Fireworks bloomed outside the window, illuminating Robin's surprised, uncertain expression.
Leno's reaction was beyond her expectations.
"Eh?!"
Robin exclaimed, her gaze fixed on Leno.
Why wasn't he reacting the way she thought? Did he not know who Nico Robin was?
She couldn't help but say, "Nico Robin, the World Government has placed a bounty of 79 million Belly on me. They call me the 'Devil's Child.'"
"Yeah, I know. And then?" Leno's response was casual, as if she had just introduced herself with a common name.
Robin stood there, dumbfounded.
What was going on? Didn't this man understand her worth?
Ever since she escaped from Ohara, Robin had wandered, fleeing from place to place. Those she met, even family, wanted to either turn her in for a reward or use her for their own gain.
Betrayal and deception had shaped her suspicious and guarded nature.
Yet here Leno was, unfazed by her identity, looking at her as though she were just another person.
"Why?" Robin asked, her voice filled with confusion.
Leno looked at her curiously. "Why what?"
"Why aren't you surprised or reacting differently? Did you already know who I am?" she asked.
Leno smiled. "When I saw Kuzan looking at you, I had my suspicions, but I didn't give it too much thought."
Robin nodded slightly. That moment between her and Kuzan had been brief, but significant—something only the two of them understood. If Kuzan hadn't told Leno, there was no way he would have known.
"But as for why I'm not surprised?" Leno asked, leaning back against the sofa. "Why should I be surprised?"
"As I said earlier, you're just a regular person. Since you're a normal person, what's there to be shocked about?"
"You're Nico Robin. So what? Maybe you carry something important, some kind of value… but to me, you're just another candidate hunter who passed the assessment, someone chasing their own goals and dreams."
"Here, we're all the same. Everyone has a past, and everyone has secrets."
"Look, you're really not that different. There's nothing to make a fuss about."
Ordinary?
Robin found it strange. No one had ever called her "ordinary" before. As a child, she had been praised for her intelligence in Ohara. And because of her Devil Fruit powers, she had been shunned, labeled a freak. Then, the World Government had branded her as the "Devil's Child."
But now, Leno was calling her… ordinary?
Leno saw the doubt in her eyes and leaned back further into the sofa. "Listen, even with superhuman abilities, you're still human."
"Being strong, smart, or fast—it's just another trait."
"The abilities you have are just part of your personality. Accept it, live with it, and no one can deny your existence."
Robin stared at him thoughtfully. Maybe staying here wasn't such a bad idea.
After passing the examination, the hunters-in-training began their seven-day study, while a designer prepared custom uniforms for them. The Hunter's Guild had partnered with DOSKOIPANDA to supply the uniforms.
"Mohji from Acrobatic Island contacted us. There have been multiple reports of children going missing, and they need help!"
"A wealthy businessman is seeking protection from a hunter."
"The King of the Keeley Kingdom is requesting our assistance to deal with a pirate gang causing trouble on their island!"
With the Hunter's Guild now operational, the prestige it had built up was generating various tasks.
"We need to establish bases in multiple locations, evaluate mission levels, and then send hunters accordingly."
"Those who failed the assessment can join the logistics team and manage the bases, though they won't be granted a license. They'll receive a portion of the mission commissions instead."
"Also, we should reach out to the kingdoms and islands that want to cooperate with us."
There were inevitable mistakes in the beginning, given the team's inexperience. But soon, the Hunter's Guild began to stabilize.
After completing their special training, the hunters-in-training formed teams and started taking on missions in East Blue.
By late October, only half a month remained until the anticipated battle with Kaido. With the Hunter's Guild running smoothly, Leno set his sights on the Sabaody Archipelago.
His goal was to meet with the Archipelago's newcomer mentor, Rayleigh, the last NPC in Novice Village.
Leno needed to upgrade his Conqueror's Haki.
"Elegia!"
"This is a map of the world!"
Robin walked to the map and sketched two bold symbols on the paper.
In Ohara's Tree of Knowledge, there had been a bronze sculpture representing the world. Robin remembered the layout well.
"If you compare these two horizontal lines to the Grand Line, next to them are the wide Calm Belts."
"And these four areas are East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and North Blue—the Four Seas."
"The two vertical lines form a circle, separating the Grand Line into two sections, Paradise and the New World, while the Red Line divides them."
"The intersection of the Grand Line and the Red Line forms two points: Upside Down Mountain and Mary Geoise."
"You can enter the Grand Line from the Four Seas in three ways."
"First, you can ride the soaring current up the Reverse Mountain. Most ships, especially pirate ships, follow this path."
"Second, you can cross the Calm Belt directly into the Grand Line, though it's dangerous."
"The Calm Belt is motionless. There's no wind, so without an external power source, ships can't move. But more importantly, giant Sea Kings, sometimes over a kilometer long, live there. They're a nightmare for any ship."
"Third, you can go through Mary Geoise, which has a current similar to Reverse Mountain but smoother. It lifts ships over the mountain. This route is mostly used by the World Government and the Navy, though nations allied with the World Government can also use it after getting approval."
Robin paused. She had once sneaked aboard a merchant ship traveling from West Blue to East Blue. But she kept that fact to herself.
Her true identity still needed to remain hidden.
"Reverse Mountain is too slow."
"That's right, the Sabaody Archipelago is just nearby."
Leno glanced at Kuzan, Kuro, and Luwell. "East Blue is in your hands now!"
The three nodded firmly.
For this journey to the Sabaody Archipelago, Leno brought Kuina and Buggy aboard the ship from the Kingdom of Oikot. He wanted Kuina to gain more experience, and Buggy was lucky—and had history with Rayleigh, having once sailed on the same ship.
