Chapter 8: Unexpected Encounter with Robin

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The development of a Devil Fruit's abilities isn't as systematic as Haki, since Devil Fruits are diverse and unpredictable. Each user develops their powers differently, and the final outcome varies greatly.

"Hm? Someone's coming!"

Ryusaki heard footsteps approaching. Without a second thought, he used his ability to create a door in the side of a nearby wooden crate and quickly hid inside.

"Phew," Ryusaki breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the tension of being on his first undercover mission. The crate was filled with medicinal herbs, and luckily, it wasn't completely full, allowing him just enough space to hide.

"Quick, search the area! I saw someone sneak onto the ship!"

"Oh no, have I been discovered?" Ryusaki thought, his heart racing. He had entered the ship using the Air Door technique, slipping through a dimensional space, so he shouldn't have been noticed.

The sound of footsteps grew louder as several people entered the storage room.

Just then, the lid of Ryusaki's crate suddenly lifted. Startled, he looked up, expecting to be caught by a crew member, but the face he saw...

It was Nico Robin!

Both Ryusaki and Robin were taken aback. Robin, realizing someone was already hiding in the crate, had no choice but to jump in and close the lid behind her as she heard the crew approaching.

The space was tight, and now with Robin squeezing in, it became even more cramped.

"Could you please stop moving?" Ryusaki whispered.

"Shh! Don't make a sound!" Robin, her hand cold, covered Ryusaki's mouth.

Robin, having more experience in such situations, quickly rearranged the herbs to cover them both.

"Did you find anything?"

"No one here."

"Impossible! I saw someone board the ship!"

"Are you sure?"

"Check the crates with the herbs."

"What a hassle," one of the crew members grumbled.

Ryusaki held his breath as the crate lid was lifted again. A crew member glanced inside, saw nothing but herbs, and closed it back.

"All clear! No one here!"

"Are you certain?"

"You must've imagined it."

"Maybe I did," the crew member sighed, finally conceding.

Once the coast was clear, Ryusaki found himself in an awkward situation. The crate was small, forcing them to press against each other. Every part of their bodies, including those they shouldn't be touching, was in close contact.

It was winter, and Ryusaki, despite wearing thin clothing, was used to harsh conditions due to his intense physical training. Robin, however, was shivering from the cold and instinctively clung to him for warmth.

Finally, the ship set sail.

The atmosphere inside the crate grew slightly tense. Despite being just kids—Ryusaki was six, and Robin, three years older, was nine—the proximity felt intimate.

After a while, Robin, noticing the silence outside, cautiously lifted the crate lid and peeked around. Seeing no one, she moved some herbs aside, allowing Ryusaki to breathe more easily.

"Don't stay in there too long; you could pass out from lack of air," Robin advised.

"But it's warm in here!" Ryusaki replied.

Robin rolled her eyes. No wonder he was so warm to the touch.

"Do you still want to hug? I'm warm all over!" Ryusaki teased.

Robin's cheeks flushed. "That was just a necessity. I don't need to anymore!"

Ryusaki didn't argue. Instead, he smiled and pulled Robin closer. Despite being shorter than her, Ryusaki felt it was his duty to protect her.

Robin didn't resist much. She was freezing, after all, and the warmth was comforting.

They stayed huddled together for four hours. During that time, they didn't speak much, mostly because Robin had fallen asleep.

Nico Robin, the sole survivor of Ohara, had a bounty of 79 million berries. If Ryusaki were to turn her in to the World Government or the Marines, it would undoubtedly be a significant achievement.

But Ryusaki had no intention of doing that.

He couldn't imagine handing a sweet girl like Robin over to a bunch of sleazy Marines.

Moreover, Ryusaki wasn't entirely loyal to the World Government either.

"Mmm," Robin stirred, yawning as she awoke. It was likely the most peaceful sleep she'd had since being on the run.

But upon waking, Robin blushed again. She realized that while she slept, her tears had soaked Ryusaki's shirt, and there was even a spot of drool.

More embarrassingly, she felt an urgent need to relieve herself but was too shy to mention it.

Robin squirmed uncomfortably, her face turning redder.

"Why are you moving around again?" Ryusaki asked.

"I… I need to find a place…" Robin hesitated.

"Oh…" Ryusaki quickly understood. "Do you need to use the bathroom?"

Robin nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"I'll step out first. You can take care of it, and then I'll come back."

"What? No! What if you get caught?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm pretty good at sneaking around. Plus, I can check out the area while I'm at it."

With that, Ryusaki stood up and carefully climbed out of the crate, moving stealthily towards the exit of the storage room.

Once out of Robin's sight, Ryusaki used the Door-Door Fruit to enter the green dimensional space.

Inside this space, Ryusaki could see the outside world, though with the ship moving, he had to act quickly, or the distance between the two would grow.

He found an empty room, which appeared to be an office rather than a living space. While there, Ryusaki searched for clothes that might fit Robin.

He found a coat, but it was too large for her small frame.

Scratching his head in frustration, Ryusaki pondered what to do. He wasn't skilled in tailoring.

"Wait, a cloak?" he thought.

He noticed a black fur-lined cloak hanging on the wall and grabbed it without hesitation.

Ryusaki then made his way to the kitchen, where he swiped a few pieces of bread.

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