Chapter 127: Nico Robin, you wouldn't want to drag your partners down, would you

"Lucci, it's me, Blueno."

He was calm, lowering his voice:

"Unexpected joy. The Child of the Devil, Nico Robin, suddenly appeared in my tavern and is currently heading to a nearby Vivre Card shop with her partners."

"There's no clue about the Pluton blueprints for now, but capturing this woman is also a great achievement, right?"

"You're helping someone repair a ship and can't get away? You can't come?"

"Doesn't matter, I can easily deal with Nico Robin alone... Hmm? You'll have them come over? Is that necessary... just to be safe? I understand."

About half an hour later.

Robin and her two companions walked out of the Vivre Card shop.

This shop was hidden in an alley, and combined with the complex three-dimensional terrain of Water 7, it was very hard to find. They had also split up, each asking locals, and after several twists and turns, they finally found the entrance.

They had already placed an order, and the deposit had been paid.

Once the rest of the crew on the *Rakumu* arrived, they could come directly to make the Vivre Cards.

"Task complete. What now?"

Robin turned back to look at the sisters, saying with a light smile, "I saw a large bookstore on the way here, and I'm planning to go in and buy some books. What about you?"

"Eh—"

Nami dragged out her tone. "Too boring, Sister Robin. You spend every day in the library on the ship; now that we're here, you're going to spend your time in a pile of books again?"

"I'm not going!"

She grabbed Nojiko's arm. "Nojiko, let's go try those Water Meatballs we passed by earlier! And Water Sausages, Water Tiger Skin Cake... I want them all! All of them! Those stalls are all squeezed together, the smell is nearly killing me!"

There were many types of local snacks in Water 7, but they were basically named with "Water," showing the local residents' pride in this city.

"Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating."

Nojiko poked her nose, saying in annoyance, "Lazy, shameless, you're really spoiled by that annoying brother of mine..."

Despite saying that, she still took out her wallet and prepared to take Nami to set off.

"Should we bring a portion for you, Sister Robin?"

"I..."

"Don't refuse! It's rare to come to such a big city, just open your stomach and try everything!"

"...Okay."

Robin finally nodded and smiled faintly.

After watching her two partners walk away, she turned around, raised her hand to her forehead, and walked along the canal of Water 7, facing the setting sun, her expression relaxed and comfortable.

Sunlight, so warm.

No one noticed.

At this very moment.

On the orange roof at the top of this alley entrance, three figures were hiding in the shadows, crouching on the edge like cats in the night, quietly watching the three people below who had split up.

"Looks like they have a pretty good relationship. Can the Child of the Devil from Ohara also find partners willing to accept her?"

Kalifa adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, saying calmly, "However, these two partners of hers seem to be just nobodies. Did you recognize their identities?"

"Hmm, let me think carefully."

Kaku's long nose hung down, and he rubbed his chin, racking his brains to recall:

"That blue-haired girl, I seem to have seen her wanted poster somewhere. The orange-haired girl has no impression at all; her bounty shouldn't be high enough for me to keep in mind."

"Then don't think about it, just act."

Blueno in the middle shook his head slightly, saying in a deep voice:

"Nico Robin is mine. With my ability, she can't run... With your abilities, it should only take a few minutes to subdue those two women. Bring them to me immediately as bargaining chips to threaten her into cooperating."

"Hmm."

"No problem."

Kalifa and Kaku nodded expressionlessly.

A few minutes?

A bit too underestimated. It's just a matter of one encounter.

"Although this operation is a sure thing."

Blueno took out a package from his bosom and opened it; inside were various disguise clothing and props:

"But Lucci said, just to be safe, we shouldn't expose our identities easily. So, before meeting you, I was well prepared..."

————

The outskirts of the bookstore street.

Robin was wearing a black leather coat, carrying a backpack, walking alone along the canal of Water 7. The sunset glow spilled onto the sparkling water, reflecting her relaxed and comfortable expression.

Just then.

A tall figure wearing a long robe, a white mask, and a wig brushed past her.

This kind of attire was common everywhere during the Mask Carnival. Robin glanced at it and didn't pay it any mind.

However.

The moment the two crossed, a low voice that only Robin could hear rang out indifferently:

"I am CP9."

Robin's footsteps paused abruptly, a trace of surprise appearing in her eyes.

Her first reaction was...

—Did the Captain's fruit-stealing incident get exposed so quickly?

No, that's not right.

If they knew it was that notorious "Xia Nuo," they would have to send an Admiral at the very least.

