Don stopped in his tracks. Robin, not paying attention, bumped into him. She looked up and saw Don turning his head down to look at her.
Had she said something wrong?
A chill ran through Robin's mind. Her usual cautious nature made her overthink instantly.
"So, did I come here for nothing?" she wondered as she hesitated, lost in her thoughts.
Suddenly, Don smiled.
Huh?
Robin froze, staring at his smile, unable to process it immediately.
"Why am I sailing out to sea?"
Don asked, draping a hand over Robin's shoulder as they continued walking forward together.
Robin, feeling his arm over her shoulder, tilted her head to look at his profile. There was still a hint of youthful innocence in his face, and though he was young, the immense strength he already possessed gave her a quiet sense of reassurance.
She relaxed slightly and considered his words.
"To fight the strong?" she asked.
"Exactly. That's part of getting stronger," Don nodded.
"And then?" Robin prompted further.
"Then what?"
"After becoming stronger?" Robin clarified.
Don paused thoughtfully, glancing at her before shaking his head. "I haven't thought that far. Maybe… to make a name across the seas? But that doesn't seem like what I truly want."
"Become a pirate?" Robin asked, eyes searching his.
"I've never thought about being a pirate. Even if there are true adventurers among them, a pirate is still just a pirate," Don replied, shaking his head.
"Hmm," Robin nodded, understanding the pirate way of life.
"They say before the Pirate King died, he left all his treasures on the Final Island. Don't you want to get them?"
"The Final Island?" Don tilted his head to meet Robin's eyes, his gaze calm and clear.
"The treasure there isn't the same as what pirates usually call treasure," he added, shaking his head slightly.
If he were after treasure, defeating the Golden Emperor would be far more profitable. Even if there was treasure on the Final Island, it could never compare to what the Golden Emperor possessed. For Don now, money or treasure was already within easy reach.
"Since you haven't decided yet, why not start with a small goal?"
Robin could see that Don didn't have a clear purpose yet, so she suggested the idea.
"Not bad. Then let's start by making a name across the seas," Don said, stroking his chin. He then lowered his head slightly and kissed Robin lightly on the forehead.
Robin's body stiffened immediately.
Don, still holding her shoulder, could feel her reaction and chuckled quietly. The previously composed Robin now had flushed cheeks and a distracted gaze, clearly flustered by his sudden gesture.
"Since we're making a name across the seas, then in the West Sea, is the highest-bounty pirate Green Pepper?" Don asked, trying to ease Robin's embarrassment.
Robin looked up at him, her cheeks still red, and thought for a moment before nodding.
"The West Sea has produced many great figures, but most have already left for the Grand Line. Now, the highest bounty belongs to the twelfth-generation pillar of the Eight Treasure Navy, though he rarely appears. Currently, the navy is led by his grandson," Robin explained after some thought.
"If I defeat him, can I make a name in the West Sea?" Don asked.
"Of course. Twenty years ago, his bounty was already 500 million Berries. If it weren't for an encounter with a Marine hero, he might have become a ruler of the Grand Line by now," Robin replied.
"Another victim of Garp, huh?" Don chuckled lightly, recalling the incident on Garp's ship when he had struck him with a cannon, leaving Garp with a black eye.
"But how do we find him? After all, this is Kano Country. If we approach directly, we might be attacked," Robin said, concerned.
Even someone as strong as Don could be at a disadvantage if ambushed.
"Actually, we don't need to actively search. Someone nearby already heard our conversation," Don said, scanning the surroundings with his eyes.
Robin's heart tightened. She glanced around and pulled her hood over half of her face to remain hidden.
"Now we just wait," Don continued.
"The other party isn't ordinary. Even so, it might not be Green Pepper coming," Robin warned.
"No matter. If it's not now, it will be later," Don replied calmly.
Robin's heart skipped a beat as she understood his meaning. Considering Don's previous encounter with Aokiji, she trusted he could handle whatever appeared.
Meanwhile…
"Garp? And he mentioned Old Green Pepper? Trouble coming?"
Twenty-year-old Lao G, now managing most of the Eight Treasure Navy's affairs, perked up at the news. Their elder, the previous head, was now constantly distracted, staring at frozen treasures.
"Should we inform the old man?" Bu Wu, carrying three battle axes, asked.
"No. If he hears Garp's name, he'll probably lose it," Lao G replied. He knew all too well the feud between Green Pepper and Garp. Just mentioning Garp could trigger his grandfather's berserk state.
"Crack! Crack! Let's go deal with this person!" Lao G said, grabbing a long-handled sword and moving out, with Bu Wu following behind.
"Just bring those two here," he added.
"No, if they dare provoke us, they must have some strength. They might not be ordinary opponents," Lao G shook his head.
In reality, he was just itching for some action. With some time before setting sail, trouble arriving was a perfect excuse.
Robin quickly noticed something was wrong. Fewer people were around, and those appearing were tall, muscular, and looked vicious.
"We've been discovered. These should be Eight Treasure Navy personnel," Robin whispered to Don.
Don didn't answer. His hand on her shoulder tightened slightly, reassuring her.
"We're on the way to the Eight Treasure Navy's base. We just don't know who will show themselves next," Don said. His Observation Haki fully active, he could "see" everything around.
In the distance, the Eight Treasure Navy had already sealed the area; ordinary Kano Country civilians couldn't approach. In short, they were now surrounded by the navy.
Robin, not having awakened Observation Haki, could only analyze based on what she could see.
"They're coming!"
As Robin remained alert, Don suddenly stopped.
Robin's heart tightened as she looked ahead.
After a while, a large group appeared along the main road.
"Lao G and Bu Wu. They should be the ones managing the Eight Treasure Navy now," Robin whispered, recognizing them.
"I know!" Don said, also identifying the newcomers.
The men approaching were the ones who would later marry Baby 5 and join the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, with Lao G leading the Eight Treasure Navy into the Straw Hat Alliance.
END OF CHAPTER
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