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Noir directed the Underworld Pirates, steering the Thriller Bark towards a specific location.
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Once there, he led everyone to the bow of the ship, where they gazed out at the sea before them.
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Lucci, puzzled, asked, "Why have you brought us here?"
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Noir smiled faintly. "To show you my new ability."
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He extended a hand, pressing it against the air. "Everyone, let''s take a trip to The Underworld."
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As his voice fell, a massive vortex appeared in the air before him, and a thick black fog began to spread across the sea.
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This fog was even more eerie than the mists of the Florian Triangle. It slowly enveloped the entire ship, swallowing it whole.
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From an outsider''s perspective, the colossal ship, as large as an island, simply vanished, consumed by the black fog.
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The Underworld Pirates panicked. Lucci, his expression grim, observed their surroundings. "What''s happening?"
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Robin quickly noticed something unusual and pointed towards the sea. "The water... what has it become?"
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The blue sea had transformed into a strange, dull. Yet, it wasn''t murky; it seemed oddly pure, even sparkling with faint points of light.
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The crew stared at the water in astonishment. Brook, brought along for the ride, suddenly experienced a strange sensation. A ghostly, greenish-blue form emerged from his body.
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The sight nearly sent the crew into a frenzy. Brook''s soul looked down at itself in surprise. "I''ve become a soul again?"
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Noir, observing Brook''s soul, muttered thoughtfully, as if entering a trance. "Spirits who evade the curse of death by the power of demonic might cannot set foot in Underworld..."
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A chill ran down Robin''s spine. She looked at Noir, concern etched on her face. "Are you alright?"
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Noir snapped out of his trance, scratching his head. "I don''t know why, I just felt compelled to say that…"
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Robin continued to watch him with worry.
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He seemed like his usual self, yet there was an ancient, almost weary, quality to his demeanor.
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The Thriller Bark sailed steadily into the Underworld River. It seemed endless, with nothing but the strange water in every direction.
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Occasionally, flashes of crimson light flickered on the surface, like scattered flower petals…
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Noir was puzzled. This is the Underworld River?
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The System''s description of this ability had promised a personal pocket dimension, a gateway to the Underworld River, filled with objects of unique power.
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But there was nothing here but the sea. Not a single other thing in sight.
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And if this truly was Underworld, shouldn''t there be some sort of structure?
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Were the underworld gods not on duty?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
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"Forget it, let''s go back..." Noir said, shaking his head in disappointment, turning to give the order to his crew.
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…
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No response.
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Noir whirled around. Everyone on the ship had vanished!
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What the..?!
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He quickly extended his Observation Haki. His senses were amplified in this strange sea, and he quickly located everyone.
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They were all, including Brook''s soul form, walking in the same direction, their eyes blank, their steps measured.
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Yes, walking. They were walking on the surface of the Underworld River!
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The entire group, like mindless zombies, trod upon the water, which remained undisturbed, without a single ripple.
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Panic rising, Noir rushed after them.
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You can walk on the Underworld River? Seriously?
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He leaped onto the water, half-believing, half-doubting…
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Splash!
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The somewhat portly Noir created a massive splash, sinking rapidly towards the bottom.
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Noir''s expression was one of utter disbelief as he held his breath.
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How is this possible?!
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They can walk on the water, but I can''t?
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He flailed his limbs, swimming awkwardly towards his crew.
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After struggling for a while, Noir noticed something peculiar.
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He could breathe underwater. And the usual pressure and buoyancy of the sea were completely absent.
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His movements in the water seemed to be controlled by his own will.
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Finally, he caught up to his rapidly walking crew. Blocking their path, he shouted, "Hey! Hello?!"
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"Lucci, wake up! I''m making funny faces at you!"
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"Jabra! If you don''t answer me, I''ll cut off your...."
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"Robin, say something! I''ll lift your skirt!"
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He yelled and shouted, but they remained expressionless, continuing their steady march in the same direction.
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Noir sighed. Should I just knock them all out and drag them back?
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But there are too many of them…
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Just as he was racking his brains for a solution, something changed in the distance.
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A shimmering object emerged from the vast expanse of the sea.
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A mirror, as green as emerald, appeared on the surface, as if by magic.
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Everyone gathered around the mirror like pilgrims at a sacred site.
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Noir watched curiously, but they did nothing but stare at the mirror.
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Losing his patience, Noir snatched the mirror. Robin and the others immediately shifted their gaze to him.
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Puzzled, Noir tried to figure out what the mirror was for.
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Absentmindedly, he angled the mirror towards Robin. The surface, which had previously reflected nothing, now displayed Robin''s image.
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Then, images flickered across the mirror''s surface.
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Like short video clips, several scenes played in succession.
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The first scene depicted a raging inferno. A small figure, pursued by a tall, imposing man, escaped the flames.
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Noir recognized them instantly. A young Robin and Aokiji. It was the destruction of Ohara. Why is the mirror showing this?
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The next clip showed a large, round giant.
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Noir remembered Robin mentioning him. A Marine who had saved her as a child, a person she considered her benefactor.
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The third clip was even more surprising. It showed Noir himself.
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The scene depicted Noir and Robin on the ship, the first time he''d probed her hidden thoughts, the first time he''d offered her a place on his crew.
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Several more scenes flashed by, some showing Robin''s past in the underworld, others depicting moments with Noir.
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Many of the scenes were completely unfamiliar to Noir.
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For instance…
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Noir stared at the mirror, dumbfounded. In the "video," Robin and he were getting married?!
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But the wedding was bizarre. The servers were dressed as ghouls and goblins, and little, lopsided zombies catered to the guests. The whole scene had a distinctly macabre aesthetic.
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Among the guests, Noir recognized familiar faces: Enel, Wyper, Kalifa, Conis, and others.
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Robin, wearing a black wedding dress, beamed, seemingly pleased with the arrangements.
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Even through the mirror, Noir could sense Robin''s peculiar taste…
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