Chapter Head Serialization・Love-Sickness 25・You're... missing someone too, aren't you?
Hancock hadn't expected Tulip to notice the changes in her body after just a few days, but Hancock had no interest in denying it either. So, she responded with proud silence.
The young girl standing beside her was poised and elegant. Tulip looked at her with tender sympathy. This child had truly grown up, and it was Hancock who had watched her grow.
The torment of lovesickness... Tulip could deeply relate.
She gently embraced Hancock, their necks touching as she whispered softly. A blush slowly spread across Hancock's ears like a rosy mist…
…
Shiryu of the Rain endured the crushing agony of his heart exploding again and again, swinging his blade at Robin with ruthless precision, shrouded in a hellish aura.
Robin hadn't expected his willpower to be this unyielding. But protected by the Liam Armor, she only needed a thought to manipulate it using the Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit) and could still withstand Shiryu's relentless strikes.
"I can't go head-to-head with him completely," Robin thought, dodging and parrying with her Hakientwine iron staff. "The sensations transmitted through the armor could affect Liam on the other side... He's still fighting that Shichibukai, isn't he?"
In her backpack, inside Little Green City Fortress, flower petals bloomed and quickly reconstructed Shiryu's physical body, but in parts, not whole.
Limbs, torso, organs, nervous system… Through studying human anatomy, Robin had gained enough understanding of the pain nerves in the human body. She laid out the key body parts, categorized, in front of Little Green.
Little Green, of course, had no human morality. Eating and working were perfectly natural acts. It flipped a switch in the City Fortress workshop, "Buzz!" The chainsaw roared to life!
Outside, Shiryu, still clashing blades with Robin, suddenly let out a muffled grunt. His already bloodshot eyes grew more congested with veins, his
Just then, yellow sand darkened the sky, Crocodile returned from the horizon.
"Aaahhhh!"
"Whoa!"
…
The shockwave from a slash tore through the spectator stands, and countless onlookers were flung away, blood spraying amidst screams and gasps of horror.
Robin barely managed to dodge the massive slash, and as she turned toward the sky, she noticed Liam riding in on the wave of sand. At the same time, Shiryu of the Rain burst into wild, maniacal laughter, "Hā hā hā!!", and sprinted toward them with his blade raised.
"Do it now!!"
A flying cloud formed of whirling yellow sand surged toward the VIP seats atop the arena.
Smack!
Behind the cloud, Liam air-stepped, spun mid-air with agility, and dove toward them.
Farther back, B.I.B. swooped in with a swarm of News Coo birds flapping behind. Its narrow eyes immediately locked onto the speeding Shiryu of the Rain.
In almost a blink, Shiryu reached the edge of the grandstands, stomping down and collapsing part of the first row, along with several unlucky spectators, then launched himself high into the air...
Up at the top VIP seats, the slightly panicked Tesoro tried to maintain composure.
From within the swirling sand clouds, Crocodile's angry voice roared:
"Don't think I don't know what you've done! Restrain that bastard coming up behind me, now!!"
The sand roared like a wave and crashed into Tesoro's face, swirling and trapping him. Crocodile's face emerged from the storm, cloaked in a murderous shadow.
Tesoro recognized that look, he'd seen it before in Mary Geoise, in the slave-filled depths of the world.
Under that gaze, even the slightest hesitation… meant only death.
He had no doubt: if he disobeyed, this Shichibukai would suck every drop of water from his body. Tesoro cursed inwardly and raised his hand, aiming behind Crocodile, at Liam, who was chasing through the air.
"Huh?" Liam finally spotted Tesoro. "Of course it's you…"
Then, Tiny, almost invisible golden dust particles began seeping from Liam's mouth, nose… and even his pores.
Whiz! Whiz!
Shiryu of the Rain charged upward, vaulting across dozens of arena tiers in a blur. Wherever he passed, the stands crumbled and spectators screamed.
At last, he leapt high, his crimson eyes locking on Giorno, who was still chasing the sandstorm.
With a fully-charged slash, he swung his sword!
Splurt!
Blood sprayed from Liam's body, arcing across the air.
"...?!"
Robin looked up, gasping and covering her mouth, afraid she'd scream out Liam's name.
This moment, the sight of blood splattering midair, was shown in crystal clarity on the broadcast screen. Audiences all over the world suddenly realized: This might actually be… the first time they had seen Giorno get injured.
"Nice one!"
Crocodile shouted, though it was unclear whether the praise was meant for Tesoro or for the rampaging, berserk Shiryu of the Rain.
"You're in trouble now…" Shiryu, floating midair, grinned wickedly, raising his monstrous blade. "I came here to cut you down…"
Across from him, Liam's chest had been slashed diagonally. The wound wasn't deep, but blood poured freely. He dropped a bit in altitude, then, smack, he stepped on air again to hold himself in place.
"I just wanted to mess around with some sand…" Liam muttered.
But his words abruptly stopped. The golden dust emerging from his body condensed into a thin layer. It wasn't much, but enough to cover his mouth and nose, sealing them tight… He couldn't speak or breathe.
Shiryu landed briefly on the stands, then leapt again, sword raised high for a vertical strike toward the breathless Giorno.
Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!
A spinning iron staff streaked through the air. Robin had thrown it.
Still unable to breathe, Liam reached out and caught the iron staff.
CLANG!
The staff, imbued with Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki), collided with Shiryu's monstrous blade.
(End Of This Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/marvel6395