"NO!"
Shiro understood Patrick Redfield's intention the instant the man's gaze snapped toward Robin.
He roared, launching himself forward, the Paw-Paw pads on his palms already swelling with white energy.
He had only one thought.
Robin must not be hurt.
But even with his speed, he was a heartbeat too late.
Redfield materialized before Robin in a blur of dark red, bringing with him a chill that cut straight to the bone.
Robin looked up at him—this pale, sharp-fanged monster with blood-red eyes—and fear froze her in place.
Her lips trembled, her small fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, but her legs refused to move.
Redfield's mouth curled into a cruel smile as he reached toward her with a gloved hand.
Just as his fingers were about to close—
Robin bit down hard, eyes flashing with desperate resolve, and her power awakened.
Hundreds of delicate, petal-colored arms burst into existence across the deck. They lifted every dropped sword, every sheathed blade that had been scattered in the earlier battle.
"Ten-Thousand Blades… RETURN TO ONE!"
Her voice was young, but it rang with determination.
All those swords—hundreds—launched at once, merging mid-air into one colossal blade of petal-colored energy.
Its radiant arc screamed through the wind straight at Redfield.
"Impressive… for a mere child?"
Redfield's grin stiffened.
He hadn't expected such a powerful technique from someone so small.
He pivoted sharply, his bat-winged parasol sword flashing out. A blood-tinged slash met the massive construct head-on.
BOOOOM!
The collision detonated across the deck, kicking up a gale of splintered wood and displaced air.
When the light faded, Robin collapsed where she stood—completely drained, consciousness slipping away.
Redfield brushed the dust from his cloak, his expression cold once more as he strode toward her fallen form.
Just as his hand reached out—
Shiro was suddenly behind him.
A golden silhouette crackling with fury.
A dense white sphere of warped air pulsed in his palm. The surrounding space trembled.
"Get. AWAY. FROM. HER!"
Shiro's voice was a low snarl, his eyes burning with a murderous rage unlike anything the crew had ever seen.
"W-what…?!"
Even Redfield froze.
His Observation Haki—famed throughout the seas for reading hearts, memories, and futures—
gave him nothing.
There was only a blinding wall of danger behind him.
Shiro thrust his palm forward.
"Paw-Paw Shockwave!!"
The world twisted.
Redfield felt himself ripped away from reality, the deck, the sky—everything smearing into streaks of color.
And then—
He was gone.
The air snapped back into place, leaving only a violently scorched crater where Shiro's attack had struck.
Robin, on the edge of fainting, swayed sideways.
Shiro turned just in time, catching her gently against his chest.
The moment she felt the warmth of his arms, all the tension left her tiny body. She closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Two Hours Later
Robin awoke to the soft rocking of the Virtue's cabin. She lay in a hammock, wrapped in a sun-warmed blanket.
Shiro sat beside her on a crate, idly rolling an apple between his hands. When she stirred, his expression melted into relief.
"Little Robin, finally awake!"
He leaned forward, grinning brightly.
"How do you feel? Anything hurting?"
Robin rubbed her eyes and murmured, still groggy,
"…Captain… how long was I asleep?"
"Only about two hours."
Shiro scratched his chin with a pleased smile.
"But let me tell you, you did great out there.
Facing a monster like the Red Earl, keeping your head clear, and launching Ten-Thousand Blades: Return to One? Thanks to that, I had just enough time to charge up and send him flying."
Robin's cheeks flushed a soft pink. Praise from Shiro always lit her up from the inside.
But then her brows furrowed with sudden worry.
"Captain… where did you send that Red Earl man?
Is he… coming back?"
Shiro smirked, tapping a finger against the wooden wall.
"Oh, he's not coming back anytime soon."
He turned toward the porthole, watching the sunlight glint on the waves.
"I aimed carefully.
He should've landed somewhere around… Marineford, give or take a few meters."
"Na… nani?!"
Robin's eyes went wide, completely losing her composure.
"You sent Patrick Redfield to Marine Headquarters?!"
Two Hours Earlier — Marineford
The plaza of Marine HQ was quiet, filled with the echo of marching boots and the tang of the sea.
And then—
A dark red blur smashed into existence beneath the tower's shadow.
Patrick Redfield stood alone among the stone tiles, cloak trailing behind him like spilled blood.
His crimson eyes narrowed, reflecting the white uniforms of the Marines patrolling ahead.
"Tch… that brat.
He used a spatial Paw-Paw technique… forcibly warped me here."
His voice was low and venomous.
"I didn't sense a single thought or intention.
My Observation Haki—completely blind.
I underestimated him…"
"HALT!"
The shout cracked across the plaza.
Thirty rifles were raised in unison.
CHAK-CHAK-CHAK!
The guns cocked sharply, aimed directly at Redfield.
He bared his fangs in irritation.
"Troublesome."
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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