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

time flies.

Under Raleigh's unreserved guidance, Hancock spent several fulfilling months in ascetic practice.

Her progress is visible to the naked eye. Not only has her use of the three types of Haki become more refined and exquisite, but her physical combat skills have also been greatly enhanced.

It has shed many of the flashy and impractical elements of performance, becoming more concise and efficient.

Even the development of the Sweet-Sweet Fruit has seen new ideas due to the enhancement of his domineering aura.

For example, try combining Armament Haki with "Fragrant Kick" to enhance the ability to break through defenses.

Alternatively, one can integrate Observation Haki into the Enchanting Eyes to more accurately detect the opponent's emotional fluctuations.

The training session came to an end that day.

Rayleigh dusted himself off, took a big gulp of wine, and looked with satisfaction at Hancock, whose aura had become increasingly refined and profound.

"Not bad, Little Empress, your talent is even better than I imagined. You've already mastered the basics; what's left is practice in real combat and your own understanding."

Rayleigh laughed and said, "My wife and I should continue our journey."

A feeling of reluctance and gratitude welled up in Hancock's heart.

There were no other emotions mixed in.

She knew that receiving such unreserved guidance from this legendary figure was an incredible opportunity.

She bowed respectfully to Riley and Shakky.

"Mr. Rayleigh, Senior Shakky, Hancock will forever remember your kindness."

Xia Qi waved her hand with a smile.

"Little Hancock, remember what I said. You have a long road ahead of you, and staying true to yourself is the most important thing. We are very confident in entrusting Amazon Lily to you."

She winked meaningfully, clearly noticing Hancock's subtle change as well.

But it wasn't explicitly stated.

Or rather, they are still undecided.

After seeing Rayleigh and Shakky off, Hancock stood at the harbor, watching the small boat disappear into the horizon, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

The improvement in her strength brought her unprecedented confidence, but it also made her more aware of the vastness and depth of this sea.

"Next, it's time to consider visiting the Sabaody Archipelago..."

As Hancock pondered her next plan, a national protector rushed over to report.

"Lady Snake Princess! An unfamiliar pirate ship has been spotted in the waters northeast of our island! It's flying a pirate flag we've never seen before and seems to be attempting to force its way through the Calm Belt, heading straight towards our island!"

"Oh?"

Hancock raised an eyebrow. He had just seen his teacher off when some clueless guy came to offer himself as a sparring partner.

She was just looking to test her cultivation progress. "What's their background?"

"According to the lookout's description, the ship has a menacing appearance, and its pirate flag is a skull with long, spiky red hair like a hedgehog, with crossed bones that are mechanical arms... It looks a lot like the pirate flag of Eustass Kid, a supernova from the Worst Generation mentioned in recent intelligence!"

Kidd?

A flicker of interest crossed Hancock's eyes.

It's like my wish came true; I was just thinking about supernovae, and here it is.

Moreover, he is known for his volatile temper and ruthless methods, such as Kid.

It seems this guy was trying to take a shortcut through the Calm Belt to the second half of the Grand Line, but ended up accidentally getting close to Amazon Lily.

"Let's go take a look."

A dangerous smile curled at the corner of Hancock's lips.

This is the perfect opportunity to test my skills on this arrogant and reckless young man!

She flashed and appeared like a ghost on the highest cliff overlooking the sea on the island.

Looking into the distance, a pirate ship with an arrogant design, resembling a steel hedgehog, could indeed be seen.

Relying on some special power, it was struggling to sail on the calm, windless sea, heading straight for Amazon Lily.

On Kid's pirate ship.

"Boss Kidd! We've spotted an island ahead! It looks like the legendary Amazon Lily Kingdom!"

Sniper "Killer" Kira reported after observing through binoculars, his voice tinged with seriousness.

"Should we go around this area? This is the Calm Belt, and the Empress of Amazon Lily is a Shichibukai..."

"Shichibukai?"

