[Ding! Sign-in mission issued: Ohara. Reward: Mastery of the Ninety-Nine Binding Paths. Time limit: 3 days!]
The system's prompt echoed in Roya's mind.
Unaware that he had been given a 2 billion berry bounty, Roya was currently speeding toward Ohara at full throttle.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, his gaze swept over the distant sea—where he spotted a beautiful woman clinging to a wooden plank, adrift on the waves.
Without hesitation, Roya rescued her.
Olvia slowly opened her eyes. Seeing only the cloaked figure of Roya, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for saving me. My name is Olvia."
As she spoke, she noticed the ship was heading toward Ohara.
Immediately, Olvia warned Roya, "Are you heading to Ohara? Ohara is extremely dangerous right now!"
Hearing the words of Robin's mother, Roya replied calmly, "It's fine. Since we're both going, let's not waste time."Two days later, at dawn, warships bearing the sails of the World Government slowly anchored not far from Ohara.
Standing on the deck, Spandam gazed at the island shrouded in thick mist, a sinister grin creeping onto his face.
The chilling smile sent shivers down one's spine.
"Finally, we've arrived at this sinful island of Ohara. I wonder if that woman who escaped by jumping into the sea is still alive. It's truly a regret that I didn't get to kill her with my own hands."
As Spandam finished speaking, he stepped off the deck and led his men toward Ohara.
Setting foot on Ohara's soil, Spandam held his head high, as if everything on the island was beneath his notice.
"This island is utterly barren. I can't fathom how the people here even survive. It'd be better if I just slaughtered every last one of them!"
His subordinates broke into a cold sweat at his words. Recalling Spandam's past actions, they fully believed he was capable of such atrocities.
"Sir, perhaps we should head to the Tree of Omniscience at the island's center first to investigate whether Olvia left behind anything else that threatens the government—"
Before the subordinate could finish, Spandam drew the gun at his waist and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang!
Watching the subordinate collapse, Spandam snorted coldly. "Since when do I need you to tell me what to do?!"
With that, he strode toward the Tree of Omniscience.
——
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successful check-in. Reward obtained: Mastery of the Ninety-Nine Binding Path! The Binding Path is a branch of Demon Arts from the world of Shinigami, specializing in defense and restraint. Advanced Binding Path techniques can immobilize thousands in an instant!]
As the system's electronic voice faded in Roya's mind, the sudden gunshot shattered Ohara's tranquil atmosphere.
A faint smile curled at Roya's lips as he murmured, "Seems we arrived at just the right time. Won't waste too much of mine."
Unlike Roya's calm demeanor, Olvia panicked at the sound of gunfire. Her eyes filled with urgency as she immediately sprinted toward the Tree of Omniscience.
Roya watched her retreating figure before leisurely following the same path.
Meanwhile, Spandam had already reached the Tree of Omniscience.
No sooner had he arrived than he spotted a little girl running toward the tree.
With a wave of his hand, Spandam barked an order: "World Government Special Intelligence Division executing a classified mission. Any unauthorized personnel approaching are to be shot on sight!"
His subordinate frowned and hesitated. "B-but, sir... she's just a child."
Slap!
The moment the words left his mouth, Spandam struck him hard across the face.
"Do you want to reunite with the fool who dared defy me earlier in the afterlife?"
"N-no, sir..."
The subordinate shook his head frantically. Compared to the little girl, his own life was far more important."Shoot if you don't want to die! Fire together! Show no mercy to the people of Ohara!"
Spandam said these words with a cruel smile, eagerly anticipating the sight of blood spurting out!
Without hesitation, his subordinates raised their guns and aimed at the little girl not far away.
Because those old scholars of the Tree of Omniscience, once immersed in their research, would remain completely oblivious to anything happening outside.
The kind-hearted Robin wanted to come and warn them, but she never expected things would turn out this way.
Robin stared at the dark muzzles of the guns before her, her heart trembling with fear.
"Am I going to die here?"
Her small fists clenched tightly as thoughts of her mother surfaced in Robin's mind. It had been so long since she last saw her mother—perhaps she never would again!
"Robin!!!"
Suddenly, Olvia's voice reached Robin's ears. Screaming hoarsely at the sight of the young girl, Olvia quickened her pace and lunged toward Robin.
She pulled her daughter tightly into her arms, shielding Robin with her own back against the gun barrels.
As Olvia's voice faded, Spandam's subordinates pulled their triggers.
"Bang."
"Bang."
"Bang."
The sound of gunfire erupted continuously across the island, the muzzles spitting flames and smoke as bullets surged toward Olvia and Robin.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment. Feeling the warmth of Olvia's embrace, hot tears instantly streamed down Robin's face. "No!!!"
At the critical moment, Roya extended a finger and lightly tapped the air, murmuring softly, "Binding Path Sixty-Four—Reverse Mirror."
A translucent disc materialized before the two women, effortlessly blocking the bullets and reflecting them back.
The bullets shot back at even greater speed than before.
Witnessing this, Spandam's pupils contracted sharply. Instinctively, he yanked one of his subordinates in front of him, using the man's body as a shield to block Roya's reflected bullets.
The pain they expected never came. Olvia and Robin slowly opened their eyes, staring in disbelief at Roya.
She never imagined the man who saved them would be this powerful...