Marco descended slowly from the sky and met Boa Hancock's gaze. A faint sense of nostalgia stirred within him. In his previous life, he had admired the Pirate Empress. He never expected that because of his arrival in this world, she would end up as a Celestial Dragon's slave once again. For a brief moment, as their eyes met, he found himself unsure of what to say.
Something felt off.
Her presence was weaker than he remembered.
Marco focused and quietly assessed her condition.
Boa Hancock, Paramecia type Love Love Fruit, strength estimated at strong captain level. Previously, she had reached the level of a weaker Yonko commander.
The decline did not surprise him much. Becoming a slave to the Celestial Dragons would crush anyone's spirit. Hancock's pride had always been a core part of her strength, and without it, her Haki had naturally weakened.
Hancock looked at him, her expression conflicted. She tried to maintain the dignity of an empress, but reality weighed heavily on her. As a slave, that pride had long been stripped away. Marco's arrival was her only chance.
She lowered herself, her voice trembling.
"Marco, sir, please… save me. I cannot stay in this place any longer."
Marco watched her quietly for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright. I came here intending to see if I could rescue you anyway."
Hancock's eyes lit up instantly.
"Thank you, Marco, sir! The key is kept in the guardhouse…"
"We do not need that," Marco replied calmly.
He stepped forward and reached for the collar around her neck.
Hancock instinctively shut her eyes, her body tensing. Over the past month, that collar had brought her nothing but pain.
A sharp metallic sound rang out.
In the next moment, Marco infused Armament Haki into the collar. The metal shattered from within, breaking apart effortlessly.
Hancock's eyes snapped open in shock.
She recognized the technique. It was a high level application of Armament Haki, something she had only ever seen Silvers Rayleigh perform. She herself had never reached that level.
Before she could fully process it, Marco moved again. With precise control, he destroyed the restraints on her wrists and ankles.
Freedom.
For a moment, Hancock stood still, unable to believe it. Then relief surged through her.
But just as quickly, her expression darkened.
Her identity as a slave had been exposed. Her sisters were gone. Rayleigh was gone. Even if she returned to Amazon Lily, everything had changed.
The future felt uncertain.
Marco, unaware of the storm in her thoughts, spoke plainly.
"You are free now, Hancock. Leave this place quickly."
Hancock hesitated, then called out.
"Wait, Marco."
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Just a moment ago you called me sir, now you are using my name so easily. That is quite a change."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but this time there was no fear in her eyes. Knowing he was not a Celestial Dragon gave her some courage. A trace of her old arrogance returned.
"Hmph. I never asked you to save me."
Marco looked at her, speechless for a second. The image of her pleading moments ago was still fresh in his mind.
Even so, he did not dwell on it.
He had not paid much attention to women since arriving in this world, but Hancock was someone he had always liked before. Her beauty and presence were undeniable, and even he felt a subtle pull.
Still, his priority remained unchanged.
"It would be best if you leave now," he said seriously. "Even without the collar, if the God's Knights or the Gorosei arrive, escape will become impossible."
At the mention of the God's Knights, Hancock's expression tightened.
She remembered hearing about them during her time as a slave. They were feared even by the Celestial Dragons themselves. It was said they had the authority to execute Celestial Dragons, a terrifying thought.
Now that she was finally free, the idea of being captured again filled her with dread.
She looked at Marco.
"Aren't you going to escape?"
Marco answered without hesitation.
"Escape? Unless Imu and the Gorosei act together, I have no reason to run."
Her eyes trembled slightly at his confidence.
She wanted to leave, but the thought of doing so alone terrified her. If she were caught again, she would not survive it. More than anything, she did not want to face that fate alone.
Gathering her courage, she stepped closer and grabbed his clothes tightly.
"Then… take me with you."
Her grip tightened, as if letting go would mean losing her only chance.
"I have nowhere else to go."
Tears began to fall.
For so long, she had endured everything in silence, forcing smiles to survive. Now that she was finally free, all the pain she had suppressed came flooding out.
Her voice broke.
"The whole world knows I was a slave. I have nowhere left to return to."
Marco felt her trembling through his clothes. A trace of softness appeared in his eyes.
Then he spoke.
"In that case… join the Phoenix Pirates."
===
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