"Dong..."
"Dong..."
Across Kuja City, the women of Amazon Lily paused at the sound of the funeral bell. One by one, they turned toward the palace, their faces solemn, their hearts heavy.
At the base of the city wall, Bonney, who had been backed into a corner, noticed her opponent— the green-skinned woman with wings— suddenly freeze.
Sonia's eyes drifted toward the bell tower, sorrow darkening her expression.
"It's elder sister..." She murmured. "It seems... the Snake Princess has passed."
She turned to Mari Gerd and said softly, "Go to the garden and pick two tulips."
Not far away, Mari Gerd gave a slow nod, her voice hoarse. "Pick three... One for elder sister too."
"Dong..."
"Dong..."
The deep tolling of the bell echoed through the sky, fading into the distance.
Inside the tower, the massive bronze bell bore fresh overlapping palm prints, the force of Hancock's strike still lingering in the air.
She walked toward the window and looked out. Below, more and more Kuja warriors and citizens were gathering, setting aside their tasks to make their way toward the palace.
A mournful silence blanketed the island.
Hancock's face remained impassive, but her gaze lifted toward the city wall.
Far in the distance, a lone figure had leaped onto the wall, standing at its highest point, silently watching.
Inside the palace, ministers, maids, guardian warriors, and members of the pirate crew had all arrived.
Snake Princess Tulip had been carefully arranged, her body clothed in regal robes, her hair gently combed, a light touch of makeup gracing her features.
Despite the thinness of her face, despite the frailty brought on by illness, she looked peaceful, as though she had merely drifted into slumber.
Several of the female ministers stepped forward, wiping away their tears as they checked for any lingering breath or heartbeat.
Then, with grief-stricken faces, they turned to the gathered warriors and solemnly confirmed what everyone already knew.
The Snake Princess of Amazon Lily was gone.
All Kuja warriors were raised to be strong. But even warriors had moments when they wept.
In the grand hall, battle-hardened women stood in silence, heads bowed, tears slipping down their faces as they paid their respects.
Liam had arrived as well.
Standing at the edge of the crowd, he watched the scene unfold. The Kuja warriors varied in stature— some, like Eflandra, bore traces of Giant blood, towering over ten meters tall— but most stood within the normal range of 1.8 to 1.9 meters.
At 2.3 meters, Liam had a clear view of Snake Princess Tulip's body, now surrounded by flowers.
Robin noticed him and quietly stepped closer.
He reached out, interlacing their fingers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
At last, the gray-haired female minister stepped forward, her voice thick with sorrow.
"Then... as tradition dictates," She announced, blinking away tears, "a new Snake Princess shall take the throne."
By the customs of Amazon Lily, a grand martial competition would typically be held during this time of mourning— a battle to determine the strongest warrior, who would then inherit the title of Snake Princess.
But there was no need.
Everyone already knew who the strongest warrior was.
The decision had been made long before Snake Princess Tulip had drawn her final breath.
Hancock stood alone beside her predecessor's body, her expression unreadable.
"Prepare the funeral," she said simply.
The hall was silent for a moment.
Then, one by one, the Kuja women lowered their heads.
"Yes..."
At the edge of the island, a freshly carved gravestone bore Tulip's name.
All of Amazon Lily had gathered.
The simple, battle-worn women of Kuja did not hide their grief. Even in this land of warriors, tears were shed freely.
Slowly, with great care, Snake Princess Tulip's body was lowered into the earth.
One by one, the Kuja women stepped forward, each placing a tulip at her grave in silent tribute.
"Snake Princess..." Sandersonia murmured, gazing down at the final resting place of the woman who had once ruled them.
Together with her younger sister, she placed three freshly picked white tulips before the gravestone. Around them, flowers of every shade had already begun to pile up.
She turned to Mari Gerd, whose eyes were red and swollen from crying, and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Without another word, they stepped back, disappearing into the mourning crowd.
Shā Shā…
Robin, standing at the forefront as the Kuja Princess, watched in solemn silence. Beside her, the newly crowned Snake Princess, Hancock, observed as Casmos, the guardian warrior, and a pirate crew member steadily shoveled soil back into the grave, sealing the coffin beneath the earth.
