One Piece: I Can Repel Anything

Clang, clang, clang!

A clear bell rang out, accompanied by a woman's voice.

"Snake Princess will leave for the New World the day after tomorrow! Anyone who wants to go, come sign up now..."

The citizens froze at the startling news. Every one of them was bewildered.

But however little they understood, they all made the same decision.

"Snake Princess, I'll follow you to the New World!"

"Me too! I want to see what men look like out there. I've heard they look really strange."

"I'll follow you to the death, Snake Princess..."

"Quick, everyone, pack your things! We can't keep Snake Princess waiting."

"Wherever Snake Princess goes, I'll follow her forever! Hee-hee-hee!"

(Everyone, Hancock is such an important character that I've spent a little more time on her. I hope you'll understand. In the next chapter, a very beautiful woman will appear. Can you guess who? She's from the North Blue~~)

Amazon Lily, inside the palace.

Four women were gathered there.

"Snake Princess, why do you suddenly want to enter the New World?"

Elder Nyon leaned on her snake-shaped cane, confusion showing on her weathered face.

When she had heard the bell, she had thought she'd misheard it.

How could that cold, imperious Snake Princess possibly leave the Calm Belt?

She wouldn't have believed it for a second!

"Yes, big sister. We're curious too."

Sandersonia and Marigold hurried to ask.

Hancock leaned back against her throne with her legs crossed, her chin resting on one delicate hand. A wistful look filled her beautiful face.

She wasn't listening to any of them.

The three women exchanged glances, thoroughly puzzled.

They had no idea what Hancock was thinking.

Suddenly, Hancock cupped her cheeks and gently shook her head. "I'm trying not to think of him, so why can't I stop?"

"What's wrong with me? Why am I like this?"

Her murmurs only confused the three of them more. What was going on?

Elder Nyon tapped her cane against the floor with a series of thuds. "Snake Princess, what are you talking about? Did something happen?"

This time, Hancock came back to herself.

She glared at the little old woman before her and spoke coldly.

"Gloriosa, who gave you permission to speak to me like that? Get out."

Marigold hurried to reason with her. "Big sister, Elder Nyon came to help us understand the New World. We don't know anything about it."

Sandersonia nodded. "Big sister, let Elder Nyon tell us about the New World."

"Someone came to see me just now," Hancock said, ignoring them both. "A man."

"His name is Chris. He's extremely strong—on the level of an Admiral."

"He plans to become a Shichibukai and came to discuss an alliance with me. A Seven Warlords Alliance."

Hancock cupped her flushed cheeks, suddenly shy. "He's so handsome, and so strong. I'm quite taken with him."

Someone had come to see her?

To discuss a Seven Warlords Alliance?

And Hancock was taken with him?

What was any of this about?

The three women were overwhelmed by it all and stood there stunned.

At last, Elder Nyon recovered first. "Snake Princess, you said someone came to see you just now? How is that possible?"

"How did he get to Amazon Lily? Could he really do such a thing?"

Marigold added, "Big sister, weren't you in the Bath just now? How did you meet him?"

Sandersonia nodded, flicked out her forked tongue, and quickly spoke up.

"And we were guarding the entrance the whole time. We didn't hear a thing. How could anyone have gotten in?"

Hancock gradually calmed down, becoming the aloof empress once more. "He ate the Repel-Repel Fruit and developed a powerful technique: Repulsion Space."

"I was bathing when he suddenly appeared."

"As for why you heard nothing, he repelled the sound. How could you have heard it?"

The three women heard Hancock say she had been bathing when the man appeared.

That alone shocked them all.

"Snake Princess, did he see the mark on your back?"

Horror covered Elder Nyon's aged face, and her words came out in a rush.

"Yes, he didn't see it, did he?"

Marigold and Sandersonia pressed her for an answer too.

"I was bathing. How could he not have seen it?"

