Cold sweat instantly beaded on her forehead.
Robin's eyes were fixed on Kuzan, her feet unable to move, her body trembling slightly.
"My, my, to think I'd run into you here!" Kuzan said, scratching his curly hair, his expression calm as he looked at Robin.
'You've grown up safely, haven't you?'
"The last time we parted, I told you that if you did anything, I would be the first one to capture you!" Kuzan said, stopping a short distance from Robin.
Robin recalled the scene from the day Ohara was destroyed.
It was just like today, by the sea, just the two of them.
This man had left her a path to survival.
And now, was he here to take it back?
Seeing Robin remain silent, Kuzan scratched his head, looking a bit troubled, then turned his head to look in a certain direction.
"Hmm, it seems you have a pretty good partner."
'Partner?'
What an unfamiliar word.
She didn't have any partners!
A moment of confusion appeared in Robin's mind before she realized who Kuzan was talking about.
"Take me back. Hand me over to the Navy!" Robin said suddenly.
No matter what, the man Cyrus was helping her.
Although he might have other motives, that was how it had been so far.
But the man before her was a Navy Admiral.
No matter how strong Cyrus was, he couldn't possibly be his opponent.
Perhaps, if she let Kuzan take her away, everything would be over.
"Although I had that thought, it seems someone disagrees."
Kuzan sounded a bit helpless at Nico Robin's words.
Taking Nico Robin away was not his goal.
"I said, I'm taking you with me today, and no one can stop me."
A voice rang out. Cyrus, carrying his longsword, strode out and walked toward Robin and Kuzan.
"You should go. I don't know you!" Robin said, glancing at Cyrus before turning her head away.
Cyrus chuckled at her words.
Is she trying to use this method to keep me from fighting Aokiji?
But besides Robin, his purpose for coming here also included Kuzan.
Although he had initially come to the West Blue for Robin, ever since he sensed his constitution had hit a bottleneck, he had thought he needed a major battle to break through it.
That's when he set his sights on Aokiji.
Kuzan watched Cyrus with great interest, rubbing his chin.
"Hmm, not a bad strength!"
Aokiji's Observation Haki had naturally seen the scene of Cyrus fighting the four men earlier.
"Cyrus, right?"
Before Cyrus could answer, Robin whipped her head around to look at Kuzan.
They know each other?
Cyrus wasn't surprised to hear Kuzan call out his name.
The Navy probably found out about his flame abilities after his first visit to Base 16.
But it didn't matter anymore.
After all, his data-based body was his true trump card.
His earlier thought of not using the Flame-Flame Fruit's abilities until a critical moment was too naive.
After all, if an ability isn't used, it will never grow stronger.
Trying to improve in isolation wasn't a good idea.
Under Robin's gaze, Cyrus walked to her side and put his arm around her, pulling her into his embrace.
Kuzan scratched his face at this sight.
Damn, why do I have the strange feeling that the daughter I've raised for so long is about to be abducted?
"I'm taking her. What do you say, Admiral Kuzan?"
That tone... it's so damn arrogant!
That thought popped into both Robin's and Kuzan's minds simultaneously.
Robin wanted to struggle, but Cyrus's arm was incredibly strong, so she gave up after a couple of tries.
"He's a Navy Admiral. He's terrifyingly strong. You should go. This is my business!" Robin said in a small voice.
"I already said it. No one can stop me today, including him!"
Cyrus released his arm and pointed at the boat.
"Go. Get on the boat and leave first. I'll come find you later."
Robin was stunned, her eyes fixed on Cyrus, but Cyrus's eyes were on Kuzan.
Kuzan, in turn, was watching the two of them, feeling increasingly annoyed.
"Off you go!"
Cyrus grabbed Robin's slender waist and leaped onto the boat by the shore.
"Go, go, go! Row the boat!" Cyrus shouted.
The few men in suits and sunglasses on the boat, who had been pretending not to exist, scrambled to row upon hearing his words.
"My, my, that won't do. If you escape, it'll be hard for me to explain things on my end!" Kuzan said, scratching his head.
He raised a hand, and a wave of cold air shot toward the boat.
"Torchlight!" Cyrus raised his hand and drew his sword.
A Fire Tornado suddenly erupted on the sea's surface.
The scorching wind blew through Robin's hair.
She watched the back of Cyrus, who was wielding a flaming sword.
"I'll come find you in a bit. I'll take you away from the West Blue then!"
Cyrus turned to smile at Robin, then turned back to the Fire Tornado, leaped up, and jumped directly into it.
Robin pressed her hands on the gunwale as the boat, rowed frantically by several men, moved away from the shore.
"Flames! How terrifying!" Kuzan said with a pout, looking at the burning Fire Tornado on the sea.
"That would be more reasonable if Kizaru said it!"
Cyrus, wreathed in flames, leaped from the fire onto the shore.
The flames seemed like a cloak, and behind him, a wall of fire nearly ten meters high seemed to ignite.
"It seems you know a lot about us. So, do you think you can stop me?" Kuzan was curious.
He was Admiral, after all.
Was his deterrent power really that low?
Some random kid just pops up and dares to challenge him head-on?
Even with the Flame-Flame Fruit, did he really think flames could definitely overcome frost?
"Looks like I'll have to teach this kid a good lesson!"
Kuzan's eyes locked onto Cyrus, and he moved his feet.
Shave!
Kuzan's tall figure was already beside Cyrus, a huge saber made of condensed frost in his hand.
"Ice Saber!"
"Stroke Cut!"
Bang!
The Ice Saber clashed with the flame-wreathed Flame.
Cyrus's right leg, simultaneously wrapped in Haki and flames, kicked out, aiming for Kuzan's knee.
"How scary!"
In that instant, Kuzan channeled Kizaru.
He kept saying "how scary," but he couldn't kick away a Supernova with one foot.
Kuzan's body was shattered by the kick, and frost condensed at the edges.
Cyrus lunged forward.
The flames behind him had already been frozen over.
After being frozen for a moment, the frost and flames dissipated into nothingness.
"You bastard, you can even freeze flames?" Cyrus said with a serious expression, holding his sword and looking at the re-formed Kuzan.
"Flames can counter cold, but if the temperature is low enough, it's the other way around."
"Alright, that's enough then!"
Cyrus brandished Flame and charged forward.
"Foolish. You can't be so reckless when facing someone stronger than you!"
Cyrus wasn't Robin, and he wouldn't get such good treatment.
Facing the reckless charge from Cyrus, Kuzan raised his hand and unleashed Ice Block: Pheasant Beak.
A bird made of frost lunged at Cyrus.
"Ice Time Capsule!"
A wave of extreme cold followed the ice bird, rushing toward Cyrus.
"Torchlight!"
The Fire Tornado collided with the frost bird.
Cyrus's body passed through the tornado, heading straight for Aokiji.
'Come on, my chosen sparring partner.... Bring out my indomitable will.'
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