I'm Not Interested in Devil Fruits

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Vice Admiral Momonga's sword strike was halted by Hancock, who descended from above, her black high heel pressing the dark blade toward the ground.

He was startled. Her timing and precision were impeccable.

Had she arrived even a fraction of a second later, his sword would have cut down Giorno. A moment earlier, and she would have risked injury.

The placement of her foot was particularly cunning— right near the hilt, where leverage was weakest.

Even if Vice Admiral Momonga wanted to counter, it would be inefficient, and he couldn't immediately dislodge the high heel pressing down from above.

With no better option, he withdrew his sword, its edge scraping against the sole of her shoe as she landed with effortless grace.

The instant her foot touched the ground, he swung his blade in a sweeping arc, aiming to strike her horizontally.

Hancock's raven-black hair flowed behind her, and her flawless, gem-like eyes gleamed with a mysterious light.

Even Vice-Admiral Momonga, a seasoned warrior, found himself momentarily stunned by her unparalleled beauty.

His sword slowed for the briefest moment.

Within those mesmerizing eyes, a cold, golden glint flickered, and her pupils silently narrowed into vertical slits…

...

A short time earlier…

After the Marines raised both their own flag and that of the World Government, Vice Admiral Momonga declared war, ordering all pirates, bounty hunters, and tournament participants to surround and attack the Kuja Pirates— particularly "Kujo Jolyne" and "Chopper-na Giorno."

Chaos erupted instantly.

The Marines' stance was clear, and the island's king and princess had implicitly sided with them.

The bounty hunters and lesser fighters present certainly had no courage to defy a Vice Admiral's command.

As for the pirates who had come for the tournament, many barely had the nerve to stand in place under Momonga's gaze. The fact that they hadn't been immediately arrested was luck enough— who among them would dare disobey?

Had it only been the Marine flag raised, some might have feigned compliance before slipping away. But the sight of the World Government's emblem was enough to kill any thought of resistance.

No pirate wanted to openly challenge that authority.

Thus, the pirates, bounty hunters, and fighters charged at the Kuja Pirates, eager for battle, only to be met with fierce resistance.

Among the attackers, a few possessed Devil Fruit abilities, though most were of middling strength.

A notable number had Zoan abilities, but against the Kuja warriors— each one proficient in Busoshoku Haki— they held little advantage.

It didn't take long for them to realize the Kuja Pirates' fearsome reputation was well-earned. Even the most ordinary members displayed exceptional skill.

With bows and hand-to-hand combat, the Kuja warriors fought with enthusiasm, relishing the battle.

Robin remained composed. Even without her B.I.B., she wasn't defenseless—but with the Marines present, she had no intention of revealing her Hana Hana no Mi abilities.

She also had no desire to link "Nico Robin" to the Kuja Pirates in Marine records.

Thanks to the Kuja warriors providing cover, Robin's sharp reflexes and agility allowed her to blend into the chaos, using her Devil Fruit sparingly and discreetly.

A bestial roar shattered the air as a hulking figure lunged at her, sneering mid-air. "You look like the weakest one here!"

Robin stepped back quickly. But before the Zoan user could land, his body split in two, a fountain of blood splattering across the ground.

Nearby, Liam lowered his foot, then gestured to Robin as if to say, "No need to thank me."

Hancock's gaze briefly flickered toward Liam and Robin, a hint of curiosity crossing her mind.

Why wasn't Jolyne fighting herself?

As the Marine soldiers joined the fray, the battlefield descended into further chaos.

Most Marine soldiers had only average combat skills, but they had guns—and firearms were wildly unpredictable weapons.

In the hands of the right person, they could wound the "Strongest Man in the World," Whitebeard, or execute the "Invincible" Kozuki Oden.

In the hands of the average soldier? They were about as useful as they were now— firing wildly, missing, and never landing a single clean shot.

"Damn it! What's with these pirates?!"

"I can't hit them at all!"

"Do they have eyes in the backs of their heads? I fired when that woman was turned away, fighting another pirate! She couldn't have seen me, so how the hell did she dodge and make the other guy take the hit instead?!"

Most ordinary Marines had never even heard of Haki, let alone Kenbunshoku Haki—the power to sense danger, and movements, and predict attacks before they happened.

"Hmph…"

A pink-haired female Marine stepped forward, a cigarette dangling from her lips. She exhaled lightly and muttered, "It's Kenbunshoku Haki. Just as the Vice Admiral said— these Kuja warriors have all mastered it."

She flicked the cigarette away, stepping into the battlefield.

This was Captain Hina, wielder of the Ori Ori no Mi— the Cage-Cage Fruit.

Her goal was simple: capture the troublesome Kuja pirates as quickly as possible.

A green shadow cut through the chaos.

"You're a Marine officer, huh? Let's see how strong you are," Sandersonia said with a smirk, clapping her hands together.

Hina remained unfazed, allowing Sandersonia's attack to land.

No impact. Instead, Sandersonia's hand sank into Hina's torso as if swallowed by quicksand, pulled in by an invisible force.

A second later, her arm passed straight through Hina's back, now encased in a black circular shackle.

Hina continued forward, unbothered.

Shua, shua, shua— three black pillars shot up from the shackle, locking Sandersonia in an immobilized, cross-legged stance.

"One captured," Hina noted coolly, already moving toward her next target.

Then, a massive shadow swooped down from above.

'What!?' Hina turned sharply, her eyes locking onto the serpentine form descending toward her.

A forked red tongue flicked out as serpentine eyes gleamed with amusement.

Sandersonia giggled. "Did you really think a simple cage could trap a snake?"

Where she had been confined, only the three black pillars remained— coated in a slick residue were left behind.

Bang!

The flying serpent struck with a powerful Haki-infused kick sending Hina staggering.

Nearby, Marigold, in her full Zoan form, swung her massive tail, sending both pirates and Marines flying like scattered debris.

One such "debris" flew straight through Smoker's form, passing harmlessly through his billowing smoke.

Smoker's head reformed, his expression grim as he turned his attention to the one person who, despite the chaos, still seemed far too relaxed.

"Hey, where are you looking?" Smoker gripped his jitte tightly.

"Definitely not at you," Liam replied, his gaze locked onto the entrance, where yet another Marine Vice Admiral had just arrived.

(End of Chapter)