Chapter 421: Chapter 421: Talisman Warrior Jade!
[TL/N: Read my new work - Detective Conan: I'm a Succubus?!]
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Night Falls
As darkness blanketed the border town, the streets came alive with vibrant lights, casting a warm glow over the bustling roads. The air was thick with the distinct energy of a Mexican night—lively music, rich aromas of street food, and the chatter of excited spectators heading toward the Arena, the town's most popular venue.
Inside the packed Arena, an electrified crowd roared with anticipation.
On stage, illuminated by dazzling spotlights, stood a muscular, flamboyantly dressed announcer, his deep voice booming through the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's Mexican wrestling championship!"
The audience erupted into cheers.
The announcer raised a hand dramatically.
"Tonight, we have a very special competitor joining us!"
"But first! Let's give a thunderous round of applause for the undefeated champion—the winner of the prestigious Gold Belt—El Toro!!!"
BOOM!
A towering man in a red cape leaped onto the ring, gripping the ropes with impressive strength before swinging himself inside.
With a dramatic flourish, he whipped his cape through the air, letting it billow behind him before letting it drop.
The moment it fell, the crowd got a clear look at his red mask, trimmed with gold.
And right at the center of his forehead—
Embedded in the mask—
Was the Ox Talisman.
From the audience, Robin and Jade carefully studied the compass-like device in Robin's hands.
The needle pointed directly at the ring.
Robin's eyes gleamed.
"No doubt about it. That's the Ox Talisman."
Jade grinned excitedly.
But before they could react—
The announcer's voice boomed again.
"And now, facing off against our reigning champion…"
He paused dramatically.
"A rising star from the United States—POLON!!!"
A man in a blue mask stumbled onto the stage, his movements awkward and uncertain.
His nervous energy was almost too convincing—fitting for someone entering their first-ever wrestling competition.
From the stands, Jade immediately jumped to her feet and shouted toward the ring:
"Go, Uncle Jackie!!! Take down that big oaf!!!"
Yes—
The "Polon" on stage…
Was Jackie Chan in disguise.
The mission was simple:
During the chaos of the fight, Jackie would steal the talisman from El Toro's mask.
Originally, Robin—being stronger and far more agile—should have been the one to enter the ring.
However…
A woman as elegant as Robin stepping into a sweaty wrestling match?
That would have drawn too much attention.
So, like a true gentleman, Jackie volunteered.
Of course, he wasn't a real wrestler, so winning didn't matter.
The plan was:
Robin would use the Rooster Talisman's power to create an opening.Jackie would grab the Ox Talisman.Then, he'd "accidentally" lose the match.
Perfectly simple.
And so, the match began.
As soon as the gong rang, Jackie Chan danced around the ring, using his speed and flexibility to dodge El Toro's heavy strikes.
However—
While Jackie was nimble, El Toro was a powerhouse.
And in a clean wrestling match—where weapons or outside interference were forbidden—raw strength often triumphed.
Before long, Jackie—the so-called "Furniture City God of War"—was grabbed by El Toro and lifted high into the air.
It was clear—
In just a few seconds, Jackie Chan was about to be slammed into the ground with brutal force.
But then—
Something unexpected happened.
To the audience, it seemed as if Jackie, with remarkable agility, had twisted his body in midair, breaking free from El Toro's grip.
But in reality—
Robin had secretly activated the Rooster Talisman, making Jackie's body temporarily float.
El Toro's pupils trembled in confusion as he suddenly felt an inexplicable force pushing against his own strength.
His massive arms—which should have been slamming Jackie into the mat—were suddenly forced upward against his will.
In that brief moment of disorientation—
Jackie seized the opportunity.
With lightning-fast reflexes, he plucked the Ox Talisman from El Toro's mask—
Then, without hesitation—
He tumbled backward and rolled out of the ring in one fluid motion.
Landing with a dramatic flop, Jackie immediately raised his hands and shouted:
"I GIVE UP!!!"
The entire sequence was so smooth that it looked completely natural—as if expertly choreographed.
By the time El Toro realized the talisman was gone, Jackie had already torn off his mask and disappeared into the audience.
To the cheering crowd, it looked like nothing more than a humiliated rookie wrestler fleeing in shame.
Meanwhile, the arena erupted into applause.
El Toro had just extended his winning streak—an exciting outcome for both fans and reporters alike.
Outside the Arena's exit, Jackie Chan slipped through the crowd, gripping the Ox Talisman tightly.
Soon, Robin and Jade caught up with him.
"Uncle Jackie!!!"
Jade jumped onto Jackie, her eyes immediately darting to his pocket.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!!! Let me see the talisman!!!"
Jackie groaned, "Jade, stop it!"
But the moment he saw Robin, he sighed in resignation and pulled the talisman out, handing it over.
Honestly, he didn't feel any different holding it.
As his Uncle had said, Jackie lacked magic talent.
No strange energy, no sudden burst of power—nothing.
And as for the method Robin had suggested—"Use your thoughts to communicate with the talisman"—
Jackie believed he could do it.
If he just had more time, he was sure he could figure it out.
But at the moment?
He had been too busy running for his life.
As soon as the talisman fell into Robin's hand, a flash of blue light erupted, and her eyes instantly lit up.
"Eh~"
"This spell..."
Jackie Chan and Jade turned toward her curiously.
Robin remained silent, gripping the talisman firmly. Without hesitation, she picked up a small stone from the ground, held it in her palm, and applied gentle pressure—
Crack.
The solid stone crumbled into fine powder, slipping through her fingers like dust carried by the wind.
"This...!!?"
Jackie Chan and Jade's eyes widened in shock, struggling to believe what they had just witnessed.
Breaking a brick in half was one thing…
But crushing a stone into powder with just a light squeeze? That was a level of strength far beyond human comprehension.
Robin calmly explained, "It seems this spell grants immense strength."
"Whoa! So cool~!!!"
Jade let out an excited exclamation, her eyes sparkling with awe. Even Jackie Chan, standing beside her, couldn't hide a hint of envy. After all, who wouldn't want such incredible power?
However, before they could fully process the moment, a large van suddenly screeched to a halt near them.
The window rolled down, revealing a grinning yet undeniably annoying face.
"Miss Robin, we meet again!"
Finn smirked as he eyed the trio, watching them revel in the talisman's power.
Despite the slight unease lingering in his expression—no doubt a remnant of his previous encounters with Robin—this time was different.
The Holy Lord had sent reinforcements.
To guarantee the retrieval of the talisman, a horde of shadow ninjas had been dispatched. Not only that, but Boss Valmont had assigned their trump card—Tohru, a man whose strength surpassed normal human limits.
This time, Finn was convinced. He wouldn't cower before Robin again.
The van's back doors suddenly swung open.
A massive figure stepped out—towering at 2.13 meters, dressed in overalls and a white shirt.
The sheer size of Tohru made him look like a mountain, his imposing bulk casting a shadow over the trio.
"It's you..."
Robin wasn't surprised by their sudden arrival.
She had sensed the Dark Hand Gang's presence long ago.
In fact, she had deliberately kept this knowledge to herself, waiting for them to make their move.
Without Black's warning, she might not have realized before…
That the so-called Dark Hand Gang might be one of the major players in this world.
Their ability to track the talismans with such accuracy—albeit slightly slower than Uncle—was proof that a formidable magician, or perhaps an entire team of magic users, was backing them.
Regardless, Robin saw an opportunity.
Through them, she could learn more about this world and its hidden forces.
That said, she had no intention of handing the talisman over.
Robin's gaze turned cold as she watched Finn and his lackeys step out of the van.
"What? Didn't learn your lesson last time? Here to try again?"
Despite Tohru's intimidating presence, her expression remained unfazed.
Finn, however, wasn't rattled by her words. Instead, he smirked.
"Miss Robin, today is different."
"This isn't your antique shop."
Snap!
With a sharp flick of his fingers, a sinister shift took place.
Shadows flickered and expanded across the ground, stretching unnaturally around the trio.
Then—
Hundreds of figures emerged from the darkness, taking shape in midair before solidifying into black-clad ninjas with glowing scarlet eyes.
Finn's grin widened.
"Shadow Corps! Seize the talisman!"
Robin's lips curled into a smirk.
"This is your trump card?"
Even as the Shadow Corps charged, Robin remained composed—unlike Jackie Chan and Jade, who were visibly tense.
Then, in an instant—
Her arm darkened, as if coated in a layer of metallic armor.
With a single punch, she struck the ground.
BOOM!!!
A thunderous impact shook the earth.
Cracks exploded outward from where her fist had landed, snaking through the ground like a web of destruction.
