Cover Story – Robin's Arc, Part 1: "Hang in There, Mr. Nao!"
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the town in the dead of night. Robin, who had just reunited with her family and was preparing to board a ship, couldn't help but turn her head in alarm. When she spotted the terrifying form of the giant saber-toothed tiger, her heart clenched with worry. She scanned the swirling dust clouds anxiously, searching for a glimpse of Nao…
...
Dugalio's judgment wasn't wrong.
Wind Barrier—a technique that nullifies all ranged projectiles—is a rule-based skill that comes with a steep cost: it consumes 25% of the user's maximum stamina with every use.
After upgrading to the intermediate level, the cost drops to 15%, which isn't a problem for someone at peak stamina.
But for Nao, who had already been fighting Dugalio for a full day and night, that cost was beginning to show.
Even so—
When Dugalio unleashed another thunderous Tiger Roar, Nao didn't hesitate. He once again drew upon Wind Barrier, completely dissolving the devastating shockwave.
Then, with swords in hand, he launched himself forward and collided head-on with the charging saber-toothed tiger.
THUD!
A heavy crash sounded. Nao was sent flying, while the massive beast staggered back only a few steps before regaining its footing with ease.
"Hah! Just as I thought—your strength and speed have dropped," Dugalio growled through bared fangs. He let out another Tiger Roar, sending more rippling shockwaves through the air. "Let's see how many more times you can pull off that weird sword technique!"
Buzz—!
Once again, Wind Barrier swallowed the shockwaves whole. But this time, Nao's face went pale. His breathing was ragged, his rhythm broken—clearly, his stamina was nearing its limit.
And yet—
His expression remained calm as ever.
When the tiger pounced again, Nao slashed out a blade of sword energy to momentarily slow it down, then flickered away with a burst of speed, reappearing atop the trunk of a fallen giant tree, a hundred meters away.
He looked down at the tiger as it turned toward him.
"You took the bait," Nao murmured softly.
To an outsider, it looked like Nao was the one rapidly falling behind.
But in truth—it was the opposite.
Dugalio had walked right into his trap.
During their recent exchanges, Nao had clearly felt it: each Tiger Roar was weaker than the last.
It wasn't just him who was tiring—Dugalio was burning through stamina too. That devastating move, no matter how strong, came at a cost. It likely even strained his internal organs.
It's just that, in his beast form, the fatigue wasn't as visible as it was on Nao.
Their stamina thresholds were actually quite close.
So under normal circumstances—where both sides repeatedly unleashed their ultimate techniques—the one to fall first should've been Nao.
Unfortunately for Dugalio —
Nao had one last ace up his sleeve.
Item: Ancient Sacrificial Ritual
Type: Consumable
Effect: A miraculous item from the continent of Azeroth. When used on a sufficiently thick tree, you will consume the entire tree and instantly restore 60% of your stamina within five seconds
Note: 8 uses; 24-hour cooldown.
"A gift from a certain dead game…"
This item was purchased during his internship at the G-2 Branch.
At the time, Nao figured, with his insane stamina, he'd never need to use it unless he was transferred to the New World—or ended up in some major battle.
But plans never keep up with reality.
Now that he was facing a calamity-level enemy in the West Blue of all places—this was the moment to put the item to use.
Buzz.
A faint blue glow shimmered as the Ancient Sacrificial Ritual activated.
Without hesitation, Nao grabbed the fallen tree and shoved it into his mouth.
CRUNCH, CRACK!
An eerie scene unfolded: the massive tree—thicker than Nao's entire body—vanished the moment it touched his lips, dissolving as if being rapidly devoured by some invisible force.
Within seconds, the ten-meter-tall tree had been completely eaten.
Nao's stamina, which had been near depletion from repeated uses of Wind Barrier, skyrocketed.
In an instant, his body was restored to its condition from an entire day and night earlier—fully revitalized!
"?!"
The charging tiger skidded slightly, clearly stunned. Its mind blanked for a moment, confused by what it had just witnessed. Its sprint slowed instinctively.
How the hell did he do that…?
Nao didn't waste the opportunity.
He triggered Soru, blinking to Dugalio's flank in a flash.
With one blade on the left—Azakana's Sword—and one on the right—Wind Blade—he slashed at the beast's slightly softer, thinner underbelly.
ROAR!!
Blood burst into the air.
Dugalio howled in fury, not even caring that both swords had pierced deep into his abdomen. He twisted violently, snapping his head around in an attempt to bite down on Nao.
But Nao had already darted away, agile and calm.
"Right back at you, big guy."
He hovered in midair, grinning with razor focus in his eyes.
"You used that freakish soundwave move so many times—now your strength and speed aren't what they used to be. I wonder how much longer you can hold out!"
...
West Blue – Somewhere at Sea
In the middle of the night, a Marine battleship bearing the G-2 Branch flag was cutting through the waves at full speed toward Rhodes Island.
"How much longer?"
A tall figure standing on deck asked the crew behind him.
"Commander," one of them replied, "we've got favorable currents and wind. We're sailing at maximum speed. But even in the best-case scenario…"
He paused for a breath, then said grimly, "We won't reach Rhodes Island until tomorrow night at the earliest."
"A whole day…" murmured the tall figure—Borsalino, commander of the G-2 Branch, better known as Vice Admiral Kizaru.
He gazed at the horizon, his brow furrowed.
"This is bad. That kid might not last that long…"
He had only recently departed on assignment to the Vegeta Kingdom in the West Blue, tasked with escorting their royal family to Mary Geoise for the upcoming Reverie.
But before he'd even cleared the Calm Belt, Marine Headquarters had sent an emergency order: abandon the escort and reroute to Rhodes Island immediately.
