Dressrosa Kingdom
Robin shook her head.
"It is true. I was not forced."
Thinking about it carefully, she really hadn't been forced. She had just been too careless and had promised to bear that man a child.
Thus, he had seized upon that promise, making their union completely legitimate.
Robin looked at the three of them.
"I am leaving the Straw Hat Pirates."
The three frowned, and Franky asked with a look of utter confusion.
"What are you talking about, Robin?"
"We stormed Enies Lobby to save you! Have you forgotten all of that? And now you want to leave?"
He felt indignant. Luffy cared deeply for every single crew member, which was exactly why Franky had joined the crew in the first place.
Zoro noticed Robin's expression.
"Did that man force you after all? Is there something you can't tell us?"
Robin sighed helplessly.
"You could say that. But you cannot defeat this man. He can make a master swordsman faint with a single look. Tell Luffy to give up on taking down Kaido. Even Kaido is now this lord's subordinate."
Zoro's heart skipped a beat.
*Make a powerful master swordsman faint with just a look?*
*How is that possible?*
But Robin wouldn't lie.
The other two also felt their hearts sink. This crusade against Kaido was not going to go smoothly.
Zoro continued.
"Robin, I'm afraid Luffy won't just give up like that. After all, we promised Momonosuke that we would save this country and return it to him."
"Besides, what kind of good person takes in pirates as subordinates?"
Robin shook her head.
"This lord might actually be a good person. I don't know where he came from, but he is not a pirate. He treats this country as his own home now. He has ordered the pollution to be cleaned up and food to be distributed to the starving citizens."
"Not only that, but he is going to marry Kozuki Hiyori, the daughter of Kozuki Oden."
"Therefore, his rule over this country is completely legitimate."
"So, please convince Luffy to give up."
Zoro and the other two were shocked. They hadn't expected things to turn out like this.
It seemed this lord really wasn't a bad guy.
Furthermore, by marrying Kozuki Oden's daughter, he truly had the right to rule the country.
It felt as though the Straw Hat Pirates no longer had any reason to intervene.
Zoro looked at Robin.
"I will tell Luffy about this, but you know his temper."
"I doubt he'll be willing to lose such a good crewmate."
Robin naturally knew that.
That was just how Luffy was. Back then, he had stormed Enies Lobby for her, completely disregarding the strength of their enemies. He was a bit reckless, but she liked that recklessness about him.
However, thinking of that lord, she still tried to dissuade them.
"This time is different. That lord is far more terrifying than the Four Emperors. And I cannot go back."
"I am already carrying his child."
"So, I cannot return."
"Please pass a message to the rest of the crew for me. Thank them for always taking care of me."
She was truly grateful to her comrades. After saying her piece, she turned and walked away.
If she stayed any longer, it would only make things harder for both her and her friends.
Zoro and the others watched her go with grim expressions.
Robin's words had left them reeling.
They never expected her to hold that lord in such high regard.
But what shocked them the most was that Robin was actually pregnant. That man really had done something unforgivable to her.
Usopp spoke up with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Let's go after her and take her back. We can't leave her alone."
Zoro, however, shook his head.
"Robin has already made her decision. How are we supposed to take her away?"
It seemed her movements weren't even being restricted; Robin simply didn't want to leave.
He could only sigh helplessly.
"Let's just wait until Luffy gets here to decide."
Seeing the situation, the other two had no choice but to agree.
Meanwhile, this news naturally reached the ears of Kozuki Oden's former retainers.
Denjiro and Kozuki Hiyori personally met with them, clarifying that this was Hiyori's own decision, made for the sake of the country's citizens.
Although Oden's old retainers felt helpless and furious, they had no choice but to accept the current situation.
They wanted to seek revenge against the Beast Pirates, but the crew had already become that lord's subordinates.
And that lord was someone even more terrifying than Kaido.
Revenge was no longer an option; pursuing it would only plunge Wano Country into disaster.
On the other side, Kaido transformed into his Azure Dragon form and flew straight to the royal palace of the Dressrosa Kingdom.
He shifted back into his human form as he landed inside the palace grounds.
The royal guards rushed over immediately, but upon seeing who the intruder was, their legs began to tremble in fear.
*Why would this lord come here?*
Kaido looked at their shaking figures.
He demanded, "Tell King Riku to bring Rebecca here."
She was the person that lord had specifically requested.
A royal guard immediately ran off to notify King Riku.
Not long after, King Riku arrived with Rebecca, accompanied, of course, by Kyros.
Seeing Kaido, one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, the three of them felt a strong sense of foreboding.
King Riku spoke up, asking, "Kaido, what do you want with our Dressrosa Kingdom?"
Kaido grinned and said, "Uchiha Ryōsuke, Emperor of the Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets, is to be wed to Rebecca of your Dressrosa Kingdom."
"Hand Rebecca over right now."
Confusion washed over the faces of the three.
*What kind of country is that?*
*Why have we never heard of it?*
Kyros's face darkened. Naturally, he would never agree to this.
"Kaido, we will absolutely never agree to this marriage."
His daughter would never become a sacrificial pawn in a political marriage.
She had already suffered enough.
He would never let her marry into some inexplicable empire.
The smile vanished from Kaido's face upon hearing this.
He immediately swung his fist, smashing it toward Kyros.
Kyros hadn't expected Kaido to attack so suddenly. He only had time to cross his arms in front of him before he instantly felt a terrifying force crash into his arms.
Like a fired cannonball, Kyros was sent flying, crashing violently into the palace wall.
With a loud boom, the wall shattered, burying him beneath the rubble.
Seeing her father sent flying, Rebecca was filled with rage.
She drew the sword at her waist and charged at Kaido.
"How dare you hurt my father!"
Seeing this, King Riku hurriedly shouted, "Rebecca, stop! You're no match for him!"
Kyros was the strongest man in the kingdom, yet he couldn't even withstand a single blow from Kaido, let alone Rebecca.
The difference in their strength was like night and day.
Rebecca struck out in anger, showing no intention of stopping.
Kaido originally wanted to just punch the pink-haired girl away, but upon hearing the name 'Rebecca', he felt a twinge of fear.
He wasn't afraid of the girl's sudden attack; he was afraid of accidentally injuring her.
Under the weight of his punch, even if the woman didn't die, she would definitely be severely injured. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to fulfill that lord's request.