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More than two months had passed—
Outside Kuja City, deep in the woods, Liam continued his daily training.
Since Robin had developed her new flower clone technique, she and Liam had been able to train together.
Her goal was to push the limits of the "Hana Giorno" and "Hana Hancock" she summoned— refining their abilities until they could reach the theoretical combat potential of Liam and Hancock themselves. In other words, Robin was constantly improving her skill in controlling these special clones.
As for their name, Robin had taken suggestions from those around her. The Boa sisters had provided input (though Hancock never openly admitted to being enthusiastic), and even Bonney had thrown in a few ideas. Ultimately, Robin had gone with Liam's suggestion and named the technique—"Taka Jizai".
It was an unusual phrase.
But it was very much like Liam, and Robin liked that.
The best way to master "Taka Jizai" was, of course, through actual combat training.
So, for the past two months, whenever Liam and Robin had free time, they would spar— Robin summoning one or more "Hana Giorno" or "Hana Hancock" to launch coordinated attacks against Liam, whether he was alone or clad in his Stand, B.I.B.
That said, Robin primarily summoned "Hana Giorno" for training. Using "Hana Hancock" was more complicated— since Hancock's perception was linked to her flower clone, it could cause unintended disturbances. Moreover, without the power of Hancock's Medusa Fruit, "Hana Hancock" lacked certain advantages in combat.
For that reason, Robin preferred to summon "Hana Giorno" when sheer battle efficiency was the goal.
This training also greatly benefited Liam.
Even though Robin couldn't fully unleash the potential of his "Taka Jizai" clones, they were still him— meaning that even under her basic control, they applied immense pressure.
Robin found herself enjoying this process. While she wasn't the type to seek out battle for its own sake, the steady growth in her strength was undeniably satisfying.
However, over the past half-month, Robin had joined Liam in training less and less.
More often than not, things had returned to the way they were before— Liam and his Stand, B.I.B., training alone.
One focused on sharpening his Haki, still pondering the deeper mysteries of Ryuo (Flowing Sakura). The other refined Rokushiki techniques and honed his mastery of Life Return. Hypnotism was something Liam rarely practiced, yet as his Life Return improved, so did his ability to influence others, shortening the time required to put someone under.
Today, Robin had been absent once again.
Liam had already been training with B.I.B. for over a week, and their progress had remained steady. This was the first time in a while they had sparred in the woods.
With their current level of strength, wherever they fought, destruction followed—trees splintering, the ground cracking under the force of their clashes.
Then, suddenly, the forest birds scattered, startled into flight.
From the direction of Kuja City, the deep toll of a bell rang out.
"Dong..."
Liam and B.I.B. halted instantly, their gazes snapping toward the city walls.
Through Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), they sensed a strange reaction— the moment the first chime echoed, countless auras across Kuja City froze in place, momentarily stunned.
Liam focused.
Even as her illness had worsened over time, the aura of the Snake Princess had always been stronger than that of an ordinary person.
Yet now—
In B.I.B.'s Kenbunshoku Haki, the palace no longer carried her presence.
"Dong..."
"Dong..."
The bells tolled again and again.
The people of Amazon Lily knew what this meant.
The Snake Princess had passed away.
Half a month earlier, her condition had deteriorated rapidly.
As Princess of Kuja, Robin had spent more and more time by her bedside. Liam had visited occasionally as well— but as a man, and someone who, beyond his status as Kuja's Princess Friend, had little personal connection with Snake Princess Tulip, his presence had been limited.
Now, as the bells continued to echo across the island, Liam stood silently in the woods, listening.
A great era was coming to an end.
Liam had little to say about Snake Princess Tulip's passing.
He deeply regretted the loss of such a powerful figure, but like the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and like so many legends before her, she too had fallen— not in battle, but to illness. No matter how strong a person was, time and fate were relentless.
There was nothing he could do.
For the past half-month, Robin had silently accompanied Snake Princess at her bedside, watching as the once-mighty woman who had shown her kindness and care grew weaker by the day. With each passing moment, Robin's heart grew heavier.
Perhaps it was due to the symptoms of lovesickness— the infamous affliction of Amazon Lily.