At the edge of the gathered mourners, Bonney quietly slipped away, seizing the moment to escape.
But before she could vanish into the jungle, a calm voice reached her ears.
"I'd reconsider if I were you. Hancock's in no mood for games. If you run and she catches you, have you thought about what happens next?"
Bonney's breath hitched. Her fists clenched, then relaxed, then clenched again. With an irritated glare, she turned back.
But the man named Giorno didn't even glance at her. His attention remained fixed on the mound of tulips placed before the tombstone.
"Didn't expect you to be so sentimental over a Snake Princess," Bonney muttered, sarcasm lacing her tone.
Giorno didn't respond.
Liam, standing nearby, watched as several female ministers stepped forward, carrying small cloth bags. Moving through the crowd, they held the bags open, allowing the Kuja women to reach inside and take something into their hands.
"What's that?" Bonney asked, frowning.
"Seeds," Sandersonia said, stepping up alongside Mari Gerd, who held out her palm to show the tiny grains resting in her hand.
"They're snowberry flower seeds. Everyone plants them when they return home."
Liam's gaze flickered. "Snowberry flowers… That's where Hancock's name comes from, isn't it?"
Mari nodded. "Yes."
Bonney raised an eyebrow. "Huh. So you've got a whole tradition around this? Let me guess—when she ascended the throne, you all got tulip seeds?"
"That's right," Sandersonia confirmed.
Bonney folded her arms, clicking her tongue. "No wonder there are so many different tulips on the grave…"
Liam lingered for a moment, his gaze locked on the tombstone. Then, he turned to Sandersonia and the others.
"I'll be back in a bit."
With that, he disappeared in an instant.
The mourning crowd remained subdued, their grief palpable. Hancock stood before the grave, lifting her chin slightly as she met Jolyne's eyes.
She exhaled softly. "That man is rather perceptive."
Then, without another word, she turned and strode away.
Gasps rippled through the gathered women. Some instinctively reached out, as if to stop her.
Hancock narrowed her eyes. "What do you think you're doing? Defying me, the Snake Princess?"
The weight of her presence pressed down on them.
Then, just as swiftly, her expression softened into a smirk.
"Acting out at a funeral may be improper… but you'll forgive me, won't you?"
A murmur of admiration swept through the crowd. And with that, Hancock walked away, the sea breeze catching the hem of her robes.
Jolyne remained before the tombstone, head bowed, fingers tracing the engraved name. The ministers approached, one by one, offering quiet words of comfort.
Robin stood apart from the others, silent.
Then, ever so slightly, her fingers twitched.
The petals of her Hana Hana no Mi power unfurled, vanishing as she relinquished control.
Beneath the surface, through the softened earth and the closed lid of the coffin, something strange occurred.
The still body of Snake Princess Tulip, lying in eternal rest, suddenly crumbled.
With a whisper-like sound, her form dissolved into countless delicate petals, filling the silent coffin in a final, blooming farewell.
Meanwhile, deep within the palace, the mourning hall had been draped in pure white.
Liam had arrived.
He moved through the chambers, his steps measured. Then, behind him, Hancock's voice rang out.
"Hey. What exactly are you looking for?"
Liam didn't turn.
"Since you followed me, you've probably figured it out already."
He continued his search, scanning the room. Then, from a shadowed corner of the palace, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Over here."
Liam moved swiftly, heading toward a side chamber.
B.I.B.—his spectral guardian clad in dark armor— stood at attention beside a shrouded object lying on the ground. With a wordless signal from Liam, B.I.B. flicked his wrist.
Whoosh.
The sheet was pulled away.
Beneath it stood a statue— an exquisitely carved likeness of Snake Princess Tulip.
Hancock, now beside Liam, fell silent.
She gazed at the statue, her expression unreadable.
For a moment, the wind outside howled, rattling the chamber's lanterns.
Then, without a word, she turned and walked away.
(End Of This Chapter)
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