One Piece : Wild Hunt

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.)

After returning to the Feilong and setting sail, Thomas asked, "So, what did you think?" to the woman standing next to him.
"She's a lot stronger than that sandy cunt," replied Caenis, adding, "Her spiritual energy is much more potent. Not quite at the level of a God, but closer than anyone else we've met thus far."
Nodding his head, Thomas remarked, "Well, she is regarded as the most beautiful woman in the world. Even people in the Four Blues are aware of her, so it isn't surprising that she has accumulated a bit of faith..."
Tearing his eyes away from the increasingly distant Perfume Yuda, Thomas looked down at Caenis and asked, "Could you defeat her if you went all out?"
Snorting, Caenis replied, "I could defeat her now if you didn't care about the means. Her Strength, Endurance, and Agility are only around B-Rank, even with her Haki. That petrification ability of hers is a problem, but if I kept my distance and used a shield and spear made from that Poneglyph material, I could easily claim her head."
Though he didn't think it would be 'easy,' Thomas didn't doubt Caenis was capable of defeating Hancock. However, while Hancock was undoubtedly a pain in the ass, she was still an ally. She sure as hell didn't act like it, but that was one of the downsides to working with individuals who possessed Conqueror's Haki. Once they made up their minds, the only way to change them was to defeat them...
Placing his left hand around Caenis's shoulder, Thomas pulled her closer as he stared at the Perfume Yuda, now a dot on the horizon. Such public displays of intimacy would usually earn him an elbow to the ribs. Instead, Caenis just lightly bumped him with her shoulder, as, despite his efforts to keep it hidden, she could sense the fury burning deep within him...
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With Hancock making it clear they weren't welcome on Amazon Lily, Thomas retired to his cabin with Caenis, helping the latter replenish her Mana while Benienma snuck over to the island to deliver a message. His original plan was to swim over with Caenis, but, to his surprise, she shot down his proposal immediately. They 'were' in the Calm Belt, after all. If a colossal Sea King attacked them midway through the journey, there was a very good chance he would be taking a timeout in its stomach.
"Master, I have returned," said the familiar voice of Benienma, appearing in Thomas's cabin despite the fact he and Caenis were currently in the middle of a 'Mana Transfer.'
Though he had gotten used to Benienma dropping in on him, Thomas's movements slowed a bit as he asked, "What did they have to say? When will Astolfo be returning?"
Bowing her head slightly, Benienma replied, "Shirou-san said he would speak with the Snake Princess once she returned from her trip. As for Lady Astolfo, she is resting in her room..."
Before Thomas could respond, Caenis abruptly locked her legs around him and said, "You can go play once we're finished..."
Meeting Caenis's fierce aquamarine eyes, Thomas began to quicken his movements as he linked their fingers together and pinned her to the bed. She could easily overpower him and break free. Instead, she adopted a toothy grin before snapping her teeth, daring him to kiss her.
Though she had bitten him on more than one occasion, Thomas didn't hesitate to lean forward and seize Caenis's lips. When his tongue slipped into her mouth, she closed her teeth threateningly. When he didn't back away, she returned the favor, pressing and intertwining their tongues as she put a little more strength in her legs...
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As it was out of the ordinary for Astolfo not to visit him immediately after her arrival, Thomas knew something was up before he reached her room. He even had a pretty good idea of what it might be. However, even with time to prepare, Thomas was still left dumbfounded by what awaited him in the cabin next to his own.
Sitting atop the bed she typically shared with Chloe and Illya was Astolfo. Instead of her usual attire, however, she was wearing what could best be described as a reverse bunnysuit, complete with bunny ears and a large, bushy tail...
If it were just Astolfo in the room, Thomas wouldn't have been able to contain his smile. He may have moved on from his days as an Otaku, but he still had a deeply ingrained fondness for cosplay.
What prevented Thomas from immediately pouncing on Astolfo was a perky tanned bottom and wolf-like tail, beneath which was a piece of thin red leather. Thomas's eyes were drawn to the bottom by instinct, but he couldn't help frowning. He was something of a 'connoisseur' when it came to asses and thighs, so while he could appreciate the butt's perkiness, its size left a lot to be desired.
Tearing his eyes away from the perky ass, Thomas locked gazes with the primary source of his befuddlement, a young-looking girl with black hair and golden eyes. She was wearing a purple animal-theme outfit that left very little to the imagination, but Thomas wasn't in the mood to admire it as he asked, "What's going on here...?"
Though she noticed Thomas the moment he entered the room, Astolfo waited until he had spoken to wave her hand, an awkward smile on her face as she replied, "Surprise...?" in an uncertain tone.
Rising to a seated position, allowing Illya a chance to catch her breath, Chloe wiped a bit of drool from her mouth before musing, "You sure took your sweet time. We were starting to think you were a no-show."
Resisting the urge to turn around and leave, Thomas ran his fingers through his hair, a coping mechanism he had developed after having Vivi caress his head on numerous occasions. This outcome wasn't completely outside his expectations, so he took a deep, steadying breath before opening his eyes, meeting Chloe's gaze, and asking, "Care to explain the situation?"
