Void Grant

"No need to thank me. Given our positions, even if I'm still a civilian and haven't joined the Marines, I was the one who failed to stop your fate. I should be the one apologizing to you."

Yaen vigorously tousled Little Robin's hair. Beneath his glasses, which glowed red in the firelight, his eyes revealed a trace of helplessness.

This was also one of the reasons Yaen had always been reluctant to join the Marines, especially to rise to a high position.

The higher one's position, the more tightly one was bound by the World Government. One had to follow the World Government's will more closely; otherwise, one might very well be eliminated as a threat.

However, how could Yaen possibly approve of this World Government, which supported the world's parasites—the "Celestial Dragons"—and in reality maintained a system where aristocracy and slavery coexisted?

Not to mention having Yaen act as the World Government's lackey, or even protect the "Celestial Dragons" like a Marine Admiral.

Little Robin had never imagined that Yaen would actually say... "I'm sorry" to her?!

Such incomparably gentle words almost instantly broke through the defenses of the currently lost and helpless Little Robin's heart, causing her to develop an extremely strong sense of trust toward Yaen.

So... Sauron had been telling the truth. Beyond the sea, there really were people who would treat her gently.

After hesitating for several seconds, Little Robin pursed her lips and said, "Um, it's fine. You didn't attack me, and I'm already very grateful to you."

After a pause, a smile suddenly spread across Little Robin's face. She said, "The fire will reach here soon. Hurry and leave. I'll definitely find a way to survive on my own, too."

"What way could you possibly find?"

Yaen helplessly shook his head and turned to look at the flames growing larger behind him.

Although Yaen had repeatedly used Observation Haki to confirm that there was no one else here, let alone any Marines, he knew this was not a good place to continue speaking with Little Robin.

Besides, the island of Ohara, which had existed for more than five thousand years, truly could not hold out for much longer!

"Little Robin..."

Yaen stood up and said gently, "We'll meet again on the sea someday."

"Huh?" Little Robin looked at Yaen in confusion.

Immediately afterward, Yaen pulled out a mask from somewhere. It was made of an extraordinarily strange material and covered in peculiar patterns.

Even Little Robin, who was only eight years old but had already been recognized as a true archaeologist, had never seen such a material.

In the next moment, Little Robin's vision blurred. Yaen had already bent down, fastened the mask onto her face, and whispered softly into her ear.

"This is the only gift I can give you right now. I hope... it can protect you..."

Immediately afterward, Little Robin felt the mask shrink until it perfectly fit her small face. Then, something special seeped out from it and entered her body.

"Void Grant: Cursed Eye Sangha!"

From Yaen's perspective, large amounts of white matter continuously emerged from the mask and seeped into Little Robin's body.

Unlike the power of the Soul Reaper Blade that Yaen possessed, this was the power of the Soul Reaper Blade belonging to something known as a "Hollow."

At first, Yaen had not known that the power of a "Hollow" existed within his body. He had thought he could only use a Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō, until the time he ate that unidentified Devil Fruit in front of Sengoku.

A unique "Hollow" power had then emerged, its name being the Soul Reaper Blade of the Seventh Espada, "Cursed Eye Sangha," from the organization of the "Espada," which stood at the pinnacle of the "Hollows."

However, Yaen himself could not use this Hollow Soul Reaper Blade. Instead, he could only grant it to others in the form of a mask.

But Yaen had always lived under Sengoku's watchful eye, so he had never had the chance to find someone he could trust enough to receive a Void Grant.

This was Yaen's first time, so he could not help feeling somewhat nervous. He stared fixedly at Little Robin's changes, afraid that she might show any sign of discomfort or pain.

Very soon, the white matter seeping from the mask formed a structure resembling an "egg" around Little Robin, completely enclosing her inside.

"It seems to be about as expected..."

Yaen murmured, then slowly drew his Zanpakutō and recited its release command.

"Roar, Tenken!"

In an instant, a gigantic arm appeared behind Yaen and effortlessly grabbed the White Egg in its palm.

Then it suddenly hurled it toward the sea.

The tremendous force erupted instantly. The resulting pressure even stirred up enormous waves on the sea before him.

The White Egg shot away like a meteor, skimming across the surface of the sea before vanishing from Yaen's sight in the distance.

"Goodbye, Little Robin!"

As Yaen ended the Shikai of "Zanpakutō: Tenken," he softly bade her farewell.

Unlike Yaen's frail physical body, the enormous spirit body manifested through the release of "Zanpakutō: Tenken" possessed brute strength matching Yaen's own Reiatsu.

To prevent the Marines from possibly searching the sea afterward, Yaen could only find a way to send Little Robin away from Ohara's waters.

Based on Yaen's estimate, even with the sea constantly reducing its inertia, the egg he had just thrown using the released "Zanpakutō: Tenken" would fly at least several hundred miles away.

After that, under the pull of the ocean currents, which island Little Robin would eventually drift toward would be anyone's guess. The Marines and the World Government naturally would have no way to track her in the short term.

This was already the best solution Yaen could think of on such short notice.

Even if the World Government continued hunting Little Robin afterward, protected by the power of "Cursed Eye Sangha" and the Flower-Flower Fruit, Little Robin's life should be considerably better than it had been in the original timeline.

However, after hesitating for a moment, Yaen still pulled an ordinary-looking Den Den Mushi from his pocket. He then took an Anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi from another hidden pocket before dialing a number on the Den Den Mushi.

"Hello?"

A howling wind and a deep voice came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi.

Yaen maintained Observation Haki at full strength, locking onto the locations of the five Vice Admirals carrying out the "Buster Call." Only after confirming that none of them showed any sign of approaching did he ask with a hint of helplessness,

"Dragon, where are you now?"

"Oh? How strange. Didn't the Chief of Staff say before that I absolutely shouldn't contact him, whether there was anything going on or not? Why are you taking the initiative to contact me today?"

After a pause, Dragon continued, "Could it be that you're also preparing to defect from the Marines, Chief of Staff, and want me to come pick you up?"