Hancock swept her glossy black hair behind her head and smiled. "But it doesn't matter whether he saw it. He already knew I was once a slave of the Celestial Dragons."

"He didn't care at all. Instead, he told me to grow stronger quickly and prepare for the battles ahead."

"'Drag the Celestial Dragons down from their pedestal.' Only a man I admire could say something so bold."

The Celestial Dragons!

At those three words, Marigold and Sandersonia cried out together.

Fear filled their faces. Clearly, they had remembered something terrible.

Elder Nyon, meanwhile, could barely process what she was hearing.

Hancock had spoken of the Celestial Dragons herself.

And she had done so casually, without a trace of fear.

It was almost impossible to believe.

After all, the Celestial Dragons were the people Hancock feared and hated most.

"Snake Princess, you said he already knew about the mark on your back? How could that be possible?"

Elder Nyon frowned in disbelief. "And he intends to make enemies of the Celestial Dragons? He must be joking."

"They're the creators of this world! How could he even think of doing that? Impossible!"

Sandersonia and Marigold were still gripped by fear. Neither had heard Elder Nyon.

Hancock's gaze turned icy as she glared at her. "Gloriosa, if you question the man I admire again, I'll throw you out myself."

"He's the finest man in the world. I won't allow anyone to speak ill of him!"

"Absolutely not!"

(Some readers said they wanted more of Hancock because they hadn't had enough. So I've given her another chapter. The beautiful woman from the North Blue will appear in the next one. (*￣︶￣))

Now she understood.

This time, Elder Nyon understood completely.

The most beautiful woman in the world had fallen in love with a man.

The realization stunned her to her core.

Elder Nyon knew exactly what Hancock was like.

She was an iceberg!

But now that iceberg had melted.

That man had won Hancock's heart.

"Snake Princess, have you fallen in love with him?"

Elder Nyon's weathered face grew solemn. "He's the one who suggested you go to the New World, isn't he?"

Hancock gave a small nod and spoke proudly.

"Chris said I'm too weak. If I stay in the Calm Belt, I'll waste all my potential."

Hancock lightly bit her finger, her beautiful face earnest. "He was right. I wasted a lot of time before. I never trained hard."

"The Kuja are a warrior people. But now everyone stays cooped up in the Calm Belt instead of going out to fight strong opponents."

"Our entire nation's will to fight has faded almost completely. If this continues, our country truly will perish."

Determination shone in Hancock's eyes. "So we must leave the Calm Belt and sail into the Grand Line, whatever it takes."

By then, Marigold and Sandersonia had gradually recovered.

"You're right, big sister. We'll follow your lead."

The two nodded, quick to agree.

Thud.

Elder Nyon struck the floor with her cane, hopped up to stand on it, and spread her arms, her face full of relief.

"Snake Princess, I never expected such a change in you. This is wonderful."

"I noticed the problem you described long ago. I simply never told you."

Elder Nyon looked at Hancock with a warm smile. "Before, you were far too confident in your strength to listen to advice."

"Now you recognize your shortcomings and want to change. I'm very glad."

Hancock rose and turned her back on Elder Nyon. "Gloriosa, who do you think you are? Spare me your lectures, you traitor who abandoned our country."

Elder Nyon bristled at once and moved to argue, but Marigold and Sandersonia held her back.

"Snake Princess, you dare call me a traitor? Nyon, nyon~~"

"I've always protected you like a mother! Don't you know that?"

Marigold and Sandersonia nodded repeatedly, smiling. "Yes, yes..."

"Elder Nyon, please don't be angry. Big sister didn't mean it like that."

Hancock ignored all three of them. She rested a delicate hand on Salome's head, a sweet, happy smile lighting her fair face.

"Chris, wait for me. We'll meet again in the New World."

"I can't wait for that day..."

Somewhere on the seas of the West Blue.

A large ship cut through the water, sailing swiftly toward the North Blue.

Inside the Training Room.