"How about you carry my name on your back, help me become the king of the world, and kill all the Celestial Dragons?"
Ace stretched out his right hand towards Hancock. In addition to gentleness, there was also an unyielding determination in his expression.
Hancock looked at Ace, and couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. Her beautiful eyes trembled slightly, and tears flowed down her cheeks. If anyone else had said that, she wouldn't have believed it. But Ace? She believed him wholeheartedly. This was the man who had publicly executed three Celestial Dragons and used his power to make even the Five Elders compromise.
"Ace," Hancock whispered, her voice filled with emotion. Her lips met his in a warm kiss, and she felt the overwhelming love and support in his embrace.
Their kiss lasted until Hancock pulled back, her face flushed with shyness. "Ugh, this is our first kiss. Did I bite you, Ace?"
Ace smiled gently, stroking Hancock's long black hair. "I like you just the way you are, Hancock."
Hancock, emboldened by Ace's love, said firmly, "Ace, I want to tattoo your symbol here. I want to carry your name on my back. Is that okay?"
Ace laughed, his eyes sparkling with affection. "Of course."
Hancock's emotions, clearly reflected through Ace's Observation Haki, showed her desire to replace the trauma of her past with Ace's name. As the Entei pirate flag pattern was tattooed, it marked Hancock's moment of rebirth.
The door of the bedroom opened again. Hancock's face turned red as Nami and Nojiko entered.
"Nami, Nojiko..." Hancock stammered, looking at the two women.
Nami smiled brightly, stepping forward to hug Hancock. "Don't be so nervous, Hancock. We'll be sisters from now on."
"It's beautiful, Hancock. A beauty like you should belong to Ace," Nami said, making Hancock blush even more.
"Hancock, let's start the tattoo," Ace suggested.
Nojiko stepped forward, ready to help. She had tattooed the Entei Pirates' designs on herself and Nami, so she was experienced. Hancock pushed her long black hair aside, her face resolute.
With the help of Ace's field of understanding, Nojiko began to tattoo Hancock's back. Soon, a lifelike pattern of the Entei Pirate Flag, representing Ace's name, appeared on her smooth skin.
"All done," Nojiko said with a smile, admiring her work.
"Have I carried the title of Ace?" Hancock murmured, turning to see the pattern on her back. The shadow of her past seemed to dissipate, replaced by the flames of Ace's symbol.
"Buzz!"
Ace's eyes narrowed as he waved his right hand. In the field of understanding, Hancock was quickly enveloped.
"Boom!!!"
The next moment, terrifying Conqueror's Haki roared out from Hancock's body. Violent black and purple lightning crackled in the atmosphere, growing stronger. Under the influence of the field of understanding, this lightning began to intertwine.
Conqueror's Haki-Infusion!
At that moment, with her inner demons removed and Ace's title emblazoned on her back, Hancock's Conqueror's Haki surged to new heights. She quickly mastered the power that stood at the pinnacle of this sea.
Ace watched Hancock, a slight smile on his lips. With Conqueror's Haki infused, her strength would reach new levels. Coupled with the power of her Devil Fruit, Hancock could immediately achieve a combat level rivaling Aokiji. Fully mastering Conqueror's Haki would propel her towards the power of the Four Emperors. Reaching BIG-MOM's combat power was not far off.
But at that moment, Ace received another surprise.
"Buzz! Boom!!!"
A terrifying kingly aura roared out from Nami's body. Conqueror's Haki, awakening! The aura of a king echoed in the atmosphere.
Ace's crew was becoming stronger, and their future looked brighter than ever.
"Boom!"
A terrifying momentum swept out from Nami's body, roaring wildly in the atmosphere. Around her neck, the lucky charm Ace had made for her was flashing crazily.
In the realm of understanding, enveloped by Hancock's powerful Conqueror's Haki and with Ace's assistance, Nami's latent kingly qualifications awakened in that moment.
