Chapter 597: The Alliance Collapses, the Scheming Empress
"Darling, your meal has been prepared, and the servants have readied hot water for you," Hancock purred seductively, her arms wrapped tightly around Luffy as she pressed herself against him. "Would you prefer to eat first, bathe first, or perhaps... enjoy me first?~"
Looking at Hancock's exquisite face as she clung to him so possessively, Luffy leaned closer and placed an affectionate kiss on her cheek.
"My greedy little snake," he murmured fondly. "I've been traveling for days, and still you won't let me catch my breath? Don't worry—I'll attend to you properly tonight. But first, let me have something to eat to restore my energy."
"Mmm, very well~" Hancock replied with a playful pout, sticking out her pink tongue cutely before gently taking his arm and guiding him toward the dining hall.
Yamato, Koala, and the others following behind the couple witnessed this intimate exchange with barely contained fury, their eyes practically shooting sparks of rage.
Rewind to just thirty minutes earlier.
Under Hancock's persuasive instigation, the women had been successfully convinced to collectively boycott Luffy, intending to demonstrate their solidarity and teach him the consequences of abandoning them at home while potentially pursuing romantic connections elsewhere.
As planned, after the Stormbreaker docked, Hancock immediately stepped forward to confront the Admiral.
The other women watched eagerly, anticipating that she would deliver a scathing rebuke that would make Luffy keenly understand the price of his prolonged absence and suspected infidelity.
What happened next, however, completely shattered their expectations.
As Hancock approached Luffy with apparent aggressive intent, the smile on his face momentarily froze, his instincts clearly sensing impending danger.
Before he could even begin formulating an explanation, Hancock's intimidating aura suddenly evaporated. Like a transformation from fearsome tigress to affectionate kitten, she threw herself into his arms.
"Ohhh, my beloved!" she exclaimed with dramatic sentiment. "You've finally returned to me! I've missed you desperately!"
This abrupt reversal confounded everyone—Luffy himself, Ain, Nami, and especially Koala,Mansherry and Yamato, who had eagerly assembled to witness Hancock's promised confrontation.
Indeed, the entire port fell into stunned silence following this unexpected display.
From the crowd of onlookers, only the faint sound of metaphorical hearts breaking could be heard. Numerous individuals clutched their chests as if experiencing profound loss, some even dropping dramatically to their knees in apparent despair.
The collective silence persisted until, after an indeterminate period, an experienced photographer regained his professional composure. With renewed enthusiasm, he quickly depressed the shutter on his camera den den mushi, capturing the intimate moment between the stunning couple.
The distinctive click of the shutter broke the enchanted silence. As if emerging from a trance, the assembled crowd reanimated—photographers rapidly began taking pictures and recording the scene while spectators whistled and applauded enthusiastically.
It was precisely at this moment that Mansherry, Yamato, and Koala comprehended the full extent of their betrayal. Hancock had deceived them completely, abandoning their alliance the instant it served her personal interests.
Infuriated, they attempted to rush forward and claim their own places in Luffy's embrace.
Unfortunately, they had missed their opportunity—one step behind meant permanently disadvantaged. Even as they attempted to demonstrate their affection, one of Luffy's arms was already firmly secured in Hancock's possession.
Moreover, with so many observers present, Luffy couldn't possibly distribute his attention equally among all the women without compromising his dignified image.
And so, watched by her increasingly envious and resentful "sisters," Hancock leaned comfortably against Luffy's shoulder, accompanying him through interviews with reporters and graciously accepting the adulation of the public alongside him.
The other women were relegated to following behind like mere attendants for a full half hour.
Their frustration mounted until they nearly ground their teeth to powder. Finally, after the crowds dispersed in orderly fashion and the group returned to their private residence on Onigashima with no outsiders present, the facade crumbled instantly.
The moment the door closed, Yamato and Koala charged toward Hancock with unbridled fury.
"Traitor!" Yamato shouted. "What happened to our sister alliance?! Is this how you honor your commitment to your sisters?!"
"How utterly shameless!" Koala added vehemently. "We trusted you completely! This means war!"
Even Hina, Kalifa, and Olivia—who had initially dismissed the entire situation as trivial—now wore expressions of deep displeasure after witnessing Hancock's "triumph" for half an hour. They too advanced, prepared to surround the Pirate Empress and demand accountability for her deception.