The sailboat traveled along the edge of the Calm Belt, struggling forward through the conch's faint connection with the Sea Kings. Allen stood at the bow, maintaining a small shield with the Power of Zhulong to deflect the abnormal currents that occasionally appeared.
"What's the Land of Women actually like?" Luffy stretched his neck to look ahead, curiosity written all over his rubber face.
Ace wiped his pipe, his tone cautious. "I heard everyone there is a woman, and they absolutely hate men. Is it really all right for us to go there?"
Sabo studied the sea chart. "According to the information Makino gave us, Amazon Lily is deep inside the Calm Belt. Ordinary ships can't reach it at all. With the conch guiding us, we might make it."
Allen nodded. "Makino said an old friend of the Portgas family lives there. More importantly..." He touched the Ark Core tucked against his chest. "Another core is there."
After several days at sea, the outline of an island finally appeared ahead. Surrounded by sheer cliffs, it was shaped like a coiled giant snake, giving it an air of mystery and danger.
"So that's Amazon Lily..." Allen's Observation Haki sensed powerful presences on the island. "Get ready. We might not be welcome."
Sure enough, as their boat approached, several Haki-coated arrows tore through the air and embedded themselves precisely in the bow deck! A cold female voice rang out from above the cliffs:
"No men allowed! Come any closer, and you will be killed on sight!"
Allen looked up and saw several figures standing on the cliff. The woman leading them was tall and slender, holding a longbow, her gaze icy.
He stepped forward, using the Power of Zhulong to carry his voice across the shore. "We seek shelter! I am Portgas D. Allen, here on Makino's instructions!"
At the names "Portgas" and "Makino," the woman's expression shifted slightly. She hesitated for a moment before saying coldly, "Prove your identity."
Allen took out the token Makino had given him-a snake-shaped ring. Seeing it, the woman finally nodded. "Lower a boat. Only one person may come ashore. The others must wait aboard."
Under his companions' worried gazes, Allen took the small boat ashore alone. Following the woman through a maze of passages, he reached the island's interior.
The sight before him shocked Allen. Unlike the treacherous terrain outside, the island's interior was a secluded paradise: lush forests, exquisite buildings, and... powerful female warriors everywhere. Each radiated a considerable presence, clearly having undergone rigorous training.
At last, they arrived before a magnificent palace. The woman motioned for Allen to wait and went inside to announce him.
A moment later, she returned. "The Pirate Empress will see you. Watch your words. The consequences of offending her are worse than death."
Inside the palace, an extraordinarily beautiful woman reclined languidly on the throne. She had long, jet-black hair and an alluring figure, but her most striking feature was her eyes-both seductive and majestic, as though they could bewitch all living beings.
Boa Hancock! One of the Shichibukai, the Pirate Empress of Amazon Lily!
Allen could feel her powerful Conqueror's Haki, as well as... a certain deeply buried sorrow.
"So, you are a descendant of the Portgas family?" Hancock's voice held a magnetic charm, yet was cold as frost. "Is Makino well?"
Allen answered cautiously, "She's doing well. She sent us to find you..."
"Us?" Hancock raised an eyebrow. "You're not alone?"
"My younger brothers are still waiting on the boat. The World Government is hunting us. We need temporary shelter."
Hancock suddenly rose and descended from her throne, step by step. Her presence exerted tremendous pressure, but protected by the Power of Zhulong, Allen stood unmoving.
"Interesting." Surprise flickered in Hancock's eyes. "Ordinary men would have already submitted to my charms, yet you show no reaction. As expected of the Portgas bloodline."
She struck without warning! A Perfume Femur shot straight toward Allen's face, its speed beyond imagination!
Caught off guard, Allen hurriedly channeled the Power of Zhulong, instantly unleashing his Light and Dark Domain! Hancock's attack slowed slightly within it, allowing him to turn sideways and dodge!
"Oh?" Hancock looked even more surprised. "An unusual ability. Again!"
