Chapter 17: Amazon Lily(I)

In Grove 41, Duval and his Rosy Life Riders gathered around the Thousand Sunny, their eyes filled with concern. "I'm worried about those Straw Hats," Duval muttered, glancing at the ship. The others nodded in agreement, though Duval quickly added, "But we'll watch over the Sunny until it's ready to be coated. They'll need it to reach Fish-Man Island." The crew agreed, their resolve firm despite their unease.

Meanwhile, in Grove 1 at the auction house, Saint Shalria was fuming. She glared at the Marines, her frustration evident. "Why haven't those Straw Hat Pirates been captured yet?" she demanded, her voice rising with each word. "You're not taking this seriously at all! I'll show them hell on Earth if I have to!" Her anger was met with silence, the Marines too nervous to respond.

Back at Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Camie was pacing nervously. "I'm so worried about the Straw Hats," she admitted, her voice trembling. Pappag tried to reassure her, waving his fin dismissively. "Don't worry, Camie. They'll be okay. They're strong." Hatchan nodded in agreement, trying to ease her anxiety.

Shakky, however, remained calm, her expression neutral as she watched them. "Facing an Admiral isn't easy," she remarked, her voice steady. "But this pirate age is slowly beginning to move. Things are changing." The words hung in the air, a quiet acknowledgment of the storm that was brewing, unseen but inevitable.

As Luffy and Itachi soared through the sky, propelled by Kuma's mysterious power, Luffy stirred awake to the sound of Itachi's voice. "Hey, wake up!" Itachi called out. Groggily, Luffy opened his eyes, only to find himself high above the ocean, the vast sea stretching endlessly below them.

"Where did everyone go?" Luffy wondered aloud, his voice tinged with confusion and concern. His eyes frantically scanned the ocean, searching for any sign of his crewmates. Beside him, Itachi kept his gaze steady. "I don't know," he replied, "but let's hope it's not a Marine base."

Hearing this, Luffy's eyes filled with worry. "Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook... I hope they're all okay." His voice was filled with anxiety, the weight of being separated from his friends heavy on his heart.

Itachi, sensing Luffy's distress, tried to remain calm but couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness himself. "Yeah, I hope they're all safe," he said softly, his eyes drifting to the endless expanse of water below them.

Luffy muttered to himself, "I hope I don't land in the ocean," fully aware of the danger that awaited if he were to fall into the sea. Being a Devil Fruit user, he would be helpless in the water.

"Don't worry, Captain," Itachi reassured him, trying to lift Luffy's spirits.

But then, Luffy's stomach growled loudly, reminding him of another pressing concern. "I'm hungry," he complained, his usual energy returning at the thought of food.

Itachi, feeling his own hunger gnawing at him, nodded in agreement. "Me too," he said, a small smile breaking through his serious demeanor.

After what feels like three long days of flying, Luffy and Itachi finally crash down onto an island, creating a paw-shaped crater upon impact. Luffy groans as he pulls himself up, and Itachi shakes off the dirt "What a landing!" he exclaims, brushing himself off. Despite the rough fall, he's relieved to have landed on solid ground.

Determined to reunite with his crew, Luffy pulled out the Vivre Card. "You have your Vivre Card, right?" Luffy asked, glancing over at Itachi.

Itachi nodded, holding up his own card.

"Good," Luffy said with a determined grin. "Let's set off in the direction it points and get back to Sabaody Archipelago."

Itachi, however, glanced around at the vast ocean. "We can't just head off without a plan," he advised. "We need a boat first... and some food."

Just as he said this, a large boar emerged from the underbrush, growling at them. But as soon as the boar met Itachi's piercing gaze, it froze in fear. Luffy seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful punch that shattered all of the boar's teeth.

"Nice one," Itachi said with a nod. He then performed a few hand signs and used his Fireball Jutsu to cook the boar on the spot. The smell of roasting meat filled the air as they settled down to eat.

As they devoured their meal, Luffy spoke through a mouthful of food, "I'm still hungry."

Itachi sighed, finishing his own portion. "We'll find more food soon," he reassured. "Don't worry. Right now, let's focus on finding a way off this island."

Luffy nodded, determination shining in his eyes

They were making good progress, moving swiftly through the terrain, until they came across a towering mountain blocking his path. Not one to be deterred, he gears up to smash through it with a Gigant Pistol. But after the long flight and his current state, he's too weak to make a dent. "Darn it!" he pants, frustration evident in his voice.

As Luffy catches his breath, he spots a wild boar nearby. His stomach growls loudly, and with a quick grin, he leaps into action, swiftly defeating the boar. "Look, more food!" he calls out to Itachi.

Itachi sighs, but he helps roast the boar with his Fireball Jutsu, creating a warm fire. As they dig into the freshly cooked meat, Luffy's thoughts drift to the past, recalling the harsh but effective training sessions with his grandpa, Garp. A small smile tugs at his lips, a mix of annoyance and fondness in his eyes.

"Those days were tough," Luffy chuckles to himself, "but I guess they made me stronger."

Itachi glances at him with curiosity. "What do you mean?" he asks.

Luffy nods, remembering. "Yeah, you wouldn't know. My grandpa used to throw me into the forest as part of my training. I had to survive on my own."

Itachi sweatdrops, imagining a young Luffy being tossed into the wilderness. "I can see how that would make you stronger," he says.

Luffy laughs, his signature carefree grin spreading across his face. "Shishishi! It was crazy, but I survived, didn't I?"

