"They've started fighting! They're fighting!"
On the deck of the Traveler, Perona watched as Kairo clashed with the people on the island and excitedly turned to Robin.
"Robin-chan, should we go help Kairo?"
"If you want to have some fun, go ahead."
Robin pressed a hand to her forehead helplessly.
"Since Mr. Kairo has already made his move anyway. But you're not allowed to kill those female warriors, okay?"
"I know, I know!"
Perona nodded repeatedly and giggled.
"Don't worry. I know my limits."
As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately activated her Devil Fruit ability.
Several ghosts rose from the deck and sped straight toward the shore.
Meanwhile—
Hancock's two younger sisters were once again stunned by the scene unfolding before them.
Because Kairo hadn't even bothered to dodge Hancock's attack.
He had simply stood there and casually waved his hand, effortlessly knocking aside her attack.
No one understood Hancock's Devil Fruit abilities better than they did.
Anyone struck by the heart-shaped beams she released would instantly be turned to stone.
Yet Kairo hadn't dodged at all.
With nothing more than a casual wave, he had deflected every single beam.
The bizarre and shocking sight caused both Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold to suck in a sharp breath.
Likewise—
Hancock's eyes narrowed slightly in shock.
This man...
Could it be that her Devil Fruit powers were ineffective against him?
Or was he also a Devil Fruit user capable of repelling attacks?
"Your Devil Fruit has been developed quite well."
While the three sisters were still stunned, Kairo made no attempt to press his advantage.
Standing calmly in place, he said,
"But you'll need to work a little harder."
If Kairo had remained silent, things might have been fine.
The moment he spoke, however, Hancock exploded again.
"Pistol Kiss!"
Driven by fury, Hancock unleashed another attack.
As her slender fingers touched her lips, a pink heart-shaped projectile instantly formed and shot toward Kairo's face at high speed.
The heart-shaped projectile was once again casually knocked aside by Kairo's hand before dissipating into nothingness.
"Armament Haki...?"
This time, Hancock finally understood how Kairo was deflecting her attacks.
The instant he raised his hand, an invisible ripple flashed before him.
Immediately afterward, her attack was silently repelled.
She had seen this kind of energy before.
Back when she had returned to Amazon Lily, the old man who had helped her get home had demonstrated something similar.
She had asked him about it, and he had patiently explained everything regarding Armament Haki.
However, compared to that old man, the man before her was far more refined and domineering.
Because the moment Kairo used Armament Haki, she clearly sensed an invisible current flowing before him.
It was precisely that flowing force that completely blocked her Devil Fruit abilities and effortlessly deflected them.
"Not bad."
Seeing that Hancock had figured it out so quickly, Kairo smiled.
"As expected of the Empress of Amazon Lily."
"Since you recognized Armament Haki, then you should also know there are different levels to it."
"The Armament Haki I just used is called Ryuo in a certain isolated nation."
"It carries the meaning of flow."
"To put it simply, it's Armament Haki transformed into a flowing current, creating shockwaves."
"Of course..."
"If you're strong enough, you may still have a chance to hit me."
"You—!"
Hancock was instantly enraged by yet another display of strength and superiority.
Especially that final sentence.
It nearly made her cough up blood from anger.
This was provocation.
This was contempt.
This man was absolutely insufferable!
In a fit of frustration, Hancock suddenly disappeared from her position.
Carrying a faint floral fragrance, she instantly appeared in the air to Kairo's right and brought down her long leg with lightning speed.
"Perfume Femur!"
Kairo still didn't move.
At the very instant Hancock's kick descended, he raised his hand and caught her leg.
Boom!
The collision produced a thunderous sound.
A visible shockwave exploded outward from the two of them.
"H-He... he caught it!!"
Seeing Kairo casually stop Hancock's Perfume Femur and grab her leg, her two sisters were once again rooted to the spot in shock.
Anything struck by Hancock's Perfume Femur would turn to stone.
Most importantly, it didn't matter whether the target felt attraction toward her or not.
If the attack connected, petrification was inevitable.
Yet Kairo not only remained unaffected, he had even caught Hancock's leg in the split second of impact.
At this point, Kairo wasn't the one being petrified.
Her two sisters were the ones frozen in place from sheer disbelief.
Meanwhile—
The moment her leg was seized, Hancock felt an invisible pressure descend upon her.
In the next second, her entire body was suspended in midair, unable to move.
Holding her ankle firmly, Kairo stood there with flowing currents of Haki surrounding his body.
He tilted his head slightly and grinned.
"What a beautiful foot."
With her leg trapped in his grasp and her body suspended helplessly in the air, Hancock saw him openly examining her foot rather than letting go.
She nearly exploded from embarrassment and anger.
"You... let go of me!"
Her voice remained proud and domineering as ever.
But the confidence behind it was clearly lacking.
Since becoming the Empress of Amazon Lily, this was undoubtedly the greatest humiliation she had ever suffered.
Losing a fight was one thing.
At least she still had her pride.
But this detestable man had even stripped away that final source of dignity.
Holding her foot as though it were some kind of toy while calmly examining it...
In that moment, all of her pride seemed to crumble.
As soon as Hancock finished speaking, Kairo suddenly looked up.
"Stop struggling."
The instant those commanding, irresistible words left his mouth, his aura changed completely.
An overwhelming and invisible pressure erupted from his body without warning.
Just as Hancock was preparing to attack again because he had touched her foot, she was once more crushed beneath a mountain-like pressure that nearly suffocated her.
Before she could react—
Kairo released her ankle.
Then he instantly stepped forward and delivered ten swift, precise chops to the side of her neck.
Thump.
With a dull sound, Hancock immediately lost consciousness.
As she collapsed, Kairo reached out and caught her in his arms.
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