The next day.
Amazon Lily—an island inhabited solely by women—is home to the Kuja tribe and ruled by Boa Hancock, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. It also serves as the base of the Kuja Pirates.
The trees stood tall, the greenery lush, wild beasts roared in the distance, and the scenery was strikingly beautiful.
However, the island sat in the Calm Belt, a sea zone notorious for being a haven for Sea Kings. Its tranquil appearance masked its danger.
A group of bikini-clad women were walking back happily with a massive wild beast they had just hunted.
The island was home to only women, and with the Calm Belt serving as a natural moat, no one here cared about modesty. Almost everyone wore swimsuits.
"Sisters, this wild boar will last us a few days!"
"I'm tired of meat. When can we eat something really delicious from the outside world?"
"Hey! Don't think like that. Be careful, or Her Highness will kick you out!"
"Hmph! The Empress would never! She's the best!"
...
Just as they reached the city entrance, they suddenly spotted a man standing there. That's right—a man! Tall, muscular, and mysterious!
"Y-You! Who are you?! How did you get here?!"
"A man! There's a man on our island?!"
"Sisters, quick! There's a man here!"
...
In an instant, the women started chattering like they had seen some rare mythical beast. They quickly surrounded Ron, who had just arrived on the island.
Of course, they also immediately notified the three Boa sisters.
"Hey, hey, hey! Hands off, little ladies." Ron stepped back quickly to dodge an incoming grab.
That only made the Kuja women more curious and excited.
"Ah! It talks!"
"Catch him, sisters! Don't let him escape!"
"That's right! All men must be captured!"
The crowd was about to pounce and tie Ron up.
"What a pain." Ron sighed. A silent pulse of Conqueror's Haki rippled outward.
Buzz!
Everyone around him froze. They felt an invisible mountain slam down on them from above, pressing on their minds.
In mere seconds, their foreheads were drenched in sweat. Even standing became a challenge.
Just then, an angry voice shouted from behind the gates.
"Who dares threaten the Kuja Pirates?!"
"Big Sis, let me handle this guy!"
Suddenly, two massive serpents—one green, one yellow—rushed out. Their snake eyes burned with hostility, brimming with hatred toward men.
"Boa Sandersonia. Boa Marigold. Did you two forget me?" A calm voice echoed through the air, instantly freezing the two figures in place.
Hancock followed quickly behind. The moment she saw the man standing before her, her whole body trembled.
"Ro... Ron-sama?!"
"Our benefactor!"
"It's our benefactor!"
The two sisters immediately dropped their battle forms and rushed toward Ron.
But Hancock moved first, dashing forward with no hesitation. Despite being surrounded by the citizens of Amazon Lily, she threw herself into Ron's arms without a second thought.
Because years ago, when she was at her most helpless and desperate, it was Ron who descended from the sky to save her and gave her the courage to keep living.
"Ron-sama... you finally came to see me?" Hancock sobbed, tears streaming down her face and soaking his chest. "Seventeen years... I waited for you for seventeen years..."
...
Ron stood awkwardly, at a loss for words.
It seemed Hancock had fallen for him.
Back when he saved her, she was just a 12-year-old kid. He'd had no ulterior motives—he saved her simply because he could and expected nothing in return.
Honestly, if he didn't need a certain "edge" for TikTok's growth, he probably wouldn't have come here at all.
"Uh... Hancock, I've just been... a bit busy lately, so..."
"Ah, Ron-sama cares so much about me. Were you just worrying about how to explain it?" Hancock looked up at him with glittering eyes.
Held tightly in Hancock's embrace, Ron could only nod with a forced smile. "Yeah... I was trying to find the right words."
"I knew it!" Hancock blushed, lowering her head and fiddling with her fingers shyly. "Is this... is this a proposal? I-I'm not ready yet..."
Ron blinked. Proposal?
What kind of drama is she writing in her head?!
"No, Hancock, you misunderstood. I came this time because I need your help."
The moment she heard "help," her face turned even redder.
"You... you need my help? Ron-sama really needs me..."
Ron: ???
Her sisters were already watching the scene like it was a rom-com, but they still stepped in.
"We saw the expulsion order. I've always said those Marines are nothing but two-faced hypocrites!"
"Exactly! If the Marines don't want you, Nine Snake Island does! From now on, you stay here with us, eat well, live happy!"
Hancock's eyes turned cold at the mention of Ron's expulsion. "Ron-sama, I'll stand with you. If you say the word, I'll go to war with the Marines right now!"
Ron clutched his forehead. He quickly waved his hands. "Calm down. Let's talk somewhere quiet. I brought something good for you."
...
Inside the Empress's palace.
When Ron took out a phone, all three sisters were stunned.
"Ron-sama, this is the gift you mentioned?" Sandersonia was the first to ask, clearly skeptical.
"It doesn't look special. Is it some kind of throwing weapon?" Marigold joked.
"I'm curious too. Tell us, Ron-sama." Hancock leaned in, eyes sparkling with interest.
Ron smiled. "This is a phone. A high-tech item."
He pressed the side button. The screen lit up.
"Oh! It glows!" Sandersonia exclaimed.
"Phone... is it called that because you hold it in your hand?" Marigold pondered.
"This is amazing. What does it do?" Hancock asked, leaning even closer.
Ron opened TikTok... and to his annoyance, the first video was Morgans' huge bird face.
No camera work. Just a straight, ugly close-up.
The three sisters recoiled.
"Ew! Who is this hideous guy? He scared me!" Sandersonia cried.
"A birdman? Ron-sama, how is there a birdman inside that thing?" Marigold looked horrified.
"..." Ron sighed. "It's just a video Morgans uploaded to TikTok. That's why we can see it. Keep scrolling and you'll find my videos too."
But the more he scrolled, the worse it got. Video after video... Morgans again!
How many did that guy upload in a single night?!
"Alright, let me explain what TikTok is and how to use both it and the phone," Ron said, deciding to start from the basics.
The sisters nodded obediently, listening carefully as he explained step by step, then helped them each register an account.
Afterward, he let them explore on their own and told them to ask if anything confused them.
Meanwhile, Hancock immediately followed Ron, learning how to send direct messages. She bombarded him with hearts:
Ron-sama [♡♡♡♡♡]
Ron-sama [♡♡♡♡♡]
Ron-sama [♡♡♡♡♡]
Ron-sama [♡♡♡♡♡]
She sent over a dozen messages in a row and still wasn't satisfied. She also started liking every video she saw.
(To be continued.)