"Robin, you'd already prepared yourself to be killed by Crocodile, hadn't you?" Leo said, his voice gentle.
"What?!" Robin started, taken aback.
Leo smiled faintly. "If you hadn't deliberately leaked Crocodile's identity to Vivi, someone of her capabilities would never have uncovered it on her own." He paused, watching her closely. "If I had to guess, you felt guilty for all the terrible things you'd helped Crocodile do. And seeing Vivi risk her life, infiltrating Baroque Works... you couldn't bear it anymore. That's why you did it, right?" He leaned slightly closer. "Robin, you had already betrayed Crocodile in your heart."
Robin bit her lower lip, her eyes complex as she stared at Leo. He was right. Every word. The moment Crocodile began his final move, she had been ready to die. Even in death, she would never let his conspiracy succeed and drag more innocent people into it.
"Robin," Leo's tone was earnest, "the one who deserves to die isn't you. It's Crocodile. Join my crew. I can take you to find more Poneglyphs, to help you achieve your dream. And you won't have to keep hiding your true self anymore." A playful glint entered his eyes. "A beautiful woman like you should live in the sunlight."
Pfft—
Robin couldn't help but laugh. He was certainly smooth with his words. No wonder there were so many beautiful women on his ship.
"Leo, if I join your crew, the World Government will definitely come after you. You..." she began, her voice laced with concern.
"Robin," Leo cut her off, raising a hand. "Even if you don't join, the World Government will set its sights on me eventually. You don't need to worry about that." He was determined to recruit every significant woman in this world. Though he didn't know what Imu looked like, he'd just assume she was a beauty for now. He was aiming to recruit the ruler of the seas herself; of course the World Government would come after him.
Seeing Robin's thoughtful, hesitant expression, Leo pressed his advantage. "Robin, no one in this world is born to be alone. Not me, and not you. There will always be people willing to accept you. The Leo Pirates welcome you with open arms. Once you're part of my crew, your problems become my problems. If agents of the World Government come for you, I'll kill every last one of them."
Robin's thoughts flashed back to Saul. The words were almost identical, pulling her back to that day twenty years ago that had irrevocably changed her life. The image of the blazing fires and Saul's desperate shouts were forever burned into her memory.
In her daze, Leo suddenly leaned in closer. "I'll tell you a secret," he whispered. "Saul is still alive."
"Ah!" Robin gasped, startled, her true, shy nature momentarily surfacing. How did he know what she was thinking? Wait... something was wrong. Her eyes widened, her body beginning to tremble with excitement. "Saul is alive?! Is that true?!"
Back on Ohara, she clearly remembered Saul turning against the Marines to save her, only to be frozen solid by the then-Vice Admiral Aokiji during the fight. She had always assumed he had perished with the rest of Ohara, a source of constant guilt for her. Hearing that he might still be alive was overwhelming.
"Saul managed to survive that day," Leo explained calmly. "He's in the land of Giants, Elbaf, living a good life."
"That's wonderful... truly wonderful..." Tears streamed down Robin's face. It was less that she wholly believed Leo, and more that her heart desperately wanted to believe Saul hadn't died. After all, she had only seen him frozen, not his body.
"Robin, I've said all I need to say. Now it's time for you to make your decision." A confident smile spread across Leo's face.
"It seems I really can't refuse your invitation, Captain Leo," Robin said, a truly captivating smile finally gracing her lips. "I look forward to working with you."
"Welcome to the Leo Pirates. Trust me, you won't be disappointed." Leo naturally opened his arms.
"Mmm..." Robin hummed softly, stepping into the embrace.
"Captain," she said after a moment, pulling back slightly, "the Baroque Works agents have infiltrated the palace. Shouldn't you go help your crew?"
Leo gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and shook his head. "Don't worry. My crew is already waiting for them. Would you like to come see how I skin this crocodile?"
"Skin a crocodile?" Robin blinked her large eyes, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "That sounds... interesting."
Leo used his Observation Haki to pinpoint Crocodile's location, took Robin's hand, and vanished.
As Crocodile's orders went out, the four remaining top officers of Baroque Works sprang into action, infiltrating the palace from different directions to locate King Cobra.
