From Alabasta to the Sabaody Archipelago.
The journey had been fraught with danger.
They had encountered plenty of powerful enemies along the way, and there had even been several times when they'd come close to death.
Yet they had still defeated one powerful enemy after another, finally making it to the Sabaody Archipelago.
In this place known as the "Island of Failure" and the "Island of New Beginnings," they believed that their strength had undergone a transformation through defeating one powerful enemy after another.
But the Shadow Clone that Maud had revealed was now laying bare the cruel reality before them.
Under the gazes of Robin and the others on the deck, Maud casually took a sip of black tea.
It tasted quite good.
After all, Sanji had brewed it.
Maud set down his teacup and looked toward Robin and the others, who stood frozen in place. With a smile, he asked, "Aren't you going to help your captain?"
"..."
A deathly silence fell.
Just then, the sound of intense fighting came from the shore.
Clearly, Luffy and the others had clashed head-on with the Shadow Clone.
Usopp, Franky, and Bartholomew could no longer stay put. They turned and dashed toward the shore.
At that moment, they could no longer regard the Shadow Clone as some kind of puppet or imitation.
Strength capable of suppressing the crew's three main combatants was no laughing matter.
Robin didn't move. She silently watched Usopp and the others go help Luffy's group.
Boxing with a shadow?
How boring.
She had originally wanted to join in, but the moment the Shadow Clone appeared, she immediately abandoned the idea.
Robin took one last look at the battle on the shore.
It wasn't completely one-sided, but even with Luffy's group working together, they were still being suppressed