Led by the tiger, Hancock and her sisters quickly arrived at Vito's current training ground.
With a sharp palm strike to the trunk of a towering tree, Vito caused a cascade of leaves to rain down. He closed his eyes, and his hands moved in a blur, snatching every falling leaf with practiced precision in just a few swift motions.
"Hancock? You're here!"
Vito opened his eyes in mild surprise, clearly pleased. He then glanced at the two young girls behind her and asked curiously,
"And these two are?"
Of course, he recognized Hancock's sisters, but since this was technically their first meeting, he asked out of courtesy.
"They're my little sisters," Hancock replied casually.
The two girls took this opportunity to look Vito up and down.
"Sandersonia," said the green-haired one.
"Marigold," said the orange-haired one.
"Hey, hey, Vito! Last time I wasn't satisfied, tell me more stories!"
Hancock pouted as she clung to his sleeve, her tone almost pleading.
"Eh?!"
Both Sandersonia and Marigold cried out in shock.
This was Hancock, their sister, who always carried herself like royalty! And now she was acting cute? Not demanding, not commanding, but literally… coaxing?
"…Forget it, there's no way he'll refuse. No one can resist our sister's charm," they thought in unison.
"No."
Vito shook his head firmly.
"See? I told you he'd agree… Wait, what?!"
The two sisters once again exclaimed in perfect sync, stunned that someone had actually rejected Hancock.
"Tch… still about Haki training again, huh? That's simple stuff. If you didn't get it before, then I guess you just don't have the talent."
Hancock stomped her foot with mock irritation, then gave him a sly little grin.
"But… if your next story is really fun, maybe I'll throw in a few secret tricks."
Just as she thought she had him dancing in the palm of her hand…
"As I suspected, there are special techniques you haven't taught me yet. The way you described Haki training was too crude."
Vito smirked and extended his hand. Armament Haki wrapped around his forearm like black steel, darkening his skin before Hancock's very eyes.
"You… you actually learned it!"
Hancock was visibly stunned. After all, she'd only taught him the most basic, brutish way of grasping Haki, just let him feel the power firsthand. Yet somehow, that was enough for him to awaken it completely.
"Hmph. This level is still far from enough."
Hancock bit her lip, flustered by the surge of competitive instinct she couldn't quite explain. Maybe it was because Vito treated her differently from everyone else. Her beauty made her irresistible to all, yet that uniform admiration had become… dull. Vito was the first who could truly say no to her.
"Anyway, there's something I still need Hancock's help with…"
Vito pulled out the pre-cut mammoth and rhino hides. If he hadn't trimmed them down, their sheer size would've shocked even the battle-hardened warriors of Amazon Lily.
He explained his idea and offered to trade more stories in return for her help.
"You want to make a cloak and some armor?"
Hancock found the request reasonable and nodded.
Vito then dug into his mental archives once more and spun vivid tales of the world beyond the Calm Belt, so immersive, it was as though he had seen them with his own eyes. The fantastical stories mesmerized the three sisters.
"There's really that many incredible places out there…"
Sandersonia and Marigold were wide-eyed with wonder, beginning to understand why their sister was so fascinated with the outside world.
"Of course," Vito said, eyes gleaming with excitement. "This sea carries everyone's dreams. If you're curious, then go, set foot on every corner of this world and take in all the scenery it has to offer!"
Hancock's gaze sparkled. Clearly, she too was moved by Vito's vision.
"So…"
Just as Vito was about to continue, a distant call drifted through the wind and reached his ears.
"Looks like that's all for today. Guess I'll have to stop here."
He scratched his head helplessly and gestured for them to leave.
"Nooo, Vito! One more story, please!"
Hancock was still brimming with curiosity, unwilling to go. Though she was far less bossy than before, her independent streak hadn't changed a bit.
"Come on, there's always next time. I'll save some stories for later."
He soothed her gently. With Sandersonia and Marigold helping to coax her, Hancock finally huffed and relented.
…
The days that followed passed much like waiting for a long-overdue delivery. Vito often stood at the edge of the island, scanning the horizon with anticipation.
Most of his time, however, was spent refining his fundamentals. After all, he'd only defeated the mammoth through what could be called a cheat burst of power. That kind of unstable strength couldn't be relied upon.
He continued to hone his Armament Haki and engage in brutal combat with the island's beasts, training day after day…
Eventually, the long-awaited Kuja ship appeared once more!
"Finally! Took them long enough!"
When Hancock and her sisters pulled out the cloak they'd made, Vito's eyes lit up. With its hood on, the crimson cloak wrapped around him completely.
But then came the armor made from rhino hide… and his face stiffened.
It didn't just miss the mark, it was nowhere close.
The armor was embroidered with floral patterns, frilly lace borders, and other decorative elements that screamed Kuja fashion. Vito could already imagine what he'd look like wearing it. He'd probably be mistaken by Bon Clay as a comrade in the sacred path of okama…
"Ugh. I should've known. I mean, Luffy's vest got the same frilly makeover. How could I have trusted their tailoring...?"
In the end, he tried to give the armor to Hancock as a gift, but she and her sisters had zero interest in it.
Looking back, Vito realized there weren't really any armored characters in Amazon Lily. Most warriors dressed wild and free, focusing more on personal strength. Their defense came not from iron plates, but from well-honed Haki.
"Vito, you… want to fight our sister?"
It was Sandersonia, her long green hair swaying as she spoke. Her expression was full of disbelief, as if asking if he had completely lost his mind.
Even though they'd seen what Vito did to the mammoth, deep down, both sisters still believed he couldn't defeat Hancock. In their eyes, she was the next Snake Princess, undisputed as the strongest on Amazon Lily.
//----------------------------------------------------//
//--- Add to Collection!
//--- 150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter