Time rewound to a few minutes prior.
Along the corridor leading to Crocodile's private cell, two distinct groups of people were marching slowly. Though the corridor wasn't spacious, these two teams from opposing factions stayed far apart, as if separated by an invisible wall between them.
"Um... Robin~~~~"
Hiding tightly beside the green-haired swordsman, a certain long-nosed sniper stealthily glanced at the Baroque Works assassins out of the corner of his eye. He then whispered to the intellectual beauty walking at the very front, "Why are we moving together with these guys? Hey, we were enemies just a second ago!"
However, before Robin could reply, Zoro beat her to it with a stern expression. "Because right now, we are all prisoners of the Marines. To successfully escape this fortress, we have to cooperate for the time being."
As he spoke, Zoro glanced sideways, only to lock eyes with Mr. 1's highly alert gaze. As their eyes met, sparks practically flew through the air.
(Tch. If only I had my three swords...) Zoro exhaled softly, frowning as he redirected his gaze to Robin.
"Hey, even if it's a cooperation, is it really fine for you to go see Mr. 0 like this?"
"I don't know the exact details, but you did betray Crocodile back in Alubarna, after all..."
Perhaps because Robin's previous actions had altered the Pirate Hunter's opinion of her, the green-haired swordsman uncharacteristically took the initiative to speak to her. Even more mind-bogglingly, this guy was actually worrying about a certain dark-witted woman's safety!
"Some things cannot be avoided. What needs to be faced must eventually be faced," Robin said calmly without looking back. Her voice was very soft, but everyone present could feel the determination woven into her words.
"Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that we might not be the first ones to see Crocodile..." The calm, composed face of a certain bespectacled man flashed across her mind. A beautiful curve arched at the corner of Robin's lips, and her pace quickened.
"????" x2
Zoro and Usopp exchanged a look of partial comprehension before hurriedly catching up.
Meanwhile, except for Mr. 1, who remained as stern as a block of iron, the other Baroque Works assassins looked at Miss All Sunday with complex expressions. Clearly, they had not yet processed the rather absurd reality that their organization's second-in-command had defected to the enemy camp.
And so, with each group harboring their own thoughts, the two parties arrived before the stone chamber holding Crocodile captive.
Miss Doublefinger swayed over to the iron door with her seductive catwalk. Just as she was about to open it with the key, she was surprised to find that the heavy door was actually left ajar.
(Strange. Did the Marines forget to lock the door earlier? Or...) With this question in mind, the sexy beauty with deep blue permed waves gave the door a firm push.
The door swung open.
Everyone instinctively peered inside. When they noticed a handsome figure wearing silver-rimmed glasses in the dim environment, they all froze, their reactions entirely varied.
"Hehe, it seems you've all gathered." Looking at the familiar and unfamiliar faces outside the door, Sherlock chuckled lightly and gently pushed up his glasses.
"Sherlock!"
Seeing the Straw Hat Pirates' most reliable tactician, Usopp let out an excited shout and stepped to the Sorcerer's side along with Robin and Zoro. At the same time, Sherlock opened his Mirror Space, returning the three precious swords confiscated from Tashigi to their rightful owner.
Robin nodded slightly to the Sorcerer in greeting, then turned her gaze toward the disheveled figure inside the cage, her eyes filled with immense complexity.
(Isn't this guy the Sorcerer from the Straw Hat Pirates?) x4
Although it was the first time Mr. 1 and the others had seen Sherlock in person and they were highly surprised by his appearance here, the four of them quickly shifted their attention to Mr. 0 on the other side of the bars. Mr. 4, the only non-Devil Fruit user among them, took the key and stepped forward to unlock their boss's restraints.
"Th-The... The Sorcerer!!!" x3
As for the trio—Mr. 5, Miss Valentine, and the artist Miss Goldenweek—the moment they saw Sherlock's familiar gesture of pushing up his glasses, their expressions turned utterly ghastly. Miss Valentine, who had been tormented the worst by him back then, nearly turned on her heel and bolted!
The instant the door opened, the complex expression on Crocodile's face vanished without a trace, replaced by an expressionless poker face.
While the clumsy Mr. 4 worked on unlocking his Seastone handcuffs, Crocodile swept his gaze over his subordinates one by one, ultimately fixing his eyes on Nico Robin. When he noticed that this glamorous woman was actually standing together with the Sorcerer and his crew, Crocodile's lip couldn't help but twitch.
"Hehehehe..." Crocodile suddenly let out a sinister, terrifying laugh, his gaze toward Robin growing increasingly eerie.
"Long time no see, Miss All Sunday."
"Yes, long time no see, Mr. 0." Robin lightly stroked the spot on her body where Crocodile's golden hook had once pierced through her, silently taking in her former boss as her eyes narrowed slightly.
"You certainly look quite wretched right now." The dark-witted woman spoke with absolute indifference, ruthlessly poking at his sore spot.
"Hmph." Crocodile let out a soft snort. With his capacity as a grand mastermind, he naturally wouldn't lose his temper over mere verbal provocations.
"It seems that after Baroque Works collapsed, you chose to join Straw Hat's crew."
"Choosing to betray without a second thought the moment an organization crumbles... Nico Robin, you haven't changed a bit in twenty years."
At this, Crocodile cast a glance at Sherlock before flashing a malicious smile at Robin. "When will you betray your new companions again? I am quite curious."
"..." Robin's brow furrowed slightly. Her dark life over the past twenty years, riddled with suspicion and betrayal, was easily one of the things she least wanted to recall.
But before she could say anything—
Clack! With a crisp click, the lumbering Mr. 4 finally managed to undo the Seastone handcuffs constraining Crocodile.
The exact instant the shackles limiting Crocodile's Devil Fruit powers were removed, everyone present felt a terrifying aura explode in all directions from that battered figure. It was like a prehistoric crocodile unleashed from its cage, locking its cold, ruthless eyes onto them, ready to devour its prey!
Shring! Three blades unsheathed simultaneously without a moment's hesitation. Zoro didn't say a word, his expression grim as if facing a mortal foe.
Robin slowly crossed her arms in front of her chest, her expression grave.
Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger refused to back down either, activating their Devil Fruit abilities. Blades and spikes sprouted from their respective palms as they squared off against the duo. After a brief daze, Miss Merry Christmas and the other assassins also scrambled into combat stances.
"Hey! What do you guys think you're doing?! I'm telling you, Captain Usopp has an army of eight thousand men lying in ambush right here! If you dare to..." Cough, cough. Please ignore a certain comical, long-nosed sniper hiding behind the Sorcerer, who was on the verge of pissing himself from fright.
The air instantly grew heavy with the thick scent of gunpowder. It seemed as though in the very next second, these two factions—who were supposed to be working hand-in-hand to plot a grand jailbreak—would engage in a spectacular bloodbath right then and there!
(How completely foolish...)
Sherlock gently pushed up his glasses, the relaxed expression on his face entirely out of sync with the tense atmosphere around him.
For he knew perfectly well that both sides were only putting on a tough front right now to gain a bit of leverage in the upcoming cooperation.
(So, what will you choose, Crocodile? Will you obediently follow my plan, or will you take your subordinates and find another way?)
Watching Crocodile slowly rise to his feet, Sherlock narrowed his eyes slightly.
(In any case, no matter what you do, you won't be able to escape G-8 Fortress on your own.)
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