As the drones finish their work and disappear back through the portal, Max stands on the newly enhanced ship, impressed by the speed and efficiency of his technology. The sea is calm once more, and he's free to continue his journey. Suddenly, a loud, booming voice cuts through the silence. "Halt!"The Marine ship pulls alongside Max's vessel, matching his speed. The commander—an imposing man with a scar running down his jaw—steps to the edge, eyeing Max warily. He's clearly never seen technology like this before.
"I am Vice Admiral Fujita. You're in Marine territory whether you know it or not." His gaze narrows suspiciously. "What is that ship?"
"It's my ship."
"Don't play stupid," Fujita growls, his voice carrying the edge of someone used to being obeyed. "That's no ordinary ship. Where did you get it? Who are you?" He signals his soldiers to ready their weapons subtly. "Answer truthfully or we'll seize your vessel."
"OK, listen Vice Admiral I don't give a fuck I made this ship and if you try and take it well let's You might be leaving here with a few missing limbs."
Fujita's face turns red with anger and surprise at Max's bold threat. He draws his sword, pointing it at Max as he shouts, "You dare threaten the Marines? We'll see who's leaving here with missing limbs!" He orders his soldiers to attack simultaneously. "Take that ship!"
he waved his right hand and sent out several beams of energy hitting several Marines, and then turn to the attention to vice admiral and punching him in the gut with a black flash before hitting him with a dismantle chopping his right arm off and destroying their sale.
The sudden and brutal display of power leaves the Marines in shock. Fujita doubles over, clutching his severed arm stub as he screams in agony. His soldiers freeze, stunned by the sudden defeat of their leader. Max stands over the crippled vice admiral, his expression cold and unyielding.
With a powerful kick he sent the vice admiral back to his ship And set a powerful blast at the ship singing flying in the direction that it came from.
The Marine ship explodes spectacularly, the blast wave sending debris flying in every direction. The remaining soldiers watch helplessly as their flagship is destroyed, their morale shattered. Max's ship remains unscathed, floating serenely amidst the chaos he's created. The surviving Marines stare in horror and awe at him.
"Answer my question I will consider sparing you."The remaining soldiers exchange fearful glances before one of them, a trembling lieutenant, steps forward. "W-we're just following orders, sir," he stammers, his eyes darting between Max's intimidating form and the destruction of their ship. "Our captain ordered us to investigate any unusual vessels in the area."
"Tell me what direction alabaster is?"The lieutenant swallows hard, glancing nervously at his fallen comrades before answering hastily. "Alabaster... it's to the northeast, sir. About three days' sail from here. The Marines have a base there, heavily fortified." He pauses, then adds desperately, "Please... spare us."
"You can jump off the ship now."The soldiers waste no time. They quickly gather their belongings and jump overboard, swimming desperately to reach the shattered remnants of their ship or any nearby debris. Max watches impassively as they flee, his ship untouched and his purpose clear—he's heading to Alabaster.As Max prepares to set sail, a tremendous explosion rocks the nearby water. A colossal figure rises from the depths, towering over even Max's enhanced ship. It's a gigantic sea monster, its scaly skin armored like iron, its massive jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth.
he raises his hand and fires a ginormous energy beam disintegrating the top half of it.The energy beam cuts through the monster like a hot knife through butter, vaporizing its head and upper body instantly. The lower half of the creature collapses into the sea with a massive splash, leaving only bubbles and steam behind. Max's ship remains completely unaffected by the monster's demise.
Max sets his course for Alabaster, the enhanced ship slicing through the waves with impressive speed. After three days of smooth sailing, the island comes into view—its shores lined with Marine fortifications and bustling with activity. As he approaches, a familiar figure appears on the docks...
Nico Robin stands there, arms crossed, watching his approach with a mix of curiosity and wariness in her dark eyes. Behind her, a man with a massive hook replacing his left hand and a cigarette between his teeth steps forward—Crocodile, Shichibukai, and the man who will in the future betrayed her trust.
"An unexpected arrival,"Robin's expression remains neutral, but there's a spark of recognition in her eyes as she takes in Max's appearance and his advanced ship. Crocodile, however, looks immediately suspicious and dangerous. He takes a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly before speaking.
