Entering her father's main office, Naru found the man intently poring over several reports, his expression stern and focused. As soon as she shut the door behind her with a soft click, Dragon's sharp eyes lifted from the papers. He gave her a curt nod, a silent gesture of acknowledgment only a parent used when dealing with a child who was also a fellow leader.
Since this meeting was meant to be private, the room was empty of any other voice or presence. Sabo had escorted her all the way to the door but immediately excused himself, fully understanding that whatever was discussed here would eventually reach him through Dragon or through Naru anyway. That was how the chain of responsibility in the Revolutionary Army worked. Information always flowed downward, especially when it concerned the future of the revolution.
Naru settled comfortably into the chair across from him, and, true to his nature, Dragon wasted no time with small talk.
"I have heard that you have been quite busy lately, taking over several minor kingdoms that were originally under the World Government's authority."
"Taking over makes it sound unnecessarily aggressive," Naru replied with a sly smile as she crossed one leg over the other. "Those kingdoms were abandoned long before I arrived. No protection, no resources, nothing but neglect. All I did was stretch out a hand and offer help. They were more than willing to accept it. Honestly, they welcomed me quite eagerly, if I must say."
"They were still technically part of the World Government's domain," he reminded her, arching an eyebrow.
"Well, not anymore." She lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug. "And let's be honest, those kingdoms were barely functioning. They had no political influence, no economic strength, not even proper infrastructure. The World Government tossed them aside like refuse. I simply collected what they threw away."
Dragon's lips twitched into a smirk, the kind that barely concealed amusement. "Even so, your actions must have wounded their pride. And it was only vecause it was you that they did not dare respond."
It was the truth. No one with sense would willingly provoke Naru. She possessed an overwhelming level of power, far too dangerous to antagonize over a few forgotten nations that the World Government themselves could not be bothered to maintain. Retaliating against her would be seen as reckless, perhaps even suicidal. They knew better. Aside from raising her bounty yet again, the World Government remained quiet, cautiously silent, as if hoping she would eventually grow bored and leave the territories alone.
Naru, on the other hand, had been enjoying a relatively peaceful life.
"I'm well aware," she replied before her eyes caught sight of something near the edge of his desk. A familiar sheet of paper peeked out from beneath a stack of documents. "Oh, looks like you are keeping tabs on him after all."
Her eyes rested on the wanted poster, worn at the corners but unmistakably carrying the image of Monkey D Luffy. It was the most recently issued one following the chaos of Marineford. The numbers had risen once more, another hundred million added to his total.
Not bad at all for a so-called rookie.
Pride was evident in his eyes as he looked at his son's wanted poster. As expected from someone of their bloodline.
""Speaking of that boy," Dragon continued after a thoughtful pause, "how is he doing?"
Naru leaned back slightly. "Oh, he's doing fine. He can use Haki now, by the way. Also, he told me to say hello."
For the briefest instant, a spark of genuine surprise widened Dragon's eyes before it melted into an expression that was rarely seen on him. A gentle, heartfelt smile touched his features, a warmth that softened the cold determination usually carved into his face. He looked almost like an ordinary father at that moment, basking in the simple joy of hearing about his son.
It had been eleven long years since he last saw Luffy. She knew, without a doubt, that this father of hers had carried the longing to reunite with his son like a hidden scar in his chest.
"He should be finishing his training soon," Dragon murmured, almost to himself. Then his focus sharpened as he looked directly at her. "Do you think I should go see him when he is done?"
Naru pretended not to notice the hopeful brightness tucked behind his usually controlled expression. Instead, she answered in a measured tone, "He and his crew will reunite on Sabaody in a year. You should go then. I'm certain he would be happy to finally meet his father again after eleven years."
Dragon released a slow exhale, and for an instant, guilt passed over his features like a faint shadow. Nevertheless, he nodded with quiet resolve. "You are right. When that time comes… I will go."
With the subject of Luffy settled, their conversation naturally returned to matters concerning the revolutionary movement. They discussed strategy, recent advancements in their plans, and the growing number of kingdoms that were beginning to support the Revolutionary Army. Many of these nations had suffered for generations under the World Government, their pleas for help ignored or deliberately silenced. Now they found a glimmer of hope in Dragon's cause.
