'Cover Story: Chopper and the Quack Doctor Vol. 14: "Hey, Reindeer! You Still Go to the Beach a Lot, Right?!"'
'Chopper transformed into a brown-haired boy and rushed into the cave after the explosion, pulling the unconscious Hiriluk to safety. When Hiriluk finally came to, he found the cave neatly cleaned up. Realizing what had happened, he hurried outside and spotted the little reindeer walking away through the snow below.'
'"Hey! Reindeer!" he shouted at the retreating figure.'
'Chopper's pupils shrank as he stopped in his tracks.'
---
Calm Belt
Looking toward the Women's Island three kilometers away, Vice Admiral Momonga's mood wasn't particularly good. After all, he'd once been turned to stone by the Pirate Empress and remained petrified for several years before finally being restored.
Looking back on it still sent cold sweat down his spine. Several years of his life had simply... vanished. To him, there had been no awareness at all while he was petrified. When he was finally restored, he had to piece together what had happened from everyone else's accounts. It felt as though he'd suddenly woken up years into the future.
Even so, when this mission came down, Momonga accepted it. He wasn't going to run away.
"Vice Admiral," a Marine on deck asked nervously, "will the Pirate Empress really accept the invitation? We can't dock, and they haven't made any move either... Staying this long in a sea that's basically a nest for giant Sea Kings... It's honestly terrifying."
Momonga answered firmly, "She'll come."
What happened back in the South Blue, before he was petrified, remained unforgettable. The relationship between the Kuja Empress and Giorno and Jolyne Cujoh was unquestionably a close one. Once Boa Hancock learned Giorno had accepted the position of Warlord, there was no way she wouldn't react.
---
She certainly reacted. At that very moment, Hancock was changing clothes.
Standing before a mirror, she cupped her warm cheeks with both hands and smiled. "It's been so long... I wonder if they'll still recognize me?"
Marigold couldn't help reminding her, "Elder Sister... they've only been gone about two years."
Not twenty! How could they possibly fail to recognize her? Normally, Elder Sister was so proud she bordered on arrogant, yet now she looked like an anxious young girl. Though... she was only eighteen years old.
Sandersonia flicked out her long snake tongue and folded her arms with a grin. "It's not impossible! Elder Sister has become even prettier these past two years~~ Maybe Giorno and Princess Jolyne won't dare recognize you!"
"Hoo..." Hancock took a deep breath.
The blush hadn't yet faded from her beautiful face, giving her an irresistible mix of innocence and seductive charm. She steadied herself. "Let's go."
---
The Kuja Pirates' ship sailed out from Amazon Lily and slowly approached the Marine battleship waiting three kilometers offshore. The Pirate Empress appeared only briefly at the bow. After confirming with Vice Admiral Momonga that she would attend the ceremony at Marineford to witness the appointment of the new Warlord, she turned and left.
That single glimpse, however, was enough. Every Marine aboard the battleship stared at her with hearts in their eyes, utterly captivated.
"HEY!!" Momonga spun around with a dark expression, blocking his subordinates' view of Hancock. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed?! I already warned you! Be extremely careful! Don't look her in the eyes!"
Cold sweat trickled down his face. Several years had passed, yet the Kuja Empress had somehow become even more breathtaking. It was almost like a form of 'Conqueror's Haki', except instead of overwhelming people with spirit, it overwhelmed them with beauty.
Whether you wanted it or not, every sense of beauty was forced upon you like a tidal wave. It stole your breath. It made resisting almost impossible. If your willpower was even slightly lacking, you wouldn't even qualify to stand before her. You'd feel inferior, unworthy, and before you realized it, you'd want nothing more than to obey her every command.
When Momonga finally looked back,keeping his eyes deliberately lowered around chin level,he discovered Hancock had already turned around and gone back inside her cabin. It was as though she hadn't come to speak with him at all; she'd merely issued an order.
'She... didn't even recognize me?' Momonga stood there blankly.
It wasn't that he expected the Pirate Empress to care about him. But she had petrified him herself, and yet she'd never even bothered remembering his face?
'Well... I guess that's just the kind of woman she is...' ...Huh?! 'Why am I thinking like that?!'
Momonga shuddered. He immediately pulled out a dagger and ruthlessly stabbed himself in the arm, blood pouring from the wound as he grit his teeth, silently cursing that terrifying, almost supernatural charm.
Hancock, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea that the nameless Marine she'd met years ago had gone through such an emotional roller coaster. Naturally, she didn't care either.
After ordering the Marine battleship to lead the way, she returned to her cabin. Then she suddenly remembered something and turned to her two younger sisters. "When we meet them... don't mention that I got sick."
"Huh?" Marigold blinked. "But, Elder Sister..."
Hancock's expression became stern. "Are you two no longer going to listen to me?"
"...Alright." Though unwilling, Marigold had no choice but to obey.
Walking a little behind them, Sandersonia quietly tugged on her sister's sleeve. "Don't say anything. Elder Sister's pride is incredibly important to her."
Returning to her room, Hancock stood 'beside' the window overlooking the sea. Her beautiful eyes shimmered like rippling water. Her heart already seemed to have flown all the way to Marine Headquarters.
"Finally..." She gently bit her lip as a faint blush spread across her face, and an incomparably beautiful smile bloomed.
---
New World , Den Den Mushi Castle
Inside the brightly lit living room, Robin had Vane produce a writing desk. Wearing B.I.B.'s black faceplate, she observed the glowing Poneglyph text through its narrow eye slits while steadily writing down her translation.
Suddenly, she froze. A smile spread across her lips as she turned toward the familiar figure leaning lazily against the window.
Liam wore only a pair of trousers. He was barefoot and bare-chested, his bronze, powerfully built body looking as though it had been forged from steel. His black hair was still dripping wet; apparently, he'd swum all the way back across the sea. Yet somehow, he was still wearing the sunglasses he'd left in.
"Well now, beautiful." He hooked a finger under his sunglasses and lowered them slightly. "It's been a while. Miss me?"
Robin couldn't help laughing. She raised a hand for him to wait a moment, then she picked up her own sunglasses from the sofa beside her and put them on.
Liam grinned. He pushed his sunglasses back up, then repeated the entire entrance, lowering them again with one finger.
Robin also lowered her sunglasses slightly, revealing her beautiful dark green eyes. Their gazes met.
"Well now, beautiful," Liam repeated. "It's been a while. Miss me?"
Smiling brightly, Robin answered, "When such a handsome man is away... of course I miss him."
Liam laughed. He tossed his sunglasses onto the desk and stretched lazily. "Finally... I'm home."
He hopped over and dropped heavily onto the sofa beside Robin.
'Thump.'
The couch bounced twice, nearly collapsing beneath him. "What are you writing?" He leaned over for a look.
"I found another Poneglyph. I'm translating it." Robin rested her head lightly against his shoulder for a moment before moving away again. Poking his chest with her pen, she said, "You're covered in seawater. Go wash up."
"In a minute."
"I want a hug first."
"I've gone so long without smelling these flowers... I'm starting to have withdrawal symptoms."
Liam wrapped an arm around Robin, and she didn't resist. Instead, she chuckled and gently bumped the back of her head against him. "What nonsense."
"So..." He picked up the pages Robin had been writing. Several sheets were already filled from top to bottom with notes. After a glance, he casually set them back down. "What does it say?"
Robin sighed softly. "It's a record... about the results of a certain research project. And about the tragedies it caused. It was left behind... as a warning to future generations."
'(End of Chapter)'
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