"You don't need to thank me. Given the circumstances, even though I'm still just a civilian and not officially a Marine yet... the fact that I couldn't stop your fate—it's me who should be apologizing to you."
Yahn ruffled little Robin's hair, his glasses glowing red in the light of the flames. Behind them, his eyes showed a hint of helplessness.
This... was one of the reasons Yahn had always hesitated to join the Marines, especially rising through their ranks.
The higher the position, the tighter the grip of the World Government. The more you're expected to obey their will—or risk being seen as a threat that must be eliminated.
But how could Yahn ever truly align himself with a World Government that supported the rot of the Celestial Dragons, a regime where aristocracy and slavery coexisted?
And to think he'd ever serve as a pawn for such a system—worse, to protect the Celestial Dragons like the Admirals did?
Robin never imagined that someone like Yahn… would say sorry to her.
Such gentle words pierced straight through the emotional defenses of the young, frightened girl. For the first time, she felt an overwhelming sense of trust toward him.
So... what Saul said was true.
Beyond the sea, there are kind people who would treat her gently.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Robin pressed her lips together and softly said, "It's okay. You didn't hurt me. I'm already really grateful for that."
She paused, then suddenly smiled.
"The fire's almost here. You should get going. I'll find a way to survive."
"What kind of way could you possibly find?" Yahn sighed, shaking his head as he glanced back at the growing inferno behind him.
Even after confirming with Observation Haki multiple times that there were no other people or Marines nearby, he knew this wasn't the time or place to keep talking with Robin.
Besides, Ohara—a land with over 5,000 years of history—was moments away from being completely destroyed.
"Robin…"
Yahn stood up, his voice warm.
"We'll meet again… out on the sea."
"Eh?" Robin looked at him, confused.
Then, without warning, Yahn pulled out a strange-looking mask from who-knows-where. It was made of an unfamiliar material and adorned with odd patterns—unlike anything even Robin, already a recognized archaeologist at just eight years old, had ever seen.
The next moment, everything blurred.
Yahn bent down, gently placed the mask on Robin's face, and whispered into her ear:
"This is the only gift I can give you right now. I hope... it can protect you."
Instantly, the mask shrank to perfectly fit Robin's small face. Something... seeped from within it into her.
"Gift of the Hollow: Sangha of the Bewitching Eyes!"
From Yahn's perspective, a torrent of white energy began pouring out of the mask, seeping into Robin's body.
Unlike the power of his Soul Reaper Zanpakutō, this was something else entirely—power from the Hollow, a different force altogether.
At first, Yahn hadn't even known this energy existed within him. He thought he could only wield the Shinigami's Zanpakutō. That was, until the day he ate a mysterious Devil Fruit in front of Sengoku.
And from that, a unique power was born: the Sangha of the Bewitching Eyes, the Seventh Blade among the ten elite Espada, rulers of the Hollow realm.
But this Zanpakutō couldn't be wielded by Yahn himself. It could only be passed to others—through a mask.
And all this time, under Sengoku's ever-watchful eye, Yahn had never had the chance to bestow this power on someone he trusted.
This… was his first time.
And he was nervous.
He stared intently at Robin, worried that the process might hurt her or cause her distress.
Before long, the white substance from the mask began forming a cocoon around Robin—an egg-shaped shell that completely enveloped her.
"Just as expected…"
Yahn murmured, then slowly drew his Zanpakutō and recited its release incantation.
"Roar… Divine Judgment!"
In an instant, a massive spectral arm manifested behind him, effortlessly grasping the white cocoon.
Then—with a sudden swing—it hurled the cocoon far toward the sea.
A violent burst of force followed. The resulting shockwave churned the ocean, sending up crashing waves.
The cocoon flew across the sky like a comet, hugging the sea's surface until it vanished beyond Yahn's line of sight.
"Farewell, Robin."
Yahn gently ended the release of Zanpakutō: Divine Judgment, his voice soft with parting.
Though his physical body was frail, the spectral entity created by his Zanpakutō was fueled entirely by his spiritual pressure—and its strength was immense.
To prevent the Marines from finding Robin later, Yahn had only one option: to launch her beyond Ohara's waters.
With that throw, even accounting for drag over the ocean, he estimated the cocoon would fly several hundred kilometers.
After that, the ocean currents would determine her destination. No one—not even the World Government—could track her from there.
It was the best plan he could come up with on such short notice.
Even if Robin would still be hunted in the future, with the power of the Sangha of the Bewitching Eyes and her Hana Hana no Mi, her life would surely be better than the one she'd known in the original timeline.
Still… Yahn hesitated.
Then, he pulled out a seemingly ordinary Den Den Mushi from his coat—followed by a second one, specially shielded against eavesdropping.
He dialed a number.
"Moshi moshi."
The voice that answered was deep, carried on the sound of rushing wind.
Yahn maintained his highest level of Observation Haki, locking onto the positions of the five Marine Vice Admirals currently executing the Buster Call. After confirming none of them were heading his way, he sighed and spoke.
"Dragon, where are you right now?"
"Oh? Now this is unusual. Didn't my dear Chief Strategist once say never to call unless it was a matter of life or death? What's going on today, then?"
A pause.
"Don't tell me… you're finally ready to defect from the Marines too? Should I come pick you up?"
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Currently at chapter 155 for advance chapters
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