One Piece : Wild Hunt

In response to Meng Zhi's command, the Feilong's starboard cannons opened fire, creating a loud, thunderous sound that echoed through the bodies of everyone onboard. Unfortunately, despite receiving a full broadside, the Perfume Yuda barely took any damage. It was one of the few ships whose hull and keel were constructed from wood harvested from the Treasure Tree Adam, so ordinary cannonballs could barely leave a scratch on its surface.
Undaunted by the failure of the first volley, Meng Zhi ordered the ship's sharpshooters to open fire on the Kuja warriors gathered on the Perfume Yuda's deck. At the same time, several of the more fearless members of the Kuja Tribe attempted to board the Feilong by leaping over, weapons in hand and snakes wrapped around their bodies. The barrier protecting the ship was designed to repel fast-moving projectiles, so they had no trouble passing through.
Fortunately, at least for the crew of the Feilong, what awaited the Kuja boarding party was a group consisting of Thomas, Caenis, Benienma, and Artoria. The trio of Heroic Spirits had been asked to avoid lethally injuring their opponents, but that didn't stop Caenis from being her usual brutal self, grabbing members of the Kuja Tribe by the hair before throwing them back to their ship like humanoid cannonballs, willfully aiming for the bright pink 'mansion' that occupied much of the deck.
Seeing how easily their boarding party was repelled, two of the more 'distinct' members of the Kuja Pirates stepped forward. The first had leaf-green hair and an oversized head that sat atop a shapely figure, while the other had orange hair styled to resemble horns and a body whose shape could be compared to an egg.
At 453 and 432 centimeters, the two caped, bikini-clad women were among the tallest members of the Kuja Tribe. They also commanded the respect of the other members, causing the embattled Kuja to shout out, "Lady Sandersonia!" and "Lady Marigold!" like fangirls spotting their idols exiting a venue.
Recognizing the duo immediately, Thomas, guarded by Benienma and Artoria, approached the taffrail of the Feilong to shout, "Sandersonia! Marigold! We're allies of Shirou Emiya!" using Mana to amplify his voice.
As Thomas was already in the limelight as one of the people repelling the boarding party, Sandersonia and Marigold were paying close attention to him. When they heard his words, the two sisters briefly exchanged glances before the egg-shaped Marigold turned around and retreated to the mansion.
While Marigold presumably went to report to Hancock, Sandersonia ordered her women to stand down before approaching the taffrail of the Perfum Yuda, questioning, "What's your name, human man?" with crossed arms and a skeptical look on her face. Shirou had informed them about Thomas, but as the latter had a completely different appearance, she was incredibly suspicious of his words.
Raising his hands to show he meant no harm, Thomas replied, "Thomas D. Jensen," in a calm, assertive tone.
Flicking her snake-like tongue, Sandersonia remarked, "You don't look like Thomas D. Jensen. From what I've seen and heard, you're supposed to be around 220-240cm tall with a mane of brown hair, broad shoulders, and a muscular frame. How did you get so tiny?"
Smiling wryly, Thomas answered, "The same way I got so big in the first place. I used Magic to modify my size and appearance."
To demonstrate his point, Thomas channeled Mana through his artificial Magic Circuits, causing his body to swell gradually and his hair to slowly change color. He couldn't change too much due to the restrictions of his clothing, but his final appearance was fairly close to the one shown on his Bounty Poster.
Raising her brows, Sandersonia remarked, "That's a really useful ability." Then, with a casual gesture of her right hand, the tensions that had been present among the Kuja Pirates promptly disappeared, replaced by smiles and expressions of relief. They reveled in naval and land warfare, but the power demonstrated by Caenis made them feel helpless.
Half-turning away, Sandersonia said, "Though it is typically forbidden for men to board our ship without bindings, you and two of your friends are welcome to come aboard. I cannot guarantee your protection, but if you truly are an ally of Lord Shirou, you shouldn't be made to suffer."
Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Sounds good," before turning to Caenis and Artoria, choosing them as his escorts. Benienma would also be coming along, but unless shit hit the friend, she would stay within his shadow.
Leaping across the 15m gap between ships without too much trouble, Thomas briefly tensed as the eyes of every Kuja Tribesomwan zeroed in on him like a group of snakes eyeing a single mouse. Amazon Lily was an island that men were typically prohibited from setting foot on, so one of the most important 'resources' collected by the Kuja Pirates were strong men. Their brig served a dual purpose as a breeding stable, so Thomas entering the Perfume Yuda was comparable to a stray lamb wandering into a den of hungry lionesses...
Fortunately for Thomas, he had one of the more ferocious lionesses as his protector. Caenis immediately noticed the 'hungry' glimmer in the eyes of the Kuja warriors, prompting her to sneer as she said, "You lot aren't even in the running. Now, piss off before I toss you overboard."
As Kuja society dictated that the weak obey the strong, most of the Kuja tribeswomen averted their gazes. The few that didn't nearly paid the price, but Thomas intervened, saying, "Just ignore them..." as he followed after Sandersonia.
Though she immediately followed suit, Caenis committed the faces of everyone who didn't avert their eyes to memory. She had experience with the Amazons of her world, so she had a decent grasp of how Kuja society worked. If she didn't discipline those who disregarded her warning, some of the more 'ambitious' women might conspire against her or try to target Thomas. She might not care as much as Benienma, but there was no way in Hell she was permitting some discount Amazons to steal his seed...
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Stopping just outside an ornate set of doors, each more than 5m in height, Sandersonia turned to Thomas and asked, "You have Lord Shirou's Install Card, correct? I suggest Including it before we proceed further..."
Though Sandersonia's words raised numerous flags, Thomas responded with a curt "Understood" before pulling out and making use of the EMIYA Card. Once he had, a broad smile developed across Sandersonia's face as she said, "How nostalgic..."
Without explaining the meaning behind her words, Sandersonia pushed open the double doors to reveal a chamber that appeared larger on the inside than the entirety of the Perfume Yuda. There was plenty of lighting within, but the surroundings seemed unnaturally dark, drawing the eyes of everyone present to the raven-haired woman seated at the back of the chamber. She didn't actually emit any light, but her ambiance, impeccable facial structure, perfect physique, and ostensibly unblemished skin gave her a majesty comparable to the full moon on a cloudless night...
Though Thomas expected Hancock to be beautiful, his mind truly blanked for the first time in his life. For a moment, he even believed he had already been turned into a statue. Fortunately, that wasn't the case as Hancock promptly narrowed her eyes, exuding an aura of bone-chilling fury as she accused, "So, you're the detestable man my beloved Shirou has chosen to inherit his will..."
Before Thomas could respond, an invisible pulse of energy radiated from Hancock's body as she shouted, "Silence! You do not have my permission to speak!"
Rising to her feet, Hancock gave the impression she was twenty meters tall despite barely cresting 191cm as she said, "If it weren't for you, Shirou and his sisters would have continued to depend on me and my Kuja Tribe! You robbed me of my purpose, and now Shirou is more determined than ever to leave this world and return to his own! Just who do you think you are!?"
Without waiting for Thomas's response, the air around Hancock began to crackle with black lightning as she bellowed, "You are nothing but a fool! Now, kneel before me...!"
Following Hancock's assertion, an oppressive aura surged outward, filling the chamber, encompassing both ships, and spreading several kilometers in all directions. As it passed through his body, Thomas felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer directly to his brain. Fortunately, at that exact same moment, the Teiwaz Rune on his headband surged to life, exuding a fiery blue energy that made him feel like someone had poured cold water over his brain and body.
