One Piece: Starting with Breathing Techniques

Hancock gasped for breath, staring blankly at the mangled corpse on the ground.

She only came to her senses when the blood on her hands gradually cooled down.

"I...I killed Saint Charles with my own hands?"

Even now, Hancock still has a surreal feeling about it all.

The Celestial Dragon who had tormented him for years had actually died at his own hands!?

For the past few years, she has lived in constant fear and anxiety.

Every day, she was terrified that she would be violated by this extremely ugly, yet revered Celestial Dragon.

But now, this desperate life has come to an absurd end.

The corpse beneath her was a bloody mess, her hands were covered in mottled bloodstains, and a strong stench of blood filled the air.

But at this moment, Hancock did not feel nauseous at all; she only felt relieved that she had avenged her great enemy.

Suddenly, a gasp brought her back to reality.

"Sister, your back!" Sophia exclaimed in alarm, pointing at Hancock's back.

Hancock was startled, turned her head to look, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

Her movements were too vigorous, and her coat had fallen to the side without her noticing.

She was wearing a backless cheongsam that Charles Saint had requested, which meant that her 'Celestial Dragon's Hoof,' a symbol of shame, was completely exposed.

But besides the three sisters, there was also Kiro in the room!

Whoosh!

Hancock yanked her coat over her shoulder and put it on. Her beautiful eyes widened as she looked at Kiro uneasily, her heart filled with a mixture of shame and indignation.

From the moment she was twelve years old, when the 'Celestial Dragon's Hoof,' a symbol of shame, was branded on her back—

This mark became the most humiliating scar of her life.

Aside from her two sisters who had shared the same hardships, everyone, whether Celestial Dragons or ordinary people, whoever saw this mark or knew of her status as a slave, looked down on her and regarded her as a lowly plaything.

She dared not think.

She couldn't bear to imagine what would happen if her savior looked at her with that same gaze... what if the corners of her mouth curled into a disdainful smile...

How should she deal with this?!

But when her somewhat evasive gaze met Kiro's, she was momentarily stunned.

Contrary to expectations, the other party showed no disdain or contempt, but rather a calm demeanor, even a hint of approval.

That was an appreciation of her courage in taking matters into her own hands.

She had seen that look before; it was before she became a slave, when Hancock went to sea on a ship, and the older women on board looked at her with the same kind of admiring and loving gaze.

Even though Kiro clearly saw the slave mark on her back, his attitude remained unchanged.

It's like the other party doesn't care about their status as a slave at all?

Hancock froze on the spot, her prepared words stuck in her throat.

This was the first time she had met a man who showed no prejudice against her status as a slave.

A strange emotion began to surge within her.

"Are you worried that I'm prejudiced against you because you were once slaves?"

"Don't worry, I came here today for you."

Upon hearing this, Hancock's heart skipped a beat.

They came for us?!

Could it be yet another person who's lusting after a beautiful woman and deliberately getting close to me...?

Hancock's phoenix eyes, which were looking at Kiro, involuntarily carried a hint of barely perceptible wariness.

But Kiro's next words instantly shattered her nascent guess.

"We are here today to liberate the slaves, so of course we have no prejudice against you."

"The Celestial Dragons are our common enemy!"

Upon hearing this, Hancock secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but the clever girl quickly noticed something amiss in Kiro's words.

"You mean 'us'? Do you have other companions?"

Before he could finish speaking, a loud and intense artillery barrage rang out in the distance.

"boom!"

The three sisters immediately took a step back, their expressions filled with surprise and uncertainty.

This is the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, why are there sounds of gunfire?

Kiro stepped forward and pulled back the curtains in front of the three of them.

A raging inferno immediately came into their view.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Kiro, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army," Kiro chuckled. "Today, the Revolutionary Army will liberate all the slaves of Mary Geoise. What you are seeing now is the Revolutionary Army's operation."

"Don't worry, I will take you to a safe place... After the operation is over, the Revolutionary Army will send you back to Amazon Lily."

After saying that, Kiro drew his Dragon Slayer Sword and unleashed several sword energies at the corpse of Charles Saint on the ground, slicing the already mangled body into pieces.

