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Chapter 115: Nico Robin and Crocodile
Rainbase.
This was a city located in the northwest of Alabasta. Countless people called it the "City of Dreams."
The reason, naturally, was that it was one of the few cities in Alabasta unaffected by the drought. Furthermore, the city was filled with casinos where countless people became rich overnight—or lost everything.
The largest and most famous among them was a dark brown building with a crocodile statue on the roof.
On the top floor of the casino, inside a hidden office.
Nico Robin sat leaning against the large desk that belonged to Crocodile.
Her legs were crossed, and the toe of one foot dangled a sandal. As her calf swayed gently, the sandal bobbed up and down rhythmically.
As the partner of Baroque Works' mysterious boss, Crocodile, her authority here was second only to the man himself.
With Crocodile currently out handling business, she naturally became the person with the most weight in the organization.
So, the intelligence report sent from the capital not long ago naturally fell into her hands.
Robin's slender fingers held the paper document, her gaze moving slowly across it.
Her reading speed was extremely fast, but right now, she deliberately slowed down, as if there was something on it worthy of her special attention.
When she reached a certain part, her black agate-like eyes trembled slightly.
"A blue-haired girl with horns, 'Fire Fist' Ace of the Whitebeard Pirates, and Princess Vivi of Alabasta Kingdom are together..."
Blue hair, horns. Obviously, the one possessing these characteristics must be the girl from the Straw Hat Pirates who had left a deep impression on her.
In fact, Robin had long predicted she would meet this person again in Alabasta.
She also knew that this extremely unique rookie pirate crew was destined to break into Baroque Works' field of vision.
Their style of action, the shock that blue-haired girl had brought her, and that bold Straw Hat Captain—all had left a deep mark on her heart.
A vague sense of anticipation even rippled through her mind.
The appearance of this group might truly bring some variables to this country, which was firmly under Crocodile's control and whose fate seemed already sealed.
They... might actually be able to stop Crocodile's conspiracy.
However, none of this mattered much to her.
What she cared about more was the blue-haired girl who had suddenly appeared in the capital.
"Back then, she recognized my true identity but didn't expose it, and even said we would meet again..."
Robin put down the document. Her fingers tapped lightly on the desk, making a rhythmic tap, tap sound.
Her brows furrowed slightly. Ever since leaving Whiskey Peak and that pirate ship filled with a strange atmosphere, this question had been circling in her mind.
Why, knowing she was a survivor of Ohara and a wanted criminal known as the "Devil Child," did she not use this intelligence for anything?
She simply pointed out her real name, said a simple "We will meet again," and let her leave just like that.
"Why would she want to meet me again?"
Robin lowered her head in thought, her voice so soft only she could hear it. She didn't even notice her sandal slipping off onto the floor.
"Logically speaking, my current stance makes me their enemy. She shouldn't have behaved so friendly toward me."
Although she did have her own agenda and wasn't wholeheartedly loyal to Crocodile.
She felt no guilt about this; after all, Crocodile merely saw her as a tool to decipher the Poneglyphs.
Once she lost her value, or once Crocodile got what he wanted, her end was predictable.
"Is it because she knows my true identity that she's certain I won't be loyal to Crocodile? Or did she judge my stance simply by my act of secretly helping Princess Vivi discover Crocodile's identity?"
Recalling those eyes that stared at her back then—as if they had seen through everything, piercing right through her—the memory remained fresh to this day.
"What exactly did you see..." Robin murmured.
Ganyu probably never imagined this.
A whimsical act of hers had caused this future companion, whose intellect far surpassed the average person, to rack her brains and worry for days.
"You look troubled. Did something happen?"
Suddenly, accompanied by a subtle swish of shifting sand, a magnetic, husky male voice resonated in the office.
The voice was low and raspy, carrying a detached coldness.
Robin's thoughts snapped back instantly. She showed no panic, merely turning her head slowly toward the source of the voice.
By the windowsill, a pile of golden sand was coalescing and stacking in mid-air, gradually forming a tall human shape.
The process took only two or three seconds before a man with slicked-back hair, wearing a large black fur coat, appeared out of thin air.
He pulled a cigar from his coat pocket, lit it, and placed it in his mouth. Puffing out smoke, he stared indifferently at Robin in the chair, his gaze flat yet carrying a scrutinizing weight.
"Boss, you're back."
Nico Robin stood up unhurriedly from the chair and bowed slightly to him.
The only person she would call "Boss" was naturally the mysterious leader of Baroque Works, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—"Sand Crocodile," Crocodile.
She picked up the document on the table with both hands and reported calmly:
"News from the capital. 'Fire Fist' Ace and a crew member of the Straw Hat Pirates with a bounty of 16 million have appeared together with Princess Vivi of the Alabasta Kingdom."
Here, she paused, seemingly choosing her words, before continuing:
"It seems Her Highness has not only reeled in a pirate crew but also gained the help of the famous 'Fire Fist' Ace. In this case, I'm afraid it will cause some obstruction to our upcoming plans."
"'Fire Fist' Ace..." Crocodile slowly exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes narrowing slightly. "The Second Division Commander of that old geezer Whitebeard?"
His tone sounded flat, but Robin keenly caught the flash of murderous intent.
He didn't care about a rookie pirate crew at all.
A mere 16 million bounty might be decent in the first half of the Grand Line, but in his eyes, it was nothing but an ant.
Even Vivi wasn't crucial in his eyes; killing her or not depended on his mood, as it wouldn't affect the grand scheme anyway.
Only "Fire Fist" Ace was worth his attention.
"Yes," Robin added expressionlessly, her voice steady. "According to the agents in the capital, Ace has separated from them and is now boldly heading toward Rainbase."
Whether intentional or not, her report omitted some details.
For instance, it revealed no further information about Ganyu.
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