As Nico Robin disappeared into the distance, Kael let out a slow breath and turned back toward the crew.
"Let's move forwa—"
He stopped.
Every woman on the ship was staring at him.
Not casually.
Not lightly.
But with unmistakable questions burning in their eyes.
A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
"…Is something wrong, ladies?"
Tashigi stepped forward, fists clenched, her expression serious.
"Kael-san… who was she really?"
"She felt like someone I know…"
Kael raised an eyebrow, momentarily caught off guard.
(No way… how did she even—)
Before he could finish the thought, Vivi stepped in as well.
"Yes, Kael-san! I'm curious too…"
Kael paused, then quickly tried to deflect.
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
He turned toward Vivi.
"And princess, don't forget—it was you who revealed her identity as Miss All Sunday, right?"
"Don't pretend!!"
Nami snapped instantly.
"By now, we're sure of one thing—"
She pointed straight at him.
"Don't know how, but there's no one in this world you don't know!!"
Behind her, the others nodded without hesitation.
Clear agreement.
Absolute certainty.
Nami crossed her arms.
"So go on. Tell us about her…"
Her fist clenched slightly.
"…before I give you another bump on your head."
Kael sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
(Why are these women so sharp…)
Nami huffed proudly the moment she heard that.
Kael just shook his head, giving up.
"Alright…"
He straightened slightly.
"Set the course. Full speed to Alabasta."
A brief pause.
"I'll tell you everything I know about her."
The reaction was immediate.
"Yes!!"
Meanwhile—
Far across the sea—
Robin continued her journey atop Bunchi, the massive turtle gliding steadily over the waves.
The wind brushed against her hair as her expression settled into calm thoughtfulness.
After a moment, she reached into her coat and pulled out a transponder snail.
The connection clicked.
A deep voice answered from the other side.
"What did you find, Miss All Sunday?"
On the other end was Crocodile.
Robin replied smoothly, her tone both professional and faintly amused.
"It was just as you expected."
Crocodile took a slow puff of his cigar.
"So… it was the princess this whole time, huh…"
A low, arrogant huff escaped him.
"She'll regret it."
Robin's gaze drifted forward.
I wouldn't be too sure of that…
Her thoughts lingered briefly—
On Kael.
Crocodile continued.
"And what about the Baroque Works agents and the bounty hunters at Whiskey Peak?"
"I haven't heard from them since earlier…"
Robin's smile returned, subtle yet sharp.
"Oh? About that…"
"They were all defeated."
Silence.
A few seconds passed—
Then his voice returned, low and edged with anger.
"Don't joke with me, Robin."
"You're saying over a hundred bounty hunters… and four Baroque Works agents… were defeated?"
"I'm not joking, boss."
"All of them were indeed defeated."
A pause.
Then—
"Oh yeah?"
"Then tell me, Robin…"
"Who in the Grand Line would dare to interfere with my business—"
"Kael Sylvarion."
She cut him off calmly.
"I told you about him. Remember?"
"And he most likely knows your real identity."
Silence.
Then—
Thud.
A sharp impact echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
Crocodile had slammed his hand onto the desk.
"I see…"
His voice dropped, filled with cold fury.
"So it's that bastard."
"Does an eighty million bounty get to his head?"
"Did that brat forget his place?"
"How dare he stand against a Warlord!"
Robin's smile deepened slightly.
Crocodile continued, irritation sharpening his tone.
"What tricks did he use?"
"To defeat all of them at once…"
"He must be heavily injured by now."
"And who else is with him?"
Robin's thoughts turned quietly.
Tricks? Injured?
You'll be surprised.
But outwardly, her answer remained composed.
"Indeed, he's very injured."
"And he's traveling with his crew."
"A small group—three women, excluding the princess."
Crocodile paused.
Then—
A slow, disdainful chuckle escaped him.
"Only three women?"
"Useless."
His voice turned darker.
"Let him come to Alabasta…"
"Dare to interfere with my plans?"
"I'll show him exactly how out of his depth he is."
Robin chuckled softly to herself.
You really have no idea… boss.
Crocodile spoke again.
"How long until you return, Miss All Sunday?"
"We have important matters to attend to."
"I'm on my way."
"Good."
The line went dead.
Robin lowered the transponder snail and put it away.
The sea stretched endlessly ahead, but her gaze sharpened with quiet anticipation.
"Looks like I'll need to move a little faster with my plans…"
A faint pause.
