Boa Hancock, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, witnessed the scene unfold with palpable disdain. Her ego, shattered as if it were mere glass, recoiled at the sight of her two sisters rendered unconscious by a single, effortless blow.
The Kuja tribe spectators could scarcely believe what had just transpired; the snow-haired man had not only defeated their mightiest warriors but had the audacity to dismiss them as weaklings. A cacophony of chatters, curses, and whispers circulated through the colosseum, the air still thick with lingering dust and smoke from the impact. Through it all, Gojo's unwavering gaze remained fixed upon the Empress, never faltering.
"Now, let's get down to business, since I've already won," he hummed, the sound punctuated by the sharp crack of his knuckles.
Hancock inwardly cursed, her eyes struggling to deny the reality before her. Yet, she could not dismiss the truth: Gojo was undeniably powerful, and the rumors of his deeds within Impel Down were evidently authentic.
"Very well," she conceded, releasing a low, exasperated sigh. "I shall honor my word and restore your companions. However…"
Gojo, interpreting the implication in her eyes, interjected smoothly. "Why don't we continue this discussion within the castle?"
Hancock gave a curt nod. "Bring your friends and follow me."
"Oka—"
Thud!
The interruption was violent. Sandersonia roared as she surged upwards, debris cascading from her body, smoke wreathing her formidable silhouette. Her vision cleared gradually as she wrenched herself from the crater of her defeat. "Snake Empress, grant me another chance—" A fit of coughing expelled a mouthful of blood. "One more opportunity, and I will defeat him!"
Hancock turned a cold gaze upon her sister. "You have failed me," she growled, her voice dangerously low. "Given your present condition, further combat is pointless. Retrieve Marigold and follow us to the castle."
"Yes, Snake Empress." Sandersonia's reply was thick with disappointment, a bitter acknowledgment that she had been bested so easily by a previously unknown pirate. The humiliation seared her pride, forging a resolve to train with a desperation surpassing anyone else's, if she ever hoped to remain at her elder sister's side or be worthy of protecting her. The agony of her defeat bordered on traumatic, yet she knew she must endure, accept reality, and strive to become stronger. Reverting to her human form, she moved to aid Marigold, who remained incapacitated.
Gojo observed Hancock closely, discerning through his keen perception that she was not the unadulterated evil of popular legend. He sensed that, with careful diplomacy, she could become a formidable ally in the future.
Well, then.
He hoisted the petrified statues of Jake and Ryuken over his shoulder and fell into step behind Hancock, following her toward the castle.
'I wonder if she'll consider joining my crew,' he mused inwardly, a soft chuckle escaping him as his eyes traced the majestic curve of her form.
'I want to marry her.' A strange, unbidden smirk touched his lips, projecting an aura of unmistakable admiration that Hancock felt as a palpable sensation against her back.
'Honestly.' Hancock suppressed a shiver, forcefully resisting the urge to glance behind her.
"We have arrived," she announced, gesturing grandly before sweeping her hair aside and settling onto her throne with crossed legs.
"Awesome," Gojo remarked, lowering the petrified figures gently. "So, why don't you proceed with restoring them before we delve into our negotiations, my dear?"
Hancock felt her heartbeat thunder in her ears, a frantic rhythm threatening to burst from her chest. "Very well."
She strode purposefully toward the statues, placing both hands upon them and closing her eyes in concentration. The petrification reversed, the stone dissolving to restore the duo to flesh and blood in an instant.
Gojo's eyes widened in theatrical shock as his nakamas jolted back to life. "Welcome back, buddies," he hummed, a genuine smile gracing his features.
Jake flexed his hands experimentally. "It's good to be back. I had resigned myself to a stony end."
"Where the hell are we?" Ryuken demanded, his head swiveling to take in the opulent structure before his gaze locked onto the Warlord who had petrified them earlier. He leapt backward, falling into a defensive stance. "What is she doing here, captain?"
Gojo laughed, placing a reassuring hand on Ryuken's shoulder. "At ease. She is not here to capture us, you have my word."
"What happened while we were petrified?" Jake pressed, suspicion in his tone.
"Nothing worth breaking a sweat over," Gojo replied with a dismissive smirk. The casual remark caused a prominent vein to bulge on Hancock's neck—he was toying with her deliberately, and, to her own bewilderment, she found she did not entirely dislike it.
"Sorry to interrupt," Jake interjected, rubbing his temple. "I can't think straight. I'm going to find some food while you two… continue."
