"I can hold off two admirals," Rhett said quietly, "but only two of my crew can actually fight. I'm not about to risk their lives for people I don't even know."
In the distance, Akainu's massive magma fist came crashing down. The refugee ship below erupted into a blazing inferno, and the screams carried all the way to them.
Tears fell from Robin's eyes, splashing against the deck. Rhett reached out and wiped them away.
"Take a good look, kid," he murmured. "This is the 'justice' of the World Government. This world is sick to its core."
Far across the ice, Kuzan stood alone, watching Ohara burn, his expression unreadable.
"Kuzan! What the hell are you doing?!" Akainu's furious roar came from the other side. "Stop standing around! Finish the mission!"
Kuzan didn't respond. He slowly raised a hand, cold mist swirling in his palm… but he never released it.
From a distance, Rhett glanced his way and allowed a cold smile to curve his lips. "Kuzan, the fire's gone out."
Laboon moved closer to Robin, gently nudging her face as if to comfort her.
Robin bit her lip hard enough for blood to bead.
Rhett rose to his feet and started toward the cabin.
"Rhett…" Perona spoke hesitantly.
"Perona," Rhett replied without turning, "take her to rest."
Perona nodded, reaching for Robin's hand.
But Robin's voice broke the air, hoarse and trembling. "...Will you help me get revenge?"
Rhett stopped walking.
"No," he said flatly.
Robin's nails dug into her palms.
"But," Rhett added, glancing over his shoulder, "if you want the truth… if you want to change this world… I can teach you how to make those so-called 'gods' kneel and beg for their lives."
"I've got some experience killing Celestial Dragons."
Robin's pupils tightened.
Rhett opened the door and stepped inside, leaving her with only one sentence:
"Stay alive. Get stronger. And take back everything they stole from you… with your own hands."
The Bruma Jackson sailed farther and farther away, Ohara disappearing behind them as the sea swallowed the flames.
Robin stood at the stern until the burning Tree of Knowledge vanished from sight. Perona squeezed her hand.
"Robin… let's get stronger together," she said softly.
Robin gave a small nod.
Rhett hadn't invited Robin to join the crew. He knew that, like Brook, she would one day find companions she could truly trust.
Robin had stepped out of Ohara's shadow at least, that's how it appeared.
Now she sat at a small wooden table, a heavy historical tome spread before her. Rhett had picked it up somewhere without much thought.
Hakiry was still as meticulous as ever.
Robin adjusted her glasses and tapped the table with her fingers.
"Perona, have you finished your homework? I need to check it."
Perona floated lazily in the air, hugging her Kumashi plushie. "Mmm… I don't want to."
Robin's smile was gentle but firm. "That's not an option. Rhett said you still need to master the basics. If you can't even read, you'll end up a complete illiterate."
Perona puffed out her cheeks. Ghosts drifted from her body and began circling Robin. "But it's so boring! Studying won't make me stronger!"
Robin poked one of the floating ghosts, and it vanished with a soft "poof."
She closed her book with a light thump. "How about this if you can answer my question, you can skip today's homework."
Perona's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Mm-hmm." Robin raised one finger. "First question: What do we do when we encounter a storm at sea?"
Perona froze. "…How would I know that?"
Robin simply stared at her, saying nothing.
Perona drifted down to the desk, grumbling under her breath as she picked up a quill. "…Fine, I'll do the homework."
This question was way beyond the curriculum anyway.
At that moment, Moria popped up from between the deck planks, grinning in his eerie way. "Fufufufu… Want me to do your homework for you, little girl?"
The old man's fatherly side had clearly kicked in he couldn't bear to see Perona struggling.
Perona's eyes brightened. "You will?"
Robin calmly flipped a page. "Moria, if you help her, Rhett might just have Enel give you a nice 'massage' with lightning."
Moria's shadow froze. He slunk back below deck without another word. "…Forget I said anything."
The cabin door swung open. Rhett walked in carrying a tray of steaming mugs of milk.
"What's going on here?"
Perona floated over at once, pouting. "Rhett! Robin's bullying me!"
Rhett raised an eyebrow and handed one of the mugs to Robin. "She's making you do homework?"
Perona nodded vigorously. "Mm!"
Rhett took a sip of his own drink. "At your age, you can't just play around. This is the time to work hard."
Perona: "…"
Robin accepted the mug, smiling as she added, "And if you don't study, you won't even be able to read the newspaper. Imagine getting a bounty poster from the Navy and not knowing what it says."
Perona froze, then her eyes lit up. "…That makes sense! …But now I feel depressed."
After all, her bounty was still only 1,500 berries, while Robin's had started at a staggering 79 million.
"Just listen to the name," Perona thought bitterly. "'Devil's Child.' So cool…"
Laboon's bounty, well… still unchanged. Rhett suspected it was being manipulated by people with money.
Perona zipped back to the desk, pen scratching furiously. "I'm going to learn how to read the newspaper!!"
Rhett and Robin exchanged a glance, then clinked their mugs together in silent amusement.
In Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office, a piece of urgent intelligence was slammed onto the desk.
"The Blood Dawn interfered in the Ohara incident and took Nico Robin with them!"
Sengoku's brow furrowed instantly.
Akainu's fist smashed through the desk, molten rock sizzling as it dripped onto the floor. "Kuzan!"
He whirled on the other admiral, fury blazing in his eyes. "Why didn't you stop that ship when you had the chance?!"
Hands in his pockets, Kuzan gave a lazy yawn. Ever since returning from Ohara, he had been more nonchalant than ever. "Ahhh… maybe it was too far."
"Don't give me excuses!" Akainu's magma arm roiled violently. "You could've frozen the entire sea! Do you know how many lives will be lost because those fugitives escaped?"
(Here, I've given Sakazuki's brand of extreme justice a bit more rationale blind fanaticism with no reasoning is just foolish.)
Kuzan's gaze hardened slightly. "Sakazuki, are you questioning my judgment?"
The air between them turned to ice.
Only Garp sat on the couch, happily munching senbei like nothing was wrong. "Hahahaha! I'm going to be a grandpa!"
Sengoku's forehead twitched. "Garp!!!"
Garp dug at his ear. "Huh? Oh, the Ohara thing? Isn't that already over?"
Akainu's rage boiled over. "The Blood Dawn took one of Ohara's survivors! That means information about the Poneglyphs could leak!"
Kuzan shrugged. "The World Government already ordered every scholar erased. As for one little girl…"
He paused.
"What kind of trouble could she cause? And don't forget Rhett was a member of Roger's crew. Who knows what he already knows."
Akainu's eyes blazed hotter. "Kuzan! With that attitude, you're not fit to be an admiral!"
Kuzan's tone went cold. "At least I don't slaughter civilians."
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