I'm Not Interested in Devil Fruits

Two massive snakes, tethered to the bow of the ship, glided swiftly across the calm sea, dragging the Kuja Pirate ship along with them. 

Still within the Calm Belt, the Kuja warriors on deck remained relaxed, chatting and laughing among themselves. 

Sandersonia and Marigold emerged from the cabin, immediately surrounded by curious women eager to exchange whispers. 

The younger warriors, on their first voyage were brimmed with excitement about the sights awaiting them beyond the Calm Belt. They clung to the experienced members of the pirate crew, listening wide-eyed as they regaled them with tales of the outer seas, punctuated by gasps and exclamations. 

Some warriors, however, were more intrigued by the interior of the cabin. They couldn't decide whether to envy Giorno more - or Hancock. 

--- 

"What's all this about?" Liam sat casually, one leg crossed, on the spacious Snake Princess chair, clearly confused by Robin closing the door. 

Everyone on board was one of them. What required such secrecy? If it was a matter that couldn't be revealed to the Kuja warriors, there was no point in involving Hancock. 

The two flower clones that had closed the door dissipated in a soft flurry of petals. 

Robin, noticing Liam's confusion, put on an exaggerated expression of surprise and coaxed, "Didn't you see how cold Hancock was earlier? Now that she's the crown princess, she's probably even more arrogant. Don't you want to put her in her place?" 

"Huh?" Liam blinked, confused. "Is she really that arrogant now?" 

He paused thoughtfully. "That girl's always been like that..." 

Hancock, sitting close to him, shifted uncomfortably. For someone with her pride, being so physically close to others made her feel uncomfortable. She bit her lip, her eyes darting to Robin in silent communication. 

"Don't. 

You won't... will you? 

Please don't. 

Seriously, don't.'' 

Her large, expressive eyes conveyed her feelings vividly, but Robin pretended not to notice. 

Liam waved dismissively, unconcerned. "It's fine. Do I seem so petty to you?" 

"Oh, no, no." Robin's lips curved into a mischievous smile. She walked lightly to the table, leaned forward on her elbow over the nautical chart, and playfully raised Hancock's chin with a finger. "I'm' the petty one." 

"Smack!" 

Hancock slapped Robin's hand away with a sharp crack, her expression one of fury. She hissed in a low, forceful voice, "Enough! Don't do this." 

Turning her head away, she bit her lip lightly, and in Liam's blind spot, she shook her head at Robin in a pleading, almost panicked gesture. 

"Stop him. But don't make it obvious.'' 

That was the silent message Robin read in Hancock's expression. Smiling mischievously, Robin gave her an ''OK'' gesture. 

Using her Hana Hana no Mi powers, Robin grew an arm from the table and, with dramatic flair, slapped herself in the face. 

''Smack!'' 

Liam froze in mid-step, startled by the sharp sound of the slap behind him. 

Turning, he saw Robin holding her face, tears in her eyes, glaring accusingly at Hancock from across the table. 

"You..." 

Hancock's expression remained cool and calm. When Liam's eyes met hers, she raised her chin haughtily and gave a disdainful "hmph." 

"So what if I slapped her? She's just a princess," She said with a mocking flick of her fingernail, exuding pure arrogance. 

Liam's mind raced. I have no idea what they're playing at, but do they think I'm an idiot? He grumbled inwardly while putting on an expression of "angry indignation" outwardly. Lowering his voice, he snarled, "Hancock! Are you looking for death?" 

"Death? Isn't that a bit much?'' Robin, still covering her face, glanced sideways at Liam as he stormed back toward them, genuinely surprised by his intensity. 

Hancock, for her part, was equally offended. ''Looking for death? Me?'' Her anger flared, and in an instant, her entire demeanor transformed. 

Her face turned dangerously seductive, her beauty taking on an almost supernatural allure. Long black hair fanned out around her, writhing as if alive, morphing into countless fine serpents that hissed and coiled ominously. 

"You think I'd be stupid enough to look into your eyes?" 

Even though Hancock's mesmerizing Medusa-like beauty almost compelled Liam to stare into her gaze, he forcibly shifted his focus to her writhing snake-like hair instead. 

"Hmph!" Hancock sneered coldly, her countless serpentine strands opening their jaws, preparing to unleash a cloud of venom. 

