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The Animal Path's cold indifference left No. 8 speechless.
"Do these clones... have their own consciousness?" he couldn't help but ask.
"They're all fragments of my consciousness that I dispersed," Rojen replied with a smile.
No. 8 shook his head, recalling the stark differences between the Deva Path and the Animal Path. Unable to find the right words, he could only sigh.
"What a twisted sense of humor!"
In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.
[ The Logan ] burst forth from the Windless Belt, its unique sea breeze sweeping across the deck and ruffling Rojen's black hair.
"This... is West Blue!" Rojen murmured softly, gazing at the deep, fathomless sea.
Nothing could impede his progress along the way. With two clones, No. 8, and himself, even Sea Kings wisely steered clear.
"Kid, we're here. It's time for me to go!"
No. 8 slowly rose to his feet, his voice soft.
"Where are you headed, Senior?" Rojen asked with a smile.
"Perhaps our paths will cross again!" No. 8 shook his head, refusing to reveal his destination. He bent his knees and, in an instant, leaped from the ship into the seawater.
Rojen watched as No. 8 stood atop his blackwater longsword, gliding smoothly forward.
"This parting might be my last appearance in the world. When I hear news of you again, I hope it's not that you've been killed," No. 8's voice carried faintly across the distance before his figure vanished completely.
Standing at the ship's bow, Rojen gazed after No. 8's receding figure, a sense of awe washing over him.
"There are truly many hidden masters in this world!"
The world is vast; one shouldn't let a single leaf obscure their vision and assume that what they see is the entirety of reality. Ever since entering the world of One Piece, Rojen had been immersed in a genuine reality. While much of it might align with the anime world, far more remained unfamiliar.
Transitioning from two-dimensional to three-dimensional existence wasn't just about a change in art style, it meant a complete transformation of everything!
"This world is so vast!"
The Deva Path activated the ship, The Logan, which swiftly sailed toward the location indicated by the Vivre Card.
West Blue was uncharted territory for Rojen, yet it harbored mysterious treasures.
During his time in Impel Down, he had obtained a wealth of spoils from his fellow inmates. Among these were two leads specifically pointing to West Blue:
"The treasure map of Kornelia Island and the King's throne of the Barut Kingdom."
Rojen's expression remained normal when the treasure map was mentioned, but it grew peculiar when the "King of Barut Kingdom" was mentioned.
As far as he knew, royal succession in One Piece typically followed a patrilineal system, passing down through generations within a family. He had never heard of a throne being traded, especially for something as simple as a set of keys to unlock handcuffs.
"The Barut Ring," Rojen murmured, removing the golden ring from the cord around his neck and examining it closely.
This ring had been given to him by his cellmate. According to the old man, it was the hereditary symbol of the Kings of Barut Kingdom. Without it, any claimant would be considered a false king.
The cellmate had been imprisoned for fifty years and was now on his deathbed, meaning the throne of the Barut Kingdom had been vacant for half a century. What state the kingdom might be in now was anyone's guess.
"Perhaps the kingdom doesn't even exist anymore!" Rojen shook his head, returning the ring to its place around his neck.
No matter what, he had to go take a look, after all, it had been obtained through a trade. What surprised Rojen even more was that the direction indicated by the Vivre Card largely matched the route described by the old man.
A coincidence?
Two clones were tasked with steering the ship and monitoring the sea's surface, while Rojen secretly pondered the route on the sea chart.
The Barut Ring was ingeniously crafted. Its surface bore a fierce eagle carving. Pressing down on the carving would cause the ring to split into two crescent shapes, revealing a King's Sea Chart nestled between them.
Judging by this ring alone, this King seems rather intriguing.
Rojen found himself growing increasingly interested.
With No. 8's chatter gone, The Logan fell into silence.
The stillness reminded Rojen of his first voyage at sea, when he was fleeing from the Marine's pursuit.
Such a tranquil sea!
He slowly closed his eyes and began to rest.
Rojen slept deeply, the first uninterrupted rest he'd had in four years. He slept for a full week, only waking when The Logan anchored off an island.
After a cursory glance at the pirate flag fluttering atop the mast, Rojen withdrew his gaze and strode onto the island.
The Vivre Card pointed with unerring accuracy, now directing him toward the island's depths.
So close!
At the same moment The Logan anchored, in the island's town...
"There!"
A shout suddenly erupted from the central street.
A man in his thirties, his face twisted into a ferocious grimace, brandished a broadsword and sprinted toward a fruit stall nearby.
"I see her too! It's Nico Robin!"
"Hahaha! We've hit the jackpot!"
"An 80-million bounty monster! We'll definitely capture her!"
Everyone knew that this monstrous little girl with an 80 million bounty was utterly powerless, making her the easiest bounty to claim.
Rumors had recently surfaced that this monster was hiding on this very island. That's why they had been searching relentlessly, and today, they had finally spotted her.
Hearing the man's shout, everyone on the street turned to look behind the fruit stall. The fruit vendor himself stared in stunned silence at his side.
There, a black-haired little girl completely enveloped in a black robe trembled upon being discovered, unsure of what to do. Beside her, a small cat bared its fangs and claws, hissing fiercely.
"Robin, run!"
The next moment, to the stall owner's horror, the cat spoke.
Awakened by the cat's sudden voice, Robin snatched up the cat, crawled out from under the stall's makeshift table, and bolted away.
"Grab her!"
"Quick, block her!"
"That's 80 million berries!"
The lure of wealth stirred greed in the hearts of the street's inhabitants. Despite their lingering fear of Robin's terrifying 8,000-berry bounty, they lunged into action.
Robin frantically shifted positions four or five times, only to find every route blocked. She bit her lip, her entire body trembling.
She knew all too well what would happen if she were caught. Even now, the image of Ohara engulfed in cannonfire, reduced to ashes, haunted her mind relentlessly.
"Robin, don't be afraid!"
"Seize this chance and escape! Summon your courage!"
The kitten's voice rang out, offering encouragement.
"There are fewer people over there. Break through there!"
The cat's paw quickly pointed in a direction. Robin bit her lip, closed her eyes, and sprinted forward.
"That's right, don't be afraid! Just keep running!"
"Leave the rest to your elder sister!"
(End Of This Chapter)