Similar to someone that had been dunked into an ice bath, Thomas felt compelled to shout at the top of his lungs. As for what he said, well, he glared back at Hancock and shouted, "What the fuck is your problem!?" while gesturing for Caenis and Artoria to stand down. They had yet to attack, but both had their armor equipped and weapons in hand, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Seeing Thomas weather her Conqueror's Haki, a modicum of surprise colored Hancock's face. Based on his initial reaction, she assumed he was the same as the majority of men and women she encountered, becoming completely smitten with her at first sight...
Staring at the Rune glowing on Thomas's forehead, Hancock narrowed her obsidian-black eyes and muttered, "So, that's how it is...you've reinforced your mind using a Magic Spell. It seems you aren't as incompetent as you appear..."
Directing her gaze to Sandersonia, Hancock narrowed her eyes further as she added, "Though, I suspect you had some assistance..."
Raising his hands, Thomas attempted to speak, getting out, "Look, can we jus-" before Hancock snapped back at him, stating, "Leave now, and I will spare you. Stay, or continue to interfere in mine and Shirou's affairs, and I will see to it that you spend the next ten years collecting sediment at the bottom of the sea..."
Furrowing his brows, Thomas asserted, "I didn't come here to meet with you or interfere with your relationship with Shirou. I honestly don't give two shits what the two of you&mdash;are you fucking kidding me!?"
Before Thomas could finish what he initially planned to say, Hancock made a heart shape with her hands and fired a similarly shaped beam of pink energy. Thomas counteracted it with his Rho Aias, a seven-layered magical barrier that resembled a pink flower in full bloom, but his anger had reached its peak, compelling him to shout, "Fine! You want to fight!? Let's fucking go...!"
In response to Thomas's words, Caenis bounced across the hall, her eyes blazing crimson as she shouted, "Now you're speaking my language!" with a vicious grin. Marigold attempted to intercept her, transforming into a massive humanoid serpent using her Hebi-Hebi-no-Mi: Model King Cobra. However, despite wielding an enormous polearm that could slice through ordinary ships like a hot knife through butter, Caenis smashed through it with her bare fist before tackling the much larger woman like a linebacker crushing a kindergartener.
At the same time that Caenis leaped forward, Sandersonia transformed using her own Devil Fruit, the Hebi-Hebi-no-Mi: Model Anaconda. She had promised to stand beside her sisters no matter what, so even though she didn't believe they should be fighting Thomas and his friends, she didn't hesitate to charge at them from behind.
Having been keeping an eye on Sandersonia since the beginning, Artoria charged to meet her, declaring, "I'll be your opponent." in an eerily calm tone. The disparity between her size and Sandersonia was even greater than the one between Caenis and Marigold, but the green-haired warrior immediately realized she was the one at a disadvantage when Artoria hit her with a physical 'column' of magical energy, batting her to the side and sending her crashing through a pillar with tremendous ease...
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(A/N: Hancock's haughtiness knows no bounds x_x...)

Despite witnessing her sisters be defeated, Hancock remained in her initial position with an apathetic look on her face, coldly staring down Thomas.
"Where are you looking!?" shouted Caenis, appearing next to Hancock as if she had teleported.
Raising her head, Hancock bellowed, "Impudence...!" before twister her body and unleashing a whip-like kick to Caenis's metallic armguard. To the latter's surprise, she actually felt an iota of pain as the metal of her armguard, the leather beneath it, and the outer layer of her skin gained a stony texture. She was also launched backward like a projectile fired from a railgun, but she managed to flip herself over and land against the wall as if it were flat ground rather than being smashed into it.
Looking down at her petrified armguard, Caenis adopted a toothy grin as she remarked, "Well, would you look at that? Looks like I can't completely ignore the effects of Devil Fruits. Or is this the result of your Haki...?"
Raising her head even higher, so much so that she had to look down her nose to meet Caenis's gaze, Hancock declared, "I am Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress. Know your place!"
Spurred by Hancock's words, a somewhat unhinged smile developed across Caenis's face before she burst out laughing. While Hancock's power and speed were certainly commendable, she had traded blows with monsters like Heracles in the past.
