Bege's ferocious Conqueror's Haki tormented Robin's spirit, leaving her writhing in agony on the floor, yet she offered no defense or explanation.
"Such a stubborn woman," Bege said, his face expressionless. He shook his head, and the Conqueror's Haki vanished without a trace. He looked down at her.
From her willingness to endure death rather than explain, it was highly likely she was lying, probably because she didn't want him to get his hands on Pluton. Of course, he couldn't kill her based on a mere suspicion. Even if she was lying, he wouldn't kill her. He needed her ability to read the Poneglyphs.
"Nico Robin, we have a common enemy. Ideologically, we are on the same side," Bege said in a low voice. "You want to avenge your mother and the wrongly accused scholars of Ohara, don't you? Tell me where Pluton is, and I promise I will avenge your mother and the souls of the dead from Ohara."
"I told you the truth. Pluton is on Ohto Island," Robin insisted through gritted teeth.
Bege narrowed his eyes and pondered for a few seconds before sighing. "For now, I'll take your word for it, Nico Robin."
"Get up."
Nico Robin struggled to her feet, her face deathly pale, barely able to stand.
Several of Bege's men emerged from his internal castle. They used large sheets of paper to make a rubbing of the Poneglyph, and then Bege stored the stone itself away. His Observation Haki instantly covered the entire Funerary Hall as he searched for anything else of interest. After all, this was the tomb of one of the twenty founding royal families; perhaps some record of the Void Century was hidden here.
He didn't find any historical records, but he did detect a large group of soldiers rushing in. They had likely discovered the intrusion.
"We've been found," Robin said, hearing the faint sound of footsteps and immediately looking to Bege.
"It's fine. We'll wait for them here." Bege leaned against a stone pillar, puffing on his cigar, looking completely relaxed. He didn't leave because among the newcomers was the king of Alabasta, Nefertari Cobra, and there were some things he wanted to ask him.
Several figures rushed in first. The leader was a tall man with peculiar curly hair. His face turned grim the moment he saw Bege and Robin. This was the captain of the Royal Guard. Behind him were his deputies and the kingdom's most elite unit, the Tsumegeri Guards.
Bege's gaze lingered on him for only a moment before shifting to the two large men at his sides.
To his right was a tall, strong young man with long brown hair, wearing an Arabian-style turban. He had deep purple, four-pointed star makeup around his eyes and wore a white robe adorned with black quadrilateral patterns. This was Pell, deputy commander of the Alabasta Royal Guard and, in the future, the kingdom's strongest warrior. He was the user of the Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit, Falcon Model, known as "Pell the Falcon," one of Alabasta's two future guardian gods.
To his left was a man even more muscular and older than Pell, wearing a cloak, his expression stern. He was the other of Alabasta's two future guardian gods, Chaka, user of the Zoan-type Dog-Dog Fruit, Jackal Model, known as "Chaka the Jackal."
"Intruders in the Royal Tomb! Arrest them!" the guard captain roared.
Pell drew the longsword at his waist and, without hesitation, charged at Bege. Chaka moved at the same time, targeting Robin.
Bege simply lifted a finger and flicked it. Pell and Chaka were simultaneously struck by an invisible force and sent flying backward. They crashed to the ground, coughing up blood.
The guard captain and the Tsumegeri Guards stared, dumbfounded, their faces a mixture of shock and horror.
Pell and Chaka leaped back to their feet, their bodies beginning to transform. They activated their Devil Fruit abilities, shifting into their hybrid forms. Pell flapped his wings and kicked off the ground, his speed increasing severalfold. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Bege.
"Tobizume!" Pell roared, slashing forward with his talons. A flurry of claw marks descended on Bege, but they were all blocked by his invisible barrier, leaving only a series of scratches on its surface.
"Naruto!" Chaka followed close behind, his longsword striking the invisible barrier and carving a deeper gash, but he still couldn't break through.
The two attacked frantically, trying to destroy the barrier, but their efforts were in vain.
Bege flicked his finger again, and another invisible impact sent them flying once more.
The guard captain's face was extremely grim. "It is time to show our loyalty to the king," he said with a look of grim determination.
The Tsumegeri Guards behind him looked equally resolute. They each took out a vial of liquid, their faces set.
"Oh, that must be the Hero Water," Bege said, his eyebrow raised with interest.
He made a grabbing motion in the air, and the vials flew from the guards' hands into his. He examined the swirling liquid with curiosity. This was Hero Water, a strange concoction developed in Alabasta that granted immense strength for a short time, similar in effect to Hody's Energy Steroids from the original story. However, the side effects of Hero Water were far more severe. Anyone who drank it would age rapidly in a matter of minutes and was almost certain to die. It consumed the user's entire remaining lifespan, which was why it was also known as the Water of Time.
Hody's Energy Steroids were actually a modified version of a secret medicine from Ryugu Palace, one of its trump cards passed down through generations. Bege had obtained the recipe from Neptune and had given it to his scientists to research and improve, hoping to create a version with fewer, or even no, side effects. Although this Hero Water was not as good as the Energy Steroids, it could still be a valuable reference for their research. He decided to take it back for his scientists to study.
"All of you, stop!" a hurried shout echoed through the hall. A middle-aged man with medium-length black hair, wearing a purple robe, rushed in.
"Your Majesty! It's dangerous here! Please leave at once!" the guard captain shouted urgently.
The newcomer was none other than the king of the Alabasta Kingdom, Nefertari Cobra.
Cobra shook his head and walked forward resolutely. He looked at Bege and said in a firm voice, "We are facing the Emperor of the New World, 'Demon Dragon' Capone Bege. If he wants to kill me, it won't matter where I run."
"Emperor... Demon Dragon..." The guard captain and the others looked as if they had seen a ghost.
"King Cobra, I am not here to cause you trouble," Bege said coolly. "There is something I need to ask you in private. Please have your soldiers leave for a moment."
Cobra nodded and waved his hand for the guards to leave.
"Your Majesty, allow me to stay with you," Pell said urgently.
"There is no need. He has no killing intent. He will not harm me," Cobra said, shaking his head firmly.
The Royal Guard had no choice but to withdraw from the hall and stand guard outside.