"Hmm..."
Robin suddenly heard a faint murmur coming from her lap.
Awake?
She looked down, only to find the black-haired boy still with his eyes tightly shut, sleeping soundly, though his mouth was mumbling something incoherent.
So, he was talking in his sleep?
Curiosity got the better of Robin. After hesitating for a moment, she glanced left and right, but ultimately couldn't resist.
She quietly and carefully leaned down, bringing her ear closer—
And just happened to catch this sentence:
"The sea is vast, and one day, companions who will protect you will appear..."
!!!
Robin's pupils contracted, and her breath caught in her throat.
How could this be...
How did he know about this?
In a daze, painful and dark memories surged back like a tidal wave—the burning hometown, the people desperately fleeing, and the towering figure laughing with a "Teeheeheehee"—
Was it a coincidence, or...?
As her mind was in turmoil, Xiano's drowsy voice reached her ears again:
"The path to my dream is filled with too many enemies..."
"I want to live!... Take me to the sea as well!"
"..." Robin blinked, quickly calming down.
These two sentences had nothing to do with her.
Indeed.
She had overthought it. It was just a coincidence.
She quietly gazed at the boy's face, then turned her eyes to the newspaper beside her. The bounty of 540 million Berry on the wanted poster was so terrifyingly high...
Such a powerful existence, someone with a group of happy companions...
Could it be that, back then, he had also walked alone in the darkness, enduring endless loneliness like she had?
...
The wind on the turtle's back suddenly stopped.
Xiano's eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes on Robin's lap.
The sunlight slanted across his brow, illuminating his dark pupils.
"Good morning."
He stood up as if nothing had happened, stretching and yawning, then turned back with a smile, "Thank you. This nap was much more comfortable than sleeping on the rocks."
His gaze then shifted to the newspaper, and he immediately became interested, "Oh, the bounty came out so quickly this time? Let me see..."
Rustle! He unfolded the newspaper.
"Tsk, only a little over 500 million Berry... As expected, if you don't go to the New World, they won't give you a high bounty. Huh, even Nami's bounty went up to 80 million Berry?"
Robin pursed her lower lip.
This reaction... wasn't right.
Shouldn't the first thing a normal person say upon waking up and finding themselves lying on a stranger's lap be, "Who are you?"
Recalling what he had said yesterday, she decided to ask directly, "Do you know me?"
"Huh?"
Xiano peeked his head out from behind the newspaper, "Of course."
Nico Nico Nee, he could recognize her even if she were burned to ashes.
He shrugged, "You've been following us for a while now, haven't you?"
Robin was slightly taken aback, showing a hint of surprise, "You... you noticed a long time ago?"
"Obviously."
Xiano casually folded the newspaper, speaking in a nonchalant tone, "I noticed someone following us from Whiskey Peak, keeping their distance. Although you hid well, you still slipped up occasionally... I just didn't know it was you at first."
You didn't know it was me at first?
Robin keenly caught the words, but her expression remained calm: "How rude. Being a stalker is hardly a commendable identity."
"That's true, but you are indeed a full-fledged stalker!"
Xiano grinned, step by step closing in, looking down at Robin, who, despite her obvious unease, still tried to maintain a composed demeanor:
"Your ability allows you to grow any part of your body anywhere within your line of sight... like eyes, for example?"
Xiano suddenly leaned down, staring closely into her eyes.
"If it weren't for my mastery of Observation Haki, I wouldn't have noticed at all. You watch me when I practice boxing, when I eat and drink, and even when I fight. What exactly are you trying to do...? Don't tell me you were peeking when I was taking a shower too?"
"..."
Robin suddenly smiled and blinked her eyes: "Guess?"
"Just kidding. After all, you're not Sarutobi Ayame."
Xiano straightened up with a dry laugh, "But your nervous and awkward demeanor is quite amusing."
Who's the one who's nervous here? Robin remained silent for a moment before softly saying:
"Since you've known all along, why didn't you expose me?"
"Hey, don't try to take control of the conversation," Xiano said, displeased. "That's my line. What exactly are you following us for?"
"..." Robin pursed her lips, not immediately answering.
What could she say?
That she was at the end of her rope, looking for a new Boss?
That she envied their bond and wanted to be a part of it?
But with her identity, with her being a monster who only brings trouble to others, could she really have the right...
"Why not just be honest?"
Xiano's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Nico Robin, the Devil Child, the last survivor of Ohara, a genius scholar who earned her Ph.D. in History at the age of eight, and is wanted by the World Government for 79 million Berries..."
He knew!
He actually knew!
Robin's pupils constricted sharply, her body stiffening momentarily, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes.