Itachi smiles slightly at Luffy's resilience and carefree nature,

After finishing his meal, Luffy's eyes wander to a patch of mushrooms growing nearby. One, in particular, stands out—a Laughing Mushroom. Itachi, noticing Luffy's interest, warns, "Don't eat something you don't know, Luffy."

But Luffy, ever curious and eager to lift his spirits, ignores the warning. "Maybe this will cheer me up," he thinks as he plucks the mushroom and takes a big bite. Almost instantly, he bursts into uncontrollable laughter. "This... hahaha... is great!" he laughs, holding his stomach.

He offers the mushroom to Itachi, saying, "Here, have a bite!"

Itachi shakes his head, initially refusing. "No, Luffy, I'm not interested in—"

But Luffy, determined to share the fun, playfully shoves a piece into Itachi's mouth. Caught off guard, Itachi chews and, moments later, starts laughing as well, a rare sound coming from him. Luffy continue eating the mushrooms, caught in a fit of uncontrollable laughter, their worries momentarily forgotten as they both laugh together, tears streaming down their faces.

Encouraged by the effects of the mushrooms, Luffy notices more of them sprouting around him, each with a different appearance. Intrigued, he decides to try a few more. As he eats them, he starts experiencing a variety of effects—some make him feel incredibly strong, others make him dizzy or sleepy. "Woah, these things are wild!" he exclaims, each effect surprising him more than the last.

Itachi, after a hearty laugh, finally calms down and notices Luffy lying down. He spots more mushrooms sprouting from Luffy's body and sighs, "I told him not to eat so many." As he's about to pull the mushrooms out, he hears a noise. Quickly, he readies his sword and turns to see three women approaching, each holding a snake.

Itachi stays on guard and asks, "Who are you?"

The three women look at each other before one speaks up, "I'm Marguerite, and these are Sweet Pea and Aphelandra."

Marguerite then asks, "And you are?"

Itachi replies, "Itachi Uchiha."

Marguerite looks at Luffy, now covered in mushrooms, and asks, "What happened to her?"

Itachi, taken aback by her referring to Luffy as "her," quickly clarifies, "I don't know; he ate some mushrooms, and now they're growing all over him."

Marguerite who did not her "he" identifies the mushrooms as the "Mushrooms-growing-out-of-your-body" variety, explaining that they can drain the life force from their victim if not removed promptly. Itachi asks, "Is there anything we can do?"

Sweet Pea responds, "We need to take him back to our village. Belladonna can help remove them by plucking and burning them off his skin."

Itachi nods, and they all head towards Belladonna's home. As they walk, Itachi realizes, This place is full of women. I haven't seen a single man. Could it be that this island is inhabited only by women? He sighs, thinking, How did we end up here?

Alphelandra, a tall woman with blonde hair, notices his distracted expression and says, "You're thinking about something, Miss Uchiha."

Itachi, caught off guard by the "Miss," quickly clears his throat. They haven't realized I'm a man. He says, "No, nothing. This place is beautiful. What is it called?"

"So you're not from around here," Alphelandra observes. Itachi shakes his head. "No, I'm not."

She smiles and explains, "This is Amazon Lily, a land of all women."

Itachi nods, thinking, Oh boy, this is bad…

As they arrive at Belladonna's home, they lay Luffy down. Marguerite looks at him and says, "We need to remove the mushrooms quickly." Belladonna starts plucking and burning the mushrooms off Luffy's skin. Itachi glares at them with his Sharingan, demanding, "What are you doing?"

Belladonna, sweating slightly under his intense gaze, explains, "To remove the root, I have to burn them."

Itachi, seeing the necessity, deactivates his Sharingan but remains wary. He watches as Belladonna continues her task, but she overdoes it with the burning, causing Luffy to lose consciousness just as he was beginning to wake up.

After finishing, Belladonna decides, "We need to clean her up."

Itachi quickly interjects, "No need to do that. I'll handle it. Don't worry about it."

Alphelandra, however, laughs and says, "Don't be shy! Come, we'll all bathe together!"

Itachi, hearing this, becomes visibly uncomfortable. He stammers, "No, really, that's not necessary..." But before he can finish, Alphelandra starts dragging him along. Marguerite picks up Luffy, and they head toward the bath area.

Itachi, being dragged away, thinks quickly, I'll use genjutsu and make my escape. As they reach the bath and begin to undress him, Itachi uses his genjutsu on Alphelandra, putting her to sleep for two minutes. Taking the chance, he jumps into a nearby tree, watching over Luffy.

Meanwhile, the group proceeds to wash Luffy. The women in the village, all of whom are watching, notice something peculiar. Sweet Pea spots another "mushroom" between Luffy's legs that they can't seem to pull off despite several attempts.

Itachi, observing from the tree, looks on in disbelief and thinks, What am I witnessing? In all my 24 years, I've never seen such stupidity.

At this point, Elder Nyon arrives and immediately identifies Luffy as a man. Marguerite's eyes widen in shock as she exclaims, "He's a man! That means Itachi Uchiha is also a man!"

Panic spreads through the group as Marguerite frantically asks, "Where is Alphelandra?"

After a moment, Alphelandra appears, yawning, and asks, "Have you seen Miss Uchiha?"

Sweet Pea quickly corrects her, "He is a man!"

Alphelandra looks shocked, "What?"

Sweet Pea exclaims, "We have to find him before the Snake Princess arrives!"

The entire village erupts into chaos. Up until that moment, they had all thought Itachi was a woman.