Furrowing her brows, Hancock muttered, "How distasteful..." before pressing her left index finger to her lips and pulling it away to create a large, balloon-like heart. Then, with her right index finger and thumb, she grabbed the elastic material of the heart and pulled it back as if she were firing a bow.
"Slave Arrow...!" shouted Hancock, unleashing dozens of fast-moving, heart-shaped projectiles.
Manifesting her spear, Caenis's grin strained the muscles of her face as she cut down each of the arrows with extreme speed and accuracy. The moment the barrage began to let up, she kicked off the ground with such speed and strength her body appeared to elongate, stretching across the room as she appeared before Hancock in an instant.
Though the pupils of her eyes contracted, Hancock maintained a proud, unperturbed look as Caenis's crimson spear aimed to graze the left side of her abdomen. Even with Advanced Observation Haki, she was unable to dodge in time. However, the moment the spear's edge came in contact with her skin, it abruptly turned to stone before breaking down further.
Undaunted by the failure of her attack, Caenis followed up with a heavy punch to Hancock's unblemished abdomen. Intense pain shot up her arm, accompanied by her hand and forearm turning to stone, but the smile on her face remained as she bellowed, "Eat shit...!" before following through and sending Hancock hurtling through the air.
Similar to Caenis, Hancock flipped over and attempted to right herself like an experienced gymnast. She would have succeeded, but Caenis caught up to her mid-flight, striking with her petrified fist despite several cracks appearing on its surface.
Crossing her arms, Hancock braced for impact while attempting to block Caenis's punch. Unfortunately for her, Caenis possessed A-Rank Strength by default, and it was only going up. Even with Advanced Armament Haki, Hancock could feel her bones creaking under the strain of Caenis's blows.
Making use of the throne room's incredibly durable walls, Caenis gleefully bounced Hancock several times before clicking her tongue as her left arm abruptly crumbled from the elbow down. Hancock's Devil Fruit seemed to convert shockwaves into petrification energy. Her Divine Core of the Sea God should have allowed her to resist the effects, but Hancock's Haki was slowly permeating her body like the energy of a Curse.
With Caenis finally letting up on her assault, Hancock stared back at her for several seconds before pulling out a handkerchief and wiping a trace of blood from her lips. Seeing it caused her brows to furrow, but she didn't immediately attempt to counter. Instead, she remarked, "Things weren't supposed to go this far..."
Before Thomas could ask what she was talking about, Caenis waved her petrified stump and replied, "You're the one that chose to play the part of stuck-up, arrogant bitch. Now, you better prepare yourself. I'm about to go shoulder-deep in your ass."
Narrowing her eyes, Hancock remarked, "You're like a wild animal..." before raising her obsidian-black foot to meet Caenis's charge. This time, however, she infused Conqueror's Haki into her attack, not just Armament Haki. As a result, Caenis's right fist stopped several centimeters from the heel of her foot, almost like they were two magnets being forced together along repelling poles. At the same time, threads of black lightning spread through the chamber, fracturing the ground, walls, and ceiling.
Though she tapped into the energy of her Divine Core, Caenis's right fist, parts of her face, and much of her armor gradually turned to stone as she failed to break through Hancock's attack. Since she was still in her 'base' form, she could only tap into a fraction of her original power. Her C-Rank Magic Resistance and D-Rank Mana Reserves also weren't doing her any favors, so she was slowly succumbing to the influence of Hancock's Haki.
Seeing Caenis refusing to back down, a resolute expression developed across Hancock's face. She was originally just planning to teach Thomas and his friends a lesson, not because she genuinely disdained them, but to prove to Shirou that he could rely on her. She didn't plan for things to develop this far, but her pride as an Empress made it impossible for her to be the first to back down.
With the intent of bringing the fight to an end, Hancock declared, "Only Conqueror's Haki can oppose Conqueror's Haki..." Then, while increasing the amount of Haki in her attack, she unleashed a laser-like beam of black energy from her foot, tinged with the same pink hue as her other attacks. When it eventually faded, everything in its path had been turned to stone, Caenis included.
