Marine Hunter, Kaby (Bonus Chapter for a Patron's Tip)

The Eos was cruising through the deep sea adjacent to the Flower Country. Inside a cabin, Robin swallowed the last bite of her Sandwich and wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

"Now I believe you really can live for a long time."

She lowered her head to look at her palm, slowly curling and uncurling her fingers as she felt the long-lost vitality in her joints.

"I feel like my body is brimming with energy now."

Archaeology was a multidisciplinary field. To properly understand the history of a civilization, one had to approach it from different angles—architecture, writing, art, religion, and medicine.

With Robin's medical knowledge, she could clearly tell that her current physical condition was far better than before.

The malnutrition she had suffered while living under others' roofs in Ohara as a child, the hidden injuries left behind by her turbulent years on the run, the lingering aches she had thought would follow her for life—all of them had vanished completely.

Lucas leaned back in his chair and tilted his head to glance at her.

"I think you should smile when you say that. Didn't Saul say you looked cute when you smiled? Why don't you ever like smiling?"

He genuinely felt that Robin was far too mature for her age. In the original timeline, aside from CP9 and Kuzan, almost nothing could make her lose control.

It was only after she spent some time with the Revolutionary Army two years later that she improved a little. He did not want to wait two years.

"Partners need private space too."

Robin crossed her arms over her chest. Two fair arms suddenly sprouted from either side of Lucas's waist, their fingertips pinching the soft flesh there before twisting hard.

"Peeking into someone else's memories is very rude, Mr. Vampire."

Lucas cooperatively scrunched his entire face up and jerked his waist to the side. Even if it did not hurt, he had to pretend it did at a time like this.

He raised both hands high in surrender.

"Sorry, I'll never do it again."

Suddenly, the mischievous grin vanished from his face. His azure eyes looked straight into Robin's.

"But I hope you never do something like jumping off a cliff to kill yourself again. I want you to live well."

Robin was slightly moved. Something flickered in her equally blue eyes, and her heart suddenly softened.

Just when she thought Lucas was about to offer some heartfelt confession, he proved through his actions what professional treatment for "low blood pressure" looked like.

"After all, I wouldn't have feelings for a dead person."

"..."

Robin's breathing halted for a beat. The calm mask she had maintained for so long nearly cracked.

Expressionlessly, she activated her ability. Dozens of arms instantly wrapped around Lucas's limbs and joints, then twisted in opposite directions all at once.

"Hey, hey, hey, they're breaking!"

Lucas "writhed in pain" across the floor, his body curled into a distorted arc as he rolled from one end of the cabin to the other like a caterpillar poked with a stick.

Robin rose as if nothing had happened, picked up the book on the table that she had read one-third of the way through, and left the cabin with steady steps.

After she left, Baccarat poked her head out from the neighboring cabin. She glanced at Lucas, who was still playing dead on the floor, then leisurely walked over, crouched down, and poked his lower back with a finger clad in a lace glove.

"Why did you have to provoke her when everything was fine?"

"Don't you want to see her other expressions too?"

Lucas rolled over and sat up from the floor. He chuckled and revealed his true purpose. Anyway, it was unlikely that his reckless antics would actually get him killed. Putting on a little act to see Robin's other expressions was not much of a loss.

"Didn't you see them that night?"

Baccarat covered her small mouth in surprise, her eyes widening round. She found it a little hard to believe.

Surely Robin had not been expressionless even at a time like that?

"I did. I saw her happy, shy, and gentle expressions. But I really haven't seen her angry very often."

Baccarat rolled her eyes prettily and said irritably,

"You brought this on yourself. If you really take it too far, I won't plead for you."

As the two chatted and laughed, neither noticed the tiny ear that had grown from the hem of Lucas's clothes on his back behind the door.

The little ear twitched gently, taking in every word of their conversation.

Marine Branch 81.

This base was located on a small island near the Flower Country. It was an outpost established by the Marines specifically to monitor the Happo Navy, those "legal pirates."

At that moment, smoke and flames engulfed the entire base. A watchtower had collapsed to one side, its top still burning and billowing thick black smoke.

A massive hole had been smashed through the barracks wall. The edges were jagged, with bricks and stones scattered everywhere.

A giant bear was rampaging across the base's parade ground. Standing upright, it was a full eight meters tall. Its limbs were long, and its body was much slimmer than that of an ordinary bear, resembling some ancient creature from a prehistoric mural. Its face was relatively short, with a width-to-length ratio of around eighty percent. Its muzzle jutted forward, revealing two rows of interlocking sharp teeth.

Its body was covered in well-developed muscles, and its steps were straight and stiff. It looked less like a bear and more like a person forcibly stuffed into a bear's body.

Every step landed with the force of a drumbeat, stamping deep craters into the ground.

Zoan · Bear-Bear Fruit · Ancient Species · Short-Faced Bear Form · Beast Form

"It's time you repaid your debts!"

The giant bear spoke human words as it charged into the Marine ranks again. It raised a bear paw high and brought it crashing down on the nearest Marines.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Marines raised their flintlock rifles and fired at the bear paw. Lead bullets struck its paw, bursting into flashes and smoke, then bounced off like beans hitting leather before falling to the ground.

Every Marine touched by that bear paw suffered shattered bones and ruptured tendons on the spot.

The surviving Marines looked at one another. Their gazes swept over the base commander lying nearby, the officer they had once believed invincible. He was now curled on the ground in a completely unnatural posture, his chest caved in from the blow, his face bluish-gray, long devoid of breath.

Despair filled the Marines' faces. Some had hands trembling around their rifles, some had begun inching backward, and some muttered the names of their family members.

A pink Flying Slash streaked in from afar and struck the giant bear's enormous body with perfect accuracy.

The bear's hide, which even lead bullets could not pierce, was sliced open with ease. A bone-deep wound blossomed across its chest. Crimson blood sprayed from it, arcing through the air before splattering across the scorched ground.

Its massive eight-meter body was sent flying sideways by the slash, smashing through a wall. The thunderous crash of collapsing bricks drowned out its roar.

The sound of air exploding beneath footsteps came from behind. A tall, valiant figure descended from midair using Geppo and landed steadily in front of the Marine formation.

"Marine Hunter Kaby, in the name of Absolute Justice, I declare you under arrest."

Gion held Kompira as she walked step by step toward where the giant bear had landed. Rubble crunched softly beneath the pressure of her high heels.

Given her rank, she could not leave Headquarters whenever she pleased. Back when Lucas was still in the Kingdom of Ye, she could use the excuse of "eliminating gang groups" to handle personal matters under official cover, but that was no longer possible.

To come to the West Blue legally and reasonably, she had specifically taken this mission—which the branch could not handle—from the huge board at Headquarters covered in unsolved cases.

Marine Hunter Kaby, an Ancient Species Zoan ability user, had repeatedly attacked multiple Marine facilities throughout the West Blue.

"Quit spouting nonsense!"

A furious roar that shook the heavens erupted from the rubble. Stones flew in every direction, dust surged into the sky, and Kaby rose from the collapsed wall. The wound on his chest was still seeping blood, flesh peeled back to faintly reveal stark white ribs. Zoan ability users were known for their powerful vitality, especially Ancient Species users. An injury like this was not enough to hinder his movements.

"You hypocrites think you deserve to talk about justice?"

TO BE CONTINUED

(PS: This character was a reader cameo. I originally had not decided on a name.

Attentive readers may have noticed that the delinquent leader from Kid's hometown, the first gang boss taken out while searching for Robin, and even two of the five major bosses in the West Blue all had no names in this book.

I do not know other authors' habits, but for me, when it comes to names for minor passersby like these, I only decide on a name after determining what they are going to do. If I truly cannot think of one, I simply do not bother.

An old reader who has followed several of my books wanted a cameo. This plot device meant to drive Gion's change in her ideals of justice happened to have no name yet, so I gave this plot device the reader's name.)