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"Hahaha, I didn't expect that, in addition to uncovering the connection between Baroque Works and Crocodile,"
"There's an unexpected surprise!"
"Nico Robin, the 'son of the devil'?"
"She's a major criminal that the World Government has been hunting for!"
CP9 agent, a spy for the World Government, grinned sinisterly. He spread his arms and made circles around his eyes, the strange gleam in his gaze fading away.
"As long as we catch her,"
"Perhaps I can replace Spandam as CP9's leader with this achievement. At the very least, I could be reassigned to another CP division and become a high-ranking officer!"
Xino, a user of the Hope-Hope Fruit, a lower-tier version of the Gaze-Gaze Fruit, looked greedily at Nico Robin.
While the Gaze-Gaze Fruit grants extraordinary clairvoyance and mind-reading powers across wide areas, the Hope-Hope Fruit doesn't have such an expansive range. However, Xino could still see through objects and perform far-sighted vision over several miles, which gave him a significant advantage in gathering intelligence.
He was an exceptional agent within CP9.
The Baroque Works organization had previously attacked and plundered the Kingdom of Spring Uranus and the Kingdom of Winter Uranus. The World Government had ordered Xino to track down the organization's movements, and he had finally uncovered a major secret about Baroque Works in the Rain.
The Baroque Works, leading bounty hunters and pirates, had attacked and plundered the Spring Uranus Kingdom and Winter Uranus Kingdom, angering not just the Noxus Empire, but also causing the World Government to step in and disrupt the situation, preventing the kingdoms from being defended in time.
As a result, the Noxus Empire successfully annexed the Kingdom of Four Seasons, which angered Baroque Works.
While the World Government generally allowed criminal organizations to do as they please in countries outside its control, it could not overlook the destruction of the two kingdoms just as plans were being made to turn them into franchised countries, stalling the Noxus Empire's growth.
This blatant disrespect toward the World Government had to be dealt with.
When Xino uncovered this secret, which could not only secure his promotion but also bring in a fortune, he planned to quietly leave Yuyan and immediately report the information to the World Government's top brass.
However, just as he turned around, a powerful right hand closed around his neck.
With a snap, CP9 agent Xino's dreams of promotion and wealth came to an end, along with his life.
The news of Xino's death quickly reached Nico Robin, who had been alert inside the room. She crossed her arms, preparing to use her Flower-Flower Fruit powers to sense what was happening outside. But before she could act, the door creaked open.
Duke appeared in front of Nico Robin, dragging Xino's lifeless body behind him. His expression was complicated.
Behind Duke, Ah Li and Manager Zhao Xin silently closed the door. A cute cat didn't seem to mind the body spinning around Duke's feet.
"The patriarch of the Figarland family, Figarland Duke..."
Duke's appearance was very familiar to Nico Robin, who had once considered having Baroque Works eliminate him to claim the billion-bounty on his head.
As Duke walked in carrying a corpse, Nico Robin's expression hardened, but she quickly masked it with a polite, businesslike smile. Her voice was calm as she spoke:
"The famous Mr. Duke visits the Rain Banquet. It is an honor for us here."
"However, this is Crocodile's territory," she continued, "Bringing a corpse in and killing people here will upset Lord Crocodile."
Robin immediately invoked Crocodile's name. Duke's arrival, carrying a body, clearly signaled that his intentions were far from friendly.
Thanks to Vladimir's growing reputation, the influence of the Seven Warlords of the Sea had also increased, providing some deterrent power throughout the pirate world. But Duke wasn't fazed by Crocodile's status.
Crocodile, the "Sand Crocodile," wasn't even present at the Rain Feast today. As the hero of Alabasta, the one who proposed and enforced the Utopia plan, Crocodile was extremely busy—busy with catching pirates and playing the role of a hero, all while making Alabasta drier by the day.
Duke glanced at Nico Robin, who immediately switched to a forced smile and tried to hide behind Crocodile's reputation—Crocodile, who could turn on her at any time. Duke couldn't help but feel a touch of sadness.
What defines a person's identity could be memories or emotions, but no matter what, the unbreakable bond of blood could create an unexpected and powerful reaction when two strangers meet.
"Is this my daughter? My only family in this world?"
"Perhaps having a family feels good."
Duke's gaze softened as he stared at Nico Robin, who looked nervous yet composed, ready to either fight or escape if needed.
But then, a surprising smile crossed Nico Robin's face.
"The Crocodile matter doesn't matter at all," Duke said gently.
"Nico Robin... No, Figarland Robin."
"You shouldn't call me 'sir,'"
"You should call me... 'Father.'"
"You are my daughter."
Duke's words were firm, but his expression was warm.
After Duke finished speaking, Nico Robin stood there in confusion.
"Who am I, and where am I?"
"Why would such a famous man suddenly claim I'm his daughter?"
"Could he be like Whitebeard, collecting sons and daughters from everywhere?"
"Or maybe he wants to control me using the father-daughter relationship?"
Nico Robin looked at Duke, her mind racing with countless thoughts.
But Robin never believed that Duke could really be her father.
After a life spent fleeing from one danger to the next, and enduring countless betrayals and counter-betrayals, the concept of family had become distant and foreign to her.
In her memories, there was only her mother—no father. After Ohara's destruction at the hands of the World Government, she had lost everything—home, family, and any semblance of safety.
Having endured so much cruelty at sea, Nico Robin had learned never to trust anyone easily.
Duke noticed Robin's deep wariness, the clear doubt in her eyes. He didn't press her immediately with more words. Instead, he took a slow breath and began recounting the story from his own memories—his past with Robin's mother, Olvia.
More than twenty years ago, when Duke was still a young and ambitious man, a member of a prominent merchant family, he met Olvia—an intelligent and beautiful woman.
Their chance meeting led to a series of adventures in West Blue, and soon they became inseparable. Their love grew quickly, and they even spoke of names for their future children—if they had a son, he'd be named Robin Han, and if a daughter, simply Robin.
But like all passionate relationships, reality soon clashed with ideals. Olvia, determined to uncover the forbidden history that the World Government had erased, wanted Duke to join her in continuing their adventures at sea.
However, Duke, having seen the brutality of the world, had other plans. He wished to return to his hometown, take over his family's wealth, and live a peaceful, stable life.
Neither could convince the other, and so, reluctantly, they parted ways. Duke returned home and inherited the family business, but the rise of the Great Pirate Era soon wrecked his plans. His business collapsed, and he found himself forced to join the mafia, leading a life on the edge of danger.
What Duke hadn't expected, however, was that Olvia had been pregnant when they parted. After some time, she reached out to him, asking if he could raise their child—Nico Robin.
But by then, Duke was living on the edge, barely surviving, and unable to provide the life Olvia had hoped for. So, Olvia chose to leave Robin in Ohara, where she could be safe, until, of course, Ohara's tragic destruction.
As Duke spoke of this past, Robin's fake smile slowly faded, first becoming stiff, then completely vanishing.
"I've been searching for you all these years," Duke continued softly. "Now, I have the power to protect you."
He extended his right hand toward her. "Would you come back to West Blue with me? To our home?"