Kuzan remained to oversee Elegia, while Kuro and Luwell managed the operations of the Hunter's Guild. Robin, for now, stayed at the guild's headquarters to assist with administrative matters.
Kuina trained diligently with her sword, while Buggy lay sprawled on the ship's figurehead, fast asleep, as they sailed under the warm sun.
Merchant ships flying the flag of the World Government rarely have to worry about encountering pirates. In the East Blue, who would dare to rob such a ship? Unless, of course, it's a thief with no fear of consequences.
Leno sat on the side of the boat, fishing leisurely.
Soon enough, a tail-red trout was caught by him. As he glanced up, he noticed a small boat drifting across the sea, with a person on board waving a flag.
"Hey, someone's calling for help!" one of the crew members exclaimed, spotting the signal.
"Should we save him?" the captain asked, turning to Leno for guidance.
Leno didn't hesitate. "Bring him aboard," he instructed.
The crew obeyed, and after a short while, the boat neared theirs, and the man aboard was pulled up.
Plop!
The man collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed with gratitude. His eyes welled up with tears as he cried out,
"Thank you! You're truly good people! I've been drifting for ten days... Could you spare some food for a starving man?"
Seeing his pitiful state, the crew quickly provided him with food, which he ravenously devoured, barely pausing between bites.
"You saved my life... thank you so much!" he mumbled between mouthfuls.
"Did you get caught in a storm?" the captain asked, his tone cautious.
The man shook his head after swallowing a large chunk of bread. "No... I ran into pirates."
"Pirates?" someone echoed.
The man's lips twisted into a sinister grin.
"Yes, the Krieg Pirates. They're close."
No sooner had he said that than—
Boom!
A salvo of twelve cannonballs screamed through the air, their shrieks piercing the silence as they hurtled towards the merchant ship. They didn't hit directly but landed nearby, sending tremors through the waters—a clear warning.
"What's happening?" Buggy, who had been napping below deck, woke with a start, his ears twitching. When he caught sight of the shells, his body instinctively fell apart in fright.
From behind a rocky outcropping, a pirate ship emerged, its flag fluttering proudly in the wind.
"Pirates!" the alarmed crew shouted, scrambling to arm themselves, swords drawn, ready to fight back.
Boom!
The man they had just rescued suddenly lashed out, kicking the captain aside and silencing the ship with a single blow. As the crew stared in shock, he began to laugh heartily.
"Pirates? I am a pirate, you fools!" he bellowed, tearing off his cloak to reveal golden armor underneath.
"I am Krieg, captain of the Krieg Pirates! Surrender, and your lives will be spared!"
He raised his fists arrogantly. "Sooner or later, you will all bow before me. It's only a matter of time!"
From his spot on the figurehead, Buggy, still in pieces, stared at the pompous Krieg with a blank expression.
"Is this guy for real?" he muttered under his breath. "What an idiot."
It wasn't just Buggy—everyone on board had the same perplexed look.
Krieg, noticing their lack of fear, was taken aback. "Hey! Aren't you supposed to be trembling? Screaming? Why aren't you panicking?"
The silence was deafening, and the mocking looks from the crew crushed Krieg's confidence. He glanced around, following their gaze until his eyes landed on Leno, still fishing on the side of the boat.
"So, you're their trump card, huh?" Krieg sneered, clenching his fists and marching toward Leno. "Watch as I—"
"Enough," Leno interrupted, not even sparing Krieg a glance. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the fishing line—now wrapped in Armament Haki—flying toward Krieg.
The pirate captain barely had time to process what was happening before the hook latched onto him. With a swift, effortless motion, Leno pulled Krieg up and tossed him into the air.
"Let's go," Leno muttered, disinterested.
Krieg, still in shock, flailed as he soared through the sky. "What the—?!"
The pirate ship came into view below him. His pirate ship.
"Hey, isn't that Boss Krieg?" one of his crew members shouted, pointing toward the falling figure.
"Why's he flying back to us?"
Boom!
Krieg crashed onto his own ship with a resounding impact, snapping the mast and splitting the ship in half.
Back on the merchant vessel, the crew cheered. "As expected of the Hunter's president! You're amazing, Leno!"
Leno didn't pay attention to their praise. The fight had been too short to be of interest, and the system didn't even bother to notify him of any significant gain. Ordinary talents like Krieg were of little consequence to him now.
As the merchant ship continued its journey, it smoothly entered the lift at Marie Geoise, powered by sea currents. The ship was elevated step by step until it merged with a river on the Red Line.
Looking out from the ship, Leno mused aloud, "The formation of the Calm Belt, Grand Line, and Red Line… it almost feels as if they were deliberately created."
Buggy, standing nearby, crossed his arms and began explaining to Kuina, "That's the Sabaody Archipelago ahead! The whole island is a massive mangrove forest."
"Sabaody Archipelago?" Kuina asked, intrigued.
"Yup. It's also called the Island of Failure and the Island of Restart," Buggy said with a knowing nod.
"Why?" Kuina pressed further, curious about this strange new place.
Buggy smirked, loving the attention. "It's where pirates from all over the world gather before attempting to enter the New World. But here's the thing—Grand Line's currents, winds, and magnetic fields are nothing like the four seas. Navigating it is a nightmare."
"And if they want to enter the New World?" Kuina asked, leaning in.
"They have to coat their ships and descend 10,000 meters to Fish-Men Island, passing through the deep-sea passage. Each time, it's a life-or-death gamble. Many pirates fail, and not everyone makes it to the other side."
The journey was far from over, and adventure still beckoned on the horizon as the ship headed toward the mysterious Sabaody Archipelago.
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+30 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg
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