Luffy slowly regained consciousness and said, "Where am I? What was I doing?" As he looked around, he thought, "Where is Itachi?" Blinking, he realized he was surrounded by a group of curious women. They all stared at him with wide eyes, whispering to each other. Meanwhile, Itachi was on the rooftop, looking down at Luffy and waiting for an opening.

One of the women, Sweet Pea, leaned in closer and asked, "Why do you wear that hat all the time? Is it a man thing?"

Luffy scratched his head, confused. "Uh, no, it's just my hat. I like it," he said. Then, stretching out his arm, he snatched the hat back from Sweet Pea with ease. The women gasped in amazement at his stretching powers.

The girl, shocked, said, "Can men stretch their arms like that?" She quickly began to write in her notes.

Another woman, Marguerite, tilted her head, "What kind of man are you to have such strange abilities?"

"I'm Luffy! Monkey D. Luffy!" he declared proudly.

"Have you seen Itachi? Where is he?" Luffy asked.

Alphelandra replied, "We're looking for him." Luffy nodded and then looked down at himself, realizing something. "Ahh, I'm naked!" he exclaimed.

All the women shouted back at him, "You're so slow!"

The women looked at each other, fascinated by his name and his powers. One of them pointed at Luffy's lower half, asking hesitantly, "What's that thing between your legs?"

Luffy blinked, then grinned widely. "Oh, you mean my Kintama? Balls of gold!"Itachi hearing this sweatdroped and face plam and thought all are weird

The women gasped again, whispering excitedly among themselves. "Balls of gold? How fascinating!" one exclaimed. "Can you show them to us?"

Luffy's face turned bright red as he jumped back, waving his hands frantically. "What? No way! You can't just take them! Are you trying to kill me or something?!"

Itachi, observing the scene from his hiding spot, thought to himself, "Have they never seen a man before? And who is this Snake Princess they keep mentioning?"

The women seemed taken aback by his reaction but quickly became more curious. "We're not trying to hurt you! We just want to see!" another woman insisted.

Before the situation could escalate further, Margurite stepped in. "Enough, enough! Leave him alone. Let's find him some new clothes. His current ones are all worn out."

They quickly handed Luffy a new outfit. As he unfolded it, his eyes went wide. The clothes were frilly and girly, with a floral pattern and ribbons.

Looking at his cloths he begin to shake and the one of the girl said look he look so happy he begin to shake.

"What is this?!" Luffy shouted, holding up the outfit. "I'm not wearing this! It's too girly!"

The women looked puzzled. "But it's what we have. These are the only clothes we make here," Marguerite explained innocently.

Luffy groaned, looking at the outfit in disbelief. "I just want my own clothes back!" he shouted, feeling more out of place than ever.

Luffy's outburst causes a ripple of tension to spread through the Amazons surrounding him. Their expressions shift from confusion to defensiveness, some even looking a bit fearful. One Amazon, Kikyo, steps forward, her eyes narrowing as she quickly aims her snake-shaped bow at him. "Watch out! He's getting dangerous!" she warns, and the other women follow suit, drawing their weapons and aiming at Luffy.

"Wait, wait! I'm sorry!" Luffy quickly apologizes, realizing his mistake. Belladonna, standing nearby, explains, "We saved your life, you know and you are angry at us all men are the same"

"Yeah, I know! I'm sorry for yelling. Thank you for saving me," Luffy says, bowing his head in gratitude. But Kikyo isn't convinced by his apology. "It doesn't matter," she says sternly. "There's a strict ban on men on this island. We'll have to kill you anyway. And besides, if we don't, Marguerite, Sweet Pea, and Aphelandra could get into serious trouble with our leader."

Itachi, watching the situation unfold, realized this was getting out of hand. He looked down at his pouch and quickly formed a plan. He created a shadow clone and instructed it to stand in front of Luffy's cage. The clone nodded and stepped forward.

Luffy's eyes widened with surprise. "Come on, just let me go! I promise I won't cause any more problems!" he pleaded, but the Amazons continued to ignore him. As Kikyo was about to give the signal to attack, Itachi's clone stepped in front of them and spoke in a cold tone, "Wait a minute."

The girls paused, and Luffy shouted, "Itachi, you came!"

Itachi's clone nodded and said, "We came to your island by mistake. We were sent here by one of the Warlords, Kuma." The girls remained wary, their arrows still pointed at the clone. Leaning closer to Luffy, the clone muttered, "I'm just a clone. They'll fire at me, and I'll create a smoke screen. When that happens, break through the ceiling and run. We don't want to cause any more trouble."

Luffy, catching on to the plan, nodded excitedly, "Okay, Itachi!"

Kikyo, losing her patience, gave the signal, and the Amazons released their arrows towards Itachi's clone. As soon as they hit, the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke. Taking advantage of the distraction, Luffy broke through the ceiling and started to run.

The Amazons immediately give chase, their agility and speed impressive as they pursue him through the jungle. "Get him!" Kikyo shouts and find that itachi guy he is near by, and they close in on Luffy, managing to knock him down to the ground. But Luffy's quick reflexes kick in, and he dodges their attacks, barely avoiding a barrage of arrows.

As Luffy sprinted across the rooftops, Itachi shouted, "Luffy, over here! Let's head to the top of the summit!" Luffy nodded and followed Itachi's lead, moving quickly toward the higher ground.

