"Joker, we meet again."
Ex-4, the Deadly Sin of Sloth said with a straight expression on its wooden face. The green moss covered almost all of its skin.
"Peter, what's up!"
Joker waved his hands at EX-4, a smile replaced the tensed look on his face. His eyes scanned his surroundings to find an opening.
If Joker wanted to escape, it wasn't impossible even though EX-3 was present who had somewhat of an ability to stop him from shifting locations.
"Gwrrrhhh!"
EX-7 roared and stomped its foot on the ground leaving a huge footprint. As it inhaled and exhaled, one could see the air current through the nose.
"Ahh, it's going to be tough to not get hurt."
Joker shook his head dejectedly but then stretched his arms and legs.
"Come on! Who comes first?"
Joker got in a fighting stance, his eyes moved quickly from one to the next while calculating any extra possibilities of traps lying around.
EX-1, Deadly Sin of Lust, raised her palms and shot webs towards Joker. These were no ordinary webs but a mixture of poison and seduction.
The ground cracked open and multiple tree roots grabbed hold of Joker's legs. Joker with no other choice, shifted and vanished from his position.
The purple and yellow colored webs entrapped the tree roots, and then caused instant decaying.
"Hehee! Try something else, guys!"
EX-7, Deadly Sin of Pride, got enraged and smoke started coming out his head. The huge magma war axe glowed in even more bright red.
With Joker's voice alone, it guessed his position and dashed inside the forest behind the King's Castle.
"Wait! Idiot!"
EX-1 warned EX-7 but the furious Minotaur didn't listen and followed its own instincts.
Since they were at it, they might as well go in together and capture Joker while EX-7 kept him busy.
"I will make sure he remains here."
EX-3, Deadly Sin of Greed, said with a harsh voice. It flew in the sky and headed in the forest separately.
The others rushed behind.
* * *
Town of Happiness___
Inside the library, Robin sat down on a table next to a wide glass window. She held a book, but she wasn't focused on it.
Instead, her concentration was on the next part of her plan. It was quite a hard task given by Joker, but she had to do it.
Not because she had no other option, it was because she herself was willing to do it. After all, this task was related to the Ohara incident years back.
Ting!
The sound of the hanging door bell was heard. A tall white woman walked in with a long wooden cane.
Irish looked around the library and found Robin sitting alone, with a smile, she walked and sat opposite to her.
"Nico Robin, I still remember that day when you ran and survived our invasion. You have grown to be a fine woman like your mother."
Irish had to accept, she became old. Now looking at Robin, the past memories resurfaced up in her mind.
"How did you know I was here?"
Asked Robin, the hands under the table were clenched into tight fists. She truly was holding back from punching Irish on her face.
"Kid, what age are you living in? Obviously I found you because of the cameras we have installed everywhere."
Irish smiled at Robin, the sides of her eyes started to develop wrinkles. Immortality was really just a human fantasy.
"I want to ask you. Why didn't you find and kill me? It must be pretty easy for the big Devil's Pirates to find a single child in the world right?"
"Yes it is, but I didn't have a reason to. Neither did our captain so I just moved on."
Irish responded with a soft voice, her eyes observed Robin and found some frustration and anger hidden in her eyes.
"Why? Did you want us to find and kill you too? Was it that hard to live on?"
Asked Irish, Robin didn't answer her but the change in her expression didn't escape Irish's eyes.
Robin took in a deep breath, then exhaled it slowly. She placed her hands on the table and stared back at Irish with a more determined look.
"Why are you with the Devil? I studied you, you were the brightest woman in the world at some point in time. So why did you go to the Devil? What could he have offered you to make you willing to die for him?"
Robin asked with a sorrowful voice. Even Irish was surprised by the question and the change in Robin.
"What has he offered me? Hm, that's a good question."
Irish smiled, closing her eyes she tried to remember the time of her first meeting with the Devil.
"Life, the Devil offered me a life to live."
Irish replied, her tone wasn't fast and it was also kind of soft. Robin could feel that Irish wasn't lying to her.
"Life?"
Confused, Robin asked again.
"Yes, life. I was actually never meant to live to this day. I should have died long ago but managed to live because of my captain. Life was addicting. I faced death, and life became even more addicting."
Irish pondered whether what she did back then was right. And she was amazed to find that no matter what, she would have made the same choice every time.
"It was good talking to you, Nico Robin. Unfortunately for you, today is the day you die!"
Irish swung her hands and tried to catch Robin's neck but the latter was already prepared and aware of her situation.
Moving back, Robin kicked the table and made it fall on Irish. She then immediately sprinted out of the library.
"Ahge, my wrist!"
Irish got up and tightened her left hand. The slight pain caused her to shake her head in disappointment.
"I have not just got old, but also weak."
When she walked out of the library, it was impossible to find Robin when the people were in hundreds just on the road.
"Where could she have gone? Borg, go get her. And, I want her alive."
As she said, two red glowing eyes appeared next to her.
[Target Locked]
[Capture]
The robotic sentence sounded once more than with it, the two eyes also disappeared.
* * *
Boom!
The ground was smashed hard, lots of soil scattered around with the impact brought by the huge magma war axe.
"Gwwrrrhh!"
EX-7 roared and slammed his axe once again on the ground where Joker stood. But Joker just shifted himself to another place and avoided the attack.
Boom!
EX-7 grew more angry, it held the war axe with both hands and struck anything in the path between it and Joker.
As seconds passed, Joker could visibly see EX-3 become larger in size and also the high increase in its power.
From 5 meters to 6 meters, in just seconds was terrifying and beyond logic. Joker agreed that if the axe hit him, he would be meat paste.
"Gwwrrhh!"
EX-7 struck down a tree into two halves, it then lifted one with a single hand and threw it towards Joker.
"Damn man! This bull is strong!"
Joker lowered himself and dodged the heavy tree truck. EX-7 stomped its foot on the ground and launched itself towards Joker.
Woosh!
The wind force alone was enough to make Joker fall, the war axe split the ground into two.
By now, Joker was slightly panting. He distanced himself from EX-7 and observed the surroundings.
His observation haki was first amongst all the eight Division Captains. He caught multiple movements past the trees.
'How much longer should I buy them time?'
Joker thought quickly, as he jumped in the air and shifted once again to avoid EX-7.
Boom!
EX-7 struck a boulder that scattered in contact with the magma war axe.
"Kiiiit kiiit!"
An insect noise entered EX-7's ears. It wasn't in human language, it was the language for savage beasts and monsters.
"Gwwrrrhh!"
EX-7 roared in rage, but it seemed to understand and find, through the insect noise, that it was just wasting time against Joker.
The ugly tiny creature on EX-7's shoulder was EX-6, Deadly Sin of Envy. It could change its size and also shapeshift if needed.
The speciality of EX-6 was that it had the ability to make any living being except few, be mentally controlled by its talks.
It could almost hypnotize like Akuma. It could also speak almost every known language present in the world.
While it was scheming, it was physically weak. Almost equivalent to any tiny ant.
Every Deadly Sin had a weakness, EX-7's was that it becomes irrational after getting angry. EX-7 might even attack its own allies in a battle.
EX-6 turned his head and its eyes focused on Joker, far on the top of a tree.
"I envy your freedom, Joker. I must take it from you no matter what. Even if it might result in the death of a few Deadly Sins."