Coward in eight seconds.

Nicole Robin’s gaze suddenly met that of Kuzan, who had appeared out of nowhere. Her heart jolted violently, shock and fear flooding over her like a tidal wave. Her body trembled uncontrollably before she weakly sank back into the chair.

At that moment, Saria’s clear voice reached Robin’s ears.

Robin’s thoughts were still scattered; she instinctively responded to Saria’s words, calling out, “Dad?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Robin instantly snapped out of her stunned surprise at Kuzan’s sudden appearance.

Realizing what she had just said, Robin’s face went blank with embarrassment.

How humiliating.

Robin wished she could turn back time and take back those words.

Feeling numb, she lifted her leg and kicked Saria hard.

Kuzan’s tall figure loomed imposingly before Robin and Saria.

He cast a deep, enigmatic gaze at Robin, his tone cold and indifferent.

“Oh my, Robin, are you asking me to treat you to a meal?”

Saria immediately seized the opportunity, speaking shrewdly,

“I’m sure you two have a deep father-daughter bond and plenty to talk about. As for me, I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll leave right away.”

Nicole Robin was speechless.

Hearing Saria’s words, Robin twitched at the corner of her mouth.

She had expected to be betrayed by Miss Judith, but never imagined it would happen under such circumstances!

“Six-Armed Blossom—Entangle!”

Summoning six arms from her Flower-Flower Fruit was Robin’s current limit.

These six arms tightly gripped Saria, making it clear through action that she would not let her leave.

Robin was clever and knew how to assess situations carefully.

Her repeated escapes from the World Government and other factions were thanks not only to Kuzan’s covert protection but also to her sharp mind and keen observation.

Now, Robin could sense that the Navy’s Kuzan, whom she had long feared, carried a peaceful aura.

This calmed her heart somewhat, making her realize that Kuzan was at least safe for her and Miss Judith for the time being.

If it were a life-or-death crisis, Robin wouldn’t stop Judith from betraying her or leaving.

But under this awkward situation, so embarrassing that one could almost curl their toes in shame, Robin was determined not to let Judith slip away so easily.

She certainly didn’t want Judith to escape and leave her alone to awkwardly face Kuzan.

At this moment, Kuzan had already seated himself on the floor.

The power of the Ice-Ice Fruit had sealed the doors and windows, leaving no escape.

The silhouette of the Navy Vice Admiral stretched long on the floor in the lamplight, resembling a dormant cauliflower beast, lazily observing the scene before him.

Robin glanced at Kuzan quietly and then released Saria from the Flower-Flower Fruit’s grip.

The two of them tacitly blocked any thought Saria had of leaving.

Saria forced a smile, awkwardly saying, “...Not that bad.”

She hadn’t even lifted her foot to leave when the vagrant sealed the room?

Worse yet, Robin.

“Nicole Robin, you child of the devil, I hate you,” Saria's eyes blazed with fury as she glared hatefully at Robin.

Instead of anger, Robin’s lips curled slightly into a smile.

Although Kuzan was still here, seeing Miss Judith so disheartened stirred an inexplicable joy in her heart.

***

“Kuzan, you lousy Navy bastard, I hate—” Saria also cast a resentful glance at the Navy’s Kuzan.

At this moment, Kuzan sat cross-legged on the floor with an air of leisure.

His gaze was calm and profound as it met Saria’s furious eyes.

Their exchange instantly deflated Saria’s spirit.

She crumbled immediately.

Pinching her thumb and forefinger together, she made a heart shape toward Kuzan and said, “I love you, you know.”

Kuzan: “...”

“Navy sir, I’m a perfectly good citizen,” Saria smiled apologetically and cautiously asked, “You wouldn’t arrest me, right?”

Though Kuzan likely had no ill intent, Saria was still uneasy.

After all, the powerful in the world of One Piece were often unpredictable. Kuzan was among the top fighters here, and her Judith clone was no match for him.

If a fight broke out, Lag Island would surely be destroyed by Kuzan.

Lag Island’s beer was her business; Saria didn’t want her clone or her enterprise ruined.

That would be too costly.

Kuzan scratched his head, his ears slightly reddening.

“Well, being confessed to by a beautiful lady, shouldn’t I be happy?”

Saria: “...”

You’re a sloth with such a slow reaction time!

The important thing is the question after that—whether you’ll arrest me, you damn Navy officer!

