Robin walked barefoot into the woods, looking up at the branches overhead. Suddenly, she raised her hands and waved them gently.
Petals fluttered.
The next moment, arms sprouted from the surrounding trees, snapping off several branches and tossing them down.
Robin carefully sifted through them, selecting two branches: one a smooth, forearm-length stick, and the other as thick as a forearm.
Robin then found a palm-sized stone. Using the stone, she scraped off the outer bark of the thicker branch layer by layer, peeling it away and shaving off much of the surface. What remained was a piece of the inner wood, a little over a finger thick and two fingers wide.
Next, using the sharp point of the stone, she carved a small indentation on the outer side of the wood core. Then, to the left of the small hole, on the edge of the wood block, she struck it with the stone, creating a notch.
Robin gathered some dry grass and leaves, forming them into a bird's nest shape on the ground. She placed the wood core on it, picked up the small stick, and set it upright in the indentation. Robin then grew two hands on her knees, which, along with her own hands, gripped the stick and began to rub it back and forth.
Under the high-speed friction, it wasn't long before smoke began to rise from the indentation, and the fine powder ground from the wood fell through the hole onto the dry grass below.
Robin then picked up the bird's nest and blew on it gently. With sparks flashing, the nest began to burn.
It was lit.
Robin used leaves and grass to enlarge the flame, then found dry branches some distance from the swamp. She stripped the bark off and placed them there, letting them smolder.
Once the branches were ignited, Robin once again used her abilities, and countless arms grew around her.
Some arms dug a large pit next to the flame.
Other arms brought large stones and filled them with wet mud from the swamp. The arms worked in shifts, transporting the wet mud to the edge of the pit.
Robin then knelt beside the pit and built a circular mud wall, leaving openings at both ends.
She then moved stones and placed them on top of the mud wall, blocking it, leaving only an exit at the top.
Finally, she covered the stones with more mud, again leaving a small opening and the two side exits.
The burning wood was then placed inside to bake. Before long, the mud hardened from the heat, smoke billowed from the sides and top, and the fire inside burned, radiating warmth.
This created a simple stove.
Not only could it cook food, but it also emitted heat to ward off the cold.
Furthermore, if the two openings were sealed, the fire could be maintained for a long time.
"Amazing," Xia Qiu thought, deeply impressed by this scene. He had made a stove so easily.
"Let's eat first."
Robin glanced at the sky. It was already afternoon, and she was starving. She disappeared into the coastline.
Not long after, she returned, holding a rabbit. It was already skinned and cleaned.
Robin found a wooden stick, threaded the small white rabbit onto it, and then went to the left fire opening. Using her Hana Hana no Mi, she grew arms and moved stones to create a small stone platform.
She pulled the wood from the stove through the left fire opening and added some bark and reeds. The flames burned fiercely.
Then, she grew an arm on the stone platform, holding the wooden stick, and began to roast the rabbit over the fire.
Once the rabbit meat was cooked, its aroma filled the air, and even Xia Qiu couldn't help but sniff.
Robin ate large mouthfuls of the rabbit meat. After finishing, she went to the stream to fetch water.
Upon her return, Robin rested for a while, left the shore, and headed into the depths of the island.
She didn't appear again for a long time.
Why isn't she out yet?
Xia Qiu was getting anxious. Did she run off? With her skills, it wouldn't be hard to build a raft.
Or did she run into danger?
Xia Qiu waited until evening. Robin finally returned, carrying some dry grass and a skinned pheasant. After putting them down, She noticed Xia Qiu staring at her and couldn't help but ask, "Were you waiting for me?"
Xia Qiu nodded. Robin smiled and said, "I went to explore the forest further, looking for some things I need. It should be enough."
Xia Qiu felt relieved and nodded.
"Were you worried I'd escape?" Robin suddenly asked.
Xia Qiu hesitated, but then nodded. He had indeed considered it.
Robin smiled and said, "Don't worry. This island lacks materials. There are many trees, but not enough strong enough to make sturdy ropes for a raft. Even if I could make a raft, it wouldn't withstand the waves and harsh weather of the Grand Line. It would be very difficult for me to leave this deserted island on my own."
She sighed and continued, "So I wouldn't leave secretly. You don't need to worry."
Xia Qiu felt a little embarrassed and shook his head.
Robin walked back, roasted the pheasant, and after eating it, spread the dry grass on a clearing not far from the shore. She lay down on it, looking up at the tranquil night sky.
Even now, she still found it hard to accept what had happened.
This morning, she was the Vice President of an assassination organization, and by evening, she was stranded on an island by a sea fish.
Moreover, if no one else arrived, with the materials available on the island, it would be impossible to build a sea ship capable of withstanding the storms of the Grand Line.
This meant she would be stuck here for the next two years.
Unable to contact anyone else, she could only stay on the deserted island, keeping the black fish company.
Not being able to pursue her dreams was a tragic thing.
But at the same time, she didn't have to hide anymore.
For her dreams, she had to go undercover, compromise time and time again, associate with villains, and even join an assassination organization.
However, now, after passively giving up her dreams for two years, she had instead found a sliver of peace.
Life truly played tricks on people.
Robin thought, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, in the distance, after seeing her lie down, Xia Qiu slowly sank down, feeling a bit excited.
This was the first time he had found someone, communicated with them, and received a response.
Xia Qiu longed to communicate with others. For six years, he had survived mostly alone, with only Moo Moo for company for one of those years.
He possessed a human soul, and every moment of his life was filled with constant thought.
Even after a year with Moo Moo, it couldn't understand his thoughts or allow him to express his inner world.
So, Xia Qiu desperately wanted to communicate with others, and today, he had finally gotten his wish.
Xia Qiu was very happy. He slowly sank into the ocean, but instead of resting, he left the area and headed for Alabasta.
He still had an important task to complete, his ultimate plan.
To go to Alabasta, find the f-Crocodiles, and eat them to grow limbs.
Xia Qiu had been in the sea for too long and was extremely bored, so he planned to explore the land.
To go ashore, he needed limbs.
He temporarily dismissed the idea of limbs from land mammals, as they couldn't support his massive body. Therefore, Xia Qiu chose the limbs of crocodiles, intending to evolve into one and be able to go ashore.
And he knew of only one place where crocodiles lived in large numbers.
Lodestar Island, the island where Alabasta was located.
In Alabasta, there were two types of crocodiles: Banana Crocodiles and f-Crocodiles, both belonging to the same family.
Banana Crocodiles were larger, nearly twenty meters long, with bananas growing on their heads, making them the preferred target.
However, the Banana Crocodiles he knew of inhabited the lakes of the Rain Country and were raised by Crocodile, living around the Raindinners Casino.
Xia Qiu couldn't cross the desert and didn't know of any other places with Banana Crocodiles.
So, he had no choice but to settle for the f-Crocodiles.
There were more f-Crocodiles, inhabiting the rivers of Lodestar Island.
They were relatively smaller, but still six to seven meters, almost ten meters long.
They were docile, lived both in water and on land, and could even cross deserts, serving as transportation for many Alabasta residents.
Most importantly, they were very fast, the second fastest animal in Alabasta, second only to the Quick Duck.
So now, Xia Qiu planned to take advantage of the night to go to Alabasta and find f-Crocodiles.
Fourth update, still writing, the fifth update will be later, probably around 2 AM.
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