To these desperate people, the Revolutionary Army had become a fragile light, like a small candle flickering within a relentless storm. It was not large, nor was it overwhelmingly powerful, but it refused to be extinguished. It offered hope where none existed. Hope that someone out there still fought for justice. Hope that change was possible.
Naru built her empire to secure the future of her people. She wanted stability, safety, and prosperity for those under her protection. Dragon fought for the forgotten, the silenced, and the oppressed. He sought to tear down the corruption rotting at the core of the world and empower others to stand for themselves.
Different intentions. Parallel paths. But both chipped away at the World Government's influence. Both existed as obstacles, thorns that pricked Mary Geoise with every step.
So what if Naru refused to officially join the Revolutionary Army? She did not need to bear their emblem for her actions to support their cause.
Dragon understood that. Deep down, he accepted it. Perhaps he even admired it a little.
He was satisfied with the daughter sitting across from him.
That sense of pride wavered when his eyes lingered on her face for a moment too long. He stared at the faint, almost invisible marks on her cheeks, then at the vivid blue eyes that seemed to gleam like the sky after rainfall. They did not resemble his eyes. They did not resemble the eyes of her mother. No one in either family bore eyes like that.
And just like that, a memory he had buried resurfaced.
The moment she was born. The quiet room. The overwhelming sorrow etched into the face of a woman who had given everything just to bring this child into the world.
An old voice echoed through his mind, frail and trembling, filled with fear and desperation.
"This is bad... She cannot stay here. It is not safe for her..."
He remembered the sight of the pale woman lying weakly on the bed, her life slipping away even as she spoke.
"Please… Dragon, take her away from here."
.
.
.
When she stepped out of her father's office, Naru was not even mildly surprised to find Nico Robin already waiting for her in the hallway. The older woman stood with elegant composure, her back resting lightly against the wall, arms crossed in a relaxed yet dignified pose. Judging by her calm demeanor, she had probably been there for quite a while.
"Robin-san."
"You can drop the honorific," Robin said with a gentle smile that warmed her features. "Since you are Luffy's older sister, that makes you practically family already."
Naru gave a small nod, accepting the sentiment easily. "Then you can call me by my name as well."
Robin's expression softened into something warmer, almost fond. "Would you mind taking a little walk with me? There are a few things I would like to discuss."
"Sure. Lead the way."
Robin guided her down the hallway and toward a quieter corner of Baltigo, choosing a secluded area where the two of them could speak privately without anyone passing by.
Once they both sat down, Naru settled comfortably and focused her attention on Robin. The older woman, meanwhile, took a moment to really observe her. Ever since Luffy had revealed, quite casually, that he had an older sister, Robin's curiosity had been steadily simmering.
Initially, her interest had been purely out of curiosity.
According to Luffy, this sister of his was so overwhelmingly strong that even he and Ace together could not defeat her. And while Luffy was prone to exaggeration on many topics, Robin had quickly realized that this was one of the rare occasions when he was not being dramatic. If Naru was truly that powerful, Robin had expected her name to be widely known across the seas. Someone like that should have had stories trailing behind her, whispers in taverns, warnings in the underworld, or at the very least a bounty poster circulating somewhere.
Yet, when Robin sifted through her vast memory, she found nothing. Monkey D Naru did not appear in any records, any archives, or any underground reports. It felt strange, almost unreal, especially when she considered the rest of Luffy's family.
After all, every known member of Luffy's family—each bearing the infamous middle initial 'D'—seemed to have a distinct and pivotal role in shaping the world.
Every known member of the D bloodline held immense significance in the world. Luffy and Ace were infamous pirates. Garp was a marine hero whose name echoed alongside legends, said to have matched the Pirate King himself. Dragon stood as the leader of the greatest opposing force to the World Government. And yet here was Naru, someone Luffy praised as incredibly powerful and frighteningly capable, yet she had lived in a manner so low profile that Robin had never even heard of her.
That confusion lasted until the day Robin received a snail transponder call from Luffy. A rare direct order from the captain. During that call, he finally introduced not only his older sister but also another brother who happened to work directly under Dragon.
With Monkey D Naru's explosive introduction to the world stage, broadcasted through infamy and action, Robin was struck with a single thought.
