As the voice faded,
a new figure appeared on the deck of the Merry—
a woman dressed in deep violet,
hat tilted at a lazy angle,
watching Adrian with quiet interest.
"Nico Robin," Adrian said slowly, eyes turning toward her.
"You boarded my ship of your own accord?
Aren't you afraid you'll die here?"
Before she even set foot on deck,
no—
before she so much as entered the detection range around his ship—
he had already noticed her.
His spiritual pressure wasn't just for show.
Any living soul that entered a certain radius
would naturally brush against his senses.
It worked much like Observation Haki—
though only comparable to the lower levels.
But detecting Nico Robin?
Child's play.
The only reason she managed to board at all
was because he allowed it.
Otherwise,
she would've been erased the moment she approached.
He did have that power.
And truthfully—
Robin wasn't strong.
If he wanted her dead,
he wouldn't even need to move.
Nami alone—especially after gaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—
could easily handle her.
That fruit's power was monstrous.
In a short time, Nami's combat ability had skyrocketed.
And after obtaining the fruit,
she even went to Lucci—now acting as their instructor—
to learn Haki.
From Lucci's perspective?
This was his future boss's future wife.
One of them, anyway.
How could he refuse?
Thus, he taught her everything he knew—
in more detail than he had ever offered Yoriichi, Madara, or anyone else.
Naturally.
Her identity, in their eyes,
was extraordinary.
The result?
Nami not only mastered the basics of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit,
but she also learned Observation Haki—
and in just a short time,
her proficiency had reached an astonishing level.
All thanks to the side benefits of the Logia fruit.
Her growth was so fast
even Adrian was shocked.
He had spent so long learning Haki
and still failed to master both types.
He only got Armament Haki through a system draw.
Compared to Nami,
his hard work looked… pitiful.
But then he reminded himself—
he was cheating.
Why study seriously
when he could just pull powers out of the system?
With that thought,
his mood balanced itself again.
All that mattered was mastering
whatever the system handed him.
…
"The mighty Fifth Emperor wouldn't bully a weak little woman like me… would he?"
Robin smiled gently, voice unhurried.
"Don't flatter me," Adrian snorted.
"I never acknowledged being the Fifth Emperor.
That's just what outsiders call me."
He pointed lazily.
"My identity isn't 'pirate.'
I'm a bandit."
"Miss Robin should know what bandits do."
That single sentence left Robin briefly speechless.
"…Someone as strong as you," she tried again softly,
"shouldn't find it necessary to pick on someone as weak as me."
A reminder, carefully delivered—
that strong people should behave like strong people.
But Adrian
was not the type to care about appearances.
At all.
"Nami."
The moment he spoke,
a flash of lightning exploded beside Robin.
Nami appeared instantly,
handcuffs dangling from her fingers,
smiling sweetly.
"So? Will you cuff yourself,
or shall I?"
Training had been boring.
Capturing someone, on the other hand—
was fun.
Especially when the target's stunned expression
was so satisfying to watch.
"Mr. Adrian wouldn't be this lacking in manners… right?"
Robin's smile thinned as she spoke.
"What's 'manners'?
Can I eat them?" Adrian replied with a grin.
That line alone told Robin one thing:
She had miscalculated.
She was going to fall into his hands today—
no question.
"…I'll put them on myself."
After glancing at Nami—
rays of lightning still crackling across her body—
Robin made her decision.
Even a "normal" crewmember here
possessed a legendary Logia fruit.
And several of the others on board
were infamous monsters in their own right.
If she resisted,
she would be crushed instantly.
Escape?
Impossible.
All she could do was accept her fate.
At least, she thought,
Adrian wasn't aligned with the Marines.
She didn't need to fear being handed over to the government.
Soon, the cuffs clicked shut.
Robin was brought before Adrian.
He looked her over and smiled.
"Originally, I didn't know the exact location of Baroque Works in Alabasta.
But now?
A guide has delivered herself right to my door."
…
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