Judging by the man's demeanor, he didn't seem like an enemy, but the possibility couldn't be ruled out.
The Empress frowned slightly, her toned legs tensing subtly, ready to strike the moment she sensed danger.
"A coward who hides in the shadows—do you not dare to reveal your identity?"
"Snake Girl, you're not as cute as you were when you were little." Lynch chuckled, shaking his head. "Nice earrings. Let me guess—some handsome guy gave them to you?"
"Earrings?" Hancock instinctively touched her crystal-clear earlobe.
That earring was a gift from the hero who had saved her from hell.
Though Nighthawk had never revealed himself, Hancock firmly believed he must be the most perfect man in the world.
What girl doesn't have a childhood dream?
For the Empress, the man who had slain the Celestial Dragons before her eyes and saved her from despair—no matter how he looked under the mask—would always be the most handsome in her heart.
Lynch's words made her feel he knew something.
"What's your relationship with Nighthawk? Where is he!?"
Could it be...
The Empress stared at Lynch, emotions flickering in her eyes—excitement, suspicion, surprise, love, doubt, longing.
"Have you finally figured it out, Snake Girl?"
"No, that's impossible! How could a man as powerful as the King of West Blue be Nighthawk!?"
She instinctively backed away until she hit the bed frame, unable to retreat any further.
There was no way she could associate this overwhelming presence with the former Fist Sword Nighthawk.
They weren't even from the same world!
A man of such status—why would he ever do something like that?
And back then, Lynch was still a Marine.
A Marine attacking the Holy Land of Mariejois and killing the Celestial Dragons? What a ridiculous idea!
"What? You don't believe it?" Lynch chuckled, watching the famous Empress with amusement. Then, his voice changed.
Using Life Return, he spoke in another tone.
"What about now?"
"Y-You...!"
Hancock's delicate body trembled violently.
It was the same voice—the voice Nighthawk had used when he spoke to her.
"I told you to remember my voice."
Lynch's gaze softened.
"I never expected that the little girl I rescued from Seastone Prison would one day become the Empress admired by the entire sea."
Lynch reminisced for a moment before asking, "How are your sisters? Are they doing well?"
"It really is you!"
Like a wild little beast, the Empress suddenly pounced on him, wrapping her arms tightly around Lynch as if trying to merge him into her very being.
"Nighthawk! Why did you wait so many years to see me? Do you know how much I missed you~?"
Her voice trembled with emotion.
"I... I thought you were..."
Her eyes turned red, her hair clinging to Lynch's, and her hands refusing to let go.
Meanwhile, outside the door, Nyonba, who had been secretly peeking, stood frozen in place—completely petrified, as if struck by Hancock's own Mero Mero no Mi.
What did she just witness?!
Snake Princess… hugging a man?!
Heavens! Am I dreaming?!
No—this was far more shocking.
Lynch was actually Nighthawk, the very man who had rescued the three Boa Sisters back then!
This was earth-shattering news.
So this boy had been rebellious by nature all along, standing against the World Government even back then…
Nyonba made up her mind—this secret would stay buried in her heart.
If the World Government ever found out they had been fooled by a single man for so many years, they would surely go mad.
The families of the Celestial Dragons killed by Nighthawk back then would surely pressure the World Government for revenge. After all, Nighthawk's bounty was still active.
If Lynch's connection to Hancock were exposed, Amazon Lily could face disaster.
As a former member of the Rocks Pirates, Nyonba knew the ways of the world.
When the World Government's interests were threatened, the Five Elders might step in, bringing the CP organization and the Marine forces with them.
But if the Celestial Dragons' interests were harmed, it would be a different story.
That would summon the Knights of God.
During the Battle of the Valley of the Gods, Captain Rocks had faced those bastards when the odds were already against him.
For now, Amazon Lily withdrew quietly, leaving Hancock and Lynch some private space.
'With this connection, Amazon Lily might have found the perfect backer for this era!' Nyonba thought to herself.
Today had turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
"Ahem… Snake Girl, you can let go now. Don't cling to me like this."
Lynch's face turned slightly red.
The Mero Mero no Mi had its own irresistible charm, and with Hancock being a stunning beauty, she might as well have been a succubus.
That soft, curvaceous body pressed against him.
As a man, it was hard to stay calm.
Harder than beating up Blackbeard.
With an old woman peeking from the door earlier, he definitely didn't want to make a fool of himself.
"Then you're not allowed to leave me~"
Hancock wrapped her arms around Lynch's neck, her red lips pursed, her beautiful eyes filled with longing, glistening as if they might overflow.
Another trait of the Amazon Lily Empresses—while they despised men, once they fell in love, their devotion was unwavering, lasting until death.
The moment they accepted someone, their entire personality changed.
They, once proud and distant, would become shy yet passionate.
If separated for too long, they might even collapse from sheer longing.
For generations, the rulers of Amazon Lily had called this condition lovesickness.
Hancock's yearning for Lynch wasn't sudden—it had been brewing for ten years, only now erupting all at once.
Looking at her delicate face, her soft lips so close, Lynch's eyes flickered.
He couldn't resist.
He kissed her.
"You... you kissed me~"
Hancock's face instantly turned a deep, fiery red, and a puff of white steam rose from her head.
Her heartbeat raced, her mind went blank, her eyes rolled back—
And she fainted.
"Hey! Hancock! Are you okay? Hancock!"
Lynch picked up Hancock and rushed out of the room, "Someone come quickly, your empress fainted!"
"What did you do to our empress!"
In an instant, a large group of Amazon Lily warriors armed with bows and arrows rushed out from the surrounding area.
Noticing the Empress slumped in Lynch's arms, Margaret hurriedly took the Empress from Lynch's arms, and then countless large bows were opened and aimed at him.
Lynch sighed.
"Those won't work on me. You might as well put them down."
"Instead of wasting time pointing weapons at me, you should hurry up and check on her."
Lynch said.
"Put down your weapons."
Nyonba hurried over, checked the Empress's condition, and let out a sigh of relief.
"She just fainted from excitement. She'll be fine after some rest."
The warriors carefully carried Hancock away to recover.
Meanwhile, Granny Nyon stood before Lynch with a half-smile, her expression full of knowing amusement.
"Young man, you're quite something. Making our Hancock faint on the first try… I like you."
She patted Lynch's thigh meaningfully.
Most elders might have scolded him.
But Nyonba?
She saw something else in Lynch—
The promise of Hancock's very happy future.
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
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