She hurriedly got up and ran out of the alley.
Outside, the thunderstorm still raged. Lightning lashed down like whips of divine punishment, violently striking Bon Clay and Miss Doublefinger.
The former was already unconscious; the latter lay sprawled out, barely managing weak, pained cries.
"We can't defy the Boss—or we'll end up like them!"
Marianne shuddered and immediately turned to look for Galdino.
After digging through the rubble more than a hundred meters away, she finally pulled her partner out. Once she confirmed his condition, she sighed in relief.
Good.He was only half-dead.
"What happened?"The moment Galdino regained consciousness, he demanded an update.
Marianne's reply was merciless. "You got sliced apart—your candle champion shattered—and then you flew over here. Judging by your injuries, if the Boss had used just a bit more strength, you'd be in two pieces right now."
"Boss? Where's everyone else!?" Galdino's face twitched as the memory of that terrifying man returned to him.
"I surrendered. Zala's fingers were whipped numb by lightning until she passed out, and Bon Clay isn't far behind. From a mission standpoint, we completely failed. We didn't even manage to leave a scratch on the target."
"You surrendered? That fast?"Galdino's lip twitched. Since when were you so experienced in betrayal?
He asked through gritted teeth, "Do you really think he's the Boss? All Sunday rebelled and wanted to use us to kill our own leader?"
"I don't know," Marianne said honestly, "but I do know that disobeying him means death. I just saw him teleport. Before he vanished, he said he was going to find All Sunday and told us to stay put and recover."
She pursed her lips. "Honestly? Doing as we're told seems like the best way to stay alive."
"Insane. This is insane. I'd rather believe I'm in a nightmare… There are too many things that don't make sense!"Galdino wanted to continue ranting, but Marianne quickly covered his mouth.
Her expression turned serious. "I'm not going against the Boss. You know how I can paint on walls and floors—but when he moved, he avoided every single one of my traps. He knew all my tricks. I almost died, Galdino. So yes, I want to live!"
"…Fine. Take me somewhere safe—but first, let's check on the others."
Galdino placed a hand over the long slash across his abdomen; white candle wax spread across the wound as a crude armor patch. Marianne had already handled the bleeding.
Overhead, a ghostly shikigami floated silently in the rain, watching them.
Nico Robin—The sole survivor of the Ohara Incident.A scholar capable of deciphering the Poneglyphs that record the truth of the Void Century.
She had been wanted since the age of eight. Nineteen years later, at twenty-seven, she still evaded the World Government's grasp.
The reason was simple—Robin would do anything to survive. Betrayal, submission, manipulation, alliances… all tools in her arsenal. These years of desperation had honed her into a woman with unmatched experience and adaptability.
Archaeology, anatomy, diplomacy, analysis, strategy—even games and deceit. She was an all-rounder, and more importantly, a Devil Fruit user.
The Flower-Flower Fruit—Hana Hana no Mi. A Paramecia ability allowing her to bloom any part of her body upon any visible surface, for attack or utility. Arms, legs… or other parts. It made ambushes lethal—because all she needed to do was see.
Few could guard against hands sprouting from their own backs. Without contact, she could subdue an enemy on the spot. Her combat ability was formidable; even pirates with bounties over ten million wouldn't find her an easy target.
But unfortunately for her—Ren crushed her completely.
The moment Ren's voice echoed, Robin turned. Instantly, countless human hands bloomed across everything within sight. Yet before they could act, a surge of roaring seawater exploded into the room.
Swallowing Rivers and Flooding Lakes—!
An immense torrent filled the narrow space in an instant, turning it into a temporary water tank.
Robin's replicated arms lost all strength the moment they touched the water.
Because Robin's "flowers" were real flesh. Thus, whether her own body or her replicated limbs, any contact with seastone or seawater stripped her of power—just like every Devil Fruit user.
Then—Click! Ren swiftly clamped a pair of seastone handcuffs onto her wrists.
A moment later, the flood drained away with the sound of receding tides, leaving only puddles and wreckage.
Ren held the Desire Compass in one hand while pinning Robin to the table with the other.Watching her struggle beneath him, panic flashing in her eyes, he grinned.
"Hello, Nico Robin. First time meeting you. I'm Ren."
The shikigami floated nearby, silently witnessing the scene.
The seastone took full effect—though the water was gone, Robin's body was still limp, helpless. At that moment, even an ordinary person could have done anything to her.
For Robin, the situation was simply unbelievable.
"What the hell are you!?"
Her voice trembled. She had watched him conjure seawater and seastone handcuffs out of thin air.
But—Wasn't Fiend God Ren himself a Devil Fruit user!? No mythical Zoan, no matter how miraculous, could defy the sea!
And how had he appeared here!? A second ago, he was at the harbor—then he simply vanished and reappeared right before her eyes.
She couldn't comprehend it.
Yet the explanation was simple.
Shikigami Phase.
[Phase Shift: This semi-spiritual body, formed from a magically modified soul, becomes intangible while phased—unable to attack but able to pass through all matter. When unphased, it can slightly interact with objects, such as knocking over a candlestick.]
And if it could knock over a candlestick—it could certainly crush an Ender Pearl.
That was how Ren teleported in an instant, seizing her exactly as planned.
As for why Robin's Den Den Mushi couldn't connect?Before throwing Gáe Bolg, he'd activated a signal-blocking Den Den Mushi. It jammed communication in the area—essentially cutting off all connections.
