The Calm Belt.
The sea was eerily calm, with not even a single ripple on its surface.
In the distance, Sea Kings let out low, guttural growls, their sounds chilling to the bone.
The sunlight reflected off the still waters, carrying a salty, humid warmth in the air.
A small boat hovered mid-air, floating forward at a leisurely pace.
Sanders reclined on a deck chair, sporting orange-tinted sunglasses and holding a newspaper.
The newspaper was something he had purchased from a News Coo before entering the Calm Belt, as the birds never ventured into such treacherous waters.
To ensure he didn't miss out on the latest updates from the world, Sanders had bought a stack of newspapers before heading into this isolated stretch of the sea.
"So, they're either swallowing their pride or brewing some conspiracy, huh?"
As he read the contents of the paper, Sanders' eyes flickered with contemplation. He muttered to himself under his breath.
The newspaper contained a brief mention of Mary Geoise being hit by a meteor.
It wasn't even front-page news.
The report was tucked away in a tiny corner, written in small text, as though it was an afterthought.
If someone wasn't actively searching for it, they'd probably miss it entirely.
As for Sanders' attack on Mary Geoise, the newspaper made no mention of it whatsoever. It was as though the event had never happened.
At first, Sanders assumed it was simply a lack of proper information on the reporter's part.
But after skimming through several other newspapers, he quickly realized the truth:
The World Government had suppressed all news about his raid on Mary Geoise.
"Whatever. Let them do as they please. Soldiers block rivers; soil dams water."
Shrugging, Sanders abandoned the effort to speculate about the World Government's motives.
He didn't care about their schemes or strategies.
Picking up another newspaper, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Their bounties have exceeded 100 million, huh? I'd say they're finally qualified to be part of the Thunder Pirates."
Sanders chuckled as he scanned the bounties of Law and Vapa, his tone tinged with amusement.
This was the first news he'd received about Law and the others since they left Sky City.
Trafalgar Law, ship doctor of the Thor Pirates, now known as the "Surgeon of Death," carried a bounty of 1.32 billion berries.
Vapa the War Demon, carried a bounty of 1.23 billion berries.
The rest of the crew had also received bounties ranging from a few million to tens of millions.
For the first time, the crew members who had joined the Thor Pirates but never made a public move now had official bounties.
Sanders was confident that, with time, their bounties would skyrocket.
The New World wasn't the paradise of the Grand Line or the Four Seas.
Everyone surviving there was a force to be reckoned with.
As Law and the others continued to challenge pirate crews in the New World, their bounties would undoubtedly soar.
Setting the newspaper aside, Sanders picked up his wine glass and took a slow sip.
His gaze shifted to the corner of the deck, where the unconscious Celestial Dragon lay.
The plump, middle-aged woman was sprawled there, her face pale and lifeless.
Her lips were torn, and dried, blackened blood stained the corners of her mouth.
Her appearance was far from the lofty image of a so-called "World Noble."
This was because after Sanders froze her mouth, the celestial dragon woman tried to scream, tearing her wounds open.
Who knows how the brains of the Celestial Dragons work.
It's as if they're completely brainless.
Even when faced with mortal danger, always on the brink of death, she still acted high and mighty, constantly spouting threats.
If it weren't for the fact that she was still useful, Sanders would have ripped her tongue out long ago.
Traveling from the Sabaody Archipelago to Amazon Lily on a regular ship would take at least a week.
Even though Sanders' ship was much faster than a regular one, it still took three days to reach Amazon Lily.
Amazon Lily, also known as the Island of Women.
As the name suggests, this is an island inhabited only by women.
Any man who enters is destined to be eliminated.
The villages and castle of Amazon Lily were built on cliffs and the central valley.
Surrounded by dense jungles and high mountains, the island was like a fortress.
After some time sailing, Sanders finally arrived.
Looking down at the island beneath him, Sanders expanded his Observation Haki to cover the entire island.
He quickly located the Boa sisters, who were in the Tenshukaku (castle keep).
Stopping his ship in midair, Sanders took a small box from the cabin and stuffed it into the pocket of his swim trunks.
Then, carrying the half-dead Celestial Dragon, he flew toward the Nine Snake Castle.
Nine Snake Castle.
The residence of the Amazon Lily Empress, located at the highest point of the village.
The castle housed many attendants who served the Empress.
But at this moment, there were only three people in the entire castle; everyone else had left.
This was because the Boa sisters feared the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon mark on their backs being discovered.
Whenever the three Boa sisters bathed, no one was allowed to approach the castle.
For this, they had even fabricated a lie.
The lie claimed that the three sisters, during one of their adventures, had defeated the monstrous Gorgon of the Calm Belt.
But in doing so, they were cursed, and eyes grew on their backs.
If anyone were to see these eyes, they would be turned to stone and die.
Because of this, the villagers believed that the Empress set up protective barriers and prohibited entry during baths to safeguard the people.
At the uppermost bath of Nine Snake Castle, in front of the doors to the Tenshukaku, the Boa sisters Sandersonia and Marigold stood guard with weapons in hand.
Inside the bath, Hancock lay in the water, completely nude.
Amid the dim lighting and the misty white steam, Boa Hancock's alluring silhouette was faintly visible.
Inside the bath, vibrant flower petals floated gently on the clear water's surface.
They swayed softly with the ripples of the water.
Hancock rested her head back against the edge of the bath, her eyes closed, her expression tranquil.
Her long, black hair, smooth as silk, spread out across the water, complementing the colorful petals drifting nearby.
Droplets of water slid down her jade-like skin, sparkling with a crystal-like brilliance.
Her elegant shoulders and the delicate lines of her collarbones exuded an indescribable grace.
The steam from the bath rose gently, draping her figure in a dreamy, gauzy veil.
After a while, accompanied by the sound of water splashing, Hancock rose from the bath.
Her fair skin was exposed to the air, glistening with droplets of water.
Running her hand over the mark on her back, Hancock furrowed her delicate brows.
She stepped out of the bath slowly, holding a towel in her hand as she dried her damp body.
At that moment, a hurried cry echoed in Hancock's ears.
"Who's there?!"
Hancock's expression changed slightly; she recognized it as the voice of her sister, Sandersonia.
Quickly, she put on her bathrobe, covering the mark on her back.
Her face darkened with anger as she strode toward the Tenshukaku doors, her eyes blazing with fury.
It was an unbreakable rule on the island: no one was allowed to approach while she bathed.
This was an iron law that no one dared to defy.
She wanted to see who had the audacity to disobey her orders on Amazon Lily!
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T/N:
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