"This... this is the same Conqueror's anger as me!" Hancock's beautiful eyes trembled as she watched the black and purple lightning emanate from Nami's body, competing with her own Conqueror's Haki.
Although Nami's Conqueror's Haki had just awakened and existed only as a nascent momentum, it had not yet formed the violent black and purple lightning unique to fully developed Conqueror's Haki. Nonetheless, Nami clearly possessed the qualifications of a king.
Conqueror's Haki, the pinnacle of power on the seas, was an ability only one in a million could awaken. Even in the New World, where the strongest gathered, only a handful had it. Those who awakened it, even if they never mastered Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, would certainly excel in Armament and Observation Haki, surpassing even senior Vice Admirals of the Naval Headquarters.
Conqueror's Haki could not be learned; it was an innate gift. As far as Hancock knew, only she and the Four Emperors' sole female member, BIG-MOM, possessed it among women. Nami was now the third known female to awaken Conqueror's Haki in this era.
Nami's strength exceeded Hancock's. Though the Love-Love Fruit's ability, combined with her stunning beauty, rivaled some powerful Logia and Zoan-type Devil Fruits, it could not compare to Nami's Thunder-Thunder Fruit, one of the most invincible Logia abilities. Before mastering Conqueror's Haki-Infusion thanks to Ace, Hancock's abilities had been formidable but fell short of the Admirals' peak combat power.
However, Nami, with her pure Thunder-Thunder Fruit power, had already become one of the pinnacle combatants on the seas. Her Haki strength had almost no impact on her combat prowess due to the overwhelming power of the Thunder-Thunder Fruit. But now, everything was different. Nami had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
As someone who also possessed Conqueror's Haki, Hancock knew that mastering Conqueror's Haki-Infusion was a long journey. Yet, with Ace's help, she had achieved it. Nami's Armament and Observation Haki would rapidly enhance, thanks to her kingly qualifications.
This was why those who awakened Conqueror's Haki saw an explosive growth in their other Haki types. Nami's Thunder-Thunder Fruit, combined with her newfound Haki, placed her combat power at the level of Admiral Kizaru. Fully mastering Conqueror's Haki-Infusion would make her as powerful as the Four Emperors, capable of world-shaking destruction.
The power of the Thunder-Thunder Fruit was greater than Whitebeard's Quake-Quake Fruit. Nami's ultimate combat potential depended on her Haki strength.
Hancock looked at Nami with joy in her eyes. Nami, who deeply loved Ace, bore the Entei Pirate Flag tattoo like her. It was because of Nami that Hancock had been accepted so smoothly by Nokigao and the others. Now, Nami also possessed Conqueror's Haki, giving Hancock a sense of companionship she had never known.
"Congratulations, Nami." The hidden coldness in Hancock's beautiful eyes completely melted away, replaced by a smile that bloomed like a flower.
"Conqueror's Haki." Nami murmured, gazing at her hands as she felt the rush of Conqueror's Haki. Her red lips barely moved as she spoke.
"Feel it well, Nami. It's beautiful." Ace looked at her and waved his right hand violently, enveloping Nami in a dazzling mysterious light. The comprehension field was at full power.
Ace's eyes sparkled with joy. Nami indeed possessed Conqueror's Haki. In the original story, Nami's anger had once caused someone to mistakenly think she was releasing Conqueror's Haki. Now, stimulated by Hancock's rapidly growing Conqueror's Haki, Nami's kingly aptitude had awakened.
Hancock had mastered Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, and now Nami had awakened her own Conqueror's Haki. This surprised Ace greatly. Conqueror's Haki was exceedingly rare. Among the Four Emperors' groups, apart from the Four Emperors themselves, only Katakuri of the BIG-MOM Pirates and Yamato, Kaido's daughter, were confirmed to possess it. And among those who had mastered it, besides Big Mom, only Yamato had shown initial mastery.
