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Human adaptability is remarkably strong.
And for someone like Hancock, born with extraordinary talent, it was even more so.
It didn't take long after the fight began for her to adjust to the strange duality of perception and sensation brought on by her opponent's abilities. She instinctively tuned out the auditory and pain feedback from her adversary, focusing only on herself.
Once she eliminated these distractions, the slight doubling of sensations was no longer enough to hinder her performance.
With Haki-infused kicks, Hancock's long legs moved with effortless grace, striking with enough force to shatter even a boulder.
Yet, no matter how powerful her attacks or precise her techniques, Robin felt nothing.
It was like controlling a character in a game— when your avatar takes damage, do you feel pain? As long as the player remains calm, their performance remains unaffected.
Robin was that player.
To her, the clone she controlled— Flower Hancock— was merely a puppet wielding Hancock's strength. Until it was completely destroyed, Robin herself wouldn't be impacted in the slightest.
But even with this advantage, Flower Hancock gradually fell behind. Under Hancock's relentless assault, the clone was being pushed further and further into a corner.
Hancock's natural combat instincts allowed her to manipulate Flower Hancock's positioning, using it to obscure Robin's vision and attack from blind spots.
Bang!
Seizing an opening, Hancock launched a Haki-imbued kick straight into Flower Hancock's abdomen, sending the clone flying into a massive tree.
"Ugh…"
At the same time, Hancock clutched her own stomach.
The force she had just unleashed on her opponent rebounded back onto her own body— like being struck by a rampaging beast. The worst part? The "beast" was herself.
As Flower Hancock slammed into the tree, a sharp ache ran down Hancock's back.
From the sidelines, Sandersonia noticed her sister's discomfort and lifted the back of her dress slightly to check. "Not a single bruise," she muttered.
The power of the Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit) only transmitted sensations, not actual damage.
Robin waved a hand, dismissing the clone into a swirl of scattered petals.
Hancock exhaled, irritated. That lingering second perspective constantly interfered with her movements, forcing her to ignore it actively. The experience was far from pleasant.
Marigold frowned. "This clone didn't seem as strong as Elder Sister!"
Hancock, however, disagreed. "No! The clone that Jolyne created is exactly as strong as I am! But…"
Liam chuckled. "But Jolyne's reaction speed, decision-making, and combat instincts aren't refined enough to bring out Flower Hancock's full strength!"
To Robin, Flower Hancock was like a legendary warrior's body placed under the control of someone who couldn't fully wield its power. All the stats were maxed out, but the player lacked the skill to make full use of them.
"Plus, controlling Flower Hancock remotely creates an even bigger handicap. Fighting from a third-person perspective will always dull the reaction speed."
Sandersonia reflected on the battle just now and had to admit that Giorno was right. Under Hancock's intense pressure, Flower Hancock— controlled by Jolyne— constantly revealed openings. Its movements, while powerful, appeared sluggish and mechanical compared to Hancock's razor-sharp precision. It was inevitable— Jolyne simply couldn't match Hancock's battle instincts.
Liam added, "And then there's the matter of Haki!"
Haki is deeply tied to the user's will. Even if Flower Hancock had the same raw potential for Haki as the real Hancock, Robin's own strength placed a cap on its effectiveness. She simply couldn't draw out Flower Hancock's full Haki abilities…
Let alone Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki)!
In theory, Flower Hancock should have also possessed the potential for Haoshoku Haki. But unfortunately… Robin herself had never awakened it!
No matter how much control she had over Flower Hancock, she couldn't channel that innate "kingly" quality through it. This further limited the clone's potential.
Factoring everything in, Robin estimated that her control only allowed Flower Hancock to exhibit around 30% to 40% of its true strength.
Likewise, Hancock, affected by the lingering feedback from Flower Hancock's five senses, couldn't bring out her full power either— at best, she was only fighting at 80% of her usual strength. But even so, taking down a version of herself at 30% to 40% strength was hardly a challenge.
"Hah, that's not very impressive," Bonney muttered, unimpressed.
Robin, however, wasn't particularly bothered. Even at a fraction of its full potential, Flower Hancock was still far stronger than she was in direct combat.
Just then, Liam spoke up. "How about this, Jolyne? Try controlling him to fight Hancock and see how much strength can actually be displayed."
The girls followed his gaze and realized he was referring to the dull-eyed clone of "Giorno"— also known as "Flower Giorno."
Robin's lips curled into a small smile as she nodded in agreement.
If the clones she created using the Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit) were weapons, then compared to Hancock's, Liam's clone was undoubtedly the more refined and powerful one.
Liam's strength exceeded Hancock's; now, the question was whether Robin could bring out more of it through her control.
Robin felt a surge of excitement, while Hancock scoffed, refusing to back down. "A puppet? And you think it can surpass me?"
Their eyes met, tension crackling between them.
Under normal circumstances, a fair fight between the two would have been impossible. Hancock's combat ability far outclassed Robin's—it would be nothing short of a one-sided beating.
But now, fate had presented a rare opportunity.
This was different from when Robin fought using B.I.B. Whether it was Hancock's or Liam's clone, both were ultimately products of her own Hana Hana no Mi. That meant, in a way, that this was still her own power at work.
As the two warriors stood face-to-face, Sandersonia and Marigold exchanged amused glances, secretly enjoying the unfolding spectacle.
Robin made a slight gesture, and Flower Giorno moved in sync with her will, stepping forward to stand before Hancock.
As the distance between them closed, Hancock felt a familiar pressure—the same feeling she had when facing Giorno himself.
Even if Jolyne could only wield 30% to 40% of this body's true strength, dealing with it wouldn't be easy.
Meanwhile, Liam observed the scene through Flower Giorno's eyes, watching as Hancock readied herself for battle…
(End Of This Chapter)