Darting through the dense forest, Luffy suddenly remembered something important. "My Vivre Card... It's in my other pants!" he realized with a gasp. His eyes scanned the area frantically until he spotted Marguerite holding his trousers. Without hesitation, he dashed toward her, grabbing them tightly. "Sorry, I need this!" he shouted.

Itachi, seeing Luffy's sudden detour, called out, "What are you doing, Luffy?"

"She has my Vivre Card!" Luffy responded urgently, clutching his pants.

Itachi sighed, about to move when Alphelandra stepped in their path. "I won't let you get away!" she declared, determined to stop them.

Itachi quickly responded, "Sorry," as he dodged her attack. He used his Wind Release technique to create a gust of wind, pushing her away and giving them a chance to escape. Alphelandra watched them go, feeling a strange sensation in her heart, though she didn't understand it.

As they reached the jungle area, putting some distance between themselves and the pursuing Amazons, Luffy used his Gomu Gomu no Balloon technique to bounce off the mountain and land safely in the jungle below. Itachi followed suit, using the branches to land gracefully and efficiently beside Luffy.

"That was close," Luffy muttered, looking around to make sure they weren't being followed.

Itachi nodded

Luffy looked at Marguerite and asked, "Are you alright?" He reached out his hand, but Marguerite, still on guard, stepped back and said, "Stay away!"

Luffy raised his hands in surrender. "I don't want to hurt you," he reassured her.

Marguerite hesitated. "We heard that all men are a virus," she said cautiously.

Itachi sighed, stepping forward slightly. "We're not a virus, and not all men are the same," he replied calmly.

Luffy, curious, asked, "Anyway, was there something in my pocket? That's very important."

Itachi chimed in, "The Vivre Card."

Marguerite thought for a moment, then pulled something from her clothes and handed it back to Luffy. "Here, this is yours," she said.

Luffy took her hand excitedly. "Yeah, yeah! What a relief! Thank you!" he said, holding the card tightly.

Itachi noticed Marguerite's discomfort and cautioned, "Luffy, I think you shouldn't hold her hand. She looks uncomfortable."

Realizing his mistake, Luffy quickly released her hand. Marguerite stepped back, still on guard.

Itachi tried to ease the tension. "Don't worry. We're not going to do anything. Please, sit down."

Reluctantly, Marguerite sat on the roots of a nearby tree, still wary. Itachi leaned against a tree, while Luffy sat across from her.

"Thanks to this piece of paper," Luffy said, holding up the Vivre Card, "I can find my nakama and we can get back together."

Marguerite looked at Luffy and saw the sadness in his eyes. She also noticed Itachi, who had a soft, sad smile on his face.

"Ahh, thank you a lot," Luffy said. "Can I do something for you?"

Marguerite's face lit up with excitement. "Can I take out your ball of gold so I can see them?" she asked eagerly.

Luffy shouted, "I told you, they don't come out!"

Itachi sweatdropped at the exchange, while Marguerite turned her attention to him. "Do you also have that?" she asked.

Itachi gave her a deadpan look and said, "Yes."

"So, can you…?" she trailed off, hopeful.

"No… don't even think about it," Itachi replied firmly.

She sighed in disappointment. "All men are cheapskates after all," she muttered.

Luffy, still confused, shouted, "Hey, are you serious? Take that sword away from us!"

Marguerite looked at them curiously. "Who are your friends anyway?"

Luffy grinned and said, "We are pirates. Itachi is one of my nakama."

She raised an eyebrow. "This land's Empress is a pirate too," she mentioned.

Luffy's eyes widened with excitement. "Wow, a woman pirate with all women? Is she strong?"

Marguerite nodded. "They are very strong. She is an elite warrior, and everyone looks up to her—the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock."

Itachi nodded thoughtfully. "She must be a very good empress to all," he commented.

Meanwhile, aboard a ship approaching Amazon Lily, Sweet Pea looked through her binoculars and noticed the Empress was on her way.

Luffy, now full of excitement, began to remove his bandages. "Thanks for everything you've done for us, but we should be on our way," he said with a grin. Itachi smiled softly, but as they turned to leave, Luffy paused.

"Ah, wait!" Luffy exclaimed.

Itachi sighed deeply, already feeling the weariness. "What is it now, Luffy?"

Luffy ran back to Marguerite, looking a bit embarrassed. "Can I get my clothes back? If I wear this, people might laugh at me."

Hearing this, Itachi sighed again, thinking to himself, I've never sighed this much in my entire life.

Marguerite giggled. "But I think it looks good on you," she teased. Nonetheless, she handed Luffy his clothes. Luffy quickly changed and said, "Thanks. I won't feel relaxed until I find my friends again."

Hearing Luffy's determination, Itachi couldn't help but think of Robin.

Marguerite then said, "You're so hasty."

Luffy replied in a serious tone, "As long as the others are alive, like us, that's all that matters."

Itachi nodded in agreement. "As long as they are alive, we can keep fighting."

Feeling a renewed sense of urgency, Luffy began moving toward the shore. Itachi noticed Marguerite straighten up, and he asked, "Ah, do you have a ship we can use?"

Luffy realized the importance and turned to Marguerite, who shook her head. "Only our Empress has a ship," she explained.

Luffy's enthusiasm deflated. "What should we do? I guess I'll just make a raft," he said, quickly gathering materials.

Luffy hastily constructed a ridiculous-looking raft. Itachi sweatdropped, observing the poor craftsmanship. "That's not going to work," he warned.

Just as predicted, the raft broke apart almost immediately, sending Luffy splashing into the sea.

