"Damn it! I didn't expect Cobra to find such a powerful backer."
Crocodile remained cautious even after leaving the royal palace. Concerned that the Marine Rear Admiral might be tracking him, he deliberately wandered across Alubarna for more than an hour, circling through countless streets before finally returning to Rainbase.
To Crocodile, the most dangerous place was often the safest.
"You're back?"
Seated comfortably on a sofa within the underground headquarters of Baroque Works, Nico Robin calmly turned a page of a book detailing the history of Alabasta before noticing Crocodile's arrival.
"Something's wrong."
Crocodile entered briskly, his voice unusually urgent.
Robin slowly closed her book.
"What happened?"
"Cobra may have found a powerful Marine supporter."
"A Marine?"
Robin raised an eyebrow.
"I just received word from one of our informants. At Princess Vivi's birthday banquet, Cobra publicly announced that Vivi had gained an adopted elder sister named Seraphina."
"You didn't know?"
Robin looked at him strangely.
"There were Baroque Works agents at the banquet?"
Crocodile's expression darkened.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? I went all the way there myself!"
For the first time in a long while, he felt completely foolish.
Robin blinked.
"You never asked."
Silence filled the room.
Crocodile suddenly felt a headache coming on.
After all that effort sneaking into the palace, probing Cobra, and investigating the Marines, he discovered Robin already possessed most of the information through her intelligence network.
Robin's talent for gathering information was astonishing.
Even Crocodile had not expected her to adapt so quickly after joining Baroque Works.
"The banquet started earlier than expected."
Crocodile finally sat down.
"At least I learned something useful."
Robin waited patiently.
"There is a very dangerous Marine staying in the royal palace."
Robin nodded thoughtfully.
That aligned with the information she had received.
After joining Baroque Works, she had quickly established a network of contacts throughout Alabasta.
One such connection originated from a chance encounter weeks ago.
At the time, Robin had been hiding aboard a merchant vessel when pirates attacked.
To avoid exposure, she had originally planned to remain hidden.
Unfortunately, the pirates became too troublesome.
Left with no choice, she quietly used her Hana Hana no Mi powers to throw every pirate overboard.
The owner of the merchant ship happened to be a wealthy Alabastan merchant traveling alongside his daughter.
Afterward, they became friendly with Robin.
Coincidentally, that same merchant later received an invitation to Vivi's birthday celebration at the royal palace.
Through him, Robin quickly obtained information regarding the banquet.
By the time Crocodile finished wandering around Alubarna for over an hour, the celebration was already nearing its conclusion.
"It seems we should postpone the plan to seize Alabasta."
Crocodile leaned back.
"For now, we focus entirely on finding Pluton."
As long as that Marine remained in Alabasta, he would proceed cautiously.
Once he acquired the Ancient Weapon, everything would change.
Then neither the Marines nor the World Government would be able to stop him.
A cold glimmer appeared in his eyes.
Outside, moonlight illuminated the desert kingdom.
Tonight's moon seemed especially bright.
A silver reflection suddenly flashed across Robin's face.
Robin froze.
A chill crawled up her spine.
Years of surviving countless betrayals had sharpened her instincts.
Something terrifying was nearby.
A predator.
A monster.
Watching from the darkness.
Saint Roselith Seraphina had not expected Crocodile to be this cautious.
After trailing him for over an hour, even she began losing patience.
When she finally saw him enter the building and remain inside, she decided to move.
"Oh no!"
Robin suddenly shouted.
Crocodile immediately tensed.
The atmosphere instantly became suffocating.
"Seizing a kingdom?"
A calm voice echoed through the room.
"Whose kingdom are you planning to seize?"
Shing!
A sword left its scabbard.
A silver arc flashed through the darkness.
"Damn it!"
Robin immediately stepped backward.
At the same time, she secretly prepared to flee.
She had only worked with Crocodile for a month.
There was no loyalty worth risking her life for.
"At a time like this, shouldn't we be thinking about escape?"
Robin snapped.
Neither she nor Crocodile showed the slightest intention of fighting together.
The newcomer had entered without either of them noticing.
That alone was enough to demonstrate terrifying strength.
A white slash cut through the room.
Crocodile attempted to transform into sand.
Too late.
The blade struck him directly.
Black lightning-like traces of Busoshoku Haki coated the attack, bypassing his Logia defenses.
Boom!
Crocodile crashed violently into the floor.
"Marine!"
"You still refuse to let this go!"
He gritted his teeth.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
After hitting the ground, he deliberately remained down, waiting for an opportunity.
"I changed my mind."
Seraphina's voice remained calm.
Then the tip of her blade shifted toward Robin.
"Is this your lover?"
The question caught both of them off guard.
Robin nearly choked.
Crocodile's expression twisted.
"Hahaha!"
"Don't tell me the Marines don't know who she is!"
Even while injured, Crocodile attempted to provoke her.
"No!"
Robin immediately raised both hands.
"I don't know him!"
"Really!"
Her denial came so quickly that it was almost impressive.
Unlike Crocodile, she still carried an active bounty.
An eighty-million-Berry bounty.
She had absolutely no intention of being dragged down with him.
"Liar."
Seraphina answered instantly.
Robin froze.
How did she know?
For a brief moment, she could only stare at the silver-haired Marine standing in the darkness.
Ignoring Robin completely, Seraphina approached Crocodile.
With one hand, she lifted him effortlessly off the ground.
Crocodile's pupils contracted.
The strength behind that grip was absurd.
"Tell me."
The white blade rested against his throat.
Only a hair's breadth separated him from death.
"What exactly is going on here?"
Before Crocodile could answer
"He's searching for Pluton!"
Robin immediately betrayed him.
"I'm only an information broker!"
"He hired me to help gather intelligence!"
The words flew out so quickly that even Crocodile looked stunned.
Robin completely removed herself from responsibility in a single sentence.
To be fair, her appearance genuinely resembled that of an information broker.
After years of surviving alone, she knew exactly when self-preservation came first.
"Liar."
Seraphina responded again.
Robin's eyes widened.
Again?!
She could tell?
Even in the darkness, Robin stared at the Marine woman in disbelief.
Then she moved.
"Seis Fleur!"
"Anchor Flower!"
Arms suddenly blossomed across Seraphina's body.
Robin had made her decision.
Whether Crocodile deserved saving was irrelevant.
If Crocodile fell here, she would be next.
The only chance of survival was to help him escape.
Unexpectedly, Seraphina paused.
Her body stiffened.
For a brief instant, genuine surprise crossed her face.
Arms?
Growing from her body?
What kind of ability was this?
Without sight, the sudden appearance of foreign limbs was enough to unsettle anyone.
Instinctively, she released Crocodile.
The moment he regained freedom, Crocodile transformed into sand and retreated at full speed.
Only then did Seraphina's Kenbunshoku Haki fully analyze the phenomenon.
A Devil Fruit ability.
The woman's power.
The strange limbs were not real attacks emerging from nowhere.
They were manifestations created by the Hana Hana no Mi.
Understanding replaced confusion.
The brief fear vanished immediately.
But that moment of hesitation had already given both criminals a chance to act.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 155 ON PATREON.
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