One Piece: Awaken The Replication System

Amazon Lily

With her back turned to Leno, Hancock revealed the hidden shame of her Celestial Dragon mark, the "The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon", to someone for the first time. She hid her face in her hands, tears streaming down, yet she could hear Leno's calm words behind her.

Hancock shook her head. It wasn't pain that terrified her but the brand itself—a mark signifying a status less than human, embodying the shame that haunted her.

Leno's voice was firm. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes!" Hancock sniffed and looked at him. "I feel it, Master Leno. You're different... you've never tried to possess me."

Leno slowly drew Muramasa from its sheath, the blade's blood-red edge gleaming faintly in the warm bath light. As he held the infamous sword, its malevolent past seemed dormant in his hands, a silent promise that its blade held no grudge.

Hancock watched Leno, her gaze flickering between the sword and his resolute face, uncertain of his intent. Trusting him now meant exposing her vulnerability, placing her life in his hands. Taking a trembling breath, she closed her eyes, resigned to whatever fate might come.

"Perhaps this is also a kind of release," she thought, and with that, a sense of peace washed over her.

But Leno had no intention of harming her. He observed the cursed "The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon" on her back, the reminder of her slavery, and spoke softly.

"Hancock, today, I free you. You are no longer anyone's slave. I grant you the right to reclaim yourself."

"Freedom?" she whispered, her mind repeating his words in disbelief. "No longer a slave... to be human again?"

Through his Observation Haki, Leno extended his will to envelop her spirit, reaching into her innermost thoughts and feelings. Much like the power of Otohime, his Haki held a gentle, guiding strength that could even soften the hardened hearts of Celestial Dragons. It was as if, in that moment, her torment began to fade.

"Yes," Leno murmured, brandishing the sword. With a swift movement, so fast it left no afterimage, he sliced into her back, drawing a thin line of blood that slowly trickled down. Carefully, he removed the cursed flesh bearing the "The Hoof of the Soaring Dragon". Then, cutting his own palm, he allowed his blood to mix with hers, seeping into her fresh wound.

A soft light glowed from Muramasa, intermingling with his Haki, which healed her injury almost instantaneously. Smooth, unmarked skin emerged where the cursed symbol once lay.

"Though your scar has healed," he said quietly, "the trauma of the past can't just vanish. Only you can overcome that part, Hancock."

The memory of Fisher Tiger—the defiant Fish-Man who freed slaves, inspiring the Sun Pirates—came to mind. Even he had not escaped the haunting shame of those marks. But Leno believed in her strength.

"Hancock," Leno turned her around, letting her see the discarded skin bearing the brand.

"Look closely. I have unchained you. You are no longer a slave. You are your own person."

With a flick of his wrist, he set the cursed skin aflame, the fire consuming it until only ash remained. Hancock watched the flames reflect in her eyes, each spark a reminder of her newfound freedom. Overcome, she burst into tears, her voice echoing through the palace as she threw herself into Leno's arms.

Her cries rang out, raw and unrestrained, the sound reverberating with the weight of all her grief, shame, and long-buried pain. Outside the palace, the Kuja Warriors—stopped in their tracks, wide-eyed at the commotion.

"What's going on in there?" Gentian murmured, exchanging glances with the others.

"Do you think it's... painful?" Kikyo asked, her face scrunched in worry. "Could Leno be...?"

The warrior women whispered among themselves, debating whether Leno was being too harsh with Hancock.

"It must be painful, being cut like that," one muttered. "But Hebihime-sama's the strongest on the island!"

But despite their speculations, the truth lay inside, as Hancock's cries softened into quiet sobs. At last, her heart felt lighter, her burdens lifted.

Within the room, Leno gently stroked her hair, allowing her all the time she needed to release her pent-up sorrow. Only through letting go could she truly move forward and reclaim her life.

As Hancock's cries faded into silence, outside, the warriors looked at each other, unsure of what had just unfolded.

The crying had finally stopped.

Hancock, worn out from sobbing, had drifted into sleep in Leno's arms. Gentle tears lingered at the corners of her eyes, and a serene smile played on her lips—genuine and unguarded.

Leno preferred her like this, peaceful and vulnerable, rather than fearful and guarded as she had been before. Gently, he lifted her, cradling her legs as he carried her from the bathroom.

Outside, Lan, along with the second and third Kuja warriors, were already awake. They watched quietly as Leno laid Hancock on the bed, sharing glances before slipping away to give them space.

Carefully, Leno tucked her in. She seemed to sense his presence, stirring just enough to open her eyes slightly, her hand reaching out to hold his like a child seeking comfort.

"Leno, stay tonight… please?" Her eyes were soft and full of a beauty that even Leno struggled to resist.

