Hancock was brought back to the office by Kaito. From the moment he left to the moment he returned, it had barely been ten minutes.
Inside the office, only Kalifa remained, seated in Kaito's chair flipping through documents. When she saw Hancock appear, she froze for a moment before standing up and taking the initiative to approach, extending a hand with a polite smile.
"Hello, I'm the boss's secretary, Kalifa."
Hancock had seen this petite secretary of Kaito's before. She had even imagined Kalifa sobbing bitterly at her wedding, so there was already a trace of hostility in her heart. She didn't really want to respond.
Kaito shot Hancock a glare from the side. Her expression turned slightly aggrieved, but she still reached out to shake Kalifa's hand, responding in a lukewarm tone,
"Boa Hancock."
Kalifa smiled, winked at Kaito, then turned and left the office, leaving it to just Kaito and Hancock.
The moment Kalifa left, Hancock instantly returned to her soft, feminine demeanor. She lowered her head, hands clasped together, and her body unconsciously leaned closer to Kaito.
How could Kaito not understand her little thoughts? He directly brought her over to the couch and had her sit on his lap.
Hancock squirmed slightly in his arms, then gradually settled down, resting quietly against his chest like a docile little cat. No one would ever guess this gentle woman was the proud Pirate Empress herself.
Kaito reached out and tapped Hancock lightly on the forehead, speaking softly,
"Stay at Kalifa's place for the next few days. Her room's close to mine. If anything happens, just come find me."
At first, Hancock was clearly displeased about staying with Kalifa, but when she heard the second part, her eyes lit up and she nodded quickly.
"I will do as Kaito-sama commands."
After a moment of tender closeness, Kaito recalled the war that was just days away and reminded her,
"When the fighting starts, don't go head-to-head with Whitebeard and his main forces. With your strength, taking on a few division commanders should be more than enough."
Kaito said this because he was worried Hancock would go too hard on the battlefield for his sake—maybe even seek out one of the Four Emperors directly. That would be far too dangerous.
Hancock understood that Kaito was concerned for her safety. A warm feeling filled her chest, and she replied softly,
"I don't care about the Marines or the Four Emperors. I only listen to Kaito-sama!"
Such an obedient Hancock lifted Kaito's mood considerably. He lowered his head and lightly kissed her soft, red lips, instantly turning her into a steaming mess.
The temperature in the office seemed to rise rapidly—until, at just the wrong moment, Kalifa suddenly pushed open the door and walked back in.
The moment she saw Kalifa, Hancock straightened up from Kaito's embrace, her face regaining its icy pride.
If it weren't for the two faint, lingering blushes on her cheeks, Kalifa might've really been intimidated by her presence.
Kalifa smirked inwardly but maintained a professional expression as she addressed Kaito.
"Boss, Fleet Admiral Sengoku wants you in the conference room."
Kaito nodded, asked Hancock to stay here with Kalifa for a bit, then stood up and left for the meeting.
Because of Kaito, Kalifa didn't feel any fear toward Hancock. She gave her a friendly smile, completely ignoring the distant look on Hancock's face, and sat down right beside her.
Hancock frowned. In her world, there were only two types of people: Kaito, and everyone else.
Naturally, she didn't appreciate Kalifa's close proximity—but recalling what Kaito had said before he left, she forced herself to hold back.
Kalifa, for her part, had learned about Hancock's personality through Kaito. As his favorite secretary, it was only natural that she learn how to handle the women around him. So, she started striking up a light conversation with Hancock.
...
"Hancock, the boss really likes you. He even went out of his way to pick you up himself."
Kalifa picked her opening carefully. She knew there was no talking to Hancock unless the topic was Kaito.
As expected, the corner of Hancock's lips curled into a smug smile the moment she heard that. She let out two soft hums of satisfaction.
Seeing her reaction, Kalifa immediately launched a more aggressive wave of flattery.
"Hancock, the boss says you truly live up to your title as the most beautiful woman in the world!"
"Hancock, the boss says you're incredibly thoughtful and easy to get along with!"
"Hancock, the boss says..."
Each sentence starting with "the boss says" made Hancock's smile grow brighter and more dazzling, while her guard slowly faded. She finally asked softly,
"Did Kaito-sama really say all that?"
Kalifa gave a gentle smile, thinking to herself: Finally, you're talking. Now things will be much easier.
And so, the two women began a long conversation in the office—centered entirely around Kaito...
...
Inside Marine Headquarters' conference room.
Sengoku sat at the head of the long table. On his right was Tsuru, and to his left sat Kaito.
That seat had previously belonged to Garp, but given that this meeting heavily involved Kaito, Sengoku had assigned it to him.
Garp didn't seem to mind. He sat with his arms crossed and a stern expression—completely different from his usual carefree demeanor at meetings. The gravity of this situation left no room for indifference.
A war between the Marines and the Four Emperors was a historic event, one that could reshape the world. Even Garp didn't dare take it lightly.
Sengoku swept his gaze across the assembled officers, his voice grave.
"Today's meeting is to discuss the detailed plans for the upcoming war. Our opponents will be the Four Emperors' forces. We cannot afford the slightest mistake!"
Everyone present nodded solemnly.
Sengoku continued,
"Whitebeard's powers will be especially troublesome. Kuzan, your abilities are critical. Stay on guard against the tidal waves he may unleash!"
Aokiji gave a brief acknowledgment but couldn't help glancing at Kaito, thinking,
This guy's power is scarier than mine. Who knows if I'll even get a chance to do anything.
Sengoku then turned to Akainu.
"Big Mom has a monstrous physique. Normal attacks won't break her defenses. I'm leaving her to you. Your Magma-Magma Fruit is said to have the strongest destructive force among all Logia types."
(That's according to official data.)
Akainu pressed down the brim of his cap, replying firmly,
"Leave it to me!"
Sengoku had always trusted Akainu's capabilities, so he didn't dwell on it. He looked next to Kizaru.
"Kaido can fly. Borsalino, your job is to keep him occupied."
Compared to Akainu, Sengoku's expectations of Kizaru sounded much more lenient—he didn't expect him to go all-out against Kaido, only to stall him.
But this time, Sengoku had underestimated Kizaru. He seemed surprisingly invested and responded immediately,
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him!"
Kizaru's reaction surprised Sengoku—not just him, but even the other officers gave him odd looks, thinking, What's up with him today?
Still, this kind of attitude was definitely a good thing. Sengoku shot him an approving glance.
Kizaru shrugged, his usual smug expression returning to his face.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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