Chapter 100: Yuji and Heart-Moon Fox! The Tyrant Pteranodon Fruit!
One week later.
Altitude 7,000 meters.
The White-White Sea, Cloud End.
This magical sea, composed of flowing sea clouds, reached its terminus here.
This was the original gateway to leave the White-White Sea. In the ancient past, all visitors would depart through this gate, falling from the sky back to the "Blue Sea" below.
But now, outside this Cloud End that hadn't seen visitors for a long time...
BOOM! BOOM!
Massive sounds shattered the silence.
It was the sound of something colossal beating its wings.
Howling winds churned the flowing sea clouds into currents, as if welcoming a giant guest.
The next moment...
CRASH!
A figure smashed through the clouds beneath Cloud End.
The colossal shadow instantly blotted out the sky above the White Sea. Shredded clouds trailed behind it like tail feathers.
The ferocious face, immense aura, and ancient vitality revealed its identity.
It was a colossal Pteranodon.
Yes.
In this sky island at 7,000 meters, at the Cloud End where one should fall...
This massive creature defied the rules, soaring upward.
But even more incredible was...
"Heart-Moon Fox, how is it? Can you handle the altitude? I don't want Ryuji thinking I mistreated his subordinate."
The colossal Pteranodon spoke.
Looking closely, one would see the Pteranodon's face was covered by a Bird Mask.
And on its back sat a woman.
She also wore a Sea Beast Head Mask, but unlike the Pteranodon's, hers was mostly blank, with only a small fox painted on the forehead.
"...I'm fine. A bit weak, but I can adapt—Lord Yuji."
Under the mask...
Nico Robin, now codenamed "Heart-Moon Fox," had held a shocked expression for a long time.
Answering Yuji, she gripped tightly onto his back.
Her mind involuntarily replayed the scene from two days ago.
It was in a secret base of Baroque Works.
She had just gone to report.
"Oh? The first batch of profits? How much?"
The Dragon-masked man, having just downed a cola, asked her.
"Mr. 1 turned in 400 million Berries, Mr. 2 turned in 300 million..."
Robin summarized. "...Including the latest rain payment from Alabasta a few days ago, the total is about 9 billion Berries."
"More than I expected. Not bad."
Ryuji was clearly satisfied.
"Nezumi took quite a few contracts recently, plus Inoshishi got the second payment... Cough. Anyway—this really solves the urgent need, Miss All Sunday."
He looked at Robin. "By the way, I heard from Mr. 3—you have leads on what I asked you to investigate?"
Although curious about the other executives mentioned, Robin answered Ryuji first.
"Yes. The agents investigated the Nice-Mayer Kingdom's human trafficking partners in the Sabaody Archipelago..."
"They found it. Here is the intel—the partner is one of the largest auction houses in Sabaody, named 'Yaksha House'."
She paused. "And as you suspected, Celestial Dragons frequent it for high-quality slaves. During the time frame you asked about, a Celestial Dragon from the Limozif Family visited."
Celestial Dragons acted openly, so the intel was detailed.
But she was curious.
"Why are you investigating this?"
Getting familiar with Ryuji, she knew he didn't mind sharing some info.
"Not me. Yuji asked me to look into it. Apparently, it concerns a new subordinate he recruited."
Ryuji said casually.
Then he remembered something. "Right—speaking of that..."
"Yuji is going on a mission for the Leader to investigate a place—according to our intel, there should be a Poneglyph there."
"As promised, do you want to go take a look? You can deliver the intel to him while you're at it."
He laughed, as if mentioning it casually.
Robin stared wide-eyed.
"..."
When will this guy ever be serious?
Leaving most of Baroque Works to me is one thing...
But shouldn't he have mentioned something this important immediately?
Obviously, Robin had only one answer. "Of course I'll go."
"Good—Yuji will pick you up in two days. Take this mask and remember your codename."
Ryuji handed her a mask.
"From today on, you are my subordinate, a member of The Zodiac's Dragon Division—'Heart-Moon Fox'."
