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"What... is that?"
"Oh my god! How is this possible?"
"Lord Shaka, is that really you?!"
"What?! Lord Shaka..."
Some of the older women stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the man walking beside Hancock. They rubbed their eyes repeatedly, as if doubting their own vision.
They dropped whatever they were doing and hurried over, their frail bodies trembling with excitement as they called out Shaka's name. Their reaction was so intense that even the young female warriors watching were left stunned.
"Uh, yeah, it's me…" Shaka raised an eyebrow.
He glanced at the elderly woman closest to him, who had been stopped by Sandersonia. Her face was covered in wrinkles, but he recognized her immediately. With a smile, he said, "You were one of the warrior guards who followed Flameflower back then... Broccoli, right?"
"It's been so long!"
His eyes carried a hint of nostalgia.
For him, only a year had passed. But in the outside world, everything had changed.
The once young and beautiful girl who used to cling to him, eager to hear his adventure stories, had now aged into an old woman.
"It really is you! Thank goodness…"
Hearing Shaka recognize her without hesitation, the white-haired Broccoli was overwhelmed with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "When you left and never came back, we thought something had happened to you. Even Lady Flameflower left Amazon Lily to search for you!"
"Yeah… I know all about it now. I was trapped somewhere due to some circumstances, and I only recently managed to escape."
Just like before he left Amazon Lily years ago, he gently patted the elderly woman's head, now full of white hair, and sighed, "I'm so sorry for making you all worry."
"Lord Shaka, do you remember me? I'm Trumpet Flower, one of the warrior guards!"
"And me! I even sewed clothes for you back then!"
"Even that panda still looks the same!"
"Unbelievable… You haven't changed at all in fifty years!"
"I'm Rose, an officer of the Kuja Pirates!"
"Little White Dragon, do you remember me?!"
"Waaah, I can't believe you're really okay!"
The younger female warriors watched in shock as a group of elderly women, most of them in their sixties or seventies, some even in their eighties, rushed forward with uncontrollable excitement. They eagerly squeezed past the young warriors, their eyes brimming with tears as they called out to "Lord Shaka."
They all seemed to know this tall, handsome man who looked no older than twenty, as well as the silly-looking panda beside him.
And from what they were saying… he had been to Amazon Lily fifty years ago?
Not only that, but he had been the lover of the former, former, former Empress, Lady Flameflower?!
This was too hard to believe.
"Was Shaka-sama always this popular in the past?"
Even Sandersonia and Marigold, usually calm and composed, were dumbfounded. They had never expected Shaka to be so beloved here.
"Lord Shaka, do you remember me? I was the youngest among the warrior guards—Chrysanthemum! You even personally taught me a special breast-enhancing massage technique! It really worked!"
Someone suddenly blurted out.
Shaka instantly broke into a cold sweat, his face turning slightly red.
Hancock and her two sisters all shot him a strange look.
It felt like some kind of image they had of him had just completely shattered.
This monk… seemed a little suspicious.
"Ahem..."
Shaka cleared his throat.
Under the sharp gazes of the three sisters, he awkwardly touched his nose and chuckled, "I have some knowledge of medicine. Back then, Chrysanthemum was troubled by the issue, and after a lot of pestering, I simply gave her some advice."
It wasn't like he had done anything inappropriate!
The women of Amazon Lily had just been too enthusiastic.
Since the Kuja tribe was isolated from the outside world and forbade men from entering, many of these female warriors had never even seen a man in their entire lives.
The natural attraction between men and women meant that these warriors couldn't help but gravitate toward him.
Surrounded every day by young, beautiful women wearing revealing outfits, acting bold and uninhibited, yet completely naive about men—it had been a real test of self-control.
Honestly, he thought he had done pretty well in resisting temptation.
During his months on the island, the only one he had actually gotten involved with was Flameflower, the passionate and affectionate Empress of that time.
With the others, he had just playfully flirted a little.
And since Amazon Lily lacked advanced medical knowledge due to its isolation, he had taken it upon himself to help.
After all, as someone who followed the Buddhist path, he had set out on his journey to do good deeds and bring relief to those in need, just as the Buddha had done.
If that meant healing suffering women, well… it was his duty to assist them in every way possible!
With his medical skills and his close relationship with Flameflower, he had treated many warrior women, curing long-term ailments, saving those on the brink of death, and even preventing amputations.
Countless people were grateful to him.
Naturally, he had become known as the "friend of women."
He had even shared the medical techniques of his homeland with the Kuja Pirates' doctor.
In the end, he had become even more popular than Flameflower herself.
Which explained why so many elderly women were now overwhelmed with emotion upon recognizing him.
The Gorgon Sisters: "..."
They knew about his history of saving lives, but…
Even passing down something like a breast-enhancing massage technique?
How could they possibly believe this man was pure?
"Is that so… Shaka… saaaaan…"
Hancock blinked slowly, her voice carrying a seductive lilt.
Her gemstone-like eyes fixed on the handsome man before her, her beautiful face hinting at a teasing smile.
She didn't say it out loud, but her expression clearly asked:
Do you really think I believe that?
"....."