One Piece: I am the Empress, and the more sycophants I have, the stronger I become.

Hawkins stood quietly to the side, watching Hancock and Bonnie interact.

My mind is filled with countless thoughts.

This Empress seems to be quite different from the rumored image of someone who extremely hates men and can turn people to stone at the drop of a hat.

She did not show any obvious rejection towards this male pirate who had voluntarily surrendered; in fact, she even adopted a kind of... almost indulgent attitude of exploitation.

This stirred a few indescribable ripples in his usually calm and composed state of mind.

Bonnie, having eaten and drunk her fill, let out a loud burp, patted her belly, and waved to Hancock.

"Thanks, beautiful! This meal is on me! I'll pay you back another time! I'm off now, I need to find another restaurant!"

After saying that, she left the tavern in a flurry of activity, as swift as the wind.

Hancock didn't stop her; her mind was already on that disgusting "human auction."

To go or not to go?

Going there would mean actively getting caught up in a direct conflict with the Celestial Dragons, which is extremely risky.

If his identity is exposed or mishandled, he could very well be hunted down by a naval admiral.

But not going... Hawkins' divination foreshadowed "changes and reckoning" there, and Bonnie's information also confirmed the scale of the auction, making it an excellent "stage".

Moreover, the deep-seated hatred she harbored for the Celestial Dragons gnawed at her like a venomous snake, making her yearn to do something.

Just as she was weighing the pros and cons, the tavern door was pushed open again, and Sandasonia and Marigold walked in with several warriors.

They had clearly completed their initial intelligence gathering, their faces bearing the solemnity of having accomplished their mission.

However, their gazes sharpened instantly when they fell upon Hawkins, who stood quietly beside Hancock.

Sandasonia, in particular, had her hand already on the hilt of her sword.

"Big sister! Who is this man...?"

Sandasonia's tone was wary and questioning.

She remembered this fairly famous pirate, "The Magician," as no good person. Why would he stay so obediently by her sister's side?

Marigold also frowned, his massive body leaning slightly forward, creating a sense of oppression.

"What do you want to do to my older sister?"

Hawkins remained expressionless despite the hostility from the two empress sisters.

He simply placed his hand on the weapon at his waist, ready for battle.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Hancock waved her hand, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Don't be nervous, Sanda, Mary. He... is an ally for now."

She used the word "temporarily".

This both comforted his sister and reminded Hawkins that his position was not secure.

"Friendly forces?"

Sandasonia clearly didn't believe it, but since her sister had spoken, she could only suppress her doubts and glare fiercely at Hawkins.

Marigold also relaxed her posture, but the scrutiny in her eyes did not lessen.

Hancock looked at Hawkins, thinking to herself.

"A pirate of Hawkins' caliber is determined and has his own pursuits. It is impossible to truly win him over with just charm and a little bit of fate."

"To truly control these kinds of people, you must demonstrate absolute strength that makes them believe in you and even fear you. Beauty is a stepping stone, but strength is the real currency."

She no longer agonized over whether or not to attend the auction; she had already made up her mind.

She turned to her two younger sisters and asked.

"Sanda, Mary, how many Baileys did we bring with us this time?"

Although Sandasonia was puzzled, she answered immediately.

"My dear sister, as you instructed, we have brought a sufficient amount of treasure, which, if exchanged for Berries, would be worth approximately 500 million."

This is a huge sum of money for Amazon Lily.

However, considering his status as a Shichibukai and the accumulated wealth of Kuja, it's not an exaggeration.

Five hundred million Berries… Hancock calculated that this amount of money should fetch some price at the auction.

But if they want to compete with those incredibly wealthy Celestial Dragons and nobles for the "grand finale," they're probably still no match.

However, her real purpose was not to bid.

Just as she was pondering the specific plan.

In his mind, the cold, mechanical system notification sound, carrying an unprecedented allure, suddenly rang out:

"Ding! Special event node detected: [Holy Land Gloom - Human Auction]!"

"Special limited-time quest issued: [The Tragedy of the Celestial Dragons]!"

"Mission Requirements: At the GR Human Auction House No. 1 in the Sabaody Archipelago, use any means to successfully intimidate at least one World Noble (Celestial Dragon), causing them to feel extreme fear and creating widespread impact."

"Mission deadline: Before the auction ends."

"Mission Rewards"

"1. Conqueror's Haki proficiency has greatly increased, directly advancing to [Intermediate]!"

"2. Mystery Reward x 1 (Awarded based on mission completion rating)!"

"Failure penalty: None."

Hancock's breath hitched!

Conqueror's Haki directly advanced to intermediate level?!

Rayleigh guided her for so long.

She practiced diligently day and night, but still couldn't reach the intermediate level; she was still some distance away from a true breakthrough.

And now, the system is telling her that as long as she completes this task...

That way, one can directly cross this chasm that countless powerful individuals have been unable to overcome in their entire lives!

Intermediate Conqueror's Haki!

That would be a qualitative change!

It is no longer just a deterrent against clearing out fodder, but a terrifying force capable of interfering with reality and even launching preliminary entanglement attacks.

With intermediate-level Conqueror's Haki, her overall strength will leap to a whole new level, placing her among the top powerhouses with one foot in the ocean!

This temptation is too great!

Her eyes instantly became incredibly determined, all her previous hesitation vanished.

There are no generals on the island.

Go! We absolutely have to go!

Not only are we going, but we're going to cause a huge scene!

That mysterious reward filled her with anticipation.

She looked up at her two sisters and Hawkins.

A confident yet dangerous smile bloomed on her stunningly beautiful face, like a datura flower in full bloom.

"Get ready, we're going to the auction... to see a good show."