Marco noticed Hancock's reaction and, not understanding what had set her off again, asked, "What is wrong with you now?"
"Um, Marco…" Hancock looked at him timidly, her voice unsteady. "I… I was once a slave of the Celestial Dragons. Will you look down on me?"
Marco gave a faint smile. "No."
Her face brightened instantly, relief and joy mixing together. "Then, Marco… did you come to the Holy Land to save me because you like me?"
Marco paused, momentarily speechless. Whether he liked Hancock… well, there was some truth to it. Part of it came from memories of his previous life, and part of it was simply because she was undeniably beautiful. Besides, he had already planned to attack Mary Geoise for his own reasons, so saving her had been convenient. If she had been someone else, he might not have bothered.
"Didn't you ask me for help back on Amazon Lily?" Marco replied. "Besides, I am already an enemy of the Celestial Dragons."
Hancock, however, seemed to latch onto only part of his answer. Her eyes softened as she drifted into her own thoughts.
"So… for my sake, you are willing to oppose the world? Marco…"
In her mind, everything aligned perfectly with the romantic stories she adored, where the male lead defied the world for the woman he loved. To her, Marco had become that man.
Marco watched her fall into another fantasy and felt a bit helpless. People in this world really did have extreme and sudden emotional shifts. Even now, he found it difficult to fully understand.
Before he could say anything else, Hancock's eyes turned dreamy again, hearts practically forming in them.
"Marco… are you going to marry me?"
Marco froze, caught completely off guard. He had known Hancock had a tendency toward romantic delusions, but this was far faster than expected. Just moments ago, she had been overwhelmed with emotion over Luffy, and now she had shifted her affection entirely.
Even if it was directed at him, Marco could not help but feel conflicted. His mindset, shaped by over twenty years in his previous life, made him far more traditional. Internally, he could not help but question how quickly her feelings had changed.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he answered bluntly, "If you can accept that I may have other women, I will not object."
Hancock trembled in his arms as if struck. "Other women? Does that mean you already have a wife… and I would be the third party?"
A faint smile appeared on Marco's lips. Remembering a line from his past life, he said lightly, "It cannot be helped. A man as outstanding as me stands out anywhere. The number of women who want to marry me could circle the New World hand in hand. If you want to marry me, you should be prepared for that."
Hancock's eyes filled with tears as she looked at him, as if he were a cruel and heartless man.
"Even if I am the third party… I still love Marco. Even if your other women mistreat me, I am willing to stay by your side…"
Marco fell silent, staring at her. Her expression was so dramatic that it felt almost theatrical. For a moment, he wondered if she was acting.
At that point, he decided not to dwell on it any further. She could think whatever she wanted. What happened later would be decided by circumstance.
Not long after, Marco arrived at Sabaody. The phoenix had already reached the area, and given the short distance from Marineford, the journey had taken little time.
Carrying Hancock, he descended onto the phoenix. The crew immediately reacted with excitement.
"Captain Marco!"
His presence alone steadied them. Without wasting time, Marco asked, "What is the current situation?"
Vista stepped forward, his expression serious. "It is bad. We have lost access to the Mirror Mirror Fruit's ability, so we cannot return to the New World that way. The Big Mom Pirates are being pursued by Admiral Kizaru, along with Saint Garling and the God's Knights. Big Mom has abandoned her territory and is fleeing by sea, but the situation is still extremely dangerous."
He continued, "The Beasts Pirates have not sent a distress signal, so they should still be holding out."
"Also, Beehive Island has fallen. Fortunately, Vegapunk and his team managed to escape."
Marco nodded. This matched the intelligence he already had. His original plan had been simple, attack Mary Geoise while his crew attacked Marineford, forcing the Marines and the World Government to divide their forces.
He had carried out his part but chose to withdraw rather than face the Gorosei after their transformation.
Meanwhile, Vista and the others had been intercepted by the Red Hair Pirates.
Marco still could not understand Shanks' intentions, but one thing was clear, they would not remain allies.
Ace stepped forward, unable to hide his concern. "Marco, what do we do now? Even if we start coating immediately, it will take at least two days. After that, reaching the Big Mom Pirates will take more time. By then…"
He did not finish, but everyone understood.
Marco checked the time and spoke calmly. "They have already been fighting for over ten hours. Whether we worry or not will not change that. If we cannot make it in time, then we cannot. Whether Big Mom and Kaido survive depends on them."
"We focus on what we can do."
The crew nodded, accepting his decision.
At that moment, their attention shifted to Hancock. She stood behind Marco, wearing a cloak over her translucent silk dress, her appearance striking even in such a tense moment.
Marco turned and said, "Galette, take Hancock and get her a change of clothes."
Galette nodded with a gentle smile. "Of course, my dear."
As the two women looked at each other, there was a subtle tension between them, a quiet wariness neither tried to hide.
Marco ignored it completely.
To him, strength came first. Galette had been by his side for a long time, but Hancock possessed both power and beauty, far surpassing her in combat ability. If Hancock could accept his conditions, he had no reason to refuse her presence.
Looking at his crew, Marco said, "Your current strength will not be enough for what comes next. From now on, I will help all of you improve."
===
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