For sixteen years, this identity had brought her nothing but disaster and betrayal, and this scene felt all too familiar. Over the years, she had been exposed like this countless times...
"Don't be nervous."
Xiano reached out and ruffled her hair, the action so natural and smooth that Robin was momentarily stunned, and Xiano himself was also taken aback.
Huh, why can't I control this darn hand?
Well, it's Robin's fault. Twenty years of companionship in the manga had given him such a sense of familiarity that meeting her felt like reuniting with an old friend.
Plus, he had already ruffled Luffy's, Nami's, and even Zoro and Sanji's heads...
His hand had developed a habit, and it just went ahead and did it on its own.
"Sorry about that."
He casually withdrew his arm, chuckling, "I'm so used to comforting my younger sister like this. I forgot you're older than me, so it's not really appropriate. Anyway... I revealed your identity..."
Xiano suddenly crouched down, meeting Robin's eyes at her seated level: "Not to threaten you, but to tell you—"
"From today on, those days of living in fear and hiding are over~!"
The sunlight danced on his eyelashes, casting a warm glow on the young man's cheeks. He extended his right hand and chuckled:
"Hey, Robin, want to join my ship? I'm quite interested in the Poneglyphs myself and want to gather a few more. I'm just missing a proper archaeologist."
"..."
Robin stared blankly at the black-haired young man before her.
She hadn't even figured out how to bring it up… she had even given up on the idea. But now, she was being invited to join his crew?
Sixteen years…
For the first time in sixteen years, someone who knew all about her dark past had extended not a blade, but a warm, open hand.
Those years of being hunted by the World Government, those days spent drifting among dark forces, now seemed so distant in the face of this absurd gentleness.
She thought of the bright smiles on the wanted posters, the scenes of them fooling around by the bonfire in Little Garden…
That warmth was something she had thought was an unattainable dream.
But now…
Now it was right in front of her, reaching out to her, so close she could almost touch it?!
"I…"
She instinctively reached out her right hand, but just as she was about to make contact, she jerked it back as if burned.
"What's the matter?" Xiano glared at her in annoyance. "Why are you hesitating at a time like this? Just put your hand here!"
"You… you don't understand."
Robin's gaze darkened, her voice so soft it was almost carried away by the sea breeze. "My very existence is a curse… the forbidden flames of Ohara will burn your ship, and the World Government will haunt every one of you like a shadow…"
She lowered her lashes, casting faint shadows under her eyes. "The smiles, the bonfires, the comrades fighting side by side that you see now… one day, they'll turn to ashes because of me."
"Enough with the nonsense."
Xiano rolled his eyes, suddenly grabbing her half-retracted wrist. His warm palm pressed against her cold hand, forcing her into a high-five.
"Alright, that's it. You're officially on the ship now. No take-backs, and from now on, you'll have to call me Captain."
Xiano then sat back down, grinning at Robin's stunned expression.
"What forbidden flames? What are you even talking about? Didn't you see the newspapers? Haven't you seen my bounty? Huh?"
"F-five…"
"Five hundred and forty million Berries!"
He held up six fingers. "Your bounty multiplied by six still doesn't come close to mine. Once you're on the ship, your bounty will only be the second lowest. If the sky falls, the taller ones will hold it up. Who's got time to keep chasing you?"
"But…"
"Are you going to emphasize the uniqueness of Ohara again?"
Xiano scoffed. "The Marine Headquarters, the World Government—they sound scary, but what can they really do? The sea is vast. They can't mobilize everyone to hunt us down. At most, it'll be a Buster Call!"
He sneered:
"One Admiral, five Vice Admirals—that's the standard Buster Call setup. And I've just fought an Admiral and took out two Vice Admirals along the way… Hmph, in short, if anyone's foolish enough to try and take you back, they'll have to get through me first!"
The young man's voice echoed across the sea.
The sea breeze blew past, and the turtle shell suddenly fell into complete silence.
"What's the matter? Why aren't you saying anything?" Xiano laughed heartily. "Were you struck by how cool my words were?"
Robin was momentarily stunned, then she couldn't help but chuckle.
She lowered her lashes, her fingertips gently brushing over the wrinkled fabric on her lap where someone had pressed down. Her voice was as light as a sigh:
"Yes, very cool."
—Of course, it was cool. So cool that it made her eyes burn.
So... those shadows that had weighed on her heart for sixteen years, in his eyes, were they just scraps of paper that could be crushed with a casual gesture?
"Captain," Robin suddenly spoke.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Xiano grinned, finally accepting it. The title of "Captain" sounded so comforting to him.
"Your poison is acting up again..." Robin said softly.
Huh?
Xiano was startled and hurried to the edge of the turtle shell, looking at his reflection in the sea.
