"Hmm hmm hmm~ Hahahahaha~ The Devil's Child? Nico Robin!"
Holding up Nico Robin's wanted poster and rubbing the scar across his nose, Crocodile let out a satisfied laugh.
To erase the disgrace Whitebeard had inflicted on him, he had cast aside his original body.
After much effort, he'd found traces of the ancient weapon Pluton's existence in Alabasta.
But the ancient script was completely indecipherable.
He had thought that with Ohara's destruction, the path to uncovering Pluton had been sealed forever.
But now—this girl was the key! The one sent by fate to break the deadlock!
He was destined!
Once he got his hands on Pluton…
He would take Whitebeard's head in one strike!
And wipe away that shame in one clean sweep!!!
"Next stop—the Mafia!"
As a Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile was nominally equal to the Navy in rank.
But Nico Robin was someone the World Government wanted badly.
The best way to find her? Let the local kingpins do the dirty work.
And in the West Blue, the top powers weren't pirate crews who lived and died for their nakama.
They were the thriving Mafia families.
...
West Blue – Kingdom of Mexico, Sicily Island
One of the West Blue's most powerful Mafia syndicates, the Capone Family, was based here.
With overwhelming firepower and manpower, they had reduced the kingdom's royal family to mere puppets.
Taxes, trade, law, life—everything in this nation…
Was firmly under the control of Capone Bege, known far and wide as "The Gangster."
"Nico Robin."
Bege stared at the wanted poster on his desk. He sat on a throne encrusted with treasure, casually flicking the cigarette in his mouth.
He grinned—sharp, bloody.
This was a deal he couldn't lose.
No one in the West Blue could compete with him on this turf.
"AAAAHHHH!"
Suddenly, screams erupted outside.
"Damn it! Who's there?!"
Bege's expression darkened instantly.
As a Mafia boss, his residence was located deep in the family stronghold—the most secure part of the island.
Yet before any underling could warn him, the enemy had already broken through.
No doubt about it: this was an unprecedented threat.
No time to think. Instincts flared as Bege's chest opened up, revealing an array of internal cannons all aimed at the door.
From within his body, elite troops of the Capone Family burst into action.
Gunfire erupted—explosions roared—flames lit up the room!
The smell of gunpowder filled the air.
BOOM!
But something was faster.
BOOOOM!!
A massive claw ripped through Capone Bege's fortress like it was soft tofu, reducing it to rubble in an instant.
Even the barrage of cannon fire was casually swept aside, every shell crushed midair.
So fast!
Bege's pupils shrank. What kind of destructive power and speed was this?!
A towering shadow loomed over him like a demon straight out of hell.
In the next moment, the shadow shifted—and the figure behind it appeared.
Like a child holding a rag doll, Moria was clutching a limp Mafia thug by the collar as he stepped into Bege's view.
"Gecko Moria!"
Bege involuntarily took a step back, cold sweat soaking through his crisp white suit.
He was young, but he still remembered Moria's infamy.
A powerful pirate who hailed from the West Blue—though he'd vanished in recent years, tales of his chaos in Loguetown and his name among West Blue's legends were etched into Bege's mind.
"Heh heh heh… Didn't expect anyone in the West Blue to still remember me!"
Moria grinned, tossing aside the unconscious thug like trash.
He'd crushed ten Mafia syndicates on his way here—eight of them didn't even recognize who he was.
Guess he still had some notoriety left.
Through the gaping hole Moria had torn in the wall, Bege could see the sorry state of his family's forces.
One by one, his men were collapsed on the ground, some crying, others frozen in terror—completely stripped of their will to fight.
The sight only made Bege's sense of danger spike higher.
Another strange Devil Fruit ability?
But if this intruder hadn't killed him yet—if his family wasn't already wiped out—
Then that meant they were still useful.
Thinking fast, Bege asked in a respectful tone:
"What do you want from me?"
"What you're already doing."
Moria's figure flickered—he and his shadow exchanged positions. A girl now clung to his neck like a scarf.
Perona.
Bege's heartbeat surged again. That speed—if Moria wanted him dead, it would've been over in a blink.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that.
Pushing aside his unease, Bege focused on what Moria had just said.
"What I'm doing…?"
His mind raced. For a pirate of Moria's caliber to return to the West Blue—something big had to be in play.
And whatever it was… it had to be connected to his current operation.
There was only one thing it could be.
"Nico Robin?"
Bege tested the waters.
"Correct. Find her. Don't overlook any clue—any trail."
Moria nodded with satisfaction. No wonder the Boss liked working with smart people. One hint, and they caught on right away.
"I understand. Give me a little time."
No hesitation. Bege agreed immediately.
Because there was no choice.
Only life—or death.
"Heh heh heh… That's the attitude. Once you've got a lead, come find me."
Hoisting Perona over his shoulder, Moria slowly faded into the distance—
And took with him the ghostly minions who'd been gleefully tormenting Bege's men.
"Godfather!"
Only then did the Capone Family members find the strength to stand.
They clutched their guns, aiming nervously at Moria's retreating silhouette.
"Stand down!!"
Bege's eye twitched as he barked a furious order.
Ordinary bullets couldn't even pierce his own defenses—what made them think they could hurt that monster?
And with Moria's creepy teleportation powers—
If they brought that demon back right after he left, would anyone survive?
"Everyone—go all out and find Nico Robin!"
"Yes, Godfather!"
In an instant, bounty hunters, underground networks, Mafia families, and even visitors from the Grand Line began mobilizing.
The entire West Blue erupted in search of any trace of Nico Robin's survival.
...
West Blue
A small, unremarkable island in the middle of the sea. At sunset, it glowed with peaceful golden light.
It used to be a place outsiders rarely visited.
Now, it bore faint traces of bounty hunters.
Inside a quiet, remote restaurant—
"Nico! I'm heading out to buy tomorrow's fish. Keep an eye on the place, alright?"
Restaurant owner Deceip wiped the sweat from his brow, fingers instinctively brushing the wanted poster in his pocket.
His thoughts churned.
He'd never imagined that the orphan he took in on a whim would turn out to be someone so terrifying.
But… she didn't seem like it at all.
Could she really be someone capable of sinking six Navy battleships?
When he first took her in, she'd been nearly starved to death.
"Okay! Leave it to me, Deceip-san!"
Nico Robin beamed as she waved him off, wielding a mop taller than she was.
She even left a few handcuffs in plain sight and wore some herself—just in case.
"Good girl. Watch the shop."
Deceip's steps were stiff as he made his way toward the town tavern.
He glanced back one last time at Robin, muttering under his breath—
"Doesn't seem like her at all…"
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg