After bringing Carina to Apayado, Yami went back to take Robin up as well.
Along the way, to raise Robin's favor, Yami took the initiative to chat and shared a bit of information about the Sky Island.
"BOSS, there's a land island ten thousand meters up?"
Hearing Yami, Robin was deeply surprised.
A sea of clouds in the sky didn't shock her; ever since she was little she'd known this world held all kinds of races.
A race living in the sky wasn't strange.
But a land island appearing in the sky refreshed Robin's understanding.
Clearly, that island couldn't be up there for no reason.
So… the work of people, or of nature?
While Robin pondered, Yami's next words suddenly brought joy to the refined beauty's face.
Yami smiled and said, "I don't know why that island is in the sky, but I found a Poneglyph on it."
"A Poneglyph? Really?" Robin looked at Yami, delighted.
"Mm."
Yami nodded with certainty.
"Wonderful."
Robin first let out a soft cheer, then looked at Yami with gentle eyes and said sincerely, "BOSS, thank you."
At the same time, she silently thanked Lady Luck.
Though her childhood had been miserable, once she entered the Grand Line, Robin found her fortunes completely reversed.
When Yami caught her, she'd thought her adventure had reached its end.
But the man didn't hand her to the Navy or the World Government; what she'd yearned for as a child, slowly recognized as fantasy and believed would never exist—a companion willing to protect her—had appeared.
Since becoming Yami's secretary, Robin had found one Poneglyph in just over a month, and would soon see a second.
Yami's other space and farsight gave Robin an overwhelming sense of safety.
"You're welcome."
From Robin's gaze, Yami knew the mature woman's affection for him had risen a little more.
He tightened his hold around Robin's slender waist and accelerated upward.
The sudden burst of speed brought Robin back to herself; she instinctively wrapped her arms around Yami's neck.
A breath and fragrance different from Carina's brushed Yami's face.
The pressure against his chest stirred his heart.
He had to admit, the feel of a mature beauty was different from that of a loli.
Unfortunately, such bliss was brief.
After sending Robin to Apayado, Yami returned to the Blue Sea to pick up Nami.
At that moment, Nami was on Jaya getting used to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power.
Snakes of lightning constantly blasted from her hands, bombarding the ground of the other space.
In the outside world, each strike would have left a small pit and scorched marks.
But the other space was nothing but green.
"Master, this Devil Fruit is amazing!"
As soon as Yami arrived, Nami threw herself into his arms, beaming. "I feel like I could casually one-shot Arlong now."
"I'm glad you like it."
Yami pinched Nami's cheek and explained, "That feeling is normal. Logias are called the strongest class because even the weakest Logia can be invincible across the Four Seas."
"As long as you don't meet a natural counter or someone with means to harm a Logia, you're nearly unbeatable in the first half of the Grand Line."
He then lifted Nami in a princess carry and shot skyward on Moonwalk.
In the air, Yami continued, "Beyond destructive power, lightning's most terrifying trait is speed."
"As long as you grasp electric fields, you can turn into lightning at any time and move freely within the field."
"Then, unless you run into a special kind of ability user, even if you can't win you can retreat easily."
"When this Sky Island trip is over, I'll teach you how to develop the Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
"Mhm, mhm…"
Nami nodded again and again, arms tight around Yami's neck.
Gazing at Yami's handsome profile, Nami suddenly gathered her courage, planted a kiss on his cheek, rested her head on his shoulder, and said with flushed cheeks and a smile, "Master, thank you."
Unlike Robin's, the girl's thanks clearly carried feelings.
If the three girls' favor for Yami were turned into numbers—
The one who liked Yami most wasn't Carina, who was closest to him, but pure-hearted Nami.
Carina's affection was near full; Nami's had hit MAX.
In Nami's eyes, Yami was the most perfect man in the world.
Her hero, her knight, her savior.
On countless nights before sleep, Nami would relive the days after meeting Yami—both frightened and happy.
Frightened, because if she and Carina hadn't met Yami on the vast sea, how long would that nightmare life have lasted?
How many villagers would have been killed for failing to pay their "life money"?
And even if she'd scraped together one hundred million, would Arlong really have returned the village?
Fortunately, none of that happened.
She met the best Master in the world, who not only took down the Arlong Pirates, but made her the happiest girl alive.
To thank Yami, Nami decided to repay him for a lifetime.
"Thanks? As your Master, treating you well is only natural, right?"
Yami didn't play the gentleman; he dipped his head and kissed Nami's cheek, then said with possessive ease, "If you want to thank me, then serve me well together with Carina."
"Heehee…"
Nami laughed shyly, her flushed face irresistibly cute.
That was exactly why Yami loved teasing her.
This Nami was such a contrast to the one from the original story.
When she grows up, a Nami this pure won't last.
If he doesn't tease her now, there'll be no teasing later.
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