Saria turned cold, “Based on your catchphrase, aren’t you about to say—”

She imitated Kuzan’s tone, tweaking her voice sarcastically, “Oh my, miss, are you free tonight?”

Kuzan: “Then, miss, are you free tonight?”

Robin: “Absolutely not!”

Absolutely not!! She wouldn’t agree!!

“Thanks, Robin.” Saria’s Judith clone patted Robin’s head, “Don’t worry, I’m not senile yet.”

Hearing Miss Judith say that, Robin sighed in relief and warily watched Kuzan.

Saria was truly a “good citizen.”

She mainly used her Judith clone to fight pirates and practice her Devil Fruit abilities.

This Judith clone was not well-known; it didn’t even have a bounty.

Though she developed various powers from the Force-Force Fruit, allowing her to alter her own gravity, buoyancy, and other attributes, these changes affected only herself, not other objects.

Drawing from her previous life’s experience, Saria developed “Nen,” a psychic power used as an attack to raise her combat power limit.

Within the Nen field, she could manipulate herself or other objects—floating, gravity, acceleration, and more.

She could also use Nen for mental operations—sensing others’ thoughts and emotions or launching psychic attacks.

Her Nen attribute limit was currently 72, and her combat power limit reached 75.

When not fighting, her combat power hovered around 50.

In the West Blue, with her comprehensive strength, she encountered almost no opponents.

Her skills were honed through constant battles with West Blue’s pirates and members of certain organizations.

Pirates defeated by Saria were discarded without regret.

The World Government was wealthy; after defeating pirates, she exchanged their heads at Navy bases for bounties.

As a bounty hunter, she earned tens of millions a year.

When short on money, besides killing pirates for cash, she also looted treasures from noble families on various islands and countries.

After all, no one was richer than the nobles.

Especially the World Nobles—the Celestial Dragons. Given the chance, she even wanted to sneak some treasures out of Mariejois.

***

“Mr. Kuzan, may I ask what brings you here?” Saria put aside her previous playful demeanor, becoming serious and direct.

She didn’t want to get tangled with troublesome Navy people and hoped to leave quickly.

“Rejected again,” Kuzan sighed.

The Navy Vice Admiral was accustomed to inviting beautiful ladies he fancied on dates, but unsurprisingly, he was always turned down.

He had gotten used to it.

Saria held back an eye-roll at Kuzan.

She raised her hand and said calmly, “Nen Field—Control.”

People in the world of One Piece loved shouting out the names of their attack moves.

At first, Saria thought it was silly; someone like Dracule Mihawk who never shouted his moves was much cooler.

Until she realized that loudly announcing her move’s name during battle increased her combat power by one point.

She soon found it quite appealing—battling with a cool shout of her attacks was the way to go; Mihawk’s silent style was the anomaly!

Facing the highly threatening Kuzan, Saria dared not underestimate him and prepared for battle.

An exquisite teapot was pulled by invisible Nen, tilting gently to pour a cup of tea.

The teacup floated up and precisely landed in front of the Navy Vice Admiral seated on the floor.

Saria’s voice was polite and respectful, “Vice Admiral, would you like some tea?”

Before Robin, Miss Judith always appeared carefree and unrestrained.

But when serious, she was as courteous as a noble trained in etiquette, a stark contrast to before.

Robin found it somewhat difficult to adjust.

Kuzan took the teacup and, upon hearing the word “Nen,” looked at Saria strangely, scrutinizing her.

“You are the Pirate Hunter ‘Nen Master’?”

Every year, pirates appearing across the four seas were assigned bounties by the Navy based on their destructive power and strength.

This gave rise to the profession of “Pirate Hunter,” making a living by hunting pirates.

The West and North Blue were chaotic, with the highest-quality pirates, appearing endlessly like chives to be cut.

Consequently, Pirate Hunters from West and North Blue were stronger than those from South and East Blue.

In recent years, pirates in West Blue had declined significantly.

The Navy discovered a female Pirate Hunter active in West Blue.

She was elusive, identity unknown, always helping ordinary people drive off pirates.

Every year, she wore a black hooded cloak and carried pirate heads, redeeming large bounties at the Navy base in West Blue.

Because her attack moves were mostly Nen-related names, this elusive Pirate Hunter was called the “Nen Master.”

The “Nen Master” was powerful and just; the Navy held a favorable impression and wanted to recruit her.

Unfortunately, she was too mysterious and unpredictable, and no one could contact her.