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

Even after Aokiji left, the biting chill that permeated the world did not completely dissipate, and the thick ice layer still firmly sealed the Nine Serpents' ships.

Arya remained on the deck, her sword drawn, the horror in her eyes frozen in time.

Inside the cabin, Robin's face contorted with despair, which instantly became part of the ice sculpture.

Hancock's beautiful face was devoid of its previous languor and playfulness, replaced only by a cold solemnity.

She took a deep breath, activated her Armament Haki to its fullest extent, and a dark, flowing light covered her hands.

She dared not launch a large-scale attack, fearing it would damage her frozen subordinates and the ship's structure.

He could only concentrate his domineering aura at his fingertips, like the most precise carving knife, carefully and little by little dismantling the solid ice.

"Click...click..."

Arya and Robin are not very strong, and Hancock is afraid of hurting them.

This is an extremely demanding and ambitious project.

Fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on Hancock's forehead, and her breathing became slightly rapid.

But her eyes were firm, and her movements did not falter in the slightest.

Time passes little by little.

Finally, after nearly half an hour, the ice that had sealed off Arya and the main cabin area was successfully broken.

"Cough...cough cough!"

The moment Arya was freed, she took a deep breath of cold air and coughed violently. Her body was stiff from being frozen for so long, but she immediately knelt down on one knee.

"Your subordinate is incompetent! You have put Lady Snake in great danger!"

Hancock waved her hand, signaling her to go and rest first, and immediately turned her gaze to the cabin.

The ice around Robin slowly melted and peeled away.

When the last layer of ice shattered on her face, she seemed to lose all her strength, her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

It wasn't the cold, but the immense fear and lingering dread of brushing past death again and being targeted by the world's most powerful military force that nearly broke down her psychological defenses.

However, unlike when she faced despair alone in the past, this time, she saw that beautiful figure come to her.

Hancock looked at Robin's pale face and slightly trembling body, and at the lingering fear and bewilderment of surviving the ordeal in her eyes.

He didn't ask anything, but simply reached out and gently patted her cold shoulder.

This simple action seems to possess a strange magic.

Robin looked up at Hancock's stunningly beautiful face so close to his own, and at her slightly tired eyes. The string that had been taut for twenty years in his heart seemed to finally be gently plucked by a gentle yet powerful hand.

Tears welled up without warning.

It wasn't a loud wail, but a silent, scalding tear that slid down her cheek.

These tears contain fear, grievance, farewell to the past, and even more so, a complex emotion of...finding a safe haven.

[Ding! Target 'Nicole Robin' was rescued from danger by the host and felt the host's silent comfort and protection, experiencing a huge emotional impact. Her sense of security, dependence, and gratitude have reached their peak. Current infatuation level: 80/100 (Advanced Simp - Loyalty Level)!]

Feeling the surging emotional energy in her mind, Hancock felt certain.

Suppress the overwhelming joy in my heart.

She looked at the weeping Robin, offering no words of comfort, but instead, in her unique, slightly languid yet undeniably authoritative voice, softly said:

"Alright, alright, it's all over now."

She gazed at the distant sea, which was gradually melting and reappearing with waves, as the sea breeze ruffled her ink-black hair.

"Robin, look at the wind... It's free, unrestrained, blowing wherever it wants to go."

Her gaze returned to Robin's face, with an almost committed determination.

"the same as you."

The wind is free, and so are you.

These words, like sunlight, instantly shone into the depths of Robin's long-frozen heart.

She stared blankly at Hancock, her tears flowing even more profusely, but this time, the tears were warm.

She seemed to see a door to true freedom slowly opening before her eyes.

After this battle, Hancock's desire for strength reached an unprecedented level.

The general's terrifying strength rang in her ears like a warning bell.

Comfortable and slow progress no longer satisfies her; she needs to be faster and stronger!

The journey back to Amazon Lily turned into a period of intense seclusion for her cultivation.

Every day before dawn, she would begin her intense physical training on the deck, her fists whistling and her legs whipping like whips, honing her Armament Haki into every inch of her skin.

He unleashed his full Observation Haki, sensing the subtlest changes in the wind and the most hidden undercurrents beneath the sea.

His control over Conqueror's Haki became increasingly refined, with black and red arcs of electricity occasionally leaping, carrying a chilling pressure.

What truly astonished Robin was Hancock's terrifying food consumption!

At mealtimes, the maids would serve up a mountain of food, enough to feed a dozen strong men.

A whole sea monster hind leg, roasted until golden brown and glistening with oil; a seafood platter the size of a washbasin; and a mountain of rare fruits...

Hancock, with a speed that is completely at odds with her stunning appearance yet maintains an unusual elegance, devours the food in a whirlwind!

Robin, holding her exquisite plate, stared wide-eyed at the mountain of food disappearing rapidly in front of the Empress, forgetting to even move her spoon.

Is this...is this really a human's appetite? No wonder she possesses such terrifying strength and stamina!

The female warriors, including Aria, seemed quite used to this, even showing admiration on their faces.

In their eyes, the Snake Princess is so powerful that she consumes a lot of natural energy. Being able to eat is a blessing and a symbol of her strength!

Hancock didn't care about this at all; replenishing enough energy was the foundation for maintaining high-intensity training.

After the system rewards are distributed.

She could feel that, under this almost insane ascetic training and the replenishment of massive amounts of energy, her domineering aura was becoming more refined, and her physical foundation was becoming more solid.

Even the [Second Fruit Acupoint] seemed to emanate a faint throbbing of desire to be filled.

"Not enough... far from enough."

During a training break, Hancock gazed at the vast, turbulent sea, her eyes sharp as an eagle's.

"Aokiji... the Admiral... one of the Four Emperors... I will surely reach the summit of this vast ocean!"

Her gaze occasionally swept over Robin, who was quietly reading a book beside her, and became increasingly clear and determined.

It's time to find a second source of fulfillment for myself.