After Hancock awakened the power of her Medusa Fruit, Chiga finally understood the true potential of its awakened state.
She no longer needed to touch her target or strike them with a Heart Beam. Like the Medusa of legend, anyone who met her gaze—or even the serpents formed from her hair—would be instantly turned to stone.
The most terrifying part? Anyone harboring love in their heart could be petrified. The deeper the affection, the more severe the effect. Without extremely strong Haki, this ability was nearly impossible to resist. Grandma Nyon had fallen victim to this power once before.
To Chiga, it was the ultimate weapon against those driven by love. He wondered if someone like Obito could even activate Kamui in time if he locked eyes with Hancock.
And what about Madara and Hashirama? Sasuke and Naruto? He shook his head. He was getting off track again.
(Madara's only love is Hashirsma, hehe)
In short, Hancock's awakened powers placed her dangerously close to the level of a Yonko. All she lacked was advanced Haki mastery.
Maybe a battle against Kaido would push her to that next level.
(Lmao, Kaido would swat her like a fly)
Hancock, meanwhile, wasn't too shocked by the awakening. She acknowledged it for a moment, then brushed it aside.
To her, nothing in the world mattered more than being in Chiga's arms. All she wanted now was to marry him. In fact, in her vivid imagination, she had already married him at least ten times.
In those imagined ceremonies, Ain and Kalifa were both present—but always crying.
Inside the quiet room, Hancock curled up in Chiga's arms. Her robe was loosely worn, leaving much of her back exposed.
Through the open collar, Chiga caught a glimpse of the pink brand known as the "Celestial Dragon's Hoof"—though only the top part of the mark.
Curious, Chiga gently pulled the collar lower, revealing more of the tattoo.
Hancock froze, as if struck by lightning. Lost in the comfort of his embrace, she had forgotten about the mark on her back—the source of her deepest pain.
It was a trauma she had long buried. But the more she tried to forget it, the more it haunted her.
She didn't stop Chiga. In that moment, she felt utterly defeated. He had seen her shame. Surely, he would be disgusted.
Tears welled up in her eyes. The brand had tormented her for years. Was she about to lose Chiga too?
She clenched her fists in hatred—not toward Chiga, but toward the Celestial Dragons in Mariejois who branded people like cattle.
She swore that once Chiga was gone, she would no longer run. Like Fisher Tiger before her, she would storm Mariejois. But unlike him, she wouldn't expect to return.
Because now, Chiga meant more to her than life itself. If she lost him, what reason was there to live?
A deathly aura seemed to seep from her body. She hung her head in shame, convinced she was no longer worthy of standing beside him.
Chiga, noticing her sudden despair, realized the tattoo had triggered her trauma. She was spiraling again, lost in her imagination.
He sighed quietly and placed his hand on the mark.
The moment his hand made contact, Hancock trembled as if in agony.
Chiga stared at the brand closely. According to Hancock's story in the anime, the tattoo was burned in with a red-hot iron—permanent and impossible to erase.
But Chiga didn't believe it was truly irreversible.
To him, it was just a burn scar. Hard to heal, sure—but not impossible.
He had a method in mind.
A green chakra glow spread from Chiga's hand, gently washing over the entire mark.
Hancock felt warmth across her back. It tingled, almost itched—but in a soothing way.
Gradually, the pink brand began to fade, replaced by smooth, healthy skin—whiter and softer than before.
In a matter of moments, the "Celestial Dragon's Hoof," which had tormented her for years, was completely gone.
Chiga dispersed the chakra and removed his hand.
Her back was now flawless—like a masterpiece.
He admired his work. It had taken skill, but he was proud.
What he had used was the Mystical Palm Technique—a powerful medical ninjutsu from Naruto's world. It was designed to heal and close wounds, requiring perfect chakra control and mastery of Yang Release.
Thanks to the Hashirama cells in his body, Chiga's Yang Release was exceptionally strong. For him, healing such a deep scar was almost effortless.
He gently patted Hancock's back and whispered,
"It's gone. That mark will never haunt you again."
Hancock's breath caught. She looked up, eyes wide in disbelief.
Chiga smiled reassuringly. With a flick of his hand, a mirror of water formed behind her.
She turned to look—and gasped.
Her back, once disfigured by the cruel mark, was now completely clear. She reached out, trembling, as if trying to confirm it was real.
Tears spilled from her eyes again. She covered her mouth, overwhelmed.
She had cried many times before, but never .
Unable to hold back, Hancock threw herself into Chiga's arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Chiga didn't speak. He simply held her close, gently stroking her long black hair.
There were no words that could comfort her more than his embrace.
He knew she needed this moment—to release all the pain she had buried for so long.
And once she emerged from that darkness, he believed she would be reborn.
She would no longer be just a beautiful pirate—
She would truly become The Empress.
I won't even request for stones today, as usual just do your thing.
(90 Chapters in advance)