With Hancock mastering Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, she had become one of the peak combat powers on the seas. Her beauty, combined with her Devil Fruit ability, made her an extraordinarily formidable opponent, potentially stronger than even Admiral-level figures like Black Arm Zephyr. She could even fight head-on with the peak Four Emperors for a short time.
Conqueror's Haki-Infusion brought a massive increase in combat power, and Nami's awakening of Conqueror's Haki would lead to a rapid enhancement of her Armament and Observation Haki. Ace had originally planned to strengthen Nami's physique using the comprehension field, Kaya's healing fruit ability, and nutrients from the Calm Belt's Sea Kings. This would bolster her Armament Haki over time. But now, with her Conqueror's Haki awakened, Nami's Armament Haki and Observation Haki would both enter a period of explosive growth.
As long as Nami's Armament Haki reached the threshold of an Admiral, her Thunder-Thunder Fruit abilities, supplemented by Armament Haki and enhanced Observation Haki, would place her combat strength on par with Kizaru. Once she mastered Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, Nami would become a Four Emperors-level combatant, as powerful as any of the current Four Emperors, capable of world-shaking destruction.
Ace looked at Nami, unable to suppress the smile on his lips. Nami was not only his first crew member and the closest woman to him, but also held a special place in his heart. Her awakening of Conqueror's Haki made Ace happier than winning any war against the Naval Headquarters.
However, what happened next shocked even Ace, who stood at the pinnacle of the sea era. Hancock, who had just mastered Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, and had become one of the pinnacle combatants, watched in disbelief.
"Buzz!"
With the help of the comprehension field, Nami quickly mastered the release and control of Conqueror's Haki. When Conqueror's Haki first awakens, those with the qualifications of a king cannot control its release and can only unconsciously launch momentum attacks. After training, one can release Conqueror's Haki accurately on target groups. Nami, with the help of the comprehension field, swiftly passed this stage and mastered the precise release of Conqueror's Haki.
But then, "Bah! Bah! Bah!" Black and purple lightning erupted around Nami, jumping wildly in the atmosphere. Nami subconsciously stretched out her fist, and the black-purple lightning wrapped obediently around it.
"Conqueror's Haki-Infusion?!" Hancock stared blankly at the violent black and purple lightning on Nami's fist. Although the power was far weaker than her own Conqueror's Haki, there was no doubt it was Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, the pinnacle of power on the sea. Nami had just awakened Conqueror's Haki and already mastered Infusion. Hancock was at a loss for words.
"Conqueror's Haki - Entanglement," even Ace was stunned. The comprehension field, his own heaven-defying understanding combined with Nika's exclusive imagination power obtained from Luffy, could improve the "Talent" of the user to a terrifying level. Yet, even Ace had not immediately mastered Conqueror's Haki; he had needed heaven-defying understanding after watching old man Garp's Iron Fist.
Nami's rapid mastery was unprecedented, showcasing a heaven-defying talent. Ace, filled with anticipation and pride, watched Nami, who stood on the brink of becoming one of the most powerful figures on the seas.
"Ace, I can get closer to you."
Ace's lips curved into a smile as he looked at the sweet expression on Nami's pretty face. This girl, the first he met after setting out to sea, held a special place in his heart. Unlike Kaya, who loved him blindly, or Vivi, who never acted coquettishly, Nami was always the closest to him. Without her navigation skills, their journey on the Grand Line, even with the Merry, would have been impossible in the unpredictable climate.
In terms of combat power, Nami had become the second most formidable player in the Entei Pirates since she ate the Thunder Fruit. She was the only one among the girls who had reached the pinnacle of combat power on the sea. Known as the top cadre of the Entei Pirates' fleet and its second-in-command, Nami had already made a name for herself. During the Entei incident, she and Rayleigh teamed up with Fujitora to defeat the captive Kizaru. Nami's Thunder Fruit ability delivered a fatal blow, paralyzing Kizaru and allowing Rayleigh to strike him with Conqueror's Haki.
