One Piece : The Blood Emperor

Luke boarded the ship as he traveled along with Kuja Pirates. He was fairly amazed that this ship was carried by two giant looking snakes while moving in the calm belt.

Calm Belt is a forbidden sea for some sailing ship because of it's calm water and no flowing wind. In addition, bunch of sea kings lived in this kind of water where certain ships can only pass.

The other Kuja crew are on full alert knowing a man is sailing with them. In fact, a man must be locked in their dungeon in order to qualify to board on their ship.

However, since their Empress suggested this arrangement, they had no choice but to comply.

"Are you really the Vice Captain of the newly crowned Pirate Emperor? What's your name? Where is your captain? Where are the rest of your crew? How far are they from my territory?" Hancock asked with suspicion.

"From what I know, you're a renowned Warlord who served the World Government. You should know some things don't apply to our conversation table, right?" Luke squinted his eyes at Hancock.

Although annoyed by this response, Hancock knows this man was telling the truth. Though she wasn't that surprised that this man knows the existence of the World Government since that higher division wasn't a secret to public.

"Then at least reveal your name. Your crew influenced the world in a negative way. I have bunch of work piling on my queue just to restrain those rampant pirates who claimed to be one of your subordinates." She glared at Luke with irritation. She knew those pirates are just spouting some nonsense just to get a protection from the new Emperor. All the marines need to do is to clean up the mess they made.

Luke gave Hancock a side eye. After thinking for a bit, he turned to her and the rest of the Kuja Pirates,

"I am Luke, the Vice Captain of Strawhat Pirates. Pleasure to meet you all."

He didn't mind revealing his name to them since they are on the neutral side. They only cared about their own territory and nothing else.

Even Luffy made a good connection with them in the original story. With the butterfly effect he caused, Luffy may not be able to meet these women later.

As for Hancock simping on Luffy, it was a one sided love. Luffy is just too innocent to view Hancock as love interest.

"There's a rumor going on. Is your captain related to the Marine Hero Garp? Do you think it's a coincidence that some newbie pirates just got crowned by the marines and connected to the Marine Hero at that? In my opinion, your group are simply the dogs of the marines." Hancock said with a candid expression. This new pirate group is just too suspicious for her.

"Think whatever you want." Luke narrowed his crimson eyes at Hancock. It's not his obligation to clear some things. However, he will not tolerate anyone who smear their names.

"What? So my judgement was true? Tsk! And here I thought you guys are some proud pirates." Hancock didn't back down. She's a proud woman herself. No one has ever shown disrespect to her especially when she asks for questions.

"Look, I'm not here to hear you mock my crew. Can't you just quiet down? Once I'm done with my business here, I'll leave. Is that fair?" Luke sighed. Women really loves to run their mouth at something. He now regret meeting this crazy Empress.

"Why? Do you think I let you in to one of my territories without you paying me anything? Do you think I'm that free? If not for you declaring that you're the Vice Captain of the newly crowned Emperor, I would've dealt with you earlier." Hancock pressed further.

"Alright. I will only answer one question. Say it." Luke raised both hands to surrender. He really felt like giving this woman a good spanking session. If not for this love curse of Hancock, he'd be playing this woman for all he care.

"Ten questions. I won't haggle less than that." Hancock smirked. She felt like her charm is starting to work since Luke lowered his guard.

"No. You can ask ten questions, but I tell you nine lies." Luke shook his head.

"Tsk! Fine! Tell me, what's the reason why the marines declared your captain as Emperor?" Hancock asked with annoyance.

"We are new pirates from East Blue. We venture to the Grandline to seek for the legendary One Piece. At certain point of our travel, we offended the World Government by dealing Warlord Crocodile at Alabasta Kingdom. Does this satisfy your question?" Luke replied with indifference.

"Not one bit. Dealing a Warlord doesn't mean your crew will be crowned as Emperor group." Hancock was surprised though. She indeed read the news of Crocodile's arrest.

"Probably someone in the World Government was having a grudge with us. But hey, I think being a part of an Emperor group is kinda cool though." Luke shrugged while smirking.

"Probably huh.." Hancock had no refute to Luke's claim. If the World Government really cared about reputation, this is probably the best outcome for Luke's crew. But there's something this man was hiding about this matter.

"So what's up with this wild beast in your territory? You can't deal with it?" Luke asked with a raised brow.

"I was about to. This is a newly formed island that I'm about to mark as one of my territory. One of my scout sent back a news that there's some wild animals guarding the island. She mentioned about some strange mutation of these animals so I gotta go and find out what it was."

She continued, "What I need you to do is to clean all of the wild animals there. The scout mentioned there's one powerful mutated animal there so they are on standby at the sea. Most bizarre part is that, these mutated animals can actually talk."

Hancock crossed her arms to her bountiful chest as she stared at the distance.

"I see." Luke rubbed his beardless chin. He's not unfamiliar with these kinds of wild mutated animals. Shiki's place made his physique improved three times the original.

The mutated animals of this newly formed island should make his harvest go smoother than expected. However, he wondered how can a newly formed island have animals and mutated at that?

They only way to find out is to investigate the island first.

"Wait, they can talk? Does this mean like these animals are from Mink race?" Luke turned to Hancock.

"Hard to say. I've never seen a Mink race before. But report says an actual gorilla and a lion conversed to one another in that island." Hancock replied with a frown while contemplating. She glanced back at Luke. Clearly this man is knowledgeable at some vital informations.

Luke frowned. He was recalling if there's a talking lion in this world. It would be possible if an animal can talk if he or she is a Zoan Devil Fruit Holder too.

He once assassinated a lion looking man at Thriller bark before because of his Devil Fruit, Clear Clear power that allows the holder to be invisible. After he killed that lion guy, he and Blackbeard left that place to infiltrate the Impel Down in silence.

'Come to think of it. Liz ate that Clear Clear fruit but she didn't used it even once. Shame. I should've gifted that fruit to Sanji. But that guy is just too perverted for that Devil Fruit so it's all good I guess.' He thought.

Hancock gave Luke a side glance. The man was lost in thought. She can surely make a sneak attack and turn this man into stone but she hesitated. She didn't know the full capability of this man. He was clearly bounded by mystery which made her curiosity peaked.

"We're close." A Kuja pirate holding a scope shouted.

Luke and Hancock turned their attention up front. In the distance, they saw a land filled with dusts that served as a fog.

Luke's vision penetrated through the fog and took a deep breath. His eyes shone from his discovery.

'Carnage Kabuto?'

*****

A/N : I'm having a cough so I'm always lost when writing chapter. Probably the normal flow of chapter release will resume nxt week.