Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
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"Then, if nothing else comes up, I'll continue building my new laboratory!"
As the Going Merry slowly disappeared from everyone's sight, Usopp waved goodbye and prepared to head to his laboratory inside the ship to continue researching his exclusive ammunition.
But at that moment, Luffy suddenly remembered something.
"Wait a minute, Usopp!"
He hurriedly ran into the cabin, and soon emerged holding two giant eggs with different patterns.
"Usopp, Red said you have a Fire Stone over there that might speed up the hatching of dragon eggs..."
"Please help me hatch these two dragon eggs!"
"Are those really dragon eggs, Luffy?!" Usopp's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ah?" Sanji suddenly said in surprise: "So those are the eggs you want to hatch! I was planning to use them for tonight's dinner!"
"What?!" Luffy looked at Sanji in shock. "These are pets I finally caught! How can you be so cruel!"
"You idiot! You always eat more than anyone else!!!" Sanji punched Luffy directly on the head with a resounding thump!
"I guess I'll have to change the recipe," Sanji sighed.
Based on their size alone, it was clear that the parents of these dragon eggs must be quite large.
However, at that moment, a mature female laugh suddenly came from above everyone's heads: "Fufufu~"
The sudden sound startled the Straw Hats, and everyone looked in the direction of the voice.
"Huh?! So there really is someone there?!" Luffy, still holding the dragon eggs, looked up in surprise.
"I just told you I sensed a strange presence..."
"You idiot! You should explain such important things immediately next time!"
Soon they spotted a strange woman sitting atop the Merry's cabin.
A charming purple wide-brimmed cowboy hat hung over smooth, long black hair. Her matching purple camisole outlined the graceful, seductive curves of her figure. Her slender legs were crossed and slightly tilted, gently swaying in the air.
"What an interesting group of people!"
"Miss All Sunday!!!" Vivi shouted in alarm, immediately recognizing the woman.
When they heard this familiar codename, all the Straw Hats immediately tensed.
Zoro and Smoker drew their weapons without hesitation.
Although the Sea-Prism Stone at the top of Smoker's jitte had been removed by Usopp and used for other purposes, they had been traveling together for many days, and Usopp had already helped reforge his weapon.
While it lacked the Sea-Prism Stone to restrain Devil Fruit users, Usopp had coated the surface of the jitte with a special material that allowed Smoker to inject his smoke into the coating, achieving a remote-control effect.
Additionally, he'd designed a mechanism that could release toxins from the tip of the weapon, creating various toxic accessories with different effects, allowing Smoker to switch toxins depending on his opponent.
At first, Smoker had refused in every way, saying he didn't want weapons made by pirates.
But during a sparring session with Luffy, using the new weapon accidentally caused Luffy to suffer diarrhea for several hours. Smoker instantly fell in love with his new weapon!
All we can say is that the law of poetic justice exists in every world!
Nami quickly assembled her staff, and the power of bright lightning burst from her hands, instantly charging the entire staff.
Usopp, who had been heading to his laboratory, immediately jumped down from the ship's railing and quickly drew his slingshot, loading it with what looked like a plant seed.
The visitor was none other than Miss All Sunday, Nico Robin, who after some investigation had finally tracked down the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Hahaha~" Looking at the Straw Hats' reactions, Robin smiled sweetly.
This gentle laugh instantly captured Sanji's heart.
"Just look at her! Isn't she a beautiful lady?!" His eyes immediately transformed into heart shapes, making him the only one among the tense Straw Hats who seemed entranced rather than alarmed.
"Hey! Who are you? Why are you on my ship?!" After regaining his composure, Luffy suddenly shouted at Robin.
But Robin didn't panic at all. She placed her slender palms against her cheeks and chuckled calmly: "Didn't Her Royal Highness the Princess just explain it?"
"I'm an assassin from Baroque Works, specifically here to assassinate this princess!"
"Oh! So you're a bad guy!" Luffy nodded in understanding.
And in the next second—
Whoosh! ! !
Still holding the dragon eggs in his arms, Luffy suddenly appeared behind Robin as if he'd moved instantaneously, swiftly swinging both his rubber leg and arm to attack her back.
"Gomu Gomu no..." Luffy began to shout.
"Vivi is our friend! I won't let you hurt her!" he continued.
"What?!" The sudden attack made Robin's spirit tremble.
Fortunately, because Luffy was holding the dragon eggs and this was the Merry, he didn't use his full strength, leaving Robin enough time to react.
She immediately leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Twelve Fleur: Rope!!!"
In an instant, phantom petals fluttered through the air.
From the observation deck of the Merry, multiple arms magically sprouted out, directly grabbing Robin's collar and pulling her into the air.
However...
If these had been the Straw Hats from the original timeline, perhaps Robin would have been allowed to escape.
But the current Straw Hats weren't so easily outmaneuvered!
"Special Attack! Green Devil Star Binding Vine!!!"
Whoosh! ! !
Usopp, who had been preparing all along, suddenly released his fingers.
An emerald-green projectile shot through the air and accurately struck Robin in mid-flight.
The next moment, the casing of the ammunition shattered, revealing a small plant seed infused with emerald-green Pokémon energy!
The Pokémon move that Usopp had injected into the seed—Giga Drain—activated! ! !
The seed, absorbing Robin's physical energy, grew at an incredible speed.
Soon, large green vines formed, slithering over her delicate skin like tentacles and quickly wrapping around Robin's body.
This was Usopp's latest development!
Storing Pokémon moves like Giga Drain in ammunition, or injecting the energy when fired...
This allowed the seeds that hit an enemy to grow rapidly by absorbing their physical energy, achieving exactly what Usopp intended.
Robin, now restrained, finally lost her composure. Unable to escape, she fell straight from the air, landing on the soft grassy deck.
Swish-! ! !
In an instant, various weapons from the Straw Hats were positioned directly above her head.
Any one of them could instantly incapacitate her!
Step... step... step...
At that moment, Red approached with brisk steps, pushing aside Usopp and Zoro. He slowly came to Robin, crouched down, and tore away the vines blocking her mouth, then clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk tsk~"
"I really don't know whether to say you underestimated us, or that you're simply suicidal."
"How dare you come to the Merry on your own..."
"With your intelligence capabilities, you must know about our crew's bounties and strength, right?"
"So..."
Red smiled mysteriously, his rotating eyes looking directly at Robin:
"You must have a death wish, right?"
"Nico Robin!?"
"You...!?"
Hearing Red call out her real name, Robin, ignoring the pain, suddenly stared at him with a horrified expression.
"How do you know my name!?"