"If by 'outside,' you mean beyond the Calm Belt… then yes, I did come from there."
Credos Vito gave a small nod. Hancock's eyes lit up immediately.
"Hey! Tell me everything you know about the outside world!"
With her delicate little hand extended toward him and her chin tilted dramatically high, Hancock looked every bit the arrogant little queen.
Vito couldn't help but smirk internally.
There it is, the signature Boa Hancock "Look of Disdain!"
He never thought he'd see it with his own eyes outside of the anime. Somehow, witnessing it in real life made his emotions twist in a way he couldn't quite explain.
But if Hancock's still here on Amazon Lily, then I must've arrived earlier than the canon timeline…
He wracked his memory. Hancock was kidnapped at age twelve by slavers while on the Kuja Pirate ship. That was also the year Luffy was born…
While Vito was deep in thought, Hancock grew visibly annoyed. Was this kid actually ignoring her?
No one ignored Boa Hancock.
She bit her lip, eyes shimmering with false tears, putting on a look of adorable fragility. On Amazon Lily, that look could melt steel, man or woman.
Whenever she acted like this, forgiveness was instant. Absolute.
But Vito, snapping out of his daze, only blinked in admiration. Cute? Sure. But fall head over heels like a brainless background extra?
Not a chance.
He had the spiritual willpower of a lifelong single man, his soul tempered like steel. This kind of sugar-coated seduction had no effect on him.
Hancock tilted her head, confused. A giant question mark might as well have floated above her.
How could anyone resist this face?
Especially when she looked like this, such a cute little loli frowning in bewilderment… Vito almost took damage from the cuteness alone.
Perhaps for the first time in her life, Hancock tasted rejection. And her pride couldn't take it.
Her competitive streak kicked in, she was now determined to make Vito fall under her spell just like everyone else.
"Vito~ Won't you pleaaaase tell me~?"
She clung to his sleeve, voice syrupy sweet.
Vito clearly underestimated Hancock's ability to weaponize her charm. Sure, she was prideful and self-centered, but that didn't mean she couldn't pull off a proper pout when needed.
If an ordinary girl's charm attack rated fifty points…
Hancock's was at least ninety-five.
And when combined with her natural charisma?
That was a boss-level attack right there.
Vito felt his soul waver, but he held firm.
He couldn't forget his true objective:
Learning Haki.
He recalled the words of the great Haki educator himself, Kaido-sensei:
"Only Haki can rise above all!!"
Even if Kaido ultimately fell back on fruit powers for his final form, it didn't shake Vito's resolve.
"Alright, how about this?" Vito offered.
"I'll tell you stories from the outside world, but you have to teach me Haki."
"…That's it?" Hancock blinked, visibly underwhelmed.
Her expression all but said: That's seriously all you want? How boring.
"Please, Hancock-sensei, I'm counting on you."
Vito pressed his palms together and gave her a pleading expression.
"Hmph…"
Clearly pleased with his attitude, Hancock placed her hands on her hips, basking in superiority.
"Fine. But you look kinda dumb. If you can't learn it, don't blame me."
"Deal!"
Vito didn't know the exact method, but the fact that Amazon Lily consistently produced Haki users meant they had a reliable training system. He was willing to start anywhere.
Suddenly, Hancock lashed out with a kick!
Her foot was wrapped in Armament Haki. Vito scrambled to raise his arms and barely blocked in time.
"…Is this how you teach Haki?"
He stared at her with a blank look. Hancock didn't answer, she just kept attacking.
"Wait a second… I vaguely remember Armament Haki can be trained by taking hits…
Is she just going to beat me into enlightenment?"
While fending off her kicks, Vito tried to recall Luffy's training.
During his battle with Katakuri, Luffy had used Observation Haki to dodge incoming attacks and eventually unlock precognition.
Inspired, Vito closed his eyes and dropped his guard, hoping for the same result.
He was rewarded with a face full of bruises.
By the end of it, he looked like a black-and-blue balloon.
"…Damn. That was a hell of a beating."
Even Luffy felt Garp's love punches despite being made of rubber. And Vito didn't have that luxury.
Still, after a few seconds, his face returned to normal, his injuries healed by the Life-Life Fruit almost instantly.
Honestly, it made most RPG health regen systems look like a joke.
With the "training" (read: beatdown) done, it was time for Vito to fulfill his end of the bargain.
He called the tiger over and casually sat cross-legged on its head.
Hancock looked skeptical, but climbed up too, curiosity overriding pride.
"The world beyond the Calm Belt is vast," Vito began, his tone full of mystery.
"There are towering giants, and tiny Tontattas. People with extra-long arms, or legs… or both.
A continent of Red Line wrapping the entire planet. A mountain where ocean currents flow upwards. A knock-up stream that launches ships into the sky…"
"An island floating among the clouds. An underwater kingdom of Fishmen…
A colossal goldfish that can swallow an island whole. Plants that constantly produce floating bubbles…"
He kept going.
Each tale sounded like a myth. But Vito told them with such vivid detail that Hancock couldn't help but stare, wide-eyed.
"Wait… You've actually seen all this with your own eyes?" she asked suspiciously.
"Well… not exactly. I read it in books."
"Hmph! So you're lying!"
Hancock puffed her cheeks in mild indignation. Even her pouting was cute.
"If you don't believe me, just ask someone well-traveled. They'll back me up."
Vito wasn't worried about being fact-checked.
Amazon Lily might be isolated, but as Empress, Gloriosa still led occasional expeditions to the outside world.
She probably knew at least some of what he mentioned.
And when Hancock decided to verify the truth, the first person she'd turn to would naturally be the most knowledgeable, Gloriosa herself.
"Hancock! Where are you?!"
A voice called out in the distance.
Hancock stood up, realizing it was time to return.
"You better not be lying!"
She stomped her foot in a huff and stormed off, leaving Vito smiling faintly behind her.
//----------------------------------------------------//
//--- Add to Collection!
//--- 150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter