Hoof of the Celestial Dragon (In a Great Mood, Bonus Chapter!)

About twenty minutes later, on the beach far from the Kuja Palace, Gawain leaned on his small, broken sword and solemnly looked out at the sea.

Behind him, Hancock twisted her hands together, her head bowed, not daring to look at Gawain's back, but she couldn't help but glance at him every now and then.

Further away, Kuma held a notebook and pen, as if he were ready to take shorthand notes at any moment.

For some reason, he had a feeling that Gawain was about to say something shocking.

In the midst of this silence, Gawain spoke with his back to Hancock.

"Boa Hancock."

Upon hearing this, Hancock was slightly taken aback, because after three months of contact, Gawain rarely called her by her full name anymore.

"I am right behind you, Gawain..."

Hancock responded with a mix of trepidation and delight.

Hearing Hancock's voice, Gawain pursed his lips and asked.

Do you... like the way you're treating me right now?

"Um?"

Hancock was stunned. What did the adult ask? He asked me if I liked him.

Is this... is this a confession?!

In an instant, Hancock lowered her head slightly, her princess cut obscuring her eyes, but it was visibly that a pink aura was gathering around Hancock.

Just then, Gawain spoke again, saying something unexpectedly.

"You might really like your attitude towards me, because I know that you can't find any unhappiness or sadness in me right now."

But have you ever considered what caused you to become like this?

Upon hearing this, Hancock's expression shifted slightly. She raised her head again, her face flushed, and looked at Gawain.

"Gawain is concerned about me! Waaaaah, you're actually concerned about me~~~!"

"Ha... he's really quite ill!"

Gawain frowned and shook his head. Then, he finally turned around and, after seeing Hancock's completely infatuated state, leaned on his Gawain and said coldly.

Let me try to communicate with you in a different way, so I can be more direct!

I don't like you the way you are!

"You... I...?!?"

Hancock's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Gawain and shouted.

"How can there be a man like Gawain in this world? I'm smitten, truly smitten."

Even when he says he hates me, his aloof demeanor is still so captivating!

"Stop!"

Gawain nearly choked on his own breath. He yanked the sword out and then slammed it into the ground.

"Your problem is much more serious than I thought. I've seen Stockholm Syndrome before, but your symptoms are really too complex!"

Even if I wanted to offer you advice, I didn't originally intend to say anything that would hurt you. After all, being liked by someone is always a happy thing.

How fortunate it would be to have someone make a firm choice for you in your lifetime!

But I am very dissatisfied with the way you chose me."

At this point, Gawain frowned, his pupils constricted, and then he suddenly started cursing.

Kneel down!

The moment the word reached Hancock's ears, Hancock finally froze.

At this moment, countless memories flashed through her mind.

Her knees buckled involuntarily, and Hancock's pink aura vanished. With a thud, she knelt on the ground, utterly dejected.

Looking at the lifeless Hancock, Gawain took a deep breath. As a transmigrator with normal values, what he was about to say made even himself feel disgusted.

But he still said it emphatically.

"I never wanted to say things this far, but I truly don't want you to remain that foolish yes-man!"

So, Boa Hancock, look up and see who I really am!

Am I Gawain, who constantly stirs your emotions in your eyes, or the most untouchable shadow in your heart, Celestial Dragon!

If you still can't see clearly, then I will make you remember your true identity completely: a slave!

Snap, snap...

Hancock knelt on the beach, her eyes slightly open in despair. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes, down her beautiful cheeks, across her unconsciously parted lips, and onto the back of her hand.

She braced herself against the sand with both hands, her shoulders slumped completely, and her breathing became increasingly rapid. Finally, as if remembering something, she spoke to Gawain in broken sentences.

"Great... Great Celestial Dragon, I will work hard..."

I will wash my clothes clean, and I will push my sidewalk carefully. Even if it were Devil Fruit, I wouldn't find it unpalatable.

I won't do anything wrong, and I won't cry.

I will never cry again..

Hancock's hands completely lost their strength to support her, and she collapsed onto the sand, rubbing her face against it repeatedly.

After all, as long as tears leave our cheeks, we always think that we haven't cried at all.

Gawain took a deep breath as he watched Hancock sobbing softly.

He didn't know how to describe his feelings at that moment.

I pity their misfortune, and I am angry at their lack of resistance!

With a heavy heart, Gawain sighed.

"I thought that if I reminded you of who I am, perhaps your... morbid attachment to me could be alleviated a little."

I thought that at this moment, you might forget your so-called love for me, and instead rekindle your Conqueror's Haki, letting me witness the true magnificence of the Pirate Empress.

But you..."

At this point, Gawain rebuked him with dissatisfaction.

"You are ultimately just a slave, Hancock. From the first moment I saw you, you have been in an abnormal state!"

I simply cannot understand why Conqueror's Haki would bloom within you. I thought hatred would be enough to overwhelm your shadow and teach you how to be a normal person, but you cannot!

Even if you're not normal, I can still use your dependence on me to make you my strength, or even let you sleep in my bed.

But I am still me, I am still Gawain!

So..."

Suddenly, Gawain crouched down, reached out, and grabbed Hancock's hair.

Grabbing her long hair, Gawain abruptly pulled her head out of the ground. He approached Hancock's stiff face, and speaking Gawain to her tear-streaked features covered in sand.

"Listen carefully, slave, inferior, outcast, trash, these are all adjectives that were once used to describe you."

They are just adjectives!

But if you can't lift your head and straighten your knees on your own!

No outsider can help you then; you'll be forever kneeling, and adjectives will be your everything!

Now, listen carefully, I will show you another possibility.

From the moment I leave Amazon Lily tonight, the Buster Call will descend upon your country. I will make you kneel on the bow of my ship and witness it all. I will even make you fire the cannons yourself!

Blood will eventually stain every inch of the beach as far as you can see, but you cannot resist, because you will always be kneeling there, refusing to get up, only wanting to escape, but not to fight back!

As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain stared intently into Hancock's eyes, but to his surprise, Hancock's lifeless gaze remained completely unchanged...

This Gawain; wasn't her country the thing she cared about most?

"Don't forget, you also have two younger sisters. Guess how your master will treat them?"

You are slaves, especially slaves bearing the hoofprints of the Celestial Dragon. Even among countless slaves, you are the lowest of the low!

Even if you want to improve your lives by sleeping with Celestial Dragon, as long as you still bear that hoofprint, no Celestial Dragon will touch you who are so lowly to the core!

Your role is that of mere playthings, toys that are used to please the Celestial Dragon at the cost of your lives, even less than inanimate objects!

If you were to kill your two sisters yourself, your expression would be quite amusing, wouldn't it, you slave!

As Gawain continued to intensify the stimulation, he frowned more and more. Hancock remained unchanged, so her sister and her past humble status were not what she cared about most!

Suddenly, Gawain remembered something.

So Gawain grabbed Hancock's hair and continued cursing at those extremely dark eyes.

"Most importantly, you actually dared to run away while the Fish-Man were causing trouble, and you even got that stupid title of so-called Pirate Empress!"

I will hang you on the bow of my ship, and I will let the whole world see the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon on your back!

On that day, everyone in the world will know that the so-called Pirate Empress they speak of was nothing but a celestial being from the very beginning...

Boom!!!!!

At that moment, a burst of intense Conqueror's Haki erupted from Hancock's constricted pupils, and the dust stirred up by the Conqueror's Haki instantly obscured Gawain's eyes!

Before he had mastered Observation Haki, Gawain had difficulty seeing clearly. So, in the next moment, a hand grabbed his neck and dragged him violently toward the beach!

Beside him, Kuma, who was already incredibly astonished, suddenly revealed an expression of even greater astonishment!

He then quickly raised his hand and slammed a palm down on Hancock hair was flying into the air.

But just before the Kuma was about to strike Hancock, Gawain suddenly laughed.

"Stop, Kuma!"

And Hancock, your problem is that you're so uncontrollably moody right now, and I absolutely cannot tolerate having someone standing behind me who could suddenly pose a danger to me at any moment due to psychological trauma!

Fortunately, I've found the key to unlock your heart!

I should have known long ago that you are one of the most ruthless people in the Pirate World. Whether it's your sisters or your people, they may indeed have a place in your heart, but they have always only been a part of you, and only a small part at that!

Yes, haha, you possess Conqueror's Haki, you're someone this sea has certified as qualified to be a king!

Aside from so-called hot-blooded idiots, what king in this world would define anyone else's status as above his own?

What you fear most is not everything else, but being looked down upon by the world!

As he roared, Gawain excitedly curled the corners of his mouth.

In his eyes, Hancock was burning with endless anger and resentment, her inner voice mixed with her Conqueror's Haki, and entangled in the black and pink Inazuma that was constantly forming and rapidly dissipating!

Looking at Hancock like this, Gawain's previous ferocity vanished. He took a deep breath and gently reached out his hands, cupping Hancock's cheeks in his palms.

"Now, have you found yourself again?"

"Shut up! Take your hands off me!"

Hancock was breathing heavily, her left hand gripping Gawain's neck, her right hand clenched into a fist, and she looked at Gawain coldly.

Gawain gently cupped Hancock's cheeks, smiling as he endured the increasingly difficult feeling of breathing.