At first, her condition was like a severe fever, but as it worsened, Snake Princess spoke less and less. Some days, she was strangely cheerful, and others, she sank into deep despair. Yet no matter what mood she was in, she drifted further from the present, lost in a world of her own making.
When she was happy, she would smile faintly, her pale face lighting up as she spoke to the empty air. Robin could tell she was talking to those who weren't there—Dragon and Luffy.
When she was sorrowful, she would curl up on her sickbed, refusing to speak or eat, her unfocused eyes staring blankly at nothing, silent tears slipping down her face.
But there were moments of clarity.
And Robin wasn't sure if she preferred those moments or not.
When Snake Princess was lost in her illusions— whether in joy or despair— Robin could at least tell herself it was just the sickness speaking. But when the woman regained awareness, even briefly, and her gaze flickered between reality and the world of her memories, Robin saw something far worse.
She saw a warrior slowly realizing she was no longer as strong as she had once believed.
Through the palace window, Snake Princess would watch the young Kuja warriors training, her eyes lingering on them. She never said a word, but Robin could feel the weight of her unspoken thoughts. The woman who had once stood as the mightiest warrior of Amazon Lily was now nothing more than a frail figure, fading under the weight of her illness.
And as despair took root, she stopped resisting it.
Perhaps it was easier this way— to surrender to the illusions of her love, to lose herself in dreams rather than face the truth of her own decline.
At least then, she wouldn't have to see the disappointment in Hancock's eyes.
That wound cut deeper than any blade.
There is no disease that allows a warrior to die with dignity.
Maybe Snake Princess had realized that too late.
Maybe Hancock had as well.
Perhaps that was why Suzuran— one of the few elders of Kuja— had been so heartbroken upon seeing Snake Princess waste away. Long ago, she had witnessed a legend of the previous generation suffer the same fate. A woman once hailed as the strongest warrior of her time had been reduced to a pitiful shell of herself, her dignity stripped away by sickness, her body frail, her spirit broken.
That same fate had now claimed another ruler of Amazon Lily.
"Cough, cough..."
The frail Snake Princess clutched Robin's hand. Her grip, once strong enough to shatter stone, was weak and trembling. Her fevered skin burned against Robin's palm, and her gaze was hazy, unfocused.
Hancock stood behind Robin, looking down at the woman who had once been the proud ruler of Kuja. Her face was cold, unreadable.
"How pathetic you are," Hancock said flatly. "Do you still call yourself the Empress of Amazon Lily?"
The palace maids lowered their heads in silence, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Then, Hancock spoke again.
"Leave."
"Yes, my lady." The maids quickly exited, their footsteps light against the palace floor.
Robin held Snake Princess's frail hand and looked up to see Hancock idly twisting a strand of her long black hair around her finger.
Then Hancock said, without a flicker of emotion, "Don't look at me."
With a sharp motion, she pulled the strand of hair taut and snapped it off.
The severed strand curled around her slender finger, twisting unnaturally— then, suddenly, it wriggled and transformed into a tiny black snake. It hissed weakly, its body frail, clinging to life for just a moment longer.
Then it stilled.
Without another word, Hancock turned and left the palace.
She walked until she reached Princess Jolyne, who stood waiting outside.
Without looking back, Jolyne spoke softly.
"The Snake Princess has passed."
The palace maids had expected this outcome, yet the weight of the words still crushed them. They lowered their heads, their eyes red with grief.
Robin exhaled quietly. "I'll take care of Snake Princess's remains. Go and inform the others. Prepare for the funeral."
As the maids rushed off, Hancock walked alone to an old, forgotten bell tower at the city's edge.
The ancient bronze bell was coated in dust, its surface untouched for years.
Hancock raised her palm and struck it with force.
"Dong—"
A deep, resonant chime echoed across the island.
Down by the river, Kuja women hauling in their fishing nets froze in place, their hands tightening on the ropes.
At the watchtower near the city gates, the guardian warriors turned toward the palace, their faces heavy with sorrow.
On the training grounds, young warriors stopped mid-motion, confusion flickering across their faces. They had never heard this bell before. They hadn't even known it existed.
"Dong..."
"Dong..."
The tolling bell rang through the city, carrying its somber message across the fields, forests, and shores of Amazon Lily.
A legend had fallen.
And an era had come to an end.
(End Of This Chapter)