Just like that, Liam's life on Amazon Lily continued... As he had said, every day was spent training, eating, and sparring with his Stand.
Occasionally, he would return to Rusukaina Island for a 'friendly chat' with the island's giant beasts.
Now, Liam wore a fragment of the Jiki Jiki no Mi (Magnet-Magnet Fruit) daily, having put aside the Gasu Gasu no Mi (Gas-Gas Fruit).
Meanwhile, B.I.B. adhered strictly to the principles of its host, ensuring that whenever Liam possessed a Devil Fruit, it remained unaffected by seawater, which was why it refrained from copying the Shiro Shiro no Mi (Castle-Castle Fruit).
Even without a Devil Fruit that granted flight, Liam could traverse the skies freely, using Geppo (Moonwalk) to travel between Amazon Lily and Rusukaina as part of his training.
Unknowingly, time flowed by.
......
On Rusukaina Island, Liam lay on the grass, gnawing on a massive roasted meat leg, watching Robin spar with B.I.B. in the distance.
Ever since encountering Aokiji in South Blue, Robin had grown more determined to strengthen herself.
In the past, she had always balanced combat with scholarship, but her true talent lay in academia. Unlike Liam and Hancock, whose combat abilities soared with training, Robin's progress was less pronounced, making her less inclined toward rigorous battle training.
Moreover, the Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit) was uniquely suited for strategic combat, using joint locks and surprise attacks to subdue opponents. With B.I.B. available as support, Robin had never felt an urgent need to hone her own strength.
But now, her mindset seemed to have changed.
Liam recalled a recent moment when he withdrew B.I.B. and saw a memory— Robin walking behind him, murmuring, "If only I could help with my own strength…" When she noticed B.I.B. observing her, she blushed slightly before hurrying to catch up with Liam.
Liam sighed inwardly. "Does she feel like she's a burden to me? This is my fault…"
If he hadn't insisted that she fight using the Jolyne identity who couldn't use the Hana Hana No Mi, Robin could have relied on the Hana Hana No Mi freely. She wouldn't have felt restricted.
Yet, from the beginning, she had never once complained.
Suddenly, B.I.B. struck her, sending her crashing onto the grass.
"Hah… Hah…" Robin lay there, panting, her sweat-soaked chest rising and falling. Choosing to train against B.I.B. rather than Liam was intentional on her part— Liam's unpredictability made it too easy to lose focus.
B.I.B., however, maintained a consistent level of strength, providing a stable opponent to hone her Haki. Without Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), she couldn't even perceive Stand, and without Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), she couldn't touch it at all.
"Let's take a break," Liam called out, waving his half-eaten, giant roasted meat leg.
......
Beyond the palace doors, maids listened to the faint sound of coughing, their faces etched with worry.
Barefoot on the plush carpet, the Snake Princess sat pale-faced, a feverish flush coloring her cheeks. She lifted the silk curtain, her gaze longing toward the distant sea.
That was the direction of East Blue.
To love someone so deeply had left her lovesick.
"Luffy…" The Snake Princess murmured. The overwhelming longing only worsened her condition, but what could she do?
...
In the heart of Amazon Lily, at the training grounds, Hancock stood amid a pile of unconscious Kuja warriors, surrounded by thunderous cheers and admiring screams. Yet, she remained impassive.
...
Meanwhile, Bonney was struggling in this strange nation of women, frantically running as a green flying snake lazily chased after her.
Bonney knew Hancock was toying with her— like a cat playing with a mouse. But she still had to escape. She had her own mission.
"Where are you going?"
Bang!
She collided headfirst into something solid, seeing stars. The other party, however, didn't budge.
A wall? No— golden scales.
Marigold, her body shimmering in golden scales, exuded an overwhelming presence, making escape seem impossible.
"Get out of my way!"
Bonney activated the Toshi Toshi no Mi (Age-Age Fruit), regressing Mari into a child, but barely after a few steps, the Kuja warrior— now appearing as a little girl— easily caught up and swatted her away.
Even as a child, a Kuja warrior's strength remained monstrous.
From a distant rooftop, Hancock watched Mari, now transformed into an elderly woman, as Bonney fled once more.
Casually, Hancock plucked her pet snake Salome from her shoulders. With a flick of her wrist, it morphed into a bow.
She pulled the bowstring taut, plucking a strand of her long, raven-black hair. The strand twisted, shifting into a slender black snake, its body infused with Busoshoku Haki.
The tiny serpent remained alive, its red tongue flicking as it straightened into an arrow.
Hancock took aim at Bonney's retreating figure.
...
Outside Kuja City, deep in the forest, broken branches and scattered petals littered the ground.
Robin, disheveled and breathless, continued training alone, pushing the limits of the Hana Hana no Mi.
...
Months passed without notice.
On this particular day, at the base of the city walls, Bonney sat in a humiliating horse stance, Hancock's high-heeled foot pressed against her mouth, her face filled with resentment.
Above her, dangling her legs over the wall's edge, Hancock turned her attention to a news bird that had just landed before Giorno, who handed it a few Berries in exchange for a newspaper.
With a flap of its wings, the news bird took off into the sky.
Liam unfolded the paper, scanning its contents— then blinked in surprise.
"What's wrong?" Hancock asked.
"Uh… Are you sure you want to see this?" Liam hesitated, but Hancock snatched the paper from his hands.
Her elegant eyebrows furrowed as she read aloud, "Fisher Tiger… I feel like I've heard that name before."
The front page was dominated by a shocking headline— Fisher Tiger, a legendary Fish-Man adventurer, had scaled the Red Line and set fire to the Holy Land of Mariejois, liberating the enslaved people of the World Nobles.
Liam's mind raced. If his guess was correct, Fisher Tiger had timed this attack precisely.
It had taken place right after the recent Levely. With royals from all over the world returning home, Marine Headquarters would have been preoccupied with their protection, leaving a crucial gap in their defenses.
He must have known the exact moment to strike— likely thanks to Queen Otohime of the Ryugu Kingdom, who had also attended the Levely.
Fisher Tiger truly lived up to his reputation as an adventurer.
Liam silently admired him.
Hancock continued reading, her expression growing more complicated.
Her gaze flickered toward Giorno, her perfect features twisting with uncertainty.
In Giorno's book 'The Room', there had been a character named "Tiger," a kind traveler who had aided the protagonist after she sends her child away.
Coincidence?
Liam braced himself to brush it off as mere prophecy. But to his surprise, Hancock only glanced at him twice— then said nothing.
"So boring…"
Just as Liam was about to relax, his pupils contracted sharply.
Before his eyes, Robin's exhausted figure appeared— leaning against a tree, breathing heavily.
He could hear her gasps.
Then, the vision vanished.
What was that?!
Liam frowned.
(End of Chapter)
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