I'm Not Interested in Devil Fruits

Liam joined this voyage for two main reasons: first, to accompany Robin, and second, to check out Magnifique Island, the place Haredas had mentioned three years ago on Little Skypiea as the home of the Jiki Jiki no Mi (Magnet-Magnet Fruit) user.

The news in the newspaper about Magnifique Island perfectly aligned with his plans, making it even more convenient.

Liam wasn't particularly interested in the Jiki Jiki no Mi (Magnet-Magnet Fruit) itself— his focus was on Eustass Kid.

By the timeline, Kid should only be seven years old now. Clearly, such a young child didn't match the reputation of the Jiki Jiki no Mi (Magnet-Magnet Fruit) user that Haredas had described.

It was reasonable to suspect that the current user of the Jiki Jiki no Mi (Magnet-Magnet Fruit) had met their end during the so-called "martial arts tournament for Princess Oroson's hand," resulting in the fruit reincarnating into a new Devil Fruit, which Kid later had the luck to find and consume. 

Liam also strongly suspected that Eustass Kid himself might already be on Magnifique Island.

Liam's interest in Kid wasn't because Kid had Haoshoku Haki while he didn't. Not at all.

…

"Magnifique Island?" Hancock asked when Liam suggested adding it to their route. She didn't see any issue and readily agreed. "Sure."

She hadn't planned to ask for a reason.

But upon glancing at the images and text in the newspaper Liam was holding, she took it from him for a quick look and frowned.

"You're not planning to... join this, are you?"

Hancock bit her soft, flawless lips, her expression a mix of concern and allure, with a charm that could pierce through any heart.

Liam took a deep breath to steady himself and replied, "Maybe. It depends on the situation. Anyway, if there's something exciting to see, why not check it out? There might even be some interesting Devil Fruit users there."

Hancock rolled her eyes and dropped the subject.

As they walked through the city, Liam, Robin, and Hancock chatted and laughed, drawing envious and twisted glares from onlookers. Why?! The sight of such a large group of beautiful women— especially those two stunning ones— being so friendly with him was infuriating. How unfair! So jealous!

After wandering around the town with Giorno and Jolyne for a while, Hancock led the group back to the Kuja pirate ship.

Liam and Robin treated themselves to a satisfying meal in the city before returning to the ship.

Hancock gave the crew a day off, allowing them to roam freely on the island. She instructed them to use a firework signal in case of emergencies, ensuring that the Amazon warriors would come to their aid immediately. This was a system she had seen the Snake Princess use on past voyages.

"Ehehe..." The Kuja women shared knowing smiles before pairing off and heading into the towns across the island.

"They're laughing so strangely!" Sandersonia and Marigold exchanged puzzled looks but quickly brushed it off. Hand in hand, they headed to the royal city, their eyes wide with wonder at everything around them. Compared to Kuja Island, the outside world felt like a true wonderland.

The evening breeze gently swayed the pirate flag bearing the snake-haired skull emblem by the shore. With fewer people on the ship, the atmosphere grew quiet. From within the cabin, the faint sound of high heels echoed— click, click, click.

By dusk, the setting sun painted a warm glow over the distant silhouettes of the departing women.

At the Marine branch base, several soldiers leaned against the perimeter wall, reluctant to look away from the sight. After a final, longing glance, they stared at their uniforms in frustration, pounding their chests.

"Why couldn't today have been a day off?!"

What a waste!

…

Meanwhile, inside the base's office, Lieutenant Commander Sith received intelligence from his subordinates. It seemed that many unfamiliar women had appeared on the island today. Some reported spotting the Kuja pirates' ship along the northern coast.

What a headache!

The Kuja Pirates— a women-only crew that hadn't been seen in South Blue for years— had suddenly reappeared.

Rumor had it that the Kuja Pirates originated from a mysterious nation of women called Amazon Lily, supposedly located in the Calm Belt. While widely circulated, this claim was impossible to confirm. After all, who could venture into the treacherous Calm Belt to find out?

Even the News Coo sent by the World Economic News to investigate never returned. Some said they were devoured by beasts inhabiting the Calm Belt islands. Others firmly claimed that Kuja warriors were highly skilled in archery, making it a fool's errand to send birds for reconnaissance.

Flying over their territory, sneaking around suspiciously? Of course, the birds would get shot down!

As Marines, however, they had access to more comprehensive information.

The Kuja Pirates periodically appeared in the first half of the Grand Line or South Blue. For years, the Marines had tried to predict their movements to set ambushes and capture them, but these efforts repeatedly failed. 

On one occasion, the Snake Princess, captain of their ship, even destroyed several Marine battleships during an unprepared encounter.

Given their consistent appearances in these two regions, the Marines had deduced that the Kuja Pirates' base was likely located somewhere in the Calm Belt adjacent to this area.

Lieutenant Commander Sith circled a specific section of the Calm Belt on the sea map.

This was a tough situation.

The Kuja Pirates were all highly skilled warriors, and the strength of a local Marine branch alone was insufficient to capture them. Worse, any misstep could result in the branch being entirely wiped out by these women.

If reinforcements were called from Marine Headquarters, the Kuja Pirates would simply retreat into the Calm Belt. This had happened many times in the past.

As a result, Lieutenant Commander Sith now found himself in a dilemma.

'Should I pretend that I didn't see them? But we're Marines! How can we ignore pirates and let them go?'

'Try to capture them? We'd lose. We'd fail. And my subordinates' lives matter too!'

"Lieutenant Commander Sith, what's troubling you?" A lighthearted laugh came from the doorway.

Lieutenant Commander Sith looked up and immediately stood at attention, saluting. "Colonel Augat!"

Augat, a burly man in his late 20s, had been assigned to this base about a year ago from Headquarters.

He rubbed his bald head, motioning for Sith to relax, and sat down on the sofa. "I heard there's a group of beautiful women on the island today. What a shame I didn't get to see them, especially the one they said is breathtakingly gorgeous! Someone mentioned..." He rubbed his head again. "The most beautiful one is called the Snake Princess, right?"

"The most beautiful?" Sith blinked and nodded. "That should indeed be the Snake Princess. The leader of the Kuja Pirates has always been their strongest and most beautiful warrior. Colonel Augat, are you planning to...?"

Augat's eyes gleamed as he rubbed his head. "They're pirates! As Marines, how can we let this slide?"

Sith hesitated, warning, "They're extremely strong. With just our branch base, it's unlikely we can handle them..."

"Sith!" Augat interrupted, displeased. "No matter how strong they are, they're just a bunch of women!" He paused and added, "The entire pirate crew is made up of women, correct?"

"Yes," Sith admitted. "Because they're from a nation of women..."

"Then what are you afraid of?" Augat flexed his fists. Thick tufts of silver hair sprouted from his bald head and face, and his mouth extended forward, revealing rows of sharp tusks. "I'll tear them apart myself. I want to see if the so-called 'most beautiful woman in the world' feels any different to rip apart!"

As night fell, a group of Marines quietly approached the northern coast, where the Kuja Pirates' ship lay in eerie silence.

(End Of Chapter)

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