I'm Not Interested in Devil Fruits

''Chapter Header Serialization - Big News 29 - Could it be...?'' 

Grand Line, New World. [The Moby Dick], Second Division member Marshall D. Teach clutched the newspaper tightly in his hands, his gaze unblinking.

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Hancock avoided everyone else and went outside the City district, searching for familiar bug among the grass at the base of the City wall. 

"Did I remember the wrong place?" 

Hancock searched for a long time but found nothing. Her initial excitement gradually cooled, and as she walked, she even felt a little disappointed. 

With no one around, distant sounds of laughter and chatter from within the City reached her ears, feeling both near and far. 

Jolyne and Giorno... have they left? 

Hancock felt that among the people on Kuja Island, they were the only ones she could consider friends. After being away at sea for over half a year, it wouldn't be surprising if they grew bored and left Kujaisland. 

Are they leaving for good...? 

Hancock leaned against the City wall and slowly sat in the shade. 

Perhaps for the first time in her life, she felt a sense of reluctance in her heart. 

At that moment, Hancock's expression hardened as she suddenly jumped aside. At the same time, there was a soft "thud" sound at the base of the City wall. 

It turned out to be a bundle of leaves that had fallen from the top of the City wall. 

But this power... 

Seeing the leaves scatter upon impact reminded Hancock of something, and she immediately looked up toward the top of the City wall, faintly spotting a blurred silhouette. Soon, another smaller figure appeared beside it. 

It was Giorno and Jolyne... 

Hancock smiled and waved up at them but quickly realized, why am I being so enthusiastic? She immediately became more reserved. 

At the top of the City wall, Liam stepped forward and fell down. 

As he dropped to a low altitude, he used Geppo to land lightly. 

Once he touched the ground, Hancock immediately noticed something different. 

"Have you gotten taller?" She straightened her posture, but she still felt that Liam seemed to be much taller than her. 

Liam replied, "You've gotten weaker! Or maybe... I've gotten stronger?" 

"What?!" Hancock was displeased, "Do you want to fight?" 

... 

Not long after, inside Stand City Fort, Hancock lay on the ground, panting, her face filled with confusion. 

Clearly, during her time outside at sea, all the pirates and Marine soldiers she encountered were no match for her... 

But why, why did she lose so quickly in front of Giorno upon returning? 

"While you were out traveling, I was training hard!" Liam laughed. 

He wiped his sweat; he was also a bit tired. Someone like Hancock, a chosen one, born with three types of Haki, was like Broly— playing around could easily enhance her strength. Even after being away for half a year, her Haki level continued to grow naturally. It took Liam quite a bit of effort to successfully defeat her in a spar. 

Hancock struggled to sit up, feeling frustrated, "How is it possible? How did your strength increase so quickly?" 

Faster than hers! 

Is he even human? 

Whether it was pure strength or the use of Haki, Giorno's growth rate exceeded Hancock's imagination. 

Especially his Haki level! 

Hancock clearly remembered that when she first met Giorno, he could barely use Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), and he didn't know anything about Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)! It was only during their battles that he gradually mastered Busoshoku Haki. 

But now, Liam's usage of both Haki types has changed tremendously. 

He had likely surpassed the standard of an average Kuja warrior. 

Hancock had to admit that Liam's Haki level might be just slightly below hers... 

Robin, standing nearby, said, "While you were gone, Giorno trained on Rusukaina Island, fighting against those extraordinary beasts..." 

Hancock was astonished. That island? He had been training there for nearly a year. 

"Jolyne, you've also mastered Kenbunshoku Haki and Busoshoku Haki..." Hancock stood up, rubbing her slightly sore fist, "You're really impressive! No wonder you two have bounties with so many zeros..." 

Robin and Liam were a bit surprised, but it was also within expectations.

The Kuja Pirate crew had been out at sea for nearly a year, so it was quite normal for Hancock to discover the bounty notices of the two of them.

"Look, it's this," Hancock said, pulling out the two bounty notices from her pocket and holding them up in front of the two. "I asked Snake Princess, and she said that bounties like yours qualify you as big pirates out at sea! So you two are actually this strong?"

If they were on par with her, then she must have already become an impressive warrior.

Although Hancock thought this was only natural, she was surprised to find that the people outside were so weak. 

After all, she hadn't really grown up yet. If she continued to improve her strength over the next ten years or so, she should be able to become a top-tier warrior in the whole world, right?

Liam and Robin were astonished when they saw the amounts on the bounty notices.

Originally, both of them had a bounty of 100 Million Belly.

Now, though, the bounty notices in Hancock's hands showed one as 150 Million and the other as 120 Million.

Liam took the still-warm bounty notice and examined it repeatedly, saying blankly, "What's wrong with the Marines? They said you were the Captain, and yet they raised my bounty higher than yours?"

Robin replied, "It's probably because of the abilities you revealed. They see you as a greater threat..."

"What threat?" Liam scoffed, casually shoving the two bounty notices back into Hancock's arms. "As if the Marines care that much. Rather than focusing on a specific individual's abilities, I think the Marines are more concerned with Dr. Vegapunk's research on Devil Fruits..."

Hancock, dissatisfied, pulled the bounty notices out and tossed them aside, curious, "What special abilities? What are you talking about?"

Robin glanced at Liam. Liam said, "You forgot? You had the Shiro Shiro no Mi (Castle-Castle Fruit) before and then took it back?"

Hancock asked in confusion, "Is that it?"

"Yep," Liam nodded.

Hancock was disappointed. "I thought it was something interesting! Having a Devil Fruit would turn me into a landlubber; I wouldn't be able to go to sea! What's good about that?"

She even found it absurd that the Marines would raise Liam's bounty because of that ability.

Robin was speechless. Maybe Hancock had always been strong and was thus dismissive of the power of Devil Fruits... After all, if it weren't for the power of the Flower-Flower Fruit (Hana Hana no Mi), Robin would have been caught a long time ago while fleeing.

It was precisely because of her feelings for the Flower-Flower Fruit that even if Liam had a more useful fruit, Robin wouldn't consider trading it.

Liam stroked his chin and pondered, "Marine has Seastone weapons to counter fruit abilities. As for the Devil Fruits themselves, Marine probably has stockpiles already... Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that several of Marine's Admirals have such rare and powerful fruits? Plus, the three famous Vice Admirals right now— Kuzan with the Hie Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit), Borsalino with the Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit), and Sakazuki with the Magu Magu no Mi (Magma-Magma Fruit)— these three Vice Admirals, all three Logia users, are clearly being groomed to be the next generation of Admirals, right? As for the technology to seize Devil Fruits, I think once they grasp Dr. Vegapunk's knowledge, Marine will likely master that too... It's even possible that they could create a Devil Fruit artificially through technology. Compared to that, what's so special about my ability to the Marines?"

"On the contrary, to other pirates, I might have already become a thorn in their side, or a Plague God, or something," Liam laughed heartily.

"You're still laughing? Aren't you worried?" Hancock asked, puzzled.

Liam shrugged, "Everyone has a dozen or so people wanting to kill them! It's a common occurrence."

Hancock looked skeptical, "Is that really how it is?"

"Yeah," Robin said calmly from the side. "There are people who have enemies all over the world too."

Hancock nodded thoughtfully…

"Let's not talk about this; I actually want to ask you about Haki," Liam said. "Especially Haoshoku Haki..."

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(End Of The Chapter)

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