He sheathed his sword and was about to turn around when he suddenly caught sight of the three sisters' surprised and uncertain gazes.

Seeing this, Kiro realized what was happening and quickly explained:

"No, no, no, I'm not desecrating a corpse."

Kiro pointed at Hancock, "If the World Government recognizes that you killed him, then they will probably launch an unprecedented manhunt against you."

"I don't want you to get involved in this level of hatred."

The three Boa sisters suddenly realized, and their eyes looked at Kiro with even more gratitude.

Hancock pursed her lips, her large eyes filled with confusion. "Aren't you afraid?"

"Aren't you afraid of being hunted down by the World Government?"

Kiro shook his head. "They want to kill me all the time; they've hated me to the core for a long time."

"Having more debts is not a burden; killing a few more Celestial Dragons won't affect me much."

"Alright, come with me, I'll take you home!"

He waved his hand, sheathed his longsword, and walked outside.

After exchanging glances, the three Boa sisters stepped over the corpses scattered on the ground and quickly followed Kiro's pace.

Hancock silently pursed her lips, her gaze fixed on the figure wielding the knife in front of her.

"Did he really save everyone equally, or did he come specifically for me?"

"If he doesn't know me, how would he know I'm from the Land of Women?"

A multitude of thoughts surged within her, and suddenly an idea popped into her mind.

Wait a minute, she was too emotional just now, it seems like she couldn't control her Devil Fruit power!

The Sweet Fruit can petrify anyone who harbors feelings for her; when out of control, it can instantly petrify almost any man who sees her.

But just now, Kilo showed absolutely no signs of petrification.

"Could it be that he really wasn't after my looks...?"

Hancock's mind was in turmoil. Years of slavery had hardened her heart, and apart from her two sisters, she no longer easily trusted anyone.

Whether it was Charlos Saint's hypocrisy or the naked desires that other men displayed upon seeing her, Hancock gradually lost trust in others.

But she had never seen anyone like Kiro before.

Not only did he not discriminate against his status as a slave, but he was also completely unaffected by his own abilities.

This means that the other party wasn't after her beauty at all!

Although Hancock is only sixteen years old, her stunning beauty is already taking shape.

Whether it's her curvaceous and proud tall figure, her perfect and delicate facial features, her fair and flawless smooth skin, or her beautiful long black hair, she is a work of art that is hard to find in the world.

But Kiro doesn't seem to have any feelings for him?!

Hancock was completely baffled and simply followed Kiro silently, a hint of curiosity creeping into her gaze as she looked at him.

The other two Boa sisters also remained silent, not saying a word.

What just happened was so horrifying that it had a profound impact on their worldview, and it will take them some time to process it.

Unaware of the three curious gazes behind him, Kiro evaded several hastily assembled guards and led the three sisters to a relatively safe street.

"Alright, now if you follow that direction, you should be able to find the Revolutionary Army's logistics forces."

"Go there and explain the situation to them, mention my name, Kilo, and they will protect you."

Kiro breathed a sigh of relief and pointed in a direction.

"Don't worry, the main assault force should have already drawn all of Mary Geoise's forces, you will be safe."

"Hancock, Sonia, Marigold, see you then!"

"After the battle is over, I will..."

Before he could finish speaking, Kiro suddenly frowned, his aura hardened, and he turned around instantly.

The Dragon-Slaying Sword had appeared in his hand without him even realizing it.

At the corner within his sight, two figures with unfathomable auras emerged.

One of them was a blond man with a strange, spiky hairstyle, and the other wore a distinctive white mask decorated with flower-like ornaments.

According to his Observation Haki, both of them possessed exceptionally deep and powerful auras, making them the most formidable enemies Kiro had encountered since arriving in Mary Geoise.

Figarando Garin slowly drew the sword from his waist, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

"You killed a Celestial Dragon and think you can just leave?"

"Kilo, although I admire your swordsmanship, today..."

He exuded a stern aura, his eyes narrowed.

"Mary Geoise will be your final resting place!"