She's so tiny…
Koala, carried by Robin, leapt down from the tree and saw the little girl with braids slowly "floating" toward them, her hands held aloft by something unseen.
Koala's eyes were drawn to Marianne's feet, which dangled in the air. She blinked in surprise. "Can you fly?"
Marianne, small and delicate with soft pink cheeks, blinked her big, innocent eyes in confusion.
'How adorable…' Koala thought, her heart softening.
Robin, resting her elbow in her hand, chin propped up, looked down and asked, "Is this the one?"
B.I.B. nodded in response.
Marianne looked up, her gaze pure and curious as she stared at Robin.
Robin, her hair tied back, crouched down and gently stroked Marianne's soft cheek, asking, "What's your name?"
She didn't expect much of an answer, but to her surprise, the little girl, who appeared no older than three or four, answered clearly, "My name is Marianne."
'Such intelligence…' Robin thought, marveling. This precocity reminded her of herself when she was a child.
Marianne's arms suddenly went limp, and she collapsed to the ground. Koala caught her just in time. After being carried by B.I.B. for so long, the little girl was drained of all strength.
Marianne looked up at Robin, her soft, cute face blinking innocently as she spoke in a small, tender voice. "My mommy and daddy are lost… and I miss them so much."
Koala's heart clenched. She pouted and stepped forward, gently pulling the little girl into a hug, her arms wrapped protectively around someone even smaller than herself.
Though Miss Goldenweek's hypnosis techniques were fascinating…
…
Liam, too, found himself intrigued by Cavendish's second personality.
In the manga, Cavendish made his first appearance during the Dressrosa arc. He was once a noble prince of the Bourgeois Kingdom before leaving for the Rumbar Kingdom, where rumors of the "Whirlwind of Rumbar" began to spread. On nights when the moon was hidden and the wind howled, mysterious whirlwinds would ravage the quiet streets of Rumbar, slicing through anyone in their path… The Mariannenes investigated, but they, too, were struck by the whirlwinds before discovering that the true source was a man who called himself "Hakuba."
"Hakuba" was the second personality of Cavendish.
Cavendish boasted that he had never put in any effort, yet his swordsmanship was extraordinary, a true genius. And indeed, he was.
However, his second personality, "Hakuba," was even more remarkable, particularly in the art of swordplay. His skill was far beyond Cavendish's own, twice as deadly.
The "Whirlwind of Rumbar," also known as the "Sickle of Rumbar," was so terrifying that even Yonko Kaido's "Dragon Breath Sickle," which could unleash violent gales, paled in comparison.
His speed was so immense, his strikes so swift, that it felt like the wind itself was cutting through the air, leaving only blood in its wake.
It was a strange phenomenon, within one body, a separate personality could wield double the power.
This fascinated Liam.
Meanwhile, Cavendish's second personality, "Hakuba," only emerged when he slept. Cavendish himself was fully aware of the other personality's existence, which was why he was so taken aback by Liam's words.
To him, "Hakuba" was a dangerous, terrifying being. Who in their right mind would want to meet him?
This Giorno must be mad!
"You'll die!" Cavendish shot to his feet, dusting off his clothes in anger.
He had been through countless battles and was utterly exhausted, his muscles aching from the strain. But even in his worn-out state, Cavendish knew that if "Hakuba" took control, the power of the second personality would turn him into a living weapon, one capable of unleashing the most terrifying sickle-style Sword Techniques to decapitate this Giorno.
Giorno might be strong, but he was still just flesh and blood.
The greatest Sword Technique in the world is the fastest one.
Cavendish knew how fast "Hakuba's" sword was.
"Enough with the chatter," Liam said, no longer interested in arguing with the arrogant fool. He raised his palm in front of Cavendish's face and, with a swift motion, seized the air. "Sleep!"
Cavendish's focus was momentarily drawn to the sudden motion. Before he could react, an invisible force pressed against his mind. Giorno's voice seemed to echo from the depths of a deep ocean, dragging his thoughts into the suffocating dark… So tired… so… tired…
"Snore... snore..."
With a heavy sigh, Cavendish collapsed to the ground again, a large bubble forming and popping on his nose as he sank into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Bang! The bubble burst.
Liam's expression shifted slightly.
Suddenly, Cavendish's face changed completely, from its usual bright, charming expression to something dark and monstrous. His mouth twisted into a grotesque, inhuman grin, like a vicious beast slowly awakening.
His eyes snapped open, now glowing with a cold, eerie white light.
"Who is that?!"
Cavendish's aura shifted so violently that even Robin, watching from a distance, felt a sharp, biting pressure in the air.
The red-haired gorilla, who had been observing from afar, growled low in its throat, its restlessness growing. It swatted at the air and paced anxiously.
"Hakuba" slowly rose, sword loosely held in his hand, his twisted grin widening with dark delight. He fixed his glowing white eyes on Liam, a look of pure malice in them.
Whoosh!
In an instant, "Hakuba" vanished, leaving only a brief afterimage in his wake.
A chill breeze brushed against Liam's cheek, followed by a trail of blood.
Wind.
More and more wind.
In the span of a single breath, dozens of gusts rushed toward Liam, slashing at him from all directions.
Shuā, Shuā, Shuā... His clothes were torn to shreds, and his skin was left covered in cuts, each one a testament to the speed and power of the attacks.
Robin watched, stunned. She had never seen anyone gain the upper hand on Liam since his training on Kujai Island. Cavendish's speed was beyond incredible, so fast that even Robin couldn't track his movements. His sword strikes came so quickly that even Liam couldn't keep up, forcing him to remain still and defend with Tekkai.
The wind grew fiercer, forming into a howling whirlwind.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The trees around them were cleaved one after another by the razor-sharp wind.
B.I.B. yanked Robin back. "Hakuba is a madman," he said grimly. "Once he realizes his sword can't kill the main body, his attacks will only grow more frantic. His 'whirlwind' is going to cover an even wider area, indiscriminately cutting through everything in its path."
"Hakuba's" sword strikes grew faster, and the whirlwind began to show signs of intensifying into a storm.
The red-haired gorilla was occasionally sliced by the raging wind, blood pouring from the wounds, but it continued to heal at an alarming rate. Its agitation grew, swinging its massive body wildly through the storm...
Then, it stepped onto a large graffiti "magic circle" etched onto the ground. Instantly, its furious demeanor faded, and it lazily collapsed, eyeing the small human girl nearby with little interest. It began scratching at its lice, completely unfazed.
B.I.B., carrying Marianne, moved through the storm of slicing winds, having earlier drawn the "Leisure Green" graffiti that calmed the ferocious beast.
Marianne seemed amused by the whole situation. She glanced at herself, now shielded by the calming graffiti, feeling an odd sense of invincibility. She thought it was quite cool.
Was it thinking? B.I.B.'s narrow, glowing eyes, mirrored by Robin's green gaze, flickered toward the red-haired gorilla, still lazily scratching itself under Marianne's hypnosis.
Even as the wind blades tore through its skin, blood spurting from the wounds, the gorilla remained indifferent, lazily allowing each injury to appear, heal, and close.
(To Be Continued…)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/marvel6395