Regarding the matter of Adam, Hancock had some preparation in her heart, so Stussy was also aware that the child's appearance wouldn't cause her to lose composure.
Of course, now that her maternal instincts were fully activated, Stussy wouldn't use her precious Adam as a tool.
The real 'killer move' was saved for last.
Actually, back when Dr. Vegapunk showed her the three Seraphim, this idea had already sprung to mind.
Later, Adam's transfer of control over them was a huge step forward for Stussy's plan.
She didn't even need to think of a reason to convince Dr. Vegapunk.
That's why, among the three Seraphim, she only chose Medusa.
"You all..."
Hancock was somewhat grinding her teeth, her Haki wildly spreading around without restraint.
Elder Nyon, leaning on her snake staff, shouted over.
"Hancock! Stop it now!"
Unfortunately, Hancock ignored the old woman's words completely, still firmly staring at the miniature version of herself beside Stussy.
To be honest, Stussy could have ordered Medusa to do things that would make Hancock even more frantic.
But considering they were essentially cut from the same cloth, plus this terrifying woman's unreasonable combat power, what if the other completely lost her mind and hurt her child?
So, Stussy only had Medusa perform some ordinary service work… just like usual.
Things like a maid or attendant.
The instant terrifying Conqueror's Haki that Hancock erupted nearly condensed into a solid. Medusa, this loyal servant, naturally couldn't ignore it.
She almost instinctively stepped in front of Stussy and Adam, assuming a combat stance.
If Medusa had done nothing, it might have been fine. Hancock's anger would have flared up and then subsided after a while.
But Medusa deliberately assumed that signature [Mero Mero Mellow] firing pose right in front of Hancock, which directly made the Empress laugh in anger.
"Interesting! Stussy, your courage is truly admirable!"
By the last few words, she was almost grinding her teeth.
The next moment, Hancock's figure disappeared from everyone's sight, then rapidly reappeared behind Medusa. Simultaneously, those high heels she never changed, even during pregnancy, slowly touched the ground.
And the cyborg weapon that the World Government, the Marines, and Vegapunk had high hopes for, intended to replace the Warlords, had at some point turned into a stone statue.
It was proven that experimental data couldn't perfectly replicate the true strength of the original.
Especially after someone's intervention, Hancock's strength had already surpassed her original timeline self.
In terms of speed, Haki quantity, and combat experience, Medusa couldn't possibly be Hancock's match.
Stussy was aware of this too.
But she hadn't imagined the gap in combat power between the two would be this large.
"If this impostor is the source of your courage to provoke me, then you can be afraid now."
Hancock looked down at Stussy from above.
And Stussy, even knowing she was no match for Hancock in terms of combat power, showed no fear or retreat.
"Oh? Why should I be afraid?"
"Are you going to kill me? Sweetie?"
The last word was spoken in a voice only the two of them could hear, causing the Empress radiating Haki to instinctively recall a certain night... or certain nights when they had fought side by side.
'Oh dear! How absurd!'
'Why did I ever agree to such a request back then!'
'Damn it!!'
This directly disrupted Hancock's train of thought. The spreading Haki instantly stopped, and the originally fierce words she was about to speak got stuck in her throat.
The useless husband, Naruto, could only silently stand by and watch the two women. If it suddenly started raining heavily now, he might be able to shout lines like a movie heroine, "Stop fighting, please stop fighting!"
Unfortunately, given Amazon Lily's climate, it probably wouldn't rain anytime soon.
When Konohamaru and the two princesses, Marigold and Sandersonia, arrived in front of the palace, this was the scene they saw.
The three parties involved stood in a triangular formation, while the onlookers stayed far away, not daring to say a word.
Fortunately, because of the Haki purge, this family drama scene wasn't witnessed by the citizens who worshipped the Empress.
However, their arrival apart from adding new members to the spectator group had no other effect.
What was happening here was, after all, their 'family internal affairs'. Even the two princesses couldn't intervene.
Besides hoping that Naruto would suddenly man up and restore his husbandly authority, what else could they hope for?
It turned out there was indeed a turning point.
"Haa..."
Just as the two strong women were glaring at each other tensely, the little ball of flesh, who had at some point been woken from sleep, suddenly reached out and grabbed the hem of Hancock's clothes.
Then, with his pure, uniquely colored big eyes, he looked at this woman who could also be called 'mother', and suddenly broke into a smile.
The baby's laugh seemed to draw a pause on this successful provocation.
Both Hancock and Stussy simultaneously looked at this little ball of flesh.
"Gah... ya..."
His little hand gently patted Hancock, then rested on her belly.
Adam seemed to sense that there was another little life, from the same origin, inside there, and even his movements became 'careful'.
And this scene seemed to strike the softest place in the Empress Hancock's heart.
She too was about to become a mother. Coupled with the complex relationship she had with Stussy and Naruto, even her gaze towards the little one softened.
Stussy also seemed to sense this, so she made a somewhat bold move.
She gently placed Adam in her arms into Hancock's hands, watching as the other carefully held the child as if holding a bomb.
"...It's okay. You should hold him like this..."
In just a few days, Stussy had already learned a lot about infant care… she was serious about the child.
And this was truly Hancock's first time holding a baby.
Under Stussy's guidance, she finally held the little one sideways in her arms in a position that would make the child more comfortable.
Soft, just like cotton candy.
It was a very magical feeling.
And Stussy, watching her son still not crying or fussing in Hancock's hands, didn't feel her usual 'jealousy'.
The two mothers fell into a silent understanding.
"Hehe... are your arms tired? Want me to hold him for a while?"
Bam!
Slowly withdrawing her fist, ignoring her husband who had dramatically lain down pretending to be unconscious, Hancock watched Adam laugh in her arms at the sudden sound of the hit, then gently returned the child to his mother's arms.
Hancock reached out a finger and gently stroked the child's cheek as if caressing a precious jewel, then turned and walked towards the palace.
"—Oh, and you don't need to stay in that guest room anymore."
Hancock arranged without turning back.
Previously, including Stussy, Karin, Sasuke, and the others, they had all been arranged to stay in another residential area, though Stussy always secretly ran into the palace at night.
The others were somewhat puzzled, but Hancock's next sentence quickly explained the reason.
"Elder Nyon, have someone help her move. Move her into the palace... to the room next to mine."
With that, she casually waved her hand, and the petrified Medusa rapidly returned to normal.
Then, she fled back into the palace as if escaping.
"Hmph, what a shy one, aren't they, sweetie..."
Stussy tickled Adam's belly, watching her child not laugh but instead show a confused expression, and began to feel frustrated inside again.
But this frustration came and went quickly.
"Hmph, I still don't believe it..."
Holding her child, Stussy, accompanied by the somewhat bewildered Medusa, ignoring her husband still clowning around on the ground, also walked towards the huge palace of the Amazon Lily's Empress.
...
"Naruto, you messed up."
Sasuke crouched beside Naruto, poking his friend's head with a twig.
In response, the 'unconscious' Naruto precisely slapped the twig away.
"What do you know? Everything is going according to my plan."
"Tch... as if anyone would believe that."