With his red hair, wearing a coat, and an arrogant smile on his face, Kidd snorted coldly and revealed a cruel smile.

"Perfect! I was just looking for a place to try out some new tricks! I heard that woman is quite beautiful; kidnapping her to be my wife wouldn't be bad! Speed ​​up, get closer!"

He clearly didn't take the Seven Warlords of the Sea seriously, especially the Empress, who was famous for her beauty.

In his view, they were nothing more than lackeys of the world government, with no real power.

However, as their ships drew closer...

The noise on the ship gradually subsided when the proud red figure standing on the cliff became clearly visible.

Even from a great distance, the unparalleled elegance and invisible pressure emanating from that figure made them feel a chill run down their spines.

The sunlight shone on her, as if draping her in a sacred glow.

It was an aura that transcended mere beauty, a blend of immense power and ultimate allure.

"Gulp..."

One of the crew members involuntarily swallowed.

Kidd narrowed his eyes, his initial disdain fading.

He sensed a dangerous aura, as if facing a beautiful but ferocious beast.

On the cliff, Hancock watched the approaching pirate ship, especially the arrogant red-haired boy at the bow, and a playful smile appeared on her face.

She didn't act immediately, but wanted to see what this guy was up to.

Kidd was furious at Hancock's appraising gaze, which seemed to be scrutinizing him like merchandise.

He suddenly raised his right hand, and the scrap iron on the surrounding sea surface began to float and coalesce, forming a huge steel arm!

"Hey! Woman up there! You must be Empress Boa Hancock, right? I'm Captain Kid! Surrender if you know what's good for you, or I'll tear this wretched island apart!"

Kidd shouted arrogantly.

Upon hearing this, Hancock did not get angry but laughed instead.

She shook her head gently and spoke in a tone of pity.

"A foolish man has trespassed into a place he shouldn't have, and is spouting nonsense here."

She didn't even bother to use her Devil Fruit powers; with just a thought, an invisible yet far more concentrated and terrifying pressure spread out from her like a tide!

Conqueror's Haki!

After being instructed by Rayleigh, his Conqueror's Haki became more solid!

Although he didn't reach Rayleigh's level of effortless and precise control.

However, its pure quality and impact are now incomparable to what they were before!

Om-!

An invisible shock swept across the sea, hitting the ordinary crew members on Kid's pirate ship.

Before they could even scream, they collapsed like wheat being harvested, their eyes rolling back and foaming at the mouth, instantly losing consciousness!

Only Kidd and a few other officers, such as Kira, managed to hold on.

But his face was deathly pale, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes were filled with disbelief and horror!

"This is the legendary Conqueror's Haki?! And it's this strong?!"

Kira gasped in shock.

He originally thought his captain was already one of the best among the supernovas, but he never expected that the empress's domineering aura would be so terrifying!

Kidd gritted his teeth, enduring the overwhelming pressure that felt like a mountain, his arrogance dealt a severe blow.

He realized that he had seriously underestimated this Shichibukai.

Hancock looked at Kid and Killer, who were still standing, and nodded slightly.

"Oh? You can still stand, so you're not entirely useless."

She took a step forward, and her figure vanished from the cliff in an instant.

The next moment, they appeared above Kid's pirate ship as if they had teleported.

She landed lightly on the top of the mast, the hem of her red cheongsam fluttering in the wind.

She looked down at Kidd, who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, her red lips parted slightly, her voice carrying a hint of lazy killing intent:

"Now, it's my turn to ask you. Having disturbed my peace, what do you intend to do to make amends?"

Kidd stared at the figure atop the mast, a figure that seemed to descend like a goddess, feeling the oppressive aura that almost suffocated him. For the first time, he felt a strong sense of crisis and...

A strange thrill, which even he himself was unwilling to admit, arose when he was overwhelmed by absolute strength and charisma.

This sudden encounter seemed to have a predetermined outcome from the very beginning.

And Hancock is about to gain her first supernova-level... special follower before stepping onto her new stage.