INIIDF-Chapter 312 Sign Indicator

Liam let out a hearty laugh, suddenly slamming his fist on the table. "You expect us to sit around for two whole years?! No way!"

Bang! 

The plates rattled from the impact. Robin, unfazed, calmly caught her teacup before it tipped over, taking a slow sip. "So... are we flying to the next island?"

"Flying, huh..." Liam muttered, but his expression twisted into a deep frown, as if the very idea left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Heh..." Robin chuckled softly, she knew exactly what he was thinking.

Back then, they had relied on the Ghost Fortress to soar to Sabaody because they were still green, too weak to carve their own path. Without that shortcut, making it to the Grand Line's midpoint, the Sabaody Archipelago, would have been nearly impossible.

But now? Liam's strength had grown leaps and bounds beyond what it once was. Even Robin, having honed her Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit) powers, was far stronger than before. To resort to such a sneaky method again… she could already imagine how much it would wound Liam's pride.

Setting down her teacup, Robin smiled. "So, what's the plan?"

Liam answered matter-of-factly, "First things first, we need a ship."

B.I.B. glanced toward the street outside their small restaurant. At some point, the once-busy road had fallen eerily silent.

It started floating toward the entrance to check the situation, but Liam called out, "Oi, oi! Leave the Magnet-Magnet Fruit behind first..."

With a mechanical whir, B.I.B. opened its chest compartment, revealing a Devil Fruit chip. The Shiro Shiro no Mi (Castle-Castle Fruit) was already stored in the Den Den Mushi, leaving it with only the Gasu Gasu no Mi (Gas-Gas Fruit) and the Magnet-Magnet Fruit. 

It selected the triangular chip adorned with swirling magnetic patterns, slotted it into its core, and then its dark armor drifted out of the restaurant.

As it surveyed the area, B.I.B. noticed something unsettling, the villagers had vanished from the streets. Yet a quick sweep of Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) revealed the truth. Behind shuttered windows, crouched in alley corners, people were hiding... watching.

"I've got good news and bad news," B.I.B. reported. "Which one do you want first?"

Liam and Robin stepped out into the open air. Now dressed in a fresh outfit, Liam cut a far more refined figure, though, at over two meters tall, he still towered over most.

Robin slung a small bag over her shoulder. Despite only being fifteen, she was already nearing 1.8 meters in height. If things followed the course of her original timeline, she would one day reach nearly 1.9 meters. 

But since joining Liam, with a more stable life and proper nutrition (thanks to B.I.B.), she seemed to be growing even taller. Even so, next to Liam, her height still seemed petite.

A distant scream suddenly echoed through the air. Robin glanced in the direction it came from, it was where B.I.B. had gone.

Ignoring it, she tapped a finger against her chin before answering with a playful smile, "Let's hear the bad news first."

Liam sighed. "This island's dirt poor. We can't steal a ship, there aren't any worth taking. And since we didn't bring much money, buying one isn't an option either."

Robin let out an amused hum. "That sounds like two bad newses," she teased. "Why not just steal one anyway? We are pirates, after all. Even if we take the villagers' fishing boats, all that means is they'll slowly waste away in poverty and hunger..."

Without missing a beat, Liam plucked a pair of sunglasses from her bag and slid them onto her face. "Wear these the next time you say something that heartless, it makes it harder to tell if you're serious."

Robin tilted her chin up slightly, likely rolling her eyes behind the lenses. "As if that would fool you."

Liam simply flicked her nose.

Robin scrunched up her face, rubbing the spot where he hit her. "Fine, then. What's the good news?"

Liam grinned. "The good news is… I'm a genius."

He let out a booming laugh, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "And right now, I have the Magnet-Magnet Fruit. If a Log Pose can track islands through magnetic forces… why can't I?"

As Liam and Robin strolled through the town, villagers occasionally dashed past them in blind panic, their faces pale as if they'd seen ghosts. The islanders had completely forgotten about keeping watch for the so-called pirate infiltrating their home, survival had become their only concern. 

Some even glanced desperately at Liam and Robin, reaching out for help, only to be shoved aside by the invisible "ghosts" pursuing them. Their terrified screams filled the streets as they bolted with flailing arms, scattering in all directions.

Liam and Robin continued toward the outskirts of town when, suddenly, a little girl stepped into their path. She tilted her head up at Liam, her wide eyes brimming with desperation.

"Big Brother, Big Sister… are you pirates?"

Liam came to a halt, looking down at her with a serious expression. "What's it to you?" he asked. "You here to bring us to justice, little hero?"

The girl's lips quivered. "Wahhh! Nooo!" she wailed, rubbing at her tear-streaked cheeks. "I, I wanna be a pirate too…!"

Robin raised an eyebrow, watching as the girl sobbed.

"My mom doesn't want me anymore," She whimpered. "She left and never came back… So I'm gonna find her! If I become a pirate, I can search the whole sea, right? Please, take me with you!"

Robin turned to Liam. He simply shrugged. "You're the captain. Your call."

Kneeling down, Robin gently wiped the tear stains from the girl's face. "Don't cry," she said softly. "Take your time and tell me everything, alright?"

On the far side of the island, within a dense stretch of forest, Robin sat quietly with the girl, listening to her story.

Liam, however, had no interest in the conversation. Whether or not another kid ended up on their ship didn't concern him. His focus remained on the Log Pose in his hand, its needle trembling slightly.

Meanwhile, deep within the woods, the steady sound of thuds and cracks echoed through the air as trees toppled one after another. Invisible forces sent them crashing down, and flashes of light occasionally sliced through the trunks, cleanly cutting them into logs. The neatly stacked wood was already piling up in the clearing.

B.I.B. was hard at work.

Since robbing the impoverished villagers of their fishing boats wasn't an option, they had decided to build their own. While it might not match the craftsmanship of a seasoned shipwright, a sturdy raft or a small boat would do just fine.

Liam had absolute confidence in Robin's knowledge, if anyone could guide them across the Grand Line without a proper ship, it was her.

He turned the Log Pose over in his hands, narrowing his eyes.

"Magnetic force... magnetic force..." he muttered.

The Magnet-Magnet Fruit granted him all abilities related to magnetism, but instinct alone wasn't enough, he needed to learn how to wield it with precision. He didn't have to understand the science behind it… just how to use it.

A powerful magnetic field pulsed outward from his body.

With his eyes closed, Liam began to sense it, a vast, natural magnetic force lying beneath him. It wasn't just the small field his body emitted… this was something far greater. The entire island had its own magnetic signature, one that he could now feel.

Then, something shifted.

The Log Pose in his hand twitched. The needle began to drift, slowly at first, then with clear intent, redirecting toward the source of the magnetic field beneath his feet.

"Wait… what the hell?" Liam's eyes snapped open. "It changed direction?"

He stared at the compass, a sinking realization dawning on him.

"Don't tell me…" His jaw tensed.

His grip tightened around the Log Pose.

"...This damn thing just logged me as an island."

(End of Chapter)

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