Inside Den Den Mushi City Fortress, Liam's anguished screams echoed incessantly...
In the kitchen, several Robins simultaneously shook their heads. Some opened the refrigerator, retrieving ingredients one by one, while others busied themselves at the stoves, and still others prepared ingredients at the cutting boards...
Soon, steaming, low-budget versions of Okama Island's offensive cuisine, adapted for simpler preparation, were carried out one by one by the Robins.
On the living room sofa, Liam, who had removed the Impact Fruit from his body and withdrawn his Stand, was enveloped in billowing white steam. His skin, flushed crimson, burning hot, and trembling from his dangerously high body temperature, flickered in and out of view through the thick vapor...
The real Robin sat beside him, clutching his large hand tightly. Liam gripped back with such force that she felt a slight ache, but she paid no heed, her gaze fixed on his indistinct form through the steam.
One by one, Flower Clones brought out the piping-hot dishes and set them down before dissolving into clusters of petals that vanished.
After a long while...
Liam's gritted-teeth groans gradually subsided. He exhaled deeply, dispersing the White Smoke swirling around him.
"Thanks for the trouble," Robin said, opening her arms playfully. "Want a hug?"
They embraced, huddling together for warmth...
"So hot," Robin murmured, gently stroking Liam's broad, solid back.
Not a single bead of sweat remained on his scorching skin, a testament to the searing heat raging within him. What agony that must bring... The muscles beneath his skin still trembled slightly.
No matter how many times Robin witnessed such scenes, she couldn't begin to imagine the torment Liam had just endured.
All she could do was hold him tighter.
Suddenly, Liam pressed his face against her neck and inhaled sharply... Robin's skin prickled with goosebumps, a blush flitting across her beautiful eyes. Annoyed, she slapped him lightly on the back.
"Ow! That hurt!" Liam exclaimed dramatically, releasing Robin.
Robin's hand, which Liam had been holding, was now flushed red. Liam didn't say much, merely gently massaged her slender hand.
"Eat," Robin said, her hand still held captive. She used the Flower-Flower Fruit (Hana Hana no Mi) to create numerous arms, arranging the dishes on the table and bringing over buckets of drinks to replenish Liam's fluids.
Liam didn't stand on ceremony. Now focused on replenishing his energy, he ate and drank with gusto, filling his stomach.
Simultaneously, a dark shadow detached from his body, transforming into a sleek Black Battle Armor with narrow, faintly glowing eyes. It stood silently by his side.
Drawing on his dual experiences as both a Stand user and a Stand itself, Liam had now fully absorbed the lessons from his recent battle with Rayleigh. He had mastered a new application of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), Ryuo (Flowing Sakura), a technique that amplified his explosive power and destructive force.
"Hasshō-ken - Eight Impacts Fist?"
Liam and B.I.B. exchanged a glance.
After retracting his Stand, Liam naturally gained access to all the memories of its private conversation with Rayleigh.
'Just a set of Hasshōken? How could that be related to Conqueror's Haki?' Liam's way of thinking perfectly mirrored his Stand's, even sharing the same bewilderment as B.I.B. had felt earlier.
Robin chuckled. "Looks like we have another reason to visit Kano Country in the future."
"Yeah. We're going there eventually anyway!"
Liam devoured his meal rapidly, but with Robin acting as the perfect "waitress", simultaneously controlling several Flower Clones, the dishes arrived in a seamless flow. The moment he finished one plate, a fresh one appeared at his side, and whenever he showed the slightest sign of thirst, an opened drink was precisely placed before him. After so many years together, Liam and Robin's unspoken understanding had become second nature.
'That's why Robin glanced at the Black Battle Armor, which had remained motionless ever since emerging from Liam's body.'
'It hadn't re-bestowed any Devil Fruit abilities upon Liam. Consequently, it hadn't copied any such powers itself.'
"Just in case," Liam chuckled, noticing her gaze as he ate.