Exhaling the faintest of sighs, Hancock lowered her foot before combing back a few strands of hair and turning her attention to Thomas. She half-expected him to panic or charge her after seeing one of his allies turned to stone. Instead, he was staring at her with a grim look, no trace of the 'infatuation' that had been there previously.
Feeling strangely discomforted by Thomas's gaze, Hancock returned her attention to Caenis, crossing her arms as she asserted, "She brought this on herself. Don't worry. Once we have had a chance to talk, I will turn her back to normal. As for her arm...such is the price of hubris..."
Unclenching his jaw, Thomas's voice was deep and penetrating as he said, "You really are touched in the head...we're supposed to be allies, comrades in the fight against the World Government. Even if this was some kind of 'test,' you took things way too far. And for what? Shirou may have asked me to help assemble the Install Cards, but I told him I would only search for them once I completed my journey. I haven't done a damn thing to get between the two of you, so tell me, what was the purpose of this conflict? What the actual fuck is your problem?"
Instead of interrupting him, Hancock waited for Thomas to finish speaking before calmly stating, "When Shirou and I discussed you, he assured me you had the potential to overthrow the World Government and liberate the entire world from their tyranny. Even without Haki, I expected you to have a bearing and disposition befitting a King. Instead, the only thing I sense in you is mediocrity..."
Returning her gaze to Thomas, Hancock narrowed her eyes as she added, "A person who stands idly by while others fight at their behest cannot free this world. Even if you had no chance at victory, you should have stepped forward to face me directly. Without that level of conviction, how could you possibly hope to stand against an enemy that has ruled uncontested for the past 800 years?"
Shaking her head, Hancock preempted Thomas's answer, stating, "Those who only fight when they are assured of their victory can never attain true strength. I'm certain you will become very powerful one day, but you will never stand on the same level as the Yonko. Not as you are now..."
Finished with what she had to say, Hancock made an open-palm gesture as if she were blowing a kiss. As she did so, the stone covering Caenis's body began to recede, restoring her bronzed complexion and the hue of her armor.
Catching Hancock a little off-guard, Caenis's left arm abruptly grew back, followed by her bounding forward with the same intensity she had before being petrified.
"Enough!" shouted Hancock. However, despite her efforts to kick Caenis away, the latter continued forward, slipping through the Pirate Empress's guard like a wrestler going for a clinch. As a result, Hancock found her left leg in the nook between Caenis's neck and shoulder as the latter hooked one of her legs around the proud Empress's head.
"You&mdash;"
Though she tried to shout something, Hancock found her words muffled by Caenis's ass and thigh. She attempted to break free, but the latter was much stronger than she was, resulting in her eventually being taken to the ground. Caenis ordinarily would have had an absolute advantage at that point, especially with her body having similar properties to seastone, but Hancock quickly lost her patience, unleashing her Conqueror's Haki. As a result, Caenis was once again turned into a statue. Only this time, she had Hancock in a hold similar to a triangle choke.
"Get this 'thing' off of me...!" shouted Hancock, a rare vein bulging on her forehead. She attempted dislodging Caenis herself, but the latter was a lot more durable than the average statue. There was also the fact that, even while petrified, Caenis's body still possessed properties similar to seastone. Unless she got serious and made use of her Conqueror's Haki, Hancock couldn't break free.
Though he was tempted to let Hancock struggle for a bit, Thomas had grown weary of the inordinately beautiful woman's presence. Her words resonated with him, but he was still frustrated with how everything had played out. The sooner he could leave, reunite with Astolfo, and get the hell away from Amazon Lily, the better.
Interrupting Sandersonia's and Marigold's attempts to free their sister, Thomas said, "Remove the petrification, and I'll summon her to my side. After that, we'll return to our ship, retrieve our allies, and vacate Amazon Lily's territorial waters. I had originally intended to open an Enma-tei on your island to ensure you never ran low on supplies, but now that'll have to wait. Maybe forever..."
