Hancock gazed at Karl with her beautiful eyes and gently pressed her lips together.
"Mm… I'll listen to you."
The two lay side by side on the beach, loosely covering their private areas with clothing. Only then did Karl speak again.
"Have you ever heard of Sky Island?"
"Sky Island?" Hancock blinked. "You mean the islands in the sky? But… isn't that just a legend?"
Karl said with certainty,
"Sky Island is real. It exists—ten thousand meters above the sea."
"I think, before the Seven Warlords system is abolished, you could relocate your people to Sky Island. That way, even if the system disappears, the Kuja Tribe will still have a way out."
Hancock stared silently at the vast blue sky. After a long pause, she spoke softly.
"But Amazon Lily is where the Kuja have lived for generations. If we leave it, then we…"
"Amazon Lily isn't a place," Karl interrupted gently.
"It's the people."
He looked straight into her sapphire-like eyes.
"As long as the Kuja Tribe still exists, anywhere can be Amazon Lily. Isn't that right?"
Hancock froze.
Karl's words struck her like a wake-up call.
That's right.
As long as the Kuja Tribe survived, why cling to a barren island with scarce resources?
"…You're right," Hancock said slowly.
"Then… where is Sky Island? So I can start preparing."
"Seven thousand meters above Jaya Island," Karl replied.
"The exact route still needs confirmation, but don't worry. In a few days, I'll go check it myself. Once I understand the situation clearly, we'll decide on relocation."
Hancock hugged Karl's arm tightly.
"Let me go with you," she said firmly.
"I want to see this Sky Island with my own eyes."
Karl frowned slightly—then relaxed.
"…Alright. We'll go together."
"But before that, I need to deal with a small fry."
"A small fry?" Hancock tilted her head. "A pirate?"
Karl pulled a crumpled bounty poster from his suit jacket.
"Fire Fist Ace. I'm here to invite him to join the Seven Warlords."
"Fire Fist Ace?" Hancock was surprised.
"But aren't the Seven Warlords already full?"
Karl smiled faintly.
"If he agrees, Gecko Moria will be removed."
"That's how I know the Warlords system is already entering its countdown."
"Oh~"
Hancock clearly didn't care much about the Warlords anymore—her mind was already filled with thoughts of traveling with Karl in a few days.
Karl stayed on Amazon Lily for several more days, living like an emperor.
Until—
The Navy Headquarters finally sent the confirmed location of the Spade Pirates.
"Hancock, are the arrangements finished?" Karl asked.
Hancock, wearing a deep-blue low-cut formal dress, nodded.
"Of course. My sisters will take care of Amazon Lily."
"Good. Then let's go."
Karl patted Raven's head.
"Time to work."
"Gaa!"
Raven rapidly grew in size, transforming into a massive beast nearly eight meters long, easily carrying both Karl and Hancock.
As they flew into the sky, Hancock curiously looked down at the full view of Amazon Lily.
"This is my first time seeing it from so high up," she said softly.
"Your Raven really is amazing," she added.
"My Salome just eats all day. Eats, sleeps… apart from being cute, she's useless."
Karl laughed.
"Haha, Raven's a foodie too. You probably don't know—every time we come here, it eats its fill."
"Is that so?" Hancock chuckled. "How interesting."
Water 7 — The City of Shipwrights
A pirate ship quietly docked in a secluded corner.
Several pirates disembarked.
"Not bad, not bad~" someone whistled.
"Water 7 really lives up to its reputation. Right, Boss?"
Ace shielded his eyes from the sun and looked toward the shipyards, grinning.
"Time's tight, guys. We need to repair and upgrade the ship quickly if we want to handle the New World's seas."
"Deuce (doctor), Mihal (sniper), we're counting on you two to watch the ship. We'll go find shipwrights."
"No problem, Boss!"
Ace nodded and led the others into Water 7.
Not long after—
A massive black bird appeared in the sky, circling above the Spade Pirates' ship.
"That one?" Hancock asked.
Karl nodded.
"That's them. They're probably here for ship repairs. Let's go ask."
"Raven, land on that ship."
"Gaaa!"
On deck, Mihal was reading when the light suddenly dimmed.
He looked up—and his eyes nearly popped out.
"Deuce! Get over here—something's wrong!"
"What is it—HOLY—what is that thing?! Wait… there are people on it?!"
Raven landed steadily and shrank back down.
Karl jumped down with Hancock in his arms and smiled warmly at the two pirates.
He didn't recognize them.
"I'm Navy Headquarters Admiral Candidate, White Crow Vice Admiral. You can call me Karl."
"You're the Spade Pirates, right?"
Admiral Candidate… White Crow?!
Deuce's face went pale.
Wasn't this the guy from the newspaper just a few days ago?!
And that woman—
Isn't she the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock?!
Why is she with a Navy officer?!
"W-what do you want?" Deuce stammered.
Karl smiled lightly.
"So you really are Ace's men."
"Where is Ace? I need to speak with him. Tell him to come see me."
Deuce glanced at Mihal. A brief exchange of looks—and instant agreement.
"Don't even think about it!" Deuce shouted.
"Even if you kill me, I won't tell you where the captain is!"
Karl snorted and pointed toward Water 7.
"Do you think I'm stupid?"
"If you came to Water 7, what else could you be here for?"
"Even if you don't tell me, I'll find him."
"Besides, I'm not here to cause trouble."
He raised a document.
"See this? Seven Warlords invitation letter. You know what this means, right?"
Deuce blinked.
"…You're saying the Navy wants to invite Captain Ace to become a Warlord?"
"Correct," Karl said calmly.
"If he agrees, he'll replace Gecko Moria as one of the Seven Warlords."
He leaned against the railing and looked at them leisurely.
"My purpose is clear now."
"So—are you going to call Ace?"
Deuce and Mihal looked at each other again.
Finally, Deuce clenched his teeth.
"I'll go get Captain Ace!"
"Mihal, the ship's yours!"
With that, Deuce jumped off the ship and sprinted toward Water 7.
Mihal: "…Thanks a lot." 😐
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