BOOM!!!
The flying ship crashed into the earth, unleashing a massive shockwave that effortlessly snapped countless towering trees. Immediately after, the severed Giant Jack came crashing down, striking the ship right in the middle and snapping it in half.
Billowing clouds of dust and smoke rose into the sky.
In the forest, everyone was drawn to the deafening noise.
Dozens of pirates gathered at the base of a massive tree. Gin, wrapped entirely in white bandages, stared intently at the crash site and muttered, "The captain... he really won..."
"Of course he did, Gin! The boss is the strongest."
"Shihahaha! That bastard must have been beaten half to death by the boss. Let's go check it out!"
The Nyaban Brothers laughed and cheered. With that, they ran excitedly toward the crash site.
Gin watched their retreating backs and fell silent.
Battles were never as easy as they made it sound. He knew Enel was strong—terrifyingly so.
Against Allen, he had *almost* no chance of winning, but against Enel, he had *absolutely* none!
He couldn't see even a sliver of hope for victory!
This wasn't because Enel was stronger than Allen, but because Gin simply had no means to fight a Logia user.
He couldn't withstand the enemy's attacks, his speed was completely outclassed, and what was even more despair-inducing was that all of his strikes were completely useless against a Logia body!
Facing Enel, the biggest difference between him and Allen wasn't strength or technique, but Haki. That was the essential power that turned the possibility of defeating Enel from a zero to a one.
"Phew—"
Gin let out a long breath, then clenched his fists, a flash of absolute resolve gleaming deep in his eyes.
He had to seize every moment to train his Haki. Otherwise, if things continued like this, he wouldn't even have the right to stand behind Allen.
...
Meanwhile, inside the ruins.
"Sure enough, the only one who can beat a freak like that is an even bigger freak..."
Sanji sat on the ground, leaning against a broken wall. He shook his head with a relieved smile, then looked down to light a cigarette. Taking a drag, he looked up, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke as he stared at the setting sun, lost in thought.
Allen was strong—he had known that since their time at the Baratie. But what he hadn't expected was that Allen's rate of growth was even more monstrous.
Ever since entering the Grand Line, Allen had improved rapidly with every battle. Especially after mastering Haki, his strength had taken a qualitative leap.
It had only been a month since his battle with Drake on Holiday Island.
Yet now, not only had he grasped the basics of both Armament Haki and Observation Haki, but he could also proficiently use the Six Powers, even integrating his own techniques to develop advanced variations.
Even though Sanji knew about the Demon Brain's abilities, he still couldn't help but find Allen's terrifying learning speed completely absurd.
Compared to him, it was as if everyone else was just marching in place; their meager growth seemed entirely insignificant.
The Grand Line was filled with powerful fighters. As Allen's strength increased, the enemies they would face in the future would only grow stronger.
If this continued, the rest of them would eventually be unable to keep up with his pace.
Furthermore...
Sanji gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly.
If he stayed at this level, how could he ever protect Nami and Robin in the future!
At this thought, his eyes suddenly filled with high fighting spirit, as if two balls of fire were burning within them.
Now that the pirate crew's structure was fully established, the members of the First Division were gradually becoming capable of holding their own in the kitchen. It was time for him to let go and delegate some of the work to his subordinates.
"I've decided! Starting today, I'm going to set aside more time to train!"
Sanji's tone was resolute. Under the strange gazes of Nami and Robin nearby, he clenched his fists, his eyes burning with passion as he declared fiercely,
"For the sake of all the young, cute, beautiful, and sexy girls in the world who need protecting! I absolutely must become stronger!"
"..."
Nami gave him a speechless, deadpan stare. "Crazy."
Robin didn't say anything, merely offering a gentle smile.
"Let's go. We should regroup with the others first."
Nami stepped forward. As she passed by Robin, she raised a hand and patted her shoulder, looking back with a smile. "Let's go, Robin. It's time to prepare for the next event."
"The next event?"
Hearing this, Robin couldn't help but feel confused.
"Hehe, a banquet, of course! A banquet."
Nami grinned, flashing her pearly white teeth, and laughed. "Throwing a banquet after a fight is a pirate tradition. Everyone always does it."
"Is that so..."
Robin was taken aback for a moment before her lips curled into a faint smile. "I don't quite understand it, but it is indeed worth celebrating. Let's go."
...
That night, a grand and lively bonfire banquet was held in the forest.
The warm firelight illuminated joyous faces. Glasses clinked and laughter echoed through the woods, dispelling the silence that had shrouded the area for so long.
After four hundred long years, this ancient land was once again... for the second time, hosting a pirate banquet.
"Next up! Please enjoy the thrilling blindfolded knife-throwing act! Let's have a round of applause for our knife thrower—Mr. Lailai the Lion!"
"What!"
"A lion throwing knives?!"
"So cool—!"
On the temporarily constructed stage, the circus performers passionately put on their show.
Below the stage, Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp leaned against the edge, their eyes sparkling with stars as they watched in sheer disbelief.
On the opposite stage, graceful dancers in dazzling costumes performed a sexy, alluring dance with captivating expressions.
Beneath that stage, a crowd of pirates gathered, their eyes replaced by giant beating hearts.
Behind a grill not far away, Sanji rapidly prepped handfuls of ingredients, but his eyes were glued to the stage, drooling as he watched, completely entranced.
On the outskirts, Allen and Zoro, their faces flushed with alcohol, had their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing heartily as they passionately engaged in a drinking contest.
Allen also took the opportunity to try and poach Zoro from Luffy.
And was ruthlessly rejected.
...
Amidst the winding, gnarled giant tree roots, Robin sat alone in a dark corner, the light of the bonfire barely illuminating half of her body.
Setting sail, landing on an unknown shore, going through a battle, and finally ending with a banquet.
An adventure was completed just like that.
A faint smile graced Robin's lips as she quietly watched the lively bonfire banquet and the joyous, smiling faces.
Ever since the Alabasta incident, she felt as though she had suddenly lost her direction in life.
Should she pick up her past goals and search the vast seas for the truth that scholars had sacrificed themselves for, or should she find an empty corner and quietly wait for the end of her life?
Suddenly, she couldn't figure out what she truly wanted. She was merely being pushed forward by the last lingering trace of unwillingness in her heart.
But now, for a fleeting moment, she suddenly felt that being a pirate might not be a bad choice.
Aimlessly searching for the Poneglyphs while killing time, slowly living out this meaningless life with one foot in the grave.
The truth, or death—which one would arrive first...
A hint of melancholy flashed through Robin's deep eyes.
"What are you thinking about, Robin? Why don't you come join everyone?"
Nami walked over with a smile, holding a wooden mug in her hand.
Robin looked at her and shook her head with a smile. "It's nothing. I'm just used to being alone."
"I see..."
Stepping in front of Robin, Nami smoothed her skirt and sat down on a tree stump, smiling. "I remember you're an archaeologist, Robin. You like studying those stones with weird writing on them. Are they called Poneglyphs?"
"You could say that. But Poneglyphs are incredibly difficult to find. Usually, I study ancient texts and the occasional ruins we come across, like this land that has been lost in the sky for four hundred years," Robin explained softly.
Nami listened while taking a sip of her drink. After setting the mug down, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She turned her head toward Allen's direction.
"That guy prepared a surprise for you. I'm sure you'll love it. However..."
Saying this, Nami turned back to look at Robin, smiling with feigned mystery. "I'll only tell you if you come join the banquet."
Robin couldn't help but look at her curiously, pondering, "Does it have to do with the Poneglyphs?"
"Eh, how did you know?" Nami was taken aback.
Hearing this, Robin was also stunned.
"Well, whatever." Nami didn't keep her in suspense any longer and smiled directly. "Allen found a Golden Bell where the flying ship crashed. It seems to have fallen along with the Giant Jack. Embedded right under the bell's base is one of those stones you're looking for."
"You mean a Poneglyph?!"
Robin's eyes widened in astonishment, her usual calm demeanor suddenly vanishing.
Nami held up her index finger and winked. "Hehe, exactly. But because the Golden Bell is too big, Allen plans to gather everyone to handle it tomorrow. He knew you definitely wouldn't be able to wait, so he had me tell you first."
"Is that so."
Saying this, Robin stood up on her own, turned to check the direction, and prepared to leave. "Thank you. I'd like to go take a look right now."
"Eh?"
Nami froze in place. She knew Robin would be impatient, but wasn't this a bit too impatient?
Perhaps that thing really was incredibly important to her.
"Whatever. Next time we have a banquet, I won't let you run off so easily." Nami smiled in understanding, stood up to dust off her skirt, and turned to head back to the party.
Suddenly.
"Who's there!"
Robin's voice rang out from the forest. Nami instinctively whipped her head around.
She saw an incredibly tall and burly man with a pair of bear ears on his head, wearing a black jacket and white spotted pants.
"Nico Robin. To encounter you here is truly something I did not expect," Kuma said in a deep voice. Holding a Bible in his hand, he looked down at Robin with an expressionless, cold gaze.
Recognizing his identity, Robin's face filled with panic. Her body trembled, and she uncontrollably took a step back.
"Why... why is the Warlord of the Sea known to be the most obedient to the World Government... appearing in a place like this?"
"Robin! What's going on? Is he an enemy?!"
Seeing her reaction, Nami's expression changed, her eyes immediately turning vigilant.
"I see. Have you joined them?"
Kuma shifted his gaze to Nami, seemingly understanding something. He turned his indifferent gaze back to Robin and said, "To think a dangerous figure like you would be taken in by a pirate crew. Do they not know your identity?"
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