As she had no idea what an Enma-tei was, Hancock didn't feel a sense of loss hearing Thomas's words. Instead, she glared daggers at him as she asserted, "The Kuja Tribe has endured for centuries without any outside influence. We have no need for your pity."
Adopting a deadpan expression, Thomas retorted, "We both know that isn't the case. Even if it was, that changed the moment the Marines and World Government began constructing vessels capable of traversing the Calm Belt. You wouldn't be a Shichibukai otherwise."
Snorting through her nose, Hancock began to gradually 'thaw' Caenis as she said, "Just take your beast and get out of here as quickly as possible. Your presence here draws unnecessary attention to both Amazon Lily and my beloved Shirou."
Responding with a snort of his own, Thomas waited for Caenis to make Hancock croak before calling out to her. When she ignored him, he used a Command Spell to summon her to his side, restoring a bit of her sanity by grasping her hand and declaring, "That's enough, Caenis. Let's get out of here," in a firm tone.
Though her eyes retained their crimson hue, Caenis looked back at Thomas as if to ask, 'are you serious?' with just her gaze. She still had a 'promise' to keep with Hancock, but when Thomas pulled her close and whispered something into her ear, she calmed down surprisingly quickly. The reason being that Hancock was staring at them with a 'very' envious look on her face, evidently jealous of their intimacy...
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(A/N: For those who think Hancock is depicted as 'too strong' in this scene, you might be surprised to learn she was actually holding back. Blackbeard and his crew were able to defeat Marco and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates with relative ease, but Hancock was nearly able to fend them off entirely on her own. She isn't quite at Yonko level, but she is a forced to be reckoned with.)

A few minutes after her abrupt departure, Chloe appeared on the deck of the Feilong with Illya, Ruby, and Astolfo in tow. Thomas spotted them, but it wasn't until Astolfo summoned Griff that he understood their intentions.
Approaching the trio, Thomas asked, "Seriously? You couldn't wait a few more weeks...?"
Though his words were directed at Chloe, the first to react was Illya, who, upon hearing him, abruptly yelped before covering her beet-red face with both hands.
"..."
Grabbing Illya by the arm, Chloe shepherded her toward Griff as she replied, "We'll be back in a few days. Don't slack on your training just because I'm not around to supervise you!"
Finished with what she had to say, Chloe directed Illya to climb on Griff's back while Astolfo hopped and skipped over to Thomas, freeing him from his statuesque state as she nuzzled against him and said, "Even if it's only for a few days, I'm going to miss you..."
Reciprocating the pinkette's embrace, Thomas habitually replied, "I'll miss you as well..."
Adopting a broad smile, Astolfo jumped up and linked her arms around Thomas's neck before kissing him. She would prefer it if he accompanied them, but she also wanted to help Chloe and Illya. The former would have a much easier time convincing Shirou and Miyu if Thomas wasn't present, so Astolfo was willing to part with him for a few days to help her friend.
Sufficiently pepped, Astolfo released her hold on Thomas and teased, "If you miss me, stand on the bowsprit and shout my name at the top of your lungs. I'll fly over like a meteor empowered by our love if you do."
Knowing it would be harder for her to leave the longer she delayed things, Astolfo gave Thomas a kiss on the cheek before hurrying over and joining Chloe, Illya, and Ruby atop Griff. Then, with one final wave, she flicked Griff's reins and had him take off into the sky, racing toward the horizon at a breakneck speed.
While following the group's departure with his eyes, Thomas's expression gradually morphed into a deadpan. He was used to Illya being skittish around him, but her previous response was...different. He hoped it was because she was anxious about him potentially sleeping with someone that looked like her, but his 'intuition' told him a different story...
Momentarily forgetting about the existence of 'flags,' Thomas muttered, "Let's just hope Miyu was able to seduce her brother..."
