One Piece Chapter 1021: Nico Robin becomes a demon child

One Piece Chapter 1021, “Demonio,” continues with fight between Nico Robin and Black Maria. The Tobiroppo isn’t impressed with Robins new attack. She says that the giant form “must take a lot of energy out of her.” Robin is confident that the fight won’t take too long anyway. Robin attempts to end the fight with her “Sea Serpent Snapdragon” move. She grabs the legs of the Black Maria, who counters by striking Robin with her Wanyudo. Robin is at a disadvantage because her larger size arms make for easier targets. Nico Robin’s devil fruit ability Hana Hana no Mi grants her the ability to reproduce her body. If her limbs receive any injury or effects from other Devil Fruit, she will feel them directly no matter where she is. In addition to that Robins cloned limbs share the strength level she has.

When Black Maria creates poison on her feet, Robin retreats her arms but Black Maria uses Marianet to trap Robin. She then puts on brass knuckles and wails on Robin’s double. Robin deactivates her ability and tries to quickly grab Black Maria again, only for Black Maria to block them with her Ikidomaria. Black Maria then sets her webs on fire surrounding Robin with flames. She badmouths Robin calling her “pathetic” like Sanji and calls her “dead weight,” who’s only useful for her “brain.”

I think Oda is making a specific point here. Robin rarely fought before this moment, largely because the limits of her Devil Fruit and she was the brains of the Straw Hat Pirates as the archaeologist. It’s not that she’s just smart, Nico Robin is the only person who can read and decipher Poneglyphs. This ability has earned her the bounty the government gave her, and the epithet “demon child.”

Demon Child Nico Robin

As Black Maria attacks Robin directly, Chapter 1021 flashbacks to Robins time with the Revolutionary Army. Koala and Sabo want to teach her Fishman Karate and Ryusoken. From Koala’s perspective Robin should “be able to throw a punch.” Robin agrees to learn a “palm strike.” In the present, Robin uses Mil Fleur, Fishman Karate Giganteum to smash the ceiling causing the rumble to put out the fire. Robin then reveals her new form, Demonio Fleur. Robin develops wings, fangs, horns, and her skin turns dark. Black Maria is disturbed by this new appearance and runs. However, Robin grabs her and knocks her out with Grand Jacuzzi Clutch. Black Maria’s subordinates hear what one calls “an awful sound,” they rush to peer through the crack in Brooks Ice Block. With the subordinates distracted, Brook takes advantage and uses Phrase D’Armes Orchestra to finish them.

Elsewhere, on Tokage Port, Udon, Luffy is eating all the food Caribou kept in his body. Momonosuke asks Shinobu to use her Devil Fruit to “mature his body.” Shinobu’s Devil Fruit ability, Juku Juku no Mi, allows her to “mature” or “decay.” Momonosuke hopes that becoming more mature who make him become a “bigger dragon.” Shinobu claims it’s too dangerous, he will not return to his current age, but will still have a the “heart and mind of a child.”

One Piece knows Momonosuke is a child, but the characters in this series treat him like he’s an adult. As the son of Kozuki Oden, Momonosuke is the heir of the Kozuki Family. He’s giving too much responsibility and it’s clearly putting too much pressure on him. Shinobu’s warning seems to imply that he will never grow up mentally, if that’s the case he shouldn’t do it. If he just loses his childhood then I don’t think it matters. Momonosuke has already lost his innocence, it won’t do much harm.