Tequila Wolf

After doing all that, Hancock acted as though she had merely done something trivial, then turned and left.

She was one of the Shichibukai. Though she had suffered a heavy loss at Moonlight's hands, how could she possibly take mere Marines seriously?

"Monkey D. Luffy, is it? I'd like to see what kind of man you really are."

Thinking of the Straw Hat Kid Rayleigh had mentioned in his letter, as well as Moonlight's solemn expression when he left, she sneered inwardly.

Out at sea, Moonlight unleashed Dragon Severing Void. After locking onto a certain direction, he surged forward at full speed.

His time was limited, so he could not spare even a moment.

On Greenstone, an island known as the Forest of Bandits, a mysterious man suddenly fell from the sky today.

This man had an abnormally long nose. "Ah, stop right there! I have eight thousand subordinates..."

"Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, everyone... I have to get back to you all as soon as possible."

This mysterious man was Usopp. After falling from the sky and waking up, he discovered that he had arrived in a strange place.

The island was covered in all kinds of plants, and the plants here seemed alive—they ate people.

His nose hit the ground first, and he groaned in pain. Then he accidentally stepped on a strange banana-like plant. The banana plant immediately opened its huge mouth and bit at him. He hurriedly fled in panic, but such plants were everywhere on the island. After narrowly escaping death time and again, he was nearly eaten. Fortunately, someone who could barely be called human saved him.

He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to his feet. His battered body trembled uncontrollably, but his gaze remained resolute. Gritting his teeth, he would crawl back to his companions if he had to.

"Usopp, huh? Stay alive on this island."

After racing nonstop for an entire day, Moonlight finally saw Usopp that evening. He did not reveal himself, merely sighing.

It was certainly good to see that Usopp was still alive, but he had no intention of taking him away. The Straw Hat Crew was too weak right now, and each of them needed time to grow. Besides, the sea was no longer peaceful. If they wanted to go farther and prevent something like today from happening again, they had to become stronger on their own.

With that in mind, he found the person who had saved Usopp, a being who could not truly be called human. After speaking with him for a while, Moonlight departed in a cloud of dust.

Next stop.

Torino Kingdom.

After another full day, Moonlight finally arrived at this island, where birds ruled over humans.

Chopper had fallen here and suffered miserably on the island.

Fortunately, two giant birds had saved him. He could even speak with them, and the birds bore him no ill will. Moonlight nodded lightly without disturbing them, then left once more.

On to the next stop.

Tequila Wolf, a nation built upon a bridge.

The World Government imprisoned all criminals here and forced them to build the bridge. The project had lasted seven hundred years, and no one knew when it would ever end.

At this moment, countless overseers had Robin and a little girl surrounded, their eyes vicious. "You actually dared to try and escape? You're courting death!"

"You can't escape. This country is crawling with overseers, and there are plenty of Marines too. Even if you grew wings, you wouldn't get away!"

"Hurry up and surrender obediently, or we'll kill you slaves!"

Some even attacked directly, but Robin's Flower-Flower Fruit ability was too formidable, making them wary.

If Robin had intended to hurt them, how could these people possibly have been a match for her?

Yet Robin seemed to have no intention of fighting or leaving. She shook her head, her eyes filled with exhaustion and heartbreak.

"Everyone... everyone..."

"Even if I got out now, what would it change..."

"Big Sister Robin!"

Seeing this, the little girl Soran hurriedly called out.

At that moment, the overseers had already closed in, sneering repeatedly. One sharp-eyed man shoved Robin to the ground and was about to punch and kick her.

Seeing this, the surrounding slaves did not dare step forward. They all scattered away.

Buzz!

But at that moment, a crescent-shaped Sword Aura tore through the air and erupted amid the overseers!

Boom!

The Sword Aura whistled forth, blasting every overseer away.

The space before Robin was instantly cleared.

"Who was that?"

"Ah?"

This sudden turn of events stunned everyone. Robin's eyes flickered as she abruptly rose to her feet and looked toward the black figure walking through the air from afar. Endless hope and wild joy flashed through her eyes, and she immediately threw herself into the black figure's arms. "Moonlight, you came!"

It was Moonlight.

After Greenstone and Torino Kingdom, he had spent two days traveling, then another day and a half reaching Tequila Wolf, this mysterious nation on a bridge.

With his Observation Haki spread out, he had finally found Robin.

"I came."

Holding Robin in his arms, Moonlight finally breathed a sigh of relief, joy filling his heart. Thank goodness Robin was safe.

"How is everyone?"

Robin immediately asked.

"Usopp is on an island called Greenstone, covered in plants. He's doing all right. Chopper is in Torino Kingdom, where he's made two friends. He's doing fine too. As for Zoro, Sanji, Franky, and Brook, I haven't had time to find them yet, and I don't intend to. With their skills, even if they landed in hell, they'd tear open its gates and crawl back out themselves. You two are the ones I was worried about."

Moonlight looked at Robin and smiled. "As for Luffy, he's gone to a very good place. When we see him again, I expect we'll have a captain's wife."

"A captain's wife? Then it sounds like Luffy is doing quite well."

At that, Robin rarely smiled. But then she seemed to think of something. "Moonlight, you don't intend to have everyone reunite right now, do you?"

She was extremely intelligent and immediately understood something from Moonlight's words.

"That's right."

Moonlight nodded, not concealing his thoughts.

"A major event has happened outside. Luffy's brother Ace was captured by the Marines and will be executed in three days at Marine Headquarters, in Marineford Plaza. This has shocked the entire sea, and Whitebeard is already enraged. A great war is about to begin, and Luffy and I will be going to save Ace."

"Ace is going to be executed? Whitebeard?"

Hearing this, Robin shuddered, staring at Moonlight with a face full of shock.

Naturally, she understood how terrifying this was, especially the name Whitebeard. He was someone who had ruled an era.

If such a man became enraged, even the sea itself would be afraid.

"After what happened today, I'm sure everyone understands that we're too weak. If we want to survive on these seas, we must become stronger. Luffy wants to become the Pirate King, and as his companions, we must become stronger too."

With his hands behind his back, Moonlight stood on the bridge and looked down at the countless overseers and Marines who had been alerted and were rushing toward them in a frenzy.

"You're right."

Robin fell silent. Of course she understood what Moonlight meant, but how could the longing born from being separated from her companions possibly be put into words?

"Today's separation is only for tomorrow's reunion. Robin, this is my Vivre Card. After I save Ace, I'll come find you. Take care of yourself."