Saint Shamrock fixed his gaze on Hancock, noticing how she stood frozen, then pushed off the ground and charged straight toward her.
As he closed the distance, Hancock's body trembled uncontrollably. Facing a Celestial Dragon, she lost the will to resist. The trauma buried deep within her resurfaced, crushing her resolve. The proud Empress, who normally looked down on all, now struggled to even move.
A sinister smile spread across Shamrock's face. "Such a beautiful body, it would be a waste to damage it."
He swung the flat side of his blade toward her, intending to subdue rather than kill. At that instant, his expression changed. A powerful flying slash shot toward him from behind Hancock.
Shamrock's pupils shrank. He raised his sword and blocked. A sharp clash rang out as the two forces collided, and the impact sent him flying back dozens of meters.
When he steadied himself and looked forward again, an old man with sharp eyes stood in front of Hancock.
"Silvers Rayleigh..." the Marines muttered in shock. "The former first mate of the Pirate King... why is he here?"
At that moment, Monkey D. Luffy threw aside his disguise and rushed forward, stopping beside Rayleigh.
Seeing him, Vice Admiral Walker's face darkened. "So it's true. Straw Hat Luffy was hiding here on Amazon Lily. No wonder we couldn't find him. What do you have to say now, Boa Hancock?"
Hancock did not respond. Her eyes remained locked on Shamrock, filled with fear.
Luffy noticed immediately and stepped closer. "What's wrong with you? Get a hold of yourself."
Rayleigh glanced back at her and spoke in a firm voice. "Pull yourself together, Hancock. You are no longer who you used to be. You are the captain of the Kuja Pirates. Your sisters and your people are behind you."
Those words reached her.
Hancock's trembling slowly eased. Looking at the backs of Rayleigh and Luffy, she felt a sense of support that steadied her heart. Her usual pride returned, and she lifted her chin.
"Hmph. Even without your reminder, I already knew."
A faint smile appeared on Rayleigh's face.
Shamrock watched the exchange, then let out a cold chuckle. "So that's how it is. I finally remember."
His eyes narrowed as he stared at Hancock. "Your appearance has changed, but that Devil Fruit ability is unmistakable. The Love Love Fruit."
His voice turned colder.
"I did not expect that you would become a warlord... slave number 77."
The moment those words fell, the entire battlefield froze.
The Marines erupted in disbelief. "Slave number 77? The Pirate Empress?" "That has to be a lie."
The Kuja warriors reacted just as fiercely.
"Impossible!" "Our Empress could never be a slave!" "Defeat him, Empress!"
Hancock's expression tightened. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Shamrock sneered. "Still pretending?"
He continued without hesitation.
"More than ten years ago, I had a war slave who won thirty three consecutive matches. I believed he would never lose. But he was defeated by a female slave owned by Donquixote Mjosgard."
His gaze remained fixed on Hancock.
"That slave had the power to turn others into stone. Slave number 77."
All eyes turned toward her.
Hancock's body trembled again as the past she wanted to bury resurfaced piece by piece.
Shamrock spoke calmly, as if recounting something trivial.
"After my slave lost, I suffered a significant loss. I became interested in that girl and decided to buy her. Later, I learned she had eaten the Love Love Fruit, and a deal was reached."
His tone grew colder.
"But just as the transaction was about to be completed, a certain fishman caused chaos in Mary Geoise, freeing many slaves, including you."
At this point, silence spread across both sides.
Every gaze locked onto Hancock.
Her fingers clenched tightly as if she were being stripped bare in front of everyone. The strength she had just regained began to crack under the weight of her exposed past. The fear, humiliation, and pain she had buried were dragged back into the light, piece by piece.