On the coastline, two small figures stood out against the vast horizon. A young boy lounged lazily like a grandmaster, while a young girl busied herself running back and forth massaging his shoulders one moment, pounding his legs the next attending to the whims of a self-proclaimed stingy overlord.
Robin's face held a sweet smile as she diligently worked on Reno's shoulders. Internally, however, she was gritting her teeth in frustration: This stingy miser is always ordering me around! Just wait until I meet my mom then I'll show you who's boss!
Unaware of Robin's internal grumbling, Reno enjoyed the moment with his eyes half-closed, basking in the comfort of being served by his little wife.
Time ticked by. Eventually, Reno lazily opened his eyes, looking down at Robin, who was still energetically pounding his legs. He casually remarked, "Your mother is already on this island. But it seems like she's been captured."
Robin froze mid-action, her eyes wide with alarm. She quickly looked up, her expression filled with urgency. "Stingy… Ah, no, husband! Can you help save my mom? Please?"
Reno couldn't help but find her antics amusing. This little wife of his calling him "husband" when she needed something, yet reverting to "stingy" when she didn't was really something else.
He neither agreed nor refused outright. Instead, he stood up and started walking toward the town.
Robin's eyes lit up, instantly understanding Reno's true intentions. He always acts tough, but he's softhearted when it comes to me. Without hesitation, she scurried after him, her heart silently declaring: A husband like this? Yes, please! I'll take a dozen!
[A Few Kilometers from Ohara's Shores]
Ten Marines warships, led by five vice admirals, advanced steadily toward Ohara. Among the vice admirals, two stood out the most: Kuzan, who exuded a lazy demeanor, and Sakazuki, whose icy, ruthless aura was palpable.
Onboard the ships, Marines soldiers busied themselves hauling crates of ammunition to the deck, stacking them beside the countless cannons prepared for the Buster Call. The decks were crowded with cannon after cannon, leaving only narrow paths for the soldiers to move.
Suddenly, strong gusts of wind began to howl across the sea. The powerful gusts pushed the warships backward, throwing the soldiers into disarray. Crates of ammunition tumbled over, scattering black cannonballs across the deck.
Luckily, the cannonballs were sturdy enough to withstand the impact without detonating. Otherwise, a catastrophic explosion would have reduced the warships to nothing but debris. The next day's headlines might've read: "Shocking! Marines Own Buster Call Obliterates Ten Warships in a Freak Accident!"
While most soldiers struggled to keep their footing, a few seasoned warriors remained unaffected. Among them was Sakazuki, who quickly barked orders to his adjutant. "Issue the command! Pull down all the sails immediately!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral Sakazuki!"
The adjutant snapped to attention and relayed the order without hesitation, a testament to the strict discipline Sakazuki enforced among his subordinates.
The other warships followed suit, swiftly lowering their sails to stabilize their positions. Within moments, the ships stopped drifting and anchored themselves on the turbulent sea.
However, the relentless winds continued to batter the decks, making it nearly impossible for the soldiers to regain their composure, let alone proceed with the Buster Call.
Realizing the severity of the situation, the five vice admirals convened aboard Sakazuki's flagship for an emergency meeting.
Sakazuki was the first to speak. "This wind doesn't seem like a natural disaster. It feels like the work of a Devil Fruit user. Do you agree?"
Kuzan, who had been lounging lazily until now, suddenly sat up with a serious expression. "Are you suggesting that this is the doing of that guy who left the Marines not too long ago?"
As rising stars of the Marines, the vice admirals were well-acquainted with each other's abilities. Kuzan's mind quickly turned to Dragon a man he knew well due to his close association with Garp. If anyone could create winds like these, it would be him.
Meanwhile, Dragon stood silently on a distant cliff, watching the chaos unfold through a spyglass. From his vantage point, the Marines warships appeared as tiny black dots scattered across the sea.
Smiling faintly, he murmured to himself, "Let's see how far you can go now, Marines…"
On the open sea, an unusual scene unfolded. The colossal figure of Jaguar D. Saul was half-submerged in the water, with only his chest and head above the surface. Standing atop Saul's broad shoulders was Dragon, calmly unleashing powerful gusts of wind toward the Marines fleet.