Recalling this, Robin touched the mask on her face in disbelief.
She still couldn't believe it—she had joined The Zodiac?
But clearly, that wasn't the main issue now.
The main issue was—
"Below... there are buildings on the clouds."
Looking down at the massive "Cloud End," Robin was stunned. She had heard legends of Sky Islands, but never took them seriously.
But seeing the abandoned, ancient ruins below...
Robin realized Ryuji hadn't lied.
If there really was an ancient kingdom in the sky, an unknown Poneglyph might truly exist here.
But she was even more curious—how did "The Zodiac" know about this place?
Just as she wondered...
"Since you've adapted to the oxygen levels, get ready... we're going higher!"
Yuji's words stunned Robin.
"Lord Yuji, higher?"
They were already at 7,000 meters.
"Of course—the destination is 10,000 meters up."
Yuji chuckled.
At that moment...
BOOM!
Behind them, the White Sea churned.
Several massive Sea Beasts burst from the clouds—bizarre in appearance and colossal in size.
They had been hiding below the surface, stalking Yuji. Now, they attacked.
"Sea Beasts in the clouds?"
Robin's pupils constricted. She crossed her arms, ready to use her ability.
But the next moment...
VMMM!
An invisible pressure descended instantly.
Already suffering from hypoxia, Robin felt like she couldn't breathe.
She crouched low, legs trembling, feeling like she might faint.
Like a small fish facing a Sea King.
Even without malice, the sheer presence was enough to knock her out.
She sensed the source of the terror—it was Yuji beneath her.
And she was certain this pressure was intentionally restrained by Yuji.
Because...
The target was clearly the massive Sea Beasts, over a hundred meters long.
Thump! Thump!
Their eyes rolled back, consciousness lost instantly.
Their massive bodies fell back into the sea, creating huge waves in the water and in Robin's heart.
"Conqueror's... Haki?"
Robin thought of the term.
Although she hadn't mastered Haki, she knew of it.
"Conqueror's Haki"—the "disposition of a king," possessed by one in a million.
It was said that masters of Conqueror's Haki could knock people out with sheer will—exactly what Robin just witnessed.
"Yuji... is a Conqueror's Haki user?"
Robin was speechless.
She knew Yuji was strong, knew all Zodiac executives were strong.
But these powerhouses kept shattering her perception.
And speaking of which...
"Rumor said Yuji turns into a 20-meter Pteranodon..."
Recovering slightly, Robin looked at the creature beneath her.
Yes—as The Zodiac gained fame, the World Government's information blockade loosened.
Robin had heard intel from the Underworld: Yuji could transform into a 20-meter Pteranodon, suspected to be an Ancient Zoan user.
But...
"How is this only 20 meters?"
Looking at the behemoth beneath her, easily over 60 meters long, Robin thought.
But Yuji clearly didn't know Robin's inner turmoil.
"Get ready—we're ascending!"
He warned in a low voice. Then...
VMMM!
Under the direct sunlight, his massive body began to glow with radiant light.
"Cien Fleur!" (Hundred Flowers)
Seeing this, Robin, having experienced it before, closed her eyes and used her ability to secure herself to Yuji's back with countless arms.
The next moment, Yuji flapped his wings.
Immense power generated violent wind pressure, flattening the sea surface below.
Light radiated, and terrifying speed erupted.
Yuji's colossal figure shot into the sky.
If Commodore Lanley, who fought Yuji before, saw this, he would doubt his sanity—
Because the speed and power Yuji displayed now... was countless times stronger than before!
And it was true.
[Roy Amos (Slice-Clone - 'Yuji')]
[Currently Equipped: Glint-Glint Fruit LV3 — Can transform body into photons for light-speed movement and combat.]
Of course, Yuji's enhancement wasn't just the Glint-Glint Fruit LV3.
The true source of the "Conqueror's Haki" Robin sensed...
Was the fruit in his fifth slot.
[Fusion Fruit — Tyrant Pteranodon Fruit]
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