Robin, lost in thought, suddenly said, "The last time something similar happened, you had Jinbe take you to their ship, and you were planning to kill someone then too..."
Liam continued eating and drinking, merely shrugging in response.
Robin sighed softly. "This time, it's a pirate crew led by one of the Sea Emperors..."
Liam grinned. "Might get pretty dangerous, huh?"
"Mm," Robin nodded.
"Scared?" Liam asked.
"What about you?" Robin countered. Without waiting for his reply, she smiled faintly. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Liam burst into hearty laughter.
…
"Since you have nowhere else to go, why not come back with me and join our pirate crew?"
Inside Shakky's bar, Marco was speaking with Fish-Man Lobster, human Herman, and Longleg Race Rege. These three former slaves, freed by Jolyne Cujoh, had surprisingly seized the chaos to beat up a Celestial Dragon, much to Marco's astonishment. Though the beating was cathartic, it meant the trio would find it nearly impossible to find refuge anywhere on the Sea. Marco knew all too well how utterly relentless the CP-0, the Celestial Dragons' personal spy organization, was.
Who could refuse an invitation from a Whitebeard Pirates commander? Especially those with such bleak prospects. Lobster, Herman, and Rege eagerly accepted without hesitation, their eyes shining with excitement.
"Bringing Giorno and Robin alone would be manageable, but with all of you, we'd be too slow," Marco reasoned. "Why don't you get a coated ship and sail from Fish-Man Island to the New World?"
Fish-Man Island was Whitebeard Pirates territory. Marco was about to give the trio a Vivre Card as a token of safe passage and a means to reach the White Whale when Giorno suddenly spoke up.
"Who said we needed you to take us? We can fly ourselves!"
Liam and Robin emerged from the Den Den Mushi City fortress with two swift biu biu sounds, their Black Battle Armor silently trailing behind.
"Since you three are going too, let's all go together," Liam said with a wave of his hand, scooping up the green Den Den Mushi and tossing it to his Stand.
As Black Phantom cradled the Den Den Mushi and soared into the sky, Marco stared in surprise and confusion. "Is that your third crewmate, or some kind of special ability?"
Liam waved dismissively. "Believe whatever you want!"
Marco, never one to pry, let the matter drop. His arms transformed into long wings of blue flame as he flapped upward and took flight.
"Rayleigh, Big Sister Shakky, see you again sometime!"
At the bar entrance, Rayleigh and Shakky watched the departing figures in mid-air. They heard Giorno shout after them, "Don't forget, you still owe me a coated ship!"
His voice faded with the departing Blue Flame Phoenix and Black Battle Armor. Rayleigh chuckled softly and shook his head.
Shakky puffed on her cigarette, watching the distant blue flame phoenix against the sky. "The Marines must be keeping a close watch on the skies over Sabaody Archipelago now..."
…
"The Marines should actually be thanking you," Shakky said with a teasing smile inside Knock-Off Bar 13 on Sabaody Archipelago. "You drew their attention, leaving them no time to speculate wildly... If they accidentally stumbled upon the truth, they'd be tossing and turning all night!"
Rayleigh tilted his head back and drank straight from the bottle, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Exactly. If they knew... that Whitebeard would soon return to his prime, imagine the headaches Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and those other old geezers would have!"
"Even not at his peak, Whitebeard already reigns supreme over the world," Shakky remarked casually. "The Marines should really be fretting over Giorno, the little brother who's helping Whitebeard regain his prime, and Jolyne. Two pirates who've shown such kindness to the Whitebeard Pirates, and who you've also taken such a liking to! How will the Marines view them now that they've befriended two 'legends' simultaneously?"
Bang!
At Marine Headquarters, Sengoku slammed his fist on the stack of documents on his desk, raking his fingers through his round, black hair in frustration.
Garp strolled in, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong, Sengoku? Losing your hair again?"
(End Of This Chapter)
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