Unfortunately, Kuzan was already out at sea on a patrol mission and couldn't be reached.
I spent those frantic days gathering what intel I could from Sakazuki and the other officers, desperately pulling strings behind the scenes to halt the wheels of the Buster Call.
But time is a merciless tide. The order came down from Headquarters: Sakazuki and the rest were to mobilize for Mary Geoise immediately.
The plan was to head to G-1, swap for dedicated battleships, and rendezvous with the rest of the fleet—including Kuzan—en route.
Using every bit of influence I had, I clawed out a month-long "vacation" and secured a spot on Sakazuki's ship as a passenger.
I still hadn't heard a word about Saul's status, and the gnawing anxiety that my warning letters might not have reached Olvia kept me awake at night.
"Oi, Krieg. Why are you huddled in the corner like a shriveled bean?"
It was Sakazuki. I looked up, watching the man who, in another timeline, would cold-bloodedly sink a ship full of innocent civilians.
"Hey, Sakazuki," I said, my voice steady. "If the Buster Call happens... don't go firing on any evacuation ships, okay?"
"Hah? Unless it's a direct order, do you really think I'm the type of man to do that?"
He had definitely mellowed out over the last few years. My influence, or perhaps the lack of a world-shattering war, had kept his "Thorough Justice" from turning into "Absolute Cruelty."
"Just a bad joke," I replied. "But do you really think they'll pull the trigger?"
"The probability is high. Myself, Kuzan, Vice Admirals Morse, Guta, and Ieki have all been summoned. The World Government's ship will land first to 'find evidence.' Knowing those suits, if they can't find it, they'll fabricate it." Sakazuki gestured vaguely toward the horizon.
"Yeah... I've got research interests in Ohara. Friends, too. It'll be a huge blow if that island goes up in smoke."
"I don't know who your friends are, but don't let anyone suspect you of collusion. You're a Marine first."
"If you recall, I helped a girl find her mother a couple of years back. The mother's an archaeologist. I've been having her look into the 'Lunarian Legends' for me."
Sakazuki grunted. "And you think that's enough to stop a Buster Call? Krieg, you're a Marine; you know the doctrine. 'Exterminate above all else.'
Once those ships start firing, the mission is absolute. Even you can't overturn a Government mandate that easily.
If you want to do something, make sure your friends are on the first evacuation boat. Fortunately, you're on 'leave,' so you aren't part of the firing line."
"I'm leaving the ship as soon as we spot the island. If the cannons start roaring, don't mind me."
"Hmph. I don't expect a man like you to die easily. Whatever you're planning, don't get the Government's eyes on you. I still have plenty for you to do in the Navy."
My primary goal: Stop the Buster Call. Secondary: Save Olvia, Robin, and the others. If Saul was already on the island, he would likely serve as the perfect distraction. I just needed to talk to Kuzan once we met up.
The Tree of Knowledge: Ohara, West Blue
"Robin! Congratulations!!" "You did it!" "We have cake!!" "Well done, Robin-chan."
Inside the Great Library, the scholars were cheering. Robin had just passed her doctoral exams with a perfect score.
"That exam the other day... full marks! From today on, you are a full-fledged archaeologist!" Dr. Clover announced, his face beaming with pride.
A look of pure joy erupted across Robin's face.
"Here, Robin-chan," said a man named Lasky, handing her a small badge. "This is the mark of a scholar. Don't lose it."
"Thank you, Mr. Lasky! I'm going to show Mama!" Robin clutched the emblem and ran off, her feet barely touching the ground.
Lasky watched her go, waving. "She's incredible... passed the PhD exam at age ten? With a perfect score? Some people are just born geniuses."
"It wasn't just talent," Clover noted. "She's worked harder than anyone, staying up late in the stacks and learning everything her mother could teach her."
The Olvia Residence
Olvia sat at her kitchen table, her eyes fixed on a letter. Her long, white hair had been cut to shoulder length and dyed black—a disguise that made her unrecognizable from her old bounty posters.
The warning was clear: a Government ship was coming. And if they came, they would find the Poneglyph hidden in the basement.
Following Krieg's advice, they had ceased all research into the Void Century two years ago. The old research notes were hidden within the thousands of books in the library—impossible to find unless you were an expert.
Maybe it's better to just show them the basement from the start, she thought. There were no research papers there anymore, just a giant cube of stone in an empty room.
She began to write a note to Dr. Clover, explaining the arrival of the Government ship, the threat of the Buster Call, and her plan to disclose the basement immediately.
So, it finally caught up to us.
She leaned her head in her hands. In a way, it was a miracle they had two years of peace. That Marine had done his job well—no agents had come, and no posters had circulated in the West Blue until now.
But she couldn't stay. She either had to surrender or find a new place to hide. Either way, she couldn't take Robin with her. She wouldn't lead her daughter down a path of darkness.
Through the window, she saw Robin running toward the house, waving something in the air with a massive smile.
"I'm sorry, Robin," Olvia whispered to the empty room. "We had so much fun."
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