"What… missing?" Hunter exclaimed.
Elder Nyon nodded solemnly.
Hunter could tell she wasn't lying. Boa Hancock was truly missing.
But with Hancock's strength, there were few in the world who could harm her. With her mastery of the three types of Haki and her Devil Fruit, even a Marine Admiral would struggle to defeat her.
Could this mean she was only a child?
Only when Hancock was young had she been kidnapped, forced into servitude under the Celestial Dragons.
Hunter's expression darkened as he asked Elder Nyon, "Hancock… she's only twelve, right?"
Elder Nyon coughed lightly. "Yes."
Hunter's face reddened with awkwardness. He had assumed Hancock was already the Pirate Empress—but she was just a child.
This meant that the time period he had traveled to was shortly after Roger began the Great Pirate Era.
"Do you know where Hancock is now?" Hunter asked.
Elder Nyon shook her head.
Hunter felt a pang of disappointment—but then reasoned that if Nyon had known Hancock's location, the Kuja Pirates would have already retrieved her. She hadn't, so Hancock's escape must have occurred later.
"What about the Celestial Dragons' whereabouts?" Hunter asked again.
Elder Nyon's eyes narrowed. "You mean… they were taken by the Celestial Dragons?"
Hunter nodded.
"Then we set sail immediately! We must rescue Hancock and the others," he commanded.
The Kuja Pirates were outraged. If the Celestial Dragons captured her, she would be handed over to the World Nobles. Any attempt to rescue her later would be nearly impossible.
"Quiet!" Elder Nyon called out to the group.
Her brows knitted. Her aged face was like gnarled wood. The Celestial Dragons were a branch of the World Nobles. If they attacked now, it would incur the wrath of the Marines and the World Government.
Given the current strength of the Kuja Pirates, a direct confrontation with the World Government was reckless.
Yet if they did nothing, the morale of Amazon Lily would suffer. Some might even defect.
Neither choice was good for Amazon Lily.
"I can help," Hunter said, "as long as you provide me the Celestial Dragons' route."
Elder Nyon's eyes lit up. She could see his understanding and knew that either option carried heavy risks for her nation.
"But… you have no other requests?" she asked.
Hunter thought for a moment. "I want a Devil Fruit."
Elder Nyon forced a wry smile. "Currently… we don't have—"
At that moment, someone leaned in close and whispered into her ear: "Elder Nyon, we've just acquired a Devil Fruit."
Elder Nyon's face brightened. "We have a Devil Fruit. Bring Hancock back safely, and it's yours as a reward."
"Deal," Hunter said simply.
"This is the Celestial Dragons' route map," Elder Nyon said, handing over a newspaper.
Hunter chuckled. "They actually exposed their route… looks like the Celestial Dragons aren't worried about being intercepted."
"Few dare to interfere with the Celestial Dragons' property," Elder Nyon said bitterly.
"Few?" Hunter smiled. "Now there's one more."
Elder Nyon couldn't help but admire Hunter. Very few dared oppose the World Nobles, which was why the Celestial Dragons moved so openly—they were flaunting their authority.
"Prepare the Devil Fruit. I'll take it with me later," Hunter instructed, folding the newspaper and signaling Slifer.
"Roarrr!"
Slifer unfurled its blood-red wings and lifted off, cutting across the sea like a streak of crimson light, vanishing into the horizon in moments.
Elder Nyon watched Slifer disappear and whispered, "This world… is about to change."