Eroking
patreon
Chapter 144: Nico Robin, You Wouldn't Want to Get Your Friends in Trouble, Would You?
🕑 Added 2025-08-22 14:13:47 +0000 UTCChapter 144: Nico Robin, You Wouldn't Want to Get Your Friends in Trouble, Would You?
"Lucci? It's me, Blueno," he said, his voice low and calm. "Good news. The Devil Child, Nico Robin, just showed up at my tavern. She's heading to a nearby Vivre Card shop with her companions."
"We still don't have a lead on the Pluton blueprints, but taking this woman in would be a great achievement, wouldn't it?"
"You're busy repairing a ship and can't get away?"
"It doesn't matter. I can handle Nico Robin on my own… Hmm? You're sending those two over? Is that really necessary…? Just to be safe? I understand."
…
About half an hour later, Robin and the two sisters emerged from the Vivre Card shop.
The shop was hidden in a small alley, and with Water 7's intricate, multi-layered terrain, it had been difficult to find. They had had to split up and ask the locals for directions, and after several twists and turns, they had finally found it.
They had already placed their order and paid the deposit.
When the rest of the crew arrived on The Curtain Call, they could come here directly to have their Vivre Cards made.
"Mission complete. What's next?"
Robin looked back at the two sisters and said with a small smile, "I saw a large bookstore on the way here. I was thinking of going in and buying some books. What about you two?"
"Aww—" Nami whined. "That's so boring, Robin-san! You're always in the library on the ship, and now that we're here, you're going to bury yourself in a pile of books again?"
"I'm not going!" she said, grabbing Nojiko's arm. "Nojiko, let's go try that Water-Water Meatball we passed earlier! And the Water-Water Sausage, and the Water-Water Tiger-Skin Cake… I want them all! All of them! Those stalls are all clustered together, and the smell is making my mouth water!"
Water 7 had a wide variety of local specialty snacks, but they were all named "Water-Water," a testament to the local residents' pride in their city.
"Eat, eat, eat. That's all you ever think about," Nojiko said, pinching her nose, exasperated. "Lazy, gluttonous, and shameless. Our brother has really spoiled you…"
But despite her words, she still took out her wallet and prepared to go with Nami.
"Do you want me to get you some, Robin-san?"
"I…"
"Don't refuse! We don't get to come to a big city like this very often! Let's just eat to our hearts' content!"
"...Alright," Robin finally said with a nod and a smile.
After watching her two comrades walk away, she turned, shielding her eyes from the setting sun, and headed in the direction of the bookstore.
The sun is so warm.
…
No one noticed that at this very moment, on the orange roof at the top of the alley, three figures were hiding in the shadows, silently crouching at the edge like cats in the night, watching the three of them split up below.
"They seem to be quite close. Can the Devil Child of Ohara really find friends who will accept her?" Kalifa said, adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses. "But her two so-called comrades seem to be just nobodies. Do you recognize them?"
"Hmm, let me think," the long-nosed Kaku said, stroking his chin and wracking his brain. "That blue-haired girl, I think I've seen her wanted poster somewhere. But I don't recognize the orange-haired girl at all. Her bounty must not be high enough for me to have noticed."
"Then we don't need to think about it. Let's just act," Blueno said, shaking his head slightly, his voice low. "I'll take Nico Robin. With my ability, she won't be able to escape… with your abilities, it should only take a few minutes to subdue those two women. Bring them to me immediately. They can be used as leverage to make her cooperate."
"Mmm."
"No problem," Kalifa and Kaku said with calm expressions, nodding at the same time.
A few minutes?
He's underestimating us. It'll only take a moment.
"Although this mission is a sure thing," Blueno said, taking out a package from his coat and opening it. Inside were various disguises and props. "Lucci said that, to be on the safe side, we can't reveal our identities. So, I came prepared…"
————
On the outskirts of the bookstore district, Robin, in a long black leather coat and carrying a bag, was strolling along the canal of Water 7. The last rays of the setting sun sparkled on the water, reflecting her leisurely and contented expression.
Just then, a tall figure in a long robe, wearing a white mask and a wig, passed her.
Such an outfit was a common sight during the Masked Carnival, so Robin just glanced at him and paid him no mind.
However, in the instant they passed each other, a low voice, which only Robin could hear, said impassively, "I am CP9."
