The Secret Nation

The man looked up at Hancock's beautifully cold smile and chills ran down his spine. He bit his lip so hard it started bleeding. Hancock's eyes widened a bit.

"Using pain to distract yourself from my beauty so my powers won't work on you?"

She straightened her body.

"My fruit's powers are public knowledge, but the only people who would hurt themselves before me without hesitation are those who study its weaknesses. People who know they need to do it survive. In other words, people who plan to be my enemy."

Hancock snapped her fingers and the girls aimed arrows at the man's vitals.

"Wait, Snake Princess."

Elder Nyon made her way toward Hancock.

"This man's comrades used a Cipher Pol technique. He might have connections to the world government. Killing him could be troublesome in the long run."

"Cipher Pol? Ah, that Pigeon Guy's friends huh?"

Luffy mumbled. The man turned his head and looked at Luffy. His eyes widened the longer he looked at him.

"Strawhat Luffy...You're alive?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Of course I'm alive."

Luffy looked at the man as if he was stupid.

"Luffy, you're not supposed to be seen on our ship..."

Elder Nyon sighed.

"Ah, my bad."

Luffy grinned.

"Well, we just got one more reason to dispose of him."

Hancock spoke with a small smile.

"I said wait, Snake Princess."

Elder Nyon approached the man.

"Young man, if you're smart you'll start talking. This is a ship of man-hating women. They have no problem sinking you to the bottom of the ocean."

"I'm not afraid of—"

"Then what about your comrades?"

Elder Nyon pointed at the statues behind her.

"You might not care about your life but what about theirs? They risked their lives to protect you, that's proof of a strong bond. If you don't talk then we'll be forced to try and get information out of them."

She moved closer to whisper in his ear.

"Statues are more fragile than you think. If you're not careful you might break them."

The man flinched. Elder Nyon continued.

"What do you think would happen if their petrification was released after a limb or two accidentally broke off? Do you think they wouldn't feel it or will the pain hit them all at once?"

"....What if we're from the government like you say?"

"Unfortunately for you, the captain of this ship thinks she's above the World Government. Also, you saw someone you shouldn't have."

Elder Nyon stepped back with a smile.

"You can't imagine how far a woman would go for her beloved."

"...You people are devils."

"No."

Hancock kissed her fingers and formed a gun with them. A small heart appeared at the tip of her finger. She pointed her finger at the man's head.

"We're pirates."

Sometime later.

"You weren't too bad, Granny."

"Yeah, you made that guy shake in his boots."

Marie and Sonia were praising Elder Nyon.

"With age comes experience and skills."

Elder Nyon blushed as she puffed out her chest proudly.

"She did something unnecessary. I was going to dump him in the ocean."

Hancock was frowning while leaning on a wall. They were near the lodgings watching the man being guarded by Ran and Rindo. Luffy was busy examining the statues of the sea creatures. The statues of their riders were in front of Hancock. She rested her foot on one of their heads while locking eyes with the man.

"Snake Princess, he's ready to talk."

Ran came up to them and reported.

"Finally, if granny hadn't insisted we give him time to think, I would've already forced the info out of him."

"It's better for us if he willingly talks rather than we torture it out of him. That way the government won't be as mad if he's connected."

Hancock ignored Elder Nyon and approached the man. He looked at Hancock and frowned.

"My name is—"

"I couldn't care less about your name. Just tell me who you people are."

Hancock cut him off.

"...We're Sea Guards."

"What are you guarding?"

"....Bounty Island, we're making sure nobody knows where it is."

"Bounty Island?"

Hancock looked at Elder Nyon who shook her head.

"I've never heard of it. I wonder if it's a government facility?"

"Bounty Island doesn't belong to the World Government, but the people there do work closely with them."

"Bounty..."

Hancock thought about it for a bit before a look of realization appeared on her face.

"Bounty Hunters. You're protecting an island of Bounty Hunters."

"Something like that exists?"

"I've never heard of such a thing."

Marie and Sonia spoke with raised brows.

"It makes sense we would never hear about it."

Elder Nyon said.

"Think about it, an island of people who hunt pirates for a living? There's no way pirates wouldn't destroy it if its existence was widespread. In fact, it's possible it's a secret even in the World Government. So them being hostile to pirates make sense."

She looked at the man.

"The problem is the Kuja Pirates is a government ally. There's no reason to attack us when the Snake Princess' Bounty is frozen."

"You are still pirates. We can't afford for any pirates to get even an idea where we are."

The man answered.

"Then, you intended to dispose of us from the beginning?"

He didn't answer Hancock's question. Yet, Hancock was smiling.

"I continue to see no merit in not sinking you to the bottom of the ocean."

"Wait a minute, Snake Princess. There are still many things we need to ask. For example, are you connected to Cipher Pol? Also, where is the island?"

Elder Nyon stopped Hancock from readying her prettification pose.

"I will never tell you where the island is. It will be the same for the others. There's too much to lose. I only told you of its existence in the hope you would spare my allies once you know of its purpose and importance to the World Government. If you insist on knowing its location it would be better for you to ki—"

"Mero Mero Mellow!"

The man was hit by a beam of hearts and turned to stone.

"Snake Princess!"

"Silence, Granny. This is getting us nowhere."

Hancock dismissed Elder Nyon and picked up the statue.

"Don't destroy it!"

"You're annoying, woman. I'm not going to destroy him."

She started examining the statue.

"His suit has pockets. I wonder if there's an Eternal Pose that could lead us to the island."

Elder Nyon's face brightened up.

"Snake Princess is actually using her head!"

"I'm starting to think you want me to kill you..."

Hancock dropped the statue.

"Arguing with him is a waste of time. We're currently short on supplies so we need to find a way to get some. If there's no Eternal Pose, we'll have to think of another way to find the island."

"I can't believe you're thinking that far ahead."

"Of course I am."

She pointed to Luffy who was trying to ride the statues of the sea creatures.

"Luffy needs food and it's my job to provide it as his wife! I don't care if there's a continent full of Bounty Hunters, I'm gonna get Luffy some food!"

"....So you can only use your full potential when it's for Luffy?"

"Fool!"

Hancock looked offended.

"I always push beyond my limits for Luffy! If I needed to turn into a mermaid for him, I would grow gills on the spot! Don't underestimate my love!"

(...Once again I'm reminded how crazy this woman is.)

Elder Nyon silently thought.

"Luffy~! Do you want to go to an island of Bounty Hunters?"

Hancock sweetly called out to Luffy.

"Bounty Hunters? I haven't met any before...Let's go!"

Luffy had casually forgotten Zoro was a bounty hunter and he went to an island full of them before.

"You heard him, Girls!"

Hancock released the petrification on a couple of the riders. She grabbed them by the collar and lifted them in the air.

"Let's get straight to the point! Where's Bounty Island and how do we get there?!"

"Wha—"

"You're taking too long! Luffy is getting impatient!"

She started to vigorously shake them. She threw them to the ground and turned them back to stone. She then released another two and repeated the cycle.

"....This woman needs help."

Elder Nyon mumbled.

"I'm glad you agree, Granny! So stop looking dumb and help me empty their pockets!"

"I didn't mean...Yes, yes."

Hancock and the girls searched the riders and took everything they had with overwhelming aggressiveness. After a few hours, they were all petrified again but with horrified expressions this time.

"We didn't find an Eternal Pose on them. Is it possible they know which direction the island is in at all times? Or could it be their seahorses instinctively know where it is?"

She thought about it for a bit before a small grin appeared on her face.

"I have an idea."