Kaito stood before the entrance of Baroque Works, just about to teleport inside, when suddenly, the door swung open.
What met his gaze was Crocodile's smiling face—and the group of officers standing behind him.
Kaito was briefly stunned by their strange behavior. What's with this setup? Are they welcoming a guest or something?
Crocodile tried his best to make his scarred face look a little friendlier. He stepped up to Kaito and said,
"Admiral Shikiryū, is a small place like Alabasta really worth your personal visit?"
Kaito didn't respond right away. He simply crossed his arms and stared at Crocodile, silently boring into him until Crocodile couldn't help but feel uncomfortable under his gaze. Only then did Kaito speak.
"You know exactly what you've done. Do I really need to spell it out for you?"
Although Kaito's tone sounded calm, to Crocodile, every word was like a death sentence. He knew full well—this Shikiryū had to be aware that everything happening in Alabasta lately was connected to him.
He was clearly here to settle the score!
But even though Crocodile understood that much, he didn't show any signs of wanting to fight.
Because he knew—if it came to a fight, he and everyone here would probably be erased from existence in an instant.
So, Crocodile did something that utterly shocked his subordinates—he lowered his proud head and confessed everything they'd done over the past while.
Daz Bones looked at Crocodile in disbelief.
"B-Boss…?"
"Shut up! In front of this man, don't even think about resisting!"
Credit where it's due—Crocodile was a cunning warlord. He understood that, in a situation like this, honesty was actually the best defense.
Even Kaito was surprised. This was the same Crocodile who, back during the Summit War, had challenged everything and everyone with that unyielding attitude—and now, here he was, bowing his head?
It was… unexpected.
But that didn't mean Kaito was going to let Crocodile off the hook so easily. He slowly walked to the chair at the end of the room, sat down, and casually crossed one leg over the other.
He placed a hand on the table—only to feel a strange warmth under his palm. Robin, sitting near the spot just moments ago, flushed slightly, as that had been her seat.
Kaito glanced briefly at Robin. Compared to the original anime, she was a bit younger now, but that didn't diminish her unique charm in the slightest.
Unlike Nami, the fiery redhead of the Straw Hats, Robin gave off more of a maternal aura within the crew.
She was the quintessential intelligent beauty—brave, composed, thoughtful. Someone who made others feel they could rely on her.
Robin also noticed Kaito looking at her, and her heart skipped a beat.
She still carried the identity of the "Devil's Child." If Shikiryū discovered that, there was no way she'd walk out of here alive.
She didn't believe for a second that Shikiryū would show the same mercy as Aokiji had.
Fortunately, Kaito didn't keep his gaze on her for long. He quickly turned his eyes back to Crocodile and asked, seemingly casually,
"So, you're sure that's everything?"
What Crocodile had revealed earlier was indeed fairly thorough—but when it came to his actual goal, he'd only admitted to wanting to replace the king. He hadn't mentioned a word about "Pluton."
Which gave Kaito a perfect excuse to press further.
Crocodile swallowed nervously, unsure whether Kaito really knew something or was bluffing.
Seeing him remain silent, Kaito didn't push. He stood up and slowly approached Robin. Under her horrified gaze, he reached out and gently hooked her chin with a finger.
Kaito took a moment to admire her refined features, then said softly,
"Never thought the 'Devil's Child' wanted by the World Government would end up as Baroque Works' vice president. Care to explain that?"
His words hit like thunder in everyone's minds.
Crocodile went ice cold from head to toe. He hadn't expected Kaito to know so much about Robin's identity.
And he understood—if her identity was exposed, his position as a Shichibukai would be finished!
That thought sent a chill down his spine. The ground beneath his feet began to stir, grains of sand materializing out of thin air—clearly, he was preparing to fight.
But Kaito didn't seem to notice his movements at all. He simply smiled at Robin, curious to see how she would respond.
Robin, now soaked in cold sweat, stared blankly at the man in front of her, a sense of utter despair welling up inside.
"Looks like… this is the end for me."
Two lines of tears silently slid down her cheeks.
She wasn't afraid of death—but she deeply regretted that she wouldn't be able to fulfill her mother's wish… to uncover the true history.
Seeing her cry, Kaito quickly withdrew his finger.
He had only wanted to scare her a little, like Aokiji had done. He hadn't expected her to break down so completely.
That left him a bit frustrated. Was his face really that scary? Aokiji could get away with it, but he couldn't?
Still, frustration aside, Kaito gently reached out again and wiped away the tears on Robin's face. He said with a sigh,
"Alright, enough crying. I'm not interested in capturing you."
"...?"
Robin stayed perfectly still, letting Kaito's fingertips softly brush her cheeks, staring at him with puzzled eyes.
She didn't quite believe that Kaito would just let a "Devil's Child" like her go free. She understood her worth—whoever captured her would earn major credit. And Kaito was an admiral, no less!
Under her suspicious gaze, Kaito simply shrugged.
"I just don't feel like letting those idiots in the World Government have their way. Believe it or not—up to you."
That one line stunned everyone present.
Did they hear that right?
An admiral—a Navy admiral—had just openly mocked the World Government?! And without the slightest hesitation?!
Could they even be allowed to hear something like that?! Did this mean Shikiryū was going to silence them all now?
Robin's eyes went wide. She now seriously doubted whether this young man in front of her was truly the famed Admiral Shikiryū.
Kaito, meanwhile, ignored her. His gaze swept back to Crocodile.
Even catching just a glimpse of Kaito's Rinnegan was enough to kill the last shred of resistance in Crocodile's heart. He immediately gave up on any thoughts of fighting.
Kaito's gaze swept across the room. Everyone he looked at instinctively bowed their heads, not daring to meet those eyes.
Just as Kaito was considering how to deal with these people...
A lazy, familiar voice rang out from the doorway.
"Ara ara~ Kaito, you really don't waste time, do you?"