Hearing the voice, Aokiji also opened his blindfold and looked at Robin.
Aokiji remembered that he had come to invite Luffy to become a Shichibukai, and also to check on Nico Robin.
"Hai, Marine Admiral Aokiji!" Robin said tremulously.
Marine Admiral?!
Everyone was instantly on high alert.
Aokiji quickly waved his hand. "Whoa, whoa, I'm not here to fight. Straw Hat Luffy, I know your grandpa very well, and this time I came with a mission to invite you to become a Shichibukai."
"So, you're Grandpa's friend!"
Luffy suddenly grinned, then shook his head and declared, "I refuse to be a Shichibukai! I want to be the Pirate King!"
Aokiji seemed to have expected this and wasn't surprised at all. "Well, I figured this trip might be for nothing. However, I didn't come just for the task, but also to see..." He paused, his gaze settling on Robin. "...to see someone."
Now, except for a few simple-minded individuals, everyone else had pieced it together.
Led by Zoro, Law, and Sanji, the men all directly positioned themselves to block Aokiji's line of sight. The women – Nami, Tashigi, and Marie – surrounded Robin protectively.
Everyone glared at Aokiji with cold eyes.
Aokiji remained unfazed and said casually, "I'm afraid you don't know about Nico Robin. She has been betraying others for twenty years. Any crew she joins will eventually be destroyed because of her treachery. I advise you to abandon her sooner rather than later and let me take her away."
When Robin heard this, her body trembled violently again.
However, the Straw Hats didn't budge.
Luffy silently placed his straw hat firmly on his head and said in a low voice, "We will never abandon our nakama! Absolutely never!"
"Even if she betrays you in the end?"
"Nakama don't betray each other!"
There was unwavering conviction in Luffy's voice, untouched by Aokiji's words.
At this moment, Carl stepped forward slowly, walking directly in front of Aokiji. Luffy and the others were taken aback, sensing an anger from Carl they had never witnessed before.
Suddenly, a fist slammed into Aokiji's face!
Aokiji was sent flying backward, crashing through several large trees before finally stopping.
"Ah la la, I didn't expect you to resort to violence."
Aokiji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and slowly walked back, frost beginning to form on his body, clearly ready to retaliate. Although Luffy and the others didn't understand the reason for Carl's intense anger, they immediately went on high alert.
Carl suddenly turned around again and slowly walked up to Robin, kneeling down before her.
A hand gently rested on the top of Robin's head.
"I told you, if you encounter something you're afraid of, you can hide behind me."
Carl's gentle voice broke through Robin's fear, and she suddenly clutched Carl's skirt tightly, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed like a child.
At this moment, everyone seemed to understand why Carl often patted Robin's head.
It was like comforting a child!
Carl glanced at Aokiji and said in a cold tone, "Aokiji, have you ever searched your conscience about what you just said? You claim Robin has always betrayed others, but do you even know how she ended up in that situation? Twenty years ago, when Robin was only eight years old, the World Government and the Marines destroyed her hometown, murdered her mother, and made her a complete orphan!
Placing a bounty of seventy-nine million Berries on an eight-year-old child and branding her the 'Demon Child' – only you guys are capable of that!
Why did Robin 'betray' those people? Didn't those people try to exchange Robin for bounties, betraying her first?
You caused Robin to wander for twenty years, and now you, as an accomplice, accuse Robin like this? Is this your 'justice' as a Marine Admiral?!"
The more Carl spoke, the more Robin cried, burying her face in Carl's embrace.
And everyone else's expressions grew more solemn, a wave of anger rising within them.
Aokiji was lost in the memories of that year and finally sighed. "Ohara touched a taboo of the World Government, and the World Government could not allow Ohara to continue to exist.
Nico Robin also mastered the forbidden text, and there was no other way than to place such a bounty on her. The majesty of the World Government cannot be trampled on."
Carl's smile was even colder. "Hehe, if the World Government is truly clean, why would you fear others knowing that period of history? If the World Government treated the people of the sea kindly, wouldn't it be irrelevant whether that history was 'clean' or not?
You Marines pursue justice, which is commendable, but when faced with the orders of the World Government, how do you reconcile that justice? Just because of that, you could even kill your best friend Saul? Is that the justice you have always upheld?!"
Aokiji was stunned for a moment, at a loss for words.
At this moment, Luffy suddenly rushed forward and also punched Aokiji in the face, sending the Admiral flying again.
After crashing through a few more trees, Aokiji slowly got up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He hadn't expected to be hit twice from the front today.
"Mr. Carl, there's no need to say anymore."
Luffy's voice was low but soon became high-pitched. "Robin is our nakama! This will never change! We will never betray Robin! And those guys who bullied Robin, whether it's the Marines or the World Government, we will help Robin get justice!"
"Oh? You mean to make an enemy of the world?" Aokiji looked serious.
"That's exactly what I want! Come at us if you dare!" Luffy roared, his tone unwavering.
Robin trembled all over but cried even more fiercely.
Carl could only continue patting her back, silently comforting her.
After his yell, Luffy charged forward again, Gear Second activating halfway, and the Jet Machine Gun rained down on Aokiji. Aokiji immediately turned into a pile of ice shards but reappeared in the sky before anyone could react.
"ROOM! Slaughterhouse!" Law directly activated his ability, teleporting Zoro and Sanji into the air.
"Santoryu! Three Thousand Worlds!"
"Armament Haki: Iron Body! Diable Jambe!"
Zoro and Sanji unleashed their powerful attacks directly, holding nothing back.
However, Aokiji was incredibly strong and had vast battle experience. He only needed to create two ice shields to block Zoro and Sanji's techniques.
As soon as he landed, he found four Luffy's surrounding him. Aokiji was momentarily surprised but quickly caught the fists of the four Luffy's. However, he immediately realized they were fakes, so he simply condensed an ice sword and sliced the four Luffy's in half.
"Ah la la, it turned out to be wax figures."
Aokiji looked at Mr. 3 with surprise.
Mr. 3 had instantly created four wax figures of Luffy, and Marie had waved her colored pencils to bring them to life, sending the four Luffy's attacking Aokiji again.
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