A figure that looked like a mix between Thanos and the Hulk was staring back at him.
His expression froze.
Wait.
Had he just been spouting those cool and suave lines in front of Robin with that face?
"Ahhhhhh!"
A desperate scream echoed from the turtle shell. "Sister Robin, why didn't you tell me earlier!!!"
————
The cold wind howled, and snow fell like goose feathers, blanketing the mountains of Drum Island in silver.
The sea turtle, holding a pipe in its mouth, slowly navigated the river into the depths of the island.
The towering coniferous forests on either side were weighed down by snow, and occasionally, clumps of snow would fall with a soft "plop."
"This place is really freezing..."
Xiano rubbed his arms, his breath instantly crystallizing into frost. He glanced back at Robin, who was tightening her cloak, shivering, her nose slightly red from the cold.
"Can you hold on?"
Xiano couldn't help but ask. "There should be a town not far ahead. The first thing we'll do is find a clothing store and get you some winter clothes."
The climate of the Grand Line was just like that—unpredictable.
Just a day ago, they had been in a warm tropical area, but now, as they approached this winter island, the temperature had plummeted to minus forty or fifty degrees.
Yes, it was already a day later.
After a full day of sailing, they had finally arrived here.
Drum Island.
It was only when Xiano saw the chimney-like peaks in the distance that he realized the so-called "medical superpower" Robin had planned to take him to for treatment was actually Chopper's hometown.
Stereotypes are dangerous!
Sister, you really need to update your intel.
This country, which had expelled most of its doctors, leaving only the "Doctors 20" who served the king, could it still be called a medical superpower?
"I'm fine, Captain," Robin shook her head slightly. "Your toxin is the priority. We must find a doctor as soon as possible..."
When she said the word "Captain," she paused, still not quite used to it.
In the past, she had addressed many people with similar titles—"Captain," "Boss," or "Leader"—but all of them were insincere, filled with countless calculations and wariness.
Only when facing this boy, who was a few years younger than her, did she feel a strange sense of security and reliability when she called him "Captain."
"What doctor? Didn't I tell you? This poison can't threaten me."
Xiano cut in impatiently, "If we weren't so close to this island, I wouldn't even bother coming! Listen to me, we're going to buy clothes first! No arguing!"
"..." Robin had no choice but to nod in agreement, unable to argue with him.
Xiano crouched down again, examining his reflection on the mostly frozen river surface.
Good, the toxins hadn't risen yet.
He had already checked thoroughly on the way here.
The residual toxins left by that crazy female vice admiral, aside from the deposits on his skin, posed no real threat to him.
But even with the accelerated detoxification from Life Return, it would still take time—he estimated at least half a month.
In other words, if he didn't seek treatment, his face would occasionally turn an unsightly bluish-purple over the next half month.
It was just a bit annoying. Xiano had already embarrassed himself in front of Robin once, so cosplaying as Thanos once or ten times made no difference. He didn't really care.
If they happened to find a doctor along the way, great. If not, it didn't matter.
However.
"We're so close to this island" was naturally just Xiano's excuse. The real reason he decided to land on Drum Island was this—
Xiano glanced at his backpack.
The Devil Fruit Detection Radar inside was glowing yellow for the first time in a while.
This meant that a Devil Fruit was within a ten-kilometer radius.
But last time, when they found the Flame-Flame Fruit, it was only after the entire crew searched together. This time, it was just him and Robin, and finding it in this vast snowy wilderness wouldn't be easy.
Hopefully, everything would go smoothly.
Xiano looked up leisurely at the increasingly heavy snowfall.
Wasn't there always a rumor?
That Devil Fruits choose their masters and appear before those destined to have them.
...
The old sea turtle docked at the shore, puffing out a smoke ring.
"The path ahead is completely frozen. We can't go any further. I'll have to trouble you to wait here, Mr. Binchi."
The two of them left the turtle's back and stepped onto the land, crunching through the snow as they headed toward the distant lights.
The minus fifty-degree temperature didn't bother Xiano much. He walked bare-chested, striding ahead, clearing the path through the mountains and shielding Robin from the wind and snow.
Crunch, crunch. The same sound came from the opposite direction.
A massive white bear, at least five or six meters tall, approached with a trekking pole.
"That's a Traveling Bear, a friendly animal that only appears on winter islands in the Grand Line," Robin recognized it immediately and whispered a reminder from behind.
"They're very friendly toward humans. If you encounter one in the mountains, don't worry about it attacking. Just nod and give a slight bow."
Is that so?
Xiano looked at the big white bear curiously.
After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. The bear immediately bowed slightly in return, then continued on its way with the trekking pole.
Wow, it really is quite polite.