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With the departure of Astolfo, Chloe, Illya, and Ruby, daily life aboard the Feilong became markedly quieter. Thomas still had Caenis, Benienma, and Artoria to hang out with, but even the former was a little testy without her usual conversation partners. She was the type that 'really' enjoyed talking and messing with people, so, in the absence of Astolfo, she began tailing Thomas a lot more than usual.
While Thomas enjoyed spending time with Caenis, having her heckle him during training and continuously disrupting his magic training was a little annoying. However, as he knew she just wanted attention, he didn't mind it too much. Rather, as silly as it sounded, it made him feel like they were an actual couple.
Fortunately, as much as she enjoyed heckling Thomas, Caenis likewise enjoyed hunting Sea Kings. The Feilong spent most of its time traversing the Sea of the Boundary, but Meng Zhi would periodically have it return to the surface to get her bearings. During those times, Caenis would go for a swim, returning within an hour or two with a Sea King in tow.
As capable as Meng Zhi's crew was, their average strength wasn't much higher than a Marine from Headquarters. There were outliers, such as Meng Zhi herself, but the majority of her 308-person crew would struggle to defeat a Marine Ensign. Sea Kings were far beyond their means to deal with, so having Caenis onboard was a tremendous boon. They had more than enough supplies for the entirety of their journey, but Sea King meat was a delicacy only the strong and affluent could typically afford. Eating it not only filled you to the brim with energy, but if you consumed enough, it would even make you stronger.
With Benienma taking over the ship's galley, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that everyone aboard the Feilong was eating like Kings. The best food was reserved for Thomas, but no one dared to complain openly. Doing so was a good way to get chucked overboard by Meng Zhi, dooming them to return to Hell. As such, Thomas didn't have to worry about them betraying or openly antagonizing him for at least fifty years, the span of Meng Zhi's provisional contract. If he completed his journey sooner and migrated to a different world, they would be free to do as they pleased...
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During one of the Feilong's trips to the surface, Thomas was waiting for Ceanis to return from her fishing trip when he noticed a group of News Coos flying overhead. He doubted there would be any news of the Straw Hats for a while, but he enjoyed keeping up to date on current events.
After purchasing one of the papers, Thomas waited for the News Coo to depart before flipping it open to read the headline. Unsurprisingly, it had nothing to do with Lucy and the Straw Hats. Instead, it was another bold-faced article discussing the appointment of a new Shichibukai to replace Crocodile.
Seeing a 'very' familiar face on the cover, Thomas remarked, "I'm not sure if I should feel relieved or concerned..."
Beneath the emboldened headline was a picture of Drake, standing with her arms crossed in the middle of a large group of predominantly female Pirates. Curiously, though he had never met most of them, Thomas was fairly certain he recognized many of the people in the photograph, two of which were pink-haired women he suspected to be Jewelry Bonney and Sanji's sister, Vinsmoke Reiju.
Speaking of Sanji, he was one of only three men present among the people in the photo. However, rather than a suit or a chef outfit, he was wearing his personalized Raid Suit, Stealth Black. As for the other two men, one was Chiron, while the other was a tall, middle-aged man with slicked-back green hair and an expensive-looking pink suit.
Reading through the article, Thomas's suspicions were proven correct when it mentioned that Drake had forged an alliance with Germa 66 and Gran Tesoro. The latter was rumored to have accumulated 20% of all the money circulating in the world, while the Germa Kingdom had one of the most powerful standing armies. Thus, had she not agreed to become a Shichibukai, it wasn't difficult to imagine Drake being declared the Fifth Emperor of the Sea...
Eyeing the various pink-haired women in the photo, Thomas couldn't help wondering if Drake was attempting to collect them. Alongside Bonney and Reiju, there were five other pink-haired beauties. Thomas had no idea who four of them were, but he recognized the pinkette closest to Drake as the woman who possessed a Devil Fruit that could steal people's luck. Among the One Piece community, this was considered one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in the entire series. Unfortunately, the person who consumed it was an arrogant fool. If not, she would be invincible...
