Inside the flying fortress, the Embercloud, Nico Robin leaned against the warm concrete walls of her cell, her wrists adorned with the weight of sea stone bracelets. She wasn't uncomfortable—not precisely. The mattress beneath her was soft, and her captors had shown no signs of cruelty. Still, captivity was captivity, and she had no intention of staying here indefinitely.
The sound of the heavy steel door unlocking drew her attention. She turned her head as it swung open, revealing a young woman with striking blue hair and intricate tattoos decorating her arms.
Nojiko.
Robin had spoken with her briefly before, but the girl remained a mystery. Her demeanor was relaxed, yet there was an edge to her—a quiet strength that Robin found interesting.
Nojiko stepped inside, balancing a tray of food in one hand. As she placed the meal down, the scent of warm, seasoned fish and fresh fruit filled the cell.
Robin studied her carefully. "Where are we?" she asked her tone light yet probing.
"The skies above Little Garden," Nojiko replied, stepping back with arms crossed. "Jacob's handling a situation down below."
Robin tapped a finger against her thigh. "I have an intriguing question besides Jacob: is there any male here?"
Nojiko arched a brow at the question but answered truthfully. "No. It's just Jacob."
A playful smile curved Robin's lips. "So, the Fire King Jacob is collecting a harem?"
Nojiko rolled her eyes. "That's not what's happening."
"Oh?" Robin tilted her head, amused.
"He tried to recruit Gin and Wyper," Nojiko clarified, frowning slightly. "But the girls vetoed the idea."
Robin chuckled at that. "Interesting."
Nojiko huffed. "Jacob didn't mind, as long as we followed his eight-hour minimum physical, devil fruit power development, and Haki training."
Robin took a moment to absorb that information. It was unusual, to say the least—most pirate crews wouldn't care about a gender imbalance. But here? The girls had a say in the matter, and Jacob respected that as long as they followed his training schedule.
It told her a lot about the crew dynamics.
Nojiko turned to leave, pausing briefly at the doorway. "Eat. You'll need your strength."
Robin watched as the door shut behind her, the lock clicking back into place.
Alone again, she exhaled softly, a slight smirk tugging at her lips.
"Well," she murmured to herself, glancing at the food. "This is getting more and more intriguing."
She picked up a piece of fruit and took a slow bite, her mind already working on the possibilities ahead.
***
Hanafuda's eyes narrowed as he observed the unnatural ember-colored bubble devouring his webs, burning away his carefully constructed domain while leaving the jungle untouched. That level of control over fire was unnatural. Yet, here it was, spreading through his silk-like wildfire.
His instincts flared as his Haki detected something approaching fast. A streak of blue fire cut through the sky to his left, illuminating the dense jungle with its eerie glow. Then, he arrived. The Upstart who killed all his cadres. Leaving him restless for the past two months.
He jumped high several meters from the impact and saw him there.
The Fire King landed heavily on the smoldering ground, the flickering blue flames trailing along his limbs like living extensions of his will. His feet barely made a sound as he took his stance, the fire swirling around his hands and feet, licking at his skin but never burning him. His face was set, cold, and focused, making it clear he had no intention of talking.
Hanafuda clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Tch. No pleasantries, then?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he moved. His form shifted, his limbs elongating as his muscles bulged unnaturally. His smooth skin hardened into a grotesque chitinous shell, a dark exoskeleton stretching across his body. His jaw split open slightly, revealing curved fangs dripping with venom. Eight black, gleaming eyes blinked in unison.
His hybrid form. A prehistoric monster reborn, the ultimate predator of the past.
Without hesitation, he spewed a thick, dark-green gas from his maw, the venomous cloud expanding outward in an attempt to engulf Jacob. The jungle would have withered under its touch, the trees blackening and the ground turning toxic. But Jacob's fire was faster.
A sudden burst of blue flames roared forth, consuming the gas entirely. The noxious cloud didn't even have the chance to spread before it was incinerated.
Hanafuda tensed.
The ground cracked beneath his step as Jacob lunged forward, his entire arm engulfed in blue fire. A massive, flaming fist swung straight at Hanafuda, an ex-warlord, and Tobiroppo barely managed to reinforce his own fist with Armament Haki in time to block.
BOOM!
The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the clearing. Hanafuda staggered back, his exoskeleton absorbing most of the blow, but his feet still dug into the ground from the sheer force.
Jacob didn't let up.
A flicker of movement, and suddenly, his other hand gripped a sword—a blade made entirely of roaring blue fire. He slashed. Hanafuda jumped back, barely avoiding the molten arc that carved a deep, glowing scar into the ground where he had just stood.
Hanafuda clicked his tongue again. This wasn't right.
He should have the advantage. He was more experienced, an ex-Warlord, and an active Tobi Roppo.
And yet—this brat wasn't giving him a second to think.
Another attack. Another impact. Another strike of the fire blade. Hanafuda reacted instead of attacking, barely able to counter the relentless onslaught.
The kid breathes fire through his mouth.
Damn it.
Jacob wasn't even talking. He was pressing forward, cutting off his chance to seize control of the fight.
Hanafuda knew he had to do something fast, or this battle would be over before it truly began.