"Hmm... Master Wilhelm, why?"
At the edge of the Ark's training ground—
Hancock clutched her stomach as sharp pain spread through her body. Cold sweat covered her, and her face twisted in pain.
She looked at Wilhelm with confusion, her eyes filled with resentment and disappointment.
She didn't think she had done anything wrong. She had trained hard, followed every order, and devoted herself completely to getting stronger. She couldn't understand why Wilhelm suddenly kicked her aside for no reason.
Even though she was struggling, she tried to get up.
"Boom..."
Before she could move, Wilhelm's expression turned cold, and he suddenly stepped forward.
Without hesitation, he stomped on her head, pressing her entire body against the floor—made from the precious Adam Wood and reinforced with Hawkins' extremely tough alloy.
Blood instantly spilled out.
With his foot still on Hancock's head, Wilhelm spoke in a disappointed voice:
"Your performance is terrible. You're too weak—completely useless. You haven't met my expectations at all!"
"#t..."
The tanuki, Pato, looked completely lost.
It stared at Wilhelm, who had suddenly become terrifyingly cold, and then at Hancock, who was miserably pinned under his foot.
Why was Wilhelm so angry?
Hancock didn't seem to have done anything wrong.
"Don't interrupt. Wilhelm has his reasons."
Smoothie lightly knocked Pato on the head, warning it not to interfere.
"He's really ruthless..." Shiryu of the Rain muttered, biting down on his cigar as he watched quietly.
"Master Wilhelm..."
Gild Tesoro's face turned pale.
He had just started training and was still weak. Seeing Wilhelm explode with fury like this terrified him.
"Yahahaha~ I don't really get it, but Master Wilhelm must have his own reasons."
Feathered Serpent Kuer crossed his arms and laughed casually.
Dr. Hawkins was nowhere to be seen.
As usual, he was locked away in his lab, working on something unknown.
"Ah—!"
Hancock's blood-covered eyes turned red.
Tears mixed with blood ran down her face.
A storm of emotions—humiliation, anger, frustration, hatred—raged inside her.
"What? Are you mad?"
Wilhelm looked down at her, sneering.
"What's the point of getting angry when you're weak? No wonder even a few lowly slave traders could capture you so easily and sell you off..."
"Why are you doing this?"
Hancock, bleeding and battered, lay on the ground, struggling desperately.
She gritted her teeth, her furious eyes locking onto Wilhelm as she shouted:
"You bastard! Kill me if you want, but don't humiliate me!"
With humiliation and rage burning inside her, she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her skin.
Wilhelm's icy gaze didn't waver. His voice was cold and sharp:
"You're weak. Pathetic. You said you wanted to protect your sisters? Don't make me laugh—you can't even protect yourself."
Then, he lifted his foot off her and turned toward Sandersonia and Marigold, who were lying unconscious nearby.
Hancock's face twisted in horror.
She tried to stand, but her injuries were too severe. She collapsed again and again, her bloodied hands trembling as she struggled to move.
"No... don't!"
Tears and blood covered Hancock's pale face. Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.
She could only watch helplessly as Wilhelm grabbed her unconscious sisters. Panic surged through her as she screamed:
"Master Wilhelm, stop... you bastard! What are you doing?!"
Wilhelm sneered, lifting Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold with ease—one in each hand.
"Useless trash. Watch carefully. If I throw them from this height, even if they survive, the impact will be loud enough to attract Sea Kings, don't you think?"
Then, without hesitation, he hurled them off the Ark.
Right in front of Hancock's eyes.
"Remember this moment well. Engrave it into your soul—the feeling of being completely powerless."
"No! STOP!"
Hancock's scream tore through the air.
Her vision blurred as overwhelming pain, despair, rage, and helplessness crashed over her like a tidal wave.
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
"Om—"
"Wooooooo—"
A terrifying wave of power suddenly burst from Hancock's body.
"Thud...!"
Gild Tesoro, who had been shaking in fear, turned deathly pale. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Wait… what?!"
"You're kidding, right?"
"Is that... the same Conqueror's Haki as Wilhelm?!"
Smoothie, Shiryu of the Rain, and Kuro the Feathered Serpent all widened their eyes in shock.
They stared at Hancock, who was trembling with rage, screaming uncontrollably.
No one expected this.
Wilhelm had pushed her to the absolute limit—humiliating her, mocking her, forcing her into despair… and in that moment, Boa Hancock awakened Conqueror's Haki.
"Thud..."
The moment the powerful aura exploded from her, Hancock—battered, exhausted, and emotionally shattered—lost consciousness and collapsed.
"Hohohoho... what an incredible little girl."
Dr. Hawkins, who had been locked away in his lab, was startled by the surge of Conqueror's Haki. He finally stepped out, looking at Hancock with surprise.
Then, turning to Wilhelm, he smirked.
"Your eye for talent is truly terrifying."
"As expected of Master Wilhelm... your vision is unmatched!" Shiryu of the Rain admitted, nodding in admiration.
Now, he finally understood—Wilhelm hadn't just taken this girl from Sabaody by chance.
Conqueror's Haki.
The rare ability said to manifest in only one in millions—the mark of a King.
A power even Shiryu himself didn't have.
Feathered Serpent Kuro laughed.
"Yahahaha~ So that's why Wilhelm took an interest in these three ordinary girls… and why he risked everything to snatch them from the Celestial Dragons!"
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You can read the advance chapters here : patreon.com/Vigilante04