Kapitel 42: Snow
Author Note: Last chapter of the arc. Afterwards there is post-Alabasta which will probably be 1 or 2 chapters.
Cipher pole leader didn't seem willing to talk and immediately appeared behind Bernard and swung his sword at his neck. Abel's eyes opened wide as he realised there was no way he could block his attack.
' Ghost Steps'
Abel appeared behind Blueno who was closer to him and swung at his neck with his strongest attack. Cp leader's eyes glinted coldly as he changed his sword's direction at the last second and blocked Abel's attack. Abel was pushed behind and his arms felt numb but he immediately find a position close to Blueno and stood with Aranruth on his hands. Thankfully Abel already wore his mask the moment they found Blueno. Cp leader watched Abel coldly and understood his intent. İf he killed his crew Abel would kill Blueno immediately.
'' You are not a match for me, you should give up.'' Cp leader declared.
'' That guy on the ground is not a match for me, you should give up.'' Abel sent his words back to him casually.
Abel could only employ a dirty tactic like this to give his half-dead crew some chance to negoate things. İf cp leader really wanted to kill his crew Abel couldn't stop him and they would all die immediately. But Cp leader couldn't kill them and protect Blueno from Abel at the same time, in the end Blueno would also die. İf cp leader ignored his crew and attacked Abel, this would be even better for Abel. Abel would just gain some time for his crew and escape with his spatial book. Saving both himself and his crew. Abel could always save himself thanks to his book but he had to calculate very carefully to save his crew and Robin as well. The situation seemed hopeless but Abel was not willing to give up yet.
Cp leader gritted his teeth with hatred as he realised the situation. ' İs this madman not care about his crew's safety?' Even though cp leader cursed Abel inside he wasn't willing to lose Blueno over some stupid argument. Since they didn't know their identity and no one on their side was dead, things were still negoatable. Cp leadr nodded at Abel and Abel sighed in relief.
'' BERNARD! Come back here!'' Abel roared. Bernard who gained the advantage and was gripping Blueno on his throat stopped. He looked at Abel confused but didn't question adn left Blueno and came beside Abel. Even Abel whose heart was cold and didn't care about life and death of others felt his heart shiver when he saw Bernard whose body was covered with nothing but sand and blood. Abel immediately gave the last pill to Bernard.
'' Eat this quickly.''
Bernard ate the pill immediately and asked Abel.
'' BOSS! I was about to beat that small fry!''
Blueno coughed blood under the cold eyes of cp leader and looked at Abel and Bernard furiously.
' You sneak attacked me! Fuckers! After I become strong enough I will come after you. I will never forgive you!'
' Relationship formed with Blueno. Current relationship -70(hatret via assosiation)'
Abel looked dumbly at the notification.' Just because I am the captain of Bernard I gained -70 from him. Just how much hatred did Bernard gain from him?'
'Whatever. Sign in.'
'Door(unique grade): Host can open a door for a limited distance for a limited time frame. Door can only be opened to a place host has been to and at close distance. Cooldown: 9 months'
Abel's eyes widened as he looked at the limitations. ' Fuck! Limited distance, time and has a 9 month cooldown. What a trash skill.' Abel shook his head as he looked awkwardly at the cp leader who was watching him with cold eyes.
'' This was a misunderstanding.''
Cp leader ignored Abel and was about to speak but Norris interjected immediately.
'' You fuckers buried me alive! Captain let's kill them all! That bug that burned me is also one of them! He immediately escaped after he saw I was buried!''
Cp leader's eyes turned even colder under the mask as he looked at Abel. Abel immediately started bullshiting.
'' You say we buried you alive? Who buried you alive?''
'' That bug hiding behind you!'' Norris roared.
'' Didn't you just say he escaped after he saw you were buried?'' Abel countered calmly.
Norris frowned and tried to explain.
'' But it should be him. I didn't see anyone else!''
'' He already told me the story. He was trying to save you but saw a pink masked figure and escaped. İt should be that pink masked person that attacked you!'' Abel randomly bullshitted.
Norris's face turned red as he roared.
