Just as Lafitte was about to take the two newcomers below and introduce them to everyone, the Den Den Mushi in Sara's arms began to ring.
"Bero bero bero!"
Sara hurriedly took it out and nervously handed it to White Ghost.
"Captain, it should be from Baroque Works."
White Ghost said nothing. He accepted the Den Den Mushi and gestured for them to leave.
Just as the caller was beginning to think no one would answer—
Kacha.
The call connected.
For a moment, neither side spoke.
White Ghost looked at the female hat on top of the Den Den Mushi's head and already knew who it was. He casually tapped his fingers against the table and waited for the other side to speak first.
After a brief silence, a woman's pleasant voice came through.
"It seems those two failed their mission.
In that case, Lord Laden, would you be interested in joining us instead?"
White Ghost's lips curled upward.
"No. Their mission didn't fail.
For them, it was completed perfectly."
The woman on the other side narrowed her eyes.
"Oh? That doesn't sound like Lord Laden's voice.
Then who are you? The consequences of interfering with Baroque Works are not something you can bear."
At that moment, Bai Hezi came upstairs after finishing her bath, dressed in comfortable sleepwear.
She saw White Ghost smiling mischievously while talking to another woman.
Without saying anything, she set down the lemon drink Wanda had prepared and sat beside him.
White Ghost casually wrapped an arm around her waist and continued speaking into the Den Den Mushi.
"Who am I?
My name is White Ghost.
Out on the sea, people also call me the Dragon Emperor.
Is that explanation enough, Vice President Miss All Sunday?"
The moment he said it, the Den Den Mushi's eyes widened dramatically, perfectly mimicking the woman's shocked expression.
A few moments later, Nico Robin finally spoke again.
"Ara~ It seems those two happened to offend a very important person during their mission.
Then, Lord Dragon Emperor, may I ask whether they are still alive?"
White Ghost nodded.
"They're alive and doing very well.
They decided there was no future following that desert crocodile, so they joined my crew instead.
You could call it abandoning darkness for the light.
Speaking of which, Vice President Miss All Sunday, when are you planning to do the same?"
Robin's eyes narrowed again.
"It seems Lord Dragon Emperor knows quite a lot.
You even know the identity of our organization's boss."
White Ghost smiled.
"I don't know that much.
By the way, Nico Robin, you joined Baroque Works not long ago, didn't you?
How about leaving him and joining me instead?
Following that crocodile around the desert searching for Pluton doesn't sound very reliable."
Clang!
The sound of a cup hitting the floor came from the other end.
"How do you know that?
We've never met before."
White Ghost leaned back comfortably.
"How do I know?
Hmm… If I said I guessed, would you believe me?"
Robin's thoughts were in complete chaos.
If White Ghost merely knew who she was, she wouldn't have been this shocked.
After all, major figures had intelligence networks of their own.
But White Ghost had casually revealed secrets that should only be known by herself and Crocodile.
There was no way Crocodile would tell anyone.
Neither would she.
Robin took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
"Then tell me, Lord Dragon Emperor.
Why are you telling me all of this?
Do you have some ulterior motive?
Or are you simply trying to frighten me?"
White Ghost thought for a moment before answering.
"I simply wanted to tell you that Alabasta has two Poneglyphs.
One is hidden within King Nefertari Cobra's palace. That one does indeed record the location of one of the Three Ancient Weapons—Pluton.
The other lies somewhere within the endless desert.
As for what that one records, I don't know."
Robin's breathing immediately became uneven again.
"What exactly do you know?"
White Ghost smiled.
"Not much.
But every one of those things would be enough for the World Government to hunt me with everything they have.
Of course, I also happen to possess three rubbings of the red Poneglyphs Roger once found."
Robin suddenly laughed.
"Ara~ So this is where your real goal was all along.
You want me to help translate them."
White Ghost didn't deny it.
"That's part of it.
But mostly, I'm just curious.
Curious about what made Roger and the others laugh so happily."
Robin's thoughts grew even more chaotic.
What exactly did that mean?
Before she could respond, White Ghost continued.
"I already possess Pluton.
I'm not particularly interested in the Ancient Weapons.
Or rather…"
His smile deepened.
"I'm more interested in the Nico Robin of a few years from now."
Silence.
Then White Ghost hung up.
He preferred letting smart people think for themselves.
The more intelligent someone was, the easier it became for them to overanalyze things.
That worked perfectly in his favor.
Bai Hezi looked at him strangely.
"You already have so much. Isn't that enough?"
White Ghost laughed.
"I was just teasing her.
Besides, I'll need her help translating those things sooner or later."
"Hmph."
Bai Hezi puffed out her cheeks.
The expression on her face clearly said she didn't believe a word of it.
White Ghost smiled and ruffled her hair.
The two chatted quietly for a while before Bai Hezi finally returned to her room.
White Ghost, meanwhile, headed off to find Ain.
After all, exchanging swordsmanship insights with a fellow swordsman was always worthwhile.
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