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"Shaka?"
"How is that possible?"
"Isn't that the name Lord Flame Blossom has been—?"
The Gorgon Sisters were stunned.
They stared at the man before them in disbelief.
The name "Shaka" was not unfamiliar to them—far from it. It was a name they knew well, one they could never forget. After all, it belonged to the very man their savior, Lord Flame Blossom, had spent decades searching for.
Years ago, when they were still young, they had joined the Kuja Pirates on an expedition. Unfortunately, they were kidnapped by slave traders and taken to the auction house in the Sabaody Archipelago.
There, they had witnessed firsthand the darkness and cruelty of humanity.
But by some stroke of luck, Hancock's overwhelming rage triggered her Conqueror's Haki, drawing the attention of two powerful figures—Flame Blossom, a former Kuja Empress from generations past, and her predecessor, Peony.
At that time, the three sisters had already been purchased by the Celestial Dragons and were about to be transported to Mariejois. But thanks to Flame Blossom and Peony, they were secretly rescued and safely returned to Amazon Lily.
Even Hancock's Devil Fruit, the Love-Love Fruit, had been a gift from Flame Blossom. As for the abilities of Sandersonia and Marigold, those were taken directly from the Celestial Dragons' ship when Flame Blossom saved them.
That near brush with hell had left a lasting scar on their hearts.
To grow stronger and never be powerless again, Marigold—the youngest of the three—had trained relentlessly, consuming sumo hot pots daily to build her strength. Over time, she had become noticeably bulkier.
The title "Gorgon Sisters" wasn't just for show. It was a name given to them because of their immense strength. It was also a reputation carefully crafted by the former Empress, Gloriosa, to establish Hancock's authority as the new leader, despite her young age.
"Looks like you've heard of me..."
Shaka, with his advanced Observation Haki, could instantly sense their emotions.
He confirmed that Flame Blossom and Peony were safe—still living in seclusion on the ever-busy Sabaody Archipelago, continuing their search for him.
Feeling touched yet relieved, he smiled and said, "Yeah, Flame Blossom is a dear friend of mine."
Shrugging, he continued, "Due to some circumstances, I was trapped in a mysterious sea. I was only there for what felt like a year, but it turns out time flows differently there. When I returned, decades had already passed."
"What?!"
"A place like that exists?"
"One year equals decades outside? That's insane!"
The three sisters were speechless.
"Of course, it exists. Have you ever heard of the Rainbow Mist near Ruluka Island?"
Shaka nodded and explained without hesitation. "When the Rainbow Mist appears, it opens a passage to a space called 'Ape's Concert.' That place is known as the Graveyard of Ships—any vessel that enters never comes out."
"Over the years, countless ships have been lost there, accumulating an enormous amount of treasure."
He pointed at the massive golden sphere beside him and smirked. "See that? That's some of the treasure I collected from there. I melted all the gold together."
"H-Hold on… That's all gold?!"
They had noticed the golden sphere earlier, but with their attention focused on Shaka, they hadn't given it much thought.
Now, realizing it was made entirely of gold, even the usually indifferent Gorgon Sisters couldn't help but gasp.
How many raids would the Kuja Pirates need to pull off to amass such a fortune?
"That's the situation—fate really plays tricks on us."
Standing by the shore, Shaka took his time explaining Ape's Concert to the sisters.
With a sigh, he said, "A short while ago, after fifty years, the Rainbow Mist appeared again."
"I destroyed that place, thinking I could return to my original time, but it didn't work. I was stuck in this era."
Shrugging, he waved to a distant figure—a giant panda. "So, I grabbed my pet and partner, White Dragon, and followed Flame Blossom's Vivre Card to Amazon Lily."
"I never expected her Vivre Card to be here instead of with her."
"I see..."
Hancock nodded in understanding.
She had no reason to doubt him.
After all, she had heard stories about the legendary "King of the Underworld" from Flame Blossom herself. She even knew he had raised a giant panda.
And now, standing before her was a man who, despite his youth, could effortlessly overpower her—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Just as the rumors described.
Back then, when she learned about his exploits, she had admired him.
After their rescue, the three sisters had stayed with Flame Blossom and Peony on Sabaody for a while. It was there that they truly grasped the vastness of the world and the terrifying power of the Celestial Dragons.
Yet this man had fearlessly slain a Celestial Dragon. He had even fought Steel Bone Kong—who was then a Marine Admiral and is now the Supreme Commander of the World Government's forces—and nearly defeated him.
If reinforcements hadn't arrived in time, Kong might have died that day, never making it to his current position.
And now, this legendary figure stood before them—looking young, alive, and well.
It was almost unreal.
"In any case, Lord Shaka, I'm so glad you're safe."
Sandersonia, now back in her human form, let out a breath of relief, her eyes filled with awe.
"Yes!" Marigold, also in human form, nodded enthusiastically. "Lord Flame Blossom will be overjoyed when she hears you're safe!"
In truth, it wasn't just them.
Even their former Empress, Gloriosa—who had trained under Peony—held deep admiration for this "King of the Underworld."
Years ago, unable to resist the call of adventure, Gloriosa had stepped down as Amazon Lily's ruler and handed the throne to Boa Hancock. Since then, she had been living in seclusion on Sabaody with Flame Blossom and Peony, never giving up on their search for Shaka.
Because his Vivre Card remained intact, they had always believed he was alive.
They never stopped searching.
At one point, they even suspected he had been captured by the World Government and imprisoned in the world's most secure prison—Impel Down.
Years ago, Gloriosa had used her Devil Fruit powers to infiltrate the prison, searching for him.
But even in the classified Level 6—Infinite Hell—there was no trace of Shaka.
"....."