"Splat!"
Jiang Lin had no idea how long he'd been flying. When he finally landed, he looked up to see the unmistakable characters "Kuma" written in the sky above.
"So this is..."
Brushing the dust from his clothes, he let out a helpless, bitter smile. He couldn't tell if this was good luck or terrible misfortune.
But since Bartholomew Kuma had already sent him here, there was no room left for negotiation.
"Come to think of it, would using her powers make me seem... too feminine?"
Jiang Lin sat cross-legged, resting his chin on his hand, deeply contemplating the matter.
"Over there! Just ahead! I heard someone found a guy who accidentally ate a mushroom that grows on people!"
"Hurry! Drag him back to the village!"
The sound of rushed footsteps snapped Jiang Lin out of his thoughts. He parted the brush in front of him and immediately saw Luffy lying motionless on the ground, his body covered in mushrooms.
"Luffy... It's not that I don't want to help you, but... I'm a man too!"
Without hesitation, Jiang Lin closed the brush back and walked alone toward the village.
"I need to sneak into the village first... no, maybe heading to the port would be a better choice. But would confronting an entire nation head-on be too reckless? Forget it, I'll scope it out first."
After a brief moment of thought, Jiang Lin decided to head for the port. After all, his goal wasn't on this island, so infiltrating the village wouldn't help much.
Out at sea, the calm waters reflected two massive ships silently anchored in the Calm Belt.
"I remember... that's Vice Admiral Momonga's ship. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a Devil Fruit power. Otherwise, picking a fight with him wouldn't be a bad idea."
In his earlier battle with Kizaru, Jiang Lin had acquired the Glint-Glint Fruit (Pika Pika no Mi) ability card. If he could get another fruit from Momonga, it would boost his confidence for the upcoming battle at Impel Down.
Unfortunately, Momonga couldn't help in that regard. So Jiang Lin's attention remained on the other massive crimson ship docked nearby.
"Boa Hancock... the woman who possesses the Love-Love Fruit. Your Devil Fruit—I'm claiming it."
Hiding near the shoreline, Jiang Lin quietly waited for the right moment to board. Currently, he hadn't activated any Devil Fruit, so he was still a regular human. As long as the opportunity presented itself, whether he swam over or fought the Empress for even a minute onshore, he could manage it.
"There she is!"
As the stone gates slowly opened, Boa Hancock stepped out in her crimson robe, bearing the titles of Pirate Empress and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. She appeared before the crowd with unmatched grace and arrogance.
"No way! Even from this distance, the Empress's presence is overwhelming!"
Jiang Lin covered his nose with both hands and turned away, blissfully overwhelmed.
"Stay calm! She belongs to Luffy..."
"No! She belongs to every man in the world..."
"Stay calm! She's Luffy's..."
"No! She's every man's..."
As Jiang Lin struggled in an internal tug-of-war, the calm sea suddenly "turned stormy." After a burst of commotion, a group of Marines turned to stone, petrified completely.
"It's time to move."
Clearing his mind, Jiang Lin gazed at the approaching Empress's ship and quietly stepped out of the tall grass where he had been hiding.
"Looks like I'll have to do this the hard way."
As he walked, he used nearby vines to weave a mask that covered half of his face. With the mask in place, he entered the water and began making his way toward the grand red ship.
Creak! Creak!
The sharp groan of wooden planks and startled cries rang out ahead of him. Members of the Kuja Pirates, still stunned by their Empress's earlier display, gasped in shock at the sight of the man before them, covering their mouths in disbelief.
"A man? How did you get here?"
Boa Hancock gazed at the masked man before her, full of confusion and disbelief. After all, they were in the Calm Belt—usually, anyone who came near would either be devoured by Sea Kings or be half-dead from the effort. It was extremely rare for a man to show up healthy, let alone this bold.
"Boa Hancock, I challenge you!"
Jiang Lin raised his right hand, pointing a finger straight at the Empress standing atop her serpent mount.
"A challenge?"
As one of the Seven Warlords, Boa Hancock was no stranger to challenges from pirates around the world. But for a man to appear so openly, in front of all her crew and the entire Amazon Lily nation, and challenge her? That had never happened.
"Why challenge me? Do you have your eyes on my Warlord title?"
Boa Hancock's face darkened. Her gaze turned sharp, full of killing intent.
The Warlord position was crucial to both her and her entire nation—she couldn't allow anyone to threaten it.
"No, I'm not interested in your title. I'm interested in you—no, I mean, your powers."
Jiang Lin slowly approached the ship, wading through the water. The giant serpent hissed and slithered downward, bringing the Empress closer to him.
"You're not a Devil Fruit user?"
Looking at Jiang Lin's feet submerged in water, Hancock showed visible surprise. A non-user daring to challenge her could only mean one thing: he had some unique skill or strategy. Such people were always troublesome.
"Not right now. But I will be there soon. Can we go somewhere else? I can't fight properly here."
Jiang Lin helplessly lifted his leg—his thigh was soaked, and the water was already up to his waist. Using a Devil Fruit card now would be suicide.
"Very well."
Hancock didn't take advantage of the situation. She lowered the serpent's head, letting it carry both of them to shore.
"What's your name?"
Hancock gracefully stepped off the serpent. Her red heels were spotless, as though she had just stepped out of a vacuum chamber.
"D. Jiang Lin."
Jiang Lin turned his head slightly, avoiding eye contact with her.
"D?"
Hancock's expression shifted visibly at the sound of that name.
"No need to worry about the details. Boa Hancock... have you ever been kicked by light?"
To prevent himself from softening, Jiang Lin immediately activated the Glint-Glint Fruit upon introducing himself.
"Sorry about this! But this is for saving Ace!"
With a silent apology in his heart, Jiang Lin transformed into light and instantly reappeared—directly above the Empress.