Empress Hancock

Not to mention concept-level techniques like Slave Arrow, Divine Judgment, and Child's Play Touch, which were impossible to evade.

How were you supposed to dodge wide-area AOE techniques like Meteor Volcano, Raikō, Ice Age, Poison Giant Soldier, and Ikoku?

With the Substitution Technique?

One strike could destroy every tree on an entire island, leaving you unable to find even a single wooden stump.

To be honest, even with the Mangekyo activated, Yoru knew that he, Itachi, and the others had no way of fighting the top powerhouses of this world.

They were far too specialized!

Their attack power was barely passable, but their physical abilities lagged several tiers behind.

In the eyes of Pirate World's top powerhouses, Hokage World's strong fighters were, at best, glass cannons. One large AOE attack, and they would all shatter.

That was why Yoru had chosen Kuja Island as Uchiha's first stop.

First, he had his eye on Kuja Island's excellent location. Situated in the Calm Belt, it was isolated from the outside world and much safer.

Second, he wanted to see whether there was a chance for the Uchiha clansmen to learn Haki from the island's female warriors.

Now that they had come to the Pirate World, would it not be a waste if they did not learn this world's strongest power?

Now, only one problem remained: dealing with Empress Hancock.

"Clan head, so even you aren't confident you can handle the strong fighters on this island?" Shisui asked with a frown.

In Shisui's eyes, only he and the clan head had awakened the Mangekyo in the clan so far. But Danzo had taken his right eye, greatly reducing his strength.

If even Yoru could not defeat the other side, then Uchiha's Future looked grim.

"Don't worry. Fighting and killing are your business. As the clan head, I use my brain. I already came up with a plan; otherwise, I wouldn't have provoked the Empress for no reason."

Yoru waved a hand, telling the ever-worried Shisui to stop worrying, then beckoned to his taciturn Second Brother standing behind him.

"Itachi, come here. I have a task for you. Go..."

After whispering a few instructions into Itachi's ear, he asked:

"Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Itachi nodded. Though he did not know why Big Brother wanted him to do this, he had long since grown accustomed to following orders.

A ninja only needed to complete the mission. There was no need to think about its purpose.

That was the principle the Anbu had taught him.

In a flash, Itachi vanished from everyone's sight and ran in the direction Yoru had just pointed.

"Clan head, what should we do with them?"

Yashiro pointed at Kikyo and the others lying on the ground.

"Just leave them there. Tell everyone to get ready. The enemy will be here soon. Don't let them look down on us in our first battle in this world."

Yoru paused, then added:

"We are Uchiha!"

"Yes, Clan head!"

Not long after Yoru finished arranging everyone for battle, the Uchiha clansmen stationed around the camp as sentries sent out a signal.

"Enemy attack! A large number of enemies are rapidly approaching!"

The entire camp instantly entered combat readiness.

All ninjas capable of fighting swiftly formed a defensive formation around the perimeter of the camp, while the elderly, weak, women, and children were orderly relocated to the center of the camp under heavy protection.

Fugaku, Shisui, and Yashiro stood at the very front, their Sharingan already activated as they stared intently toward the forest.

In the distance, the treetops swayed violently, accompanied by dense footsteps and hostile shouts.

Agile figures leaped from the woods like cheetahs, swiftly forming a half-encirclement around Uchiha Camp.

There were over a hundred of them, all female warriors with sharp gazes, weapons in hand, and murderous auras.

The presence they exuded was far stronger than that of the squad Yashiro had encountered earlier. The few at the front were especially formidable, their auras deep and unfathomable.

Then, ahead of these female warriors, a tall, graceful figure with an unparalleled aura slowly stepped forward.

She possessed breathtaking beauty. Her deep blue eyes carried coldness and fury from on high, while her long black hair cascaded to her waist like a waterfall. She wore a red dress with strong ethnic flair, and the white cape behind her fluttered despite the absence of wind.

Simply standing there, she seemed to be the center of the entire world, drawing everyone's attention.

She was none other than the Kuja Island Emperor, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea recognized by the World Government.

Empress, Boa Hancock!

Hancock's icy gaze swept across the battle-ready Uchiha clansmen before finally settling on Kikyo and the other five, still unconscious on the open ground before the camp.

Her gaze instantly turned even colder, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

"So it was you insolent men who dared harm I's Subjects and trespass into I's kingdom?" Hancock's voice carried a natural charm, yet it was filled with unquestionable authority and fury.

"Release them at once, then... kneel and beg for mercy. I may consider letting you die a quicker death!"

Though her Conqueror's Haki had not been fully unleashed, its invisible pressure already left some of the weaker Uchiha Clan members struggling to breathe.

Before Yoru could speak, Fugaku stepped forward first and said in a grave voice:

"We have no intention of making enemies of you. Your patrol attacked first. We merely defended ourselves and wish to speak with your leader."

"Speak?"

A mocking curve formed at Hancock's lips as her slender finger pointed at the unconscious Kikyo.

"You hurt my most important warrior, and you still want to negotiate with me? Wishful thinking!"

She said no more. Raising one long leg slightly and leaning back, she formed a heart shape with her hands. Her sweet, seductive voice rang across the battlefield:

"Whatever your reasons may be, daring to resist me is an unforgivable crime!"

"Slave Arrow!"

A pink, heart-shaped beam accompanied by countless tiny pink rings shot toward the Uchiha Clan's defensive formation at astonishing speed!

"Watch out! Scatter!"

Though Fugaku did not understand the nature of the attack, the intense sense of danger conveyed by his Sharingan made him shout immediately.

However, the beam was not a physical attack. Its range was vast, and its speed far exceeded imagination!

Some Uchiha Clan members who reacted a little too slowly, or whose hearts had stirred slightly upon seeing Hancock's peerless beauty, suddenly went rigid the instant the pink beam swept over them!

"What's happening? My body..."

"I can't move!"

Amid cries of alarm, the dozen or so Uchiha Clan members struck by the beam began turning into grayish-white stone from their feet upward, their bodies petrifying at a visible speed!

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen Uchiha ninja had become rigid stone statues, their faces frozen in shock!

That was only because they had been standing relatively spread out. Otherwise, the losses would have been even worse.

"What?!"

"What kind of ninjutsu is this?!"

"Get out of the way!"

The Uchiha ranks immediately erupted into chaos. Everyone was stunned by this bizarre and terrifying ability.

Even powerhouses like Fugaku, Shisui, and Yashiro felt their scalps tingle.

Yoru, the clan head, had actually been telling the truth! There really was such a horrifying ability—one that could not be avoided at all and directly petrified its targets!

"Hmph. Do you see now? This is the fate of those who resist me!"

Hancock withdrew her hands and stood proudly, as though she had done something utterly insignificant. "Next, it's your turn!"

Behind her, the Kuja Island warriors also raised their weapons one after another, killing intent surging as they prepared to launch an all-out assault.