A Breath of Fresh Air

[Monet's favorability has reached 32. The first ability copy may now begin.]

[Please choose one of the following abilities to copy:]

[1. Logia Devil Fruit: Snow-Snow Fruit (Development: 28%)]

[2. Fighting (Beginner)]

[3. Assassination (Proficient)]

[4. Cooking (Proficient)]

[5...]

A Logia Devil Fruit...

It was finally here!

Kane suppressed the wild joy in his heart. Using the motion of chewing dessert as cover, he finally turned the crazily rising corners of his mouth into a smile.

That smile fell into Monet's eyes and became a warm current flowing into her heart, making her run back to her cabin shyly.

But she did not know that Kane, who had impatiently chosen the Snow-Snow Fruit, was undergoing a strange transformation.

At that moment, Kane felt that as long as he wished it, he could turn his body into snowflakes at any time and anywhere—drifting through the wind like cotton, or blanketing an entire area in a snowstorm.

As Kane carefully sensed it, more and more ways to use the Snow-Snow Fruit flooded into his mind, making him eager to try it out.

But a moment later, he sighed inwardly in regret. He currently had two people hanging off him and was standing on a warship under countless watchful eyes. How could he rashly test his newly acquired ability?

Filled with regret, Kane opened his status panel.

[Douglas Kane]

[Copied Abilities:]

[Logia: Snow-Snow Fruit (Development: 52%)]

[Zoan: Bat-Bat Fruit (Development: 64%)]

[Paramecia: Flower-Flower Fruit (Development: 85%)]

[Paramecia: Barrier-Barrier Fruit (Development: 48%)]

[Paramecia: Arms-Arms Fruit (Development: 62%)]

[Paramecia: Wash-Wash Fruit (Development: 39%)]

[Six Powers (Perfect)]

[Armament Haki (Mastery)]

[Observation Haki (Mastery)]

[Giant Strength]

Thanks to Gion's relentless training, Kane's strength had improved further, indirectly causing all of his Devil Fruit abilities to advance as well.

He was confident that if he stopped holding back and went all out, he could match the current Doflamingo—in other words, a Shichibukai-level fighter.

As for exactly what level he could reach, Kane had never gone all out before, so there was no way to know.

Just as Kane was considering whether he should find an opponent to test himself against after the mission ended, Cuckoo landed urgently on the warship's deck.

She hurried to Kane's side in a few quick steps, reached for the ticklish spot at Kujaku's waist, and gave it a few scratches. Kujaku's human-shaped lock immediately dissolved with giggles, leaving her limp on the deck.

"You're awful, Sister Cuckoo!"

Kujaku sprang up in frustration. Just as she was about to latch onto Kane again and lock him down, Cuckoo quickly said,

"Vice Admiral Tsuru wants you. She said she has something to tell you."

Kujaku froze. Understanding that business came first, she stuck out her tongue at Cuckoo and made a face before turning and leaving.

After sending Kujaku away, Cuckoo blinked at Baby 5, who was hanging around Kane's neck, and pleaded,

"Baby 5, lend Kane to me for a little while. Just a little while."

"Okay!"

Baby 5 liked Cuckoo very much. Without another word, she jumped down and even took the initiative to place Kane's hand in Cuckoo's.

Back in the Calm Belt, Kane was always dragged away by Gion for training, so Cuckoo would come over to play with Baby 5. The two had formed a deep friendship.

Cuckoo gave Baby 5 a grateful look, then grabbed Kane and ran toward her own warship.

Dragged along by her, Kane shook his head and sighed.

"A dignified Marine colonel, tricking a child."

"I didn't trick her."

Cuckoo blushed but stubbornly refused to admit that she had deceived Baby 5.

"Then how long is your 'little while'?"

"Not long."

"Will ten minutes be enough?"

"How dare you!"

As they spoke, they arrived at Cuckoo's cabin. She kicked backward, sending the door slamming shut with a bang, then shoved Kane down in one swift motion.

"Let's fight!"

Cuckoo shouted as she threw herself at him without hesitation.

Cuckoo had grown up at her grandfather's horse ranch. When she was ten, her grandfather gave her a horse.

It was a white horse without a single stray hair on its body. Its mane fluttered magnificently when it ran, and it was beautiful beyond words.

Cuckoo loved it because it was remarkably intelligent. Not only could it understand her thoughts, but it also loved rubbing its nose against her ticklish spots.

Whenever it pressed its wet nose against Cuckoo's face and body, occasionally snorting and exhaling heavily, Cuckoo knew that it wanted to gallop freely.

And those were Cuckoo's happiest moments.

Riding a horse was not simply a matter of sitting still. Otherwise, neither rider nor horse could endure it. The key was coordinating one's waist and legs.

Cuckoo had excellent waist and leg strength, so she developed superb riding skills atop that white horse.

When starting off, Cuckoo would cling tightly to the saddle, swaying her waist back and forth with the horse's steps as if pushing waves.

Once it began running, things became easier. At that point, she would imagine herself as a component, adjusting her posture with every jolt to remain stable.

During a full-speed gallop, the white horse could easily lose control, and Cuckoo would instinctively tense her body. Still, she could use her powerful waist and legs to maintain her balance.

The white horse was exceptionally intelligent and always took good care of her.

But it could be mischievous at times too. After coming to a sudden stop, it would abruptly accelerate again, scaring her into screaming repeatedly.

However, while her superb riding skills let her enjoy the thrill of galloping to the fullest, they could not prevent the exhaustion of her stamina.

When the battle ended, Cuckoo swayed but refused to fall, because Kane had not yet admitted defeat.

After waiting for a moment and seeing Kane remain silent, Cuckoo gritted her teeth.

"I-I didn't lose..."

"I haven't even asked."

"Even if you ask, I still didn't lose!"

"Mm-hm, then it's still a draw."

"That's right... Don't move!"

"I didn't move. Your warship is moving."

"Oh... but it's going in circles."

"Yeah. How strange."

As the setting sun dyed the sails orange, it declared that more than half a day had passed since they left the Calm Belt.

The day had been rather peaceful. They encountered no troubles and no enemies.

Kane did not know whether their enemies had yet to determine their exact location or were lying in wait somewhere along the route ahead. At the very least, though, he had enjoyed a quiet day.

When night fell, Kane made arrangements for the night voyage and returned to his cabin.

A faint floral scent lingered around his nose as a warm, soft body had already thrown itself into his arms.

Blue-black hair swayed gently. Robin lifted her pretty face and met Kane's doting gaze.

Robin smiled, her eyes curving into lovely crescents.

She liked it when Kane looked at her like that, especially when they were close together.

Her reflection was clear within those deep, tranquil eyes, while intense affection flowed from them and entered her heart through their shared gaze.

A moment later, Robin got her wish and pressed herself against Kane. There was no barrier between them, and happiness filled her chest.

"Have you been feeling stifled, staying in the cabin all day?" Kane asked with concern.

Ever since leaving Minion Island, Robin had been leaving her cabin less and less often. In recent days, she had barely stepped outside at all. Kane worried that she would make herself sick from being cooped up.

"No."

Robin shook her head, her smile unchanged. Seeing Kane was enough to make her happy.

But the more she said that, the more Kane's heart ached for her.

"Come on. I'll take you out for some fresh air."

"Ah?... Okay."

Robin froze briefly, then obediently nodded and prepared to get dressed and disguise herself.

"No need for makeup. You look just fine like this."

But Kane pulled her back, opened the window, and jumped out with Robin in his arms.

"Ah!"

Robin cried out, but before the sound could leave her mouth, Kane sealed it back in her throat.

Without feeling even the slightest sensation of falling, Robin saw six enormous bat wings grow from Kane's back.

An application of the Bat-Bat Fruit and Flower-Flower Fruit!

The instant the six wings appeared, two of them wrapped around Robin, protecting her tightly against Kane's chest.

The other four gave a gentle flap, and the two shot into the sky like arrows released from a bow, reaching an altitude of one hundred meters in the blink of an eye.

Cool moonlight poured down, and the slightly chilly night breeze brushed past them. Yet Robin did not feel cold in the slightest. Her body and heart both felt warm.

Especially the pair of wings wrapped around her. They carried Kane's body heat, making her unable to stop herself from growing a little greedy.

"Can you hold me a little tighter?"

Kane could not help but laugh. He never refused Robin's requests.

So Kane not only tightened his wings, but also slowly drew in the arms wrapped around Robin.

Then Kane flapped his wings again, carrying Robin toward the moon.

As they flew higher and higher, the warships on the sea rapidly shrank until they soon looked no larger than sesame seeds.

Robin's instinctive fear of heights made her heart pound wildly, yet she felt incomparably safe within Kane's warm embrace.

The contradictory sensation left her dizzy. Finally, after Kane flew her above the clouds, she could no longer restrain herself. She wrapped her arms around Kane's neck and kissed him.

The beating wings suddenly stopped.

A sense of weightlessness abruptly washed over her. Robin felt as if her heart had stopped for an instant, but Kane still looked at her with affection, immediately calming her down.

The two plummeted from the sky. The raging wind rushing at them made Robin's skin tremble, but she was certain that Kane's embrace was the safest place in the world.

The instant they fell toward the sea like meteors, Kane suddenly spread the four wings he had drawn in.

In an instant, the two changed direction mid-dive and skimmed rapidly across the sea's surface. Their astonishing speed even carved a deep trail through the water.

A moment later, Kane carried Robin back above the clouds. Robin laughed freely, her face full of excitement, though tears slid from the corners of her eyes.

"Kane, you'll never leave me behind, right?"

"Right."

"I mean forever."

"I know."

"Yay!"

Robin happily waved both arms at the moon, then wriggled awkwardly yet adorably within Kane's wings.

A moment later, Robin looked at Kane with embarrassment and anticipation. Biting her lip lightly, she asked,

"Kane, if we're like this... can you still fly?"

"I'll try."

Kane smiled helplessly and flapped his wings, carrying Robin as they soared freely through the night sky.