Robin's footsteps faltered, and a look of surprise appeared in her eyes.
Her first reaction was…
—Did the captain's fruit-stealing escapade get exposed so quickly?
No, that's not right.
If they knew it was the infamous "Shane," they would have at least sent an Admiral.
A nobody like this, how would he have the guts to come after him?
So…
He's purely after me?
CP9, the second most secret intelligence agency under the World Government, doesn't know who was behind last night's incident, and they don't even know whose ship I'm on now?
She turned, wanting to get a better look at this clueless fellow.
But the figure didn't stop. He just strode into a nearby, secluded alley, as if he were certain that she would follow.
"..."
Robin stood there, shaking her head and facepalming. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
If this had been in the past, she would have been filled with fear and despair. Since childhood, she had been in a constant state of hiding, and she had had dealings with many government agencies.
She knew very well how terrifying the organization "CP9" was.
But now, after following Shane and seeing so many incredible things, after even facing Aokiji, the mysterious and terrifying aura that had once surrounded this organization had completely faded.
To not even know who her current boss was, and to just come after her so brazenly.
Compared to the even more mysterious CP0, which only answered to the Celestial Dragons…
CP9 is so unprofessional…
She sighed, casually dialed Nojiko's number, and, after whispering a few words, she unhurriedly followed him.
…
The alley was damp and cold, with moss growing in the corners.
The atmosphere was a stark contrast to the warm, sun-drenched street outside.
Robin walked slowly, catching up to the burly figure just ahead.
"How nostalgic," she said suddenly, her voice echoing in the narrow alley. "The last time I was 'invited' by a CP unit like this, I think it was seven years ago, in the West Blue."
"Your voice, though you're trying to keep it calm, I can hear the unease and panic in your footsteps," a low voice came. The burly figure in the plaid cloak and white mask turned and looked at her impassively.
"Nico Robin," Blueno's voice was low and cold. "The last remnant of Ohara, the Devil Child who destroyed five warships at the age of eight… you should know why we're here."
Robin stopped.
"Of course," she said, looking at him for a moment and sighing. "So many people in the past have said the same thing to me… you people really don't like to change your opening lines, do you?"
"But I'm more curious about something else. You… you really don't know anything, do you? Why, why did you dare to come after me?"
Blueno frowned slightly.
This woman's reaction was completely different from what he had expected.
It didn't seem like an act. She really was confident, without a trace of panic. And in her pale blue eyes… there was even a hint of mockery?
According to the intel, Nico Robin should be a cautious person, terrified of being pursued by the government, to the point where it's become a childhood trauma.
When did she become like this?
"Hmph, stop pretending," Blueno said, taking a step closer. "I know where your confidence is coming from. Did you just call your two comrades and tell them to come and save you?"
"How naive, Nico Robin!" he said, looking down at the calm, black-haired woman. "Did you really think we wouldn't have considered that? Your two comrades, the orange-haired girl and the blue-haired girl, should have already been taken care of by my colleagues by now. Don't count on them anymore. Stop resisting and come with me quietly!"
At this, Blueno deliberately paused, observing Robin's reaction.
Robin didn't answer. She just smiled faintly, elegantly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze calm.
"It seems you still don't understand your situation," Blueno's voice grew even darker. "Do you have other comrades you think you can rely on?"
"Don't even think about it! It doesn't matter how many of them there are, and it doesn't matter who your captain is! In front of us, CP9, they are all powerless! You know that, don't you?! Do you really want to drag them all down with you?!"
Even a Supernova with a bounty of over a hundred million is nothing!
In the first half of the Grand Line, they, CP9, were like gods looking down on mortals, completely superior to all pirates!
…
The captain, powerless in front of CP9?
Hearing this, Robin was taken aback for a moment, and then a strange look appeared in her eyes.
The memories of the black-haired, black-eyed man, which had been deeply ingrained in her, flashed through her mind.
From easily killing the Warlord, Crocodile, to facing the Marine Admiral, Akainu;
From blowing a hole through a mountain with a single punch to tossing a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex around;
And then, to facing the legendary Marine Hero, Garp, head-on, and being issued a bounty of a billion by the enraged World Government…
A man like that, would he be no match for CP9?
"Ara…"
As if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world, Robin finally couldn't hold it in any longer.