Unbeknownst to her, Hancock's Devil Fruit powers—the Love-Love Fruit—seemed to have reached a new level, radiating a subtle, alluring energy. In the world of One Piece, a Devil Fruit's true strength depends largely on how well the user can cultivate and evolve their powers.

Only through creativity and consistent effort could a Devil Fruit user hope to awaken its full potential. Awakening, a profound state of power, couldn't be achieved through mere training. It was a matter of fate. Some people spent a lifetime trying, while others stumbled upon it unwittingly.

Free from her inner darkness, Hancock had released her pain, which seemed to have triggered her awakening.

Leno noticed this change. Hancock's charm, energy, even her aura now had a magnetic sweetness, enveloping everything around her. Her awakened Paramecia ability cast its influence on her surroundings, affecting even inanimate objects. For other Devil Fruit types, like the Zoan, awakening typically led to enhanced healing and combat prowess, although failures could bring side effects. Logia types, if awakened, could even alter landscapes—yet with dire consequences for those who faltered.

In her semi-awakened state, Hancock hadn't realized the shift, as waves of her new energy filled the air. Leno's Armament Haki provided him subtle resistance to the effects of her Fruit's awakening, but the gentle allure was harmless, curling around him like a purring cat.

Curious, Leno lay down next to her, intrigued by her newfound power. She, still half-asleep, reached for him, murmuring,

"Leno, hold me…"

Hancock, her skin aglow with the soft pink hue of her power, pressed against him. Strange markings trailed her body, remnants of the Sweet Fruit's awakening. She looked at him with eyes wide, vulnerable, and full of warmth.

"I like Leno…" she whispered, as she snuggled into his chest, surrendering to sleep once more.

Morning arrived, and Leno stepped outside, where Robin was already training. After retrieving the Poneglyph from the depths of the Fish-men Forest, Leno had initially planned to rely on her skills for translation. But in the end, he decided to acquire the skill himself through rigorous sparring with her, earning an S-rank [translation] talent in the process.

Robin, stubborn as ever, hadn't taken the loss well and had been training with Luwell in secret to try again. But when the time came, Leno defeated her with ease, showing her the true gap between their abilities.

With Kuzan away in the South Blue, Leno thought it would be best to keep Robin close, especially with the threat of New World forces rising. Her Flower-Flower Fruit held enormous potential; however, years spent in hiding had kept her from reaching her full capabilities. Many still misunderstood Devil Fruit powers, believing them cursed, and Robin had suffered for it.

If she could learn to coat her Flower-Flower limbs in Armament Haki at an SS level… But Leno shook his head—Haki required individual potential. Not everyone could surpass their natural limits.

Catching his gaze, Robin came over.

"Training alone is dull, isn't it?" Leno smirked, stretching. "I'll train you, personally."

Robin's face paled slightly, knowing well that Leno's "training" meant intense sparring sessions that left her bedridden for days. The results were undeniable, but the strain was brutal.

"According to the books I read, shouldn't you be exhausted from… certain activities?" Robin raised a brow, eyeing him skeptically.

Leno only grinned, giving no answer.

Sea Circle Calendar, June 1513.

The New World remained embroiled in chaos. Shanks and the Red-Hair Pirates had launched another campaign, challenging the Four Emperors and drawing out a host of ambitious pirates. Whitebeard, BIG MOM, and Kaido had each suffered incursions on their territories, the air thick with tension and smoke.

The Five Elders of the World Government watched with trepidation, fearing this might threaten global balance. They ordered Sengoku the Buddha to lead a fleet to support the G-1 branch deep in New World waters. Positioned in the volatile territories of the Four Emperors, G-1 was critical to maintaining security.

Currently, the branch was commanded by Vice Admiral Gake, an officer recently promoted to replace Kuzan and groomed as a potential future Admiral alongside Gion. However, with Gion's acquisition of the Magnetic Fruit, her power had surged beyond Gake's, changing the tide.

"Welcome, Admiral Sengoku," Gake greeted, his brown Marine jacket trailing. Though diminutive in stature, Gake was no one to underestimate, his combat skills well-honed despite his comical appearance.

With no time for formalities, Sengoku cut to the point.

"What's the current status of the Four Emperors?"

Gake led Sengoku to the meeting room, unfurling a map detailing New World's power shifts.

Meanwhile, Leno and his fleet navigated to the New World island of Kale. Buggy, former Roger Pirate, had docked there to regroup and unwind, later making it his base to establish his Seven Warlords of the Sea dispatch company.

Setting up their own headquarters here, Leno raised the Hunter's Guild flag, marking Kale as a new stronghold for their New World operations.

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+30 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg