Let's set aside the undercurrents and power struggles currently surging between the various factions of the New World for a moment.
At this time, on the coast of Upper Yard, a certain curly-browed cook—completely unaware that a group of unscrupulous people had already begun playing matchmaker for him—was busy preparing a delicious dinner for his crewmates.
"Mmm, the heat is just about right."
After carefully tasting the broth from a small saucer, Sanji flashed a satisfied smile. "It looks like using these apples for the curry was a pretty good call after all."
Clang... clang... clang...
A figure clad in heavy, black knight's armor walked up behind the curly-browed cook with heavy, echoing steps.
"Sanji, I'm hungry! Ooh, this stuff looks delicious!"
Luffy's familiar voice drifted out from inside the black knight's helmet. Then, the armored glutton reached out somewhat clumsily toward a nearby plate.
BAM!!! A beautiful spin kick connected.
The black-armored knight instantly flew off like a cannonball, slamming violently into a large rock on the shore and smashing an exaggeratedly deep crater into it.
"Don't think I won't kick you just because you're wearing a suit of scrap metal, Luffy!"
The violent blonde cook lowered his leg, a dark shadow of annoyance over his face as he pulled out a cigarette. "Honestly, didn't you just eat an entire roasted Sky Shark? Just wait a little longer; dinner's almost ready."
"But I'm starving right now..."
Despite taking the full force of Sanji's powerful strike, Luffy stood up from the rubble as if nothing had happened. He instinctively tried to brush the dust off his body, but to his surprise, as he moved, the armor suddenly cracked like a mirror. It shattered into pieces and vanished into thin air in an instant.
"Aaaaah! My armor broke!"
The ditzy captain let out a cry of shock. He then turned a pleading gaze toward a certain man in glasses sitting nearby, who was staring up at the stars. "Sherlock, make me another set of armor!"
Ever since seeing the Enchanter's cool suit of black knight's heavy armor earlier that day, there was no way Luffy could stay calm. After a bout of relentless pestering, he had successfully managed to get Sherlock to create a mirrored version for him. Unfortunately, it had just been KO'd by the curly-browed cook's kick.
"What a shame. There's nothing I can do right now."
Sherlock felt utterly helpless under Luffy's pitiful gaze. He pointed toward a certain long-nosed man who was currently busy with inventions in the "Usopp Factory." "The original knight's armor is with Usopp. Without the original as a reference, my ability can't create a mirrored copy out of thin air."
"And Usopp, what kind of strange things are you actually planning to add to it?" For some reason, Sherlock had a very bad feeling about this.
"Heh heh heh, I'm glad you asked, Sherlock!"
Setting his tools down for a moment, Usopp gave the Enchanter a thumbs-up and grinned. "I've acquired many powerful Dials during this trip to Skypiea. If I install all of them onto this suit of yours, it'll definitely increase its power significantly. Not to mention, your Devil Fruit ability can even amplify the power of weapons."
"When the time comes, Sherlock, once you put on the armor I've improved, you'll be invincible when we head back down to the Blue Sea!" Usopp's daily bragging progress: +1.
"Whoa, so cool!" Chopper and Luffy's eyes sparkled with tiny stars.
"Heh heh~"
Usopp nodded with satisfaction, closing his eyes as he basked in the praise. Feeling a bit lightheaded from the ego boost, he turned to look at a certain three-sword style swordsman who was deep in meditation. "By the way, Zoro, do you really not want me to help you strengthen your swords?"
"I'm really fine, thanks." Zoro didn't even lift an eyelid as he delivered an exceptionally clean and crisp rejection.
Sherlock's expression remained flat. He lightly pushed up his glasses and asked suspiciously, "Is it really as exaggerated as you say, Usopp?"
"Of course! Have you really never heard that saying during all your years in the East Blue?"
As he spoke, the long-nosed man, now addicted to his own boasting, stood up and struck a flamboyant, magical pose. He declared solemnly, "If it's produced by the Great Inventor Usopp, it's bound to be a masterpiece!"
"Wait, why does that sound so familiar..."
Nami, who was busy counting exactly how much gold they had with the eyes of a miser, let out a soft mumble. She touched the Clima-Tact at her waist, and a very strange expression suddenly appeared on her refined, elegant face.
"Hey, Sherlock... Sherlock..."
The orange-haired navigator walked quickly to the man in glasses. She leaned in close to the Enchanter's ear and whispered a warning: "For the sake of your own personal safety, you must never, ever put on that armor once Usopp is done 'improving' it!"
"Don't worry, I know where to draw the line."
Sherlock nodded. With the precedent of Nami's Clima-Tact in mind, he had always been "full of confidence" regarding the Great Inventor Usopp's creations.
(It seems Miss Navigator really does care about Sherlock...)
Nico Robin, sitting beside the Enchanter, heard their whispering clearly. She caught the "Cat Burglar's" eye with a meaningful glance and took a small sip of her coffee.
"It's good that you understand. You really have to prioritize your personal safety right now, Sherlock."
Nami patted the man's shoulder with great solemnity. "After all, you're the one keeping the vast majority of our gold safe this time!"
"Uh... so I really am just serving the function of a safe, then?"
Sherlock's mouth twitched slightly. He pushed up his glasses and sighed. "In that case, why don't you just give me that bag of gold you're holding to keep safe as well?"
As the Enchanter continued to develop the Mirror-Mirror Fruit, the capacity of the Mirror World had grown accordingly. After picking through the wreckage of the Ark Maxim and loading more than half of it inside, he still had a bit of space left.
"No need for that," Nami said, shaking her head like a rattle. "I still prefer being able to see this gold with my own eyes every day."
"See it? Why?" Sherlock frowned slightly. As a wealthy man who had long since looked past material possessions, he found it difficult to understand the orange-haired money-grubber's mindset.
"Because... it makes my heart feel warm..."
Two green, greedy lights suddenly erupted from Eugénie Nami Grandet's eyes.
Sherlock: "(-_-)b..."
(Fine, I take back what I said earlier.)
Glancing at Sherlock's pained expression, Robin finished her coffee with a faint, knowing smile. Then, she tilted her head back to gaze at the sky.
The night sky of Skypiea was like a dark blue curtain adorned with shimmering stars. A gentle sea breeze blew, and the leaves of the trees along the shore rustled softly. Everything was so peaceful and serene.
Exhaling softly, the intellectual beauty let her thoughts wander, and her eyes gradually lost their focus.
(The truth of history... the Pirate King... Gol D. Roger... Laugh Tale...) Recalling the information she had gathered from the Pirate King's message earlier that day, Robin didn't quite know what expression she should make.
Previously, in that collapsing sacrificial altar, she had been disheartened enough to give up on everything and end her life of darkness. But in the end, she had been saved—almost as an afterthought—by a certain straw-hatted idiot.
With nowhere else to go, Robin had joined Luffy's crew. After spending some time with them, she suddenly realized she had actually grown fond of the easygoing life on this small ship. Furthermore, she was delighted to have found a "confidant" like Sherlock, someone she could truly talk to.
After that, Robin had entered a state of just taking things one day at a time. But now, she had made a major, groundbreaking discovery regarding the "True History."
(Could it be that this is what they call "fate"?)
(Am I really meant to follow these people all the way to the end of the Grand Line?)
Recalling Luffy's boastful declaration that he always kept on his lips, Robin suddenly felt that she might have found a path—one that was covered in thorns, yet incredibly bright.
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