Marguerite panicked, "No way! I thought he was a pirate!"

Without hesitation, Itachi dove into the sea to rescue Luffy. He quickly grabbed Luffy and brought him back to the shore, both of them soaking wet.

Catching his breath, Luffy laughed, "Thanks, Itachi!"

As Luffy and Itachi sat on the shore, Luffy sighed, "Ahh, if only Franky were here, we'd be out of here in no time."

Itachi was wringing out his clothes. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed.

Marguerite, conflicted and unsure, suddenly pulled out her arrow and aimed it at them. "I... I don't know what to do," she stammered, her voice shaking. "If this keeps up, I'll only grow more attached to you."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he observed her. He thought, It seems like they're not allowed to have any relationship with outsiders. Seeing her about to shoot, he quickly intervened. "Wait!" Itachi called out.

Marguerite looked at him, but before she could react, Itachi activated his Sharingan. Her eyes glazed over, and she began to fall asleep.

Luffy, watching with concern, asked, "What did you do, Itachi?"

"I put her to sleep with my genjutsu. Don't worry, it won't harm her," Itachi replied calmly.

Luffy got up and inspected the arrow. "These arrows are strong, but they break easily," he observed.

Itachi nodded, analyzing the situation. "I think they might be using Haki," he suggested.

Luffy looked puzzled. "Haki?"

Before they could discuss further, they heard voices in the distance. "Marguerite, are you alright?" Alphelandra, Sweet Pea, and Belladonna were approaching quickly.

Itachi prepared to defend them, but Luffy shouted, "No, run! We don't need to fight them!"

Itachi nodded and ran alongside Luffy, swiftly navigating through the jungle. Belladonna shouted, "There are men with her! Capture them!"

Sweet Pea rushed to Marguerite's side, finding her asleep. "Marguerite, are you okay?" she asked worriedly, shaking her to attack them with arrow as they run they carry her and they run after them

theKuja Piratesreturn to the island to a hero's welcome and start unloading the supplies they got from their trip, As Hancock arrived back on Amazon Lily, she walked gracefully down the path toward her castle, the Amazons bowing respectfully as she passed. She paused for a moment and asked one of the Amazons nearby, "Did anything happen while I was away?"

The Amazon quickly shook her head, trying to hide her nervousness. "No, Lady Hancock. Nothing unusual happened."

Hancock gave her a suspicious look but said nothing more, continuing her walk back to the castle. Upon arriving, she was met by a group of younger Amazons who eagerly presented her with a gift: a statue of her, made from mud and clay.

One of the young Amazons beamed up at her. "We made this for you, Lady Hancock! We hope you like it!"

Hancock glanced down at the statue with a disapproving frown. With a swift motion, she knocked it over, smashing it into pieces. "This is crudely made," she said coldly, her voice filled with disdain. "If you wish to honor me, do it properly."

The younger Amazons looked crestfallen, but they remained silent, bowing their heads. Hancock turned her attention to Enishida, one of her warriors. "Why weren't more of you at the harbor to greet me?" she asked sharply.

Enishida hesitated, then quickly improvised, "A dangerous... two monkeys were spotted on the island, Lady Hancock. The others went to eliminate it."

Hancock raised an eyebrow but seemed uninterested. "monkeys? Hmph. Let them deal with it," she said dismissively, waving her hand as she walked away to relax.

As she entered her throne room, Hancock sank into her lavish chair, ready to unwind. Suddenly, Elder Nyon appeared, her expression serious. "Hancock, you must listen to me. The World Government has sent you an order. You should take it. Your title as a Warlord is what keeps this island safe, especially now that the Marines have found a way to cross the Calm Belt."

Hancock looked bored, lounging in her chair. "Why should I care about their orders, Nyon? This is my island. I'll do as I please."

Nyon, determined, pulled out a crystal ball, trying to show Hancock the possible future consequences. "You must see what could happen if you refuse them!"

Before Nyon could proceed, Hancock swiftly knocked the crystal ball away, stopping her. "I don't care about the future or the island's safety. Everyone here will forgive me, no matter what," Hancock declared arrogantly.

With a flick of her wrist, Hancock threw Nyon out of the window. Nyon managed to twist mid-air, landing on her feet outside without a scratch.

She stood up, shaking her head and muttering to herself, "That girl... she'll be the end of us all if she doesn't change her ways."

As Luffy and Itachi ran through the dense jungle, dodging arrows, Luffy exclaimed, "These arrows are strong! If one of them hits us, we're done for!"

Itachi nodded, scanning their surroundings. "Let's head to the top," he said.

Luffy, excited, tugged at Itachi. "Come on, let's go!"

Itachi replied deadpan, "I can do that."

Luffy, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, "Sorry," and they both continued their frantic escape, jumping from branch to branch.

Meanwhile, Belladonna declared, "We need to find them and deal with them before the Empress arrives."

Alpheandra, looking conflicted, said, "Do we really have to kill them?"

Belladonna's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you saying, Alpheandra? They're men!"

Alpheandra, blushing and hiding her face, replied, "You can kill Luffy if you must, but... can we not kill Itachi?"

Belladonna's eyes widened even more. "Don't tell me you're attached to him!"

Marguerite, remaining silent, looked at them with a sad expression. "Let's just find them," she said.

The group, now determined, continued their pursuit. Itachi urged Luffy, "Get on my back!"

Luffy nodded, and Itachi quickly scaled the wall, carrying Luffy. Below, the women spotted them and shouted, "There they are!"

