No matter how willful Hancock could be, she wouldn't be careless when it came to the fate of her country.
Facing Hancock's question, Takumi gave the same answer as before: "Traveling."
"Traveling...?" Granny Gloriosa's face was covered in dark lines. "Who in their right mind would risk crossing the Calm Belt, filled with Sea Kings, just to visit Amazon Lily for a vacation? Even if someone did, it would be for the women on the island, yet you don't seem to be interested in women at all. Kid, if you're going to make excuses, at least make a believable one."
Takumi: "..."
"Takumi," Hancock asked, her face grim. "When do you plan to leave?"
"That depends," Takumi replied, uncertain. After all, the system's task progression could sometimes be straightforward but occasionally threw curveballs, leaving him unsure of what to expect.
He had already used Conqueror's Haki against Hancock, engaging with her directly, yet it hadn't triggered any task progression, which surprised him. The system wasn't following its usual pattern this time...
"I could allow you to stay," Hancock suddenly said, causing both her sisters and Gloriosa to look shocked.
"Elder Sister, you can't!" Sandersonia said nervously. "He's an outsider, and he's a man! Men aren't allowed to stay on Amazon Lily."
Gloriosa, her expression sour, added, "Snake Princess, have you forgotten the rules of this island?"
Hancock frowned, glancing at her sisters and Gloriosa. Her tone was displeased as she said, "This is my decision. Your job is to obey, without question."
She then turned back to Takumi, her voice cold once more. "I'll grant all your requests, but as I said before, until you leave, you and your companions must not show yourselves to my people. If you agree to that, I will release your petrified crewmates and pardon those two criminals."
Takumi: "…"
Although her words sounded similar to what she had said the day before, something about it didn't seem quite so simple this time.
"You're in no position to negotiate with me," Takumi said bluntly, not bothering to argue further. "Aside from you releasing the petrification yourself, there's another way to undo it."
Hancock's face stiffened.
Her sisters tensed as well, instinctively stepping in front of her protectively.
Gloriosa sighed. "That's right. If the Devil Fruit user dies, their abilities are undone. Looks like we're the ones being threatened now."
"Takumi!" Hancock trembled with rage. "I've been patient enough to talk to you civilly. What more do you want?"
"Isn't it tiresome, asking the same question over and over?" Takumi replied impatiently. "Hurry up, don't test my patience."
"You…" Hancock was gritting her teeth, but she had no choice.
She couldn't deal with the man before her.
Neither her powers nor her beauty had any effect on him.
She had lost. And she had lost completely.
"Fine. I will fulfill your demands!" Hancock, her face grim, reached out and undid the petrification of Enel and Kaku.
As the two returned to their original state, both looked bewildered.
"Huh? Where is this? What happened? Why are we here?" Kaku asked, rubbing the back of his head.
When Enel saw Hancock, he paused, immediately recalling what had happened. Lightning crackled in his palms as he spoke angrily, "You dared to toy with me? Interesting. Woman, you're dead!"
"Uh, wait, don't act rashly," Kaku quickly stepped in front of Enel, laughing awkwardly. "She's a Warlord of the Sea, one of the pirates aligned with the World Government. Don't do anything rash. Besides, Captain Takumi is here. Let's see what he has to say first."
"What's there to see? What's so interesting? Warlord or not, do you think I, a god, would be afraid?" Enel looked at Takumi, asking irritably, "Takumi, just tell me what you want to do with this crazy woman."
A large vein throbbed on Hancock's forehead. "Crazy woman…? You bastard, do you want to turn to stone again?"
"Try it! Just see if I don't fry you into human jerky!" Enel fumed.
"You!" Hancock, having reached her limit, was about to use her Love-Love Mellow attack, but before she could finish saying the word "Love," Takumi slapped her on the forehead again, interrupting her ability.
Hancock, caught off guard, staggered back a half-step.
Her sisters immediately rushed to support her.
Hancock's face flushed with anger, just about to curse.
But before she could speak, Enel's protesting voice rang out: "This isn't fair! You hit me using Armament Haki, but why didn't you use it on her? Just because she's a woman? Since when did you become so soft? If you can't hit her, let me do it!"
Enel began cracking his knuckles, ready for a fight.
"Enough, let's go." Takumi glanced at Enel and Kaku, before heading back toward the eastern coast, where their ship was anchored.
Kaku patted Enel's back, laughing, "Captain has spoken. Let's go. If you disobey, you're going to get a beating."
Enel glared at Hancock and her sisters, snapping, "You're lucky." He then transformed into a bolt of lightning and chased after Takumi.
Kaku sighed, looking at Hancock with a smile. "Sorry about that. Enel's just like that. Don't take it personally. Well then, see you around." With that, Kaku leaped to the top of the arena's walls, a height of several dozen meters, and ran off, leaving Hancock and her sisters staring in shock.
"Who are these three people?" Sandersonia asked, confused. "Are they all Devil Fruit users?"
"Lightning… That's got to be a powerful Logia-type ability," Gloriosa muttered, then turned to Hancock, whose expression had become stiff and awkward. "It looks like some extraordinary people have arrived on the island this time. What are you going to do next, Snake Princess? Just let them wander freely?"
Hancock bit her thumb, muttering to herself, "He knows Armament Haki… Why didn't he use it against me? Does that mean he likes me? But if he really liked me, why would he be immune to my powers? Thinking back, he's never gone all-out against me. Could it be…? That boy really does like me!"
"Uh, what are you mumbling to yourself about?" Gloriosa asked, looking exasperated.
Hancock snapped back to reality, her tone turning cold once more as she said, "What else can we do? They killed a Celestial Dragon, so the World Government won't let them go. Maybe they came to Amazon Lily to hide from the World Government's pursuit."
She chuckled coldly. "If that's the case, then it's better to spread the word that they're here. If I can't handle him, I'll let the World Government do it. Sandersonia, bring me the Den Den Mushi used to contact the Navy."
"Oh, alright." Sandersonia glanced toward the center of the arena, where Sister Brew and Lila still lay unconscious. "What about them? Do you still plan on executing them?"
Hancock glanced dismissively at the two and waved her hand. "Forget it, let them go this time."
As soon as she said that, the system notification rang in Takumi's mind.
[Ding! You've changed the Pirate Empress Hancock's decision on the execution. Progress +20%. Current total progress: 50%. Reward: Conqueror's Haki level +1. Current level: Lv8.]
Before Takumi could think too much about it, an overwhelming burst of Haki erupted from him, spreading rapidly in all directions.
Both Enel and Kaku, who were closest to him, were instantly overwhelmed by the Haki, collapsing from mid-air, their bodies going limp.
Even back at the arena, the people felt the shockwave of Haki, though briefly.
The distance prevented the full impact from paralyzing them completely, but it still sent a chill down their spines.
A bead of cold sweat dripped down Hancock's forehead.
Sandersonia, looking troubled, asked, "Sister… Are we being watched? Should we still contact the World Government?"
"You idiot!" Gloriosa slammed her cane against the ground twice. "If you want Amazon Lily to be destroyed, then go ahead and call them!"