## Rain Base
Rodney stepped onto the pavement of the thriving Dream City. An oasis in the desert, where water flowed like rivers and date palms bent under the weight of ripe fruit. Even two years after the Great Drought, there was no shortage of life-giving moisture here.
A cool breeze, chasing away the heat, caressed his skin. Rodney plucked a few dates, savoring their sweetness. His gaze fell on the pyramids towering over the city.
"Yeah, I know it's Egyptian style. But why build pyramids? They're tombs, right?" he muttered under his breath, mentally turning to Dio, his eternal clown companion. "Are they planning a clash of tombs? Are you the king of comedy too? Hahahahaha..."
Rodney cleared his throat, dismissed the absurd thoughts, and focused his attention on the largest pyramid. Blue and white stripes, edged with gold bricks, were topped by a statue of a crocodile clutching a banana.
It was Crocodile, owner of Alabasta's largest casino, Rain Dinners. He kept a low profile, favoring Nicole Robin, whose face was emblazoned on a poster advertising a huge reward.
Crocodile, wallowing in luxury, earned millions, bred crocodiles, and occasionally killed pirates when he was in a bad mood. But the thirst for power and ambition gnawed at him from within. He cast off his peaceful facade, donned a black-and-white striped suit forged with seastone kaidans, and set out to meet his destiny—to become the pirate king by conquering the Four Emperors.
The Rain Dinners greeted Rodney with silence, broken only by the occasional cry of a losing player. Rodney, having exchanged his Belian chips, took a seat at the table.
"This technique..." he whispered, stroking his chin.
He activated his Sharingan, watching the dealer's movements closely. The technique was fast, but Rodney, an experienced player, grasped the subtleties and nuances. He memorized, analyzed, and learned.
Having seen enough, Rodney entered the game. Using skills copied from the Sharingan, he easily defeated his opponents. The banker, realizing he was facing a master, hurried to call his boss.
Nicole Robin, a graceful and intelligent woman, appeared before Rodney. Years spent in Alabasta had given her skin a slight bronze tint. But her beauty remained unfaded.
"Did you recognize me?" Robin asked, noticing the surprise in Rodney's eyes.
He wasn't surprised by her presence, but he was amazed that she could recognize him, since the wanted poster depicted a much younger version of herself.
Rodney instinctively looked away from her, as if she were a charming snake.
"I saw your... well, I don't know," he chuckled, recalling the explicit images in his mind. "Miss Ever Wednesday?"
Robin was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "So you already know. Come with me. The VIP room is waiting for you."
- Of course, let's go.
In the luxurious VIP room, Rodney sank down onto the soft sofa.
"So, why did you bring me here? Do you want to discuss something?" he asked.
"Nothing special, Mr. Rodney. The conflict between Barack Works and you is quite significant."
"Of course I didn't do anything. And yet, you actually tracked me down?" Rodney growled angrily. "I was just out for a stroll. And you sent people after me? Well, the bridge is burned now. Barak Works has no future with you, and only one of us can survive."
Robin remained silent.
Weren't you the one who started this fight in the first place?
Whiskey Peak, Mr. 5, Mr. 1, weren't you the ones who attacked them the hardest?
Our group, Baroque Works, is a legitimate group of assassins. We were gravely wounded by your attacks, and you dare respond?
Did Robin overestimate this man's capabilities?
Okay, but what about the dignity of a strong man? Who taught him to be so shameless?
"If you want compensation, tell us your terms. We'll see if we can offer anything," Robin said, buying time for the approaching Crocodile.
She cared nothing for Rodney: he was just a pirate hunter. If her true identity had been revealed, he would surely have drawn his sword by now. After all, her reward was very high.
After Ohara's destruction, she lived amid betrayals and conspiracies, still feeling weary. However, to decipher the Poneglyph and uncover the history of the Age of Void, she made a deal with Crocodile, risking her life.
Her dream was to know about the unknown history, but between her and the hidden history stood a huge monster.
"Conditions?" Rodney thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Then how about giving yourself to me? After all, you weren't the one who created Baroque Works."
Robin was stunned and continued to smile, but her eyes turned cold. "That joke isn't funny, Mr. Rodney."
"Not funny? Then let's replace it with Crocodile's head," he said casually, propping his head up with one hand and showing no fear, as if he were preparing something. However, the actors hadn't yet assembled.
Why hasn't Mr. 0 (Crocodile) arrived yet?
"Crocodile is a Shichibukai, and Barack Works is no match for him," Robin said. "Do you want to kill him?"
"Of course, who wouldn't want to kill him? But it's a shame his bounty won't increase after he becomes a Shichibukai. Otherwise, with his strength, two or three hundred million stomachs would be a mere trifle."
The Shichibukai were pirates recognized by the World Government. Their bounty remained the same, and they were not targeted by the Marines.
Crocodile, unlike the frivolous Buggy, didn't rely on luck to maintain his Shichibukai title. His power and influence were unshakable, and his place among the future Four Emperors was practically guaranteed. But first, he needed to escape captivity.
Rodney, without taking his eyes off Robin's enticing figure, said, "Let me do the math... It seems the reward for the Devil's Child is a little higher than for Crocodile."
Robin, still smiling charmingly, took a step back, her gaze turning icy. "My role isn't to sell my life for a reward."
"I know. You're a historian. And I'm interested in history too. What do you say, Nico Robin? Would you like to become... uh... join me? Your future with me will be much brighter than with Crocodile. Chasing a tiger's skin is a path to a bitter end."
Robin remained silent, realizing that this man, like so many others, was obsessed with profit. However, she was wrong. Rodney was genuinely interested in history. The Void Age was certainly intriguing, wasn't it?
Unfortunately, Rodney couldn't figure it out. Knowing the location of the Poneglyph, he would have quickly found and deciphered it.
It was as if he'd arrived at the wrong time. Had he arrived a few years later, he would have had time to finish reading the story.
By the time he finished reading, the Grim Reaper would likely still be in elementary school.
What had happened during this time? Curiosity nagged at him. He tried to maintain a friendly smile and said, "Miss Robin, think about it. I'll take care of you. If you join me, I'll make you vice-captain."
Aren't you alone? No, wait, don't you have a ship?
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