Luffy panicked. "Oh no..."

As they entered the city, the sound of a bell echoed through the streets, announcing that the Snake Princess would be taking a bath for the next few hours, and entry into the castle was strictly forbidden.

Itachi and Luffy landed on the mountainside of the palace. Itachi looked around, noting the barriers surrounding the palace. He wondered why they were so heavily guarded.

Luffy, trying to make the best of the situation, said, "We should ask her for a ride on her ship. It's our best chance to get out of here."

Itachi nodded. "But we'll need to wait for a while."

Luffy, not wanting to waste any time, said, "We don't have time. She would be in the tall buildings, right?"

Itachi glanced at the towering structures. "Yeah, she might be."

Luffy then looked down and said, "Let's start with this." He jumped down towards one of the buildings.

Itachi called out, "Hey, Luffy!" But Luffy had already jumped, so Itachi followed.

As Luffy landed, the brittle structure gave way, causing him to fall. Itachi managed a soft landing nearby and saw the water below. He sweat-dropped and thought, Don't tell me…

Luffy fell into the hot water, splashing around for a moment before looking around. As he got his bearings, he muttered, "My feet are on the ground... I'm safe." As he stood up, he noticed a woman standing nearby, her eyes wide with surprise.

"A man?!" she exclaimed, shocked.

Luffy, still dazed, glanced at her and said, "Hey… that thing on your back…" The woman quickly tried to hide it, but Luffy continued, "It looks familiar somehow..."

Meanwhile, Itachi was watching from above, observing Luffy as he talked. He thought to himself, "Should I go down there? Is it safe?"

Luffy looked up and spotted him. "Itachi, come down! It's safe!" he called out. Itachi hesitated for a moment, considering there didn't seem to be anyone else around, and then decided to drop down.

Much to his surprise, he saw a woman standing there. He thought, "Could she be the Snake Princess I've heard people talking about... Boa Hancock?"

The woman glared at Luffy, clearly upset. "You saw it, didn't you?" she snapped.

Hearing this, two other women, who appeared to have snake-like features, rushed in. One of them, with a worried tone, asked, "Big sister, what happened?" They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the two men standing there.

The woman with green hair demanded, "Who are they? Are they men?"

The other, with orange hair, added, "What are they doing on this island?"

Boa Hancock stepped forward, her presence commanding. The two sisters quickly moved to shield her as she asked, "What is going on here?"

Luffy stammered, "Oh, I, uh..."

Hancock cut him off sharply, "They saw my back..."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, thinking, "Her back?"

Both sisters gasped. "Then they will die," they declared in unison, their voices filled with menace.

Luffy blinked in confusion. "Huh? H-how come? I only saw her back!" he said, his voice rising in surprise.

Itachi turned his gaze to Luffy and asked, "What exactly did you see?"

Luffy scratched his head, trying to remember. "Uh, it was a symbol... something that looked very... familiar."

One of Hancock's sisters snapped, "Shut up!"

Itachi looked thoughtfully at Luffy, then said, "That means you've seen it before, haven't you?"

Hancock's expression darkened as she declared, "We would rather die than let anyone see what's on my back."

"Why? How come? Who are you?" Luffy asked, still confused by the whole situation.

Itachi spoke up, "I think she's the Snake Princess," he said slowly. As he pieced the clues together, his eyes widened. "Don't tell me…"

He looked at Hancock, his gaze sharp and full of realization. Hancock met his eyes, her own widening in recognition. Without hesitation, she quickly formed a heart with her hands. "Take everything you know to the grave!" she shouted. "Love-Love Mellow!"

Luffy misheard her attack name, muttering, "Slow-Slow?"

Itachi, quickly correcting him, said, "It's Love-Love." The beam shot towards them, passing through both Luffy and Itachi. They both stood still, unaffected.

Itachi looked around, bewildered, and asked, "What happened?"

Everyone else tilted their heads in surprise. Hancock, clearly frustrated, shouted, "Why won't they petrify?! Do they not feel any excitement from seeing me in the bath?"

Her sisters gasped in shock, whispering among themselves, "Their fear of death must be overpowering their wicked thoughts... they're pathetic!"

Itachi sweatdropped, realizing the misunderstanding. "That's your power?" he asked, looking at Hancock. He then continued calmly, "I'm used to this kind of thing, so I don't feel any attraction toward you." He thought to himself, "If it were Jiraiya-sama here, this might be a different story," and sighed.

Hancock's eyes blazed with fury. "A more beautiful person than me? Not possible!" she snapped, clearly insulted.

Luffy, still confused about what was going on, suddenly leaped out of the building. "Itachi, ask her about the ship!" he shouted as he jumped away.

Itachi sighed, watching Luffy leap away. Just as he was about to use his Sharingan, Luffy's stretched arm grabbed him, yanking him along. Itachi was taken by surprise as Luffy pulled him away.

"Itachi!" Luffy said, sweating nervously. "That was really awkward, you know."

Itachi's expression turned cold as he replied, "I told you not to do that."

Hancock, now even angrier, shouted, "We won't let you get away!" She unleashed her "Pistol Kiss," a flurry of heart-shaped projectiles aimed at them. "Those men are intruders! Seize them, Kuja Pirates!"

Luffy turned just in time, but one of the projectiles struck his back, causing them to crash-land onto the ground. Luffy groaned, "Ahh, that bullet didn't bounce off…"

Itachi observed their situation, noticing they were surrounded. "That's because that's her power," he said, understanding the gravity of the situation.