Such achievements were astounding for a seventeen-year-old girl. Nami's innate talent for weather perception and manipulation was unmatched in this era. Even without the Thunder Fruit, she could perform powerful lightning attacks with her Weather Stick. After obtaining the Thunder Fruit, her control and use of its abilities made her one of the strongest Thunder Fruit users in history.
However, Nami felt it wasn't enough. She knew that relying solely on a Devil Fruit had its limits. Unlike Ace's residual fire style, which evolved the Mera-mera Fruit ability toward the level of the sun, most Devil Fruits capped at a certain power level. Despite her peak combat power being formidable enough to influence the outcome of wars, Nami recognized the behemoth they faced: the World Government.
During the Entei incident, Nami's Haki wasn't strong enough to deal fatal blows to powerful adversaries like Kizaru. Although her Thunder Fruit granted her terrifying speed and destructive power, without powerful Haki, she could only paralyze and restrict her opponents. Sengoku, the Marine Marshal, exploited this weakness by planning strategies that limited Logia Devil Fruit abilities, making close combat Haki the deciding factor. If not for Ace's Fire Ten Trillion Death Burial Formation and the interception of Marine's Haki masters, they would have faced a dire battle.
The involvement of the Five Elders and Four Emperors like Shanks and Kaido further highlighted Haki's importance. Nami understood that even with the Thunder Fruit's unmatched speed and power, Haki was crucial. Ace's words, "Only Haki can be above everything," resonated deeply with her. Determined to become a Haki master, Nami arrived at Amazon Lily, seeking to enhance her abilities and better support Ace.
Despite being the second-in-command of the Entei pirate fleet, Nami's combat power lagged behind Rayleigh and Fujitora. This fueled her determination to become not only the closest woman to Ace but also his most powerful supporter, capable of clearing obstacles for him to become the king of the world.
Nami's reflection often led her to gaze at the stars, feeling a mix of determination and frustration. Although her Thunder Fruit abilities were exceptional, her Armament Haki improvement had its limits. Her physicality, compared to figures like Aokiji and Akainu, restricted her from achieving the same combat prowess. Martial arts, crucial in duels between top experts, were not her strength.
In battles, Nami's medium and long-range attacks, powered by Thunder Fruit, made her nearly invincible. However, in close-range combat with the Four Emperors, her lack of martial skills and powerful Haki meant she could be vulnerable. The Four Emperors could break through her defenses, risking only a few hits from Thunder Fruit.
Nami's awakening of Conqueror's Haki changed everything. With Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, her combat power surpassed Aokiji, reaching the level of the Four Emperors. This newfound power brought her closer to Ace, both in strength and as his invaluable ally.
Nami's smile grew sweeter as she looked at Ace, her heart filled with happiness and determination. She was ready to stand by his side, stronger than ever, helping him conquer the world.
"Silly girl, you have always been closest to me."
Ace held Nami in his arms, touching her little head lovingly and smiling softly. Nami's happiness radiated so strongly that Ace could sense it through Observation Haki—a joy that came from deep within her heart and soul. Just being near this emotion made all worries fade away.
Ace felt Nami's happiness, his eyes growing gentler. Hancock, too, was infected by this feeling, her red lips curving into a smile. Notch Gauguin watched with a knowing look, her eyes betraying a hint of a smile. She knew how hard her sister worked to be a greater help to Ace.
Because her body wasn't naturally strong enough, Nami often engaged in grueling training sessions late at night after finishing her navigational charts and plans for the next day. With Kaya's medical skills and healing fruit ability, Nami could push her body to its limits and beyond, enduring a cruel training regimen that involved destroying muscle and skin tissues so they could regenerate stronger. This relentless destruction and regeneration, along with nutrients from Sea Kings, fortified her internal organs and physique.
Despite Kaya's medical expertise ensuring Nami had no scars or accidents, the pain endured during these exercises remained. Yet, Nami bore it all with resilience. Nokigao could still see the determination and a hint of frustration in Nami's eyes, knowing the limits imposed by her physical capabilities.
But now, everything had changed. With her mastery of Conqueror's Haki-Tangle, Nami was destined to become one of the strongest people on the sea. Nokigao, tears in her eyes and a heartfelt smile on her lips, felt immense pride in her sister.
"That's not enough. I want to get closer to you. I am your destined navigator."
Nami, nestled in Ace's arms, breathed in his scent, her beautiful eyes narrowing in contentment. Ace's presence made her feel incredibly at ease.
"Not just my destined navigator," Ace said, touching her head and smiling.
"Um?" Nami looked up, her pretty face curious.
"You will be the most powerful person next to me in the future."
Ace gently pinched Nami's cheek, his eyes soft and affectionate. With her newfound Conqueror's Haki, Nami's potential for future combat power had soared to a terrifying level. Take Akainu, for instance—without Conqueror's Haki, he relied on the Lava-Lava Fruit, powerful Armament Haki, a monstrous body, and formidable martial arts to face the highest combat power on the sea, the Four Emperors. Nami's Thunder Fruit, superior to the Lava-Lava Fruit, combined with her exceptional control and understanding, made her the strongest Thunder Fruit user in history.
With such an extraordinary Devil Fruit ability, coupled with Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, Nami's combat power was destined to surpass Akainu. Her martial arts skills might be minimal, but her talent in weather perception and manipulation, combined with her long-range attack prowess, turned her previous disadvantages into strengths. The synergy of Conqueror's Haki and Thunder Fruit created a force of unmatched destructive power.
Even Ace was excited about Nami's potential. Her destructive capability far exceeded the power of Armament Haki combined with the Lava-Lava Fruit. Such long-range attacks could inflict serious injuries on even the Four Emperors. If Ace's residual fire style hadn't evolved the Mera-mera Fruit ability towards the Sun, Nami would be the strongest in terms of raw destructive power and attack force in this era.
All that remained was for Nami to continue strengthening her Conqueror's Haki. Ace had no doubt about her potential. In terms of Conqueror's Haki, he had never seen anyone with higher talent than Nami. Mastering Conqueror's Haki-Infusion upon awakening was a feat even the Four Emperors couldn't achieve. Nami was destined to become one of the most powerful people in the ocean.
Hearing Ace's words, Nami's face lit up with a bright smile. She nodded eagerly.
"There seems to be some chaos outside. Is it affected by Conqueror's Haki just now?"
The warm atmosphere was interrupted by noises outside the Nine Snakes City palace. Nami left Ace's arms, extending her Observation Haki, and smiled.
"After all, it's Conqueror's Haki, and there are two waves of them, so the movement is quite loud."
Ace watched the pride on Nami's face, finding it endearing, and smiled.
"Crunch!"
The door to Hancock's bedroom creaked open in the Nine Snake City Palace.
"Sister!"
Sandersonia and Marigold rushed forward, their anxious voices filling the air. They saw Hancock emerging with Nami and Nogigao behind Ace, their concern evident despite Rayleigh and Shakky's reassurances. The sudden release of such powerful Conqueror's Haki from one sister still made them worried, knowing all too well the shared shadows in their hearts.
"Don't worry, Sandersonia, Marigold," Hancock said, her red lips curving into a gentle, brilliant smile. Her beautiful eyes softened into crescent shapes as she looked at her two sisters.
"Sister...?" Sandersonia and Marigold covered their mouths, looking at Hancock in disbelief. Such a smile hadn't graced her face since their childhood, before their capture by human traffickers. Even after escaping the Holy Land and returning to Amazon Lily with the help of Grandma Ze, Rayleigh, and Shakky, Hancock had never smiled like this. She had always worn a cold mask, pretending to be a tyrant to protect her sisters, even in private.