"Hmph!" Liam sneered back, raising his large hands as if preparing to clap them together with force. "Do you think I can't fan your poison back at you? I might even end up destroying the cabin in the process!" 

He wasn't bluffing. After three to four years of honing his mastery of ''Life Return'', Liam's command over ''Rokushiki'' techniques had reached new heights. Even an unconventional skill like clapping his hands could combine the explosive power of ''Rankyaku'' and ''Geppo'', creating a gale strong enough to destroy the ship's interior. 

"Then go ahead and try!" Hancock challenged, her voice laced with venom. 

Before she could act, several delicate hands emerged and grabbed hold of her serpentine locks by their necks, preventing them from spewing venom. 

Robin, rubbing her cheek where the red handprint remained, said softly, "That really hurt, you know…" 

Hancock bit her lip, and then, with a flash of determination, one rogue snake managed to slither free from the forest of hands restraining her hair. It lunged forward and sank its fangs into one of the flower hands gripping her. 

Robin flinched slightly, her brows knitting briefly, but she still smiled. "Even though the sensation is shared, that's just a body created from petals. Your venomous petrifying toxin won't affect me." 

Hancock's expression shifted. Robin leaned closer and murmured, "It's time you paid for your arrogance, Hancock…" 

''Hiss!'' One of Hancock's snake-like strands extended unnaturally, shooting toward Robin like a black whip. 

The two women's gazes locked. 

Robin gasped in mock alarm, calling out, "Giorno!" 

The snake strand stopped just short of Robin's lips, losing its vitality and gently transforming back into a loose strand of black hair that draped across Robin's lips. 

Liam, standing nearby, had his left arm covered in an invisible, blue flame-patterned mechanical armor. His hand plunged into Hancock's chest, extracting the ''Medusa'' Devil Fruit from her body. 

Something felt wrong. Liam frowned as he held the chip in his hand. With Hancock's power level, it didn't make sense for him to take her Devil Fruit so easily. His original intention had only been to force her to stop attacking Robin and switch to defending herself. 

Yet somehow, the act had directly removed the Medusa chip. 

Hancock's face alternated between pale and flushed as she glared at Liam in silence, her gaze icy and humiliated. 

Robin gave Liam a pointed look, urging him silently. 

So that's what this was about… After all this chaos, it was just a ploy to make me take Hancock's fruit. Liam finally understood. Without hesitation, he removed the ''Gasu Gasu no Mi'' (Gas Gas Fruit) chip from his own body and replaced it with the ''Medusa Beast'' chip. 

--- 

''Whoosh!'' 

Wind swept through, billowing the Kuja pirates' sails. 

"Wind!" Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold spread their arms wide on the deck, holding hands in delight. "This is real wind…" 

Nearby, another warrior chuckled. "Hancock reacted the same way back then…" 

"Remember to address her properly as Lady Hancock," a companion reminded with a grin. 

Meanwhile, within the ship's cabin in the Snake Princess's quarters, the 15-year-old Kuja crown princess, Lady Hancock, sat rigidly. Her pale, slender neck bore the mark of a snake bite, and her expression brimmed with humiliation as she helplessly served tea to Liam, her body obeying commands like a dutiful maid's despite her simmering rage. 

Liam lounged comfortably in the Snake Princess's seat, while Robin, still bearing faint handprint marks on her cheek, sat close beside him. 

"It's too hot!" Liam complained after taking a single sip of tea, slamming the cup onto the table. "I want it not too hot, not too cold." 

Hancock seethed internally, her fury boiling over. Yet her body, beyond her control, could not even express her anger through heavy breaths. If one ignored the emotion in her eyes, she appeared eerily calm and obedient. 

Hearing the command, she quietly retrieved the tea, lightly pursed her red lips, and began blowing gently on it until the steam dissipated. 

Finally, when the tea had cooled to the perfect temperature, Giorno casually remarked, "Never mind, I'm not that thirsty. You can drink it yourself." 

''You…!'' Hancock fumed inwardly, her rage threatening to explode. But her uncooperative body nodded obediently, lifted the tea she had no desire to drink, and, without hesitation, began sipping it herself. 

Liam turned his head, raising a brow at Robin. "So, what's next? Do you want to…?" 

(End Of The Chapter)

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