INIIDF-Chapter 05 It Seems a Wicked Spirit is at Play Here!

Standing at the entrance of the alley was a woman in her late twenties, her face marked by the hardships of life. She had just come out to dispose of the trash.

After discarding the trash, she approached Robin and Liam, examining them. "I've never seen you two before. Are you homeless kids?"

Liam glanced around at the boy, the girl, and the dog; they all looked quite disheveled. "Seems like it."

Robin pursed her lips, eyeing the woman warily.

"Sigh, it's all because of that darned Gol D. Roger!" The woman muttered under her breath, cursing the man known as the "Devil" who had been executed in Loguetown of East Blue over two years ago. He was the man who had uttered those words before his death, ushering in this age of rampant piracy.

The woman wiped a tear from her eye and sighed. "You must be starving after a night of hunger. Come on, let's go to my place and have some hot soup."

Robin wanted to run away, but the thought of losing her Flower-Flower Fruit (Hana Hana no Mi) ability plagued her. How far and how long could she escape now? With these grim thoughts, the girl felt defeated.

It was all because of this boy that she had lost her fruit…

"Sure, lady!" The boy grinned, lifting his face and patting his empty belly. "I'm really hungry! You're such a nice lady!"

The term "lady" made the woman slightly uncomfortable, but she forgave him when she saw the handsome look on the boy's face.

She chuckled and waved to Robin, her demeanor kindly. "Poor girl, you come along too."

Robin wanted to run but found herself rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Suddenly, a hand pushed her from behind, and she stumbled forward.

It's my ability… Robin thought sorrowfully.

Invisible to others, Liam removed his "armor" and whispered a few words to 'B.I.B.'. The latter's eyes flashed with white light and nodded silently.

In the end, Robin and Liam were led out of the alley by the woman, and they went to her nearby home. The stray dog trotted around, following along.

…

Inside the house, next to a wooden table, Liam and Robin were served bowls of steaming, savory soup, and a thick piece of bread.

"Delicious!" Liam took a deep breath; he was genuinely starving, considering that his body had just recently returned from the dead. He ruthlessly bit into a large piece of bread, then drank the hot soup, feeling like he was coming back to life.

Robin nibbled at the bread in small bites but seemed absent-minded. After the woman had placed the food in front of them, she headed to the kitchen. Robin had initially contemplated using her ability to sprout "ears" on the wall to eavesdrop on the homeowner's conversation, in case something seemed amiss.

However, she realized once again that she no longer had the Flower-Flower Fruit (Hana Hana no Mi) ability.

Then, the palm of her left hand unexpectedly "bloomed," revealing a "mouth." The mouth moved, and Liam's voice came out. "Hurry up and eat. If you don't eat now, you might not have the time. They're discussing whether you're really worth 79 million!"

Robin was shocked. Had the boy used his ability to sprout "ears" on the kitchen wall to eavesdrop on the conversation?

But how did he know so much about the Flower-Flower Fruit (Hana Hana no Mi)?

…

In the adjacent kitchen, the woman whispered excitedly, "I told you my eyes were good; I didn't make a mistake! The girl in the alley is undoubtedly the Devil Child, Nico Robin!"

In the man's hands, there was a wanted poster, and the photo on it unmistakably depicted the slim girl with long, black hair – "Devil Child" Nico Robin!

Bounty: 79 million Belly!

A whopping 79 million Belly!

It was just a stroke of luck, going out to take the trash in the morning, and they stumbled upon her. With just a few words, they managed to deceive the girl into coming home… 79 million Belly, that's no small amount!

"However, selling her to a criminal organization or the Marines… Isn't that a bit unethical?" The man hesitated, clutching the Bounty poster, his voice filled with doubt. "I mean, that girl doesn't seem like a wicked person, and she looks quite pitiful."

The woman retorted, "You—!" She lowered her voice, "Don't say such foolish things! What is she? She is the Devil Child! That detestable Gol D. Roger was a devil, and she's the Devil Child. Think about it; how can she be anything good? This isn't selling out; it's for the sake of justice! Besides, it's 79 million!"

Simultaneously, the woman opened the kitchen cabinet and retrieved a short-barreled hunting gun.

The culture of criminal organizations thrived in West Blue, and the people were known for their resolute nature.

She handed the hunting gun to the man. "I'll go report it, and you keep an eye on the two of them. That boy associating with the Devil Child can't be a good person either. Let the 'Gunpowder' folks take care of them together."

At the same time, unbeknownst to them, thirteen "ears" were positioned in a circle on the ceiling, attentively eavesdropping on the conversation below.

Meanwhile, amid the hushed conversation between the man and woman, an imposing figure stood there.

He was entirely black, with blue flame patterns on his left arm, red flame patterns on his right arm, and a white inverted triangle on his chest – the "Iron Battle Armor." He observed their conversation in silence.

The woman walked out of the kitchen, carrying a basket of groceries, and kindly said, "Hehe, Auntie is going to buy some groceries to treat you."

The stray dog, which had been by Robin's feet, suddenly barked at the woman preparing to leave.

The woman chuckled and paid it no mind. However, when she opened the door, she suddenly tripped and fell face-first on the doorstep. It was a resounding fall, and it cost her two front teeth, with blood flowing profusely.

The woman was bewildered. What tripped her up?

She covered her bleeding mouth, tears in her eyes. In a hurry, she got back up, but once again, she stumbled on the spot.

Another thud! This time, she not only lost another tooth but also accidentally bit her tongue, the taste of blood filling her mouth.

"Ah!" The woman finally lost her composure, shouting with tears, "What is this…?"

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out from the kitchen. The panicked woman was so terrified that she collapsed on the spot.

A horrified shout from the man came from the kitchen, "What is this!? Get away! Get away!"

He emerged from the kitchen, waving a kitchen knife, his face filled with fear.

And behind him, a short-barreled hunting gun floated in the air, as if controlled by an invisible force. It followed closely, with the dark barrel pointed at the man.

"Don't come any closer!" The man waved the knife in fear.

But suddenly, his wrist seemed to be tightly gripped by someone! In the man's horror, his hand went numb, and the kitchen knife fell, but it didn't drop to the ground. Instead, it hung in mid-air!

The knife levitated and gestured before the woman, scaring her into screaming and moving to the side.

With the dark barrel aimed at the pale-faced man, he mumbled, "I was so foolish, listening to you. I was truly foolish…"

Liam, with a serious expression on his face, motioned to 'B.I.B.,' who was silently watching their conversation, and said, "Aunt and Uncle, this… is likely the work of a wicked spirit!"

Beside herself with amazement, Robin watched as Liam assumed a solemn expression and continued, "But you're in luck, as I happen to be a legitimate spirit remover…"

Ten minutes later, Liam left through the window with "spirit-removing" fees— originally 79 million, but they granted a "discount as a token of gratitude," ultimately charging 7,900 Belly. Robin, holding the stray dog, followed him.

(End of this chapter)