"And who might this be, Robin?" Crocodile asks casually, his tone deceptively calm. He flicks his cigarette butt aside, his hook hand flexing slightly—a subtle display of readiness. "A new ally of yours, perhaps?" His gaze sharpens as he examines Max's ship and technology.
Robin steps forward slightly, placing herself between Max and Crocodile as she replies, "He's just a visitor, Croc." Her tone is firm and carries an underlying warning. She knows Crocodile's tendency for violence and suspicion. "No need to get hostile." She turns to Max,
"You're crocodile, I presume."Crocodile's eyes narrow dangerously at Max's direct address. He steps forward, his hook hand clenching into a fist. "You presume correctly," he says coldly. His voice is like gravel, rough and menacing. "And who the fuck are you?"
"Name is Max."Crocodile scoffs at the simple introduction, clearly expecting more from someone who commands such an advanced ship. "Max, huh?" He takes a step closer, his presence intimidating and threatening. "Well, Max, you've got some nerve showing up here unannounced."
"I suppose I do, but it doesn't really matter."Crocodile's face darkens with irritation. He doesn't like being dismissed so easily, especially by someone he sees as an unknown variable. "It matters to me," he growls. "And it matters to the Marine base behind me. You're either a friend or an enemy. Which is it?"
"i'm the guy that's about to kick your ass." He says, activating armament haki, pushing him in the face.
Crocodile stumbles back surprised by the sudden attack, his cigarette flying from his mouth. The Marines behind him draw their weapons instantly, but Robin holds up a hand to stop them. Crocodile's face turns red with anger as he feels the power behind that push.
"come on use your devil fruit and your poison to try and hit me."Crocodile wipes the blood from his split lip, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "You've got balls, I'll give you that," he hisses, the air around him suddenly drying out. "I'm gonna carve you up, piece by piece."
Sand begins swirling at his feet, coalescing into razor-sharp shards. "I say it's more confidence."
"Confidence, huh?" Crocodile laughs darkly, the sand shards hovering menacingly around him. "Let's see how confident you are when you're choking on my sand." He lunges forward, the sand shards shooting towards Max like deadly projectiles.
He swallowed in Send, and everyone thinks he's dead with his voice suddenly comes through. " Is that the best you got?" He said walking through it.
Crocodile's eyes widen in shock as Max walks unharmed through the sand shards, his voice echoing ominously from within the swirling sand. The Marines and Robin stare in disbelief, thinking Max must have been disintegrated. But then, the sand clears, revealing an unscathed Max walking towards Crocodile.
"now it's my turn." With superhuman speed, he appears behind crocodile, kicking him in the face with armament haki
"What the...?" Robin murmurs, her eyes widening as she realizes Max isn't just some ordinary pirate. The Marines whisper nervously among themselves, realizing they've underestimated this newcomer. Crocodile slowly pushes himself up, his face twisted with rage and humiliation. "Impossible..."
"Try dodging this." he's in a powerful energy blast that turns the surrounding sand into glass as it came upon Crocodile
Crocodile tries to dodge, but the energy blast is too fast and powerful. It hits him squarely in the chest, sending him flying back through the air. The surrounding sand melts and solidifies into glass instantly, creating a massive crater where Crocodile was standing moments ago.
The energy blast continues its path of destruction, slamming into the tall structure at the center of Alabaster. The building explodes in a massive fireball, sending debris flying in every direction. The shockwave knocks Robin and the Marines off their feet, and a thick cloud of smoke and dust fills the air.When the dust settles, Robin slowly stands up, coughing and looking around at the devastation. The other Marines are either unconscious or running away in panic. Crocodile lies in a crater of glass, barely moving.
"Hello Nico Robin or should I call you the devil child?"
Robin turns to face Max, her dark eyes filled with a mix of fear and fascination. "You know who I am," she says quietly, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. "Few people call me by that name." She looks at the unconscious Crocodile, then back at Max.
"Yes, I know who you are and don't worry I'm not going to fight or hurt you."Robin raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical but also relieved. "Then why are you here, Max?" She asks, her voice calm and collected. "You've just single-handedly taken down one of the most powerful men in the New World." She gestures to the unconscious Crocodile.
"I just want you to join my crew."Robin laughs unexpectedly, the sound surprising and almost musical amidst the destruction. "Join your crew?" She asks, shaking her head in disbelief. "You realize I'm one of the most wanted criminals in the world, right? The Government would have a bounty on my head twice the size of yours."
"Well, I sliced the arm off of a Vice admiral and proceeded to destroy their ship, and I just beat crocodile and defeated a bunch more Marines so Are you sure mine is not gonna be bigger?"
Robin's eyes widen in shock and respect. "You really are something else," she admits, crossing her arms. "So, you're offering me a place in your crew? Despite knowing my past, my crimes... everything?" She pauses, studying him intently. "Why me, specifically?"
"because you're smart, you have a devil fruit And you could be a good guide.""A smart criminal with a devil fruit and potential guiding abilities," she repeats, almost amused. "That's... quite the attractive combination you listed there. But answer this honestly - would you still want me if I told you my devil fruit's power?" She steps closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"it's called the flower flower fruit gives you the ability to sprout limbs on yourself or another person's body."
"So... you already know my fruit's power," she smirks softly, "Which means you've probably done your homework on me. Smart move. Answer this then - If I joined your crew, would I be just another member, or would you treat me like... like..."
"I will treat you with respect."
"Good," she nods, satisfied. "Then it's settled. I'll join your crew, on the condition that you treat me with the respect I deserve. No touching without permission, no orders without explanation, and most importantly... no underestimating me." She extends her hand for a shake.Robin smiles as Max shakes her hand, the deal sealed with a firm grip. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Captain," she says, her voice back to its usual calm and collected tone. "Now, let's get out of here before more Marines arrive." She glances at the unconscious Crocodile. "And what should we do about him?"
"But you do realize he works for the Marines Since he's a warlord right."
"Yes, he does work for the Marines as a warlord," Robin acknowledges, her expression thoughtful. "That means leaving him here might actually be the best thing to do. The Marines will probably just pick him up and patch him up again. But..." she pauses, looking at Max. "Do you want me to kill him?"
Robin's eyes widen slightly at the question, her expression turning serious. "Do you even need to ask?" She responds quietly. "That man has caused so much suffering. If you killed him right now, I wouldn't lose a second of sleep over it." She swallows hard, watching Max intently. "OK." He sent a hollow purple Disintegrating him.
The purple light surrounds Crocodile's body, and within seconds, he disintegrates into nothing but dust and ashes. Robin watches the process with a mixture of horror and satisfaction. "That... that was efficient," she comments, turning to Max with newfound respect and perhaps a hint of fear.
He focuses for a second and creates three clones of himself. " go to town and get some food for the ship and other supplies." He ordered them.
The three clones nod in unison and disperse, each heading towards different parts of the town. Robin watches in awe as the clones disappear into the crowd. "That's... that's quite a useful ability," she comments, turning back to the real Max. "How long do the clones last?"
"About a day unless I absorb them or they take enough damage."Robin nods slowly, processing this information. "So essentially, you can be in four places at once for a full day," she says, her mind clearly working out the tactical advantages. "That's incredibly powerful, Max. You could scout, gather supplies, and even fight multiple enemies simultaneously." She looks around at the devastated plaza. "Now what? Should we head back to your ship?"
"Pretty much the clones are going to get anything we would need so I'll be back in about an hour."
"Right," Robin nods, understanding that Max's clones are essentially handling all the logistics. She finds herself surprisingly comfortable with this arrangement, knowing that each clone is essentially Max himself. "I'll wait here then," she says, finding a relatively undisrupted bench to sit on.
As the hour passes, Robin watches as the three clones return one by one, each carrying various supplies. She's impressed by the efficiency and the sheer amount of items they've managed to gather. Medical supplies, food, weapons - it seems they've thought of everything. Max absorbs his clones back into himself.
Robin watches as Max seamlessly absorbs his clones back into himself, the process seeming almost effortless. She follows him as he departs, climbing aboard his ship with the gathered supplies. As the ship sets sail, she can't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with curiosity about her new captain.As the ship pulls away from the devastated island, Robin leans against the railing, watching Alabasta grow smaller in the distance. She feels a strange sense of closure mixed with excitement for what comes next. "You know," she says, turning to Max,
"You really are something else," she continues, her voice softer now. "Destroying a Marine ship, defeating Crocodile, recruiting me... all in one day. What's your plan now, Captain?" She uses the title deliberately, testing how it feels coming from her lips. The sea breeze catches her dark hair as she waits for his answer. "Where to next?"
