Robin's Belief

"Hehe~~" Robin chuckled, "I thought you'd forgotten me, Red Nose."

"How could that be? You're so beautiful, I could never forget you, no matter who else I've forgotten." Buggy shrugged and smiled. "That night we spent together is still fresh in my memory."

As soon as he finished speaking, several gazes from the Buggy Pirates fell on Robin. This woman... actually had the captain's favor!

Several gazes from the Straw Hat Pirates swept towards Buggy. What exactly had happened between them...?

"Robin actually spent the night with that Red Nose..." Usopp squeezed his cheeks together like a ghost, "Thank goodness Sanji hasn't come yet, or there would be a river of blood here!"

"Hehe~~ Red Nose Guy is still so good at talking. I still remember what happened that day vividly." Robin laughed without caring at all. This is probably the composure and magnanimity of a mature woman.

"I remember saying that you would meet a group of great friends who would protect you, right?"

As he spoke, Buggy's expression suddenly turned serious. "I'm sorry... because I was weak back then, I was powerless to help. But now I have the strength to protect you, so I sincerely invite you to join my pirate crew, Robin!"

"...!!"

Robin was completely taken aback by Buggy's sudden remark, and even with her extensive experience, she was momentarily stunned and at a loss for words.

Luffy immediately objected, staring intently at the man before him. "Buggy, what do you mean! Robin is my comrade, a comrade I'd protect with my life! I won't hand her over to you!"

"Oh...?"

Buggy's expression suddenly shifted between light and shadow, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. "Determination alone isn't enough to accomplish anything. If you think you can protect your comrades, then prove to me... just how strong you really are!"

The previously lively atmosphere suddenly turned icy cold as Buggy finished speaking, as if swept away by a biting winter wind. Everyone stopped joking and talking, staring blankly at Buggy.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!" Luffy jumped off the table, his eyes turning serious. "No matter who asks me... my answer will always be the same: I will protect Robin!"

"Red Nose... Luffy is now a great pirate with a bounty of 300 million Beli!" Usopp tried to intimidate Buggy. "You can't possibly be his match!"

"Stop talking, Usopp, I'll prove him wrong..." Luffy gripped his right arm, which was charging backward with his left hand, and instantly stretched it out, shooting forward with a swift motion, "Gum-Gum —Pistol!!"

The extended rubber arm reached him in an instant. Buggy tilted his head, nimbly dodging it, then swiftly grabbed the still-extending rubber arm with his right hand. "Too slow..."

"Ouch—" The pain in his arm Luffy gasp sharply, "That hurts!"

"Luffy's Rubber Man, how could he feel pain?!" Usopp exclaimed in disbelief. "And just now, he seemed to have anticipated Luffy's movements... that was the Mantra we saw on Sky Island!"

"Congratulations, you guessed right..."

Buggy gripped Luffy's arm tightly, and flung him and his body violently towards the first-floor lobby, smashing several tables and chairs to pieces!

Listening to the clattering sounds of the broken dining table and chairs, Buggy slowly began to speak, "Compared to 'Haki,' I also prefer the name 'Mantra.'"

"Damn it!" Luffy, who had Luffy, looked up at Buggy on the second floor. "... So strong!"

"Is this all you've got...?" Buggy said. "It's far from enough. Now it's my turn to make a move, isn't it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he disappeared. Luffy's expression tightened, and he suddenly felt a cold wind behind him, accompanied by a voice, "Here you are."

He quickly turned around, trying to reach out to block, and his reaction was already quite fast, but he was still like a cannonball being hit by the force of the attack and sent flying!

Boom!!

With a loud bang, his body was embedded in the thick wall, stone dust filled the air, and cracks like a spider web spread around the wall!

"Six Powers!"

Those standing on the second floor could see clearly. Having witnessed the terrifying power of the Six Powers firsthand on Enies Lobby, they recognized him at a glance. In their eyes, Buggy, who possessed both the Mantra and the Six Powers, had risen to the level of a boss, a combination of half Enel and half Rob Lucci. Moreover, he seemed to be... not using his full strength at all!

"Stop, Red Nose!" Robin leaned on the railing and looked at Buggy standing in the lobby on the first floor.

Buggy stopped in his tracks, looked up and met Robin's gaze, waiting for her to continue.

"I've always been afraid that the stronger my desire to be with my companions, the more unhappiness I would cause them. But on Enies Lobby, I finally understood that they were a group of companions I could entrust my life to. They never treated me as a burden, nor did they ever want to abandon me. They gave me the will to live again. I've never been so happy as I was that day. The darkness that had enveloped me was dispelled, and I could see hope and the future again..." Robin's emotions fluctuated. "Red Nose, if it were you, you would understand how I feel!"

"Oh dear... it really won't work..." Buggy glanced at Luffy, who had emerged from the wall and was about to start a Luffy. "Straw Hat, that's enough. Game over."

Steam billowing from his body as Luffy shifted into Gear Second, Luffy stubbornly declared, "Then I still won't hand Robin over to you!"

"You won this match..."

"Wait, Buggy, what do you mean?"

"Don't waste the food I've carefully prepared for you..." After saying this to Luffy, who was still a little confused, Buggy jumped back to the second floor and looked at Robin. "Now that you've found a group of good friends, just keep believing in your choices, Robin."

Robin's face gradually broke into a smile. "You're as understanding as ever, Red Nose. You're just so charming."

Buggy said, "Even so, I still can't win you over."

"If I hadn't encountered them, I would definitely have considered joining your pirate crew."

"That's a real shame... I should have extended an invitation back then."

Hehe~~

"That scared me to death! I thought the fight was going to go on..." Brook breathed a sigh of relief. "But I'm dead now, yohohohoho~~"

"He's such an unpredictable person," Nami whispered, looking at Buggy. "And he's much stronger than when he fought Arlong, practically a completely different person..."

"He shouldn't be a match for Luffy, right? That's right, as long as Luffy gets serious..." Usopp reassured himself, "No one can beat him."

Seeing that Buggy had given up on inviting Robin, Luffy immediately forgot about it and carefree ran back upstairs to continue his feast, replenishing the energy he had just used up.

Once the atmosphere warmed up again, Buggy looked at Robin and said frankly, "Actually, there's something I need your help with... I have a rubbing of the Poneglyph; could you help me translate it?"