One of the women, sensing Itachi's power, called out, "It's in your best interest to do as we say." She could sense the formidable aura emanating from Itachi as he activated his Sharingan, preparing for battle. But Luffy placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder, shaking his head as a signal to hold back, to wait.

Another woman scoffed, "No one has ever defied the Kuja Pirates. And look at them—they look weak! Do they even know who our boss is?"

Itachi glanced at Luffy and explained, "Luffy, the woman we met earlier—she was their boss."

Luffy blinked in surprise. "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to," Itachi replied calmly, "but you ran off and broke through the window. I was about to ask them about a ship when you dragged me away."

Luffy laughed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Shishishi! Sorry, Itachi!"

Itachi sighed in exasperation. The woman who had spoken before asked, "Why do you want to know about our boss?"

Luffy, his expression serious, replied, "I want a ride on her ship so I can hurry to sea and find my friends."

The woman snorted, "Nonsense! All men are forbidden on Amazon Lily, and you think we'll just let you go?"

As the women drew their bows and fired arrows at them, Itachi activated his Susanoo, its ribcage forming around him as a shield. When the smoke cleared, the women were shocked to see the translucent blue ribcage protecting Itachi, who stood within, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan glowing intensely.

"If you're not going to listen to us," Itachi said calmly, "then we don't have much choice left." He glanced at Luffy and instructed, "Luffy, you go. I'll hold them off."

Luffy nodded. "Got it!" He stretched his arm to grab onto a ledge and quickly moved out of the line of fire.

Itachi turned his attention back to the women. "If any of you go after Luffy," he warned coldly, "I'll go after Hancock."

The women bristled at the disrespect towards their empress. "How dare you speak ill of Empress Hancock! You will pay for your insolence!" they shouted in unison, launching a volley of arrows at him.

Itachi watched as the arrows struck his Susanoo's ribcage, noticing small cracks forming. Realizing his defense wouldn't hold much longer, he leaped upward, creating several shadow clones. The battle intensified as the clones engaged the Kuja warriors with kunai while Itachi himself wielded his sword, skillfully deflecting incoming attacks.

Meanwhile, Luffy was running through the village, dodging obstacles. He soon encountered Marguerite, Alpheandra, Sweet Pea, and Belladonna. They spotted him and immediately went on the offensive.

"Hey, you! Where is Itachi?" Alpheandra demanded.

"He's at the big building!" Luffy shouted back as he continued to run.

Belladonna's face turned pale. "The big building? The princess might have already seen them!" She quickly ordered, "Attack him!"

They launched a barrage of arrows, but Luffy managed to evade, darting into narrow alleyways. As he turned a corner, he spotted an old woman reading a newspaper. His stomach growled, and he noticed a piece of meat beside her. Without thinking, he grabbed it.

The old woman, realizing what had happened, looked up and immediately recognized him from a wanted poster. "Wait a minute…" she muttered, then her eyes widened. "Why would a rookie with a 300 million bounty be in Amazon Lily?"

Luffy, realizing she was looking at his poster, said, "Sorry, I gotta go!" and began to run.

But the old woman moved surprisingly fast for her age, leaping up and kicking Luffy squarely in the back. He crashed into a wall, groaning. "Even the old ladies here are strong!" he muttered in disbelief.

From behind, he heard a stern voice. "There's no escape!" Luffy's eyes widened as he realized he was surrounded again.

Back with Itachi, one of the Kuja warriors whispered something to another. She then turned to Itachi and said, "Surrender. We've captured Luffy."

Itachi's eyes widened, caught off guard. "They captured him…?" he muttered, disbelief flickering across his face.

The woman continued, "If you don't surrender, we'll kill him."

Itachi sighed deeply, realizing he was cornered. "Fine," he said, raising his hands slowly. "I surrender." He knew he had to play along, at least for now, to ensure Luffy's safety.

Luffy and Itachi were tied with snake-like ropes and sent to an arena-like place, standing at the center. Itachi looked around and then at the ropes binding them, noticing, "Snake metal ropes?"

Luffy, frustrated, grunted, "Ugh! Come off, you stupid things! What are these ropes?"

Off to the side, four women looked distressed. One of them said, "We were too slow. Let's hope they don't ask how he arrived here…"

Alpheandra, looking worriedly at Itachi, asked, "They'll be okay, right?"

Marguerite replied, "We can only hope."

Luffy glanced around, confused, and asked, "What is this place? There really isn't even one guy here?"

Itachi sighed and said, "You're just realizing now? This is an island of women; no men are here."

Suddenly, they heard the women screaming, and both looked upward to see Boa Hancock sitting on a snake throne, her two sisters standing beside her. Boa Hancock spoke up, "Let me ask you this: How and why did you come to this island?"

Luffy answered earnestly, "I don't know either! I suddenly went flying through the sky, and before we knew it, we were here!"

Itachi sighed and explained, "We were at Sabaody Archipelago, fighting one of the Warlords, Kuma. Due to his Devil Fruit powers, we ended up here. If you want proof, there's a paw mark as well."

Hancock listened, thinking he sounded quite intelligent. She replied, "So, if I believe whatever you said, but after you got here, you might have done something."

Luffy quickly added, "Well, if you could give us a ship, we'd appreciate it. We need to leave right away. If you are the most important person here, then please, we want to set sail!"

The women around them started shouting, "What nonsense is this?" Another yelled, "They must be plotting something!" Others added, "Don't fool us!"

