The Den Den Mushi in Ace's arms suddenly rang.
It seemed the Den Den Mushi had also been petrified by Hancock's ability. The moment it returned to normal, a call came through for Ace.
Ace took out the Den Den Mushi, which had a tuft of yellow hair and a pair of red glasses.
"Ace! We finally got ahold of you!"
"Latest news, Teach has appeared on Banaro Island!"
"Ace, Ace, are you alright?! We've been trying to reach you since yesterday! We couldn't get through at all!"
First came Marco's relieved voice, but as soon as he delivered the news about Teach, several other voices burst in at once.
"Gahahahaha! Marco, everyone, I'm doing just fine!" Ace laughed in response.
Snap!
Eight eyes instantly fixed on Ace.
The sudden attention made Ace a little flustered. "Alright, alright, I've got something going on here! I'll go after Teach!" he said, hurriedly hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
Under Hancock's murderous glare, Ace looked pitiful and helpless.
"Ace, we should get going." Hearing the news about Blackbeard, Ryuuto immediately spoke up.
After all, their arrival on Amazon Lily had been an accident from the start.
"You're right, we need to go," Ace said, adjusting his hat solemnly. Bringing Teach's head back to the Whitebeard Pirates had become his obsession.
Ryuuto felt Hancock's sorrowful gaze on him and felt a little troubled.
"Ryuuto, where are Nami and Mohmoo?" Ace asked, noticing the others weren't present.
"Nami? Is that the woman?" Hancock latched onto the name, her killing intent instantly zeroing in on Ryuuto.
Hancock clearly remembered another woman being with Ryuuto before. It seemed her relationship with him was far from ordinary.
"What's going on here?" Ace wondered, finding the scene strange. The Pirate Empress was acting very peculiar.
"Come on, Ace, let's go!" Ryuuto said, hastily dragging Ace toward the door. He couldn't stand another second in there.
Elder Nyon looked at Hancock, a hint of worry on her face.
Watching Ryuuto head for the door, Hancock was torn. Finally, biting her lip and stomping her foot, she called out, "Ryuuto, can I come with you?"
"What!?"
Hearing this, Ryuuto froze on the spot.
When had she become so assertive? "This isn't the Hancock I know," Ryuuto's mind raced.
"Sister?" Boa Marigold looked at Hancock in utter shock.
Elder Nyon, however, wore an expression that said, "I knew it."
"You... you two..." Ace was even more surprised, his eyes darting back and forth between Ryuuto and Hancock as if he'd stumbled upon some incredible gossip.
Meeting Hancock's gaze, Ryuuto saw her unwavering resolve. And, of course, the feelings she held for him.
How could he possibly refuse her? When a woman was this bold, it was worth doing anything for her. Without even realizing it, Hancock had already carved out a significant place in his heart.
Looking at her expectant face and earnest expression, Ryuuto blurted out, "Then join us! Become a member of the Ryuuto Pirates!"
"Yes!" Hancock's face lit up with joy as she nodded.
"Sister? But you're the captain of the Kuja Pirates!" Marigold quickly reminded her.
Marigold was at a loss for words. Even if Ryuuto had removed the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon, did she have to give herself to him in return? More importantly, what would people say? The captain of the Kuja Pirates, running off with a man!
Elder Nyon also turned to Hancock. As the Queen of the Kuja and captain of their pirates, wasn't this decision a bit rash?
Hearing Marigold, Ryuuto finally registered the complication. "Why don't we... merge our pirate crews?" he suggested, his voice trailing off as he spoke. "We could call it the... Ku-Ryuu Pirates?"
"The Ku-Ryuu Pirates? That does have a nice ring to it!" Hancock actually began to consider it seriously.
"Hancock!" Elder Nyon shouted, rapping her snake staff on the ground.
In the end, they reached a compromise. Hancock would go with Ryuuto for now. With Den Den Mushi, they could easily stay in contact, and with Mohmoo's speed, she could return to Amazon Lily quickly if any crisis arose.
Of course, to say they "reached a compromise" was generous; it was more that Hancock had single-handedly forced her decision on everyone.
Ace watched the entire exchange, completely dumbfounded. Just like that, their two-person voyage had become a three-person one.
The trio headed for the shore, loaded with supplies. It was worth noting that Elder Nyon had thoughtfully commissioned the island's artisans to build a wooden cabin that could be placed on Mohmoo's back. The Queen of Amazon Lily couldn't be expected to travel in squalor, after all.
"Mohmoo!" Ryuuto shouted from the shore.
Out on the water, Mohmoo, who had been staring blankly at the horizon, jolted at Ryuuto's voice. Wagging its tail, it immediately began swimming toward the island.
"Moooo!" Mohmoo bellowed happily in response, tilting its head back.
"Is that also a Sea King?" Hancock asked curiously, watching Mohmoo speeding toward them across the water.
"It is," Ryuuto nodded. But a sudden sense of dread washed over him.
He saw Nami standing up on Mohmoo's back, waving and shouting happily.
"Captain! You're okay!"
"Nami!" Ace responded enthusiastically.
Mohmoo came to a gentle stop at the shore, and Nami leaped off its back, landing on the island in front of the three of them.
"Captain, isn't that the Pirate Empress?"
"Ryuuto, is this Nami?"
The moment their eyes met, sparks flew. Both women turned to Ryuuto simultaneously, demanding an answer.
"Yes," Ryuuto confirmed, nodding to both of them.
Ace, meanwhile, had sneakily slipped onto Mohmoo's back and was busy setting up the wooden cabin.
"Captain, why is she here?" Nami stormed up to Ryuuto, looking ready to grab him by the ear.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Hancock immediately stepped in front of Ryuuto. How dare this woman get so physical with him?
"I..." Ryuuto was at a complete loss. He had absolutely no experience with this kind of situation.
Hancock and Nami exchanged a look, each sizing up her new rival. Seeing Ryuuto's flustered state, they both came to the same conclusion: this was all his fault.
"So that's how it is, Captain," Nami said, stomping her foot in frustration. "I'm gone for a few days, and you run off and get involved with Hancock?"
Hancock simply tilted her head back, shot Nami an arrogant glance, and let out a dismissive "Hmph!" without saying a word. She had already prepared herself for the fact that Ryuuto had other women in his life. The initial confrontation, therefore, wasn't quite as explosive as it could have been.