I Don't Want You to Die

"Leave this place." Miming pointed toward the coast. "Don't tell me that destroying the ruins and the forest is also something you can sacrifice for your justice."

"There's nothing that can't be sacrificed for justice." Aokiji's eyes blazed with fury. "The kind of justice that lets the Celestial Dragons eat their fill— the Marines don't need that kind of justice at all!"

Aokiji thrust his hand forward. Jagged ice spikes rose from the ground, stabbing toward Miming's feet and Robin behind him.

Miming scooped Robin up and ran for the coast.

"Put me down!" Robin cried in alarm. "Everyone will die!"

"Even if you die, I won't allow it." Miming's voice was firm. "I absolutely won't let you get hurt! Some things can't be solved even by dying. The only option is to fight."

"It isn't like before anymore!" Robin shouted. Clutching Miming's collar, she sobbed, "I don't want you to die! I don't want you to be killed because of me like Saul was!"

Aokiji was ruthless even toward those closest to him. Saul had been Aokiji's good friend, yet he had still been killed by Aokiji right in front of Robin. When Saul learned that the Buster Call's plan was to wipe out the entire island of Ohara and massacre its scholars and civilians simply to make an example of them, he resolutely opposed it and betrayed the Marines. Later, Saul gave his life to protect Robin.

"I won't die!" Miming grabbed Robin's hand. The psychological scars from the past had wounded Robin too deeply, leaving even someone as exceptionally intelligent as her unable to judge the situation calmly.

"Robin." Miming shouted, "Demons only need to be defeated! Nightmares only need to be shattered! Even when you're truly left with nowhere to go, you still have to strive