"Flash Kick!"
A blinding yellow light illuminated Mizuchi's left leg. He didn't hold back at all against the Empress, because he knew that showing mercy in front of her could very well cost him his life.
"Mero Mero Breeze!"
In response to his attack, Boa Hancock raised her head proudly, staring straight at Mizuchi's incoming left foot, and unleashed countless crimson hearts.
"No good!"
Mizuchi had no choice but to temporarily abandon his attack. Using the Yata Mirror, he dodged the Empress's assault.
"Not having Haki is a real handicap… this system really should've given me some other ability."
Mizuchi muttered under his breath, panting as he stared at the Empress before him.
"Oh… can't my beauty stir your heart? Why are you dodging so quickly?"
Boa Hancock arched her chest proudly, extended her crimson tongue, and gently licked her right hand. The look of mock grievance on her face made Mizuchi blush and quickly look away.
"Don't look! Don't look! That's part of her attack!"
Even a single glance at the Empress sent chills down his spine. Without Haki or any means to counter petrification, being hit would mean certain death.
"You have restraint… unlike those Marines who disgust me!"
Hancock smiled faintly and crossed her hands, forming a heart shape, and launched another Mero Mero Breeze at Mizuchi.
"Useless!"
Mizuchi moved swiftly with the Yata Mirror, keeping an eye on the system timer. Forty seconds had already passed in the fight. If he could just hold on for another twenty seconds, he would acquire the Empress's Sweet-Sweet Fruit.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Dense hearts relentlessly tracked Mizuchi's movements. Around them, members of the Kuja Pirates instinctively stepped back in alarm at the Empress's display.
"The Snake Princess is under attack! Move to assist immediately!"
The city's civilians, seeing the Empress in battle with Mizuchi, dropped their work and grabbed weapons, rushing toward the city's outskirts.
"Everyone, go back!"
Hancock raised her head and pointed toward the city walls, shouting at her people to retreat.
"She's showing it! That supreme disdain for all living things!"
The Kuja Pirates were thrilled, offering their "peach blossoms" in reverence. Seeing Hancock's command, the civilians also dropped their weapons, standing within the walls to watch the battle.
"I thought your strength would be impressive, but it seems… you're not that strong!"
The Empress's cold voice carried a wave of invisible force in all directions, charging straight at Mizuchi.
"No! That's Conqueror's Haki!"
Mizuchi realized his danger too late. He had been about to use the Yata Mirror to dodge, but the Haki struck in an instant, and his vision blurred as he neared unconsciousness.
"Just one more second! Only one second!"
His gaze locked on the system interface, desperately hoping that the second would pass before Hancock's Haki hit him.
"One minute has elapsed. Sweet-Sweet Fruit replication complete."
"Detected: Host now possesses two Devil Fruit cards. Devil Fruit Fusion activated. Devil Fruit Awakening activated. Devil Fruit Development activated. System Shop opened."
Just as Mizuchi's consciousness began to collapse, the system message finally appeared. But it was too late—his eyelids snapped shut uncontrollably.
"Take him back! I want a public execution!"
Hancock waved her robe lightly and turned back to her serpent.
"Enter the city!"
Under the blaring horns, the Kuja Pirates' ship slowly sailed through the city gates of Amazon Lily.
"Ugh… where am I?"
Mizuchi groggily opened his eyes, feeling as if his head had been struck by a heavy object. Pain throbbed sharply.
"Yo! Buddy!"
A familiar voice rang beside him.
"Lu… Luffy?"
"This is…"
Mizuchi's eyes snapped open. On the surrounding platforms were women dressed in revealing attire, whispering curiously about him and Luffy.
"Am I being treated like a monkey?"
Mizuchi sneered, then glanced at Luffy. Like him, his body was restrained by small black snakes.
"Speaking of which… I think I successfully replicated the Empress's Devil Fruit and unlocked a bunch of system functions."
Mizuchi opened the system interface and began inspecting carefully.
The Devil Fruit Infinite Replication System only displayed its full strength after Mizuchi possessed two Devil Fruit cards.
The Devil Fruit Fusion function could merge multiple cards to enhance the abilities of a single fruit. For example, combining the Sweet-Sweet Fruit with the Glint-Glint Fruit could amplify its power, and vice versa.
The Devil Fruit Awakening and Development functions allowed Mizuchi to awaken and develop Devil Fruits.
As for the System Shop, the items it sold were beyond his current means, so it was temporarily useless.
"Ah… Snake Princess!"
A sharp scream interrupted Mizuchi's focus.
"The Empress?"
He looked up at the three women on the platform. The one seated between two tall women was none other than Boa Hancock, who had just defeated him.
"Now, tell me—what was your purpose in entering this island?"
Hancock sat calmly atop the giant serpent, her gaze filled with pride and scrutiny as she looked down at Mizuchi and Luffy.
"I told you, I don't know! I was flying through the sky and ended up here," Luffy said innocently.
"We were all flung here by Bartholomew Kuma's power," Mizuchi replied calmly, eyes locked on Hancock, ready to fight.
"Don't lie. You two men won't leave here alive no matter how you plot together. Death is inevitable!"
Hancock's stern words caused a nearby woman on the platform to turn pale instantly.