Hancock's sudden bashfulness made the air around them seem far more awkward.
Even Marco's trademark pineapple head seemed to stiffen slightly. He subconsciously looked at Chen Ye beside him and asked in a low voice.
"Chen Ye!
"What's going on here?
"I've heard people say it before!
"Wasn't the Pirate Empress supposed to be so proud that she regarded men as dust? Why did she turn into this the moment she heard Ace's little brother's name...?"
Chen Ye was equally taken aback, but he reacted faster. He merely gave Marco a helpless shrug, indicating that he was just as confused.
Their silent exchange made the Kuja Warriors around them, who had likewise been petrified, feel somewhat embarrassed.
The leading warrior hurried to Hancock's side and anxiously reminded her in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Snake Princess!
"Watch your image!
"Calm down!
"There are... there are outsiders here!"
That reminder was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing Hancock's overheated mind.
Her body jolted, and she came back to her senses as though she had been electrocuted.
Realizing how badly she had lost control in front of outsiders—especially two men—a powerful sense of shame instantly overwhelmed her reason.
"Cough! Cough, cough!"
Hancock used a fit of violent fake coughing to conceal her burning cheeks. She forcibly suppressed that girlish shyness in her heart and put on the cold, arrogant mask of the Empress once more.
Though her reddened ears still gave her away.
"How insolent! Who gave you permission to call that man by his name?!"
She snapped fiercely despite her inner weakness, then immediately changed her words and said in a deliberately casual tone.
"He... he is on the island."
"Come with me."
Before her words had even faded, she abruptly turned around and strode into the depths of the jungle with her long legs, never looking back. Her somewhat hurried figure seemed as though she were fleeing from something.
Marco and Chen Ye exchanged a glance and immediately followed her.
After passing through the dense rainforest and circling several concealed guard posts, Hancock led them to a secluded open space dominated by enormous tree roots.
Before they could get close, dull impacts and heavy panting reached them.
Bang!
Bang!
A youth wearing a straw hat stood bare-chested, using all his strength to drive his fists again and again into a massive tree trunk as hard as mountain rock.
His fists were already mangled, sweat mixed with blood streaming down his arms.
Yet he seemed unable to feel the pain. He merely repeated the motion mechanically, his eyes hollow and his face filled with anguish, regret, and deep self-blame.
"Damn it!"
"Too weak!"
"I... I'm too weak!"
He pounded away while growling hoarsely.
"If I were a little stronger... everyone would..."
It was Straw Hat Kid, Monkey D. Luffy.
The despair of watching his companions get instantly sent flying by Tyrant Kuma, and of being utterly powerless before a Marine Admiral, tormented him like a nightmare day and night.
Hancock stopped and watched Luffy in that state, a trace of undisguised heartache flashing through her eyes.
Marco was just about to step forward and greet him.
But Chen Ye moved first, walking straight over.
"I heard you're Ace's little brother, Monkey D. Luffy?"
A stranger's voice interrupted Luffy's self-destructive training.
Luffy's movements halted. He slowly turned around and looked at Chen Ye approaching him with puzzled eyes still filled with self-blame.
Chen Ye stopped three meters in front of Luffy and got straight to the point.
"My name is Chen Ye. I'm Ace's companion."
"Ace's... companion?"
A flicker appeared in Luffy's eyes.
Chen Ye nodded, a teasing curve lifting the corner of his mouth as he threw out a shocking question.
"Kid, interested in having a fight with me?"
"Fight you?"
Luffy froze, completely unable to follow the other man's train of thought.
"Why?"
The smile on Chen Ye's face vanished, and his tone turned sharp.
"To make you realize something."
He paused. Every word was like a needle, piercing precisely into the most vulnerable part of Luffy's heart.
"Don't you think you're weak right now?"
Luffy's body stiffened abruptly.
Chen Ye gave him no chance to catch his breath and continued.
"Think carefully. At the Sabaody Archipelago, even one Marine Pacifista gave your entire crew such a hard time when you fought it together."
"Not to mention there was a Marine Admiral."
"You experienced Kizaru's strength firsthand, didn't you? That despair where you couldn't even move a single finger."
Chen Ye's words were like a heavy hammer smashing brutally into Luffy's heart.
The searing pain of lasers piercing his body, and the sight of his companions disappearing before his eyes while he could do nothing, vividly resurfaced in his mind.
Luffy slowly lowered his head. His tightly clenched fists trembled violently from the excessive force.
Yeah.
He... was too weak.
So weak that he couldn't even protect a single companion!
Seeing Luffy sink into the abyss of self-denial, Chen Ye knew the timing was right.
He abruptly changed his tone and reignited the fuse.
"But!"
Luffy suddenly looked up.
"Since you're Ace's companion..."
In that instant, all the confusion and self-blame in his eyes were completely replaced by another emotion!
It was fire!
A blazing fire called fighting spirit!
Luffy grinned, revealing his trademark smile brimming with challenge and excitement.
"Fine!"
"Let's fight!"
"I want to know how strong I am right now too!"
There was no hesitation, not even the slightest dragging of feet.
That crisp, decisive answer left Marco, who had prepared countless arguments, and Hancock, who was full of concern, both standing there in a daze.
He... agreed just like that?
[Ding!] At the very moment Luffy agreed, the System Panel visible only to Chen Ye suddenly popped up before his eyes. [Detected that the host and key figure "Monkey D. Luffy" have reached a battle agreement!] [Special Illustrated Handbook "SSSR · Future Nika Luffy" has begun unlocking...] [Analysis Progress: 1%... 5%... 10%...]
Watching the percentage numbers rapidly climb, Chen Ye smiled.
He looked at the youth before him, who was weak for the time being, but Chen Ye knew better than anyone else!
The ability this youth would awaken in the future was Sun God Nika!
He was the man who would sound the Drums of Liberation!
Once his Analysis Progress reached one hundred percent, he too would be able to obtain part of the Sun God's abilities!
By then, just how much would his strength rise?
Just thinking about it made his blood boil!
Before you continue