Chapter 69 / Chapter 70

"I will kill you. I swear I will!"

Gamenio burst into wild laughter. "You still don't get it, Boa Hancock."

"If I hadn't been holding back, you'd already be lying on the ground. You wouldn't be standing there talking to me."

"If you were a man, you'd have died a hundred times over. Believe me."

Gamenio looked Hancock up and down. "You're too beautiful. I can't bring myself to hurt you."

"Sorry about the trouble, and please send flowers."

"I wouldn't allow a woman as stunning as you to suffer even the slightest injury."

"Come with me, Boa Hancock. I swear I'll treat you well. From now on, I'll do whatever you say."

"A woman like you is worth giving up everything for!"

Hancock knitted her elegant brows, searching desperately for a way to defeat him.

She kept saying she would kill Gamenio, but she knew those were empty words.

She—Ben—simply couldn't do it!

This Lizard Man was too strong. She, Ben, was no match for him.

For the first time, Hancock felt the sting of regret and shame.

She had left Amazon Lily full of confidence, declaring that she would shake the seas and show everyone her strength.

Yet she hadn't even reached the New World before encountering an opponent she couldn't beat.

The realization wounded Hancock deeply.

Her proud heart, which had always refused to bow, finally came back down to earth.

She admitted it. She had been wrong all along...

"Well? Have you made up your mind?"

Gamenio gazed at Hancock's breathtaking beauty and laughed. "Take your time. I've got plenty of it. Hiss, hiss."

"You know, Boa Hancock, I used to sail with Whitebeard. I followed him to more places than I can count."

"I've seen every kind of beautiful woman there is."

"But I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you. Not once."

Gamenio studied the beauty before him, his eyes hungry as he began appraising her aloud.

"Such silky hair, such captivating eyes, such fair skin..."

"Beautiful. I don't even know what to say. You're perfect. I can't find a single flaw, Ben."

"My god... How can a woman this flawless exist? I'm crazy about you, Boa Hancock!"

(Everyone, that's Gamenio in the picture above. He isn't from the anime or a movie; he's a character who hasn't appeared yet. If you want to know more about him, look him up. I won't go into it here.)

Chapter 69

The warriors of Amazon Lily bristled at Gamenio's brazen words.

"Let's help her! Even if we have to fight to the death!"

"Exactly! The warriors of Amazon Lily have never feared death!"

"Lady Sandersonia, Lady Marigold, let us attack! We'll defend the Snake Princess with our lives!"

"When I chose to follow the Snake Princess out to sea, I accepted that I might die. We have to protect her, no matter what!"

"Let us fight! Please, let us help the Snake Princess!"

Marigold fell silent, torn as she weighed their options.

Sandersonia did not hesitate. "Stop saying such foolish things! Do you hear me?"

"You're all people of Amazon Lily. How could we stand by and watch you die?"

"We set out together, and we'll return together. Every one of us must make it home safely. We won't throw lives away."

Kalana frowned with worry. "But we can't keep this up. We have no idea when Lord Chris will arrive, Ben."

"Even if we're only buying time, there's a limit. That bastard won't wait forever."

Sure enough, Gamenio had finished admiring Hancock and seemed to have reached his conclusions.

"Well? Still haven't decided?"

Gamenio shrugged and laughed. "Boa Hancock, strength rules this world!"

"I'm this strong. What's there to think about? Be my woman."

"I may adore you, but even my patience has limits."

Gamenio stared at Hancock with a hungry grin.

"If you keep refusing, I'll have to take you by force."

"You might get hurt then. I don't want that, but I won't have a choice."

Hancock's brows remained tightly drawn, never relaxing. Ben.

She had considered one plan after another, only to reject them all.

The bastard before her seemed to have no weakness. Whatever she did, she could not beat him.

"Marigold, Sandersonia, take the citizens and leave. Now."

Hancock turned toward the warriors of Amazon Lily and gave the order, her face grave.

The women understood at once. Hancock meant to fight to the end.

She was ready to stake her life on it!

"No, big sister! We'll fight with you. If we die, we die together."

Marigold grew frantic, but her voice was firm.

Sandersonia fixed her gaze on Gamenio. "Even if it kills us, we won't leave."

"That's right, Snake Princess! Please let us fight beside you!"

The warriors of Amazon Lily cried out, ready to die. Not one of them showed fear.

Hancock was about to speak when Gamenio cut in.

"Are you all looking to die?"

Gamenio eyed them coldly. "I could deal with the lot of you in seconds. What a worthless bunch."

Then an idea struck him.

He looked at the breathtaking beauty and grinned as he made his threat.

"Boa Hancock, I know how to make you submit now. What you said just gave away your weakness. Hahaha!"

"If I hold your people hostage, will you still dare refuse me?"

Gamenio gave Hancock a cruel smile. "I'll ask you one more time. Will you be my woman?"

"If I don't like your answer, I'll kill them."

"One by one!"

Hancock flew into a rage. She kicked off the ground and shot toward Gamenio like an arrow.

"You dare threaten me? Die!"

"Perfume Femur!"

Her high-heeled right leg swept viciously toward Gamenio's head.

The force of it made the air tremble.

"Too slow. Your speed is nothing to me."

Gamenio had found a better approach. Instead of meeting Hancock head-on, he leaped aside and evaded her attack.

He shot her a cold glance and bared his teeth in a vicious smile. "Fine. You've used up the last of my patience."

"I'll give you a little punishment first, so you understand the consequences."

He clenched his right fist. His biceps bulged as he drew his arm back, ready to swing.

A pale ring of light appeared and wrapped around his fist.

It gleamed in the sunlight, carrying a mysterious power.

"Run..."

Hancock's pupils contracted when she saw what he was doing. She whipped around and shouted to her people.

She acted proud and aloof, as though she cared nothing for them.

But it was only an act. She, Ben, cared deeply.

Now worry filled her beautiful face.

"Get out of the way!"

At Hancock's warning, the warriors of Amazon Lily turned to flee.

"Too late! Hahaha!"

"Let me show you my greatest power. Tremor!"

Gamenio roared and punched the air toward the fleeing citizens.

Boom!

A sharp crack rang out. Dense white fractures spread through the air.

Rumble!

The ground split apart. The air shook violently, and trees and flowers toppled as the destruction surged toward the citizens.

"Aaah!"

Screams rang out as every last one of them fell to the ground.

They looked battered and disheveled, but none had been hurt.

"See how strong I am, Boa Hancock?"

Gamenio gave her a chilling smile. "That was your first warning. If you still refuse, I'm afraid..."

"I won't hold back next time. I'll kill them one by one."

(Everyone, Kalana was mentioned last chapter, and she's the one in the picture. She appeared in an anime special—the one with the strongest bounty hunter. If you don't remember her, you can go back and watch it. I won't say more here.)

Chapter 70

"Is everyone all right? Is anyone hurt?"

Hancock moved in a flash, arriving before the people of Amazon Lily.

The ground around them was torn apart, riddled with cracks. Trees had fallen, flowers lay broken, and devastation stretched as far as the eye could see.

It looked like a ruin!

"Big sister..."

Sandersonia and Marigold called out as Hancock approached.

"We're all right, Snake Princess!"

The citizens rose one by one, dusty and disheveled.

Kalana looked at Hancock, her face grave and her voice resolute. "Snake Princess, please escape!"