Mr. 1, making no attempt to hide his presence, was systematically checking room after room. Just as he was about to open another door, his hand froze mid-air. He instinctively turned his head.
To his right, a bespectacled beauty holding a sword seemed to have been waiting for him.
"Daz Bones. Baroque Works' Mr. 1. User of the Dice-Dice Fruit. Formerly an assassin from the West Blue," Tashigi stated, accurately reciting his details. Leo had briefed them all on the remaining officers before they arrived.
"Who are you?" Daz Bones turned fully to face her. He didn't recognize this woman.
"You don't need to know my name. You only need to know I will defeat you."
"A swordsman?" Daz Bones looked at the sword in her hand and scoffed. "Trying to show off your skills in front of my Dice-Dice Fruit? How pathetic." A cruel smile spread across his face. "You're unlucky. As a killer, I have no concept of怜香惜玉 (sparing women out of chivalry)."
In the next instant, both his arms transformed into gleaming blades. As a Dice-Dice Fruit user, he could turn any part of his body into a blade, hard as steel and impervious to ordinary weapons.
"You've picked a fight with the wrong person." His bladed arms crossed with a sharp shing of metal.
Watching him proudly display his power, Tashigi shook her head with a light laugh. Before, she would have been no match for him. But now? She had more than enough power.
Shing!
The Wado Ichimonji left its scabbard in a flash.
In the palace gardens, Miss. Doublefinger, with her blue afro and spiderweb tattoos, was swaying her hips as she prepared to search the nearby rooms. She suddenly stopped, looking with surprise at the woman blocking her path.
"My, my... look who it is!" Miss. Doublefinger feigned shock, putting her hands to her cheeks, but her lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Miss. Valentine. You've got some nerve. Instead of running after betraying the Boss, you dare show your face here? Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" She playfully tapped the sharp spikes on her knuckles, like a cat toying with a mouse.
"Miss. Doublefinger, don't be so sure of yourself. Whether Crocodile survives today is still up in the air. Besides, which of us will win our fight is far from decided."
"Oh?!" Miss. Doublefinger looked at her, astonished. She was Mr. 1's partner, while Miss. Valentine had been paired with the lowly Mr. 5. Where did she get the courage to act so arrogantly? Her Kilo-Kilo Fruit? She'd be full of holes before she could even land! Was there something else? Shaking off the impossible thought, Miss. Doublefinger's expression turned vicious.
"Miss. Valentine, after I defeat you, I'll drag you before the Boss and let him deal with you personally."
As she spoke, sharp spikes erupted all over Miss. Doublefinger's arms. As a user of the Spike-Spike Fruit, her entire body could sprout thorn-like spikes capable of piercing stone.
"The Spike-Spike Fruit, huh?" Miss. Valentine let out a soft breath.
Hum~
With a low hum, the darkness of Armament Haki surged up her fair arm.
"Miss. Doublefinger, I've found a great new... home for you. After I beat you, I'll take you to meet the Captain."
While Miss. Doublefinger was still processing this, Miss. Valentine launched her attack.
Inside a palace corridor, Nami looked at the duo blocking her way and pouted in dissatisfaction.
"Seriously?! Why am I stuck with you two?"
It was Mr. 4 and his partner, Miss. Merry Christmas, along with a yawning dachshund. Nami knew their profiles well; they were the weakest of the remaining officers.
"A gun that ate the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Dachshund? Interesting." Nami watched the sleepy dog with curiosity. It was her first time seeing an inanimate object become a living creature by eating a Devil Fruit. She wondered how that even worked. Did they just shove the fruit into the barrel?
While Nami was musing, the plump woman opposite her began rapidly digging into the ground. As a Mole-Mole Fruit user, digging was her specialty. The dachshund wasn't idle either; it opened its mouth and with a bang, spat out a timed explosive.
Mr. 4 swung his baseball bat, sending the explosive flying towards Nami like a meteor.
"You're so slow!" Nami, tired of their performance, simply pressed her palm downward.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Silver-white lightning crashed down from above.
Now, all the remaining Baroque Works officers had found their matches...
Following Leo's earlier instructions, the royal guards Pell and Chaka led the ready King's Army to clear out the Millions and Billions agents.