Her captain's family had to be the strangest and most formidable family she had ever encountered so far. A bloodline full of 'D', bound together by an uncanny habit of flipping off the World Government in increasingly creative ways.
And if Robin was being honest with herself… she did not mind that at all.
Naru caught her gaze and lifted an eyebrow. "If I had to guess, you want to ask about your captain and the rest of the Straw Hats?"
At the mention of her beloved crewmates, Robin's lips curved into a soft smile. "I trust they are doing just fine, wherever they are right now."
"Then is there something else on your mind?"
"You could say I am curious," Robin admitted, her tone quiet but sincere. "About you. Everything I have heard and everything I have seen so far has been… very impressive."
When Robin was still entangled with a certain secretive and dangerous organization, she had occasionally caught wind of mysterious rumors circulating through the shadows. Whispers of an enigmatic figure known as the Uzukage. A woman whose power was described in hushed tones, someone whose influence was beginning to spread across the Grand Line. One particular story had stood out above the rest.
A tale of a single woman who had saved an island from total destruction, protecting it from a Buster Call and annihilating the fleet that had been sent to erase it. The story spread swiftly, a wild rumor that gained shape and weight with each retelling. When Robin heard it, she had been unable to hide the shock that surged through her. It had shaken her to her core. The memory of Ohara and its annihilation had haunted her since childhood. To hear that someone had defeated the very same kind of force that had destroyed her homeland… it had stirred something within her. Hope, envy, awe, and a deep piercing grief all twisted together.
Back then, Robin had been desperate. Desperate enough that she had seriously contemplated seeking out this mysterious Uzukage and begging for protection. She had told herself that the enemy of her enemy might become her ally. It was one of the reasons she joined Crocodile in the first place. She had never intended to remain at his side. She was simply waiting for even the faintest rumor of the Uzukage's location before she slipped away again.
But then she found the Poneglyph she had been searching for. That discovery rooted her in place. She stayed, choosing knowledge over escape. Later, destiny brought the Straw Hats into her life. They gave her something she had never dared hope for.
A companionship, a purpose, warmth, and a future that was not defined by running or fear.
"Well… thanks, I guess?" Naru said awkwardly, scratching the side of her cheek like a flustered teenager rather than a terrifyingly capable leader.
Robin let out a soft chuckle at the sight. "You are very welcome."
Then a thought struck her, and Naru blinked, her expression brightening as she remembered something. "Oh, before I arrived here, I ran into the first mate of my little brother."
Robin's eyes brigtened. "Zoro? Where is he now?"
"He's with Mihawk."
Robin's eyebrows rose in surprise. "My goodness. That is not a pairing I expected. Do you plan to see him again soon?"
"Probably not for a while. Why do you ask?"
"I thought he might like to know that our cook is training with one of the Revolutionary Commanders."
"You mean Sanji?" Naru asked, recalling the wanted poster featuring a blond man with a very distinctive swirl in his eyebrow.
"Yes, that would be him."
"I heard he is training under Iva."
Robin nodded. "That is what Sabo told me."
"And Luffy mentioned that Sanji really, really loves women."
Robin chuckled as she nodded. "Yes. That is very true."
Naru suddenly burst into laughter. Not a quiet chuckle, but a loud, unabashed explosion of amusement that practically shook the air around them. It echoed across the hallway with enough intensity to rival Garp's legendary laughter.
"Oh, that is priceless. Absolutely priceless."
Robin stared at her, amused but also curious. "Is there something wrong with Commander Iva?"
Naru wiped a tear from her eye and leaned closer with a mischievous grin. "Let me just say this… poor Sanji might be living through a personal nightmare right now."
By the time their conversation came to a close, Robin could not help but feel a little sympathetic toward their poor cook. Given his personality and his overwhelming devotion to the idea of beautiful women, he was most likely suffering in ways only he could truly comprehend.
And yet… she was entertained by the thought as well.
A small, hopeful smile tugged at her lips as she imagined the inevitable reunion with her beloved crew. It would be chaotic. It would be emotional. It would be loud and unpredictable and absolutely overflowing with affection.
In other words, it would be everything the Straw Hats always were.
She could not wait for the day they all found each other again.