Chapter 476: Hancock's Shock: Could This Be Her Benefactor?
A furious blush stained Boa Hancock's cheeks. Never in her life had anyone dared to speak to her with such casual dismissal, let alone a man—the very creature she loathed above all others. How could she possibly tolerate such an insult?
"Insolent cur!" Her voice dripped with venom. She snapped her hands into her signature heart-shaped pose, a gesture that had brought kingdoms to their knees. "Mero Mero Mellow!"
A beam of pure pink energy, imbued with the power of her charm, shot toward Ren. He simply tilted his head, letting it pass harmlessly by his ear. "And then?" he asked, his tone utterly unimpressed.
Hancock's composure shattered. "You... you... are you not a man?!" she stammered, her mind reeling. "How can you not be moved by my beauty? It's impossible!"
Ren sighed, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Looking back, I probably should have called a doctor to check on your mental state."
"Are you mocking me?!" she shrieked, her rage boiling over. "Pistol Kiss!"
Hancock touched a finger to her lips, and a small, pink heart materialized at its tip. With a flick, she sent it flying like a bullet straight for his chest.
Lucifer watched the exchange with a faint, amused smile. Unlike the enraged empress, she could easily piece together the situation. Ren clearly knew this... eccentric woman, but the recognition was one-sided. And since Ren's power was absolute, there was no reason for her to worry. This was merely entertainment.
Ren didn't even move from his spot. He simply raised a hand, and the heart-shaped bullet shattered against his palm like brittle glass.
Hancock's eyes went wide. Shattered? Just like that? Her attack had been broken with no effort at all.
"I refuse to believe it!" Hancock snarled, her pride wounded. "You will turn to stone!"
In a blur of motion, she closed the distance, her leg lashing out in a graceful, deadly arc. Her speed was impressive; even Yuuka Kazami gave a slight nod, acknowledging it was quite remarkable for a human. Nearby, Yakumo Ran simply continued to nibble on her fried tofu, enjoying the show. It was obvious to everyone that Ren was merely toying with the woman, and since he clearly knew her, they were content to watch things unfold.
Yakumo Yukari tilted her head, her fan partially obscuring a curious smile. "Oh, so that 'heart' ability can turn people to stone," she mused, turning her gaze to the other pirate in the room. "Shichibukai... that girl over there, Nami."
"Eh? Is something wrong?" Nami asked, a little startled.
"Is this woman one of the Shichibukai? I assume she must have consumed some sort of Devil Fruit as well, correct?"
While they chatted, the confrontation reached its climax. Hancock's kick, the Perfume Femur, aimed straight for his head—a blow that could petrify anything it touched. But it never landed. Ren simply extended a single index finger, meeting her shin with impossible ease. The impact was completely absorbed. There was no shockwave, no sign of petrification, nothing. It was as if she had kicked an immovable mountain.
"Who... Who are you?!" she gasped, her voice trembling. "My Perfume Femur can turn even unfeeling stone and mindless machines to statues... How can you be immune?! What are you?!"
Ren looked genuinely perplexed. "Why would you need to petrify a stone?"
Hancock froze, the absurd logic of his question hitting her like a physical blow. Lucifer and the others couldn't hold it in any longer, covering their mouths to stifle their laughter. The Pirate Empress was certainly... unique.
"I... I still have—Ah!"
Whatever defiant threat Hancock was about to utter was cut short as Ren, looking mildly annoyed, flicked her squarely on the forehead. The empress stumbled back, her mind going blank with indignation. He was bullying her! Bullying her simply because she was beautiful!
"I will absolutely not forgive you! Slave Arrow—"
"If I had known that Shakky and Rayleigh bringing the three of you here would result in this," Ren cut in, his voice laced with exasperation, "I would have insisted on taking you to see a neurologist first."
"Neurologist?! You're the one who's neurotic—" Hancock's retort died in her throat. Her eyes widened. "Wait... Shakky?! Rayleigh?! Who in the world are you?!"
Her fury instantly evaporated, replaced by wide-eyed shock. That secret was buried deeper than any treasure. Only six people in the entire world knew the truth of that day: she and her two sisters, their saviors Shakky and Rayleigh, and Elder Nyon back on Amazon Lily.
It was impossible for a seventh person to know. Yet this man, standing before her, spoke their names as if it were common knowledge. And from his tone, it seemed he had known for a very long time.
Nami tilted her head, connecting the dots. "Eh? Shopkeeper Ren, you know the Dark King Rayleigh and Shakky?"
"Oh?" Ren raised an eyebrow. "So that old fellow Rayleigh has a title like that, does he?"
Boa Hancock's voice was low and trembling. "What... What is going on?! How do you know about them?! Wait... wait a moment... Ren... The name Ren... I feel like I've heard it somewhere before..."
Lucifer smiled, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "It seems there's quite a story here, Ren. Aren't you going to explain?"
Every eye in the room turned to him, but none were more expectant than Boa Hancock's. The confusion swirling in her gaze was practically overflowing. She was certain she knew that name, but the memory was a frustratingly blank space in her mind.
Ren let out a long sigh. "It's been a while. Probably about half a year ago. I was getting ready to close up for the night, planning to handle a Kengan match request for a client the next morning. Back then, my shop had even fewer customers than it does now, so I didn't expect anyone to show up so late."
He paused, a distant look in his eyes. "I was about to lock the door, grab some breakfast, and head out. That's when two people stumbled in, carrying three unconscious girls. They had the same surprised expression most people get when they first find this place."
Lucifer tilted her head. "Those three girls must have been injured..."
"Yes, their injuries weren't light, but not life-threatening either," Ren confirmed. "It looked more like they had collapsed from exhaustion, malnutrition, and a lack of rest. They were all running a bit of a fever, too. The man with them told me that no matter who I was or what this place was, it didn't feel dangerous, and he asked if I had any clean water and medical supplies."
Yuuka Kazami smiled faintly. "Given your personality, I imagine you provided more than just bandages. Fever-reducing medicine as well, I presume?"
"That's right," Ren said. "After they saw the girls were stable, and after they learned this was a restaurant that connected to other worlds, they decided to have a meal. I have to say, I didn't expect those two to be such heavy drinkers, especially the lady. I never would have guessed she could put away so much."
He sighed again at the memory. "And they weren't drinking beer; it was brewed rice wine and high-proof spirits. You really couldn't tell just by looking at them. They even managed to pull me into having a few cups with them..."
"Who won?" Lucifer asked playfully.
"A lady and a man who looked old enough to be my grandfather. Do you really think I'd lose a drinking contest?" Ren said with a hint of a smirk. "But they left not long after. They didn't stay long, just drank very quickly. I suppose they were worried about the girls. They haven't been back since. Now that I think about it, I don't believe I ever told them how to return."
A collective, unspoken thought passed through the room. Good heavens, no wonder those two drinking buddies never came back! You forgot to tell them how to get here! They probably think it was a once-in-a-lifetime miracle...
Boa Hancock swallowed hard, a single, fragmented memory finally surfacing. Her voice was a disbelieving whisper. "You... you... that... the peach blossom wine!"
"Hmm?" Ren's lips curved into a small smile. "So you do remember something after all."
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