"Marine. It is the Guardian of Amazon Lily. By attacking it, you provoke me."
Boa Hancock's voice rang out, cold and absolute.
The escalating clash stalled at once.
The Marines stared, stunned.
Guardian?
Since when had such a thing existed?
Sakazuki let out a low snort. "Boa Hancock. You still have time to take those words back. Do you intend to bring destruction upon your own nation?"
Hancock smiled.
In that instant, it was as though a hundred flowers bloomed at once. Her beauty struck like a tangible force.
Across the Marine warship, soldiers fell into visible infatuation.
"Whatever I do will be forgiven," Hancock said loftily. "After all… I am beautiful."
Her chin tilted slightly upward, regal and untouchable.
"You are no exception. To think you dare lecture me… hmph."
The soft hum from her lips carried undisguised disdain.
The Marines under the World Government held no weight in her eyes.
And yet—
Rather than diminish, the Marines' dazed expressions intensified.
"Hancock! Hancock!"
"The most beautiful woman in the world!"
"We forgive you!"
Seeing his subordinates reduced to fools, Sakazuki's face darkened to iron.
"Idiots!"
His roar snapped several of them back to their senses.
The mist gradually thinned.
Sea, dragon, pirates, Marines—three forces locked in a tense standoff.
Qin Yang narrowed his dragon eyes, glancing at Hancock with faint amusement.
He had heard the earlier exchange clearly.
Guardian of Amazon Lily?
What nonsense.
Because some mythical "Gorgon" supposedly existed, the Guardian must exist as well?
He knew the truth.
The tale of the Gorgon had been fabricated—an enormous lie meant to conceal Hancock's secret. She, of all people, knew he was no Guardian. He was merely an unknown sea dragon that had appeared without warning.
She's really going all in to protect her secret, Qin Yang mused.
Outwardly, however, he remained calm.
"Unnecessary interference. Admiral Akainu or not—in the domain of the sea, I can handle him myself."
One of the three peak combat forces of the Marines.
Admiral Akainu.
His strength was undoubtedly among the world's finest.
But he was also a Devil Fruit user.
And Devil Fruit users possessed a fatal weakness.
The sea.
Unfortunately for him, Qin Yang was a sea dragon—one who could command the ocean at will.
Even lacking battle experience, the natural advantage was overwhelming.
Confidence was not misplaced.
Hearing Qin Yang's blunt declaration, Hancock's delicate brows lifted. Her eyes flashed with irritation.
"What are you looking at?" Qin Yang exhaled a plume of mist. "I'm only stating the truth."
"Hmph. Insolent creature."
Her annoyance deepened—but she could not express it openly. After all, he had just been declared the "Guardian."
Thus, her cold gaze shifted back to Sakazuki.
Meanwhile, Sakazuki's anger boiled hotter still.
A mere unusual Sea King had complicated matters this far.
If he pressed further, he would turn Hancock into an immediate enemy.
Ordinarily, that would not concern him. Pirates and Marines were natural enemies.
But the tides of the era were shifting.
Pirates were growing stronger.
The Marine Fleet Admiral had devised a countermeasure.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Compared to crushing one pirate empress, securing the Warlord system was far more important.
That was his mission.
Sakazuki glanced at Qin Yang.
A sea dragon… A Sea King that consumed a Devil Fruit? The scientists would be interested in this. As for "Guardian"… do they take me for a fool?
Exhaling slowly, he allowed the magma to recede.
The oppressive heat faded. The air cooled.
"Very well," Sakazuki said heavily. "Boa Hancock. Regarding the position of Warlord of the Sea—"
"I have no interest. Leave."
She cut him off without hesitation.
"You—!"
Sakazuki's gaze hardened. "You are courting death."
The temperature surged once more.
"If you refuse the title of Warlord of the Sea, your Amazon Lily—your so-called Nation of Women—will be destroyed because of you. Do you think the Calm Belt will protect you forever? The Marines now possess warships that can traverse windless seas. The next time we meet… it will be under a Buster Call."
"A threat?"
Qin Yang's voice interrupted with a faint chuckle.
"Give it up. Do you truly believe she'll yield to intimidation? An Admiral resorting to words instead of action—how embarrassing. If you want to fight, I'll accompany you. I could use the practice."
They had spoken in his defense.
Returning the favor was only natural.
Qin Yang was not one to forget debts—even if he did not require protection.
Sakazuki's expression grew even darker.
One sea dragon was already troublesome.
Add Boa Hancock, and even he could not guarantee a clean withdrawal. Victory might be possible—but the warship would almost certainly sink beneath that dragon's control of the sea.
More importantly—
Water manipulation.
The natural bane of every Devil Fruit user.
After a long silence, Sakazuki's fury vanished as if extinguished.
He stood composed once more.
"Boa Hancock. I hope you do not come to regret this foolish decision."
With a sharp flick of his Justice coat, Admiral Akainu—Sakazuki—turned away from the prow.
"We're leaving."
…
The massive Marine warship slowly withdrew, shrinking into a distant silhouette before vanishing beyond the horizon.
At that very moment, a mechanical voice echoed within Qin Yang's mind.
"Detected 'mysterious energy.' Bearing: three o'clock. Distance: twenty meters."
"Current transformation ability: Sea Dragon."
A translucent interface materialized before his consciousness.
First Transformation: Sea Dragon
Ability One: Ocean Current Manipulation
Ability Two: Dragon's Might
Ability Three: Locked
Qin Yang blinked.
"There are star ratings too?"