"I'll accompany you, Jake. I require liquor," Ryuken muttered, hefting his sword onto his shoulder. The two departed to explore the mansion, leaving their captain alone with the Kuja sisters.
"Firstly," Gojo began, the casual air vanishing, "something feels… peculiar." His statement plunged the room into a sudden, heavy silence.
Hancock raised a regal eyebrow. "Explain yourself."
"Your sisters…" he continued, the tension in the room pivoting sharply upward. "Why do they fight while protecting their backs so fiercely? It implies a secret—something you are all desperate to conceal from your own tribe."
The tension crested. In a blur of motion, Hancock and her sisters launched themselves at Gojo, their combined kick halting mere inches from his face, repelled by the immutable barrier of his "Infinity."
"Oho… It seems I've struck a nerve," Gojo said, his grin never fading. "Isn't it rather rude to attack a guest unprovoked? You cannot deceive these eyes. Had I wished, I could have easily exposed your sisters' little secret during our duel." His voice, calm yet penetrating, lingered in the air as he watched the Gorgon sisters struggle to regain their breath.
Tears welled and spilled from Hancock's eyes as she collapsed to the floor. Each of the white-haired man's words had landed with devastating accuracy. But one question tormented her: how could he possibly have discovered their most guarded shame?
She and her sisters were violently thrust into a remembrance of their past—the years of enslavement under the World Government, the unrelenting pain, the torture, the gnawing hunger. They recalled the day Fisher Tiger had liberated them, breaking their chains but not their scars. The celestial dragon's mark branded upon their backs was an eternal testament to their former bondage, a secret they had sworn to carry to their graves.
"Damn those World Government bastards," Gojo gritted out, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles blanched. "I'll slaughter every last one of them."
His venomous oath shattered the sisters' traumatic reverie. "Did you just say… you would defy the Government?" Hancock swallowed hard, wiping the tears from her cheek. "That is suicidal. They will destroy you."
"Every man dies," Gojo countered, his tone resolute. "But I intend to choose how and where when my time comes. I will eradicate them all—the Government and their marine lapdogs."
Each word echoed in the sisters' ears like a revolutionary trumpet. Never in their lives had they encountered someone who spoke of defying the omnipotent Government with such cold conviction.
"So, let's return to business," Gojo said, his smirk returning. "Regarding our agreement… would you mind enlightening me about this 'Haki' you mentioned?"
"Haki is a latent power," Hancock explained, her voice steadying. "It allows one to harness their own spiritual energy for superhuman feats. There are three varieties: the Supreme King's Haki, or Conqueror's Haki; Observation Haki; and Armament Haki."
"Let me deduce," Gojo said, outstretching a finger. "During our skirmish, what you employed was Observation Haki, correct?"
"Yes, precisely," Sandersonia admitted. "One can train to attain both Observation and Armament Haki. However, Conqueror's Haki cannot be learned; it is a trait possessed only by those born with the quality of a supreme ruler."
Gojo's eyes gleamed with a fierce determination to master this enigmatic force. "So, if one possesses all three, they can harm a Logia-type user?"
"Indeed," Hancock affirmed. "With sufficient willpower, advanced Armament Haki can bypass a Logia's intangibility, provided your Haki surpasses theirs."
"Incredible," Gojo breathed, genuinely flabbergasted. "Then the Grand Line must be teeming with absolute monsters."
"Without a doubt. I shall reiterate: arrogance here will see you feeding the ocean depths," Hancock warned.
"Noted," he said, stroking his neck thoughtfully. "Hancock, would you permit my crew and me to lodge here for a time?"
She raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift. "For what purpose?"
"We will be embarking directly into the Grand Line from here. I believe we require a period of intensive training to prepare. Furthermore," he added, "it would be immensely beneficial if my crew could begin learning the basics of Armament and Observation Haki during our stay."
Hancock exchanged a prolonged, silent glance with her sisters. "Very well," she said at last. "If this is the favor you ask, Gojo, then I consent." The moment the words left her lips, she sank her face into her palms, her cheeks flushing a deep, betraying crimson.
'It cannot be… Surely it is not what we are thinking,' the sisters thought in horrified unison. 'She has fallen for him!'
Gojo rose with a soft, triumphant smile, perceiving the Warlord's utterly transparent affection. His strategy was unfolding flawlessly.
"Hancock," he said, his voice warm and inviting as he extended a hand. "Why don't you join my crew?"
"Wha—?!" The sisters exclaimed in perfect, stunned harmony.
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