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Driven by a desperate need to find the elusive Noir, Sengoku had been relentlessly scouring the New World, leaving chaos and unrest in his wake.
But Sengoku hadn't anticipated that the eccentric Noir had no intention of venturing into the New World at all. After all, Noir already had a base of operations in the first half of the Grand Line.
The New World was a complex and dangerous place, with established powers far more formidable than those found in Paradise.
Noir chose to backtrack, bypassing Sabaody and heading back to the Florian Triangle.
The familiar purple fog shrouded the area in an eerie darkness, instilling fear in those onboard.
Some of the children, unnerved by the gloomy surroundings, huddled in corners, their silent sobs echoing through the ship.
However, Noir's presence and the crew's overall kindness soon calmed their anxieties.
After nearly a day at sea, the Shadow-Shadow Fruit's connection to the zombies grew stronger.
Suddenly, Puff rushed to Noir's side. "Savior, there's a light ahead!"
Realization dawned on Noir. "Go tell everyone. We've reached safety."
Puff visibly relaxed, nodding before hurrying off to spread the news.
Noir, brimming with anticipation, climbed to the crow's nest, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. A flicker of orange-red flames with a white-hot core illuminated a large section of the sea.
Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "Ace! Come pick us up!"
The flames wavered for a moment, then surged forward like an excited husky, heading straight towards them.
"Noir!"
The Spade Pirates' ship approached, Ace standing at the helm, his arms ablaze, transformed into a human flamethrower. He roared with excitement.
The Spade's path through the gloomy fog was marked by a blazing trail of fire. Deuce and Miharl, along with the rest of the crew, clung to the ship for dear life, nearly getting thrown overboard.
The Spade pulled alongside Noir's ship. Ace leapt across the gap, engulfing Noir in a bear hug.
Like a long-lost friend, Ace clapped Noir on the back, a wide grin on his face. "You were gone for ages! What exciting things did you get up to?!"
Noir gently disentangled himself from the enthusiastic hug, gesturing towards the people behind him. "Plenty of exciting things, but we'll talk about it later. Let me introduce you. These are all friends of mine."
Warmth filled the hearts of the freed slaves. Their Savior had chosen not to mention their past as slaves and had introduced them as friends.
Many of those who had lost their homes resolved to follow Noir, devoting their lives to repaying his kindness.
Ace turned to look at the newcomers, who shyly returned his greeting.
Ace doffed his hat and bowed slightly, his demeanor polite and respectful. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm a friend of Noir's. Thank you for taking care of him."
The crowd waved their hands, flustered. "It was our honor... "
Ace's personality was multifaceted. Ever since he'd believed Sabo to be dead, another side of him had emerged.
When facing equals or those he genuinely liked, Ace was a rebellious and mischievous young man, a carefree spirit.
This was likely his true nature, his default state.
However, when dealing with loved ones or acquaintances, Ace was incredibly polite, especially towards his brother's friends.
This aspect of his personality stemmed from his desire to fill the void left by Sabo's supposed death, adopting some of Sabo's noble etiquette.
This explained why the Ace Noir knew was different from the heartwarming big brother Ace portrayed in the original story.
Noir had often wondered if this Ace was the real deal.
Ace helped transport several people onto his ship, then beckoned Noir. "Let's head back to your interesting ship. A lot has happened while you were gone."
Noir raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
Ace scratched his head, a troubled expression on his face. "Your wolf-like companion said that two people ran away... Something like Pero..."
Noir's heart skipped a beat. "Perona and Hogback ran away?"
What were Jabra and Kaku doing? They were former CP9 agents! Couldn't they keep an eye on one little girl?
Noir, reunited with Ace, navigated towards Thriller Bark through the thick fog, soon reaching the massive ship's gaping "mouth."
As the crowd watched in awe and wonder, the ships sailed through the opening, docking on the shoreline within Thriller Bark.
Noir jumped ashore, beckoning the others with a smile. "Come on down. This is my territory. The Marines won't think to look for us here."
Reassured by their Savior's words, the crowd disembarked, their eyes wide with curiosity as they took in their surroundings.
Though Thriller Bark's environment was somewhat unsettling, compared to Mary Geoise, it was paradise.
Noir led the group towards the castle. As the structure came into view, they saw flickering lights and a peculiar group of creatures ahead.
The crowd instinctively reached for their weapons. "Don't worry," Noir assured them. "Those are the results of Devil Fruits. They're my subordinates."
A gentle voice called out from the approaching group.
"Captain! We've brought food and water!"
Noir recognized Robin, who was accompanied by Conis.
Conis set down the supplies, instructing the oddly shaped zombies to distribute them amongst the crowd.
Initially, people were uneasy around the zombies, but soon their hunger took over, and they focused on eating.
After all, they hadn't had a proper meal in what felt like forever...
Seeing their ravenous appetites, Noir let out a relieved sigh.
Suddenly, a warm hand slipped into his.
He looked down to see Robin, her clear eyes filled with an unreadable emotion, as deep and mysterious as the ocean.
Her expression remained neutral as she held his hand, her voice soft and calm. "You look tired..."
Noir touched his face, unsure. "Do I?"
Robin's beautiful face seemed strangely cold. Her gaze, unwavering and intense, made Noir feel uneasy.
He hesitated, a strange sense of guilt washing over him. "I had to save them. Things got a little out of hand. They've been through so much..."
Robin sighed, turning away without a word.
Noir scratched his head, unsure what to say.
Women's hearts are a mystery. Is she angry? But why...?
As he pondered, a soft, almost mournful voice reached his ears.
"If you were gone, what would be left in this world?"
"You're all I have..."
Noir was startled. He looked at Robin, his heart sinking.
Her gaze was downcast, and he noticed the exhaustion etched on her delicate features.
For a fleeting moment, he saw the distant, guarded girl he'd first met in Alabasta.
Seeing Robin's expression, he finally understood her feelings.
Even though their crew had grown, their bonds deepening, Robin was still the same Robin, the girl who had retreated into the shadows after the horrors of Ohara.
She truly relied on only him… and now Noir.
But during the Heavenly Tribute heist, Noir had put himself in danger, diving deep into the heart of Marine security.
Then he'd caused chaos and set fire to Mary Geoise, recklessly venturing into the most dangerous place in the world.
When news of his serious injuries reached Robin, she'd been left alone, praying for his safety.
Putting himself in her shoes, Noir realized he would have reacted the same way if Nami or Nojiko had done something similar.
He was confident in his abilities, and Robin was confident in him as well, but worry didn't always follow logic...
Noir gently squeezed her hand, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination. "I'm sorry I worried you."
"I promise, I'll never leave you again!"
Ugh... such a stereotypical apology...
Conis, watching from a distance, munching on sunflower seeds, silently mocked them.
As Robin was about to respond, a loud roar erupted from behind them. She quickly pulled her hand away from Noir's grasp.
"Noir! Come to the castle! The zombies are so much fun!"
Noir's veins bulged. He spun around and launched a lightning-fast double kick, sending Ace flying.
The "fire-lighting" youth transformed into a shooting star, disappearing into the night sky.
...
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