"Hmph... Your strength is getting stronger..."
Crocodile looked at the honest Mr.1 Daz Bonez, feeling that he finally found a somewhat competent subordinate over the years: "Let's go, call that woman Nico Robin, and let's enter the King's Tomb of Alabasta together to have a look..."
The King's Tomb of Alabasta.
This is where the kings of Alabasta are buried.
The ruler who once participated in creating the World Government also left a Poneglyph in the tomb, recording a shocking secret.
Crocodile learned of this by chance and was desperate to know the contents of the Poneglyph, so he recruited the world's last archaeologist, Nico Robin.
Inside the King's Tomb.
Nico Robin followed behind Crocodile and Cobra. When she saw the rectangular Poneglyph, she couldn't help but walk over.
"Hurry and take a look..."
Crocodile urged Nico Robin, his face showing a touch of greed: "Nico Robin, now it's your time to be useful, quickly read out the Poneglyph's text, tell me where exactly the Pluto is hidden..."
"..."
Nico Robin remained silent.
The archaeologist known as the 'Son of the Demon' slowly reached out, carefully caressing the ancient characters on it, having already deciphered the secret hidden in the Poneglyph, still marveling at those ancient inscriptions.
But...
Nico Robin felt a bit disappointed.
She thought the Poneglyph would record the Void Century.
Unfortunately...
It only recorded the secret about Pluto that Crocodile wanted, but she had no intention of sharing this secret with Crocodile.
Nico Robin's original intent was to use Crocodile to find this Poneglyph, never intending for a weapon like Pluto to fall into the hands of someone as evil as Crocodile.
Nico Robin had considered what she should do next, perhaps revealing the truth to Crocodile at this moment was also an option, having grown a bit weary from years of fleeing...
However...
The Golden Palace that appeared in the Alabasta desert gave Nico Robin another option, one that an archaeologist could never pass up on any discovered relic.
Moreover...
Nico Robin now confirmed one thing.
The Poneglyph recorded the secret about Pluto, so the Golden Palace couldn't possibly contain Pluto, perhaps it held the history she wanted to know, certainly using ancient texts to record the history of the blank hundred years in the Golden Palace!
And the Golden Palace, surrounded by quicksand, also requires the use of Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit ability to excavate, she can use this to fabricate a lie...
"Mr. Crocodile."
Nico Robin slowly let go of the Poneglyph, her eyes landing on Crocodile, a sinister smile curling on her lips.
"We found the right place, Alabasta has been quite cautious in guarding Pluto, the Poneglyph does indeed record clues about Pluto..."
"However..."
"It mentions something..."
"The location that records Pluto's true whereabouts..."
"Is in the Golden Underground Palace in the Alabasta desert!"
The smile on Nico Robin's lips grew more intense, as if she was born knowing how to deceive: "I have already traced the location of the Golden Underground Palace through the Poneglyph here, it also records the true method to uncover the Golden Underground Palace, mentioning that only a Sand-Sand Fruit user can dig out the Golden Underground Palace buried deep in the desert through the quicksand..."
Nico Robin felt a bit happy.
Even though deceiving the dangerous pirate Crocodile might put her life at risk, she could see two Poneglyphs today.
"I see..."
Crocodile frowned slightly, a bit dissatisfied with the extra hassle, but finally finding Pluto's clue gave him a solid reassurance.
Once he finds the whereabouts of Pluto, once he obtains the legendary weapon Pluto, everything will turn out well...
Whether it's the capture by the Navy Admiral, or that useless position in the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he doesn't need any of it, he could surpass the World Government!
"Then let's go to that Golden Palace..."
Just as Crocodile was about to leave with everyone, his Radio Snail suddenly rang, the urgent sound interrupted their conversation.
"Bruru... bruru..."
"Bruru... bruru... bruru..."
Crocodile impatiently pulled out his Radio Snail, quite annoyed at the interruption: "Better state your purpose in ten seconds..."
"I'm Navy Admiral Sengoku..."
The Radio Snail gradually transformed into Sengoku's appearance, his voice somewhat calm: "Crocodile, I've already arrived in Alabasta, in the name of the World Government..."
"Get lost!"
Crocodile hung up the Radio Snail directly, guessing what nonsense Sengoku wanted to say, likely attempting to strip him of his position in the Seven Warlords of the Sea!