Koza pushed Vivi aside and walked out resolutely.
Vivi collapsed to the ground, clutching at a bag of Dancing Powder that had spilled out, unable to explain herself, tears streaming down uncontrollably...
"Really... it's not..."
...
Behind the boulder.
King Nefertari Cobra and Igaram clenched their fists so hard the veins stood out, their faces full of shock.
They couldn't believe it either... how could the strictly controlled Dancing Powder appear on such a large scale?
And it happened without their knowledge...
"Who on earth...?"
...
Alabasta, Revolutionary Army branch.
As the largest island area on the Grand Line, the Revolutionary Army also maintained a garrison here.
But because King Cobra had maintained a good reputation, they hadn't taken any action.
It was only kept as a backup base, unexposed.
It had also escaped the Navy's purge.
They hadn't contacted the rebel army formed by the people of Alabasta.
Those Dancing Powders... were discovered by Revolutionary Army scouts and handed over to the rebels, letting them decide what to do.
The Dancing Powder Koza saw came from that source...
But right now inside the branch base.
All the Revolutionary soldiers lay unconscious with their heads tilted to one side.
Nico Robin sat at the head of the hall, chin propped on her hand, watching the struggling branch chief below:
"Stop struggling. It's useless."
The branch chief on the floor forced his head up to look at Robin.
"Who... are... you..."
His body was tightly bound by several arms locking his joints.
Robin picked up a notebook from the table and glanced at it:
"You may call me Miss All Sunday."
The branch chief's expression tightened slightly:
"Miss...?"
"You're... from Baroque Works."
The Revolutionary Army had investigated the rising forces on the Grand Line in recent years and knew that all members were named starting with Miss.
They could track down most pirate hunters' origins, but the mysterious boss left no information.
They seemed to appear out of nowhere, yet the enormous wealth capable of founding Baroque Works could not be ignored...
Robin smiled lightly:
"That's right."
"Chief."
"This time I came only to deliver a warning from our boss."
"Don't reach too far."
The branch chief took a deep breath:
"I don't know what you mean by 'reach too far'..."
Robin rose and emitted Observation Haki, sensing something, folding her hands:
"Alabasta's affairs are internal matters."
"You actively helped the rebel army, even produced so much Dancing Powder and helped them strategize — you've overstepped your role."
"Our boss sent me to warn you: if you interfere again—"
"Everyone present will..."
"Die..."
"Do not try to run. On the soil of Alabasta, no one can escape Baroque Works' pursuit."
One by one, arms appeared from the unconscious Revolutionary soldiers.
They twisted the victims' heads to an angle as if a little more force would snap them off...
The branch chief's eyes bulged as he twisted and struggled like a madman...
"Stop it!!!"
Robin smiled faintly:
"What is your decision?"
"Chief."
Looking at his comrades on the brink of death.
The branch chief shut his eyes in unwillingness, grinding his teeth:
"Fine..."
Robin lowered her crossed hands:
"Very wise choice."
"Warning finished. Now let's talk cooperation."
The arms that had bound the branch chief dissolved, and he rose slowly:
"Cooperation?"
"What cooperation could the Revolutionary Army have with Baroque Works?"
He watched Robin with full caution and coldness.
Robin's Observation Haki detected no other auras; her face became serious:
"Not with Baroque Works — with me personally."
"Let me reintroduce myself."
She reached out her hand toward the branch chief:
"Nico Robin."
Seeing the serious Nico Robin, the branch chief frowned and slowly took her hand:
"Nico Robin...?"
"Nico..."
His eyes widened suddenly!
A survivor of Ohara! The 'Light of the Revolution' spoken of by the Commander!
...
Several days later.
New World — a certain branch base conference room.
Sakazuki sat at the head seat, with Bullet, Enel, Skarn, Doberman, Momonga and other high-ranking members below.
Law and Drake sat in a corner listening.
As the doors closed...
Sakazuki nodded:
"Begin."
Karol stood before the large screen across the table and, with a sweep of his hand, brought up a map thickly marked with red dots.
Karol pointed:
"As you can see."
"These dense red dots are the targets for our next operation."
"The weapons factories of one of the Four Emperors, Knock."
"These factories not only supply arms across the world, they are also one of the Revolutionary Army's sources of weapons."
"Not long ago, the fleet Skarn quelled in the Calm Belt was carrying weapons Knock intended to deliver to the Revolutionary Army — fortunately they were intercepted in time."
"Our mission is to destroy all of Knock's weapons factory bases as quickly as possible."
Momonga looked at the map and frowned slightly:
"The area of attack is too broad."
"The scattered islands almost blanket the New World."
"Some places we might have trouble striking."
Karol smiled:
"Don't worry about that."
"Areas that are too deep behind enemy lines will be handled by Kaido."
"His underlings' weapons business has been tightly suppressed by Knock."
"To break the deadlock, he'll have to cooperate with us."
"And the gains he'll receive will make refusal impossible."
He then pulled up the Steam Pirates' current business records.
The screen filled with minutiae, even showing page-flip buttons:
"Given Knock's current situation, he no longer counts merely as a pirate; he possesses the world's largest underground network."
"He almost monopolizes all underground businesses in the New World, becoming the sole emperor of the dark world."
"Having previously supported the Red-Haired Pirates to jointly repel Big Mom, now the new and old Emperors have allied."
"This powerful alliance isn't good news for us or the other two pirate emperors."
"Although the New World's Emperors are relatively antagonistic, they have kept a balance and restrained each other."
"Our objective is to ignite contradictions and break the balance they maintain."
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg. 414 chapters in total