broke the silence.
A tall figure emerged, wearing a green visor and strolling leisurely across the ice, his presence blending seamlessly into the frozen world.
Aokiji.
He glanced at the giant wheels beneath the Thriller Bark, murmuring to himself, "So this thing keeps moving constantly? No wonder you were so hard to track…"
Then his eyes turned toward the group, and fixed squarely on Robin.
His tone dropped, deeper now, with a distinct chill:
"Never thought I'd run into you here… Nico Robin."
The unexpected encounter caused a jolt even in the usually indifferent Aokiji.
For a moment, he nearly forgot the reason he'd come.
Like a ninja, Aokiji vanished from the horizon, only to erupt from the ice directly in front of Luffy, exuding a sleepy indifference... but laced with an unmistakable hint of killing intent.
"Hey!" Luffy stepped in front of Robin, blocking the admiral's path.
He scowled and raised his voice.
"What do you think you're doing to my crewmate?!"
When Luffy lifted his head again, his eyes had transformed, orange and gold flames flickering in his pupils. His hands blazed with fire, radiating immense heat that began to melt the surrounding ice into a shimmering sea pool.
Aokiji's relaxed expression shifted instantly.
He stomped his foot, boom, a new layer of frost spread beneath him as he looked up, surprised.
"Tsk. Almost fell into the sea," he muttered. "You do realize I'm a Devil Fruit user, right?"
─────────🏴☠️─────────
"Geh-heh-heh-heh…"
Moria stepped forward, shielding the still-shivering Robin behind his massive form.
With his sheer size, he could've blocked three Robins at once.
Not to be outdone, Hancock leapt from the frozen boat and landed gracefully between Luffy and Moria, exuding an irresistible charm meant to bewitch Aokiji.
Unfortunately, Aokiji couldn't care less.
He barely opened his eyes to glance at her, expression unmoved.
"Tch!!" Hancock scowled.
Being ignored by a man, again, was beginning to shake her confidence. Still, now wasn't the time for pride.
She raised her hand, pointed a slender finger straight at the man before her.
"You dare raise your killing intent toward Robin? That is unforgivable! Who are you?!"
Without waiting for an answer, she launched forward with a powerful kick.
Luffy, meanwhile, turned to Robin and saw her still trembling. His brow furrowed.
"Robin!" he shouted.
"Huh?" Robin looked up at the sound of his voice. Warmth flooded her chest, melting the ice that seemed to bind her soul.
She smiled at him gently. "I'm alright, Luffy. Just… remembered some painful things. Lost myself for a moment."
Luffy nodded slowly. "That's good."
Then he turned to Brook.
"Brook. How about a little contest? Let's see whose ice is stronger."
This time, Luffy wasn't about to get cocky.
He was facing a future Admiral, Aokiji, one of the Marine's greatest forces. Luffy estimated his stats to be no less than 8,000 across the board.
This was the same Aokiji who, in a few years, would scare off Doflamingo with sheer presence alone.
No one in Luffy's crew could take him one-on-one.
Brook was momentarily stunned, then drew his bone blade with a solemn nod.
"It would be an honor."
He knew how much Luffy valued solo battles. So the fact Luffy was asking for his help meant one thing:
This enemy was on another level.
And truth be told, Brook was eager to test his own abyssal ice against the legendary admiral.
=============
129+ Advance Chapters Available on Patreon! Patreon.com/Veltoria
250 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
Add to Library to support