The fight erupted in an instant! Hancock's hand-to-hand combat skills were extremely formidable, and combined with the Love-Love Fruit's charm, they would have defeated an ordinary opponent long ago. But Allen's Torch Dragon Domain could disrupt sight and perception, while his Observation Haki let him anticipate her movements, allowing him to barely hold his own!
The palace guards were dumbstruck. They had never seen anyone last so long against the Pirate Empress, much less a man!
"Enough." Hancock abruptly stopped, revealing a meaningful smile. "You've passed the test. Boy of the Portgas family, you and your companions may stay for now."
She turned and walked back to her throne. "However, you must obey the island's rules. Men are forbidden from entering the village and may move only within designated areas. Violators... will be killed on sight."
Allen breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your generosity."
Under Hancock's arrangements, the group settled into a secluded cove along the coast. The Pirate Empress sent a doctor to treat Sabo's injured leg and supplied food and necessities.
But Allen could sense that the island's women remained wary and hostile toward them. Hancock's two younger sisters, Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold, in particular, frequently came to "inspect" them, plainly keeping them under surveillance.
That night, Allen quietly took out the Ark Core. It vibrated, pointing in a particular direction deep within the island.
"Core 'Olympus' located 3.2 kilometers to the northwest... Status: active... Warning: guarded by powerful energy..."
Olympus... a core representing strength and dominion? No wonder Hancock was so powerful.
Allen decided to explore the island at night. Channeling the Power of Zhulong, he blended into the darkness like a shadow, evading patrols as he crept in the direction indicated by the core.
The deeper he went, the stranger his surroundings became. The plants and animals here were abnormally huge, and a certain energy permeated the air. Allen could sense that the entire island seemed to be one enormous energy field, with the core at its center.
At last, he reached a hidden valley. An ancient temple stood at its center, its style similar to the ancient ruins he had seen before. Two enormous, lifelike snake statues stood at its entrance.
The Ark Core vibrated even more violently. "Core 'Olympus' located deep within the temple... Warning: living guardian detected..."
A living guardian? Allen warily extended his Observation Haki and, sure enough, sensed a powerful living presence inside the temple!
He slipped quietly inside. The murals depicted ancient stories: a pact between the snake god and humanity, the rise and fall of the Ancient Kingdom, and... the origins of the Kuja Tribe.
It turned out that the Kuja Tribe were not ordinary humans, but descendants of the Ancient Kingdom and some kind of serpentine creature! That was the source of their strength!
In the deepest part of the temple, a glowing sphere hovered above an altar-the core, Olympus! Unlike Eden, however, this core seemed fully activated, radiating powerful waves of energy!
Guarding the core was an enormous python! It lay coiled there, its head alone larger than Allen, its golden slit pupils like two lamps in the darkness!
Sensing Allen's presence, the giant python abruptly raised its head and hissed threateningly!
Allen immediately channeled the Power of Zhulong, revealing his golden slit pupils. Unexpectedly, upon seeing his eyes, the giant python actually hesitated slightly, seemingly confused.
Just then, a voice came from behind him. "Here you are, as expected. I knew you would come."
Hancock stepped out of the shadows, her expression complicated. "You can see them, can't you? Those ancient images."
Allen was surprised. "You know..."
"The Kuja Tribe has guarded this secret for generations." Hancock stroked the giant python, which obediently lowered its head. "Ancient blood flows through our veins, and we remember the history that was erased."
She looked toward the core. "Olympus, the core of power. It grants the Kuja Tribe great strength, but it also brings a curse-we cannot leave the island for too long, or our strength will decline."
Allen began to understand. "So that's why you accepted a position among the Shichibukai? To preserve the Kuja Tribe's independence?"
Hancock nodded. "The World Government doesn't know the core exists, but they suspect an ancient legacy lies on this island. I must maneuver among the various powers to protect my people and our secret."
She suddenly asked Allen, "The one you carry... is Eden, isn't it? The knowledge core."
Allen was stunned. "How did you..."
