"Where's that little brat?"
"Seems she ran into the first-class cabin at the front."
"Idiot! Then why didn't you go grab her?"
"Boss, I… I don't dare.
What if the fat captain was telling the truth?
I saw it in the papers—
that Apophis guy is a monster!"
"Useless trash!
If there really was someone dangerous inside,
why would he be hiding in his room instead of coming out?
Get over there and show some pirate spirit!
Kick the door down with all the savagery you've got,
drag that little girl out,
and beat her to death!"
"K-kick… beat…"
"That's right!
That's the energy you should have!
Remember—
you're the most vicious, most brutal pirate out there!"
Hearing the commotion outside, Robin didn't have time to think.
She bit down on her lip, showed her little tiger teeth,
and dove under the bed.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
A pirate swaggered up to the door with steps that screamed,
"I respect no one in the world."
He lifted his foot, ready to kick the door into splinters—
—but then froze mid-motion.
An inexplicable chill crawled up his spine.
"Wait…
Wouldn't that be kind of rude?
Maybe…
maybe I should open the door… more politely?"
He cleared his throat, lowered his raised leg,
straightened his collar,
and then, in the politest voice a pirate had ever used,
knocked gently.
"Excuse me…
Is anyone home?"
One second, two seconds, three…
"Oh!
Sorry to disturb you!"
He turned around and left with zero hesitation.
The pirate captain stared, dumbfounded.
"…Why are you back?"
"No one was home.
I'll… come back another time."
The captain felt his lungs nearly rupture with fury.
He kicked the fool aside with an explosive curse.
"Out of my sight, rookie!
Watch how I kill people!"
"Tch!
Next time we recruit, remind me not to pick up useless garbage."
He strode up to the door, raised his foot—
and then heard something from inside:
A sound heavy, solemn, grand—
yet carrying an unbearable sorrow.
He paused.
For some reason,
his memories started flashing one after another…
Old people.
Children.
Women.
He could still hear their cries…
echoing in his ears.
Those he had killed—
their spirits seemed to rise from hell,
weeping blood,
gnawing at his soul and flesh,
dragging him into an endless abyss.
"No…
No… no…"
"Captain? Captain?"
The anxious voices of his men snapped him awake.
Seeing no ghosts around him,
he exhaled shakily.
"Phew…
Hallucinations?
Pressure must be getting to me…"
"Captain… your gun…"
"What gun, your gun, my gu—
WHAT THE—?!"
At some point,
he had raised his pistol
and aimed it squarely at his own head.
"What the hell?!"
Breaking into a cold sweat,
he quickly lowered it.
Suddenly, the door didn't seem so easy to approach anymore.
"Captain… let's just go.
I told you—
Apophis is a monster…"
"Cut the crap!
You think I don't dare open a door?!"
Stung by his underling's words,
the captain steeled himself.
Then—
the music from inside shifted again,
turning calm… serene.
"What am I doing?!"
He jolted for a moment,
but there was no retreat.
He forced himself forward.
Under the bed, Robin held her breath.
The door was shoved open violently.
Why… did it take them so long to enter?
The captain stepped in and froze.
A demon-masked man reclined in the chair,
asleep—or appearing to be.
On the table before him,
a recording Den Den Mushi calmly played music.
"This guy… is Apophis?"
The captain felt relief wash over him.
"He doesn't look powerful at all…
There's not even a weapon in sight.
Heh…
Just my imagination, huh?"
With the masked man motionless,
the captain grew bold.
"Doesn't matter who you are.
If I put a bullet in you right now,
you'll go back to Hell either way."
"Hehe…
In fact, I hope you're Apophis.
Killing someone famous…
that'd make me the top pirate in the West Blue!"
He pulled the trigger—
—but the masked man's eyes snapped open first.
Those eyes—
Blood-red pupils.
Reflecting boundless oceans of blood.
Cold.
Dead.
As if the reaper of the underworld himself
sat before him.
"Shh.
Please be quiet.
The fourth movement is about to begin."
The captain nodded dumbly.
His finger rested on the trigger—
yet he dared not move a muscle.
The room fell silent.
So silent it was suffocating.
From beneath the bed,
Robin peeked like a frightened little rabbit.
The pirate stood frozen,
skin pale,
eyes hollow,
as if he had climbed straight out of a grave.
Robin clasped her hands tightly over her mouth
and retreated again, trembling.
Will I die?
Will I become a wandering spirit like those described in the papers…?
Time passed.
The melody shifted—
becoming holy, serene, almost celestial.
Robin felt her pain and hatred soften,
as if her mother's warm embrace enveloped her again.
Even the bloodstained pirate captain
seemed to glow
with a faint, sacred light.
Then came the final movement—
solemn, heavy… tragic.
A world shrouded in darkness.
A soul swallowed by the void.
Only death remained eternal.
The pirate captain slowly squeezed the trigger.
The barrel pointed at his own forehead.
He smiled peacefully
as the bullet ended his life—
as if atoning for all the sins he had committed.
Robin jerked awake at the sound of the gunshot.
Only then did she realize—
She had unconsciously wrapped both hands around her own neck.
If the gunshot hadn't broken the spell,
she would already be dead.
"This requiem is a gift for all of you.
I hope you enjoy it."
The sudden voice nearly tore Robin's soul apart.
She curled tighter under the bed.
Tap… tap… tap…
Only after the footsteps faded did she dare breathe.
A requiem?
Is that… his ritual?
His killing ceremony?
Loneliness was humanity's greatest enemy.
Confined in the cramped darkness,
Robin's thoughts spiraled uncontrollably.
Why did that pirate and I both try to kill ourselves?
Was it his ability?
But the reports never said he had a Devil Fruit…
Or…
was it just his presence?
His aura?
Wait—
why is it silent outside?
Don't tell me…
Her blood froze.
Did he kill them all?
Terrified, Robin didn't dare step out.
She lay motionless under the bed.
Time passed.
Exhaustion, hunger, thirst gnawed at her.
Eventually—
she drifted into unconsciousness.
Later, distant voices reached her ears.
"This is too creepy…
did we stumble onto a ghost ship?"
"No…
probably pirates attacked first,
and then they were punished by sea ghosts…"
"Let's get out of here.
Those corpses are… smiling at me…"
"Yeah! This ship is cursed!"
Robin rubbed her eyes,
dragging her weak body from under the bed.
"AAAH! IT'S ALIVE!"
"THE DEAD GIRL IS MOVING!
RUN—SHE'S A GHOST!"
A group of fishermen fled screaming.
"…Left alone again?"
Robin sighed bitterly.
She looked around—
The ship was silent.
Every pirate was dead.
Not a sound had been made.
Apophis's power…
No—
was he even human?
Is it because I resisted the suicide?
He couldn't be bothered to kill me again?
Whatever the reason—
I need to thank him for saving me.
She knew anyone strong enough to kill dozens of pirates
would easily notice a child hiding under a bed.
"Kuzan…
Longinus…
Apophis…"
Robin stood among the corpses
and stared at the wide blue sea.
"To control my fate…
do I have to become as strong as them?"
"Mother…
Saul…
is this what you meant
when you told me never to give up hope for the future…?"
"Yah-rai-shi!"
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