Spreading her fluffy, paw-covered hands, Chloe gave a nonchalant shrug as she replied, "To be honest, I'd rather you just went with the flow and enjoyed the moment. The more questions you ask, the more awkward this becomes for everyone."
Though he furrowed his brows, Thomas didn't immediately retort Chloe's words. Instead, he observed the red markings on her chest and around her navel. He vaguely recalled something similar in one of the doujins he read in his previous world, but the pattern was different, reminiscent of the markings on Caenis's body. More notably, similar markings could be seen on the navel of the girl with glossy black hair, Miyu...
Setting aside his other question, Thomas stared directly into Miyu's eyes as he asked, "Does Shirou know you're here...?"
As she hadn't had time to get accustomed to conversing with Thomas, Miyu promptly averted her eyes from his gaze. She did, however, respond to his question, stating, "Onii-san understands..."
Before Thomas could ask what exactly Shirou understood, Chloe exhaled an exasperated sigh, adopting an accusatory deadpan as she explained, "Unlike the people of this world, our bodies are comprised of Mana. When we're running low, our body's 'instincts' trigger, compelling us to look for a means to replenish it..."
Caressing the thigh of the girl lying next to her, Chloe's expression and tone softened as she added, "Just providing me with enough Mana to live places a tremendous burden on Illya and Miyu. When you appeared a few months back, I thought I had finally found a 'solution' to relieve them of that burden..."
While Chloe and Illya were staring into each others' eyes, Miyu decided to chime in, her expression pouty as she appended, "Illya and I can't stand it when Chloe regards herself as a burden or attempts to sacrifice herself to protect us. So, when you first appeared at Amazon Lily, we decided that if you could be trusted...we would share the burden together..."
Taken aback by Miyu's earnestness, Thomas closed his eyes and exhaled a defeated sigh through his nose. He wasn't particularly enthused by how things had developed, but he had been preparing himself for the past two and a half weeks. He suspected that was the reason they hadn't returned to the ship sooner, but it didn't really matter. Not anymore.
Opening his eyes, Thomas adopted a wry smile as he asked, "So, who's first...?"
Catching Thomas a little off guard, Chloe and Miyu simultaneously replied, "Illya." Then, before he could say anything, Chloe adopted a mischievous grin and asked, "Why do you look so surprised? Illya and I are fundamentally the same person. We have the same wants and needs. I'm just a lot more honest with myself..."
Moving to the side, Chloe revealed Illya lying on her back in an incredibly skimpy cat costume. Her face was completely red, but there was a hungry look in her eyes as she stared back at him through the gaps between her paw-like gloves. More notably, her legs were splayed in a classic M-pose, her otherwise exposed crotch covered by the apparently prehensile tail of her costume...
Taking advantage of Thomas's stupefaction, Chloe licked her lips before musing, "We got bored just waiting around, so we took matters into our own hands. Now, as I'm currently topped off, how about you give Illya a nice steamy load of your Mana~?"
Seemingly spurred by Chloe's words, Illya reached down with one of her gloves hands, spreading herself beneath the covering of her tail as she steamily appended, "Illya wants Master's semen..."
Though several flags were immediately raised in his mind, Thomas set aside his rationality and attempted to strip. Before he could undo the first button, however, Chloe asked, "What are you doing?" before following it up by stating, "Just come over here and lie down. We'll take care of the rest."
Removing his hands from his top button, Thomas made his way over to the bed, getting a much better view of the petite cat girl staring at him like a piece of meat. It was a stark contrast to how Illya usually behaved, at least in front of him, but Thomas ignored his other questions to remark, "I can't exactly lie down if you're in the way..."
"Ah...!"
Realizing she was in the place they had designated for Thomas, Illya ceased trying to entice him and promptly moved out of the way. The outfits that she, Chloe, and Miyu were wearing made them a lot more susceptible to their baser instincts, so she wasn't thinking clearly at the moment. It didn't help that Chloe had spent the past half an hour getting her good and ready for Thomas's arrival...
With Illya moving out of the way, Thomas did his best to get comfortable. He noticed that the spot where Illya had been lying was warm and moist, but he didn't mind. The far more concerning thing was the smell. It wasn't unpleasant, but the subtly sweet yet musky aroma caused him to heat up and feel a little muddleheaded...
While Chloe and Astolfo flanked him, pressing their bodies against him and using their oversized paws to massage Thomas's chest, Illya and Miyu did something he never expected to experience outside the pages of a Doujin. The two lined themselves up as if they were about to perform tribadism, but instead of rubbing against one another, they sandwiched his cock between their hairless pussies and began to grind against him in concert with one another. Miyu still had on her thong-like panties, but the fabric was so thin and biting that it didn't make much difference.
As Thomas burned the sight into his eyes, Chloe whispered something into his ear that caused a shiver to run along his spine, her voice low and reverberating like the purr of a cat as she mused, "I'll be counting on you from here on...Onii-chan..."
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(A/N: I have nothing to say.)

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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..
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(A/N: Hancock's haughtiness knows no bounds x_x...)

Chapter 96: Clash of Wills