As Nico Robin stood face-to-face with the massive golden dragon, the world seemed to hold its breath. The students watched in a mixture of paralyzed fear and intense curiosity, their eyes darting between the tiny, fragile woman and the monstrous, ruby-eyed titan of gold.
The dragon's mouth unhinged once more, releasing a sound that was less like a voice and more like the grinding of tectonic plates deep beneath the earth.
"Grraaagahhhgaaawaaaghaaraaaah shhhaaaagrraaaammmaaaraaaggramahhhagaamm..."
Robin's breath hitched. Her violet eyes widened, reflecting the red glow of the dragon's gaze. After a long, agonizing moment of silence, she slowly and solemnly nodded her head.
The dragon let out one final, haunting resonance.
"Ghragatamaagaham-zarggagraabraaaahhagmaaagaaaargaamagg shaaaraaaghaaamaaaa... grraaar raaagabraaaaagrammmmaaaa graaaddaaaam."
As soon as the last syllable echoed into the fog, the dragon began to retreat. The massive head, which only moments ago felt like the center of the universe, melted back into the form of a golden-scaled branch. It withdrew into the main body of the towering ADAM trees, sinking into the gold until it vanished completely. The dragon didn't give the legendary Emperors or the powerful Teachers a second glance; to the island, they were as insignificant as dust.
Robin's legs gave out. She almost collapsed to the deck, but Boa Hancock moved with blinding speed, catching her before she hit the wood.
"Are you alright, Robin?" Hancock asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft, her brow furrowed with genuine concern.
Robin leaned into her, a weak, trembling smile touching her lips. "I'm alright... Han-han."
The deck was silent, but the air was thick with unspoken questions. Every student, from Luffy to Bakugo, stared at Robin. They knew that whatever that ancient being had said, it changed everything. As Hancock helped her stand, Robin looked back at the ADAM trees. Suddenly, silent tears began to stream down her face, glistening like diamonds against her skin.
Nemuri (Midnight) rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Robin in a protective hug. "Robin, talk to us. What happened? What did it say?"
Robin didn't answer. She only sobbed quietly, her grief seeming to fill the entire space between the ships.
The sorrow was shattered by a cruel, mocking laugh that erupted from Kaido's ship, cutting through the fog like a jagged blade.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I knew it! Your families are nothing but traitors!"
Every head snapped toward the source. Standing at the edge of the Onigashima vessel was King the Wildfire. Standing eight feet tall, his black wings spanned wide, and a steady, rhythmic flame flickered from his back. His masked face was turned toward the Marine ship, his voice dripping with ancient, concentrated venom.
"I knew it! See? They don't need you or your families anymore!" King shouted, his voice shaking with a rage that seemed centuries old. "Do you know how long? How long my bloodline has been surging with anger?! Even with the little blood I had inherited flowing through my body, I can feel it in my veins! The blood, this blood gave up waiting! It waited for someone, and none of you came!"
He let out another hollow, jagged laugh. "Now, it has stopped waiting! It doesn't need your help, and it doesn't need your pity or your stupid promises anymore! My blood is finally relieved... and you? You are no longer needed."
King leaned forward, his black wings tensing. "I warn you: be prepared. If ever it decided to take its revenge , it won't just be your ancient families. It won't just be the Blue Star. This entire twin world will feel its wrath! Mark my words... you traitors!"
The silence that followed was terrifying. The students—Izuku, Shoto, Nami, and the others—were completely dumbfounded. They looked at each other, lost in a maze of confusion. What revenge? Who was being betrayed? What promise had been broken so badly that a man of fire and wings would scream at the world?
The words of the winged man hung in the air like a poisonous mist. No one dared to speak; no one dared to even move. The students of the Marine ship stood paralyzed, their eyes darting from the weeping girls beside them to the retreating figure of King.
The silence was absolute, save for the quiet, rhythmic sound of Nico Robin's sobs and the crackle of the flame burning on King's back. Even the teachers—Garp, All Might, and the Admirals—remained uncharacteristically still, their faces grim as they processed the weight of the Lunarian's accusations.
King stopped his retreat for a final moment, his black-clad form silhouetted against the dark clouds. He turned his masked head back toward the group, his voice echoing with a hollow, ancient authority.
"The dragon... the voice of the island," King stated, his words vibrating through the hull of every ship. "It said that unlike your kind, it will still honor the ancient pact. It will fulfill its promise, unlike the traitors who turned their backs on the beginning of time."
He raised a gloved hand, gesturing toward the towering golden-scaled trees that pierced the heavens. "The power you all crave—the Origin Fruit—is inside. It is waiting in the heart of the ADAM. Go on. Take it if you want. I know that is the only reason your greedy feet have touched this forbidden sea. That is what your hearts truly desire, isn't it? Take it... if you can."
A cruel, sharp laugh escaped his mask as he looked at the students, his gaze lingering on the most prideful among them.
"And for those of you foolish enough to believe you were 'chosen' just because you were born into this era... be my guest. Step onto those golden scales. If you are not the one the island seeks, you will not find power. You will simply become the fertilizer for the next thousand years of growth."
King's voice dropped to a raspy whisper that somehow reached everyone's ears. "Those are the words the ADAM wanted to say. You are not guests... you are either the keys, or you are the soil."
With those final, chilling words, King stepped back into the shadows of Kaido's massive ship, leaving the fleet in a state of utter shock.
The students looked at their hands, then at the golden towers. The excitement they had felt just moments ago—the rush of adrenaline and the dream of gaining a legendary power—had vanished. In its place was a cold, sinking realization. They weren't just here for a test; they were standing at the gates of an ancient judgment.
Nico Robin slowly pulled away from Nemuri's embrace. Her eyes were red from crying, but she wiped her cheeks and looked at the other girls—Shirahoshi, Hiyori, Hancock,Viola ,Rebecca, and Vivi. They all shared a look of profound, silent understanding. The "traitorous" blood they carried was being called to answer.
"The entrance is opening," Robin whispered, her voice trembling but clear.
As she spoke, the golden scales at the base of the nearest towering tree began to shift and slide against one another. The sound was like a thousand swords being drawn at once. A massive, arched gateway began to form, revealing a path made of pure, glowing amber light that led deep into the roots of the giant.
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To be continued