'' Do you think I am a 3 year old child!? Even though I couldn't see my back and buried this story is too ridiculus to be true!''
Abel looked at him disdainfully. '' Why are you so salty? Do you want another hug?''
'' BASTAR-''
'' Enough!'' Cp leader stopped the argument and turned to Abel.
'' First condition, Nico Robin leaves with us. Second condition, give us the location of the ponegliph you got from Crocodile. Third condition, give that bastard that beat up my underling. I will let you go if you accept this conditions. Violate one of them and you all die here.''
The athmosphere tensed immediately as everyone readied themselves for battle. Even Cavendish and Nana who woke up and couldn't move readied themselves waiting for Abel's decision. Abel gritted his teeth as he looked at Cp-leader's dominating conditions. Abel take a breath and calmed himself. ' There must be a way out. There must be...'
A crazy idea appeared at Abel's mind as his eyes brightened for a second. But then it returned to normal as if nothing happened. Abel turned to cp leader and coldly spoke.
'' Third condition is impossible to fulfill. Other two conditions I will fulfil.'' Abel declared as a hurt look appeared on Robin's face while rest of the crew sighed in relief but still tensed for battle. Even if cp leader went crazy Abel still wouldn't willingly abondon any crewmate of his. He already accepted Bernard while Robin was yet to be acknowledged by him. He wouldn't give up on Bernard no matter what, since this would destroy his dream and will.
Cp leader looked at Abel who had a determined look on his face while holding Aranruth and sighed. '' Fine. Secure Nico robin.'' Cp leader took a step back and didn't force Abel to go crazy. İf Blueno died, taking revenge for him would be meaningless. Abel gave him Robin and the copy of the ponegliph. Cp leader made Robin check it's accuracy since he didn't think Robin would lie for someone who betrayed her. After Robin checked it they left without turning back.
Abel had a dark look on his face as he thought about his crazy idea. Abel and his crew walked for 30 minutes in silence. Even though they became famous they didn't feel like they have won. This left a bitter taste in their mouths. Just as the moral of the crew hit rock bottom Abel stopped under the confused looks of others. Abel slashed the huge pouch open with Aranruth and spoke calmly. Everyone's eyes widened with shock when they saw what was on the pouch.
'' All of you listen well, I will only explain this plan once. İf we fail, we might die, so play your roles good.''
'' Captain?'' Barbossa looked at Abel and the thing popped out of the pouch dumbly.
'' Be quiet. Listen well...''
10 minutes later Abel who ran behind the cp group stopped in his tracks after their backs seemed barely visible in the distance. Abel closed his eyes and tried to sense their directions with his observation haki. He could barely notice there were people there but he couldn't tell who was who or how close they were exactly when his eyes were closed.
'Come on. I can do this.'
Abel took a deep breath and activated his ability.
' Snowstorm activated. Cooldown 30 days.'
The next second a snowstorm appeared in the middle of desert, a never before seen sight. The capital was shocked as they watched the area next to capital was buried in snow but of course Abel was not foucused in any of that.
' Ghost Steps'
Abel immediately went inside the snowstorm and was blinded by the fierce snow. He closed his eyes since they would only distract him and went towards the direction he could sense with his observation haki. ' Come on!'
5 minutes later.
'' FUCK! What is this snowstorm! We are in a desert country for fuck sake!'' Norris cursed in disbelief. He couldn't understand how unlucky they were since they came Alabasta. First Dark Moon annoyed them, then a sandstorm hit them. Afterwards Norris was told he was beaten by a pink masked fellow and now a sandstorm hit them. 'Did the gods curse us?'
Cp captain was also stunned but then realised an issue.
'' İdiots! Where is Nico Robin!?'' He roared and Norris came to himself.
'' C-Captain I can't see anything because of this fucking snow!'' But then Norris saw something was getting away quickly while disappearing and appearing ins and every second carrying Robin.
'' P-Pink mask? İs it that fellow who beat me up!?''
Cp leader ignored Norris and closed his eyes as well as he folloewed after Abel immediately.
'' Go, find Dark Moon. İf their captain is missing, massacre them.'' Cp leader ordered before disappearing with a soru.
