"Well now… you really are a brave one, aren't you?" Aokiji said with a hint of helplessness. He realized his earlier advice had been a complete waste of time.
Looking at the arrogant young man shielding Robin, he felt a bit foolish. With a personality like this, the World Government's threats wouldn't scare him off. In fact, they would probably be like throwing fuel on a fire. He had no desire to cause any more trouble. To be honest, after seeing Nico Robin with such a reliable protector, a part of him actually felt a faint sense of joy. He remembered his best friend Saul, dying amidst the fire and ice on Ohara, sacrificing himself just to give that little girl a chance to escape and protect the spark of history.
He let the chilling aura around him fade, scratched his messy black hair, and said softly, as if to himself, "...I really wish Saul could see you now."
After speaking, he didn't wait to see the look of shock on Robin's face at the mention of Saul's name. He just gave a casual wave, turned, and sauntered off into the crowd. "Alright, I'm done chatting. I need to find a warm place to take a nap. Then maybe I'll check out that… what's it called… 'Martial Arts Tournament.' Seems interesting enough."
After Aokiji's tall, lazy figure disappeared into the crowd, Robin remained frozen in place. She was silent, her usually calm blue eyes now swirling with a storm of sorrow, nostalgia, and pain.
Saul… the giant who had shown her the only true friendship of her dark and desperate childhood. The one who had taught her how to laugh and had given his life to buy her a future.
She lowered her head, lost in thought, and waited.
She was waiting for the man beside her to ask about her past, about her connection to Aokiji and the Ohara Incident. She knew Takero had heard the basics from Tesoro, but she had never told anyone the full story, with all of its painful details. But now… she was ready. She was willing to lay bare her entire past, full of blood and betrayal, for the only man who had never looked at her like a demon or a tool.
She waited for a long time, but the questions never came. The noise of the crowd continued around them, and she could hear the steady, powerful beat of Takero's heart next to her. Puzzled, Robin slowly looked up.
She saw that Takero was also deep in thought. He was stroking his chin, and his black eyes were flickering with a strange, excited light, as if he had just discovered a new continent.
"Takero…?" she asked softly. "What are you thinking about?"
Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to her with a brilliant smile, looking incredibly proud of some new idea. "Robin!" he said excitedly. "We've been going through all this trouble trying to find those broken stone tablets to learn about the Void Century, right?"
"Yes…" Robin nodded.
"Well, I just had a great idea!" Takero slapped his thigh. "A brilliant idea that will let us find out the truth of history in no time!"
"What is it?" Robin asked, her curiosity piqued.
Instead of answering, Takero asked a question of his own, as if testing a student. "Tell me, Robin. In this whole world, who do you think knows the most about the history of the Void Century?"
Robin thought for a moment. "It would have to be me, right?" she answered uncertainly. "I'm the only survivor from Ohara…"
"Wrong!" Takero cut her off with a disdainful look, as if wondering how she could be so slow. "Think harder! The ones who know that history best have to be the World Government!" He continued, "Think about it. If they didn't know about all the shameful things that happened back then, why would they go to so much trouble to hide it and forbid anyone from studying it?"
Robin's mind went blank. His logic was simple, crude, and… she couldn't find a single flaw in it. She thought it over carefully and realized… he was probably right.
"See?" Takero said, looking even more pleased with himself when he saw her stunned expression. "So, if that's the case…" A smug look of "I'm a genius" appeared on his face. "...why are we working so hard to find a bunch of broken stones hidden all over the world? We can just… go ask the World Government for the answers! Wouldn't that be easier?"
Takero gave himself a mental thumbs-up for his cleverness. But Robin, upon hearing his insane "solution," felt a massive, unprecedented sense of dread.
"Wait… hold on!" she said, her voice laced with nervousness. "Master! What are you planning to do?!"
Takero didn't answer her. He was already lost in thought again, mumbling to himself as he refined his grand plan. "Hmm… that Admiral guy did give me an idea. If the World Government has been in charge for eight hundred years, their main base must be full of interesting secrets. I heard that place, the 'Holy Land Mary Geoise,' is where those scumbags, the Celestial Dragons, live. It's the center of their power, right? It looks like I'll have to find some time to pay them a personal 'visit'."
Robin completely panicked. "No! Absolutely not!" she pleaded, trying desperately to talk him out of it. "Master, please calm down! That's the Holy Land of the World Government! It's the most heavily guarded place in the entire world! You can't just—"
"Mary Geoise sounds great!" Takero exclaimed, clapping his hands as if he hadn't heard a word she said. "We absolutely have to go to Mary Geoise!"
"Hey! Wait—!"
Robin called after him as he started walking, already lost in his chaotic plan. She had a terrible feeling that he was about to cause more trouble than the world had ever seen.
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