That Den Den Mushi came from Nami's purse.
The second shikigami? Funded by Nojiko's wallet.
Sometimes he felt like he was living off women—but at least the plan had succeeded.
So Robin's attempt to call Crocodile was doomed from the start.Every step—every move—was within Ren's calculations.
The absence of Crocodile, the mobilization of Baroque Works, the chosen battlefield… all part of Ren's carefully woven web.
Not because Robin was foolish, nor because Ren's intellect was overwhelming—but because of one crucial advantage:
Asymmetrical Information.
Robin's brilliance was undeniable—she practically built Baroque Works herself. Crocodile was merely the insurance.
But in the age of sail, information traveled slowly. Even the Yonko couldn't maintain perfect intelligence.
So in Robin's eyes, Fiend God Pirates were powerful—but not impossibly so.
Reality, however, was the reverse.
Using his memories of the original timeline, Ren reconstructed Baroque Works' entire intel network. He knew every agent's name, power, habits—even their personalities. That level of knowledge granted him an immeasurable advantage.
Robin didn't even understand how she had lost.
Because in her information, Ren's crew should never have been capable of such feats.
"Rather than answering your question," Ren said with a faint smile, "why don't we talk about something else?"
He pulled a collar from thin air and fastened it around Robin's neck. Nothing fancy—just a slave bomb collar like those from the Sabaody Archipelago.
That one, too, came courtesy of Vivi's purse.
Robin's pupils shrank. She recognized it instantly—the infamous collar used on captured slaves. She could already imagine the obscene fate that awaited her.
Then he dragged her into the next room.
And nothing happened.
It was a perfectly proper, almost business like setting.
Ren crossed one leg over the other, gazing down at Robin, who chose to kneel rather than sit on a chair. Apparently, she had misunderstood his intentions.
Biting her lip, she unbuttoned her blouse. The deep valley of her chest drew the eye, the image of a slave resigned to her "master's" whims.
But Ren knew better than to fall for her act.
"Enough. I'm not buying it."
He waved a hand dismissively, though his eyes lingered despite himself.
Robin didn't bother buttoning up again. She inhaled slowly and asked, "Who are you, really?"
"Wasn't it you who attacked me first?" Ren replied calmly.
"Even if you defeated an Emperor's subordinate[1], this is beyond impossible. Do you have any idea how many agents I deployed!?"
After all, the Fiend God Pirates had just entered the Grand Line. Even if they clashed with a Yonko, it should've been thanks to an overpowered Devil Fruit—not raw strategy.
Robin had taken every precaution possible. And yet, she still fell completely. That was what terrified her.
"The small fry exist to cheer from the sidelines," Ren said lightly. "Sending them to the battlefield was your mistake."
"Small fry!?" Robin's mouth twitched, exasperated. The elite agents of Baroque Works weren't weak—she knew that better than anyone. Yet they'd been crushed in moments. Even Mr. 1 went down almost instantly. Only Gem and Mikita were still fighting—but if Mr. 1 was down, what hope did those two have?
Her tone hardened. "Do you even know who stands behind Baroque Works?"
"Of course. Crocodile," Ren said with a grin. "He's the one I came for."
"I know more than you think, Robin. That so-called Utopia Project? A ploy to collapse Alabasta from within. Once the kingdom falls, Crocodile steps in as the hero, wins the people's plea, and takes the throne."
"And then—he searches for the ancient weapon Pluton."
"But I also know you and Crocodile don't share the same goal. He wants power—you want the truth of the Void Century."
"To get what you want, you dared to deceive him—playing with a tiger for your own gain."
"…"
Robin didn't reply. Her confident posture melted into one of retreat. A chill crept up her spine. He knew too much.
That could only mean—"CP…? You're a World Government agent!?"
"Wrong," Ren said smoothly, cutting her off. "Not an agent. Just an idealist chasing his own dream. The Celestial Dragons? They disgust me. As for the Void Century—I couldn't care less. But I'll never understand why the Buster Call had to destroy Ohara."
"…"
The unexpected answer froze Robin's thoughts. She couldn't make sense of this man at all.
But she was no fool.She quickly asked the most important question.
"What do I have to do to survive?"
Because survival was always her first priority.
"Simple," Ren said, smiling as he offered a hand. "Let's reintroduce ourselves. I'm Ren—the true mastermind behind Baroque Works, the creator of the Utopia Project. The boss of the senior agents… and the man you just tried to assassinate."
"But don't worry—I forgive you. The price is simple: you'll keep wearing that collar. At least until we meet Crocodile."
"…"
Robin fell silent again, nearly overwhelmed by the flood of information.
"You're joking," she whispered.
"I'm not," Ren replied calmly. "I just need to be the Baroque Works boss for one week. After that, it doesn't matter—either Crocodile dies, or I do."
"Then I'm still doomed," Robin murmured.
"There are worse things than death," Ren said softly. "For example, the Poneglyph of Alabasta. I know where it is—and I can take you to it within a week."
"You don't need to doubt me. There are very few things in this world I want to know but can't find out.Most secrets—like Baroque Works, you, and Crocodile—are already laid bare."
His smile didn't waver. But behind him, Robin seemed to glimpse a devil grinning in the shadows—its hand outstretched, tempting her toward the trap.
And she knew… she couldn't refuse.
(End of Chapter)
[1] they are assuming that ren killed a subordinate of shanks, so that's why he went to the East Blue.