One Piece: I am the Empress, and the more sycophants I have, the stronger I become.

Nine-She Island, an open-air bathing area behind the emperor's bedroom.

Steaming heat rises from the huge, petal-shaped bath, mingling with the fragrance of various rare flowers.

Hancock leaned lazily against the smooth, warm jade wall.

Her long, ink-black hair clung wetly to her smooth back, water droplets sliding down her breathtaking curves.

She closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

But his mind kept replaying his brief but thrilling encounter with Garp.

"Still... not strong enough."

She sighed silently.

Light footsteps approached.

It was Arya, the Kuja warrior who captivated me with her charm during the initial inspection and subsequently worked exceptionally hard in training.

She was wearing only a thin veil and carrying a jade platter filled with fresh fruit and nectar.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes held both reverence and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

"Lady Snake Princess, here's your fruit."

Arya's voice was a little softer than usual.

Hancock opened her eyes, and her captivatingly beautiful gaze fell upon Arya, making her almost hold her breath.

However, Hancock's gaze did not linger on the girl's beautiful face or graceful figure.

Instead, it carries a sense of scrutiny, as if observing an uncarved piece of jade.

Just as Aria approached, the system panel in Hancock's mind, which had been silent for a moment, suddenly appeared.

It seemed to twitch very faintly, pointing to the "attention level" of Arya.

A very faint, almost imperceptible mark appeared, with the words "Observation Color" faintly visible next to it.

"Just put it there."

Hancock's voice had a unique husky, magnetic quality, typical of someone who had just taken a bath.

She casually pointed to the stone platform next to her, and then spoke as if unintentionally.

"Arya, come here, let me see the results of your recent training."

Arya did as she was told, knelt down on one knee by the bathtub, and lowered her head, not daring to look directly at the stunning beauty reflected in the water.

Hancock extended her slender fingers and gently touched Arya's smooth forehead.

The moment their skin touched, Arya's body trembled slightly, and her cheeks flushed even more.

Hancock, on the other hand, focused her mind and probed in with an extremely subtle amount of Observation Haki.

really!

Although faint, like a candle flickering in the wind, there was indeed a seed of Observation Haki hidden within Aria's body.

While this talent isn't unique on Amazon Lily, it's certainly one in a thousand; it just hasn't been discovered or nurtured yet.

Hancock's heart skipped a beat.

If a novice sycophant is properly trained, can he be promoted to a more valuable "elite"?

This seems to confirm her previous thoughts.

Quality is more important than quantity.

She withdrew her finger, a breathtaking smile curving her lips, her voice carrying an irresistible allure.

"Arya, you have good potential. From now on, I will personally guide you in cultivating Haki. What do you say?"

Arya looked up abruptly, her eyes blazing with unbelievable ecstasy, her voice trembling with excitement.

"R-Really? Lady Boa Hancock! I...I..."

She was almost moved to tears of joy. The feeling of being personally favored by her idol and monarch caused her "infatuation level" to soar instantly.

"certainly."

Hancock chuckled, her arm parting the water's surface, creating a string of glistening droplets.

"Now, get down. Take a bath with me and relax."

"Yes, Lady Snake Princess!"

Arya almost impatiently removed her veil and carefully stepped into the warm pool, sitting a little distance away from Hancock.

She still didn't dare to get too close, but her excited eyes and slightly trembling body revealed her inner excitement.

Hancock admired the girl's youthful and beautiful body, but her mind was completely clear.

She looked around at the other beautiful maids standing beside her.

Their eyes were also full of adoration and infatuation, providing a steady stream of basic sycophantic energy.

"What a pity..."

Hancock sighed inwardly, picked up a berry, and took a small bite.

"Such a beautiful woman, yet she is a woman."

This wasn't because she had any ulterior motives, but purely from the perspective of "system efficiency".

If it were some male creatures, the quality and quantity of the "licking dog points" they would provide would probably be even more considerable, right?

For example, Kira, who has already been marked by her, or... those guys she might encounter in the future.

She shook off these distracting thoughts and brought her attention back to reality.

After enjoying a moment of peace and Arya's shy yet excited service.

As if suddenly remembering something, she casually asked:

"Speaking of which, has any interesting news come from the East China Sea lately?"

A maid in charge of intelligence gathering immediately stepped forward and responded respectfully.

"Reporting to Lady Snake, there haven't been any major disturbances in the East Blue recently. However... about two weeks ago, there seemed to be an incident at the naval base in Shells Town in the East Blue involving someone known as 'Axe-Hand' Morgan, which caused quite a stir. Also, the East Blue naval branch recently reported that the Kuro Pirates' forces seem to be making some unusual moves, but the specifics are unclear."

Hancock nodded slightly, understanding dawning on her.

The Morgan incident... that was probably a minor incident before Luffy set sail.

Klo?

That guy will be beaten to a pulp by Luffy soon.

The time... is drawing ever closer.

She waved her hand, signaling the maid to leave.

Once again, only she and the nervous yet happy Arya remained in the bath.

"Arya," Hancock's voice rang out again.

"Yes, Lady Snake Princess!"

"Starting tomorrow, double the training. I look forward to the day when you... can truly be of help to me."

Hancock's gaze drifted into the distance, as if she could already see the turbulent Grand Line and the one "high-quality" target after another about to appear.

"Yes! I will definitely not let Lady Snake down!"

Arya's voice was full of determination.

Hancock smiled slightly, closed her eyes again, and felt the comfort of the warm pool water enveloping her entire body.

And the ever-increasing "simp value" in his mind, representing power and the future.

Her journey has only just begun.