บท 252: Chapter 250: The Empress's Desire for Rifan!
Perfume Yuda, Cabin.
Empress Hancock's Room
"Leigh, is what you said true?" Marigold asked, her surprise evident as she shed her wet clothes after the incident with Rifan's power.
"Are you now not afraid of seawater and seastone?" She looked at Leigh, who had just explained her newfound ability to swim in seawater, with great astonishment.
"That's right. Thanks to Rifan's power, I'm no longer afraid of seawater and seastone," Leigh replied confidently. "I no longer have the weakness of traditional Devil Fruit powers."
Leigh observed the surprised expressions on the faces of the three Boa sisters and smiled. She understood that persuading Marigold and Sandersonia now wouldn't take much effort, considering the significant obstacle seastone and seawater posed to Devil Fruit users.
Hancock, however, had different feelings. It was evident she didn't like Rifan and his influence over Leigh. But in Leigh's mind, Hancock would eventually become a member of the Black Pearl Pirates, despite her reservations.
Leigh continued, "Rifan used his special ability on me. Now, I can swim and even take a bath without worry." Leigh too, felt a longing for a simple bath, a luxury she couldn't enjoy after gaining her Devil Fruit powers.
Marigold, looking at the broken Giant Polearm in the corner, sighed. "So, Rifan gave you three gifts?" she said, her tone a mix of awe and envy.
"If you consider this the third gift, then yes," Leigh replied, touching the back of her head with a smile. "Rifan really takes care of you."
Sandersonia shook her head in amazement at Rifan's generosity. Their venture at sea hadn't yielded any traditional treasure, but in terms of power and influence, it was the most significant gain they had experienced in years.
Hancock, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke. "Leigh, if I agree with Rifan and make the Kuja Pirates his allies, will he give us the same gifts he gave you?"
There was a tinge of envy in Hancock's voice. She desired power and, for some reason, didn't want Leigh to receive more from Rifan than she did.
"Yes, Leigh, if the Kuja Pirates become subordinate to the Black Pearl Pirates," Sandersonia added, her curiosity evident, "will Rifan provide Germa 66 exoskeletons for all of our fighters? Will he make all of us immune to seawater and seastone?"
Leigh hesitated. "I don't know about the exoskeletons, but according to Rifan, they are a rare resource. He can't provide them for everyone. However, he's willing to grant such power to snake-hime. The immunity to seawater and seastone, too."
Leigh understood deep down that Rifan couldn't distribute Germa 66 exoskeletons to every member of their crew. If he did, he could easily recruit large pirate groups as subordinates.
Leigh gently caressed the tattoo of the Black Pearl Pirates on her chest, realizing that this power was exclusive to those marked with the symbol.
Marigold and Sandersonia seemed to accept the situation, resigned to the fact that the Kuja Pirates would soon become a subsidiary group of the Black Pearl Pirates. Hancock, after Leigh's explanation, placed her hands on her face, wearing an intoxicated smile.
"Rifan, he's thinking of me too," Hancock whispered, her expression revealing her bliss.
"By the way, Leigh, how did Rifan implant the Germa 66 exoskeleton in you? And how did you gain immunity to seawater and seastone? Did Rifan use something like the G Virus strengthening potion on you?" Marigold inquired, her curiosity piqued.
Leigh shook her head. "No, it's not..."
"What was that like?" Driven by curiosity, Marigold obviously did not intend to give up asking.
"This... I'm not very clear either," Leigh said, hesitating. "Rifan just left something on me."
"Left something on you?" Hancock's frown deepened immediately upon hearing Leigh's words. Certain indecent images appeared in her mind for no reason.
"Well, it's actually Rifan who left the tattoo of the Black Pearl Pirates on my body. Rifan seems to be able to provide me with some power through the tattoo. As for how it works, I don't know much about it," Leigh said, finally relenting to the sisters' insistent expressions. She slowly took off the cheongsam on her body, revealing the pirate tattoo on her chest.
"Is this the tattoo of the Black Pearl Pirates?" Sandersonia asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Although Rifan is here to give you power, Leigh, you are a member of the Kuja Pirates after all. It's really inappropriate to have tattoos of other pirates on your body like this."
"Sister, forget it. He didn't really take Leigh away. He's just trying to give her strength. However, what is Rifan's ability that allows him to empower others through tattoos? And even if he wants to take Leigh away, those of us who have been favored by him will have no way to stop it."
"Right big sister?"
"Big Sister?"
Marigold turned to look at Hancock, and saw that she was staring at the pirate tattoo on Leigh's chest.
"Um, Snake-hime, do you have any questions?" Leigh felt a chill rising from the bottom of her heart as she was stared at by Hancock, who seemed strangely intense at this moment.
"Leigh, tell me, did you willingly offer your body to Rifan?" Hancock's voice was low but menacing. "Otherwise, why would he choose to have your tattoo in such a private place?"
"Wha-?!" Leigh froze in place, forgetting how to answer for a moment.
*****
Black Pearl.
Rifan's personal consultation room.
Gion slowly opened her eyes, propped herself up suspiciously, and looked around instinctively.
Then she was attracted by 'Charlotte Smoothie,' who was dancing provocatively at the center of the room.
At the feet of 'Smoothie', all her clothes were still messily placed.
"Charlotte Smoothie?!" Gion became wary immediately, thinking she was caught by Smoothie.
"Calm down, Vice Admiral Gion."
At this time, Hina, who took off her dark red suit and only wrapped a bath towel around her body rushed forward to stop Gion from attacking 'Smoothie.'
"Hina? Have you been captured too? Wait, that black threshold was made by your ability?"
Gion glanced at Hina before focusing on 'Smoothie' again who continued dancing on a black pole and asked in great confusion.
"It was indeed created by Hina. Besides, Hina wasn't captured, and neither were you, Vice Admiral Gion. Look—" Hina pointed to the opposite side of 'Smoothie.'
Gion looked along Hina's hand and saw a very familiar man. "Rifan?!" Gion blinked, a gleam of hope in her eyes. "Could it be... did you capture Charlotte Smoothie? Did you force her to dance like this?"
"You misunderstood, Gion. It seems that petrification has made your head unclear," Rifan said. "The Smoothie in front of you is not the real Smoothie but a transformation by Nojiko."
"Petrification?" Gion frowned, puzzled. "That's right, Gion Vice Admiral. We were hit by Empress Hancock's Slave Arrow earlier..."
Rifan explained the situation, and Hina filled in the gaps, detailing the events before Gion's petrification.
Of course, in order to temporarily preserve the power of Munch-Munch Fruit to Marine, Rifan just explained to Hina and the others that the petrification effect was lifted by Hancock.
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