"What a time of trouble! Hmm~" Three days later, Hathaway looked at the newspaper in her hand and couldn't help but sigh.
"Hmm~ What happened?" Nero asked in confusion.
"Hmm~ Golden Lion Shiki has escaped from Impel Down!" Hathaway handed the newspaper to Nero.
"Nani?! I was wondering why there was no news of him for so long. When exactly was Shiki caught?" Nero grabbed the newspaper, looking bewildered.
Even more bewildered than Nero was Hathaway: "Wasn't Shiki caught after he and Your Majesty caused a ruckus in Marineford? That was two years ago."
"Eh? That early? I left Marineford with him at the time. Was that guy arrested right away?"
The absurd truth left Nero speechless, and a strong sense of disdain for Shiki arose in her heart. That guy should just quit!
This was the first time Nero had heard of a great pirate being arrested since she went to sea. This golden-haired man with a ship's rudder stuck in his head truly single-handedly lowered the standing of great pirates.
"But Shiki is still the first pirate to escape from Impel Down, you know. I heard he cut off his own legs to successfully escape."
Hathaway spoke up to save Shiki's reputation. If it weren't for the Battle of Edd War, which stuck a ship's rudder in Shiki's head, then with Shiki's abilities, the Marines would have had little chance of arresting him.
Nero smiled indifferently. A legless, further disabled Shiki, in her opinion, had already withdrawn from the ranks of the top tier.
The news released by the Marines probably also had the intention of 'killing with a borrowed knife.' A wounded lion would surely attract the covetous gaze of hyenas.
"Hmm, it seems Shiki will be busy next."
"Hoo—hoo—This Shiki, I... I've heard of him. He seems... to be the Captain of the Flying Pirates... with a bounty of 4.6 billion."
Robin was covered in sweat, panting heavily as she intermittently joined the conversation.
"That was before. Now that price is a bit inflated. Hmm, a little further down on the left shoulder... right here!"
Nero, lying on the chair, enjoyed Robin's massage, calling it 'arm strength training.'
As a Flower-Flower Fruit user, Robin was simply a dimensionality reduction strike in the massage industry, able to massage the entire body at the same time.
Even Hathaway lay beside them, enjoying it simultaneously. In terms of strength and technique, it was honestly still a bit green, but the potential was truly limitless.
"Okay, Big... Boss!" Robin felt that her current actions towards Nero were probably more out of personal inclination than for training.
However, having lived under others' roofs since childhood, she didn't feel there was anything wrong with her current situation.
The luxury in food, clothing, housing, and transportation was something she couldn't have imagined. For these three days, she had been helping Hathaway with everything she could, but she still felt that it was just a drop in the bucket compared to what she had received.
So, facing Nero's massage request, Robin was now giving her all, and even Hathaway joined in at her suggestion.
"Hmm, never mind that old lion. Robin, your Flower-Flower Fruit, among Paramecia types, is also a very promising fruit."
Nero flipped over and sat up, deciding that she couldn't continue to fall into such depravity. After three days of observation and confirmation, Robin was indeed a good child.
Smart, grateful, persistent, and with dreams.
So, the real training should be put on the agenda. First, it would be physical fitness improvement and Fruit ability development.
Nero stretched her neck. She didn't plan to take Robin to the Grand Line. A year of wandering around the Four Seas would be enough.
"To sail the seas, combat power is an indispensable thing!"
"Hmm, your body is too weak now. At the next stop, I will buy you some medicinal herbs to help your body grow better."
Looking at Robin's body, even though she was only eight years old, her physique was too frail.
"In addition, you'll need a style of martial arts, like a fist or palm technique, hmm…" Nero pondered for two seconds: "Let's use the Marines' Rokushiki!"
"Rokushiki?" Robin didn't know what kind of techniques these were, but hearing "Marines" she subconsciously felt a bit repulsed.
"These are techniques created by the Marines that can surpass the limits of the human body. For building a foundation, there's almost nothing more suitable than this."
Nero didn't notice Robin's repulsion and continued to explain on her own.
"Hmm, the technique that makes your body as hard as iron—Iron Body!
High-speed movement that gives people instantaneous speed—Soru!
A movement technique that dodges attacks through changes in airflow—Paper Art!
Jumping in mid-air, allowing one to defy gravity—Moonwalk!
Making your legs like whips, kicking out vacuum slashes—Tempest Kick!
Giving your fingers the power of bullets—Finger Pistol!"
"Hmm, all of these combined will not only boost your strength but also lay a good foundation for you to become a top-tier powerhouse in the future."
Nero finished introducing Robin to the courses she would be learning: "Learning these will be enough for the First Half of the Grand Line."
Hearing Nero's introduction, the slight repulsion in Robin's heart had long since vanished completely. Then, hearing Nero mention the First Half of the Grand Line, she felt a little confused.
"Only the First Half of the Grand Line? If I can learn all of these, I could be called a superhuman, couldn't I?"
"Hmm, the New World, the second half, and the first half are completely different worlds, especially in these two years, those idiots have been fighting like mad dogs for territory."
Robin blinked, completely unable to imagine the world Nero described, but she also knew it was still very far away from her.
As Nero said, she just needed to lay a good foundation now.
"Then, Big Sister, when do we start training?" Robin asked eagerly. Having just experienced despair, she needed the sense of security that strength brought more than anyone.
"Hmm, let's wait until we've gathered the necessary medicinal herbs. If you force yourself to train with your current body, it could easily affect your potential," Nero said, patting her little head.
Choosing the Rokushiki was Nero's well-thought-out answer. Considering the application of the Flower-Flower Fruit, which could allow Robin to go further in the future, Nero gave up on having her learn Garp's set of techniques with herself.
"These days, you'll be with Hathaway, learning some essential survival skills for the sea. This is a rare opportunity, so make sure to seize it."
"Understood!"
Nero saw Robin's seemingly energetic reply, but the underlying disappointment in her tone was unmistakably clear.
"Hmm, don't underestimate Hathaway. As a companion who travels with me, Hathaway is not only proficient in navigation and cooking but also has many personal little tricks."
Nero held up a finger: "If you can learn these, I guarantee you'll be fought over by every pirate crew."
"Is Big Sister Hathaway really that amazing?" Robin looked in disbelief at Hathaway, who was standing respectfully to one side.
"Hmm, of course. Even when you start learning the Rokushiki later, you mustn't neglect Hathaway's lessons!"
Nero proudly lifted her head, as if Robin was praising her.
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