They knew how soft-hearted she truly was, hiding her vulnerability to shield them. Sandersonia and Marigold had abandoned their own beauty, enduring self-inflicted training to become stronger. This had deformed their once-beautiful appearance, but they deemed it worth it if it brought their sister peace of mind. Despite their efforts, Hancock had always maintained her cold exterior.
But now, seeing Hancock's gentle smile, Sandersonia and Marigold's eyes turned red, tears streaming down their faces. Their sister had finally shed her cold mask, returning to the strong, gentle, laughing sister they remembered.
"Thank you for your hard work, Sandersonia, Marigold."
Hancock approached her two sisters, gently stroking them with her delicate hands. Though Amazon Lily valued strength over beauty, love still cherished beautiful appearances. Her sisters' self-inflicted training had likely impacted their future chances of finding lovers, and the pain endured was unimaginable. Hancock's eyes reflected pity as she caressed them.
"It's not hard for us, Sister-sama."
Feeling Hancock's emotions, Sandersonia and Marigold wiped their tears and smiled brightly at her. The three sisters laughed together, reminiscent of their carefree childhood before setting sail with the Nine Snakes Pirates.
Grandma Ze watched the sisters, her eyes misting over. She had moved to the most remote corner of Amazon Lily to support Hancock's rise to emperor. Despite Hancock's rude treatment and frequent expulsion from the palace, Grandma Ze knew it was all an act to protect them. Hancock valued her opinion deeply, even if she often rejected it initially.
Seeing Hancock's genuine smile now, Grandma Ze, who regarded Hancock as her granddaughter, couldn't contain her joy and love, bursting into tears. Hancock's love for the Flame emperor, Ace, had liberated her from her past traumas. Only Ace, the man who publicly executed three Celestial Dragons and shattered the head of one of the Five Elders, could have achieved this. Ace, with his unparalleled Devil Fruit abilities, had removed the traces of Hancock's torment, ushering her into a new life.
"Nami, you have awakened Conqueror's Haki!"
Vivi, Kaya, and others surrounded Nami, exclaiming in awe. They had already learned about Nami's awakening from Shakky. Though Rayleigh and Fujitora waited outside the palace, men weren't allowed inside the Amazon Lily palace, except for Ace, who was special due to Hancock's love.
"Not only did you awaken Conqueror's Haki, but you also mastered Conqueror's Haki - Entanglement, right?"
Shakky's eyes sparkled with wonder as she looked at Nami. Mastering this power was rare, especially among women. Before today, only Big-Mom, Charlotte Linlin, had full control, with Four Emperors Kaido's daughter, Yamato, beginning to master it. Now, two more strong women, Pirate Empress Boa Hancock and Nami, had joined their ranks. Shakky marveled at Nami's talent, mastering Conqueror's Haki - Entanglement upon awakening.
Nami's Thunder Fruit ability, already invincible among Logia, combined with Conqueror's Haki, elevated her to the pinnacle of combat power. She had gained a pass to the realm of the strongest on the sea, with limitless future potential.
"Conqueror's Haki, that's awesome Nami! Congratulations."
Kaya hugged Nami's arm, her angelic face glowing with excitement. She shared a close bond with Nami, her first friend who had supported her through grief. Kaya knew firsthand Nami's determination and effort to become stronger, draining her body's functions to the extreme. Now, Nami had realized her dream, and Kaya couldn't be happier for her friend.
"It's so awesome, Nami!"
Vivi added joyfully, while the other girls surrounded Nami, offering encouragement. They had all come together because of Ace, forming a strong sisterhood. Nami's newfound strength brought happiness to everyone, inspiring them to train harder and become stronger.
"Then, starting from tomorrow, I will teach you well."
Ace's lips curled up slightly as he looked at the spirited girls.
"oh!"
They all raised their hands energetically, including Nami, who had just mastered Conqueror's Haki. Hancock watched them, her red lips curving as she raised her own hand.
"oh!"
The Entei Pirates' fleet, under Ace's unique special training, was officially beginning.