Chapter 46

Ruidio approached a wide-eyed girl with messy short black hair who looked no more than ten. He crouched in front of her, took hold of the chains around her hands, and said, "Move your hands a little. Don't touch the chains, okay?"

The wide-eyed girl stared blankly at him, then nodded and did as he asked.

The chains vanished into thin air, then appeared in the older boy's hands. He tossed them aside with a clatter.

Ruidio did the same for the chains on the hands and feet of all twenty girls, taking them away through his system inventory and tossing them aside... They really had been starved so thin that they could easily keep their wrists and ankles from touching the shackles.

Perhaps because she thought this was just a lifelike dream, Hancock thought nothing of it when Ruidio copied the little boat and tossed the copy onto the sea.

She was far more shocked that Ruidio had rescued the little girls as well.

With her two younger sisters helping this time, Hancock defeated Saint Shepherd Sommers without taking a scratch, petrifying him on the spot as he was using his Thorn-Thorn Fruit ability.

As if venting their emotions, Sandersonia and Marigold smashed the statue to pieces, then screamed themselves hoarse as they hurled the still-beating steel heart into the sea.

When they followed their older sister into the little boat, ready to leave, the two younger sisters burst into uncontrollable sobs, their whole bodies convulsing as tears and snot streamed down their faces.

["Little Sisters" quest completed]

[Quest rewards: 33 Essence; Poké Ball x1]

?

Ruidio was helping the little girls he had brought out into the boats, seating them in rows one by one. When he saw the sudden system notification, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.

What a shitty system! After such a tragic experience, you drop an item like this? Is this some kind of hell joke? I really need to have a word with you!

Ruidio claimed the rewards and helped the last little girl aboard.

They were thin and small, and weighed very little. There was more than enough room for them in the two boats.

Moved by Sandersonia and Marigold's emotional sobs, the little girls, who had quietly followed Ruidio and done as he arranged, watched the slave ship recede into the night and finally couldn't hold back their own tears.

"This isn't a dream."

Hancock squeezed over. With nowhere to sit, she simply sat on Ruidio's lap. She tilted her head back, her starry eyes hazy, and murmured, "Otherwise, you wouldn't have needed to save them..."

Ruidio held her and smiled. "Don't try to understand it. Just feel it."

"Mm."

Hancock gave a soft hum and leaned against his solid chest, feeling reassured.

Sandersonia and Marigold looked at their older sister and the man from the outside seas whose name they still didn't know. Their teary eyes were red as they exchanged smiles.

A few minutes later, after the girls had calmed down somewhat, Ruidio gave each of them a 100-Beli coin and said, "Now we'll see which of you has better luck."

[You have chosen to return]

Chapter 58: Vice Emperor

[Cover serial: Executive vice president Miss All Sunday 8: "A warship"]

[On the horizon ahead, a Marine warship flying a seagull flag slowly approaches.]

Back in the present, in the imperial hall of Kuja Castle—

Ruidio, the Boa Sisters, and fourteen little girls still dressed in rags appeared out of thin air.

Sandersonia wiped away her tears. Beside her, her youngest sister exclaimed in surprise, "Why are some of them missing?"

"What we should be asking is—"

Sandersonia looked at Ruidio in shock. "How did they appear here?!"

"..."

Ruidio smiled at the fourteen anxious, bewildered little girls. "Don't worry about that for now. You're all hungry, right? Let's eat first!"

Hancock had planned to order the royal cooks to prepare some food and bring it over, but Ruidio waved his hand and conjured up enough food to cover almost the entire imperial hall. Its indescribable, steaming aroma soon filled everyone's hearts; just smelling it brought a sense of happiness.

The little girls' mouths watered, but most of them didn't dare reach for the food.

"Go ahead and eat."

Ruidio didn't urge them further. He sat down, picked up a bowl of seafood congee, and gulped it all down in one go. He had deliberately chosen foods that were easy to digest and made a great show of eating, making it look delicious. Before long, one little girl couldn't resist rushing forward and wolfing down the food. Soon, the sounds of chewing, crying, and laughter rose and fell throughout the imperial hall...

Sandersonia and Marigold tried a little too, and their eyes lit up. Was it really that delicious? They glanced at their sister and found that she was already sitting with Ruidio, gently feeding him. Smiling, they sat down to eat as well.

"Why only them?"

Hancock peeled fruit for Ruidio one piece at a time. Looking at the girls wolfing down their food—girls who should have been about her age, but were still children—she asked quietly, "The others who didn't appear..."

Ruidio said, "They were unlucky. They're still alive now."

Perhaps they were still someone's slaves.

Perhaps, like the empress and her sisters back then, they had escaped in the chaos when the Fish-Man Fisher Tiger rampaged through Mary Geoise, and were now living happily in their hometowns... He hoped so.

While they ate, Ruidio finally had time to take the new item out of his pocket and examine it.

[Poké Ball]

[Description: Animals that are very close to you or that you have defeated can be stored in this Poké Ball and carried with you.]

[Note 1: Cannot be used to capture humans.]