Interrupting Thomas's introspection, a large section of the sea began to bubble up, a tell-tale sign that Caenis had killed something far below the surface. However, as it would take her a while to surface, Thomas made himself comfortable, contemplating his future course.
With the Summit War looking less likely with each passing day, there was a good chance that Blackbeard had never obtained the Yami-Yami-no-Mi. As a result, Thomas had no idea how future events were going to play out. There was even a chance that Lucy and Co would immediately set sail for the New World after reaching Sabaody Archipelago. If that happened, the two years he set aside to expand his influence would be for naught...
While it was difficult to imagine the Straw Hats succeeding in the New World without their post-timeskip powerups, the fact other members of the 'Worst Generation' were able to find success implied they would be fine. They might not be able to take on people like Big Mom and Kaidou right out of the gate, but their growth during the Whole Cake Island and Wano Arcs demonstrated it only took them a few weeks to transcend their limits completely. They just needed the proper motivation.
Deciding that the smartest decision was to focus on improving himself, Thomas set aside the newspaper, rose to his feet, and leaned over the taffrail. Ceanis would be returning any minute, so while the crew of the Feilong focused on processing her catch, he planned to challenge her to an underwater wrestling match. One of the places he planned to establish an Enma-tei was Fishman Island, so learning to endure the pressure of the deep sea and fight underwater was integral to ensuring he wouldn't be at a disadvantage against even the most tenacious of Fishmen...
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With two weeks passing since the departure of Astolfo, Chloe, Illya, and Ruby, Thomas concluded they were probably waiting for him on the island of Amazon Lily. He was half-tempted to have Meng Zhi sail past it, but he wasn't the only one missing Astolfo. Thus, as the Feilong entered the Kuja Tribe's territorial waters, Meng Zhi ordered it to return to the surface only to find a large, predominately red ship being pulled by two serpents a few hundred meters away.
As Thomas spent most of his free time within the Feilong's quarterdeck, he immediately recognized the modified galleon as the ancestral ship of the Kuja Pirates. He promptly informed Meng Zhi of this, who, rather than telling her men to stand down, ordered them to prepare for battle.
Since he had promised not to interfere with Meng Zhi's handling of her ship and crew, Thomas used the time before the ships were in range to ready his countermeasures against Hancock's power. His Valor Skill had the effect of counteracting mental interference, pressure, confusion, and fascination abilities, but it was only E-Rank. Thus, so as not to embarrass himself in front of the 'most beautiful woman in the world,' he prepared a headband bearing the Teiwaz(Warrior) Rune.
With the effect of enhancing a warrior's courage and making them, at least temporarily, fearless, Thomas was hoping the Teiwaz Rune would make him immune to Hancock's petrification ability. If not, there was a very good chance he would spend a brief period as a statue. He likely wouldn't be aware of the passage of time while petrified, but the thought of being turned to stone wasn't the most pleasant...
Fortunately, while both ships uncorked their cannons, making it clear they were prepared to fire, neither unleashed the first volley. The Feilong was smaller than the Perfume Yuda, the name of the Kuja Pirate's ship, but it had more than five times the firepower. The Kuja Pirates also preferred using their strength to conquer their opponents, so they would only open fire if their would-be victims attempted to strafe or broadside them.
Just as Thomas believed things might end peacefully, several bow-wielding members of the Kuja Pirates began unleashing volley after volley of Haki-infused arrows. Each arrow was strong enough to pierce concrete or even dent steel, so the members of Meng Zhi's crew would have been in a lot of trouble if not for the magical barrier that briefly came into view each time an arrow impacted its surface.
Before Thomas could think to try and mediate, Meng Zhi unsheathed her custom Zhanmadao, thrusting it toward the sky as she shouted, "Open fire...!" in a commanding tone.
...
..
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(A/N: As expected from a tribe that reveres the strong xD...)

Chapter 95: The Will of a Conqueror