Hancock's eyes flew wide open. She looked around — the familiar emerald‑green walls instantly brought everything back. This… this is that Celestial Dragon's room!
She struggled to recall what happened before she blacked out. Right… she remembered fighting that green‑haired man, then collapsing, and hearing Sonia and Marie screaming her name.
She pinched herself hard. Pain shot through her, and she clenched her fist, breathless with relief. "I… I'm alive!"
"Heh…"
A soft chuckle reached her right ear. She turned and saw a man sitting beside her, half‑turned toward her, a gentle smile on his face.
"Eeeek! It's… it's you!" Hancock cried out in shock.
It was the man from her dream — the one who had turned the World Government upside down, the one who had spoken to her through the Holy Light!
Grimm looked at her — now fully awake. "Well? Are you ready to become the Inquisitor of the Holy Fire?"
"What… what happened?" Hancock asked, her fear vanishing the moment she saw his smile.
Before Grimm could answer, Sonia spoke up from the side. "Sister… a few hours ago… after you collapsed, we carried you out of the arena. Then Lord Grimm brought you here. We've been standing guard outside the room ever since. We didn't know what was happening inside… but…"
She paused. The three sisters stared in disbelief at Grimm, seated on the ruby‑encrusted chair behind them.
His posture, his expression… in their minds, the image of Grimm had completely merged with that of "Saint Epthelm," the Celestial Dragon.
Seconds later, Hancock gasped. "Lord Grimm… are… are you and that Celestial Dragon… the same person?"
Grimm smiled and reached out, gently patting her head. Hancock didn't resist at all; she leaned into the touch, her face flushing bright red.
Grimm continued, "Tell me… in these past days, have you seen clearly where the true evil of this world comes from?"
"I… yes… I have…" Hancock stepped forward and instinctively knelt down. "Please… grant me power, my Lord!"
Grimm grinned. "Patience. We still have some time to spend here — in this place of sin. And Hancock… your combat skills still need sharpening. When the time is right, I will give you the power you seek."
---
At that moment, Grimm held eighteen Devil Fruits in his collection. Some he had obtained through trade with the Roger Pirates, directly from Rayleigh. But none of them, even after modification, were a perfect match for Hancock.
After consulting the system, Grimm decided to wait — wait for the Love‑Love Fruit. Once modified, it would become the power of the Holy Fire Inquisitor, perfectly suited to her.
Two months passed.
During this time, Hancock obeyed Grimm's every word. Her devotion seemed to come from nowhere — yet it was there, stronger every day. Beyond her faith in the Holy Light, there was something else driving her loyalty.
Then one day…
While searching through the former "Saint Epthelm's" private vault, Grimm found three boxes.
Inside each lay a Devil Fruit. The one in the center stood out — heart‑shaped, bright pink, beautiful beyond compare.
"Ah… finally found it."
Grimm wasn't an expert on Devil Fruits, but even without the system's description, he knew exactly what it was. It was too famous to mistake.
Truly, it was the most beautiful Devil Fruit in existence.
"Time to rework it…"
"Hancock!"
Hearing his call, Hancock hurried in and bowed respectfully. "My Lord… what do you command?"
Grimm handed her the fruit — now transformed into the Holy Fire Inquisitor Fruit. "Eat this. It will give you the power to purify all sin."
Sonia and Marie also stepped forward. Grimm gave them the other two fruits — both of the Zoan type.
He hadn't modified them. After all, Holy Light energy was precious, and side characters didn't need such enhancements…
"This… this is the treasure of the seas… a Devil Fruit?" Sonia whispered, staring blankly at the banana‑shaped fruit in her hand.
CRUNCH!
Both sisters turned — Hancock had already taken a bite. As the flesh hit her tongue, her face twisted in pure disgust.
Even modified, Devil Fruits were still utterly foul‑tasting!
"That's enough!" Grimm stopped her before she could take another bite.
Following her lead, Sonia and Marie ignored the taste and swallowed theirs whole.
---
Bri‑bri‑bri‑bri…
From the mahogany table came the ring of a platinum Den Den Mushi — a device only Celestial Dragons were allowed to use.
When it rang, it always meant one of two things: either private communication… or an emergency meeting about something huge.
"Saint Epthelm! Come immediately to the top‑floor conference hall! Something terrible has happened!"
Grimm picked up the receiver; an urgent voice spoke from the other end.
"Lord Grimm?" Hancock asked softly, already feeling the fiery power surging inside her body.
"Stay here," Grimm ordered briefly. He shifted instantly into his Celestial Dragon form and walked out.
"Sister… why does Lord Grimm… why is he still pretending to be one of them?" Sonia asked, watching him leave, confused.
"I don't know," Hancock replied, her eyes shining with admiration, her thoughts far away. "But as long as I can stay by his side… I feel safe. That's all that matters."
---
Inside the Conference Hall
Grimm sat at the round table in the guise of Saint Epthelm. By now, he knew almost every family head present. But there was one person he knew best who was missing: Saint Garbatia.
Opposite him stood an elderly Celestial Dragon with a silver beard. He held up a photograph in his right hand.
"I have called all our kin here… because of the man in this picture."
Grimm narrowed his eyes and looked closer. It showed a man between twenty‑five and thirty‑five years old. Across his face was a pattern like a boot print, and his gaze was fierce and terrifying.
"Codename: Dragon," the elder announced. "His organization has been active in secret for years, but only recently have we realized the scale of it. This man calls himself the leader of the Revolutionary Army… and he has begun to openly oppose our rule as Celestial Dragons. This is the first time in centuries such a thing has happened!"
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