[Note 2: The Poké Ball can be placed in the system inventory.]

?

Ruidio found it strange. Why was the usual final note, "This item cannot be copied," missing?

Could it be...

He tossed the Poké Ball into Three-in-One and saw a total price appear in Slot 2: 800 Essence.

That's not expensive.

Damn, I really can copy it!

Delighted, Ruidio figured he was rich enough anyway and copied ten in one go, splurging 8,000 Essence.

[Remaining Essence: 252,036]

[System inventory (4/4): Playful Cloud x1; Malevolent Shrine x1; Demon Subduer x1; Poké Ball x9]

"What's that?"

Hancock curiously watched Ruidio fiddle with the little red-and-white ball in his hand.

Ruidio clicked a button on the ball, and the red-and-white ball suddenly grew with a whoosh, becoming the size of a fist and fitting perfectly in his palm.

Ruidio smiled and whispered how to use it into her ear.

Hancock's eyes sparkled as she listened, finding it incredible.

"In any case, I'll leave them to you. Whether you send them home afterward or let them stay and join Kuja, it's entirely up to you, Lady Snake Princess."

After the feast, Sandersonia and Marigold took the fourteen girls away to bathe. Ruidio pinched Hancock's pert nose and smiled. "It's time for you to keep your promise."

Hancock's cheeks flushed pink, and she smiled. "All right. But first, tell me how much you know about Haki."

"Teacher Boa, I'm a complete beginner. Teach me how to become a Haki master!"

"..."

Hancock pressed her lips into an incomparably alluring smile and took his hand. "Let's go."

At the center of the island of women stood a hollow mountain, like a filled-in volcanic crater. The entire nation of Amazon Lily was built inside it. A gabled roof had been built over the top of the "crater," with nine giant snake heads in groups of three, symbolizing Kuja, the Amazon warrior people who lived there.

Outside the mountain, many fierce beasts lurked in the vast jungle surrounding the island...

"Most of the animals in these jungles are a source of food for us, but there's also a small number that we raise specifically as trials for young warriors."

Wearing her imperial cloak, Hancock led Ruidio through the island's jungle, telling him about the island.

"Lady Snake Princess!" "Lady Snake Princess..." "Ah, it's Lady Snake Princess!"

They occasionally encountered Kuja female warriors in the woods, also wearing white cloaks and revealing, wild-looking outfits. They all reacted much the same way upon seeing the empress, bowing and greeting her reverently with hearts in their eyes. They were also very curious about the unfamiliar "woman" accompanying Lady Snake Princess.

"These are the Kuja Warriors of Amazon Lily."

Hancock explained to Ruidio, "They can all use Haki proficiently, and the stronger ones are no worse than the full-fledged members of the Kuja Pirate Ship."

Then she introduced him to the curious Kuja Warriors. "His name is Ruidio. Although he's a man from the outside seas, when you see him, you must treat him with the same respect you show me. Do you understand?"

"Yes..." "Is this what men are like?" "It's my first time seeing one..."

Each of the Kuja Warriors had a pet snake that could stiffen its body for use as a bow. Upon hearing the empress's order, they repeatedly and respectfully agreed. Although the order was arbitrary and went against tradition, Lady Snake Princess was just so beautiful! They had no choice but to listen to her.

Have I become Kuja's vice emperor?

Ruidio smiled inwardly and followed Hancock into the jungle behind the mountain. Whenever they encountered a Kuja Warrior along the way, Hancock introduced him all over again.

"You could just call everyone in charge over and tell them. Why go to all this trouble?" Ruidio said.

Hancock blushed and said shyly, "I just feel... even saying it a few more times makes it seem like I'm a little closer to you..."

What a temptress!

Ruidio cried inwardly that he couldn't take it, and only managed to keep his composure through sheer willpower.

"Grrr..."

Several enormous lion- and tiger-like beasts emerged from the jungle ahead, drool dripping from their mouths and fierce light blazing in their eyes.

"How dare you!"

Hancock's gaze hardened, and an invisible wave of Conqueror's Haki swept out. The surrounding beasts' eyes rolled back, and they foamed at the mouth and collapsed unconscious.

"Lady Snake Princess!" A short-haired blonde Kuja Warrior came running over, repeatedly begging forgiveness.

"Marguerite, he is..." Hancock once again ordered her to treat Ruidio as if he were Hancock herself, then said casually, "For the time being, don't let people approach the 'trial grounds' without good reason. Ruidio and I will be training in Haki here."

"Yes!" Marguerite accepted the order and left.

"Well then..." Hancock looked back at him, her eyes shimmering, her cheeks flushed as she lightly bit her lip. "Shall we begin?"

Ruidio: "..." Teacher Boa, is what you're going to teach me proper?

Chapter 59: Armament Haki

[Cover serial: Executive vice president Miss All Sunday 9: "Prison ship"]

[Robin and Olvia sit on the turtle with their backs to the warship. As the Marine prison ship slowly passes them, Buggy loudly curses something from a cell in the lower hold.]