Chapter 199: World Conscription! (1)

"Ace!" 

Despite Gloriosa's reminders, as soon as Hancock saw Ace, she couldn't contain the love swelling in her heart. With a face full of joy, she threw herself into his arms.

Perhaps due to his rigorous training, Ace now stood at an imposing height of 1.95 meters, noticeably taller than Hancock, who was 1.91 meters tall. Resting in his arms, Hancock inhaled deeply, savoring Ace's presence with a blissful smile.

"My sister's only been back to Kuja City for two days, and she's already uttered Ace's name at least a thousand times," teased Hancock's green-haired second sister, Sandersonia, with a grin.

"Yes," added the third sister, the orange-haired Marigold, laughing. "Onee-sama has been staring out at the sea, day and night, waiting to return to your side, Ace."

Hancock's beautiful face turned slightly red at her sisters' teasing remarks, but the smile on her lips showed her joy. Sandersonia and Marigold shared a knowing look, their eyes filled with warmth. Seeing their elder sister so happy in Ace's arms was a sight that brought them both great satisfaction. 

It had always been their greatest wish for Hancock to find happiness, and now they were truly grateful to Ace for helping make that dream come true. The cruel brand of the Celestial Dragon's Hoof of the Soaring Dragon that once scarred their backs had been completely healed by the abilities of Kaya's healing fruit under Ace's guidance.

However, unlike their sister, they had not chosen to tattoo the Entei Pirates' flag symbol on their backs. Even though Amazon Lily had unofficially aligned itself with the Entei Pirates' fleet, neither Sandersonia nor Marigold felt the need to bear the mark. To them, their sister was unique, and they wanted her to remain the only one with the pirate flag's symbol. 

Watching their sister nestled happily in Ace's arms, blushing with shy affection, filled Sandersonia and Marigold with a sense of peace.

"Sandersonia, Marigold, how are the warriors on the island?" Ace asked gently, brushing Hancock's hair as she reluctantly left his embrace to let him speak with her sisters.

"Why are you asking them? I'm the empress of Amazon Lily," Hancock said playfully, tugging on Ace's sleeve with a teasing pout.

In front of Ace, the "Pirate Empress," feared by many, was no more. She was simply a girl deeply in love. Though they had only been apart for two days, Hancock found herself naturally slipping into a more coquettish demeanor around Ace.

"Going back to your duties, are you?" Ace teased, smiling affectionately as he stroked Hancock's long black hair. "I suspect you've left all your responsibilities to Sandersonia, Marigold, and Granny Nyon."

Hancock blushed even deeper at his words. Before falling in love with Ace, she had already been somewhat indifferent to handling Amazon Lily's political affairs. Her two younger sisters had taken on the bulk of the duties, and only when there were major matters, such as the Kuja Pirates setting out for plunder or diplomatic issues involving the Seven Warlords of the Sea, would Hancock step in.

But now, ever since her heart had become consumed with thoughts of Ace, Hancock had left nearly all of her responsibilities to Sandersonia, Marigold, and Gloriosa. 

"Amazon Lily's training is going well," Sandersonia reported with a nod. "Thanks to your ability, Ace, and the steady supply of giant Sea Kings' meat, the warriors' Haki is improving rapidly."

Hunting Sea Kings was no easy task, but the resources and training methods Ace had provided were allowing the warriors of Amazon Lily to grow stronger at an impressive rate.

To sail the Calm Belt, only the Kuja Pirates' flagship, the Perfume Yuda, escorted by two giant serpents, has the capability to do so. However, this ship is the exclusive vessel of the Amazon Lily Empress, and it certainly wouldn't be used for the sole purpose of hunting giant Sea Kings.

Even though the Kuja Pirates have the ability to traverse the Calm Belt with the help of their serpents, capturing the colossal Sea Kings is no easy task. These enormous creatures typically roam the deep sea, and to catch them, one must dive into the ocean's depths. But in those deep waters, the serpents are no longer there to fend off the Sea Kings, leaving anyone attempting such a feat vulnerable. Furthermore, in the Calm Belt, where the density of giant Sea Kings is notably high, there's no guarantee that divers won't encounter multiple Sea Kings at once, a situation that could prove deadly.

Thus, even though Amazon Lily has thrived in the Calm Belt for generations, they do not rely on the giant Sea Kings as a main food source for the island. Instead, when one of these creatures is captured, its meat is reserved as a reward for the most distinguished warriors.

However, at this time, Nami's Observation Haki, greatly enhanced by her Thunder Fruit awakening, allows her to accurately detect the presence of lone giant Sea Kings. The beastly overlords of the uninhabited islands have also been trained by Ace to hunt these creatures from the depths of the sea.

The Sea Kings captured by Ace and his crew are either consumed or sent back to Amazon Lily by Sandersonia and Marigold to feed the warriors of the Kuja. With the final battle against the World Government looming ever closer, building a formidable Haki users Corps has become crucial.

Moreover, there's hope that within the Realm of Comprehension, a genius-like warrior might emerge from Amazon Lily. Every additional warrior with peak combat abilities before the final conflict represents an extra bargaining chip.

Even in a full-scale war with a giant like the World Government, the presence of peak combat power can decisively influence the outcome of key battles. That's why Ace spares no effort in cultivating the Kuja warriors, providing them access to both the Realm of Comprehension and the nourishing meat of the Sea Kings.

Of course, the Realm of Comprehension that Ace uses for this training is a simplified version of his own, meaning he doesn't have to be present on Amazon Lily to oversee the warriors' growth.

In comparison to enhancing the combat power of his own crew, improving the strength of the Kuja female warriors is naturally a lower priority for Ace. However, even this simplified Realm of Comprehension has yielded astonishing results, much to the shock of Sandersonia, Marigold, and Gloriosa. 

The Kuja warriors' Haki is developing at an incredible pace. Due to their unique culture, most adult female warriors of Amazon Lily already have a basic grasp of Armament Haki, but for many, this mastery is rudimentary at best. Most can barely harden their Haki, and only manage to coat their bows and weapons with just enough Haki to harm Devil Fruit users. Warriors who fully master Armament Haki are deemed skilled enough to join the Kuja Pirates.

However, with the aid of the Realm of Comprehension and the steady supply of Sea King meat, an increasing number of warriors are fully mastering Armament Haki. Many have even awakened Observation Haki, a much rarer feat.

Unlike Armament Haki, which can be honed through training and hard work, Observation Haki requires a more elusive awakening process. In the Marine, awakening Observation Haki is enough to secure a position as a Rear Admiral, while mastering both Observation and Armament Haki guarantees a future promotion to Vice Admiral. Warriors who achieve such mastery have the potential to climb to high ranks in the Navy.

In short, mastering both Observation and Armament Haki places a warrior on a direct path to becoming a Vice Admiral, provided they continue to strengthen their Haki, martial arts, and swordsmanship. Such fighters are considered the backbone of both the Navy and the World Government's military forces.

Now, under the influence of Ace's Realm of Comprehension, warriors who can master both forms of Haki are sprouting up like mushrooms after a spring rain. Although their overall combat strength, swordsmanship, and martial arts are still developing, there is no doubt that these warriors will soon become formidable enough to rival Vice Admirals of the Navy.

Several elite members of the Kuja Pirates have already achieved full-body coverage with Armament Haki. In the Marines, only high-ranking Vice Admirals at Naval Headquarters, those strong enough to participate in a Buster Call, can manage such a feat.

Although these warriors' strength may not compare to the top combatants on the seas, if they band together as a specialized strike force, they could stand against the lieutenants of the Four Emperors pirate crews.

Currently, only the Marine forces possess the resources and scope to assemble such Haki masters into an elite unit. With their vast network and global recruitment, the Marine can maintain such a formidable force. 

But now, given enough time, Amazon Lily can achieve the same.

Sandersonia and Marigold have begun to understand Ace's grand vision: to create a Haki users Corps comprised of warriors who have fully mastered both Armament and Observation Haki, and who can cover their entire bodies in Haki, forming near-invincible Haki armor. This unit would play a pivotal role within the Entei Pirates' fleet.

For the rest of the warriors, continued training remains essential.

At first, Sandersonia, Marigold, and even Gloriosa believed Ace's plan to be unrealistic. After all, the Marines' vast recruitment network covers the entire world, giving them a massive talent pool to draw from over the years, culminating in the senior Vice Admirals they have today.

Amazon Lily, on the other hand, is just a single island nation with a relatively small population. While almost all adult warriors can use Armament Haki, only a few elite fighters have fully mastered it. And as for those who can coat their entire bodies in Armament Haki—becoming true masters of the technique—that number is even smaller.

However, with the aid of the Realm of Comprehension, Sandersonia, Marigold, and Gloriosa have seen their worldview completely upended in recent days. 

They've realized that mastering two-color Haki is not as difficult as they once thought, and the once far-fetched goal of creating a Haki Corps now seems within reach.

It finally dawned on them why the Entei Pirates, whose main combatants—besides Ace—are all women, wield such overwhelming strength. With access to such power, achieving greatness is no longer out of reach.

Gloriosa, overwhelmed by the discovery, kept muttering about the power of Nika. Having been part of the Rocks Pirates and a witness to the God Valley Incident, she understood exactly what Nika symbolized. Even she hadn't expected that the secret behind the Entei Pirates' strength would be tied to such a powerful force.

"Keep training them diligently," Ace instructed. "Only when they've fully mastered both Armament and Observation Haki, and can cover their entire body with Armament Haki, will they be qualified to join the Fifth Division."

The Fifth Division of the Entei Pirate Fleet was now confirmed to be composed of warriors from Kuja, with Sandersonia and Marigold as its captains. After breaking free from the shackles of their past, their Haki had grown rapidly in the Realm of Comprehension, and their abilities—combined with their Devil Fruit powers—had reached the strength of a Naval Headquarters Senior Vice Admiral. 

However, given the immense gap between their current strength and the captains of the other divisions, they were still considered acting captains for the time being. Only by rising to the pinnacle of combat power on the seas could they truly assume command of the Fifth Division.

As for Hancock, she naturally joined the Entei Pirates.

"Understood," Sandersonia and Marigold nodded in unison.

"Hancock, have you forgotten what I told you again?" Gloriosa stood nearby, looking at Hancock with a helpless expression.

"Ace, something big just happened with the Marines!" Gloriosa's voice trembled, and her hand holding the newspaper shook as cold sweat formed on her forehead.

"Hm?" Ace's eyes flashed at her words.

"Marine Admiral Aokiji… Former Admiral 'Black Arm' Zephyr… he's left the Marines! And now, the Marines are planning a worldwide conscription!" Gloriosa said, her voice quivering.

"Oh? So it's finally happening? Interesting!" A slight smirk formed at the corner of Ace's mouth before he broke into laughter.

"Wha—?!" Gloriosa, Sandersonia, and Marigold stared at Ace in stunned silence.

But Rayleigh, and the rest of the Entei Pirates joined in, laughing along with him.