The afternoon sun beat down on the 'Bloody Rum' tavern, making the air outside scorching hot, but the atmosphere inside was just as fiery.
Nico Robin huddled her small body in the darkest corner of the room. The large, black cloak she wore allowed her to blend in with the decaying wooden walls around her. She cautiously pulled her hood low, leaving only her eyes visible—eyes that held a calm that was unsettling for a child. The air, thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and sweat, made her wrinkle her nose in disgust, but it was the arrogant, greedy shouts from the center of the tavern that truly repulsed her.
Three years had passed since the Buster Call had erased her home, Ohara, from the face of the earth. The memory of it burned in her mind day and night, an unquenchable fire. Overnight, she had gone from a young scholar who loved history books to the 'Devil Child,' an eight-year-old girl with a bounty of 79 million Berries on her head.
From that day forward, running was all she knew. She moved from island to island, relying on all sorts of people for help—pirates, gangs, even human traffickers. But every offer of shelter came with the expectation of exploitation and the certainty of betrayal. They all wanted her bounty, or worse, her ability to read the Poneglyphs. The moment danger appeared, or the moment they decided she was no longer useful, they would cast her aside like a broken tool. Trust had become a word she no longer understood.
A month ago, she had narrowly escaped another group of bounty hunters and stowed away on a smuggling ship, which brought her here, to Ambri Island in the North Blue. The island, controlled by the Warlord 'Ten Yasha' Doflamingo, was a cesspool of crime, but its very chaos provided her with the perfect place to hide. Sometimes, the most dangerous places were also the safest. Here, no one paid any attention to a quiet little girl wrapped in a cloak.
She used her advanced knowledge to do small jobs in the black market, translating texts and appraising artifacts to earn enough to survive, all while secretly searching for clues about the Poneglyphs. Her plan had been simple: save up enough money and leave, continuing her endless journey.
But fate always seemed to have other plans for her. The sudden arrival of the Celestial Dragons and the chaos that followed had completely upended her life. The Marine's emergency blockade had trapped her on the island like a bird in a cage. And now, the very tavern where she was hiding had become the meeting hall for the island's most dangerous criminals.
She listened to the hyenas plot and scheme, her heart cold and indifferent. The young man they called Takero was, in her eyes, just another unfortunate soul about to be devoured by the world's greed.
'It has nothing to do with me,' Nico Robin told herself. She had learned long ago that she had to be an observer. Any misplaced sympathy could drag her into a darkness from which there was no escape.
Just as she was reinforcing this lesson to herself, a commotion erupted at the tavern's entrance. A drunken pirate stumbled inside, shouting, "Hey! The port blockade… it's lifted! The Marines are gone!"
"What?!" This news was like a bomb, instantly silencing the rowdy tavern.
"Is that true?!" 'Iron Fist' Baro grabbed the pirate by his collar.
"Abso-lutely! I saw it myself! All the warships are sailing out of the port!"
Once the news was confirmed, the tavern exploded into cheers even wilder than before. "Hahahaha! Excellent! Looks like the Marines were scared off by the Red Hair Pirates!"
But while they celebrated, Nico Robin's heart leaped. 'This is my chance!' This was her opportunity to finally leave this island of trouble. A deep sense of foreboding told her that once these hyenas put their plan into motion, the island would be plunged into a new wave of bloodshed. She had to get out now, while the port was newly opened and the chaos of the crowd would provide cover.
Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled her hood down further, hiding her face completely in the shadows. She rose silently from her corner, melting like a ghost into the restless crowd of pirates who were now heading for the door.
She was just about to slip through the crowd unnoticed when a heavily drunk man stumbled backward, his heavy elbow slamming hard into Robin's side. "Ugh!"
The force of the blow sent her stumbling. Worse, the impact knocked the hood of her cloak clean off her head. 'Damn it!' Warning bells screamed in her mind. Instinctively, she pulled the hood back over her head in a flash, but it was too late.
The entire process was over in the blink of an eye, but a sharp pair of eyes had already caught that fleeting glimpse.
"Hmm?" 'Poison Scorpion' Maria was watching the commotion with an amused look. The pretty face of a young girl, so out of place in this filthy tavern, had immediately caught her eye. But what made her narrow her gaze was the sense of familiarity. She was sure she had seen that face somewhere before.
Maria set down her wine glass, her crimson nails tapping on the table as her mind raced, comparing the image to the priceless bounty poster stored in her memory. Black hair, blue eyes, young, but with a calm that didn't belong on a child…
'That's it!' Maria's eyes flashed with a greedy, fanatical light. She shot to her feet, her piercing voice cutting through the noise of the tavern. "It's her! The 'Devil Child'! Nico Robin!!!" She pointed a finger. "Grab her!!!"
Boom—!
That name was more explosive than any news about the port. The entire tavern fell into a dead silence for a single heartbeat, followed by roars of greed more frantic than anything before.
"What?! Nico Robin?!"
"Seventy-nine million Berries!!!"
"Get her! That bounty is mine!"
In an instant, every eye in the room locked onto the small, cloaked figure. All thoughts of alliances and shared treasure vanished in the face of such a massive, easily obtainable prize.
Nico Robin's heart sank into a cold abyss. She didn't hesitate. She turned and ran for the back door of the tavern.
"Don't let her escape!" Baro and Domino roared, leading the charge. The entire tavern of criminals surged after her like a school of sharks that had smelled blood.
Robin was agile. She dodged through the chaos, flipping tables with her Hana Hana no Mi powers to create obstacles. But the tavern was small, and there were far too many people chasing her. Soon, she found herself cornered in a dead-end alley behind the building.
She looked at the ugly, greedy faces before her and listened to their foul shouts. She leaned against the cold brick wall, her small chest heaving from the sprint. Slowly, she lifted her head and took off her now-useless hood, revealing a face that, despite the dust and grime, was still calm. Her eyes held no fear, only a silent, dead despair, like a frozen lake in winter.
Here we go again. It's always like this. No matter where she ran, no matter how careful she was, it always ended in betrayal and pursuit. Is there truly no place in this world for me?
"Don't struggle, little girl," Baro sneered as he approached her. "Come with us quietly, and we'll make this easy on you."
Robin slowly closed her eyes, giving up all resistance, ready to accept the tragic fate she had always known was coming.
But in that final moment of despair—
RUMBLE—!!!!
The thick brick wall behind her suddenly exploded inward, as if it had been struck by an invisible giant's hammer. Dust and debris filled the alley.
A voice, tinged with amusement and pure arrogance, cut through the chaos from the newly formed opening.
"Yo. Sorry to interrupt, scumbags. Having a party? Mind if I crash it?"
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