Chapter 101

Coming to her senses, Nico Robin stared in shock as the enormous sand tornado, resembling a natural disaster, halted mid-air before beginning to collapse and crumble.

The black-haired boy holding a long blade had appeared behind Crocodile at some unknown moment.

Swish!

Before Sand Crocodile Crocodile, a massive wound stretching from his left shoulder down to his right waist had been slashed open at some unknown moment, causing copious amounts of fresh blood to gush out.

"Cough!"

Crocodile spat out a large mouthful of blood, his violently trembling eyes filled with disbelief.

This guy...

Actually...

Actually really... defeated me?

I, Sand Crocodile Crocodile, actually lost to such a... brat?!

Don't joke around...

"Like the Rumble-Rumble Fruit user I fought before, you rely too heavily on your Devil Fruit ability." Luo En glanced sideways at him. "If you only know how to blindly rely on your Devil Fruit ability, no matter how strong that ability is, you can never become a truly top-tier powerhouse."

"Sh-shut up... I haven't, haven't lost yet..."

"No, you have already lost."

Luo En released his hand from the hilt of Lei Qie, and the blade tip pointing downward slowly sank into the void.

He glanced toward Crocodile.

"The Iron-Iron Fruit belongs to me now."

Having said that,

he turned and walked past Crocodile, stepping through the sand rain drifting down from the sky as he headed toward Rainbase.

"Stay... right there... cough."

Due to massive blood loss, Crocodile's consciousness grew blurry; finding it hard to sustain himself, his tall figure swayed once before collapsing sideways into the yellow sand.

The last image flashing through his mind before he fainted was the sight of Luo En disappearing into the yellow sand with his back turned, along with that name.

The Traveler, Luo En.

By the time Luo En reached Nico Robin, who still hadn't come to her senses,

she finally regained her composure.

Looking at Luo En again, a trace of shock and awe appeared in her eyes.

Luo En looked at her and smiled. "How about finding a tavern to chat?"

Robin glanced at the figure in the desert, alive or dead unknown.

"No need to worry about him; his subordinates are already heading this way."

With his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie, Luo En strode past her.

Though spoken lightly, that single sentence from his mouth caused Nico Robin's eyes to widen instantly.

"If your wish is to find the truth of history, then come with me."

94, so... shall we go together? (1/4 Requesting self-subscription!)

Tonight, within the utterly chaotic city of Rainbase,

this small tavern located in an alley that only opened at night remained relatively peaceful.

"Bring me an iced beer."

Luo En sat at the counter and said to the owner.

"Here you go."

The owner quickly placed a large mug of iced beer, filled with ice and bubbling, before him.

Just as Luo En picked up the beer mug, the tavern door opened.

Wearing a cowboy hat and draped in a white fur coat, Robin walked to his side and, looking at Luo En, got straight to the point:

"Regarding the Poneglyphs, exactly how much do you know?"

"Definitely more than you do."

Luo En glanced sideways at her with a smile.

Tilting the beer mug to his mouth, his throat made gulping sounds as he drained the entire large cup of iced beer in one go.

"Haa~"

Luo En set down the empty mug, his face filled with enjoyment and satisfaction.

"Owner, another cup!"

"Haha, the customer certainly has a great tolerance for alcohol; coming right up."

While waiting for the owner to bring the wine, Luo En turned his head to look at Robin standing beside him.

Her gaze was fixed tightly upon him.

Resting his elbow on the counter and propping his cheek with his hand, Luo En turned sideways and smiled at her. "Regarding the stone tablets that record the Poneglyphs, do you know who forged them?"

Nico Robin was stunned.

It seemed she had never considered this question before.

"Who was it?"

Luo En patted the seat beside him. "Sit down before we talk."

Nico Robin looked deeply at him for a moment, then sat down in the spot next to him.

At this moment, the owner carried another cup of iced beer and placed it before Luo En; catching sight of Robin, he smiled and said, "This beautiful Young Lady, would you like something to drink? Although my shop is small, the taste of our alcohol is no worse than those big establishments on the street."

"No need."

"Alright, if you need anything, please call for me anytime."

The shop owner said this, then walked to the other end of the counter and began wiping glasses, not disturbing the pair.

"Now can you tell me?"

Luo Bin looked toward the black-haired youth beside her.

Luo En took a sip of beer, glanced sideways at her, and smiled: "In the second half of the Grand Line, the New World, there is a country called Wano."

"In that country, there is a clan called the Kozuki."

"The indestructible stone tablets that record the Road Poneglyphs were forged by the ancestors of the Kozuki clan during the lost hundred years of history, eight hundred years ago."

Nico Robin felt a tremor in her heart as she listened to the words of the black-haired youth before her.

Wano Country, the Kozuki clan…

So this was the origin of those stone tablets?

Just as Robin was digesting this information, Luo En spoke again, saying something that surprised her.

"The head of the Kozuki family passes down the method of reading the ancient script from generation to generation."

"But unfortunately, the previous head of the Kozuki family perished before he could pass the reading method on to his son."

Luo En took a drink of his alcohol and glanced at Robin beside him.

Now, perhaps only this person — the one the Marines call the "Devil of Ohara," the one who inherited Ohara's legacy and last wishes — could read the Road Poneglyphs…

"So you think that in this world, perhaps only I, the ghost of Ohara, can read the Road Poneglyphs."

After calming herself down, Robin looked at Luo En and asked.

"Is this the reason you wanted to recruit me as a companion?"

"I'd say it's the main reason."

Luo En rested his chin on one hand, tilted his head to look at her, and smiled: "Just like you, I'm quite curious about what exactly happened during that blank hundred years of history."

Robin gave him a deep look, lowered her head, and thought briefly.

After thinking for a while, she looked again at the black-haired youth beside her:

"Is everything you just told me all you know about the Road Poneglyphs?"

"Of course not."

Luo En took a drink: "But the rest, I can only tell you after you agree to become my companion. That's the prerequisite."

Robin's brow furrowed slightly, her gaze fixed intently on the mysterious youth named Luo En before her, and she said in a low voice: "Since you know everything about me, you should understand how dangerous it would be to get involved with me — the Marines…"

Luo En looked at her, her face serious and earnest, and suddenly smiled.

"I'm not joking with you."

Robin clenched her fists, a little annoyed and irritated.