Although Michael was openly displeased with Garp's behavior, deep down he knew very well…
To learn those outrageous moves of Garp's, you needed both incredible physical strength and a massive reserve of Haki.
To be honest, the fact that Hancock managed to learn them was unexpected… but not unreasonable.
Douglas Bullet, using his awakened Fruit, merged everything on the entire island with himself. That colossal monster possessed defenses that even Vice Admirals, Supernovas, and the Shichibukai couldn't break through.
And yet, thanks to her love-struck brain, Hancock almost shattered Bullet's kidneys with a single flying kick.
Looking at it this way, whether it was her Haki reserves or her physical strength and combat ability, Hancock was truly well-suited to Garp's techniques.
But Stella?
Michael thought back. That singer who rarely showed her strength… apart from her obsession with creating cloud-related things, she had somehow learned Garp's absurd moves too?
He had originally thought she was only steadily improving her combat skills.
"But since she's already using moves like that, the fight must be over."
Michael glanced at the sky, then simply stood up and walked with Garp to the center of the battlefield.
The two girls, both masters of combat and Haki, had nearly razed the entire small deserted island during their fierce clash.
"So… have you two fought enough?"
Michael's slightly helpless voice rang out beside them.
Hancock dropped down from midair and walked straight into the giant crater her kick had created.
She grabbed Yamato by the belt with one hand and hauled her out.
"Ahaha, Michael, I just got a little itchy-handed."
Even though Hancock was grown up now, she still spoke to Michael in the tone of a child.
That tone made Garp's entire body break out in goosebumps.
"Hancock, you don't talk like that to your teacher usually."
"Don't distract me, you old geezer! Know your place!"
"Who are you calling an old geezer, you stupid apprentice!"
"You stubborn old blockhead!"
Hancock and Garp, this teacher-student pair, truly had conflicting personalities.
Whenever they spoke, it was like lighting a string of firecrackers.
"Enough. If you two want to argue, do it later, alright?" Michael shot Garp a reproachful look.
"Especially you, you old blowhard! Bullying our little Hancock just because she can't yell as loud as you, is that it?"
"You… you win." Garp glanced at Michael, then couldn't resist giving him an international-friendly hand gesture. "Go ahead, spoil her all you want."
"Of course I'll spoil my own kid."
As Michael spoke, he took Yamato from Hancock and laid her down on the beach, rolling her over.
Yamato was already unconscious, eyes spiraling like mosquito coils.
Taking a full-force kick to the ribs and only passing out…
Yamato's physique truly lived up to being the daughter of the world's strongest creature.
"Alright. Hancock came all this way just to fight Yamato… and now that it's over, can we finally go back and talk things through?" Michael rolled his eyes. "You little brat, running off from Amazon Lily without a word… Shakky and Gloriosa must be furious right now."
With that, Michael copied Hancock's earlier move, hoisting Yamato up and heading toward Garp's warship.
Garp poked the frozen Hancock on the head with a finger as thick as a rolling pin.
"Hey? Apprentice? Daydreaming? Why aren't you moving?"
But even then, Hancock didn't respond. Instead, she mumbled softly:
"Hehe, I'm his kid too… and he even called me little brat!"
"You're nuts."
Garp glanced at Michael's retreating back, then at the ecstatic Hancock, and made his comment.
...
Although Yamato's injuries looked serious, they were actually just superficial. For someone with her physique, a good meal and a night's sleep were enough for a full recovery.
So Michael didn't use Holy Light to heal her.
That was best saved for critical moments.
Otherwise, if she got used to it, it would only hold her back from growing stronger.
After everyone boarded the ship, they didn't return to Marine Headquarters but instead headed for Amazon Lily.
After all, Hancock had basically skipped work to come here.
To be fair, skipping out on work at a Marine branch wasn't a big deal occasionally.
But Hancock wasn't just a Base Commander. She was also the "Empress of Amazon Lily"!
Skipping a day of running a country meant missing a lot.
Over the years, after Amazon Lily became a Marine nation, its population grew rapidly. Following a high-level vote led by three generations of Amazon Lily empresses, the "No Men Allowed" policy was finally abolished by a huge margin.
Now Amazon Lily had gradually transformed from its formerly odd social structure into a normal country.
And during this critical period of transition and rapid development, Hancock suddenly skipping work was indeed inappropriate.
So when Michael brought her back to Amazon Lily, facing the endless scolding of Shakky and Gloriosa, the two former empresses, Hancock could only suffer in silence.
After settling Yamato down, Michael was led by Sandersonia and Marigold onto the streets of Amazon Lily.
"Daddy! Hurry, hurry!"
The innocent Marigold ran ahead, her orange hair fluttering in the wind as she waved back at Michael.
"This is the biggest shopping street in Amazon Lily!"
"Sorry, Vice Admiral Michael. Marigold calling you that… it's a little embarrassing." Sandersonia sighed and apologized to Michael.
"It's fine, Sandersonia." Michael shook his head. "Honestly, all you kids from the SWORD Secret Special Force were basically raised by me. If you really want to call me that, I don't mind at all…"
He reached out and gently ruffled Sandersonia's green hair.
Instantly, Sandersonia's big eyes filled with tears.
Michael sighed.
The children of Amazon Lily craved fatherly love far more than others.
After all… it was something they had never had, missing right from the start.
But now, the fatherly love the Boa sisters had lacked was already filled by the light named "Michael."
So Michael strolled through the revitalized Amazon Lily with Marigold and Sandersonia.
...
Meanwhile, in the palace…
"Uuugh, to think I drove off the enemy only to be betrayed by my own sisters!"
"Sisters fighting within the walls!"
Hancock looked at Shakky and Gloriosa on either side of her, assisting and supervising her handling state affairs, then at Garp sitting by the door to prevent her escape.
Her eyes filled with sorrow.
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