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After a thorough explanation, Kureha finally refused Noir's invitation to team up and go on an adventure.
Not only did she not want to go on an adventure, but she also couldn't bring herself to leave Chopper behind.
Noir didn't want to invite Chopper because he felt Chopper was too young.
Although Chopper had remarkable medical talents, Noir felt he would be exploiting child labor.
Noir's plan was to gather strong crew members instead of developing slowly like Luffy's crew.
He wanted to recruit powerful individuals first, and then find some subordinates for various tasks.
Otherwise, it would be too difficult for Noir to juggle the roles of captain, navigator, cook, and fighter all by himself.
After healing Robin's hidden illness, Noir went to the village to buy food and supplies for the ship.
Robin, guided by Kureha, also bought a lot of fashionable clothes.
Although he had been at sea for less than a year, Noir had spent almost all of the bounty money he had saved up over several years.
He even stole all of Nami's secret stash before setting sail...
Fortunately, his good brother Crocodile generously sponsored him. Otherwise, Noir would be eating dirt by now, especially considering his current extravagant spending habits.
After the supplies were loaded onto the ship, many villagers came to see them off.
Surprisingly, the death of a king did not cause panic or sadness among the people.
In fact, they wanted to set off fireworks, slaughter a pig, and celekide the occasion.
Chopper also came to see them off on the shore. When no one was paying attention, Noir gently patted Chopper on the head and said, "I'm going, little Chopper. You should go out to sea and see the world sometime."
Chopper nodded vigorously and said with determination, "I will find my companions and become the kind of pirate Dr. Hiriluk talked about."
Noir smiled wryly. The kind of pirate Hiriluk mentioned was not what the world generally understood a pirate to be.
Luffy, who cherished freedom and feared no authority, was the kind of pirate Hiriluk and Chopper admired.
But in the conventional sense, Blackbeard would be considered the quintessential pirate - greedy, ruthless, patient, and resilient, with immense ambition and the gambler's heart shared by most notorious outlaws.
Other great pirates, even Whitebeard, who wanted sons, or Big Mom, who wanted a family, didn't quite fit the public image of a pirate.
Noir did not explain this to young Chopper - it was something Chopper would have to understand on his own in the future.
After saying goodbye to Drum Island, Noir and Robin set off again to continue their cute duo adventure.
Despite the occasional awkwardness of being alone with a beautiful woman, Noir was quite happy with the arrangement.
After the log pose, Noir's next destination was Skypiea.
However, figuring out how to get to Skypiea was a challenge.
Noir doubted that his ship could survive the knock-up stream that Luffy's crew was using.
The Going Merry was heavily damaged by the knock-up stream, and Noir's old ship would be even worse without a ship's spirit.
Besides, the Knock-Up Stream was not a regular occurrence.
Noir had no choice but to find another way in, as characters like Enel and Urouge managed to reach Skypiea without using the knock-up stream.
His ship was also due for a replacement.
Noir stomped on the deck, the wooden planks creaking under his weight.
His current ship, originally modified from Arlong's, had accompanied him on his hunter's journey for many years.
But with the battles and voyages ahead, this ship wouldn't be able to keep up with Noir's growing power.
Robin, noticing the damaged deck, said, "You should replace the ship. This one hasn't been maintained in a long time."
Noir rubbed his chin and said, "No hurry. I'll look for a new ship on the next island."
"For now, I'll find some materials to repair it."
There was another treasure on Skypiea besides the so-called god: the Ark Maxim.
Noir had coveted this flying ship for a long time. Flying ships were rare in the pirate world.
As the weather warmed, the snow on the ship melted.
Robin, who had acquired many stylish outfits from the trendy old lady Kureha, now wore a short-sleeved outfit.
It had to be said that Robin's figure was exceptional.
Her tight-fitting white shirt accentuated her curves, and her high-waisted denim shorts accentuated her slim waist and long legs.
Noir could confidently say that he could watch Robin change outfits all year long!
But Noir was frustrated. With all his strength and the charm of an Otherworlder visitor, why hadn't Robin shown any interest?
Wasn't the Halo supposed to attract female protagonists?
Noir, feeling depressed, shook his head.
Robin lay on the deck, reading a book in the sun. Noir stole a few more glances, enjoying the view, then picked up some materials to repair the deck.
Noticing that the persistent gaze was finally lifting, Robin let out a subtle sigh of relief.
She lowered her previously tense chest and relaxed her tightly clasped hands, which were damp with sweat.
Robin absentmindedly turned a page in her book, her gaze lingering on Noir, who was busy with repairs.
Her usually calm expression showed a hint of restlessness. Robin's lips parted slightly, but she couldn't find the words.
After a while, a faint voice seemed to float in the air.
"Idiot..."
Noir, busy with his repairs, cocked his head in confusion.
Did he hear something?
The tone seemed to carry a hint of disappointment?
Unaware, Noir continued his work, while Robin quietly read her book. The scene remained harmonious.
Meanwhile, a lone boat drifted across the vast ocean, gradually approaching Noir's ship.
The small but finely crafted boat, mostly black with a white cross seat and sail, was unmistakable.
On the seat was a man wearing a black top hat, a wine-red patterned shirt, and a black coat.
Even more striking were his sharp, hawk-like golden eyes.
Hawkeye raised his head and saw the large ship approaching.
No pirate flag, just an ordinary merchant ship?
Hawkeye shook his head, losing interest, and closed his eyes.
As the two ships passed each other, Noir, busy with his repairs, glanced over and spotted Hawkeye.
Noir froze, then exclaimed with joy, "Hey! Hawkeye!"
...
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