In the corridor, Xi Yan led Nico Robin from room to room in search of CP9, but unfortunately, they seemed to be afraid of Xi Yan and never showed themselves, leaving him somewhat helpless.
"Looks like they're all afraid of you," Nico Robin said with a smile.
"Still laughing."
Xi Yan shot Nico Robin a look. "How am I supposed to free you if I don't catch them sooner?"
This mature woman was truly calm, as though she were not the one restrained by Sea Stone handcuffs.
"But there's no use rushing this sort of thing," Nico Robin said. "They won't obediently come knocking just to let you beat them up."
"You really are calm. You settle right down whenever danger comes."
"Isn't Mr. Ninja here to protect me?" Nico Robin said, blinking playfully. "You won't let me get hurt, right?"
At this point, Nico Robin no longer looked like she feared the Buster Call. She looked completely like she was taking a stroll through a back garden.
"That's true." Xi Yan rubbed his chin. "But if that happens, you might not get to see for yourself how I stop the Buster Call."
"Then let's catch them sooner," Nico Robin said.
Hmm, serious face.
Since she had decided to trust Xi Yan, Nico Robin hoped she could witness firsthand how he would stop the Buster Call.
At the same time... she also hoped she could be of help.
She was not some powerless ornament who needed protection. Once the Sea Stone handcuffs on her wrists were removed, she could become a powerful fighting force too!
As a Partner, how could she just watch her partners risk their lives for her and do nothing?
"You really are..." Xi Yan smiled helplessly and casually opened a door beside him. "Then let's hope we run into those guys sooner."
"Creak~"
As the Great Gate opened, the scene inside came into view.
The room was empty, containing only a few wooden pieces of furniture. Other than that, there was nothing else.
"Looks like we didn't hit the jackpot," Nico Robin said.
"Hmm, I need to think of a way..." Xi Yan pondered.
Boom!!
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the High Tower, accompanied by violent shaking, as though something powerful were attacking the tower itself.
"That's quite a commotion," Xi Yan said.
"Looks like everyone is fighting hard..." Nico Robin said, clenching her fists.
She wanted to join the battle too, but she had no choice. With Sea Stone handcuffs locking her up, she was just dead weight.
Without Xi Yan protecting her at close range, she could be taken away at any moment by that person with the Door-Door Fruit.
Not only would that fail to help her partners, it would instead trouble them. After all... Xi Yan had gone to great lengths to take her back!
Hearing this, Xi Yan glanced at Nico Robin. Judging from her behavior, what she felt inside was not the same as what she had said.
Xi Yan figured Nico Robin was anxious too. She simply did not want her anxiety to affect him, which was why she deliberately spoke so lightly.
If that was the case... then he would give it a try!
"Robin, do you trust me?"
"What are you saying, Mr. Ninja..." Nico Robin smiled, then said with an extremely serious expression, "Xi Yan, I trust you. I trust you one hundred percent!"
"Whatever you want to do, go ahead. Don't worry about me."
Although Xi Yan had only just joined the Straw Hat Pirates and she had only met him for the first time...
...everything he had done had already completely earned her trust!
Besides, this man was willing to face the Buster Call for her... what reason did she have not to trust Xi Yan?
It could be said that even if Xi Yan pointed a gun at Nico Robin now, she would assume there was an enemy behind her!
That was the trust Xi Yan had earned through everything he had done during this time!
Looking at Nico Robin's earnest expression, Xi Yan smiled. "All right, I understand."
"What are you planning to do?" Nico Robin asked curiously. "How do you need me to cooperate?"
"Wait a moment."
Xi Yan first entered a nearby room. Only a few seconds later did he come back out. "Here, keep this on you."
Looking at the scroll-like object in Xi Yan's hand, Nico Robin asked curiously, "What is this?"
"Just a scroll."
"Oh."
Nico Robin nodded and did not continue asking.
"Where should I put it?" Xi Yan looked Nico Robin over.
"Put it in my chest," Nico Robin said. "With the clothes I'm wearing, that's the only place it can go."
"Your chest..."
Seeing Nico Robin lean toward him, Xi Yan hesitated. What she was wearing seemed to be... a dress!
Seeing his expression, Nico Robin immediately rolled her eyes at him. "You carried me around the whole way just now, and only now you're getting shy?"
"But Mr. Ninja, you really are amusing like this~"
"Giggle, giggle, giggle~"
Nico Robin laughed happily. She truly had not expected that a man who dared challenge the Buster Call would act like this.
Xi Yan: ...
Was he being teased by an Older Sister?
"All right, do what you need to do," Nico Robin said. "My hands are tied, so I can't cooperate with you. You'll have to do it yourself."
"Don't make it sound so strange!!"
After quickly stuffing the scroll into Nico Robin's chest, Xi Yan said, "All right, don't let it fall out."
"You stuffed it in so tightly that I couldn't make it fall out even if I wanted to..."
Xi Yan looked away. Mature Older Sisters really were hard to handle.
"What are you going to do?" Nico Robin asked curiously.
Xi Yan did not answer. Instead, he first swept his gaze around. Once he confirmed there was nothing unusual, he "quietly" said to Nico Robin, "I'll put you in a room first. Once I take care of the enemy, I'll come back for you."
Though Nico Robin was puzzled, she still nodded. "I understand."
Xi Yan might have had some battle plan, and CP9 might be nearby, so Nico Robin had no intention of asking aloud.
Once the battle was over, she would naturally understand everything.
Walking up to a room, Xi Yan used the same trick to open it. This time, it was an empty room.
Xi Yan pushed Nico Robin inside and said, "Wait here."
"Before the Buster Call arrives, I have to take down at least one member of CP9."
"Remember, don't run around!!"
"All right, I understand. I'll wait obediently here for you," Nico Robin said cooperatively.
Xi Yan nodded, then closed the Great Gate.
After scanning the area and finding no sign of an enemy, he ran toward the distant stairs.
A moment later, in the room where Nico Robin was.
A special door gradually opened in the air. A hand stretched out from it, followed by a head that looked like a bull's!
"Doing something like this was truly foolish," Blueno said.
Hearing Blueno's voice, Nico Robin's pupils instantly contracted. She turned around and saw a tall figure standing within the Air Door, looking at her expressionlessly.
"It's you..."
"Didn't you tell him that I am a Door-Door Fruit user?"
"Nico Robin."
Before you continue