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

The bow of the Kuja Perfume Cruise Ship cut through the azure sea and sailed smoothly towards the calm zone.

Hancock stood at the bow of the ship, the sea breeze blowing through her long, black hair and white skirt, her figure exquisitely beautiful.

Her recent "trial run" in Magic Valley Town had put her in a very good mood.

Her steady increase in strength and initial control over Robin fueled her ambition, which, like this giant ship cutting through the waves, surged forward.

However, the tranquility of the Grand Line is always just an illusion.

Just as the ship was about to enter the relatively safe edge of the doldrums, an extremely chilling cold swept over it without warning.

The sky seemed to darken, fine ice crystals began to form on the sea, and the temperature plummeted.

"Lady Snake Princess! There's... trouble ahead!"

Arya's voice was more solemn than ever before.

Hancock narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, unleashing her intermediate-level Observation Haki at full power.

Not far ahead on the sea, a tall figure was slowly approaching on a simple bicycle, exuding an extremely leisurely yet overwhelming aura.

Wherever the wheels passed, the sea surface froze instantly, leaving a straight trail of ice.

He wore an eye patch with the naval insignia, a white suit vest and a dark blue shirt, and a naval admiral's coat of justice.

He was tall and imposing, with a languid expression that exuded a chilling majesty.

The highest combat force of the Navy Headquarters, an Admiral.

Kuzan, the "Aokiji"!

Aokiji stopped on the ice a hundred meters away from the Kuja ship, and lazily yawned, as if he had just woken up.

But his gaze, like the cold wind of the Arctic, precisely pierced through the distance, landing on Hancock and somewhere in the cabin behind her.

"Oh my... What a coincidence, Boa Hancock."

Aokiji's voice, with its characteristic languid tone, was clear and distinct, reaching everyone's ears.

"I just wanted to go out for a bike ride and soak up some sun, I never expected to run into you."

Hancock felt a chill run down her spine, but her face remained that of a captivatingly languid and arrogant woman. Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice was clear and melodious.

"Admiral Aokiji certainly has a good time, coming to the edge of the calm belt...to sunbathe? Is Marine Headquarters that quiet these days?"

Aokiji scratched his fluffy curly hair, seemingly casually, but his gaze was sharp as a knife.

"It's not exactly leisurely. It's just... I received some rather unpleasant reports."

His gaze returned to the cabin, and his tone became unquestionable.

"I sense a familiar yet dangerous presence. Nico Robin, the 'Devil Child' of Ohara, should be on your ship, right? Hand her over."

As soon as he finished speaking, the chill in the air seemed to intensify.

Aria and the other female warriors instantly felt a sense of impending doom, placing their hands on their weapons. They could feel the terrifying power hidden beneath the admiral's calm tone!

Robin, who was hiding in the cabin and saw Aokiji's figure through the porthole, turned pale instantly and her body began to tremble uncontrollably!

Aokiji!

The vice admiral who gave her the order to "survive" in Ohara back then, and who also witnessed the destruction of her homeland, has now become an admiral!

His appearance stirred up her deepest fears and despair.

In the end, was he still going to come and capture her?

In the midst of this suffocating atmosphere, Hancock suddenly let out a soft laugh, a laugh like a wind chime that broke the heavy chill.

She stepped forward and stood at the very front of the bow, her white skirt fluttering in the sea breeze.

Her stunningly beautiful face showed no fear whatsoever, but rather an almost defiant composure.

"I'm so sorry, Admiral Aokiji."

Hancock's voice carried the arrogance and aloofness characteristic of the Seven Warlords of the Sea; she didn't even deny Robin's existence.

"Miss Robin, you are now my guest, and even more so, my... friend."

She deliberately emphasized the word "friend," her gaze calmly meeting Aokiji's cold stare.

"friend?"

Aokiji frowned slightly, seemingly surprised and... displeased by the word.

He was silent for a moment, as if recalling something. His lazy expression softened and was replaced by a deep solemnity.

"Boa Hancock..."

Aokiji's voice deepened, and the surrounding chill seemed to become more tangible.

"You should be aware of her identity and the danger she represents. The World Government has issued a kill order for her! Keeping her around will do you and Amazon Lily no good. Handing her over to me is the best option."

Upon hearing this, Hancock's smile became even brighter and colder.

She tilted her head slightly, speaking in a tone that seemed to be reminiscing about the past, yet uttering the sharpest words:

"Admiral Aokiji, speaking of which... it's been quite a few years since we last met, hasn't it? Do you still remember... what you did in Ohara back then?"

Her gaze seemed to pierce through time, carrying a hint of subtle mockery.

"To allow artillery fire to engulf scholars and books that hold countless treasures of wisdom, simply because of the potential danger? Is this your navy's justice?"

These words, like the sharpest ice pick, pierced deeply into the gray area of ​​Aokiji's heart that he didn't want to touch.

The O'Hara incident remained a heavy burden on his mind that he could never let go of.

His face instantly darkened, his gaze behind his blindfold became incredibly sharp, and the chill emanating from him caused the ice beneath his feet to crackle and freeze.

"Boa Hancock!"

Aokiji's voice carried a hint of anger, as if his sore spot had been touched.

Are you questioning the Navy's decision?!

"question?"

Hancock chuckled lightly, a laugh filled with disdain.

"I am merely stating a fact. Your justice is narrow and cold. As for Robin..."

Her tone suddenly turned sharp, her powerful Conqueror's Haki mixed with her own fierce and unparalleled aura.

Like an invisible tsunami, it erupted with a roar, standing in opposition to Aokiji's chilling aura that filled the heavens and earth!

"She's someone I'm protecting!"

"You want to take her away from me?"

A smile that was both breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly dangerous bloomed on Hancock's stunning face. She slowly raised her hand, and pink light seemed to flow from her fingertips.

"Then let's see, Aokiji. Let's see if your Ice Age can freeze everything, or if my charm... can even melt this iceberg of yours!"

Two powerful figures at the pinnacle of the world clashed violently at the edge of this windless zone, separated by a hundred-meter stretch of ice and seawater.

The air seemed to freeze, and the space itself trembled!

Aokiji looked at the woman opposite him who was unyielding and whose aura was even more arrogant and domineering, and his eyes became completely serious.

He knew that words were no longer of any use.

He slowly got off the bicycle and stood up straight.

A chill far more terrifying than before began to gather around him, and the ice beneath his feet thickened and spread at a visible speed.

"In that case... we can only let our strength speak for itself."

A great war is about to break out!