Chapter 28: Pulling Mushrooms? Marguerite of the Chrysanthemum!
Grand Line — Amazon Lily, Daughter Island
"Ugh… Luffy, I swear on your entire family tree…"
Rok clutched his throbbing head as he came to, still cursing his traveling companion.
He survived two Admirals, only to nearly get taken out by Luffy's mushroom obsession.
The mushrooms on Daughter Island weren't that deadly— but with the lingering Weapon X poison still in his system, the extra toxin triggered a relapse and knocked him out cold.
"Hey, everyone! The tall, handsome one woke up!"
"Wow! So this is a man!"
"So weird… but he really is good-looking. Shame Lord Hancock won't let us keep one as a pet."
As soon as Rok opened his eyes, he was instantly mobbed by dozens of Kuja women— every single one curvy, fierce, and staring at him like he was an exotic animal.
He'd never been ogled by this many women at once.
And most of them were looking at him with… hunger?
No wonder this place was called Daughter Island.
"Luffy—Luffy?!"
Rok ignored the crowd for now.
The mushroom had stirred the remaining poison, but the recovery potion he drank earlier was strong enough that his combat power was barely affected.
Besides— once he spent one night in the palace and completed the sign-in, he'd get full Poison Immunity anyway.
Hancock wasn't on the island right now— otherwise they'd already be stone statues.
Speaking of Luffy…
Rok turned around.
"HOLY SHIT—DEMON!!"
He actually screamed.
Luffy was lying on the ground, completely covered in colorful, glowing mushrooms sprouting from every inch of his body.
It was equal parts hilarious and horrifying.
If Rok hadn't recognized the face, he would've drawn Undead and started swinging.
Thank god the mushrooms he ate only knocked him out.
"That's your friend, right? He's in bad shape. We need to pull all the mushrooms off fast, or it'll get dangerous."
A cute blonde Kuja warrior stepped forward kindly.
"Pull the mushrooms…? You must be Marguerite, right?"
Rok blinked.
He suddenly remembered— in the original story, Luffy didn't just get the mushrooms pulled…
Marguerite of the Chrysanthemum— one of the kinder Kuja warriors.
The Kuja were a nation of female warriors renowned across the seas. Many could even use Armament Haki.
But mushroom-pulling duty?
Let the ladies handle that.
It'd teach Luffy a lesson.
"Wow! Is this a golden egg?"
"Hey~ it stretches!"
Under Marguerite's direction, several Kuja warriors got to work "de-mushrooming" Luffy— stretching his rubber body to its absolute limits in the process.
Luffy woke up screaming in pain.
Rok and Marguerite stood back, laughing their heads off.
Let's see him eat random stuff again. (Yeah, right. He won't learn.)
"Lord Rok… if possible, please leave the island soon. Our kingdom has a strict law: no men allowed."
"Lord Hancock is returning. If she finds you… she'll turn you to stone."
After some friendly chatting, Marguerite decided they were good guys and warned them sincerely.
"Thanks for the heads-up, Marguerite."
"But I can't leave yet. Actually… I need to meet your Empress."
"WHAT?! You want to see Lord Hancock?!"
Not just Marguerite— every Kuja warrior froze, staring at Rok in shock and fear.
In Amazon Lily, Empress Boa Hancock was god.
Angering her meant death— or worse, petrification.
Marguerite went pale.
She was the one who brought them in. If Hancock got mad, she'd take the blame.
"Don't worry. I won't let any of you get in trouble."
Rok smiled reassuringly.
Hancock's authority here was absolute— way stronger than Sengoku's in the Marines.
Sengoku had to deal with Garp ignoring orders and the World Government gaslighting him 24/7.
Being Fleet Admiral sucked.
"What are you all doing?! Marguerite—why are you surrounding men?! Lord Hancock is almost back!"
"All Kuja Guard—eliminate the intruders!"
Just then, Captain Kikyo of the Kuja Guard arrived and immediately ordered a full attack.
SWOOSH—
Dozens of arrows coated in faint Armament Haki rained down.
"Whoa?! Why'd they start shooting?!"
Luffy, finally mushroom-free, cracked his knuckles— ready to fight.
Rok grabbed him by the collar.
"We're not here to fight. I need Hancock's help to break into Marineford and save Robin and Nami."
Plus, he still had to sign in at the palace.
And Marguerite and the others had helped them— no way he was fighting back.
Soru!
In a burst of speed, Rok scooped up Marguerite and vanished into the forest with Luffy in tow.
First rule of being lost: grab a local guide.
As they fled toward the mountains, Rok glanced out toward the sea.
A powerful presence was rapidly approaching.
The world's most beautiful woman— Pirate Empress Boa Hancock— was finally coming home.
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