Leno stared blankly at Bellamy's arrogant expression across from him, completely uninterested in arguing any further. His fingers twitched at his side, itching to give the fool a dazzling thunderous funeral—until Hancock's furious voice cut him off.
"How dare you… How dare you insult Lord Leno like that! You wretched scum—Perfume Femur!"
Gritting her teeth, Hancock shot forward in a blur and drove her leg into Bellamy's chest.
Boom!
Pffft! Bellamy's eyes bulged as his body flew backward uncontrollably, smashing through several buildings before vanishing from sight.
"Bellamy!"
"Captain!"
The pirates who had come with him were stunned. Rage replaced their shock as they turned toward the culprit—Hancock.
"Damn woman, you're asking for your death!"
"Everybody charge! Kill these bastards!"
They were used to throwing their weight around under Doflamingo's name. The moment someone dared strike back, their blood boiled over. One by one they drew their weapons and charged furiously toward Hancock and the others.
"Slave Arrow!"
Seeing the insolent fools rush her, Hancock's fingers flicked, and a pink heart appeared before her eyes. She drew back her hand as if drawing a bowstring.
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
A rain of pink arrows streaked through the air, instantly drowning the mob.
Every person or weapon touched by the arrows turned to stone in an instant. Within moments, the street was filled with lifelike stone statues.
Once the rabble was dealt with, Hancock immediately nestled shyly against Leno's side, her cheeks flushed.
"Lord Leno… I've taken care of those insects for you."
"Mmm, thank you for your hard work, Hancock~"
Leno gently brushed his hand through her silky hair, smiling with genuine affection. Hancock was completely molded to his liking now.
While the two were lost in their affectionate moment, Chopper, Yamato, and the others were left utterly stunned. They had only ever heard of Hancock's power to turn people to stone—but seeing living humans instantly petrified before their eyes made their hearts pound.
Yamato and Carmen stepped forward curiously, studying the statues. Chopper even went so far as to touch and tap one, eyes wide with amazement.
"It's real stone! This power is terrifying!"
Just imagining being hit by it made Chopper shiver. He glanced fearfully at Hancock.
Then came a loud crash. Everyone turned to see Yamato standing awkwardly before a pile of rubble, her kanabo still raised.
Seeing everyone's stares, she hurriedly protested, "Hey, it's not my fault! Who knew the statue was this fragile? I barely tapped it and—poof—it shattered!"
"..."
They walked over and gawked at the remains, utterly shocked.
"From the inside out—completely turned to stone. That's insane."
"Yeah, I thought it'd be like Aokiji's freezing—just the surface. Guess not."
At that moment, Nami and Robin finally grasped how frightening Hancock's ability truly was.
They turned toward the woman purring like a kitten in Leno's arms, stunned yet resigned.
"Hancock's Haki is one thing, but her Devil Fruit is equally terrifying."
"'Pirate Empress,' indeed. The name fits."
Kuina's expression turned serious as she eyed the hopelessly love-struck woman. She'd known Hancock's Haki rivaled her own, but she hadn't expected such a brokenly overpowered ability.
Just as everyone was still marveling at Hancock's display, Leno spoke up:
"Alright, everyone. Let's go."
"What about these statues?" Chopper asked curiously, wondering if they could be restored.
"Don't worry," Hancock said proudly, chin lifted. "As long as my ability isn't undone, they'll remain stone forever. If a statue breaks in the meantime, their lives end with it."
The group shuddered at her merciless tone and quickly followed Leno away.
Once their silhouettes vanished from sight, the bystanders on the street slowly approached.
They stared at the petrified bullies who had long tormented them, torn between fear and exhilaration.
One brave soul reached out and gave a statue a tentative shove.
Crash!
The sound of shattering stone was all it took. The crowd surged forward in a frenzy of vengeance.
Moments later, the statues were nothing but rubble scattered across the ground.
When the townsfolk finally came to their senses, they exchanged panicked glances and scattered in all directions.
And so, the once-infamous "Hyena Pirates," destined to make their name in "Paradise," vanished silently from the world before ever rising to prominence.
On the turbulent sea, the Gale sailed smoothly onward. After that brief interlude, Leno and the crew soon left the port city behind.
"Phew, it's freezing! Why did the temperature drop so suddenly?"
Nami exhaled warm air into her hands, frowning at her Log Pose. The sudden chill was unusual.
Watching her shiver at the bow, Leno felt a pang of concern. He turned toward Chopper, who was sipping tea.
"Chopper, take off your fur and give it to Nami—she looks cold."
"Huh? Oh—okay."
Chopper set down his teacup, ready to… "take off his fur." Then he froze, his eyes bulging.
"You idiot, Leno! How am I supposed to take off my fur?!"
Pfft!
Yamato spat out her tea and burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA! Leno, that's cruel—even for you! You actually told Chopper to 'take off his fur'!"
Realizing what he'd said, Leno looked mortified.
"Right… I forgot. I thought he was wearing a fur coat!"
Over time, Leno had gotten so used to seeing Chopper as a person that he'd completely forgotten he was naturally covered in fur. He'd seen Nami shivering, glanced at Chopper's fluffy coat, and instinctively assumed it was something he could lend.
But his explanation only made everyone laugh harder.
Carmen grinned wickedly. "Well, he is wearing a fur coat; it's just that Chopper can't take this one off."
Leno shot her an exasperated look. Was it really that funny?
It took a while for the laughter to die down. Nami eventually returned to the cabin and came back wearing a thick coat.
Leno sipped his tea and casually picked up the nautical chart she'd left on the table. After a quick glance, his eyes widened slightly.
"Hey, Nami—this Minion Island here, isn't it an abandoned place?"
"And it's a Winter Island, too. Are we really going ashore?"
"Of course we are!" Nami said without missing a beat. "Because of the ocean currents, it's perpetually in winter. That makes it perfect for study."
Leno sighed at her determined tone. "Alright then. Not like I'm the one freezing. Right, Chopper?"
"Get lost… You jerk! I don't want to talk to you right now!"
"..."