"Hancock, you're very brave."
Looking at Hancock, who had cried herself into a tearful mess, Kairo—who wasn't particularly good at comforting people—gently patted her shoulder.
His voice was soft and warm.
"The fact that you were able to personally speak about those painful memories means you've already prepared yourself to face a brighter future."
Hearing those comforting words, Hancock suddenly threw herself into Kairo's arms.
Like a child who had suffered a great injustice, she hugged him tightly, as though afraid he would disappear the next second.
Kairo froze briefly.
Then he shook his head and smiled helplessly.
Although Hancock was already the Empress of Amazon Lily, once she cast aside all her disguises and strength, she was still just a simple young woman.
She might have been the same age as Robin, but unlike Robin's maturity far beyond her years, Hancock without her mask truly resembled an innocent girl.
Of course, Kairo was quite pleased deep down.
Although Hancock had suffered through those dark experiences and endured tremendous hardship, she remained untouched in body and soul.
To Kairo, that was very important.
Extremely important.
After venting years of pain and grievances in his embrace, Hancock gradually calmed down.
Then, while lying in his arms and enjoying a sense of warmth and security she had never experienced before...
She fell asleep.
Seeing that Hancock remained motionless for a long time, Kairo blinked in confusion and looked down.
The sleeping Hancock looked nothing like the cold and arrogant Empress he had first met.
Her steady breathing highlighted a gentle beauty.
The curves of her body were enough to captivate the eye.
Her eyelashes resembled those of a porcelain doll.
Her long black hair spread like silk.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Peaceful.
Seeing that Hancock had somehow fallen asleep just like that, Kairo couldn't help smiling.
"Looks like she didn't sleep at all last night."
Time quietly passed.
Before they knew it, noon had arrived.
After enjoying a wonderful sleep in Kairo's arms, Hancock suddenly stirred.
Then she slowly opened her eyes.
Realizing that she had actually fallen asleep while lying against Kairo's chest, Hancock blinked drowsily.
Although she was awake now, she didn't want to get up.
Because lying in Kairo's embrace felt warmer and more comforting than anything she had ever experienced.
If she could stop time itself, she wished she could remain there forever.
Never separated from him.
"Still not planning to get up, little sleepyhead?"
Just as Hancock was losing herself in the warmth of Kairo's embrace, his voice suddenly reached her ears.
Startled, she immediately jumped to her feet.
Flustered beyond belief, she stammered,
"M-Mr. Kairo... I... I..."
After a brief moment of panic, however, Hancock suddenly calmed down.
A rosy blush spread across her face.
Her beautiful eyes stared directly at Kairo without blinking.
"Mr. Kairo..."
"I like you!"
The moment she finished speaking, Hancock turned around and ran away.
There was not a trace of imperial dignity left.
She looked exactly like a young girl caught in the storm of first love.
Before Kairo could even process what had happened, the system notification sounded in his mind.
"Notification: Congratulations, Host. Hidden mission completed."
"Reward obtained: 5,000 Travel Points."
"Notification: 5,000 Travel Points have been credited to your account."
"Current Travel Point balance: 21,000."
It was completed just like that?
Hearing the notification, Kairo was momentarily stunned.
So the mission hadn't required him to define their relationship at all.
It only required Hancock to confess her feelings herself?
Meanwhile—
On the vast sea far away, a Marine warship sped through a raging storm.
The deck was littered with dozens of Marine corpses.
Many of the bodies were mutilated.
The scene was horrifying.
Standing motionless among them was a woman wearing a blue cloak.
She had long wavy sea-blue hair and black pointed high heels.
Ain stared blankly at the corpses of her comrades.
She didn't move at all.
She looked like a statue.
A horrifying X-shaped wound stretched across her right leg.
Although it had been bandaged, blood still seeped through.
As a Marine, she had never imagined that her tenth training voyage would end in a pirate attack.
Nor had she imagined that a single pirate could utterly destroy them.
Even more unbelievable was the fact that the man she considered invincible—her teacher Zephyr—had lost an arm.
At that moment, a Marine officer emerged from the cabin.
Seeing Ain standing motionless on the deck, sadness flashed through his eyes.
"Ain."
Hearing his voice, Ain finally moved slightly.
She turned her head and looked at him blankly.
"Binz."
"Do you know that pirate's name?"
"Hm?"
Binz froze briefly before lowering his head.
"Edward Weevil."
"Remember that name, Binz."
Hatred flashed through Ain's eyes.
"We must capture him ourselves one day."
"No..."
"We must kill him ourselves."
After saying that, Ain turned and walked into the cabin.
Inside, Zephyr sat weakly in a chair.
His face was pale.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
Several months ago, he had led a group of Marine recruits on a training voyage.
Originally, he had intended to take them to the Four Blues for experience.
However, shortly after leaving Marine Headquarters, they encountered a pirate crew.
After successfully wiping them out, the recruits had enthusiastically requested to continue their training in the Grand Line.
Seeing their determination, Zephyr had ultimately agreed.
For the next two or three months, they traveled throughout the Grand Line.
They encountered numerous pirate crews.
The recruits improved rapidly.
Especially Ain and Binz, who had already become capable of standing on their own.
As a result, Zephyr decided to continue the training a little longer before returning to Marine Headquarters.
That decision had brought disaster.
A pirate named Edward Weevil had suddenly appeared.
When Weevil encountered Zephyr's training ship, he didn't flee.
Instead, he launched an attack immediately.
Sensing that something was wrong, Zephyr entered the battle at once.
But even that wasn't enough.
The nightmare still unfolded.
After the battle ended, his left arm had been severed.
Of all the Marines aboard the training ship, only Ain and Binz remained alive.
"Ain."
As Ain entered the cabin, Zephyr slowly raised his head.
His voice was weak.
"This is the world we live in."
"Cruel and unforgiving."
"The fact that you and Binz survived..."
"Is already a miracle."
The moment Zephyr finished speaking, Ain's eyes instantly reddened.
Tears silently streamed down her face.
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Extra chapters are already prepared… waiting to be unleashed.
Get early access on Patreon:
patreon.com/c/DreamWriterStudios
Want more chapters? You decide the pace:
✨ 10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
🔥 200 Power Stones = Another Release
Your support fuels the journey.
The stronger your backing… the faster the story unfolds.