Meanwhile Robin who was carried by Abel looked at him stunned.
'' You... dyed your hair?''
'' Yeah. You like it?''
''...''
Abel really dyed his hair and mask in pink in case they noticed him despite ghost step and snowstorm. ' I hope this dye gets off after washing it!'
Robin frowned as she spoke.
'' Your crew...''
'' They will be fine. Otherwise I would have really ditched you!'' Abel declared as he changed positions constantly to confuse cp leader. He already knew cp leader had observation haki, so he could obviously do what Abel can as well.
' Use Door!'
' Door ability can only be used on doors.'
'' FUCK YOU! FUCK. YOU!'' Abel roared and Robin who was on his arms was scared a bit. Abel really didn't understand why his system didn't tell such vital information at all. İf this thing can only be used on doors it was utterly useless. Abel was about to take out the spatial book and ditch Robin for real but then another idea appeared on his mind. Abel ran for a few minutes as he changed directions constantly to confuse cp leader and make him waste time. After 5 minutes Abel stopped at a familiar place and dropped Robin to the floor. Robin exclaimed in surprise as she was dropped to the snowy ground suddenly. She looked at Abel stunned. Abel couldn't care at the moment and ordered immediately.
'' Dig! Dig! Be quick!''
Abel then sat down and started digging with all his strenght. Robin sighed as she felt a myriad of emotions. She couldn't read Abel nor could understand what he was thinking. She couldn't understand what he was trying to achieve nor she had any idea who he really was. Unfortunately, he was her only choice and she could only leave her fate to him as she digged the ground with 50 hands at a rapid speed. After digging for 3 minutes Robin realised this was the place they met at first. Abel circled around and took them to the same place after several moves. A buried house was seen after they digged for several minutes. Robin wanted to ask something but stayed silent when she saw Abel's focused look. Abel closed his eyes for a second and realised a figure was speeding towards his direction. He at most had 30 seconds left.
'' HURRY UP!'' Abel roared as he dug even more fiercely. Robin gritted her teeth as 30 more hands appeared and digged at rapid speed. 20 more seconds passed in tense silence and Abel relaxed when he saw the door of the house appear before him.
' Use door.'
' Door opened.10 seconds.'
Just at that moment cp leader appeared and sent a ranged sword attack at the house. Abel cursed as he pushed Robin inside the door and blocked the sword attack with his chest. There was no time to even take out Aranruth. Abel also couldn't let door get damaged. Abel's chest was slashed and he really felt death looming over him as he coughed blood after blood. Abel already used up all his pills and felt that this injury he got was even worse than the one Crocodile gave him before his death. Abel gritted his teeth as he rushed towards the door. Cp leader's eyes turned cold as he rushed after him and swund his sword at Abel once again. Abel despaired as he realised he wouldn't make it to the door in time. He helplessly took out Aranruth while running and tried to parry the sword attack with all he knew. Aranruth and the giant sword clashed and surprisingly Aranruth hold himself for a few seconds competing with the giant sword. Abel was sent to the ground as his whole body trembled from the impact.
' Congrulations for breaking through your bottleneck in Formless Sword Art.'
' Congrulations for breaking through your bottleneck in strength category.'
'Congrulations for reaching a state in your sword art. One with the sword.'
Abel ignored the notifications as he jumped inside the door at the last second.
Next second Abel appeared with his broken body on Vivi's bedroom along with Robin. Vivi looked at Abel's wounds horrified and was about to shout for help but Abel covered her mouth immediately.
'' Only... Those you trust. Don't let others know... I am here.'' Abel said faintly before fainting due to his injuries.
At the same time cp leader entered from the door inside a ruined house which was half-filled with sand. The inside was obviously empty and cp leader's face turned pale. 'How...' He couldn't understand and searched the surroundings helplessly without finding any clue. He felt strange and was about to leave to search for them elsewhere when he felt a shiver and checked his pocket. ' How is this possible!? The copy of the ponegliph, Nico Robin... They are all gone!?' The cp leader that has never failed before finally met a case that utterly dumbfounded him.
' Snow in desert. A pink haired ghost... What is even happening?'
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein