Chapter 76: Reviving Shimotsuki Ryuma
Upon hearing her mother's name, Robin froze for a moment, a look of deep longing crossing her face. Then, she shook her head.
"No."
"No? Then who?" Yumesaki was genuinely curious. The person Nico Robin wanted to bring back wasn't even her own mother.
"Professor Clover."
"Oh, Professor Clover. I'm sorry, but that's impossible. Forget it."
Professor Clover was the director of the Ohara library, the *Tree of Knowledge*, and a leading authority on archaeology. In his youth, after his brother was killed by CP0, he threw himself into archaeology to research the history of the Void Century. He was the one who hypothesized the existence of the Ancient Kingdom and the Poneglyphs.
When the World Government ordered him to stop, he refused point-blank. The Government's response was swift and brutal: they triggered a Buster Call.
Thus, the tragedy that shocked the world occurred—Ohara was erased under the fire of the Buster Call. Professor Clover and countless other scholars were obliterated by the relentless cannon fire. Not even their ashes remained. How was Yumesaki supposed to revive someone like that? It simply couldn't be done.
"To bring someone back, you need at least a portion of their physical remains. Without a body, or even a fragment of one, how can I revive him?"
Faced with Yumesaki's answer, Robin's expression darkened significantly. She had prepared herself for this possibility before asking, but hearing it confirmed still brought a wave of sorrow. Others could be saved, but Professor Clover could not, simply because no trace of him was left.
This only added another layer to her hatred for the World Government. Whether for revenge or for the sake of the world, that damn organization had to be destroyed.
...
After a full day and night filled with thunderous crashes, clashing steel, and intense combat, the duel between Dracule "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk and Shimotsuki Ryuma finally reached its conclusion.
In this battle, Hawk-Eyes Mihawk emerged as the undisputed victor. However, this didn't necessarily mean Ryuma was weaker; rather, it was because Gecko Moria was too weak of a vessel. Using a shadow-infused corpse as a medium simply couldn't draw out Ryuma's full combat potential.
Despite that, Ryuma had held his own against the world's greatest swordsman for an entire day before finally falling by the margin of a single strike.
Mihawk spoke with rare sincerity. "If you were in your prime, the one defeated would surely have been me."
Ryuma let out a hearty, skeletal laugh. "Yohohoho! When I was your age, I didn't possess swordsmanship this refined. I believe that one day, you will catch up to me—perhaps even surpass me."
"Of course."
Mihawk didn't bother with false modesty; he truly believed it. This fight had made him realize that when facing a peak-level swordsman, he still had minor flaws to polish. Once those were addressed, his strength would reach even greater heights. It might not even take years to surpass the legend of Ryuma.
As the two ended their bout, Yumesaki strolled over casually. He looked at Ryuma and asked, "So, what do you think of the swordsmen of the future? They didn't disappoint, did they?"
Ryuma nodded. "Indeed, they did not. I never imagined the future would hold such extraordinary masters of the blade."
"So, what's the plan now? Do you want to go back to sleep, or will you let me revive you fully?"
Hearing that he could be brought back to life, Ryuma didn't look happy. Instead, he asked in a heavy tone, "What is the price?"
He had lived long enough to know there was no such thing as a free lunch.
"Contribute to the downfall of the World Government," Yumesaki said calmly. "What do you think of those terms?"
"Topple the World Government?" Ryuma's eyes flickered. "I am a dead man. I died without regrets, so it's best to leave such matters to the next generation."
Robin spoke up then. "Even if Wano Country is currently being ruled by outsiders? Do you still have no regrets?"
"Hmm?" At the mention of Wano, Ryuma's composure wavered. "What has happened to Wano?"
Robin explained, "It's nothing too grand, only that a pirate named Kaido now rules the land. He has turned Wano into a giant weapon factory, forcing the people into a life of misery."
Ryuma's face instantly darkened. He turned to Mihawk. He didn't know Robin, but he was willing to trust the man he had just traded blows with for a day. A swordsman of that caliber wouldn't be a liar. He could see the truth in the man's blade and character.
"Kaido is indeed the 'Guardian Deity' of Wano currently—the de facto Shogun," Mihawk stated flatly. It was common knowledge to the rest of the world.
Robin took the opportunity to slowly describe the tragic state of Wano: the starvation, Kurozumi Orochi's treacherous rise to power, and the citizens enslaved in factories. She even mentioned the sheer incompetence of the Kozuki clan.
Ryuma's expression shifted through a storm of emotions. He truly hadn't expected that after hundreds of years, Wano wouldn't just be stagnant—it would be worse. The actions of Kozuki Sukiyaki and Kozuki Oden left him speechless.
*These were the Shoguns of Wano? These were nothing but fools.*
Had the Kozuki bloodline really become this weak over the centuries?
Finally, Ryuma bowed his head to Yumesaki. "I beg of you, My Lord... help me save Wano. I, Shimotsuki Ryuma, swear upon the heavens to obey your commands. I offer my body and my blade to you."
He was a man of Wano, after all. He had once defied the World Government for his home; he could certainly return from the grave for it now. For that cause, he didn't hesitate to pledge his loyalty.
"Very well." Yumesaki nodded with satisfaction, patting Ryuma on the shoulder.
The power of the underworld exploded. Yin and Yang reversed; death turned to life.
In a matter of moments, Shimotsuki Ryuma was fully restored. Pitch-black *Busoshoku Haki* coated the legendary blade *Shusui* like a rising tide, gleaming with an intense light.
Now, he was truly in his prime.
Mihawk immediately sensed the difference. The revived Ryuma was on a completely different level than the corpse he had just fought. Before, he had won. Now? It wasn't so certain. In fact, he might actually lose.
But that was exactly why he felt a surge of excitement. For a swordsman, nothing brought more joy than a powerful foe.
"Going up against Kaido, is it? Count me in," Mihawk said coolly. He wasn't particularly interested in saving Wano, but the prospect of challenging Kaido was another story entirely.
He wanted to see exactly how he measured up against the absolute strongest beings in the world.
To this, Yumesaki offered no objection.
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