"Olympus told me." Hancock pointed at the glowing core. "They can sense each other. When you approached, Olympus grew restless."
She sighed. "Makino sent you here, so she must believe the time has come. The Portgas family has always had an alliance with the Kuja Tribe. Your grandmother was even a close friend of the previous Pirate Empress."
Recalling Makino's words, Allen finally understood what she had meant by an "old friend."
Hancock continued, "The World Government has been making frequent moves lately. They seem to have discovered something. I suspect it concerns the Ancient Weapons."
Something stirred in Allen's heart, and he briefly recounted what he had seen and heard in Loguetown, along with Akainu's pursuit.
Hancock's expression grew grave. "As I thought... they may be searching for Poseidon." She looked at Allen. "You have the conch, don't you?"
Allen nodded.
"This is serious trouble." Hancock frowned. "The conch's appearance will accelerate every faction's movements. A Marine Admiral is probably only the beginning."
Just then, the Olympus Core suddenly erupted with brilliant light! An image projected into the air-
It showed an unfamiliar stretch of sea, its waters crimson as blood. Deep beneath the surface, some enormous construct was awakening! Shaped like a trident, it radiated heart-stopping waves of energy!
"Warning: Sea King Poseidon fully awakened... Uranus replica system activated... Pluton coordinates exposed... Final countdown initiated: 279 days..."
The image vanished, but the information made both their expressions change drastically.
"279 days..." Hancock murmured. "Until the day at the summit..."
She abruptly turned to Allen. "You must grow stronger faster! Before the final moment arrives, you must gain enough power!"
From that day onward, Allen began special training on Amazon Lily. Hancock personally guided him in refining his Haki, while the Kuja Tribe's warriors became his sparring partners. Under the energy radiating from the Olympus Core, his strength improved rapidly.
To Allen's even greater delight, Hancock agreed to let Ace and the other two train as well! Although their movements remained restricted, it was already a rare opportunity.
Ace's flame control grew increasingly refined, and he even developed a preliminary form of Flame Emperor. Sabo's injured leg had largely healed under treatment with the Kuja's secret medicine, and his hand-to-hand combat skills and Observation Haki improved greatly. Luffy unexpectedly won the affection of the Kuja warriors and developed more ways to use his rubber abilities.
One day, during a break in training, Hancock suddenly asked Allen, "Do you know why the Kuja Tribe despises men?"
Allen shook his head.
"Because of betrayal." Hancock's eyes darkened. "When the Ancient Kingdom fell, our former male allies turned against us. Ever since then, the Kuja Tribe has never trusted men again."
She looked toward Ace and the other two training in the distance. "But you... seem different. Luffy, especially. He has qualities similar to Roger's."
Allen said softly, "Not all men are untrustworthy. Just as not all women are kind."
Hancock smiled. "You sound like Makino. She once told me the same thing."
Day after day passed, and at last, the time to leave arrived.
"You cannot stay much longer," Hancock said seriously. "The World Government's informants have already noticed unusual activity on Amazon Lily. Staying any longer will implicate the Kuja Tribe."
She handed Allen an Eternal Pose. "It points to Water 7. Another ally of the Portgas family lives there, and they can also provide you with a better ship."
Then she took out a letter. "Give this to a man named Iceburg. He will help you."
Before they parted, Hancock suddenly gave Allen a brief embrace and said softly, "Take care, cousin. May the snake god bless you all."
Carrying the Kuja Tribe's blessings and a new mission, the group set sail once more.
Standing at the bow, Allen looked back at the gradually receding Amazon Lily, his heart filled with emotion.
On this island ruled by women, they had not only gained strength, but also discovered another chapter of their family's history.
And what surprises and challenges would Water 7 bring?
The sailboat headed toward their new destination, and Allen tightened his grip on the Eternal Pose.
Whatever lay ahead, they would face it bravely.
Because they carried the blood of Portgas and Monkey, and they were the ones who would stir the tides of the era.