There was no denying it—the ship was now damaged.
In this state, continuing the journey normally would be extremely difficult.
If they tried to sail like this, reaching Amazon Lily would take ages, and that would only delay things unnecessarily.
In truth, El did not have much to do on the island, nor did he need to stay long. If possible, he preferred to arrive quickly, handle his business, and leave just as fast.
That meant he needed to speed things up. Taking the Kuja Pirates' ship was undoubtedly the right choice.
"Captain…"
Doflamingo stepped closer at that moment. Hancock immediately moved away in disdain, shifting her position to stand even nearer to El.
"Captain," Doflamingo said respectfully.
"You should go on ahead to Amazon Lily. We will stay here and repair the ship. Your business is far more important."
El didn't hesitate long before nodding in agreement.
"Very well. We will do as you say."
He looked toward Hancock, then pointed at Crocodile and Doflamingo.
"Prepare one of your ships to transfer them and their supplies shortly."
"Understood…"
Hancock had been reluctant at first, but as soon as she realized what this meant, she nodded enthusiastically, her face beaming with joy.
"Yes, yes, Lord El! Leave everything to me!"
The Kuja Pirates were, after all, part of the Seven Warlords. Amazon Lily was an independent and sovereign nation.
Providing another ship was easy for them and would hardly strain their resources.
Normally, the Pirate Empress would never hand her ships over to men. But this was different. Lord El had asked—she could never refuse him.
Besides… she had understood exactly what El meant.
Did this mean… he intended to travel on the same ship as her?
With her wish finally coming true, how could she possibly disagree?
So El boarded the Kuja Pirates' vessel, leaving Crocodile and the others to follow slowly behind on the damaged ship.
"Lord El, would you care for some fruit?"
Hancock was incredibly attentive, constantly hovering around him.
In this moment, she didn't seem like the ruler of Amazon Lily at all, but simply like an ordinary young woman deeply in love.
"Or perhaps… would you like something more substantial to eat, Lord El?"
She hurried back and forth so busily that the high-ranking officers of the Kuja Pirates were terrified.
They knew their captain had changed—especially whenever she spoke of El or his crew. But they never imagined she would change this much!
Amazon Lily was truly a nation of women. No men were allowed to live there, or even step foot on the island. Naturally, most women there had never experienced romance or affection.
However, Hancock hadn't completely changed her nature. She only showed this side of herself to El.
Before anyone else, she remained the powerful, authoritative Pirate Empress they all knew.
"Hmm? What are you lot standing around gaping at for?"
She had stepped out of El's cabin and noticed her subordinates lingering nearby, clearly hoping to hear or see something. Her expression instantly turned fierce.
"Did I not say that Lord El must be welcomed properly?!"
"Hurry! Bring out all the fine food and wine we prepared in advance!"
Hancock had prepared everything long ago just for this day.
Of course, every single item was prepared solely for El. As for the rest of his crew… she couldn't care less whether they lived or died. That was the true nature of the Pirate Empress.
It seemed that within the entire island, only Elder Nyon truly understood what was happening.
After all, she had lived long enough to know exactly what love did to someone experiencing it for the first time.
In the past, Hancock had always kept her heart closed off. Though everything she did was for the good of Amazon Lily, she rarely showed her true feelings.
But now that her defenses had been broken down… well, the result was exactly what they saw.
In this state, Hancock cared for nothing else.
This was exactly what worried Elder Nyon: she feared Hancock was swinging from one extreme to the other.
From putting the island's interests above everything else, to now putting El above everything else.
And what was happening right now seemed to prove that her worry was well-founded.
The Kuja Pirates were bustling with activity.
Every powerful warrior and skilled fighter on board was now fluttering around El like butterflies, bringing out treasures, delicacies, and fine wines one after another, as if presenting offerings to a king.
Even El himself eventually felt overwhelmed.
"Hancock, this really isn't necessary."
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but please stop this. With so many people moving around me, I can barely see straight."
"Ah! Y-yes! Of course!"
Hancock immediately waved her hand.
"Alright, alright! All of you—step back at once!"
Before others, Hancock remained as lofty and unreachable as ever.
But in front of El, she became a completely different person.
"Lord El… I… I truly didn't know you disliked such things…"
She looked at him with a face full of grievance.
El shook his head.
"It's not that I dislike them."
"It's just… the sheer amount you brought all at once is simply too much."
The Pirate Empress's enthusiasm was something no ordinary person could easily handle.
"Ah… I see! Hehe… I understand now, Lord El."
Hancock's mood instantly brightened.
"Anyway… from now on, everything on Amazon Lily belongs to you. Our lands, our produce—you may examine and choose whatever you like at your leisure. Whatever you prefer, we shall cultivate or produce more of it immediately!"
Amazon Lily was not an agricultural nation.
Though made up entirely of women, it had always been a nation built on strength and military power.
This was true not only of the current Kuja Pirates—throughout history, Amazon Lily had produced countless elite warriors and powerful fighters.
Yet here was Hancock, declaring that if El simply said the word, they could abandon their ways, turn the entire island into farmland, give up raiding, and work the soil honestly.
"There is no need for that."
El quickly waved his hand to stop her.
He wanted Amazon Lily under his rule—not to turn it into a simple farming nation.
In the Grand Line, strength was the only thing that truly mattered. Amazon Lily's warlike policy was actually a necessary response to the times they lived in.
El's crew was already powerful enough, but if there was any chance to grow stronger or gain more allies, he would never refuse.
He was even willing to reach out and bring them into his fold, just as he was doing now.
Back at the Navy Headquarters, he had boldly declared the Kuja Pirates and Amazon Lily as his allies.
With the strength of his crew at that time, not even the World Government or the Marines could object.
Now that he had secured them, El's plans could move forward.
He certainly didn't want Hancock suddenly deciding to change everything based on some random idea.
"Yes… yes, of course…"
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