While Hancock was still tracing the impossibly smooth skin on her back, a sharp slap suddenly landed on her butt, jolting her awake with a startled yelp.
"You bastard!" she snapped, the sting radiating through her, mixing pain with a flush of embarrassment. But strangely, the deep anger and spiraling despair from moments earlier had already faded. The mark of her past was truly gone, replaced by something warm and unfamiliar stirring in her chest.
Elric leaned back in his chair with a lazy grin. "It seems you really didn't like that tattoo. You should've killed the tattoo artist. I heard you were a fearsome pirate, right?"
Hearing those words, Hancock's voice trembled slightly. The casual reminder of her hidden shame should have enraged her, but instead it felt... different. Almost comforting in its blunt honesty. No one had ever spoken to her like this before.
"Anyway, can you take me to an island now?" Elric asked, stretching his arms.
Hancock hesitated for a long moment, her usual imperious mask cracking just a little. "...Can you remove this from my sisters too?" she asked in a nervous voice, the words barely above a whisper. "I will definitely guide you to your desired island after this."
Elric's eyes lit up. "Okay. Let's go quick. I'm in a little hurry. I already wasted five months getting slapped around by the sea."
If Luffy took Nami away, it would be game over. Nami wasn't optional anymore—she had become a necessity. Sure, a normal navigator might do just fine, but after the madness he'd experienced over the past five months, he didn't want to take any chances. He needed the best.
It didn't take much time to prepare. With the two giant snakes pulling the boat along at impressive speed, the journey felt almost peaceful. The massive creatures coiled powerfully through the waves, their scales glinting under the sun as they propelled the Kuja ship forward with surprising grace. Fortunately, they didn't encounter any trouble along the way—no Marine patrols cutting across their path, no rival pirates foolish enough to challenge the Pirate Empress's vessel, just the endless blue horizon, the occasional cry of seabirds overhead, and the steady rhythm of the sea.
"You disgusting man, here is the food," one of the Kuja pirates muttered, shoving a plate of carefully prepared dishes toward him before hurriedly running away like he carried the plague. The plate held fresh seafood grilled to perfection, rice, and some tropical fruits, but the delivery was anything but warm.
Although Elric had made a private deal with Hancock, the most guarded secret of the three sisters remained hidden from the rest of the crew. Most of the Kuja pirates still believed that after being beaten, they were now forced to obey this arrogant outsider. Naturally, they didn't give him a single friendly glance.
According to the navigator, it would take about two weeks to reach Cocoyasi Village. With nothing else pressing to do, Elric decided to make the most of the time. He buried himself in studying this strange new world, flipping through old maps and books borrowed from the ship's modest collection, and naturally, his main target for questioning became Hancock herself.
After finishing his meal, he casually made his way toward her private quarters. Without bothering to knock, he pushed the door open with a creak.
"Yo, Hancock. Did you miss me?"
Hancock, who had been staring out the window lost in thought, her elegant profile framed by the sea breeze tugging at her long black hair, jolted upright. Seeing that annoying, grinning face again, she couldn't help herself.
"You disgusting man."
Slap!
The sound echoed sharply as her hand connected, though Elric barely flinched.
"How many times do I have to tell you? My name is Elric," he complained, rubbing her ass.
"Hmm. Every time you see me, you slap me on my ass. What do you want me to call you, gentleman?" she shot back, arms crossed under her chest, her posture as regal as ever.
"Okay, okay. Anyway, why don't we start our study session?"
"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you? There is nothing else to teach you."
"Isn't your country super old?"
"Hmm, our country is old, but that doesn't mean I studied all of that history. Anyway, if you're strong enough, what's the use of all that stuff?"
"What do you know, stupid woman?" Elric retorted lightly, leaning forward with genuine curiosity sparkling in his eyes. "My father used to say, if you know physics you can walk all over the world."
They went back and forth like that for a while—casual bickering mixed with genuine curiosity. Hancock found herself answering more than she expected, sharing fragments of Amazon Lily's traditions, the ways of the Kuja warriors, bits of the wider world she had sailed through as a pirate, and even small details about Haki and the dangers of the Grand Line. Elric listened intently, occasionally throwing in wild questions that made her roll her eyes or huff in annoyance, but she kept responding anyway. The conversations stretched long into the afternoons, filled with his ridiculous explanations of concepts from his own world and her sharp counters drawn from years of survival and conquest.
"Anyway, I'll get off tomorrow, so it might be our last conversation," he said suddenly, tone light but final.
Hancock didn't say much in response, but unbeknownst to herself, her face fell just a little. A strange, unfamiliar heaviness settled in her chest, like a quiet shadow she couldn't quite name.
"Empress, there is a problem."
Their talk was suddenly interrupted as one of the Kuja pirates burst into the room, breathing hard from the rush.
"Empress, there are some fishmen guarding the village ahead."
"Fishman in the East Blue?" Hancock's voice carried a hint of confusion, her brows furrowing slightly as she processed the odd report, but she didn't dwell on it. Even the strongest fishman like Jack was no match for her. Human or fish, everyone fell the same in front of her beauty.
"Doesn't matter. Just blast them away," she ordered coldly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"No, no. It's fine. I'll take care of it from now on," Elric said hurriedly, already getting to his feet with a casual stretch.
"You disgusting man, how dare—" the Kuja pirate who had been speaking suddenly stopped mid-sentence. A very cold, oppressive feeling washed over her body, like the chill of death itself whispering a warning right at the edge of her senses. One more word and she would definitely die. Hancock sensed it too—the sudden shift in the air, the quiet but overwhelming power radiating from Elric that made even the Pirate Empress pause internally.
"Then I'll take it as I already fulfilled my promise," Elric said, his face quickly returning to its usual relaxed expression, the heavy aura vanishing as fast as it had appeared.
"Give me a boat and you guys can leave."
Although he said it in a very casual way, Hancock felt this was not a suggestion. It was a command wrapped in politeness.
"Go prepare a boat for him," she ordered one of her subordinates without hesitation.
Looking at the boat which was becoming small and smaller, Hancock could not help but clutch her heart, a heavy feeling gripping her heart. She really could not figure out what she was feeling. This was totally a different feeling, she never felt before.
Suddenly the familiar voice came floating, "Don't worry, I will beat the tattoo artist if I meet one."
Hearing the word, her heart suddenly become light, a smile appearing.
"Ok, let's go back," she ordered coldly.