At first, she just chuckled, covering her mouth. Then, her laughter grew louder and louder, more and more unrestrained, until finally, without a care for her image, she was leaning against the wall, clutching her stomach, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
"Ha… ha, haha, hahahaha~!!!"
Her laughter echoed through the alley.
It was as if she were releasing all the grievances, anxieties, and fears of the past years, casting them out like trash!
The CP units, the World Government…
The shadows that had once loomed over her were so ridiculous!
"What's so funny, Nico Robin!"
A cold glint appeared in the eyes behind Blueno's mask. "I had a shred of sympathy for you, but now I see that the intel was not exaggerated. You really are a cold-blooded, heartless person, and you're crazy. You don't care about your comrades at all. Those two girls who seemed so close to you were probably just pawns you were using…"
"Hey, don't you dare slander Robin-san like that," a lazy, girlish voice suddenly came from behind, interrupting him. "And what's this? You're just assuming we've been defeated? How rude. You're really looking down on us, aren't you?"
That voice is…
Blueno frowned slightly and turned around.
The blue-haired girl was standing at the mouth of the alley, leaning against the wall and stretching.
When she saw Blueno looking at her, she ignored him and instead gave Robin a casual wave and a grin. "Sorry, Robin-san. We were a little far away, and it took a while to get here. Did we keep you waiting?"
How long has it been? A few minutes at most. Robin shook her head, a speechless smile on her face.
Nojiko then turned and looked at Blueno. She grinned, clenched her fists, and cracked her knuckles. "In any case, it's a good thing you haven't escaped. I'll take it from here. Don't worry, I'll take this guy down in no time."
She began to walk toward him with a casual stride.
Take me down?
Blueno sneered. He didn't know how this girl had managed to escape from Kaku and Kalifa, but…
You were lucky to get away. And now you're coming back to die?
Heh…
She's a fool, but she's a loyal fool.
You've really doomed your comrades, Nico Robin!
A fist was rapidly growing larger in his vision. He stood his ground, impassive, and tensed the muscles in his chest.
Iron Body!
In the next second, Nojiko's fist had already arrived!
"Ripple Fist: Avalanche!"
BOOM—!!!
The moment her fist made contact with his chest, Blueno's pupils constricted—No!
This is not right!
The seemingly slender and weak fist had, in that instant, erupted with a terrifying force, like a collapsing mountain.
His prized Iron Body defense was as fragile as paper before this immense power. His sternum immediately shattered with a sickening crunch, and he was sent flying like a cannonball!
"Waaah!"
Blueno coughed up a large mouthful of blood and knelt in the spiderweb-like crater, powerless.
In the swirling dust, he looked down at his caved-in chest, his face full of disbelief.
His carefully trained, most proficient Iron Body…
had been shattered with a single punch?!!
Who is this girl?!
"Is that all you've got?" a disappointed voice said.
Blueno struggled to look up and saw the blue-haired girl walking toward him, shaking her head. "That long-nosed young man took three of my punches before he went down. I saw how old you were, and I thought you were a stronger leader. But you couldn't even take one punch."
What?
Even Kaku…
No, impossible.
She must be lying. Kaku is much stronger than me… Blueno's anxious gaze scanned the mouth of the alley, searching for Kaku and Kalifa, but—
"Hey, uncle, are you looking for these two?" a cheerful, girlish voice suddenly came from above.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two black shadows fell from the sky and landed on the ground in front of him, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Blueno stared.
It was Kaku and Kalifa!
Their masks had been torn off, and they were both unconscious.
Kaku was bruised and battered, his abdomen caved in, and his entire body was covered in frostbite. And Kalifa was in even worse shape. She had been burned to a crisp, and she was almost unrecognizable.
"..." Blueno's eyes were wide with horror, and his mouth hung open.
Kaku, Kalifa…
How?!
He knelt there, dazed, unable to believe what he was seeing.
But the pathetic state of his comrades, the smell of burnt flesh in the air, all of it told him that this was all too real…
"So weak. What CP9? Just a bunch of small-fry who can't even use Haki. And with that little skill, you dare to ambush a Logia user?"
Blueno slowly and stiffly looked up.
The youngest, orange-haired girl was sitting on the wall, her legs dangling leisurely, looking down at him with a grin. "That glasses-woman really put up a fight, but the way she tried so hard and still couldn't hurt me was pretty funny… don't you think so, small-fry? Small-fry~"