How could these nobodies have the guts to come to her door?

So...

Purely targeting her?

CP9, this second most mysterious intelligence department under the World Government, didn't know who the person who made the move last night was, and didn't know who she was currently on the ship with?

She turned her head, wanting to examine this guy who didn't know any better with interest.

But that figure didn't stop, turning directly into a nearby secluded alley.

It seemed he was certain she would follow him.

"..."

Robin stood in place, holding her forehead and shaking her head, for a moment not knowing what to say.

If it were in the past.

She would only have fear and despair growing in her heart. Since childhood, she had been hiding endlessly and had dealt with many government agencies.

She knew the terror of the "CP9" organization well.

But now.

Following Xia Nuo, having seen big scenes, and even faced Aokiji directly, the terrifying and mysterious halo that once shrouded this organization had completely faded away.

They didn't even know who her current BOSS was, yet they dared to come to her door so openly.

Compared to the even more mysterious CP0, which only took orders from the Celestial Dragons.

How amateurish, CP9...

She sighed, dialed Nojiko's phone, whispered a few words to the other side, and then followed at a leisurely pace.

The alley was damp and cold, with quite a bit of moss in the corners.

The atmosphere was completely different from the warm street bathed in the sunset outside.

Robin walked slowly, following the burly figure not far ahead.

"How nostalgic."

She suddenly spoke, her voice echoing in the narrow alley. "The last time I was 'invited' by the CP department like this, it must have been seven years ago in the West Blue."

"Your voice, although you've tried to keep it calm, I can still hear the unease and panic in your footsteps."

A ghostly voice came, and the burly figure wearing a plaid cloak and a white mask turned his head, looking at her indifferently.

"Nico Robin."

Blueno's voice was low and cold. "The remnant of Ohara, the Child of the Devil who destroyed five warships at the age of eight... you should know why we're looking for you without me saying it."

Robin stopped.

"Of course."

She looked at the other party quietly for a while, sighed lightly, "Many people I've met in the past have said the same thing to me... your opening lines really don't change at all."

"However, I'm more curious about another point. Do you... really know nothing? Why, why on earth do you dare to come find me?"

Blueno frowned.

The reaction of this woman was completely different from what he had expected.

It didn't seem like she was acting, but that she really had enough confidence, without a trace of panic, and even in those light blue eyes...

There was a trace of mockery?

According to intelligence, Nico Robin should have a cautious personality, be full of fear for the government's pursuit, and even have become a childhood shadow pressed in the bottom of her heart.

When did she become like this?

"Hmph, stop pretending."

Blueno took a step forward. "I probably know where your confidence comes from. Is it because you just notified your two partners to come and save you?"

"Too naive, Nico Robin!"

He looked down coldly at the black-haired woman with a calm temperament opposite him:

"How could we not have considered this? Your two partners, the orange-haired girl and the blue-haired girl, should have already been controlled by my colleagues. Don't think about relying on them anymore. Give up resistance and come with me obediently!"

Having said that, Blueno paused deliberately to observe Robin's reaction.

Robin didn't answer, just smiled slightly, elegantly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and looked at the other party calmly.

"Looks like you still don't understand your situation."

Blueno's voice became even gloomier. "Are there other partners you think you can rely on?"

"Don't dream! It doesn't matter how many people there are. It doesn't matter who your captain is. Anyway, in front of us CP9, you are completely vulnerable! You clearly know this, don't you? Do you still want to drag them all to their deaths?"

Even a Supernova with a bounty of over 100 million doesn't matter!

In this first half of the Grand Line, they, CP9, were like gods looking down on all living beings, completely overriding all pirates!

In front of CP9... vulnerable?

Hearing this, Robin was slightly startled, and a trace of strangeness finally appeared in her eyes.

Those scenes where the black-haired, black-eyed man had left a deep impression on her along the way flashed through her mind like a flashback.

From easily killing the Warlord Crocodile to facing Marine Admiral Akainu;

To punching through mountains and throwing giant tyrannosaurs around;

And then to clashing head-on with the legendary Marine hero Garp, and being rewarded with one billion by the furious World Government...

A man like this would lose to CP9?

"Oh my..."

As if hearing the funniest joke in the world, Robin finally couldn't hold it in.

She covered her mouth and chuckled at first, then laughed louder and louder, more and more wantonly, until she didn't care about her image at all, leaning against the wall while clutching her stomach, nearly unable to breathe from laughing.

"Ha... ha, haha, hahahaha~!!!!"

The laughter echoed wantonly in the alley.

She seemed to be pouring out all the grievances, confusion, and fear she had suffered for so many years, dumping them all here like trash!

What CP department, what World Government...

Those shadows that had once shrouded her head were truly laughable!

"What's so funny, Nico Robin!"

A trace of coldness appeared in Blueno's eyes hidden behind the mask:

"I originally held a trace of sympathy for you, but now it seems the intelligence wasn't exaggerated. You really are a cold-blooded and ruthless person, and crazy, not caring about your partners at all. Those two girls who seem to have a good relationship are probably just pawns used by you..."

"Hey, don't slander Sister Robin like that."

A lazy girl's voice suddenly came from behind, interrupting his words:

"And what's the deal, you actually assumed we were defeated? How rude, and you're looking down on people too much, aren't you?"

This voice is...

Blueno frowned and turned his head.

The blue-haired girl was already standing at the alley entrance, leaning against the wall and stretching.

Seeing Blueno look over, she didn't pay attention to his gaze, but waved her right arm at Robin with a grin:

"Sorry, Sister Robin, we were a bit far away, and it took a bit more time to get here. Sorry to keep you waiting."

It had only been a few minutes, Robin shook her head slightly, laughing dumbly.

Nojiko turned her head to look at Blueno, grinned, and clenched her fists, making a crackling sound like popping beans:

"Anyway, as long as the other party didn't run away. Leave this guy to me now. Don't worry, I'll take him down quickly."

Take me down?

Blueno sneered. Although he didn't know what means this girl used to dodge Kaku and Kalifa's pursuit, but...

Being able to run away was already your great luck, yet you dare to come to the door to die?

Heh...

Stupid, but can be considered loyal.

You really are sorry to your partners, Nico Robin!

Looking at the fist shadow that was rapidly enlarging in his field of vision, he flashed a trace of indifference. Just a teenage girl, what kind of power could she have?

So he stood expressionlessly in place, just tightening the muscles in his chest and abdomen.

Iron Body!

The next second, Nojiko's fist arrived!

"Ripple Fist: Avalanche!"

*Boom—!!!*

The moment the fist touched his chest, Blueno's pupils shrank—No!

Something's wrong!

That seemingly slender and weak fist, at this moment, erupted with terrifying power like a collapsing mountain.

His Iron Body defense, which he was proud of, was as fragile as paper in front of this giant force. His chest bones immediately made a cracking sound of being unable to bear the weight, and he was sent flying like a cannonball!

"Wah!"

Blueno spat out a large mouthful of blood, kneeling powerlessly in the spiderweb-like crater.

In the dust, he trembled and looked down at his sunken chest, full of disbelief.

His Iron Body, which he had practiced for many years and was most proficient in...

Was actually punched through with one blow?!!

Who exactly is this girl?

"Is that all?"

A disappointed voice sounded.

Blueno struggled to raise his head, only to see the blue-haired girl walking over with boredom, shaking her head:

"That young man with the long nose took three of my punches before falling. I thought you were a more powerful boss since you were older, but you couldn't even take one punch."

What?

Even Kaku...

No, impossible.

Must be lying, Kaku is much stronger than me... Blueno's anxious gaze searched around the alley entrance, trying to find Kaku and Kalifa's figures, however—

"Hey, uncle, where are you looking? Are you looking for these two guys?"

A crisp girl's voice suddenly came from above.

*Thump! Thump!*

Two black shadows fell from the sky, hitting the ground in front of him heavily, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Blueno looked closely.

It was Kaku and Kalifa!

Both had their masks removed and were unconscious.

Kaku was bruised and swollen, his abdomen deeply sunken, and he was covered in frostbite everywhere, while Kalifa was even worse, directly burned into charcoal, nearly unrecognizable.

"..." Blueno's eyes were full of horror, and he couldn't help but open his mouth wide.

Kaku, Kalifa...

How could this be?!

He knelt there blankly, unable to believe everything that was happening before his eyes.

But the miserable state of his companions and the burnt smell he could smell at the tip of his nose were all telling him how real this scene was...

"Truly pitifully weak. What CP9, it turns out to be a bunch of small fry who don't even know Haki. With this bit of ability, you dare to ambush a Logia user?"

Blueno slowly raised his head stiffly.

Only to see the youngest orange-haired girl sitting on the wall, her legs swinging leisurely, looking down at him from above, saying with a grin:

"This glasses woman, her attack was indeed ruthless, but that look of trying her best and still being unable to hurt me was really funny... don't you think so, small fry, small fry~"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 146 =====

(End of chapter)