As Aether was escorted away by the Kuja warriors, the usually domineering Hancock collapsed onto her sofa, her expression tangled with emotions she could not easily suppress. The past she had buried so deeply had been seen through by a man. That alone was unacceptable to her.
Boa Sandersonia hesitated before speaking.
"Elder Sister, what should we do with that man?"
"Execute him. We cannot allow even the slightest chance for him to spread anything. If he dares speak nonsense during the trial, I will deal with him myself."
Her tone was sharp and absolute, leaving no room for argument.
At that moment, Gloriosa entered, her face carrying a strange look. Just outside, she had crossed paths with Aether being dragged away by the Kuja warriors. The contrast was jarring. Only moments ago, he had seemed completely at ease, and now he was treated as a condemned prisoner.
Even so, he had smiled at her, calm and composed, as if none of it concerned him.
"Old hag, what are you doing here? I already said I will not accept the Shichibukai summons."
Gloriosa had originally intended to persuade Hancock again. Accepting the position would bring more benefit than harm. But seeing Hancock's current state, she wisely chose silence. When Hancock was like this, no one could reach her.
"Snake Princess, what happened with that man just now? Did he attack you?"
Hancock's voice dropped, laced with restrained fury.
"That man... he saw my brand."
Gloriosa froze.
Aether, just what are you planning? Knowing that secret meant there was no reconciliation left. This had already become a matter of life and death.
Meanwhile, Aether was being escorted by two Kuja warriors, his body bound by a black two-headed snake that coiled around him like a living rope. The two heads lazily intertwined, almost affectionately licking one another.
"...What kind of species is this?"
Aether frowned, clearly annoyed.
"Could you loosen up a little? And stop showing off in front of me."
A faint pressure from his Conqueror's Haki slipped out through his gaze. Instantly, the two snake heads separated, trembling as if they had encountered something far above them in the food chain. The coils loosened slightly.
The two warriors escorting him exchanged looks of surprise. These venomous snakes were bred specifically to restrain death row prisoners. They were ferocious by nature, yet now they were afraid.
At the same time, a long-forgotten system notification appeared in Aether's mind.
Significantly altered the fate of S-Class figure Saint Shalria. Reward: 5,000 points.
Current Points: 57,329
Aether's curiosity was piqued. It was only natural that the fate of that Celestial Dragon would change. After all, he had wiped out the only remaining male members of her family. Without them, the Rosward Family's influence among the Celestial Dragons would inevitably decline.
He wondered how that useless noblewoman would change in the future.
In less than a day, his destiny points had grown considerably. While not as explosive as his emotional gains, the increase was still impressive. Perhaps the incident involving the Celestial Dragons would push his total past one hundred thousand.
"A purple draw... that sounds promising."
Soon, Aether arrived at a familiar location, the Kuja Arena.
The massive coliseum stood surrounded by spectator stands filled with warriors. Between them, countless spikes lined the ground, some still impaling corpses that had yet to be removed.
Not long ago, he had been watching from the stands. Now, he stood in the arena as the main act. The shift was almost amusing.
The Kuja warriors buzzed with curiosity. Aside from being a criminal, he was also a man, something most of them had never seen before.
"So this is a man? He actually looks... decent."
"He does not seem that different from us."
"His chest is too flat. That is strange."
Aether heard everything clearly through his Observation Haki. A group of women who had never seen men before. Without restraint, this place could easily become a nightmare for any ordinary man.
And that comment about his chest made him pause for a moment.
The noisy crowd instantly fell silent as the Boa sisters entered. Cheers erupted soon after.
"Snake Princess-sama is the most beautiful today!"
"Snake Princess-sama!"
"Silence."
The guards quickly restored order. High above, Boa Hancock sat on her throne with perfect poise, her legs crossed elegantly. Her long, fair legs overlapped beneath her dress, her posture both regal and distant.
Her face was cold, her eyes filled with killing intent.
"Man below, answer me. Why did you come to Amazon Lily, and how did you reach this island?"
Aether did not answer immediately. Instead, he glanced around the arena. There was no sign of Luffy or any familiar figures. It seemed the Straw Hat had not yet been captured. That made sense. Aside from Hancock herself, few on this island could stop him.
He lifted his gaze toward the throne, clearly displeased with having to look up.
From their brief interaction, Aether already understood Hancock's nature. She was no noble lady. She was a pirate through and through, ruthless and absolute.
He finally spoke, his tone calm.
"Boa Hancock, my arrival here was an accident. I was escaping pursuit from a Marine Admiral. As for how I got here, I flew down from the sky."
The lie came effortlessly.
The crowd erupted in outrage.
"Insolence! He dares call Snake Princess-sama by name!"
"Lies! Flying from the sky?"
"He must have evil intentions!"
Aether ignored them completely, his gaze fixed only on Hancock. Her eyes remained cold, untouched by his composure.
Her voice echoed through the arena.
"Even in lies, you show no fear. You will not leave this island alive. I declare you beyond redemption. Death penalty."
The verdict came instantly.
"Kill him!"
"Execute him!"
The chants rose in unison.
Aether sighed softly. As expected of Amazon Lily, there was no need for a proper trial. Judgment was immediate and final.
"Release the execution beast, Barbara."
At her command, a massive black panther leapt into the arena. Its fangs gleamed, saliva dripping as it fixed its gaze on Aether like prey.
Aether casually snapped the loosened snake bindings and stretched his arms, warming up as if preparing for light exercise.
"A bit small, but it will do."
The panther roared and lunged.
Aether did not move until the last moment. Then, with a simple punch, he met it head-on.
A dull impact echoed.
The massive beast was sent flying out of the arena in an instant, disappearing beyond the stands.
A stunned silence followed.
C-rank figures generated minor surprise. Experience increased by 5 x 1,797.
Aether lowered his fist and looked up at Hancock, a faint, almost playful smile on his lips.
Hancock frowned slightly, her gaze sharpening.
___
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