Bullet raised an eyebrow upon hearing Roy's arrangement:
"You want to hold special training on Amazon Lily too?"
"It depends."
Roy's tone was flat.
" Amazon Lily is our ally, and the stronger our ally is, the more advantageous it is for us."
But the prerequisite is to handle the immediate crisis first.
Crocodile, with a cigar dangling from his lips, exhaled a puff of smoke and slowly said:
"Those women on Amazon Lily are incredibly stubborn."
"Take your men up there for training, just make sure they don't perceive it as a provocation."
Roy smiled but didn't reply.
Half an hour later, in the square in front of the Hachinosu Palace, the Hancock Sisters had changed into casual clothes, each carrying a simple bag on their back.
Hancock's eyes were still a little red, but her expression had returned to its usual calm.
But there was a heavier look in those deep purple eyes than usual.
Vera personally delivered the storage bag, filled with various emergency medicines, surgical instruments, and a batch of potent nutrient solutions produced on Hachinosu.
That's a great thing for recovery after Bloodline Transplantation, and it also has excellent nourishing effects for ordinary people.
Tesoro hovered behind Roy and asked in a low voice:
"Boss, are you sure you don't need me to go along?"
You stay behind.
Roy took the storage bag and hung it on his waist.
I'm a little worried about Bullet being alone on the island.
"If he's already conspired with Kaido to fight Whitebeard, someone has to step in and break them up."
Tesoro's lips twitched.
He imagined himself trying to persuade Bullet and Kaido not to fight Whitebeard, and thought the scene was too beautiful, but he still nodded.
Roy turned around and looked at the Hancock Sisters.
His Telekinesis silently unfolded from his body, and the invisible force gently enveloped the three girls.
"Hold on tight. Let's go."
The next second, the four of them took off from the plaza, passed through the thin layer of clouds above the Hachinosu, and sped off towards the Calm Belt.
The last rays of the setting sun fell upon the four people, casting long shadows behind them.
Hancock glanced back at the ever-shrinking Hachinosu, clenched her fist, and a determined glint flashed in her eyes.
Elder Torch Lily, I'm back.
The sea surface in the Calm Belt was as calm as a giant black mirror.
From the air, those giant Sea Kings lurking beneath the surface of the sea appear as blurry shadows.
They occasionally surface to breathe, creating ripples on the mirror-like surface.
For an ordinary person, just seeing this scene would be enough to make their legs go weak.
But this wasn't Roy's first time crossing the Calm Belt.
His Telekinesis Field enveloped the Boa Sisters, completely shielding their presence, making them completely undetectable to the giant, highly perceptive sea monsters.
As the clouds parted, the island silhouette of Amazon Lily gradually emerged from the morning mist.
It was an island surrounded by a massive wall, built by ancient craftsmen countless years ago using giant stones, each stone larger than a house.
The city walls are carved with serpentine totems of the Kuja Tribe, which gleam with a cold, eerie light in the morning glow.
Hancock looked at the familiar island, her fingers unconsciously clenching into a fist.
Her expression was complex—a mixture of trepidation at returning home, worry about the Torch Lily, and the weight of the responsibility she was about to shoulder.
Three years ago, when she left the island, she was just a little girl who only admired Lord Roy.
Now that she has returned, she is the successor on whom high hopes are placed.
Roy glanced down at Amazon Lily, which was shrouded in a somber atmosphere.
His Observation Haki covered the entire Amazon Lily--
The female soldiers patrolled listlessly in the harbor, the flags in front of the palace were flown at half-mast, and a suffocating, almost tangible, sorrow permeated the island.
"Conceal your aura."
Roy's voice rang in the ears of the three of them.
"Don't disturb the people on the island."
The four landed silently in the plaza in front of the Amazon Lily palace.
Before they could even get their bearings, the palace gates burst open, Elder Nyon, leaning on her snake staff, led a dozen or so high-ranking warriors from Amazon Lily to greet them.
The former Pirate Empress of Amazon Lily, an old woman who had lived for over a hundred years, now looked at least ten years older than she had three years ago.
The wrinkles on his face looked like they were carved by a knife, and his eyes were dark-rimmed, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept for a long time.
The moment Elder Nyon saw the Hancock Sisters, her tense face finally relaxed.
She strode forward, extended her hand covered in age spots, and grasped Hancock's hand tightly.
"I'm back... I'm finally back..."
Hancock grasped Elder Nyon's hand, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed emotion. "Where's Elder Torch Lily?"
Elder Nyon's eyes darkened for a moment, she lowered her head, and turned to walk deeper into the palace.
The Hancock Sisters followed in her footsteps, with Roy bringing up the rear, his gaze sweeping over the expressions on the faces of the Kuja Warriors on either side of the palace.
Heavy, uneasy, and with a touch of fear.
As they walked through the palace corridor, Elder Nyon lowered her voice and began to tell Roy and Hancock about the current situation on the island.
" Torch Lily has been in a coma for several days, and recently she has only woken up two or three times a day, with each awakening lasting for a shorter and shorter period of time."
We've seen all the doctors on the island, and they all say it's Love Sickness, but there's no cure for it.
Hancock bit her lip and remained silent.
Love Sickness – a unique and incurable disease of Amazon Lily.
Many of the Pirate Empress throughout history fell ill due to lovesickness and eventually died young.
This disease is not an ordinary physical ailment, but a curse that is deeply intertwined with the mind and body. The more powerful the Pirate Empress, the more dangerous it is when it flares up.
Elder Nyon's voice lowered even further:
"What's more troublesome is that several factions have emerged on the island vying for power."
Torch Lily has no direct bloodline. According to the tradition of Amazon Lily, the position of Pirate Empress should be inherited by you.
But some people disagreed. They said you spent three years outside the island and weren't qualified to succeed to the throne; some even said you—"
She glanced at Roy, but didn't continue.
Hancock's face turned cold. "What did you say?"
"The person who calls you the Emperor of the Sea is not from Amazon Lily."
They said that after you ascend to the throne, you will turn Amazon Lily into a vassal state of Hachinosu.
Hancock stopped in her tracks.
But she simply took a deep breath, then continued walking, her tone eerily calm:
"We'll talk about these things after Elder Torch Lily wakes up."
Elder Nyon nodded, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes.
Three years have passed, and this little girl is no longer the impulsive and reckless girl she once was.
The group passed through the last palace gate, Torch Lily's bedroom came into view.
Pushing open the door, a strong smell of medicine hit me.
The bedchamber was dimly lit, with the windows completely covered by heavy curtains, and only a candlestick by the bedside emitting a faint light.
Torch Lily lay on the bed, covered with a traditional snake-patterned brocade quilt from Amazon Lily. Her once heroic face was now completely devoid of color.
His cheekbones were high and prominent, his eye sockets were deeply sunken, and he was so thin that he was almost just skin and bones.
Hancock stood in the doorway, her steps heavy as if filled with lead.
The Torch Lily seemed to sense something; its cloudy eyes slowly opened.
His gaze lingered for a moment in the dimly lit room before finally settling on Hancock.
A glimmer of light appeared in her eyes.