INIIDF-Chapter 167 Some Words

Chapter Header Serial: Big News 19: Failed Again... Ah, give me a newspaper, thanks.

On the Grand Line, in the First Half, at Water 7, fragments of a locomotive and tracks floated on the rolling waves. The sumo frog circled a small emergency boat, around which sat a dejected trio, looking disheveled. The old Fish-Man Tom, the stylish young man with a white bandana Iceburg, and the blue-haired sixteen-year-old Cutty Flam (Franky) sat on the boat. A newsbird folded its wings, landed on the ship's edge, and greeted them with a squawk.

------------------------------

The next day, early morning. 

Life continued as usual inside and outside Kuja City. 

Women busied themselves as they rose early. 

The national warriors began preparing for a day of training, patrolling, and rotating duties. 

One by one, the members of the Kuja Pirates started gathering at the city gates. 

Rock-colored Den Den Mushi scampered up and down the city walls on its little wheels, happily wandering around, sometimes glancing at beautiful women, sometimes munching on grass. 

At the Boa residence, the youngest sister stretched lazily and opened her eyes, just in time to hear her second sister's startled cry.

"What's wrong, Sandersonia?" The youngest sister, Marigold, rubbed her eyes.

Holding a note in her hand, Sandersonia looked like she was on the verge of tears as she stammered, "Elder sister... Elder sister, she..."

......

Hancock, with her beloved snake Salome coiled around her arm, wandered around the city walls until she found the familiar snail. 

Camouflaged and previously dozing, it immediately perked up as soon as it caught Hancock's scent. 

After using the Shiro Shiro no Mi (Castle-Castle Fruit) yesterday, Hancock had a better understanding of what this snail was all about.

"Let me in."

Yesterday, Giorno had transferred this snail's Devil Fruit power to her for a while before taking it back.

The little snail grumbled a bit. It still really liked the beautiful feet of this human girl, but it couldn't resist her command. Obediently, it opened a portal to the City Fortress, allowing Hancock to shrink down and fly inside.

Passing through the two layers of Den Den Mushi and Stand City Fortress, Hancock reached a very familiar place, the empty so-called "Sky Bridge," which was actually Giorno's training ground.

As expected, Giorno was there, lifting some ugly iron bar, doing his usual boring strength training.

At the edge of the empty training ground, a new set of tea table furniture had appeared. Jolyne was sitting on a soft couch, brewing a cup of tea while reading a book.

The day before, Hancock had given some books to Robin, which Hancock had received as a parting gift from the Snake Princess.

On the other side, the dark armor had solidified into a physical form and was also practicing. From the way it felt, Hancock judged that it was practicing Haki.

It was using the Shiro Shiro no Mi ability too… Hancock briefly pondered this but quickly dismissed the thought. She had no concept of "only one ability user per Devil Fruit."

Liam and B.I.B. immediately sensed Hancock's arrival and casually nodded to greet her. 

Robin continued reading her book for a while longer, but when she took a sip of tea, she noticed Hancock standing beside her.

"Hancock?" Robin exclaimed in surprise. Hancock usually came to hang out after training in the afternoon. Why was she here so early today?

"I'm here to say goodbye," Hancock said.

Robin put down her book and stood up. 

B.I.B., who had been practicing Haki, stopped. 

Liam raised an eyebrow, relaxing his Tekkai martial skill, and turned to look at Hancock.

"You're boarding a ship? The Kuja Pirates' ship?" Liam asked.

Hancock stood tall, arms akimbo, and proudly replied, "Yes!"

Liam and Stand exchanged glances. According to the manga storyline, Hancock and her two sisters should have been kidnapped and sold to the Celestial Dragons as slaves a year from now while on the Kuja Pirates' ship.

"Are you going alone, or with your two sisters?" Liam inquired.

"They're too clumsy. Of course, I'm going alone," Hancock said confidently. "Taking them along would just cause trouble."

You'll be causing trouble yourself, won't you… Robin thought. She then asked, "Is the Kuja Pirates' ship leaving today?"

"Yep, if I don't sneak aboard soon, I'll miss it," Hancock nodded. "So I have to hurry."

'Sneak aboard?' Robin sweatdropped, thinking Hancock had perhaps convinced the Snake Princess to let her board by acting cute. Apparently not...

Liam said, "Yeah, you should hurry."

He gestured for the dark Stand to come over and whispered something in its ear before both looked at Hancock.

"If this is a farewell, there's something we want to say to you…" 

"What… do you want to say…?" Hancock muttered.

She felt like there were two pairs of eyes— Giorno's green ones and the strange glowing white eyes of the armored man— dancing in front of her, accompanied by a bizarre cacophony of voices that seemed to echo from near and far, soft and loud, like crazy, confused whispers.

Hancock blinked, her mind briefly clouded before snapping back to clarity. Giorno and the armored man were standing there as usual, and when she glanced aside, Jolyne was still sitting calmly, apparently noticing nothing.

"What do you want to say?" Hancock impatiently urged. "If you're going to say it, say it already."

"Oh," Liam said, "Sorry, I forgot what I was going to say. You can go now."

Hancock was immediately furious, "Are you messing with me!?"

She charged forward to kick him, but Liam calmly held her back with a hand on her forehead. No matter how she punched and kicked, she couldn't reach him.

Liam realized that he had grown taller again. He was now well over 1.7 meters, almost reaching the terrifying height of 1.8 meters! And he was only twelve years old.

"Stop fooling around." Liam narrowed his eyes, flicked Hancock on the forehead, and pushed her away. "If you're leaving, go quickly."

Hancock's frustrated and embarrassed expression was dangerously charming. If Liam hadn't had strong willpower, he might've fallen victim to her passive charm aura, which would've been pretty embarrassing.

Liam and B.I.B. separated again, one practicing external skills, the other honing Life Return and Haki.

He looked up to see Hancock, still standing near Robin, fuming.

"Aren't you in a hurry?" Liam asked, confused.

"Idiot! How could I sneak onto the ship by myself? I need your help, of course!" Hancock demanded with her hands on her hips.

Robin couldn't help but glance aside. So this was what Hancock meant by "saying goodbye"...

......

The massive gates of Kuja City opened with a rumble, revealing the red houseboat of the Kuja Pirates, fully prepared to set sail. 

The elite Amazonian warriors, members of the pirate crew, had long boarded and taken their positions. 

The Snake Princess slowly ascended the ship and gave a calm order to the two enormous snakes pulling the ship: "Set off."

On the riverbanks, Kuja's women lined up, cheering and wishing the crew a safe voyage and a successful return.

No one noticed the Den Den Mushi, blending into the environment, quietly approaching the side of the moving ship. Its mouth opened, and a pitch-black arm extended from within, ghost-like, into the ship's hull.

Inside the ship, the black-armored hand opened, revealing a City Fortress portal. Behind it stood Hancock, who turned around and waved goodbye to Liam and Robin before leaping through and, with a "BIU," returning to her normal size.

"Hmph, I finally made it…" Hancock giggled as she took a deep breath, standing on the gently swaying deck.

She glanced back, using Kenbunshoku Haki, but couldn't sense the dark shadow anymore. The cabin was empty, except for her.

......

With Hancock, one of the few friends he had on Kuja Island, temporarily gone, Liam decided it was time to return to Rusukaina Island and focus on his training again.

Standing on the coast of Kuja Island, Liam gazed at the calm, mirror-like sea, deep in thought. 

"Rusukaina Island… which direction was it again?"

(End Of Chapter)

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