As he spoke, Ivan felt his entire being boiling over. These words came from the depths of his heart, reflecting his genuine thoughts.
Although he was speaking to Robin, he was also clarifying his own resolve, making clear what he wanted to achieve in the future and how he would do it!
By the end, Ivan's emotions were even more intense than Robin's had been upon hearing the shocking news.
The moment his words fell, his emotions reached their peak.
And then, in the next instant!
Fierce black lightning erupted from Ivan, rapidly spreading in all directions like a dark cloud pressing down on everyone.
At this moment, Conqueror's Haki had finally awakened!
"This... this is Conqueror's Haki!"
Robin's previously calm heart surged with waves once more. She felt that the emotional fluctuations she had experienced in these few short minutes surpassed those of an entire year.
To be honest, from the first time she met Ivan, Robin had sensed that he was a good person.
His eyes burned with a fire—pure and clean—something she, who had long dwelled in darkness, yearned for most.
That was why she had agreed to Ivan's request to temporarily become a member of his crew.
But before this, even though Ivan had used his special Enhancement ability to greatly strengthen her physique, she had not given up on the idea of leaving.
Though she wanted to stay, Robin knew that Ivan couldn't protect her and might even be dragged down by her.
For everyone's safety, she had no choice but to leave.
But now, she abruptly changed her mind.
Ivan's ideals were broader than she had imagined, and his strength was greater than she had anticipated.
The Fox, who had recently succeeded in assassinating a Celestial Dragon and escaped unscathed, was actually the same person as Ivan. It was unbelievable!
This meant Ivan must possess some miraculous power, allowing him to appear in different locations simultaneously and have a perfect alibi.
His strength was also immense, enabling him to escape effortlessly from the encirclement of several vice admirals and two of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Not only did Ivan have the power to protect her, but his own troubles far exceeded hers.
What was a Demon Child compared to a God Slayer? It was nothing at all!
Thus, Robin no longer had any reservations.
The Demon Child, hidden in the shadows of the world and adrift for over a decade, had finally found her home and a companion to live and die with!
Robin smiled, then began to cry, weeping loudly. "Yes, Ivan, please take care of me from now on!"
Ivan embraced Robin, patting her smooth back. "Please take care of me in the future as well!"
Next, Ivan demonstrated his Shadow Clone technique, allowing Robin to understand exactly how he had created his alibi.
After Ivan used Wood Release to create a small ship, they set sail, riding the wind and waves as they headed deeper into the Grand Line.
Their goal was simple: the end of Paradise—Sabaody Archipelago!
Many Celestial Dragons enjoyed residing there!
...
Sabaody Archipelago was the most important island in the middle section of the Grand Line, composed of 79 numbered Red Line trees.
The entire island is divided into numbered functional zones, with areas 1-29 being lawless districts. Among them, the slave auction venue in Area 1 is a primary gathering place for the Celestial Dragons.
Ivan and his companion did not head to the auction immediately. Instead, they settled temporarily at an inn in Area 70.
This time, Ivan intended to pull off something big—to kill every Celestial Dragon on the Sabaody Archipelago!
Area 36, the shopping street of the Sabaody Archipelago.
Since Celestial Dragons forbade wearing fox masks on the island, Ivan wore a white cat mask, while Robin wore a black cat mask. The two walked side by side, strolling like an ordinary couple.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted ahead.
As Ivan and Robin approached, they saw a man with a fierce, scowling face holding a little girl, preparing to leave.
At his feet, a middle-aged woman wept sorrowfully, clinging to the man's leg to stop him from leaving.
"Sir, please, let my child go! My husband divorced me long ago. The money he owes has nothing to do with us!" the middle-aged woman cried out in desperation.
However, the vicious man showed no intention of releasing the little girl. Instead, he kicked the woman away and slapped his thigh in disgust.
"Fool, do you think divorcing your husband solves everything?
Let me tell you the truth—the big shots nowadays love fair, tender children like this. If it weren't for your little girl, why would I have lent your husband so much money?"
These words made the middle-aged woman realize the truth. Her expression suddenly turned bitter and furious.
"It was you! It was all you! My husband's addiction, his debts… it was all your trap!"
"Hahaha, so what if you know? Get lost! If you keep making trouble, I'll kick you to death!"
But with her husband beaten to death over debts and now her daughter taken away, the middle-aged woman had already resolved to die. How could she possibly leave?
The next moment, with a determined look, she threw herself recklessly at the vicious man.
Seeing this, the man's face twisted with cruelty as he prepared to kick her. But suddenly, a stone shot through the air with a sharp whistling sound, flashing past and instantly piercing the man's temple, shattering his brain.
The vicious man died instantly!
Such was the nature of this sea. Ordinary thugs who bullied the weak were nothing more than insects that true powerhouses could crush at any moment.
And precisely because of this, without true powerhouses to lead them, the downtrodden could never rise up!
This middle-aged woman was fortunate—Ivan had intervened!
Seeing this, the woman was stunned for a moment before overwhelming joy took over. She quickly grabbed her daughter and fled.
She had to escape as fast as possible. If she stayed and was discovered by the gang behind the vicious man, death would be her only fate. Only by leaving this island of sin could she have a chance at survival!
At the same time, a stack of Berries flew unnoticed into the woman's pocket.
These fifty thousand Berries were enough for her to leave. As for what came after, that was beyond Ivan's control.
Having killed a scoundrel and saved two lives, Ivan was in a good mood. He was about to continue his stroll while using Observation Haki to investigate the traces of the Celestial Dragons.
Just then, a man with freckled cheeks and an orange cowboy hat suddenly blocked his path.
The man stared curiously at Ivan, his eyes brimming with eager fighting spirit.
Ivan's brow furrowed slightly. Damn, he had been so focused on the mother and daughter earlier that he hadn't even noticed Fire Fist Ace was here too.
Now he was in trouble.
Feigning confusion, he asked, "Hello, is there something you need?"
Ace asked eagerly, "You were the one who saved that mother and daughter just now, right?"
"That's correct. And then?"
Ace glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to them, then took a step closer and whispered tentatively, "You must be Shadow Garden's Fox!"
Upon hearing this, Ivan's eyes narrowed.
The worst-case scenario had occurred—Ace was starting to suspect his identity.
Faced with Ace's probing, Ivan naturally wouldn't admit to anything. He shook his head, "Sorry, I'm not Fox. I'm just an ordinary person."
But Ace grinned triumphantly, pointing to his own head:
"Don't lie to me, I heard it—you are Fox!
After all, your presence alone is enough to rival the Old Man's!"
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