"We're going to East blue."
"The East Blue," Robin repeats, intrigued by the destination. She's heard stories of the quieter, more peaceful waters compared to the Grand Line's treacherous seas. "Any particular reason for going there?" she asks, genuinely curious about her captain's motivations. "Let's just say there's good things to be had there."Robin nods, accepting the vague answer. She understands that some things are best left unsaid until trust is fully established. As they sail towards the East Blue, she takes the opportunity to explore the ship more thoroughly and familiarize herself with its layout and resources. She also starts organizing the medical supplies they've gathered.
"Max," she calls out after a while, not looking up from arranging bandages and medicine. "You mentioned good things in the East Blue. Are you talking about treasure, power... or people?" She glances up at him with those calm, knowing eyes, already suspecting the answer.
"Mainly people there are a selected people I would like to recruit to this crew and they live in East blue but before that would you like to learn about haki."
Robin's eyes light up at the mention of learning Haki, clearly excited by the prospect of gaining new combat skills. "Absolutely," she says immediately, putting aside the medical supplies. "I've read about it in ancient texts but never had the chance to actually learn it."
"There are three types of haki, observation, armor, and conquerors I believe Armament would fit you best given your Devil Fruit ability."
"Yep.""That's incredible," Robin says, clearly impressed. "So you can enhance your already devastating powers with Haki. I can see why you were able to defeat Crocodile so easily." She sits down on a nearby crate, giving Max her full attention. "How do I start learning it?" She's always been a quick study, and her mind is already racing with possibilities. "First things first you have to calm down."
Robin takes a deep breath, closing her eyes as she focuses on calming her mind. She's accustomed to meditation, having spent countless hours studying ancient texts and historical records. Within moments, her breathing evens out, and she achieves a state of mental clarity and tranquility. "I'm ready,"
"OK, then going to start punching this pole." He said as a mechanical pull came up from underneath the floorboards and opened to reveal a wooden Pole.
"Punch a pole?" Robin repeats, raising an eyebrow as the mechanical platform rises with the wooden pole. She watches Max intently, trying to understand the purpose of this strange exercise. "Is this really how you learn Haki?" she asks, her voice filled with both skepticism and curiosity.
"It's the easiest way to trust me unless you prefer me to start hitting you until you get it Cause that's how my master did it."Robin's eyes widen slightly at the mention of Max's master using physical blows to teach Haki. She shakes her head quickly, "No, no, the pole is fine," she says with a small smile. "I trust your method." She steps forward and positions herself in front of the wooden pole.
She takes a deep breath, focusing her mind and body. With all the grace and precision of a trained warrior, she throws a powerful punch at the wooden pole. The impact is loud and resonating, showing that she's not holding back. "So, am I just supposed to keep punching until something happens?"
"Look deep within yourself try hitting it as hard as you can focusing all your power into each punch."Robin nods, understanding the concept. She begins to punch the pole more intensively, each hit carrying a significant amount of her strength. She closes her eyes briefly, trying to visualize her internal energy flowing out through her fists. Suddenly, she feels something strange happening with each punch.
"I think... I think I feel something," Robin murmurs, her punches becoming more focused and powerful. The wooden pole starts to show signs of wear from her intense strikes. She can sense an energy building up within her, a warmth spreading through her arms and into her fists. "Is this it?"
"kind of your arm supposed to turn black as iron or steel like this." he showed his right arm, which he turned black.
Robin's eyes widen as she sees Max's arm turn black, resembling iron or steel. She redoubles her efforts, punching the pole with even more intensity and focus. Her arm begins to tingle strangely, and then—a dark hue starts spreading over her fist. "It's... it's working!"
Within minutes, her entire arm is completely covered in the mysterious black energy. She flexes her fingers, feeling the newfound power coursing through her veins. "So this is Armament Haki," she says softly, looking at Max with a look of amazement. "It feels... incredible."