"If Nami were here, her first thought would be to roast it for meat. That would really ruin the moment," Xiano turned his head and grinned. "Having a knowledgeable partner is great, isn't it, Robin?"
"The town entrance should be just ahead."
Robin couldn't do anything about him. She had told him to just call her Robin, but the young man insisted on addressing her that way.
She pointed to a distant path on the hillside, where lights flickered faintly in the snowstorm. "Huh?" she suddenly squinted her eyes. "What's that?"
On the snowy slope, a small reindeer with a blue nose was frantically running away, pursued by five or six soldiers wielding guns.
"Stop! Blue-nosed monster!"
"Shoot, shoot! We must catch it this time!"
"Try not to hit vital areas, just cripple its legs! We still need this monster to capture that damned outlaw doctor, Kureha!"
Amid the harsh shouts, the sound of flintlock guns followed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The little reindeer stumbled and fell into a snowdrift, the basket of herbs it was carrying scattering all over the ground. It turned its head in terror, its large, wet eyes reflecting the approaching crowd.
"You can't escape now!"
The soldiers closed in, surrounding it. The squad leader at the front clicked the safety off, grinning maliciously as he aimed his gun at the little creature on the ground.
"Speak! Confess honestly! Where is Kureha? In this country, only that old woman is still resisting His Majesty's orders!"
Swish!
A flash of blade light suddenly appeared.
The cold, sharp gleam cut through the snowstorm. Before the soldiers could react, their flintlock rifles were already severed in two.
"..." Robin looked at the figure that had landed on the ground, somewhat surprised. "Captain, you really are a Master Swordsman, huh?"
"...What are you talking about? Have you forgotten the nickname on my wanted poster?" Xiano glared at her in dissatisfaction.
"But that was clearly just a disguise, wasn't it?" Robin smiled gently. "What you're really best at is various martial arts techniques. That sword was just to confuse the enemy, right?"
"..."
Boring. Finally, there's a smart woman on the ship, and this is the downside.
Xiano pursed his lips, not wanting to respond. Meanwhile, the squad leader suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream—Xiano's swordsmanship wasn't precise enough, and he had accidentally chopped off the man's wrist as well.
Tsk, that's a bit unfortunate. Xiano raised an eyebrow, though he didn't feel particularly guilty.
He remembered one thing very clearly: among the guards under Wapol's command, aside from Dalton, who had a rare conscience, the rest were all loyal lackeys. They showed no mercy in hunting down and capturing doctors, yet they cowered when facing external threats. When Blackbeard invaded, even Wapol was so terrified that he fled to become a Pirate, and these soldiers still followed him all the way.
"It hurts! It hurts so much!!"
The squad leader glared at them with bloodshot eyes. "Who the hell are you two? How dare you meddle in the affairs of the Royal Guard! Aren't you afraid King Wapol will have you fed to the cannons?"
Before Xiano could respond, a commotion suddenly broke out on the other side.
One of the soldiers stared at his face, his pupils contracting sharply. He grabbed the squad leader's sleeve and whispered something into his ear.
"What?"
The squad leader froze, as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water. He even forgot the excruciating pain of his severed arm. "You're saying this guy... is the Pirate with a bounty of 540 million?!"
"No mistake about it!" the soldier said, trembling with fear. "His photo has been all over the headlines these past few days! Even a Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters and a Warlord of the Sea died at his hands!"
"What?!!!"
The soldiers instantly erupted into chaos, retreating in terror.
"Run... run away!" The squad leader's earlier arrogance was gone, his voice now shrill. "Retreat! Retreat immediately!!"
The soldiers scrambled to support their injured leader, stumbling and crawling as they fled into the distance, not even daring to pick up their dropped guns.
Xiano sneered, sheathing his sword. Robin, standing beside him, frowned slightly. "There was no need to—"
"No need."
Xiano shook his head, looking toward the tallest peak in the distance, which rose five thousand meters above sea level. "Let them spread the word. I'm curious to see how Wapol will react when he finds out I've come to this island."
Robin finally understood and lowered her arms, which she had subtly crossed.
"It's alright, little tanuki. They won't dare bother you again."
She turned to the small creature with the blue nose, smiling gently. "Where's your home? Do you want us to take you there?"
"..."
The little reindeer remained silent, glaring at her warily. Suddenly, it grabbed the basket of herbs on the ground and darted behind the thickest tree.
Then she poked her head out, secretly observing.
However...
"Are you sure you're hiding the right way?" Robin blinked. "Who hides their head behind a tree while leaving their entire body exposed?"
Oh!
The little reindeer panicked and quickly adjusted her posture, hiding her body behind the tree.
(End of Chapter)