It Was Hungry... (Fourth Update)

"How could this be..."

Zero's expression was one of disbelief.

Only then did he remember that something like this had happened in the original story. He had not had time to warn Igaram before the explosion had already gone off.

"Nami, has your Log Pose finished collecting the data?"

Roronoa Zoro hurriedly asked Nami. After receiving her affirmative reply, Luffy immediately called for everyone to leave. They split into two groups: one headed for the Going Merry first, while the other carried Sanji and Usopp aboard.

When Nami and Vivi arrived on the ship, Vivi kept looking around, saying she could not find her duck, Karoo.

Roronoa Zoro pointed at Karoo beside them and asked if that was it. Only then did Vivi relax, then complained that he had somehow gotten aboard so quickly.

Sanji and Usopp woke up at that moment. The instant they got up, they started making a racket, demanding to know why everyone had not stayed longer and why they were leaving so soon.

Nami found them too troublesome and promptly knocked them unconscious with two punches.

Before long, everyone had packed up and left Whiskey Peak.

"...It was really fortunate that we escaped the pursuers."

Just as Nami was still sighing over it, a mature voice suddenly picked up the conversation. "That's right. Just be careful not to crash the ship into any rocks, okay~?"

"Don't worry—"

Only then did Nami realize something was wrong. She looked around and saw Zero staring seriously at somewhere on the ship, so she followed his gaze.

"Who are you? How did you get aboard the Going Merry?"

Hearing Nami's voice, everyone finally noticed that a curvaceous woman was sitting on the railing of the upper deck. She was dressed provocatively and wore a hat, exuding an air of mystery.

"You're Miss All Sunday!"

Vivi spoke the woman's codename. But Zero knew her real name: Nico Robin, the Devil Child with an 80 million Beli bounty!

From Vivi, they also learned that the sexy woman before them was Mr. 0—Crocodile's partner!

Robin then explained why Vivi had been hunted down. It turned out that she herself had deliberately leaked the information, and even Vivi's current predicament was partly connected to her.

Hearing that, Vivi was instantly furious. Just as she was about to do something, Sanji and Usopp had already appeared beside Robin, threatening her not to make any sudden moves.

But in the next instant, the two of them suddenly floated into the air under the influence of some strange power, then fell straight from the upper deck onto the deck below!

"What happened? Was that a Devil Fruit?"

Everyone began guessing whether Robin was a Devil Fruit user, and they looked at her with wary eyes.

Seemingly to toy with Luffy, Robin used her ability to catch Luffy's straw hat in her hand. As she tossed it back, she told them that the next island was Little Garden and that they would never make it to Alabasta, seemingly hinting that something dangerous awaited them there.

Then she suddenly handed Vivi a Log Pose, saying that it marked a safe route and telling them to follow it.

But Luffy immediately snatched the Log Pose away and crushed it in his hand!

Although Nami later beat Luffy senseless, he still bluntly said that he hated Robin because she had hurt Igaram. Robin expressed her regret at that and jumped down from the upper deck.

As she passed Zero, she asked, "You're Zero, the Marine with a 50 million Beli bounty, right?"

Zero did not look at her, but he gave a slight nod.

"Crocodile is quite interested in you. Do you want to join Baroque Works? With your abilities, I guarantee you'd be able to—"

Before Robin could finish, Luffy and Nami spoke one after the other.

"You, don't set your sights on my crewmate!"

"Zero isn't going with you, so don't waste your time!"

Roronoa Zoro had even drawn Wado Ichimonji. If Luffy decided to make a move, he would rush in without hesitation!

Robin had not expected everyone to react so strongly after she invited Zero to join Baroque Works. Still, she only looked into Zero's eyes and waited for his answer.

Naturally, Zero shook his head and refused.

Robin smiled, as though Zero's answer was exactly what she had expected. She said nothing more, turned around, jumped off the Going Merry, and left atop a giant turtle.

After Robin left, Sanji and Usopp asked what had happened. Zero explained it to them, and only then did they realize they had missed so much.

They also learned that Luffy could now use Armament Haki, and they could not help feeling secretly shocked. They thought they would have to train hard from now on.

Afterward, everyone unanimously decided that their next task was to escort Vivi to Alabasta, and they also confirmed their next destination—Little Garden!

"An item lottery ticket?"

At that moment, Zero seemed to be staring blankly at the distant sea from the deck of the Going Merry, but he was actually checking the reward from his last side quest in his mind.

Other than his experience points increasing from 500 to 1,250, the only thing that caught Zero's attention was this item lottery ticket.

He remembered that the last time, he had drawn a Great Grade Blade like Startled Dragon from this item. He wondered what surprise it would give him this time!

Thinking that, Zero looked around. Seeing that no one was watching him, he held out his palm and silently thought, Use.

In the next instant, a flame suddenly appeared out of nowhere in his hand, and an oval object gradually became clearer within the fire.

When the flames dispersed, Zero looked clearly at the thing in his hand and could not help feeling confused.

It was a white egg!

"What's with this egg?"

"Hey, Zero, what are you doing? What's that in your hand? Can you eat it?"

Luffy's voice came from somewhere nearby. Before Zero could answer, the egg in his hand had already vanished.

When he turned his head, Luffy had his mouth wide open, ready to swallow the egg shell and all.

"Wait, Luffy!"

Zero urgently reached out, but he still could not stop the gluttonous Luffy from swallowing the egg...

He just ate it...

Zero: "..."

But not long after Luffy swallowed it, his cheeks suddenly turned bright red, and his eyes widened in an instant. Then came a pained cry: "It's so hot!"

The moment Luffy opened his mouth, a ball of flame flew out from within it. It drifted back into Zero's hand, and only then did Zero clearly see the little creature's true form—

It resembled a small bird, with a completely red, round body. A tuft of golden down on its chest was especially eye-catching, and its eyes were bright and lively, making it look nothing like something that had just been born.

"Chirp!"

That was its cry.

But for some reason, Zero seemed to hear something in that sound, as though it were saying—

It was hungry...