Chapter 66: Ms. Robin, You Are Captured, Declaring War on Crocodile
Not long after the fleet set sail, the lookout in the crow's nest shouted, "Captain, there's a person ahead!"
"A person?"
Nami and the other girls tensed up and quickly looked in the direction the lookout was pointing. The encounter with Hawkeye the other day had left a small shadow in their hearts. They were afraid of running into another terrifying lone traveler.
"Well, it's just a woman!" When the girls saw the person, they breathed a sigh of relief, then said with some disdain.
"It's her!" When Vivi saw the figure, her expression changed drastically!
"Vivi, you know her?" Nami and the others all looked at Vivi.
"I'd recognize her even if she were turned to ash!" Vivi said, looking at the figure on the back of the giant turtle with hatred. "The vice president of Baroque Works, the right-hand woman of the mastermind, Crocodile. The 'Devil Child' with a bounty of seventy-nine million—Nico Robin!"
"Seventy-nine million?" Nami and the others' expressions changed slightly. That bounty was higher than Lister's.
"Yes, and that was her bounty when she was only eight years old," Vivi said. When she had investigated Robin's identity, she too had been greatly shocked.
"Then isn't she incredibly strong?" Nami asked nervously.
"I'm not sure about that, because I've never seen her fight anyone! But she shouldn't be weak," Vivi said.
"Lister, what do you think?" Nami turned her gaze to Lister.
"Of course, I'll stand and watch!" A slight smile played on Lister's lips. "Bring the ship closer to her!"
"Yes!!"
The sailors on the ship maneuvered the New Money Go closer to where Robin was. Soon, the distance between them was less than thirty meters.
"Miss Wednesday, you've actually joined a group of pirates! For a dignified princess, you've fallen quite low!" Robin said with a smile, glancing at Vivi.
"Miss All Sunday! The Money Pirates are now under my employment, escorting me to Alabasta. From now on, you won't be able to kill me! After I return to Alabasta, I will definitely uproot the entire Baroque Works!" Vivi said angrily.
"My, you sound so capable! I look forward to your performance!" Robin smiled gently, then turned her gaze to Lister. "Captain Lister! Is it alright to call you that?"
"As long as you don't call me 'Butcher,' I hate that name! So, Miss Nico Robin! What can I do for you?" Lister looked at Robin with a playful expression.
"I believe Princess Vivi has already told you the identity of the mastermind behind Baroque Works," Robin said with that same gentle smile.
"She has. The Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile," Lister replied with a smile.
"Then do you know how powerful and terrifying the Warlords of the Sea are?" Robin continued to ask with a smile.
"I do. Just after entering the Grand Line, I encountered another Warlord, Hawkeye. He sank one of the ships in my fleet! My comrades and I were all injured by him! I have to say, Hawkeye is truly powerful!" Lister exclaimed.
Robin's expression flickered, but she quickly composed herself and continued to smile. "Since you have witnessed the power of a Warlord, you shouldn't offend my boss any further! After all, offending a Warlord of the Sea is very troublesome."
"And so?" Lister asked with a laugh.
"Previously, you saved Princess Vivi and ruined my boss's plans. My boss is very angry. So, he's giving you two choices."
"Choices?" Lister was interested.
"First, kill Princess Vivi for my boss, and our grudge will be settled. After that, we will not trouble you again!"
As soon as Robin finished speaking, Vivi's face turned pale. She looked at Lister nervously, afraid that he would hand her over. After all, pirates were fickle; it was all too normal.
However, Lister didn't even glance at her. He smiled faintly at Robin and said, "What's the second choice?"
Hearing this, Robin paused for a moment and gave Lister a meaningful look.
"Second, if you don't kill Princess Vivi, then you will be an enemy of Baroque Works. From then on, Baroque Works will launch an all-out attack on the Money Pirates until every single one of you is eliminated!"
"Captain Lister, those are my boss's conditions. The choice is yours. Do as you see fit!"
The moment Robin finished speaking, everyone's gaze snapped to Lister. Although they all felt that their captain would not compromise with Crocodile, no one could be one hundred percent certain until Lister spoke.
"Actually, there is a third option!" Lister said with a faint smile.
"Oh?" Robin was slightly taken aback.
"And that is to take down Crocodile!" Lister said.
"That joke isn't funny at all!" The smile on Robin's face faded slightly.
"I'm serious!" Lister looked at Robin and continued, "Nico Robin, as the vice president of Baroque Works, if I take you down first, it's like cutting off one of Crocodile's arms!"
"You're going to attack me?" Robin's expression changed drastically, and she secretly became vigilant.
"You've delivered yourself to my doorstep. If I don't make a move, it would be a real waste of this god-given opportunity!"
As Lister spoke, his figure flickered and instantly disappeared from his spot. When he reappeared, he was on the turtle's back, behind Robin, pressing a Sea-Prism Stone Jitte against her neck.
In an instant, a feeling of weakness washed over her. If Lister hadn't been holding her, she probably would have fallen.
"What?!" A flash of shock appeared in Robin's eyes. She hadn't expected Lister's speed to be so fast. She had clearly been on guard, but she was taken down in an instant.
"Ms. Robin, you've been captured!" Lister said with a faint smile.
"Captain Lister, this is not the act of an honorable man!" Robin retorted, somewhat exasperated.
