Robin followed Ren as they traveled across several islands, moving like headless flies without a clear purpose, unsure of why they were even sailing.
"Here, let's go ashore." Ren anchored the boat by the shore.
This was their third island, and Robin couldn't help but ask, "Are you looking for someone?"
Ren nodded. "Yes, I heard the Revolutionary Army appeared in the West Blue. I came here to find them, and since you're here too, I thought I'd look for you as well."
"I see." After spending some time with Ren, Robin realized he wasn't like the people described in the news. He was easy to talk to and didn't treat civilians as inferior.
As the two of them set foot on the island, the residents were terrified. Naturally, this was because of Ren.
The Devil Child they feared had already caused chaos on the previous islands.
In the past few days, Ren had visited three islands. The first and second islands had been soaked in blood and chaos, and the news of the third island had already spread throughout the West Blue.
A great pirate from the Grand Line had come to the Four Blues. Where had any pirate with a bounty of ten million seen a pirate with a 4.8 billion bounty? Some who dared to confront him paid with their lives.
Yet, some islanders saw hope. The island had a terrifying sheriff, cruel beyond measure, and any conflict between Ren and the sheriff could work in the residents' favor.
"The people here seem to live in misery."
"More or less. And there's a strange guy here." Ren's Observation Haki immediately swept over the island, quickly locking onto the target: the future navigator of the Blackbeard Pirates, Laffitte.
It didn't take long before a pale-skinned sheriff appeared. He carried a cane and began a ridiculous dance.
"Isn't this the betrayer of the Celestial Dragons, Lord Ren? What brings you here? Looking for someone?"
"I don't like your tone." Ren drew his sword in an instant, sending a swift slash toward the sheriff.
"So fast." Laffitte's pupils shrank, but he remained extremely calm, barely avoiding the fatal blow.
"Natural Observation Haki, not bad." Ren nodded slightly.
"What is this?" Laffitte broke out in cold sweat. He quickly drew his cane-sword and without hesitation, cut off his own arm.
"Good decision. A waste to be a sheriff here." Ren shook his head.
"That sword—" Laffitte immediately transformed into his Human-Beast Form and fled. He couldn't match this man. Before, he hadn't thought much of a 4.8 billion bounty, but now he realized how wrong he had been.
Ren slashed again, and for Laffitte, it was like facing an attack from another dimension.
"Can't dodge it." That was Laffitte's only thought before being cut in half.
The islanders knelt on the ground. That Demon Sheriff couldn't even resist in front of this man.
"Finished." Ren turned and walked away.
"Not looking for him?" Robin asked, curious.
"Not here." Ren returned to the small boat, planning to continue the search at sea.
The people on the island only watched from afar. They didn't dare approach. Ren was terrifying, and the power behind those two strikes was beyond comprehension.
"Ren, why are you looking for the Revolutionary Army?" Robin asked after they had spent some time together, wanting to know his purpose.
"I'm not afford to become the world's enemy alone. I just want them to handle some small tasks." Ren spoke frankly.
At that moment, Robin's expression darkened. She was wanted by the World Government. She could attract powerful Navy forces, but compared to Ren, she seemed insignificant.
"Someone's coming. Probably someone you know." Ren remained lying on the boat.
"That is…" Robin looked into the distance. A small black dot moved across the sea. The only person she could think of who could travel like that over the ocean was Admiral Aokiji.
Seeing Robin's fearful expression, Ren said, "You'll be my companion from now on. Don't be afraid of this level. Otherwise, you won't survive the enemies ahead."
Robin wanted to argue, but at this moment, no words came out. The events in Ohara were still vivid in her mind.
The man on the bike quickly stopped in front of them and stared at Robin. "Maybe I shouldn't have let you go back then."
"Is that appropriate? Do you think you could take her from me?" Ren's voice was calm.
"Donquixote Ren, you've betrayed the World Government." Aokiji had not been present before.
This was his first time seeing Ren, and he was shocked by the man in front of him. Such aura surpassed even the monsters of the New World.
"So you actually trust the news." Ren lost interest.
"What's going on?" Aokiji's brow furrowed.
"Well, your presence doesn't bother me much, so I won't need to use this sword." Ren put away the Muramasa and pulled out the large sword he had before.
"Ice Age."
In an instant, the sea turned to land, and the small boat was frozen, but the people on it were gone.
"Seems it's not just because of the identity of Celestial Dragon." Aokiji used his Observation Haki to sense Ren's presence, but by the time he turned his head, Ren was gone.
"Even the highest authority of the World Government wouldn't dare come after me alone, so why should you? Just because of Nico Robin?"
His voice came without a body in sight. Aokiji realized his grave mistake. This was an endless frozen land, yet he couldn't detect Ren or Robin, meaning his strength far surpassed his.
"A bit boring, Navy. Go back and train more. One-Sword Style, Atomic Slash." Ren unleashed continuous strikes, forming a dense web that covered the entire battlefield.
The frozen sea instantly shattered into countless ice cubes. Ren looked in one direction and said, "Observation Haki is impressive, no wonder you became an Admiral."
"Ren, I think I finally understand why you're so dangerous." The ice on the sea gathered into a humanoid shape. He had split himself into countless pieces beforehand and narrowly avoided Ren's attack in the gaps.
"If you want to capture me, you'll need the entire Navy, not just you, Admiral." Ren was in a bad mood.
Public opinion… he needed public opinion on his side. Everything he did now was arranged by the World Government—they intended to kill him socially.
Aokiji could do nothing. The gap in their strength was enormous. The fact that he survived was due to Ren's restraint. He no longer provoked Ren and looked at Robin. "It seems the decision back then was wrong."
"You're not wrong. You were just doubting the justice you hold in your heart, so you resisted in your own way." Ren answered Robin's question before she could respond.
The small boat was gone, but the island was not far. Ren carried Robin and used Moonwalk to quickly head toward the island.
"Heh, like you were there the whole time." Aokiji frowned. He hadn't blocked them.
To capture Ren, it really might take the entire Navy. His bike had sunk to the bottom of the sea. He headed toward the island to find a new vehicle.
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