A faint light brought a glimmer to the basement, and Crocodile sat in the boss's chair, half his face hidden in shadow.
The sound of cigar tobacco burning was exceptionally clear, and the exhaled smoke seemed to carry a sigh.
The latest newspaper lay on the table, its front page dominated by the trending topic, "The Blood-Red Demonic Calamity."
This terrifying natural disaster had swept across the First Half of the Grand Line, and even many coastal areas of Alabasta had suffered devastating blows.
Crocodile had visited these places, or rather, he had seen the red calamity from afar when it streaked across the sky like a meteor.
The strongest demon beast, Nero Claudius, possessed a power he had never even witnessed on Whitebeard. Could a single Pluton battleship truly contend with it?
Crocodile felt somewhat lost, but by now, he knew he couldn't stop. He had been planning for this for so many years.
It was impossible to defeat those monsters with human strength; he could only rely on the power of Pluton.
Ash from the cigar in his hand fell. In the transparent glass tank behind Crocodile, a person, bound tightly, struggled desperately in the water.
Not a sound reached his ears. Crocodile snuffed out his cigar.
Behind him, a giant Crocodile with banana-shaped tumors bit down on the person, then turned and vanished, leaving only a bloody mist in the water... In an open-air restaurant in Rainbase.
Nico Robin had been feeling anxious lately. She held a cup of coffee in one hand while looking at the same newspaper.
The starting point of the Blood-Red Demonic Calamity was very close to here. It seemed Nero had suddenly had some urgent matter.
Robin had received news when Nero and her companions arrived at Drum Kingdom.
From Drum Kingdom to where Nero left, the direction of that route should be Alabasta, where she was currently located.
Are Nero and Hathaway coming to see me? This possibility made Robin feel parched. She had turned down all work requiring her to go out recently.
She was afraid of missing Nero and her companions, but she didn't know if they would still come now.
Robin both hoped they would come and hoped they wouldn't. Her life these past few years hadn't been particularly good.
Her identity as the Demon Child and the sole survivor of Ohara meant she was destined not to walk in the light.
And news traveled even faster in the underworld. She naturally carried Nero's label, and those people were mostly interested in using her.
So she had no companions and was alone. Her current relationship with Crocodile was merely a partnership.
The World Government, out of consideration for Nero's reputation, wouldn't truly act against her, but there would be no shortage of obstacles.
Several times when she received information and headed to a poneglyph's location, CP agents would arrive a step ahead.
Her achievements over the years were few and far between. This situation only improved somewhat after she partnered with Crocodile, but it was still a drop in the ocean.
Black tendrils spread from her hand, and a thin layer of Armament Haki extended over it. Robin felt a bit helpless.
She had also cultivated Haki, but from what she understood, it was only at the level of a New World grunt. It was barely enough to bully people here.
After finishing her coffee, Robin left a few Berries on the table, intending to go to the casino to pass the time.
The casino here was one of Crocodile's sources of funding. For a valuable partner like her, Crocodile wouldn't let her lose money.
Few people could resist the allure of lavish spending and throwing money around. In games where adrenaline surged, one moment was heaven, the next was hell.
Many people's life savings were nothing more than a few thin chips here, lightly tossed onto the table in a matter of seconds.
"Miss Robin, it seems your luck is quite good today. Would you like to continue?"
The dealer looked at the chips, worth approximately seventy million Berries, in front of Robin, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead, but he maintained a respectful attitude.
This mysterious woman, who commanded respect from both the underworld and the legitimate world, was not someone a small dealer like him dared to offend.
Yes, Robin had not hidden her identity.
She had once tried to change her appearance and operate under other identities, but without exception, she hadn't lasted more than a day.
No one dared to push her too hard, and no one dared to relax their surveillance of her.
"Seventy million... Let's make it a round number. It should be just enough, right?" Robin picked up a handful of chips, bored. However, if Nero and her companions were coming, she would need some funds to entertain them.
This wouldn't be a cheap expense. Robin showed a slight smile: "Continue!"
"Alright, alright." The dealer wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, his agreement somewhat reluctant.
Just then, a staff member walked over and whispered a few words to him. When the dealer looked up again, his smile was much more genuine.
"Miss Robin, there's a distinguished guest who would like to invite you to play a round. Are you interested?"
Robin pulled her cowboy hat down a bit, her interest piqued. Since partnering with Crocodile, it had been a long time since any 'important person' dared to seek her out.
"Then let's go take a look." Robin stood up and, led by a waiter, walked towards the VIP room inside.
"I heard an 'important person' wants to play a round with me? Wanting... Ha, Hathaway?"
Robin leaned against the VIP room door, striking an elegant pose and teasing, then looked up to see a prim and proper Hathaway and a blue-haired little girl.
"Robin-chan, you seem to have matured quite a bit, haven't you?" Hathaway turned and saw Robin, who had just been so composed, immediately turn red with embarrassment, and she also chuckled teasingly.
"Ahem, it's just occasionally like this... By the way, where's Big Sister? I heard in the newspaper..."
Fortunately, Robin quickly recovered. After so many years, she was no longer the little kid she used to be.
"Her Majesty... Her Majesty's good friend had a problem, and she went to help him."
Hearing Robin mention Nero, Hathaway's expression still darkened slightly: "But Her Majesty has always been thinking of you. How did you end up getting involved with that Crocodile?"
"Come to the New World. As for poneglyph, Her Majesty's current status allows her to openly help you search for them."
Robin's face was awkward. Hathaway looked like she was scolding a rebellious little girl who had gone astray, and her disdain for Crocodile was practically overflowing in her words.
He was a Shichibukai, after all. Was it necessary to look down on him so much?
"Nico Robin, the Demon Child, is also an important partner of mine. Trying to take someone away without so much as a greeting, isn't that a bit too disrespectful?"
Crocodile, his body condensed from sand and draped in a black cloak, appeared with a cigar in his mouth. His golden hook slammed heavily onto the gambling table, his eyes fierce: "Hathaway, the Demon Human, is it?!"
"Huh!"
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