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

The following day, at the appointed time, Shiki the Golden Lion appeared arrogantly in front of the Nine Serpents Ship and announced the start of the betting game.

He waved his hand, pointing to the vast sea of ​​clouds and the scattered floating islands, a mocking and cruel smile on his face.

"Go find them, little girl! I want to see how you manage to retrieve my three needles from this vast sea of ​​clouds in a single day!"

Hancock merely glanced at him indifferently, without saying a word, and using Moonwalk, she took Robin and Arya into the air.

They flew toward the areas that Robin had deduced from ecological traces and ancient documents as the most likely places to hide the tokens.

The results were almost identical to those indicated by the system.

This is also her source of confidence.

Sure enough, Shiki's hiding places were not chosen randomly; each one was accompanied by great danger.

That was a raging behemoth that he created and controlled through drugs and technology!

The first location is on a floating island covered with clusters of sharp crystals. Guarding the token is a giant saber-toothed tiger with bloodshot eyes and a body the size of a small mountain. Its claws and teeth gleam with an unnatural metallic luster, clearly indicating that it has been modified in some way.

The second location is a swampy pool surrounded by poisonous miasma year-round, where the token is guarded by a terrifying winged fish that spews corrosive acid.

The third location is on the edge of an active volcano that is constantly spewing hot steam, next to the token is a giant pangolin covered in lava armor.

These monsters are exceptionally ferocious, far surpassing ordinary Sky Island creatures, and are clearly Shiki's "masterpiece".

However, Hancock did not even personally intervene when faced with these obstacles.

Arya's Entangling Fruit ability has become increasingly refined in actual combat, always accurately binding the giant beast's movements and creating openings.

Robin, on the other hand, uses the power of the Flower Flower Fruit to interfere with and scout from a distance, and even use the environment to create traps.

The two worked together seamlessly, and although it took some time, they successfully defeated the guardian beast and obtained the token.

After defeating the last lava pangolin, Hancock looked at the chaos and pain remaining in the monster's eyes, and a hint of undisguised disgust appeared on her beautiful face.

She looked around at the empty space and chuckled softly, as if talking to herself.

"Using drugs and technology to create these bizarre monsters... Shiki the Golden Lion, the hero who once fought alongside Roger and Whitebeard for the seas, how did he become like this... playing these lowly tricks? It's truly pathetic and laughable."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it clearly penetrated the clouds and reached Shiki, who was closely monitoring the battle from afar using his Observation Haki!

"puff--!"

Shiki almost spat out a mouthful of blood!

His face instantly turned a deep purplish-red, and the ship's wheel on his forehead hummed with rage.

What he hates most is when people mention his current state of destitution and wretchedness!

"You bastard! You bastard woman!"

Shiki was furious, but unable to refute it, so he could only vent his anger on the surrounding clouds, causing chaos and upheaval.

Ultimately, thanks to Robin's insightful analysis and Arya's strong execution, the victory was achieved.

Hancock and her companions managed to collect all three tokens before sunset and return to their agreed starting point.

When Hancock casually tossed the three tokens in front of Shiki, the legendary pirate's face darkened to the point of being almost dripping with gloom.

He stared intently at Hancock, his eyes filled with disbelief and rage.

"Impossible! How could you find it so quickly?! You must have cheated!"

Shiki roared in exasperation, completely disregarding the demeanor of a legendary powerhouse.

Hancock crossed her arms and leaned lazily against the armrest of the cloud chair that Aria had created with her powers, her tone carrying the composure of a victor and a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh? Is Senior Golden Lion trying to renege on the bet? You said it yourself, no means are restricted, no process is irrelevant. I found it through my own abilities, how can you say I cheated? Or is it... that you, Golden Lion, can't accept defeat?"

"I can't accept defeat?!"

Shiki reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling with anger.

"Bullshit! I'm saying you played too cleverly! Winning by relying on your cunning and your subordinates' abilities, what kind of skill is that?!"

He took a sudden step forward, and his violent, domineering aura surged up once more, stirring up the wind and clouds.

"Go ahead and fight me for real! If you win, I'll honor the bet! If you don't have the guts, then just admit defeat and honor the wager!"

This is clearly sophistry and unreasonable argument!

Robin and Arya's expressions changed, and they were about to step forward to argue, but Hancock raised her hand to stop them.

Hancock looked at Shiki, who was all bluster and no substance, trying to save face with force, and knew that Shiki wouldn't admit defeat so quickly.

All of this was within her expectations.

"Oh……"

She chuckled softly, slowly straightened her body, and her languid aura was instantly replaced by a sharp fighting spirit.

"I knew you'd pull this. Fine..."

She turned to Robin and Arya and instructed them, "You two, step back."

"Your Majesty the Empress!"

"Arya said urgently."

"rest assured."

Hancock gave them a reassuring look.

"I'd also like to see if this body, after all this time of arduous training... can actually shake you, this 'crippled lion'!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her aura exploded.

A powerful mix of Conqueror's Haki and incredibly refined Armament Haki swept out like a tangible gust of wind, causing her white skirt to flutter wildly.

Against the backdrop of surging battle intent, her stunningly beautiful face gained an even more breathtaking air of heroism and majesty!

Shiki sensed Hancock's formidable aura, which was no less than his own, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper rage and fighting spirit.

"Hahaha! You've got guts! Then let me see just how much you, a Shichibukai, really amount to!"

Without another word, he roared and stomped his feet on the ground, charging towards Hancock like a cannonball. His iconic Sakura and Koki legs were wreathed in domineering energy.

Every move he made carried the terrifying power to split mountains and cleave seas!

"Lion Valley!"

Countless condensed, almost tangible, slashing waves crashed towards Hancock like a storm!

A glint flashed in Hancock's beautiful eyes as she activated her intermediate-level Observation Haki to its fullest extent, making the trajectory of her opponent's attack clearly visible to her.

She did not choose to take the hit head-on.

Instead, he maximized his Moonwalk and agility, his figure moving like a ghost through the dense slashing waves, dodging and weaving while searching for an opportunity to counterattack.

"Boom boom boom—!"

The slashing wave missed its target, tearing countless bottomless ravines into the sea of ​​clouds behind it!

The two figures clashed rapidly in the air, their fists and feet exploding with deafening roars.

The shockwaves generated by the powerful collision continued to spread, causing the surrounding clouds to churn and churn!

Hancock then displayed all the results of his arduous training during this period.

Her physical skills became even more formidable, and her use of Armament Haki became increasingly refined. She even began to try to incorporate Haki more precisely into her attacks.

Although it is not stable enough yet, every attempt has unleashed a breathtaking power!

Shiki became increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed!

He discovered that he couldn't win over this "little girl" in a short time!

Although the opponent's overall cultivation level might not be as high as his own at his peak, the degree of refinement and his grasp of the timing of the battle far exceeded his expectations.

Especially that strange, alluring, and impactful fruit ability, which constantly disturbed his mind, making him extremely annoyed!

"Damn it! How can this woman be so difficult to deal with?!"

Shiki cursed inwardly. His frustration grew as he failed to break through Shiki's defenses, and even the ship's rudder above his head seemed to ache, affecting his performance.

Hancock also felt immense pressure.

As expected of a former legend, even in poor condition, his combat experience, Haki, and the potential threat posed by his Devil Fruit ability are extremely terrifying.

Although she could barely put up a fight, winning would be no easy task.