The shockwave sent the shadow ninjas stumbling, their balance shattered as they tumbled to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Robin grabbed Jade and Jackie Chan—effortlessly lifting them with one arm—and leaped.
In one powerful bound, she crossed the street, landing gracefully atop a nearby building.
"Oh my god! Is this the power of the talisman too?!"
Jackie Chan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still reeling from what he had just witnessed.
That punch…
If Robin had used that kind of strength against him in their usual sparring matches…
His arms and legs would have been broken instantly!
As Jackie processed the terrifying thought, Jade was practically vibrating with excitement.
"That was Armament Haki!!! That had to be Armament Haki!!!"
Her sharp eyes hadn't missed the transformation that took place when Robin unleashed her power.
It was just like the stories she knew, and that realization only made her even more thrilled—so much so that she completely forgot they were surrounded by enemies.
Eyes sparkling, she turned to Robin with barely contained excitement.
"Right!? Sister Robin!?"
But Robin merely smiled.
She neither confirmed nor denied it.
If she was going to train Jade, she had no intention of holding back any longer.
Considering that Uncle Chan had taken her in at her lowest point, Jackie had always done his best to involve her—a wild woman with no archaeological qualifications—in archaeological expeditions across various locations.
Robin, however, had no intention of revealing her true identity so soon. She wanted to keep a degree of separation from them, maintaining a sense of distance.
"Jade, do you want to experience a real battle—with real weapons?"
Robin suddenly posed the question.
"What!?"
Jackie Chan's face immediately twisted in shock.
But before he could protest, he saw Jade nodding so fast it looked like she might snap her neck.
"I want to! I want to so much!!!"
Robin chuckled softly, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. Without hesitation, she tossed the Ox Talisman to Jade.
"Perfect timing. You can use the talisman's power to fight alongside us against these enemies."
She then added with a teasing smile, "Remember the techniques I taught you yesterday. If you perform well, I might just teach you MoonWalk next."
"Really!?"
Jade eagerly grabbed the talisman, immediately connecting with its energy.
A flash of blue light surged through the Ox Talisman before it embedded itself into her belt, securing itself firmly.
She could feel the power coursing through her body, filling her with an exhilarating sense of confidence.
"So this... is what real power feels like?"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Under Robin's approving gaze, she leaped from the rooftop—nearly ten meters high—without hesitation.
At that moment…
The Black Shadow Corps, along with Tohru and the others, had already regrouped, surrounding the building where Robin and her team had been.
Seeing Jade suddenly leap down, Tohru furrowed his brow.
"Little one, did they abandon you and run off?"
"Run away? Ha! You're underestimating my sister Robin!" Jade scoffed, crossing her arms with confidence.
"She has both Armament Haki and the powers of the Float-Float Fruit! Her combat strength is on par with the legendary Great Pirates!"
"If she wasn't giving me a chance to show off, you'd already be buried underground by Sister Lion Menace: Earth Coiling!"
After witnessing Robin's use of Armament Haki firsthand, Jade was becoming more convinced that the world of One Piece was real!
So naturally, she didn't hesitate to attribute one of Golden Lion's legendary moves to Robin.
Tohru: ???
"What nonsense are you spouting!?"
Tohru, never the sharpest thinker, was even more confused by Jade's bizarre claims.
Frustrated, he decided he had heard enough.
"Get her!!!" he roared, waving his hand.
Swish, swish, swish—
Immediately, a group of Black Shadow Ninjas leaped into the air, clearly wary of repeating their previous mistakes.
With their exceptional agility, they took to the skies, shurikens glinting in their hands before they hurled them straight at Jade.
"Hah... child's play!"
Though Jade felt nervous for her first real battle, she tried her best to maintain a cool and composed exterior—just like in the action shows she had watched.
Encouraging herself inwardly, she recalled Robin's training from the day before.
Then, without hesitation, she lifted her leg.
Channeling the strength of the Ox Talisman, she swung her leg in a wide, sweeping motion.
"Rankyaku!!!!"
Whoosh!
A crescent-shaped air slash erupted from her kick, slicing through the air like a raging windstorm.
The whirling blade struck the incoming shurikens, deflecting them one by one before continuing toward the surrounding Black Shadow Ninjas.
The moment the crescent slash made contact, their bodies split apart, dissolving into pools of black shadows before collapsing onto the ground…