Itachi, remaining calm, said, "We are asking you respectfully, Snake Princess. We need to leave; our friends are in danger."

Marguerite, remembering her conversation with Luffy, stepped forward from the crowd and called out, "Please wait, Snake Princess!" All eyes turned to her as she made her way to the center. She continued, "I—I don't think he's the kind of person to lie."

Alpheandra also stepped forward, saying, "Yes, Snake Princess. Itachi isn't that kind of person."

Itachi and Luffy looked at them, and Itachi said, "What are you both doing? You'll get in trouble."

Marguerite insisted, "Snake Princess, e-everything this man says is sincere. He hardly seems like the type to bring harm to our land."

Alpheandra said, "She is r-right, Snake Princess." Itachi thought, Why are they helping us?

Luffy, looking happy, said, "Ohh! You two, yeah, tell her for us!"

Boa Hancock responded coldly, "Men are forbidden here. Their death was set in stone the moment they stepped in. Why do you protect them?"

Marguerite replied, "I feel like I owe them... the person who let them into this country... is me."

Itachi looked at her, thinking, Why is she going to such lengths?

The people around them began muttering, and Belladonna's eyes widened. "Marguerite... why?" she asked.

Sweet Pea also came forward to help and said, "W-we c-can explain, Snake Princess."

Alpheandra added, "Yes! We found him in the forest, covered in mushrooms, and with his long hair, we thought he was a woman."

Itachi deadpanned and said, "Long hair doesn't mean I'm a woman."

Marguerite turned to Alpheandra and said, "What are you doing?"

Alpheandra insisted, "We are also responsible for the crime of bringing them here."

Marguerite said, "Stop, you two. I'm the one who suggested bringing him to the village."

Luffy, with a big smile, said, "Ohh, you guys! You tried to kill me, but you're actually nice after all!"

Ignoring Luffy, Boa Hancock descended slowly. Marguerite pleaded, "I'm the only one guilty of letting him into the country."

Hancock replied, "It's all right," and looked at her. "I like honest people. You may rise."

As they stood up, Luffy smiled, and Itachi, observing closely, muttered, "I don't think she's forgiving her..."

Suddenly, Hancock formed a heart shape in front of them. Itachi muttered, "Just as I thought..."

Hancock glared at him with narrowed eyes and used her "Love-Love Mellow!" attack. Both Marguerite, Alpheandra, and Sweet peas turned to stone. Luffy was shocked.

Hancock walked over to Itachi, whispering, "You think you're so smart, don't you? You already realize what I am, so you'll have to pay for it."

Itachi remained calm, but Hancock, frustrated, kicked him hard. Itachi spat out some blood, thinking, This woman is strong. I can feel her kick.

Luffy rushed over to their side. "Hey! What happened to you guys?" Hancock moved back as Luffy kept calling out, "Hey, hey, hey!" Turning to Hancock, he shouted angrily, "Hey, you! What did you do to them? They saved my life, you know!"

Hancock replied coldly, "Yes, they were punished because they helped you."

Luffy pleaded, "Wait! Turn them back to normal!"

She responded, "Just who do you think you are, giving orders here? Bring out Bacura!"

The crowd gasped, and some muttered, "It's all over for them."

Luffy shouted, "I told you to get them back!"

Hancock continued, "This is the warrior nation of Amazon Lily. The strong are beautiful. Fight your hardest and perish. We will watch and see you off."

Behind them, a big black panther stood glaring. Hancock said, "That black panther's name is Bacura, a carnivorous beast that serves as an executioner."

The snake-like ropes loosened from around Luffy and Itachi, and Itachi said, "I'll handle him."

Luffy nodded, and Itachi stood up, facing the panther. Hancock smirked, "Bacura seems to be quite hungry."

Itachi stared at the panther with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. The black panther hesitated, clearly scared. Itachi said calmly, "Come now," but the panther didn't move closer.

Turning to look at Hancock with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, he asked, "Are you sure you want your pet to fight?"

Hancock, frustrated, shouted, "What are you doing, Bacura? Attack him!"

The panther lunged at Itachi, but Itachi used his Fireball Jutsu, completely incinerating the panther and crashing it into the crowd. Everyone, except Luffy, stood shocked. Hancock looked furious. In the crowd, someone whispered, "He's strong... he burned him completely." Another said, "He didn't use Haki; that must have been a Devil Fruit power."

Luffy, with a serious face, said, "You guys are screwed up. That woman... she turned your comrades into stone, so how can you all sit there and laugh like that?"

The crowd shouted back, "That savage shouted at us!" Another yelled, "Whatever the Snake Princess did was right!" Yet another said, "It was her fault; she broke the rules."

Boa Hancock declared, "Whatever I do... I will be forgiven. The reason for that is, yes... because I'm beautiful."

Hearing this, all the women cheered with heart-shaped eyes, "Snake Princess! Wouldn't you agree?"

Luffy, angry, said, "You irritate me..."

Itachi, glaring at her with his Mangekyo Sharingan, added, "I feel the same..."

She was shocked, saying, "This can't be! No man exists that won't be my slave! I cannot stand those two's existence!"

The crowd began chanting, "Execution, execution!" Hancock said "Go, Marigold and Sandersonia! Take those men's heads!"

As Marigold and Sandersonia stepped in front of them, Marigold said, "Yes, leave it to us, big sis."

Itachi, looking at them, muttered, "So this is their power..." and Marigold about to her fist strike….