Zoro tried not to let his anger consume him as he concentrated on the directions of his blades and the location of his enemy.
He knew that any lapse in focus would allow the devil fruit user to hijack his mind once again, and if that happened, it'd all be over.
He continued to swing at the man in front of him, only missing his target due to the magician's heightened evasion skills and his ability to hide behind the haze he continued to emit.
Regardless of how many times Zoro cut through it with his haki, the smoke-filled clouds continued to reappear seconds later, cloaking the man with a shield of fog.
"This is a pain in the ass! Can you quit it with the constant stream of smoke already so I can dice you?!"
"I don't know what impression I gave you upon our brief introduction, but I'm not that much of a gentleman. If you want to beat me, you'd better step up your game."
Zoro snarled in annoyance as he crossed his swords over his chest in preparation of his next attack, but a quiet yet pained cry from Robin stopped the swordsman short, preventing him from carrying out his next move.
She was knelt only a couple of yards away from the ongoing fight, and it was obvious that she was unable to defend herself from any physical or psychological attacks in her current state.
Noticing this, Zoro ceased his attack as he retreated to his crewmate's side.
He was never usually one to flee from a battle, but she needed him, and there was nothing that he wouldn't do to keep her safe.
Without turning his back to the enemy Zoro picked her up, removing her from any immediate danger whilst also trying to bring her back to reality.
"Robin, come on, snap out of it!" He spoke, his voice low but with a hint of urgency in it as he supported the trembling woman in his arms. "You know that what he's showing you isn't real; you know he's just messing with your mind, so you need to snap out of it…"
He hadn't seen her anywhere near as scared as this since the event that had happened two years ago in Enis Lobby, and that hurt, knowing that this nobody in front of him was wounding her in a way that he couldn't prevent.
"Zoro…?" Robin muttered quietly, but it was clear that she wasn't hearing him, and that she wasn't even aware of his presence as he held her close.
Still holding onto his lover, Zoro looked up angrily, his eyes like a wild animal's as he glared at the devil fruit user that hadn't moved from his original spot.
And it was him who spoke first with an air of confidence around him, breaking the silence as he shrugged and leant back against the side of a building.
"You can continue to fight me if you want to, but just remember, I hold her sanity in the palm of my hands. So if you do plan on doing so, you'd better defeat me quickly, or I'll break her beyond repair." He goaded with a smirk, and as if to prove his point he clenched his fist, causing Robin let out an even louder cry.
*ロビン*ゾロ*
The world around her had gone blurry and any sense of time and space was lost.
Disoriented, Robin called out for the only person it made sense for her to call out for.
"Zoro..?"
No answer.
But hadn't she just been with him? Where could he have gone?
"Come on Luffy, let's go before she realises that we've gone."
That voice… A female voice that she was so used to hearing…
Nami?
"Yeah, if she sees us it'll just be a hassle. It'll be better if we just go."
And that voice was familiar too…
Usopp?
"Well, I guess it would be better to just leave now while she's out, that way we don't have to come up with some excuse as to why we don't want her with us. I hate to lie to a lady, but this is for the best."
Sanji?
What were they all talking about? Who were they leaving behind?
Robin's blood ran cold as she realised, and she braved a glance towards the ship that was now in full view.
As soon as her eyes landed on the Thousand Sunny she noticed Zoro was there, along with the seven over crewmembers, and what she saw confirmed her hunch as she watched them prepare to set sail.
But surely he would tell them to wait for her right? After all they'd been through together…
"Thank God that's all over. I never did trust that woman." The swordsman muttered to Franky as the two pulled up the anchor together. "She was just a burden to us this whole time, and a dangerous one at that."
She felt her whole world crash down as he said those words, and she had to lean back against a tree as a wave of light-headedness began to flow over her and a feeling of nausea began to sink in.
She had expected this at the beginning of their travels; after all, it had happened countless times to her in the past, but nothing could have prepared her for the searing pain that she was feeling now.
The Strawhat crew had really meant something to her, each and every one of them meant something to her in their own way.
But now she was alone again, and this time feeling more fragile and heartbroken than ever before.
*ロビン*ゾロ*
"Robin… I won't let him hurt you any more, I promise." Zoro whispered to her, still holding out hope that she would hear him though the illusions and regain her senses despite his knowledge that that wouldn't happen while the devil fruit user was still breathing.
He hesitated for a second before gently lowering her out of his arms and placing her carefully against the base of one of the buildings.
"I'll be right back Robin, hang on." Zoro added finally, before leaving her side and stepping forward, preparing for battle.
"Finally; I was getting bored watching you and your girlfriend have your little moment back there. I do detest public displays of affection." He mocked, but Zoro ignored him as he placed Wado Ichimonji back between his teeth.
"My haki will protect me from your gimmicky devil fruit ability, but that won't be enough for her. I can't remove your power without kicking your ass, so I'll end this now. For Robin."
An amused laugh came in response to Zoro's statement, and the magician took a step forward.
"That's a very confident thing to say. Let's hope you can keep your word, otherwise her nightmare will only deepen with every slip up you make."