Chapter 137

A few hours later...

The sounds inside the cabin gradually faded. A subtle, sweet fragrance lingered in the air, reminiscent of blooming heather after a rainstorm.

Kairos Flint and Hancock lay entwined together. As he looked at the Empress beside him, Kairos couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Things had escalated far beyond what he originally intended. But in truth, faced with a moment like that—even the strongest man might falter. Especially when that woman possessed the powers of the Love-Love Fruit, amplifying her irresistible charm.

Even still, one thought lingered in his mind:

"Didn't she say she was experienced…? Why does this seem like her first time?"

His eyes drifted toward the crimson stain on the floor.

He hadn't expected this.

Hancock had once been a slave of the Celestial Dragons. For someone to escape that fate without facing the worst... was rare. Yet here she was, untouched in that way. It surprised him.

But upon closer thought, perhaps he'd misunderstood the kind of abuse she'd suffered.

Fisher Tiger was haunted by the torment of being a slave. So was Koala. That kind of trauma wasn't always physical in the way people imagined—it was psychological. Beatings, starvation, branding, forced performances for entertainment—these were common. For many slaves, merely surviving meant enduring daily violence.

As for Hancock, she'd been young when captured. At the time, she wasn't the striking beauty she later became. Her looks blossomed only after consuming the Love-Love Fruit, which was forced upon her during one of the Celestial Dragons' sick shows. When Fisher Tiger led the liberation of the Holy Land, she was only sixteen years old—just twelve when she had become a slave.

So in hindsight... perhaps this had truly been her first time. And strangely, that made Kairos feel even more conflicted.

"Lord Kairos…"

Beside him, Hancock stirred from her rest, looking at him with sleepy but gentle eyes.

Kairos spoke softly, "Hancock, I have a way to remove the Dragon Hoof brand from your back. Do you want to try it?"

There was no question of whether or not he would help her. After everything that had passed between them, Kairos wasn't the type of man to act carelessly and then walk away. He took responsibility.

"Yes!" Hancock answered immediately, without the slightest hesitation. Her trust in him was complete.

"Good. Sit up and lift your hair."

Kairos reached into his spatial inventory and retrieved a Legendary Physique Crystal—a rare treasure. He handed it to her without hesitation.

"I'm going to remove the mark first. As soon as I do, take this crystal and eat it immediately. It will speed up your recovery."

He still had another one left, and seven Epic Physique Crystals reserved for himself. This one—he could spare.

Hancock nodded and lifted her hair.

Kairos drew his third-generation demon blade.

As a supreme-level swordsman, his precision was absolute. The sword flashed—a glint of cold steel in the candlelight.

With one swift motion, he sliced away the piece of skin that bore the Dragon Hoof brand.

Hancock winced but did not cry out. Blood welled from the wound, but she trusted him completely. Without a second's delay, she swallowed the Legendary Physique Crystal.

The result was immediate.

In just seconds, her body absorbed the crystal's energy. The wound on her back began to close rapidly. Skin regenerated, smooth and white, without a single trace of the Dragon Hoof brand. In mere moments, the symbol of her past torment was gone—forever.

Kairos conjured a pool of water with his Water Stone ability, forming a reflective surface like a mirror.

"Hancock, take a look," he said.

Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at her reflection.

The brand… had truly vanished.

Gone was the symbol of her enslavement. Gone was the mark that haunted her nightmares. All that remained was unblemished skin—her freedom carved into her flesh, quite literally.

Emotion overcame her.

She turned to Kairos, and without saying a word, threw herself into his arms.

In the quiet that followed, the room was once again filled with the warmth of connection—this time, without pain, without coercion, and without shame.