One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 94 A Battle of Endurance

I haven't slept in such a soft bed in a long time.

In the quiet of the night, Robin tossed and turned in his comfortable, warm bed.

There's no smell of soil, no hard floor to the touch, no threat of rain and cold at night, and no need to worry about wild animals in the mountains.

The happiness felt unreal.

In the darkness, the breathing of the two people could be clearly heard.

Bucky, with his red nose, was snoring loudly, while Roman, who was about the same age as him, was breathing steadily and had already fallen asleep.

Robin's long years on the run instilled in her a habit of vigilance. She could never fall asleep if someone around her was still awake. It was this habit that helped her evade capture many times.

She had encountered kind-looking people before who treated her well and then immediately informed the navy. Each time, she would pretend to be asleep to lower their guard, then find a chance to escape.

To Robin's surprise, the two of them didn't seem to be wary of her at all and simply fell asleep.

Is it that I'm carefree or overconfident?

But she suddenly felt very happy, and even if this happiness was fake, she wanted to indulge in it for a while.

Lost in these thoughts, Robin gradually fell asleep.

Although she was in a safe environment, she didn't sleep soundly.

She dreamt of the early days of her escape, when she often slept in the woods in the wilderness for fear that the townspeople would report her.

However, the forest is often home to ferocious wild animals, such as tigers, lions, and bears.

No, those weren't the scariest things. What impressed her most were the packs of wolves.

Unlike those ferocious beasts, they always hunt cooperatively.

In the darkness, their eyes glowed green, watching her intently.

Perhaps knowing she was difficult to deal with, they rarely attacked her directly, but instead waited for her to tire. Wolves, as wild beasts, are undoubtedly very patient animals.

Even in the exhausting late night, Robin had to test his endurance against them.

In difficult circumstances, human potential is unimaginable.

She has almost never lost a nightly test of endurance, and even when she is asleep, she can wake up when a crisis comes.

Similarly, her Devil Fruit also helped her a lot.

Otherwise, she would have been left to rot in the wilderness long ago.

In this dream, there was still a bottomless darkness, and a faint green light shining within the darkness.

As always, Robin stared intently at the greedy gazes fixed upon her.

"Sleep soundly, I'm here next to you this time."

It was a very gentle voice, but Robin couldn't tell whose voice it was. She suddenly felt relaxed; she was sleepy, tired, and really wanted to sleep.

"Sleep, sleep, you'll be alright," the voice continued.

"Okay, just for a little while," Robin in her dream slowly closed her dark green eyes.

……

"Your expression is much more relaxed now. It shouldn't be a nightmare anymore." Seeing Robin's relaxed expression, Roman felt relieved.

She had already fallen asleep, but she keenly sensed the movement around her. When she woke up, she found Robin clutching the sheets in pain.

So she got out of bed and slowly smoothed her body.

It seems the shadow of being on the run is quite heavy for her.

Roman understood this perfectly.

Although the possibility was slim, she was still filled with apprehension at the thought of Charlotte family members possibly appearing before her at any time. However, this apprehension began to slowly disappear as her strength increased.

But Robin can't do that yet.

After all, her opponent, for whom the World Government has issued a warrant, is the entire world.

How can a small, frail body fight against this world?

Roman couldn't help Robin on this point either.

Her salvation lies with the Straw Hat Pirates, not with Roman himself.

Roman was well aware of this.

Even though she is quite talented, she is not a powerful being with divine artifacts or a system inside her, so her abilities are limited.

I'm sorry, but I can only give Robin-chan a relatively pleasant period of time!

……

When Robin realized she was sleeping too soundly, she felt her blood freeze and immediately looked around at her surroundings.

The cabin was bright and airy. She lay on a velvet duvet, a new pair of pink flowers adorning the red bedside table. Sunlight streamed in through the window, bringing a touch of warmth. From the window, she could see seagulls soaring overhead.

Not a forest?

Oh, right, it's Roman and Bucky...

Just as she was reflecting, she suddenly noticed the door was open, which made her nervous.

"Ah, you're awake. I was going to call you to have breakfast in the lobby, but you were sleeping so soundly, so I brought breakfast over instead. Eat up, it's still warm. I highly recommend the soup." Roman smiled and handed over the plate, the delicious soup still steaming.

"Thank you, where's Buggy?" Robin looked around, but couldn't find the red-nosed guy anywhere.

Roman said helplessly, "He's gambling with the sailors, saying that this merchant ship has cost him a fortune, and he's determined to make some money back from the sailors."

I see. Robin was relieved.

"Are you worried that Bucky will report you?" Roman seemed to see through Robin's thoughts and asked.

"I..." Robin blushed, unsure of what to say.

"Haha, don't worry, he's currently obsessed with gambling and the jewelry of those noble ladies and gentlemen on the passenger ship, he simply doesn't have time to care about anything else." Roman immediately gave Robin a boost of confidence.

Although it's possible to pretend you don't know anything, it's better to clarify these points so Robin can feel more at ease.

"sorry."

"No need to apologize, I completely understand your situation. In this kind of environment, it is very difficult and dangerous to trust strangers. But please rest assured, we are truly trustworthy, and I will protect you if anything happens."

"Thank you." Perhaps worried that tears would fall, Robin began to eat the food heartily.

She still had many questions, such as why Roman was willing to protect her, and why Roman trusted her so much. It was as if she knew everything.

However, she didn't ask these questions aloud, thinking that the smiling girl in front of her would tell her at the right time.

"In a few more days, we'll be almost at our destination. I'll buy you some new clothes then; a pretty child deserves nice clothes. I'll also buy you a pretty mask, or Bucky and I can get one too..."

Roman continued rambling on, but Robin didn't interrupt; she felt enveloped in light.