One Piece: The Avengers

"Brother, why are you moving around again?! Hurry and get back to bed!" Robin scolded, her voice tinged with frustration.

"It's fine, right? It's not that serious," Shanter dismissed Robin's concern with a casual wave.

"Not serious? Do you even know how much blood was oozing from your body back then? And you're still saying it's not serious…" Robin was genuinely upset with Shanter's nonchalance and went off on him, unusually chatty.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" Shanter knew there was no good outcome when he upset Robin. He obediently returned to bed. After all, Robin was only looking out for him, and he couldn't be so heartless.

"That's better!" Robin's delicate fingers pinched Shanter's face gently before she pulled the blanket over him. "Rest properly. Don't get out of bed again. If you need anything, just call me."

It had been three days since Shanter's battle with Xu Ruogu. On the day of the fight, Shanter had not been seriously injured. The blood seeping from his body was merely due to the explosive outburst that caused his capillaries to rupture. Naturally, this would have been serious for an ordinary person, but because of the effects of the War God Fruit, it hadn't shown the same way on Shanter.

Shanter's real injuries were the damage to his bones and muscles from the violent outburst. These injuries couldn't be healed in a short time.

Looking back at the battle, Shanter realized that his draw with Xu Ruogu had been pure luck. Xu Ruogu's abilities were all a counter to Shanter's, and his own strength far exceeded Shanter's. The only reason Shanter managed to gain the upper hand, even if only slightly, was due to his explosive power during his outburst. But in the end, the result was a draw. If they were to fight again, Shanter didn't think he'd survive.

Over the past three days, Robin had taken care of Shanter with meticulous attention. From changing bandages to preparing his meals and taking care of his daily needs, Robin had taken full control.

Robin was exceedingly gentle with Shanter, especially when changing his bandages. After finishing, Robin smiled sweetly and asked, her voice full of affection, "Brother, what would you like to eat?"

"Could I have Robin-chan?" Shanter teased, still in his usual playful mood.

"Speak properly," Robin said, a little exasperated at Shanter's unchanging attitude.

"I want cake."

"What kind of cake? Tell me clearly, I'll make it for you."

"I want a small cake made by the silly girl."

"Speak properly!" Robin's tone shifted, growing stern.

"I want tofu."

Robin had already been teased twice by Shanter, and this time, she really couldn't hold back. Without changing her expression, she pinched the soft flesh around Shanter's waist, making him yelp in pain. Of course, he dared not rub the spot or fight back.

"Then, how about a bowl of noodles?" Shanter gave in, looking slightly defeated.

"Okay, I'll go make it for you," Robin said. As soon as she left, Shanter quickly rubbed the spot where she had pinched him, still grimacing from the pain.

Honestly, Shanter had started to wonder if he was really pursuing Robin. According to logic, Robin was already his fiancée, so he should be able to eat whatever he wanted. But why was it so hard to get a simple request like tofu? Could it be because they hadn't gone through the normal dating process?

"Hey, girl, why does this taste weird?" Shanter took a bite and immediately noticed something off. It tasted… sweet?

"Your taste is the weird one." Robin thought Shanter was trying to pick a fight, and she reached out to pinch him again. It was a common occurrence; Shanter often tried to tease her, but she usually ignored him, focusing on her books, leaving Shanter bored.

"The taste is weird? Then why are you enjoying it so much? You try it yourself! It tastes like strawberry jam!" Shanter avoided Robin's hand and pushed the bowl toward her.

"I won't eat it after your spit's been all over it!" Robin used her power to push the bowl away, clearly rejecting his offer.

"It really tastes like strawberry jam! Silly girl, you must have confused strawberry jam with ketchup! Look, the color is all wrong!" Shanter provided undeniable proof.

Robin glanced at the bowl, and even she had to admit something was off. The color was too bright. "Then I'll make it again. Sorry about that."

Truthfully, though Robin was still under fourteen, she had increasingly developed a mature, almost alluring charm.

"Never mind, no need to bother. Just… just let me kiss you," Shanter mumbled awkwardly, his usual confidence faltering.

"Why should I?" Robin was pleased by the first part of his sentence, thinking Shanter had changed his mind, but the second part revealed his ulterior motive.

Despite her words, Robin still complied, leaning in to give him a gentle kiss.

For a long while, Shanter reluctantly pulled away, his expression full of longing. "It really was sweet!"

Now, Robin was well-prepared for Shanter's passionate kisses, which had once left her breathless in a near-embarrassing way. Still, she couldn't help but gasp for air afterward.

"Girl, let's set sail tomorrow!" Shanter suggested to Robin. She didn't know much about sailing, and without Shanter, who knew where she might end up steering the Dark Ship?

"Let's wait a bit. Let's wait until you've fully recovered. I'm not in a hurry to find historical texts; let's just wait until you're healed," Robin said, sitting beside him, reading while gently massaging his shoulders.

"Let's set sail anyway. I've fought the World Government, and staying here too long will bring trouble," Shanter said. He wasn't afraid of trouble, but he preferred to avoid it when possible.

"You know? And you still go around picking fights?" Robin tapped Shanter's head with her finger, clearly displeased. But before she knew it, Shanter grabbed her finger and gently bit it.

"Because I couldn't stand Rob Lucci's actions," Shanter said seriously, releasing Robin's hand. "Even if I knew Xu Ruogu, with the Space Fruit, would come to rescue Rob Lucci, I would still have gone after him."

"Really…" Robin didn't say much. What else was there to say? This was just the kind of person Shanter was.

Before Shanter did anything, he always carefully considered the consequences. But no matter how bad the outcome might be, once he decided on something, he would act without hesitation, unwavering in his conviction. It might seem foolish, but it was his true nature.

Just like two years ago, when he fought Lafayette, the security officer in the West Sea. Even though it had nothing to do with him, he couldn't stand Lafayette's brutal enforcement, so he got into a fight and ended up badly injured by a strange hypnosis technique, almost dying.

And again, this time, his battle with Rob Lucci and Xu Ruogu. It could have been avoided, but because he couldn't tolerate Rob Lucci's behavior, he couldn't help but take action.

Shanter was not like a typical pirate. Compared to pirates, he was more like a chivalrous hero, not one who sought to save the country or the people, but someone who acted out of pure passion. He did what his heart told him, regardless of whether it was right or wrong, as long as he stayed true to himself. He couldn't turn a blind eye to injustice.

After defeating Terwister, Shanter had felt a deep sense of relaxation, and now, aside from accompanying Robin to find historical texts, everything else could be done on his whims.

He knew that his actions would bring serious consequences, but if he wanted to do something, he would just do it. It was hard to say whether Shanter was clever or foolish.

Robin knew she couldn't stop Shanter. For trivial matters, he would give in completely to her. But once he made up his mind, she couldn't persuade him otherwise. She could only support him with all her might.

Once he knew his heart's true desire, once he knew what he wanted to do, he would follow his instincts without hesitation. No matter how great the difficulties, he would not shrink back. "Though ten thousand stand against me, I will move forward." This was the way of the Dao!

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