The fierce winds churned up waves that surged toward the warships, pushing them further from Ohara even though they had already furled their sails. The combined force of the wind and waves rendered the Marines powerless to approach the island.
Watching their teamwork in action, Saul tilted his head up and praised, "Dragon, your Devil Fruit ability sure comes in handy. At this rate, those Marines guys won't get anywhere near Ohara for a long time!"
Dragon remained stoic, responding with a calm but firm tone, "My men have already landed on the island from another direction. Our job here is to buy them as much time as possible. No slacking off."
"Hahaha! Don't worry!" Saul let out his signature laugh. "If all I need to do is swim, I could keep this up for three days straight!"
Dragon's ability required a stable footing to maintain its effectiveness, which was why Saul had accompanied him. Hearing Saul's confident assurance, Dragon felt a small sense of relief.
For now, the two held their position, keeping the Marines at bay. The vice admirals on the warships were growing increasingly frustrated, but without even knowing where their enemy was, there was little they could do.
[Ohara Library - Tree of Knowledge]
The iconic library of Ohara was surrounded by agents of the World Government. Their forces weren't limited to the exterior; many agents were stationed inside as well. Among them was Nico Olivia, Robin's mother, trapped within the library's confines.
Not far from the library, two small figures approached slowly along the street—Reno and Robin, having just made their way from the beach. Reno strolled leisurely ahead, while Robin, desperate to save her mother, pushed him from behind with all her might.
No matter how hard Robin pushed, Reno maintained his unhurried pace. Flustered and red-faced, Robin finally took a deep breath and tried a different tactic. "Husband, please hurry and save my mother, okay?"
Reno turned his head to glance at her. Seeing her puffed-up cheeks and her begrudging attempt at sweetness, he chuckled inwardly. The reason for his slow pace was simple—he was teasing her.
Through his Observation Haki, Reno had been monitoring the situation inside the library. He knew Olivia was in no immediate danger. If that weren't the case, he would have acted long ago.
Despite his personal aversion to Olivia, he understood her importance to Robin. For Robin's sake, he would never let harm come to her mother.
Robin, unaware of Reno's thoughts, continued to fret, alternating between pushing and pulling him. The effort left her small frame drenched in sweat.
Finally, Reno decided to stop teasing her. He explained, "It's not that I don't want to save your mother. I've been waiting for someone to arrive. They'll handle it. Your mother is safe, so don't worry."
Hearing this, Robin's anxious heart settled. But then, a question popped into her mind. "Why do you seem so determined to avoid direct conflict with these people? Are you… scared of something?"
Reno gave Robin an appraising look. Her sharp observation skills impressed him. Even at this young age, she displayed the makings of the intelligent, resourceful woman she would one day become.
With a slight smirk, he explained, "I have business at Marineford in the near future. If I cause a commotion now, I'll end up on the Marines wanted list. And let me tell you, going to Marineford as a fugitive isn't exactly an option."
Robin nodded thoughtfully. Everything now made sense—his refusal to confront the World Government agents directly and his seemingly indifferent attitude earlier.
Curiosity piqued, she asked again, "Who exactly is the person you're waiting for?"
Reno pointed toward the crowd near the library. "That bear over there. He's a subordinate of the guy we met at the beach earlier. He's here to transfer the books and scholars off the island."
Robin followed his gaze and spotted the towering figure of Bartholomew Kuma walking steadily toward the library.
Reno had initially planned to rescue Olivia and the scholars himself, even preparing to eliminate the World Government agents to cover his tracks. However, upon sensing Kuma's arrival, he decided to hold back and let the bear take charge.
As Kuma approached, Reno observed the unfolding situation with a calm demeanor, ready to step in only if absolutely necessary.
Meanwhile, Robin watched Kuma with wide eyes, hope rekindled in her heart. She silently vowed to herself: One day, I'll grow strong enough to protect the ones I care about.
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