God's Island, West Coast.
After searching extensively, Bahr and his crew finally found the Golden Bell.
It turned out that after being knocked down by Straw Hat Boy, the bell had gotten caught on the fallen giant beanstalk and hadn't plummeted all the way down to the White Sea.
Facing this massive bell weighing thousands of pounds, Bahr casually flicked his finger, and with a resonant "hum," it was effortlessly moved ashore.
Nico Robin quickly stepped forward, her fingertips gently tracing the Poneglyph embedded in the bell's surface. The ancient script shimmered faintly in the sunlight as she murmured, "I am the weaver of history, existing alongside the chimes of the bell tower..."
Her voice carried unmistakable excitement.
But moments later, her shoulders suddenly slumped. Turning to Bahr, her eyes held a trace of disappointment. "As you said, there's nothing here that I'm looking for."
"Told you so," Bahr said, hands behind his head, though a teasing smirk tugged at his lips. "But you insisted on seeing for yourself. Convinced now?"
Robin shot him a sidelong glance before abruptly changing the subject. "However, this does record the location of another Ancient Weapon. Aren't you curious?"
"Poseidon, right?" Bahr scoffed, his tone dismissive. "Not interested."
The Ancient Weapon Poseidon was none other than the mermaid princess Shirahoshi. While he might have some interest in her body, the so-called power of the Ancient Weapon itself held no appeal for him.
His casual response made Robin's lips curl into a knowing smile. This man couldn't read the ancient script, yet he could accurately describe its contents—clearly, he was hiding more secrets.
Perhaps he truly could lead her to the truth buried in history.
"Not going to take a closer look?" Bahr chuckled when Robin fell silent.
"I've long grown weary of these fragments," Robin replied without turning, though her gaze remained fixed on Bahr. Her tone was frank. "If you want the details, I can decipher them for you."
What she sought was never isolated words, but the buried truth.
Bahr studied Robin with amusement. "I'd advise you to look again. There might be a surprise."
"What do you mean by that?" Robin frowned warily, eyeing the playful glint in Bahr's expression. Knowing him, this man who enjoyed toying with "women's hearts" wouldn't say such a thing without reason.
Just then, Nami, who had been circling the Golden Bell, suddenly pointed at a corner of the bell. "Hey, there's writing here too!"
"Gol D. Roger... How is this possible?" Robin followed Nami's finger, and when she saw the weathered ancient script, her pupils constricted sharply. "The Pirate King came to Sky Island?"
"Correct," Bahr said, crossing his arms, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather.
"What does this mean? Why would he use the ancient script?" Robin's voice rose involuntarily, her nails digging into her palms.
"The reason is simple," Bahr drawled, watching as everyone held their breath. A hint of mockery flickered in his eyes—directed at someone unseen. "He had someone by his side who was also proficient in this script."
"As for the content..." He deliberately paused before continuing slowly, "What you seek has already been taken to the final island by the Pirate King."
Silence fell like a hammer. Everyone was stunned by this bombshell revelation about the One Piece, so shocked that even the sea breeze seemed to freeze.
After a brief moment of daze, Robin suddenly laughed, realization dawning. "So that's why you said before that to uncover the truth, we must search for the One Piece?"
"Bingo," Bahr said, stepping forward. He brushed aside a stray lock of hair from her forehead and grinned. "So? Not a bad deal, working with me, huh?"
Robin's eyelid twitched as she stared at this flirtatious young man. After a pause, she replied flatly, "It's... acceptable."
True, Bahr's occasional "beastly" behavior often made her frown, but she couldn't deny that every transaction with him led straight to the heart of history.
This win-win situation—where he got his amusement and she got her answers—was hard to fault.
At this point, Robin was 90% certain that following this mysterious and dangerous man might truly lead her to the truth the World Government had buried.
"Hey, Bahr! Finders keepers—use your ability to cut this gold up!" Nami stomped her foot, hands on her hips. She knew his Spatial ability was unstoppable; he could definitely slice the Golden Bell into portable chunks.
Bahr's lips twitched. This greedy Little Cat Burglar never changed.
Still, he walked up to the Golden Bell, pressed his palm against its cool surface, and watched as space rippled. The entire bell vanished as if swallowed by an abyss.
"You're trying to hog it all? That's despicable! Hand it over!" Nami's eyes widened as she grabbed his collar and yelled.
"No." Bahr winced at the noise, rubbing his ear. "A Golden Bell this big could fund my lavish lifestyle for life. 'Finders keepers'? What, are we splitting oranges here?"
Seeing that force wouldn't work, Nami suddenly dropped to her knees, clutching her head and wailing. Tears mixed with sand streaked her face. "Enel's ship already had so much gold... How can you be this greedy...?"
Bahr watched Nami's trembling shoulders for five seconds before sighing and pointing to the side. "There's a golden pillar over there. I'll cut you a piece. Happy now?"
"Deal!" Nami sprang up faster than a coiled spring, darting toward the pillar.
"..."
This woman was truly fickle.
Robin crossed her arms, shooting a disdainful glance. Their boss could be shrewd at times, but when it came to beautiful women, his principles always seemed... flexible.
Nearby, Miss. Valentine watched, grinding her teeth in frustration, her chest heaving as if threatening to capsize their boat.
But the moment Nami took the gold chunk, she froze. Watching Bahr store the entire golden pillar into his spatial storage, she gritted her teeth. "That's it? Are you seriously this stingy?"
"Too little?" Bahr arched a brow, one hand in his pocket. "That's solid gold—worth at least a hundred million Berries. If you don't want it—"
He deliberately trailed off, raising a finger as if to take it back.
"Wait!" Nami immediately clutched the gold to her chest, her knuckles whitening.
"Oh, right," Bahr said suddenly, his tone casual but laced with threat. "Back in Alabasta, someone made me a promise. Time to pay up, don't you think?"
Nami's face paled. She forced a laugh, backing away. "Ahaha, just remembered something urgent! Gotta go!"
Before the words finished, she bolted like a startled rabbit, kicking up sand as she fled. A distant "Next time for sure!" floated back on the wind.
Robin watched with amusement. "Not going after her?"
"No need." Bahr laced his hands behind his head, watching Nami's retreating figure. A cryptic smile played on his lips. "What's mine won't run. If it's not mine, I'll just take it. Why worry about her escaping?"
Robin: "..."
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