Crocodile moved unimpeded through the palace, heading straight for the main hall. But after searching for some time, he still couldn't find King Cobra. The longer this dragged on, the worse it was for him. His mood grew increasingly foul. He had burned his bridges; today, he had to find Cobra and force him to reveal the Poneglyph's location.
"Stop looking. He's not here." A voice full of mockery rang out. Leo appeared, holding Robin's hand.
Crocodile's eyes fell on their intertwined hands, and his face darkened instantly. "Robin... so you've betrayed me too?!"
"Crocodile, I never pledged you my true loyalty. How can you call it betrayal?" Robin looked at Leo with a small smile. "As of now, I am resigning from Baroque Works and joining the Leo Pirates. I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you with your goals any longer."
"Good. Very good!!" Crocodile narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint spreading within them. Resign? How laughable! Did she think Baroque Works was some casual club? You couldn't just come and go as you pleased! Robin was the only one who could read the Poneglyphs, an indispensable part of his plan. Anyone else could leave, but not her.
"Did he give you a sense of security?" Crocodile sneered, his gaze shifting to Leo. "Not only did he kill so many of my men, but because of him, they even dare to betray me." He looked Leo up and down, as if trying to discern what strange charm he possessed that caused his agents to defect one after another.
"Leo. Cloud-Cloud Fruit user. Bounty: 30 million Berries. If that's all you have to rely on... then you can die!!!" The killing intent in Crocodile's eyes intensified. "Robin, once I've dealt with this brat, I'll deal with you properly."
Robin instinctively moved closer to Leo. Regardless, Crocodile's imposing aura was still intimidating.
Leo patted Robin's head reassuringly, his own expression turning cold. "You dare threaten my woman?!" He glared at Crocodile. "Robin, step aside and watch. Watch how I skin this crocodile alive!!" He let out a derisive snort. "You're nothing but a former lackey Whitebeat defeated. Don't flatter yourself."
"You're digging your own grave!!" Stung by the mention of his past humiliation, Crocodile's anger erupted. He raised his golden hook, and countless grains of sand began to coalesce rapidly.
"Desert Spada!"
The hard palace floor split apart like soft tofu as the sand-blade slash shot towards Leo.
Leo sidestepped with ease, effortlessly dodging the attack.
"Oh? No wonder you dare to act so arrogantly in front of me. You do have some skill." Crocodile was surprised for a second before launching another killing move. If he didn't eliminate Leo today, how could he ever show his face in the circle of Warlords again?
"Desert Grande Espada!"
The ground beneath Leo's feet cracked open, and a massive sword formed from sand shot upwards towards him.
"Crocodile, let me give you a lesson today!" Leo snorted coldly. Manipulating the rain aspect of his Weather-Weather Fruit, he created dozens of water blades that shot towards Crocodile at high speed.
"WHAT?! How is this possible?!" Crocodile's pupils constricted, unprecedented panic flashing across his face. "You're a Cloud-Cloud Fruit user! Why can you control water?!"
As a Sand-Sand Fruit user, his weaknesses were Seastone, the ocean, Haki... and liquids like water. For Leo to possess water-based abilities was his absolute worst nightmare!
"I never thought I'd see the day Crocodile would panic like this," Robin murmured, watching from the sidelines. In all her years with him, this was the first time she'd seen him so flustered. It seemed she really wouldn't have to die today. She looked at the broad back standing protectively in front of her, her eyes shining with a mixture of relief and newfound admiration.
The dozens of water blades disintegrated the Desert Grande Espada with ease and continued their relentless path towards Crocodile. His face turned the color of spoiled liver as he dodged and weaved frantically through the hall, terrified of a single drop touching him.
"Still want to threaten my woman? Now you're running?!" Leo taunted. "Too late!"
"Water Whip!"
In front of Leo, water coalesced into several long, thin whips.
Crocodile glanced at them and felt an icy chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then he saw Leo's devilish grin.
"NO!" Crocodile let out a heart-rending roar.
The next moment, the water whips began lashing out violently, forming an impenetrable net that left Crocodile no room to escape.
Crack!
Crack!
The sound of the whips slicing through the air intertwined with Crocodile's agonized screams, echoing throughout the palace. Leo's Observation Haki locked onto him firmly. Under the relentless barrage, Crocodile quickly succumbed.
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T/N :
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