Only then did he realize what kind of crisis Nao had landed himself in.
Dugalio the Drought, with a bounty of 500 million Berrier. One of the Three Calamities of the Beasts Pirates.
A monster who held his own even in the New World. This wasn't someone like that pathetic Warlord William, who had died pitifully in front of him.
Kizaru couldn't stop worrying.
He'd only spent a few months with Nao, but their bond had already grown deep.
He admired Nao—respected him—and he couldn't bear the thought of this brilliant, once-in-a-generation talent dying before reaching his full potential… especially not in the West Blue.
Phew…
Kizaru pulled his gaze from the starless sky and let out a long breath.
Then, as if making a final decision, he turned sharply and ordered:
"Bring me the detailed sea chart of the West Blue. I'm going ahead. You lot stay on course and keep moving at full speed—catch up as fast as you can."
"Eh?!"
The crew was stunned. Moments later, the deck erupted in protests.
"That's far too dangerous, Borsalino-san!"
"These waters are unfamiliar—and even with your Pika Pika no Mi powers, there's no way you can flash across such a huge distance in one go!"
"What if you run out of energy mid-route and fall into the sea?!"
But Kizaru ignored them all.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed their objections.
Fwoosh!
He grabbed a chart, and in the next instant—his body exploded into radiant golden light and shot skyward into the night.
...
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM!!
Explosions rocked Rhodes Island once again.
Another full day and night had passed. Dawn crept over the horizon, sweeping away the dark veil of night.
Nao was slumped against a collapsed wall at the ruined harbor, breathing heavily.
Across the shattered docks, the massive saber-toothed tiger charged toward him, kicking up earth and debris like a landslide.
But unlike yesterday, the beast was covered in wounds.
Its back and waist were slashed and bloodied—its once-pristine coat now unrecognizable.
"Finally," Nao muttered, watching the tiger draw close, its foul breath wafting from its gaping maw.
He pushed off the wall and gripped his twin blades.
This was the reason he had fought the way he did—enduring, retreating, conserving his strength while forcing the beast to wear itself down.
To chip away at its once-impenetrable defenses, until his ultimate technique could break through.
Even the mightiest of beasts had their limits.
Dugalio was strong—but he wasn't Kaido.
The wounds Nao had inflicted—each laced with Haki and razor-sharp sword energy—had long since closed, but they'd left behind internal injuries that couldn't be healed so easily.
Now, as those hidden injuries stacked up and the beast's stamina dipped near its limit…
The moment had come.
"You've had your fun for almost three whole days… Now it's my turn."
Two-Sword Style: Shifting Jade Slash!
With a flash in his eyes, Nao unleashed a series of powerful slashes.
Each one summoned a roaring whirlwind, building and layering into a howling barrage that surged toward the charging tiger.
Shhhh!
Individually, these gusts might've been weak.
But together—one after another—they were overwhelming.
Even a beast as huge as Dugalio couldn't shrug them off.
He roared in defiance, pushing forward—but the wind's pressure forced him to retreat step by step to withstand the onslaught.
"Is that all you've got?!"
Blood vessels bulged in the tiger's eyes as he howled like a demon:
"Is this your so-called trump card, brat?! That's it?!"
Three days and two nights of fighting had shredded his patience.
He was already preparing for a final, all-out attack—his last card, the one that would end this brat once and for all.
But he didn't realize—
Nao's wind slashes had been deliberately angled and directed.
As Dugalio resisted and retreated, step by step…
He was being pushed ever closer to the water's edge.
Just a few meters more…
Now!
A flash of light burst in Nao's eyes.
He stomped the ground and shot upward, appearing directly above the tiger.
With both swords gripped tight, he raised them overhead—dark Haki cloaking the edges.
WHUMMM…
A pulse of sword aura gathered, growing so thick and oppressive it made the air itself shudder.
And then—
"Taste this, big guy!"
"Two-Sword Style: Lunar Eclipse!"
A brilliant white slash exploded outward like a lightning serpent.
The air screamed as shockwaves tore through everything in its path.
The gleaming strike landed squarely on the tiger's mangled back—
BOOOOOM!
Dozens of water pillars erupted along the coast.
The land cracked and caved in beneath the pressure.
Under the sheer weight of that sword slash, the saber-toothed tiger let out a final, anguished cry—
And was launched into the sky.
As he flew, his body shrank, reverting back into human form.
Covered in blood and too weak to move, he plummeted toward the sea.
SPLASH.
A trail of fresh blood floated up from below, staining a patch of the nearby sea red.
"L-Lord Dugalio…?"
The pirates watching from afar were frozen in terror.
Their jaws hung slack.
They couldn't believe what they'd just seen.
Their captain—one of the Three Calamities of the Beasts Pirates—defeated.
By a mere West Blue Branch Rear Admiral.
This can't be real…!
A deadly silence, an atmosphere of bewildered helplessness, spread through the crowd.
"Lord Dugalio!"
"Captain!!"
After a minute or two, a few officers snapped out of it and rushed to the water, diving in to rescue him.
Meanwhile—
The Marines, who had been holding their breath all night, were also stunned speechless.
"Rear Admiral Nao… He really did it?"
"He defeated that kind of monster…?"
They looked at each other.
And then—cheers exploded across the docks.
One group surged forward, hoisting the exhausted Nao into the air, tossing him up and catching him again and again.
"Rear Admiral!"
"Rear Admiral!!"
"REAR ADMIRAL!!!"
Another group, under their officers' orders, flooded into the streets to chase down and arrest the stunned pirates trying to flee.
As for the few loyal crew who had jumped into the water—
They finally managed to drag Dugalio's limp body back to the surface…
Only to look up and realize—
They were surrounded by a wall of rifles, all aimed directly at them.