"I am a despicable pirate! I don't care about the means, only the results!" Hearing Robin's words, Lister was not ashamed at all, but instead laughed cheerfully.
Robin was furious, but there was nothing she could do about Lister. He had already admitted to being a despicable pirate; what was the use of saying more?
"Come with me," Lister said, seeing that Robin was speechless. He smiled, then picked Robin up and returned to the Money Go.
"Tie her up securely!" Lister ordered.
Robin's Flower-Flower Fruit was a troublesome ability. A moment of carelessness could lead to falling into her trap. To prevent Robin from escaping, Lister had her tied up with the Jitte.
Robin sat on the ground, her body limp, her heart filled with unease. She hadn't expected that just by relaying a message for Crocodile, she wouldn't be able to return. This Lister person had no sense of honor, capturing a messenger.
"Captain Lister, you'd best let me go. I am very important to my boss. If he finds out you've tied me up, he will definitely kill you and unleash his fury on the Money Pirates at the first opportunity!" Robin threatened.
"So, you're his woman?" Lister glanced at Robin with a playful look.
"No!" A flash of annoyance appeared in Robin's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.
"Then why are you so important to him?" Lister laughed.
"Because I can read the Poneglyphs. My boss is looking for something, and only I can help him! So, you'd better be clear about that!" Robin said.
"Thank you for the reminder. But since a fight between us is inevitable, then let him come at me with all he's got!" Lister said with a faint smile. "As for you, I definitely won't let you go. No matter how silver-tongued you are, it's useless. I won't let you go."
Just as Lister finished speaking, the sound of a Den Den Mushi rang from Robin's body. Purupurupuru, it kept ringing.
Lister gave a look to Yuran who was standing nearby. Yuran understood and stepped forward to search. She quickly pulled a Den Den Mushi from Robin's person and handed it to Lister.
After taking the Den Den Mushi, Lister answered it directly.
"Hello!!" Lister shouted into the Den Den Mushi.
"Who is this? Where is Nico Robin? Let Nico Robin answer the phone!" A deep voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
"I'm the handsome Lister. Nico Robin has been captured by me and can't answer the phone right now. And who are you?" Lister laughed.
There was a sudden silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"Well, do you have nothing to say to me? In that case, I'm hanging up!" Lister laughed.
"I am Crocodile!" Hearing Lister's words, Crocodile finally spoke. "Lister, I'll give you one chance. Let Nico Robin go!"
"I refuse!" Lister answered decisively.
"Do you know what the consequences of angering me are?" There was a hint of anger in Crocodile's voice.
"Just now, Nico Robin gave me two choices. Do you know which one I chose?" Lister didn't answer Crocodile's question, but asked one of his own.
"From your current behavior, you've chosen the most foolish one!!" Crocodile said.
"I didn't choose either of them. I chose the third one: to take you down!!" Lister completely disregarded Crocodile's words and said lightly.
"Hahaha! Are all the rookies these days so arrogant? Just entering the Grand Line and you dare to draw your sword against a Warlord of the Sea? What do you take the Warlords for?" Crocodile's wild laughter came from the Den Den Mushi.
"A Warlord of the Sea? Isn't that just a so-called whetstone? You'll do!" Lister said with a faint smile.
"You're an arrogant brat! In all these years, you're the first one who dares to speak to me like that!" Crocodile was also stunned by Lister's ignorant words.
"That's because you're not Hawkeye! If it were Hawkeye, I might be humble. But you, Crocodile, are the weakest of the Warlords. I naturally have the confidence to speak to you like this!" When Lister spoke, he was truly confident and arrogant. Even Robin couldn't help but be stunned.
"You really dare to say that!!"
"Lister, good. Just for those words, you have a death wish! Wait for me to come and take your dog life!" Crocodile said angrily.
"There's no need for you to make a long journey, because I'm on my way to Alabasta. Wash your neck and wait for me in Alabasta!" Lister laughed. He then added, "By the way, there's no need to worry about Nico Robin being killed by me, and then having no one to interpret the ancient texts for you. Because I've taken a liking to her, so I won't kill her. After I take you down, I'll bring her into the Money Pirates and have her serve me from now on!"
Hearing this, Crocodile was silent for a moment, then said coldly, "Did she tell you about the ancient texts?"
"No, but I could guess. After all, a talent like her is only worthy of such importance in the field of archaeology," Lister said lightly.
"Good. I'll be waiting for you in Alabasta," Crocodile said coldly after a moment of silence.
Lister's words, while seemingly defending Robin, had actually increased Crocodile's suspicion of her. At this moment, in his heart, Robin was not to be trusted. He had already decided that after she finished interpreting all the ancient texts, he would send her to her death.
Robin undoubtedly understood Crocodile. After hearing the conversation between the two, she knew that Crocodile no longer trusted her. If he won the upcoming battle, then her time would be short. When her usefulness was exhausted, it would be the time of her death.
So, at this moment, Robin suddenly had a sliver of hope that the Money Pirates could win this battle. Because that way, she could live. She wasn't afraid of death, but she wanted to see more historical documents and ancient ruins.
"Good. I'll see you in Alabasta!" Lister grinned. He hung up the phone directly and tossed the Den Den Mushi to Yuran beside him. He then turned his gaze back to Robin. "Ms. Robin, you should have a Log Pose that leads directly to Alabasta, right?"
"It's in my pocket," Robin answered truthfully.
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