Hancock herself didn't mind the challenge. After all, she was a true Kuja warrior through and through.
Despite her young age, she never turned down a fight. In fact, the moment she learned Vito had taken down the red mammoth, she'd already started looking forward to testing herself against him.
Vito and Hancock picked a wide open clearing. Since Vito was unarmed and Hancock didn't bring Salome, they agreed on pure hand-to-hand combat.
"Let's go."
Vito loosened his shoulders, raised his fists, and adopted a boxer's stance.
With a flick of her bangs, Hancock's slender leg, already wrapped in Armament Haki, came whistling toward him in a high kick, true to the style she'd someday perfect.
"She really does love kicking people, huh…"
Vito crossed his arms to block. But compared to the beasts he'd fought, Hancock's strength, at least physically, was much less intense. Her kick didn't even make him budge.
"So strong!"
Sandersonia and Marigold, watching from the sidelines, were wide-eyed. Vito didn't look much older than Hancock. Though she claimed to be ten, her sisters knew the truth, she was still only nine.
Even so, Hancock was already the strongest among all the underage Kuja warriors. Most kids couldn't take more than two or three strikes from her before going down.
But Vito hadn't even flinched after her first hit. Now the sisters were more convinced than ever, he really was the one who defeated the mammoth.
Hancock gave a small snort, reinforcing her Haki until her boots gleamed black like lacquered steel.
"Hmm…"
Seeing that she was getting serious, Vito played it safe and coated his forearms in Armament Haki as well.
Hancock launched a sweeping high kick. Vito tilted back slightly and dodged with ease.
Except… she was still wearing her open-front flower robe and a short black skirt underneath.
In that brief moment of dodging, Vito caught a glimpse,
"…Red. Seriously?"
Even if this match ended right now, Vito felt like he'd already won.
But Hancock's assault didn't stop. She followed up with a three-hit combo of rapid kicks.
This time, Vito didn't dodge. He stepped in to test the force of her blows head-on.
"Bam!"
Even prepared, he was still pushed back two steps. The weight behind her attack was on another level from before.
Shaking the numbness out of his arms, Vito realized her Armament Haki had penetrated even his defenses.
"Her Haki is stronger than mine? That's a bit ridiculous."
Hancock's strikes were hitting as hard as the rhinoceros's had. Hard to believe a nine-year-old girl could be this powerful.
This is what it means to be born a warrior… the future Snake Princess indeed.
Vito internally leaned back in awe.
No wonder she had an 80 million bounty at eighteen, this girl's built different.
That thought sparked another question in his mind.
If Hancock was this strong, how did she and her sisters get abducted by slavers at twelve? All three of them? Weren't they part of the Kuja Pirates, one of the most feared crews on the sea?
The only explanation, Vito figured, was that the traffickers weren't ordinary thugs. They were probably specialized slave hunters working for the Celestial Dragons. Maybe even on par with Warlords like Doflamingo. Poison, sneak attacks… anything went when it came to serving those twisted nobles.
Vito didn't want to dwell too deeply on what Hancock had endured during those four missing years between twelve and sixteen.
But he remembered how even Sandersonia would break down just recalling it. And Hancock, bright, proud, beloved, would sometimes tremble with fear.
No. I won't let that happen.
If I've been brought to this world, and I can't even stop that from happening… what kind of second chance is this?
Resolving himself silently, Vito's gaze hardened.
Hancock, for her part, picked up on his strange look. There was a tinge of… pity?
She didn't like it. In her heart, she wasn't some helpless girl in need of protecting.
Annoyed, she pushed her Armament Haki even further. This time, when Vito tried to block, he could feel the weight of an invisible armor around her legs.
No way, this texture… that's Ryou! Flowing Armament?! She can already do that at her age?! Or is it a secret Kuja technique?
Vito was shocked, but as a seasoned transmigrator, his face gave nothing away.
Despite Hancock's advantage in offensive power, Vito's stamina and regeneration were insane in their own right.
…
Eventually, it was Hancock who ran low on stamina. Breathing heavily, she found herself pinned beneath Vito.
"Vito… let me gooo…"
She bit her lip, breath warm as orchids, her face inches from his. Her natural fragrance drifted into his nose.
Even Vito, prideful single dog that he was, felt his iron will start to crack.
This girl was dangerous, dangerously cute, dangerously alluring. And she wasn't even fully grown yet.
He could only imagine what facing adult Hancock would do to him…
"Vito! Let go of our sister!"
Sandersonia and Marigold, overwhelmed by Hancock's passive charm, instinctively stepped forward.
"Hancock, admit it. I won this match."
"…Tch! You annoying idiot. Fine!"
With a sulky snort, Hancock accepted her loss.
Sandersonia and Marigold were frozen in shock. Their invincible, unbeatable sister had… lost?!
Vito smiled and reached out a hand.
"Hmph!"
Still puffing her cheeks, Hancock took it and stood up.
"If you don't tell me a good story next time, I'll never forgive you!"
She struck a pose with one hand on her waist, the other pointed at him in dramatic disdain.
"Yes, yes! I humbly beg forgiveness, Lady Hancock!"
Vito raised his hands in surrender.
"Hmph."
She tried to hold the act but couldn't suppress the upward twitch of her lips. Clearly, she liked that title far too much.
Realizing her expression had slipped, she quickly put on her best angry face again, pretending she hadn't already forgiven him.
Watching her childish performance, Vito found her kind of adorable.
//----------------------------------------------------//
//--- Add to Collection!
//--- 150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter