Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
"What? Miss All Sunday?"
Ikaros turned around in surprise, grabbed his telescope and looked in the direction Vivi was pointing.
"It really is her! This woman is actually riding a giant turtle? Is she here to assassinate us too?"
Vivi pursed her lips and walked to the stern of the Explorer.
"Whatever her purpose is, we should capture her first."
As she spoke, Vivi raised Sode no Shirayuki, pointing its blade toward Miss All Sunday in the distance.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki! Second Dance - White Ripple!"
"Nefeltari Vivi? What's happening with this woman's power?" Nico Robin lowered her telescope, frowning as she murmured to herself.
Originally, she had intended to approach the Explorer to speak with Vivi and the others. But after witnessing through her telescope how Vivi had single-handedly defeated Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas, she hesitated.
"Did she eat some Devil Fruit that rapidly increased her strength?" After consideration, this was the only possibility Robin could think of.
Shaking her head, she finally decided to change course. Until she understood the source of Vivi's power and the specific capabilities of Ikki and the others aboard that ship, she didn't want to risk close contact with them.
However, just as she instructed the massive turtle beneath her feet to turn away, she noticed a wave-like surge of ice rapidly approaching from the Explorer's direction. Wherever the ice passed, the sea surface instantly froze.
Witnessing this phenomenon, Nico Robin's eyes widened in shock. She wanted to escape, but surrounded by ocean, it was too late for the giant turtle to change direction. She could only watch helplessly as the ice froze the turtle beneath her feet.
"It's freezing!" Robin grimaced as she looked down at her lower body encased in ice. "Did Nefeltari Vivi eat a Devil Fruit similar to Admiral Aokiji's?"
A flash of helplessness crossed her eyes. Although she had jumped up the moment the ice covered the giant turtle, upon landing again, the ice spread from the turtle's shell to encase her legs. Due to the distance, she couldn't effectively attack Vivi, who had created the ice.
"Captain Ikki, I'm going over there," Vivi called out before swiftly carrying Sode no Shirayuki across the frozen sea toward Nico Robin.
Observing Vivi's running speed, Nico Robin frowned again. 'Such incredible speed!'
"Miss All Sunday, why are you here?" Vivi asked, her expression stern as she approached.
"Would you believe me if I said I was just taking a stroll?" Nico Robin replied with a smile, appearing completely unconcerned about being captured.
"Do you expect me to believe that? Tell me your real purpose, or I won't hesitate to attack you." Vivi raised Sode no Shirayuki in its Shikai form, pointing it at Nico Robin's face. The cold air emanating from the blade's tip made Robin visibly uncomfortable.
The next moment, a hand suddenly materialized from thin air and grabbed Vivi's wrist, attempting to knock away her sword. However, Vivi's reactions were lightning-fast; her free left hand immediately seized the mysterious hand that had appeared on her right wrist.
"A Devil Fruit ability!" Vivi glared at Nico Robin. "Do you think I won't harm you, Miss All Sunday?"
As Vivi prepared to wrench the manifested hand, Nico Robin quickly dispersed her ability. Although the hands created by her Devil Fruit weren't physically part of her body, any injury to them would still cause her pain. When Vivi had gripped that hand firmly moments ago, Robin's own palm had become red and swollen.
"You're quite formidable, Princess. Don't worry, I won't use my powers anymore," Nico Robin sighed, raising her hands in surrender. "If you have questions, just ask."
Vivi nodded, and just as she was about to speak, Ikki arrived from the Explorer.
"Captain Ikki!" Vivi greeted him respectfully.
'Captain?' Nico Robin observed this with interest, studying Ikki carefully. 'This man whom Vivi calls Captain... Is her newfound strength connected to him?' After contemplating this, she asked directly, "Miss Wednesday, is your power related to the man you call Captain?"
"Hmph, that's none of your concern, Miss All Sunday!" Vivi replied coldly, refusing to answer.
"Vivi, if you have questions for her, let's bring her back to the Explorer first," Ikki suggested. "If you maintain Sode no Shirayuki in this state much longer, your current physical strength won't hold out. You must already feel your energy depleting rapidly."
"You're... right," Vivi agreed reluctantly, acknowledging that her stamina was indeed nearly exhausted.
Ikki drew Zangetsu and stabbed it into the ice at Nico Robin's feet, using his power to break the ice trapping her lower body. Without waiting for her response, he grasped her waist and leaped back toward the Explorer, traversing the ice channel created by Vivi's White Ripple technique.
Vivi took a deep breath, composed herself, and followed in Ikki's wake.
"Miss All Sunday!" Ikaros exclaimed when they returned to the Explorer, his expression as hostile as Vivi's.
"Ikaros, relax. Continue sailing—I know you're eager to return to Alabasta as soon as possible," Ikki instructed as he released Nico Robin.
However, due to the frostbite on her legs, Nico Robin failed to stand steadily and began to fall toward the deck. Ikki reflexively reached out to support her waist, preventing her collapse.
"Thank you. What a gentleman!" Nico Robin remarked with a smile.
"Haha, I think your thank you is just lip service," Ikki replied, noticing that her exposed legs beneath her denim skirt had turned purple from the cold. He turned toward Nojiko, who stood nearby. "Nojiko, use Minazuki. Let's test its healing capabilities."
Hearing this, Nojiko placed her hand on the Zanpakutō at her waist and murmured, "Purify all, Minazuki!"
As soon as she spoke, her Zanpakutō flew from its scabbard and transformed into a massive one-eyed manta ray hovering in mid-air.
"The sword turned into... a fish?" Nico Robin's eyes widened with curiosity. "Is that a Devil Fruit-possessed weapon? Princess Vivi's sword also transformed earlier."
At Baroque Works, Mr. 4's dachshund had become a weapon after consuming a Zoan Devil Fruit. As the organization's second-in-command, Nico Robin was familiar with such phenomena.
"Not exactly," Ikki replied before lifting Nico Robin and, to her surprise, tossing her toward the manta ray hovering above Nojiko.
"Minazuki!" Nojiko called out, and the one-eyed manta ray immediately opened its massive mouth, swallowing Nico Robin whole.
"Did it... just eat her?!" Ikaros and Vivi exclaimed in unison, staring at the manta ray in disbelief.
"Don't worry, Vivi. Nojiko's Zanpakutō functions differently from ours," Nami explained, approaching the concerned princess. "Your sword creates ice, and mine channels thunder and lightning—both are attack-type Zanpakutō. Nojiko's Zanpakutō, Minazuki, in its Shikai state, possesses healing abilities."
"A healing Zanpakutō? That's quite gentle," Vivi nodded, sighing with relief upon learning that Nico Robin wasn't in danger. Though Nico Robin was an enemy, Vivi still had questions for her and didn't wish for her demise.
"Gentle? Haha, only in its Shikai form," Nami remarked with a twisted smile. Even now, Unohana Retsu's intimidating stance while using Minazuki still appeared in her nightmares occasionally.
Vivi found Nami's reaction strange and was about to inquire further when the manta ray suddenly opened its mouth, expelling Nico Robin from its stomach. The entire process, from swallowing to regurgitation, had taken mere seconds.
"How do you feel, Miss All Sunday?" Ikki extended his hand to help her up, a slight smile on his face.
"A rather uncomfortable experience," Nico Robin replied, accepting his assistance. "I really thought I was going to be digested. I didn't expect that brief stay inside that creature would heal my injuries." She examined her legs, noticing the frostbite had completely disappeared, and nodded appreciatively toward Nojiko.
After recalling Minazuki to its sealed form, Nojiko acknowledged Nico Robin with a nod.
"The healing seems quite effective! Congratulations, Nojiko—you're officially our dedicated ship doctor from now on," Nami declared happily, taking her sister's hand in excitement.
"So, I was essentially an experiment?" Nico Robin concluded, observing their interaction. The intelligent woman realized she had become an unwitting test subject for Minazuki's healing capabilities.
She shook her head, turning toward Vivi with a measured gaze. "Princess Vivi, you've certainly found yourself among some remarkable individuals." Her voice lowered as she added, "I suppose there's nothing to be done now that I've fallen into your hands."