"Kael seems… quite fond of me, at least in his thoughts."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"But that doesn't mean anything."
"It's always better to be prepared."
With that—
She leaned forward slightly.
Bunchi surged ahead across the waves, carrying her toward Alabasta.
And whatever awaited there.
The scene returned to the Sovereign Gale.
The ship was quiet.
Too quiet.
Kael had just finished explaining Nico Robin's past to the crew—
And the result was exactly what one would expect.
Shock.
Deep, suffocating shock.
Followed closely by anger.
Not the loud, reckless kind—
But something heavier.
Something that settled deep within.
Kael looked at their expressions and sighed.
(I knew this would happen.)
The silence stretched—
Until Tashigi finally broke it.
Her fists trembled, her voice tight with anger.
"So the World Government…"
"…placed a seventy-nine million bounty on an eight-year-old child…"
"…just because she survived?"
Her teeth clenched.
"Why…?"
"Why would they do something like that?!"
No one answered immediately.
Then—
Kaya let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
"And they call it 'Absolute Justice'…"
"Hypocrites."
Her usual gentle tone carried a rare edge.
Vivi spoke next, her voice softer—yet shaken.
"So all this time…"
"Miss All Sunday… was only working with Crocodile to hide from them…?"
Her hands tightened slightly.
"She's been running like that… for twenty years…?"
That realization alone was enough to weigh heavily on everyone present.
Then—
Nami snapped.
Nami clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned pale.
"Those World Government bastards…!"
"How can they even call themselves human after doing something like that?!"
The anger in her voice wasn't just for Robin.
It was personal.
It hit too close to home.
Kael finally spoke.
"Robin's case… is just one among many."
"There are probably millions of stories like hers."
The words landed heavily.
The anger didn't disappear—
But it changed.
The crew fell silent once more.
This time, it wasn't shock.
It was understanding.
Nami slowly relaxed, though her gaze remained lowered, her fists still clenched.
"…Yeah."
"There have to be countless others…"
"…going through things like this."
Her voice softened, but the weight behind it only grew stronger.
"The system that claims to uphold justice…"
"…is the one that's the most broken."
She exhaled slowly.
"Their 'justice'…"
"…is just a tool."
"A tool to control everything."
No one disagreed.
Not a single word.
The truth was too clear.
The wind brushed past the sails as the ship continued forward, cutting through the sea.
And then—
Kael stepped forward.
A faint, calm smile rested on his face.
He placed a hand gently on Nami's shoulder.
"And that…"
"…is exactly what we're fighting against."
He looked at all of them.
"The Sylvarion Pirates aren't just sailing for adventure."
"We're here to tear down that kind of system."
"To erase that kind of injustice."
His voice was steady.
Firm.
"So that no one has to go through what Robin did…"
A brief pause.
"…or what you did."
Nami looked up.
Her eyes were slightly red—
But she was smiling.
"Yeah…"
"We will."
Her voice held no doubt.
"We're definitely going to succeed."
Behind her, Tashigi and Kaya nodded clearly agreeing with their navigator.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
They weren't just following him anymore—
They believed in him.
Meanwhile—
Vivi stood quietly, watching them.
There was admiration in her eyes.
Pride, even.
These people—
Her new friends—
Were standing against something far greater than themselves without hesitation.
But beneath that—
Something else stirred.
A quiet conflict.
Alabasta… is allied with the World Government…
Her expression dimmed slightly.
All this time… we've been benefiting from that alliance…
Her thoughts grew heavier.
But if this is the truth behind it…
Her fists slowly clenched.
Are those benefits really worth it…?
The answer came almost instantly.
No.
Her eyes sharpened with determination.
Absolutely not.
A quiet resolve settled within her.
Once all of this is over…
I'll talk to father.
We need to rethink everything.
Not as a princess—
But as someone who had now seen the truth.
Nearby—
Kael noticed the shift.
The subtle change in her expression.
The resolve forming in her eyes.
A small smirk appeared on his face.
(Looks like I won't need to interfere.)
(She'll handle that conversation herself.)
He closed his eyes briefly.
(Good.)
(That's better.)
(This way… things might change before it's too late.)
A faint thought crossed his mind—
Unspoken, but clear.
(It might even prevent King Cobra's death in the future.)
The wind picked up slightly.
The sails adjusted.
And the Sovereign Gale continued its journey—
Cutting steadily across the sea—
Toward Alabasta.
Toward the storm waiting ahead.