While struggling to breathe, Gawain forced a smile and said to Hancock.

"Remember my words: you must find your true self, not step out of the shadows and into another abyss!"

You should be angry and in pain, because you, who should have been free, have lost your freedom for four whole years because of my people.

But the past is the past, but everything in the present still determines your future, so you can't lose your way!

As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain's breathing became increasingly difficult; he was finding it hard to breathe.

And so, meeting Hancock's cold yet incredibly beautiful eyes, Gawain finally spoke.

"Kuma, Hancock has a tattoo on her back."

Your Paw-Paw Fruit West City like pain and fatigue.

"Alright, let's get started and swat that damn pattern off Hancock's back!"

"You...?!!"

Even though she was almost lost in hatred and shadows, Hancock was still stunned when she heard Gawain's sudden words.

While she was distracted, Gawain struggled to break free from Hancock's grasp, and Hancock, sensing the Kuma's approach, immediately tried to escape.

She would rather not erase the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon than let others know of their existence; that's Hancock's pride!

She doesn't want to be looked down upon by anyone!

Just as Hancock instinctively tried to dodge, Gawain suddenly spread his arms wide.

He knelt on one knee on the messy beach and pulled Hancock into his arms.

At the same time, Kuma came up behind Hancock, stretched out his right hand, and slapped Hancock on the back through his cloak and silk robe.

In a daze, a small, Paw-Paw ball of air flew out from Hancock's chest and landed on the beach between her and Gawain.

The Cat Claws -shaped cloud of air crashed onto the beach and shattered. Then, the aged pigment inside the cloud left a shallow Hoof of the Celestial Dragon on the sand.

Gawain suddenly felt Hancock's body tremble violently, and tears streamed down her face.

Gawain then tightened his embrace around the woman, and then whispered in Hancock's ear.

"You are free."

"I... am free..."

Hancock murmured tremblingly, then weakly raised her hands and embraced Gawain's shoulders and neck.

While sobbing softly, Hancock asked in confusion.

"But you said I was free all along, but I only just gained my freedom."

"Yes, you should have been free from the beginning, and justice delayed becomes injustice."

But no matter what, we can't change your past, and all I can tell you is to look forward.

I think if you look far enough, you should be able to see something worth pursuing that makes you feel motivated. I believe you can be your true self again, and that's exactly the kind of you I need."

As Gawain tried to comfort her, he gently released Hancock's body. Hancock sat wearily on the ground, rubbing her neck.

At that very moment, Hancock tilted her head, letting her hair fall to one side of her neck, and asked hesitantly.

"What pursuit? Are you talking about pursuing you?"

"Haha, it's not impossible. But what if, after you've fully recovered, you still think I'm good enough for you...?!"

Thump!!!

Before Gawain could finish his teasing, Hancock pounced on him, Gawain Hancock on the beach amidst the shyly fleeing clouds in the sky.

Lying on Gawain's chest, Hancock's cheek pressed against Gawain skin, feeling his Gawain rapid heartbeat, she whispered.

"I believe you are worthy of me, and now I no longer think I am unworthy!"

After she finished speaking, she lay quietly in Gawain's arms, remaining silent for a long time.

Gawain remained silent, lying there embracing Hancock's soft body while gazing at the clouds hiding in the sky.

Those clouds looked a bit like fawns jumping around, or perhaps more like restless minds.

However, the next second, as the surrounding environment became increasingly quiet, the rustling sound of writing entered Gawain's ears.

At this moment, Gawain finally remembered Kuma, and he quickly sat up.

As she stood up, Hancock slid into his arms, her Hancock Gawain looking.

When they saw the Kuma constantly recording something, the two of them instantly stood up from the ground.

"Ahem, Kuma, Hancock's matter is resolved, let's go back."

Also, what have you been writing lately? Are you writing a novel?

While Gawain was questioning him, Kuma Xiong was writing down the phrase, "Justice delayed is justice denied."

While engrossed in recording, Kuma responded softly.

"Of course not, sir. I'm just recording some meaningful things."

As they were talking, Kuma suddenly paused, belatedly realizing something.

It's all because what the adult just said was so noteworthy that he couldn't control himself!

So, he should have left quietly, right?

This is so awkward!!!

Before tonight, I checked the new bestseller list for light novels, and I was shocked by what I found.

In the light novel category's new bestseller list, only one One Piece novel is still at the top!

In other words, we are the second most recently published One Piece fanfic!

They're not even that far from first place!

At this moment, Half-Dead was instantly excited. We really are the best! We are a slow-burning miracle, with an average subscription of 450 per article and a weekly average subscription of 900 per article!

What does it mean to be passionate? At this rate, can you stop writing like this, half-dead?

That's impossible!