Chapter 284: Nico Robin
"Captain, I'm so sorry!" The temporary steering position had been passed to Artoria, and the difference in their driving skills made Akainu feel deeply ashamed.
"Hmm? It's okay, don't worry." Eric comforted, "She's a world-famous hero, losing to someone like her is nothing to be ashamed of."
"Keep practicing, even a small nail is extremely important in a house."
Akainu replied loudly, "Yes!"
"Oh?" Artoria spoke, "Being able to encourage your subordinates when their morale is low, you're quite a good leader."
"What did you think of me before?"
"..." The corners of Artoria's mouth lifted slightly, giving a faint smile as she skipped over the topic.
"You must be thinking something very impolite!"
"No. Smile~"
"Hey, is that smile serious?!"
The sea surface of the West Blue was much calmer than the Grand Line, with no bad weather or sudden climate changes, which made most of the members feel very at ease.
Eric , who had returned to his room to write the loGabk, suddenly remembered something important—
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"Whoo…whoo…!" In a messy alley, a tall figure was running at full speed, wearing a hood that deliberately covered her face, only revealing her dark blue eyes.
"There she is! Go after her!" Dozens of figures were hot on her heels.
The agents, dressed in suits and trench coats, didn't care about their clothes being ruined, their leather shoes stepping into the foul-smelling stagnant water, and the dirty water splashing onto their clean pants.
"Damn it, once we catch you, we'll make you regret it!"
"Stop right there, Nico Robin!"
"Ha…ha…!" Known as the "Demon's Child," Robin could only keep running to escape the hounds chasing her.
She thought back to a few days ago, when the Mafia leader asked her to go out on a mission alone. If she had been that naïve, her grave would already be three meters high by now.
As expected, the CP intelligence agents had located Nico Robin's position, and they came to this small town to capture her. But she had already sensed the anomaly and escaped ahead of them.
The agents, frustrated from missing their target, exploded in anger, the grudge built up from the 13 years of Robin's tricks finally breaking out.
The agents teamed up with the local mafia and the navy to carry out a carpet search, finally forcing the exceptionally sly rat out of hiding.
But now, the colorful catfish in front of them was about to escape again!
'Can't run on the main road!' As a wanted criminal, Robin dared only run through the dark alleys. The brightly lit and spacious main road was too open for her, as she could only hide in the shadows. But—
"She's coming this way!" At the alley's exit, several mafia members with guns appeared.
The local mafia was familiar with the alley paths. To catch the mouse, you must know the mouse's habits, so they set up an ambush at the exit in advance.
"Stop!" Dozens of dark gun muzzles were pointed at her.
"Run! Run for your life!" The words of the giant Saul from Ohara still echoed in Robin's mind, "Listen carefully, Robin. Even though you're alone now, one day, you will find companions!"
Tears welled up in the corners of Robin's eyes, but she held back the sadness, gritting her teeth.
"One day, you will find companions who will protect you!"
'I can't die yet. I still carry Saul's wish, and there's too much historical truth I have yet to uncover!'
Robin suddenly turned right, heading towards the exit that led to the main road, with dozens of orange-glowing lead bullets whizzing past her.
"Da da da!" The clear sound of leather shoes echoed through the alley, and the light ahead grew brighter. Finally, the darkness enveloping her was pierced as she emerged into the sunlight…
"Ah... found her." In front of Robin appeared a pair of sisters, each holding a blade. The only difference was that one had Akame , and the other had black.
'"Hunter" Akame!' Robin's sharp memory instantly recalled a live broadcast she had seen, where Eric 's companion, the one who dared to kill a Celestial Dragon and fought Admiral Akainu in Sabaody Archipelago, was shown.
The key was, she was holding a bounty poster!
Kurome raised her right foot and leaned forward, looking at the bounty poster in Akame's hand. To balance herself, she raised her left foot off the ground, moving it up and down in the air.
"This bounty poster is from when she was eight years old, hmm... seems like it's her." The sister, who looked very much like Akame, carefully compared the photo on the poster with Robin, confirming after a moment of scrutiny.
Kurome clasped her hands together, happy, "Now, my brother-in-law will definitely praise us."
"I told you, he's still not your brother-in-law." Akame corrected in a flat tone, not worried at all about the prey escaping.
"Eh? But when I called Eric 'brother-in-law,' you were clearly happy." Kurome frowned, "Your expression can't fool me, your little sister!"
Akame: "..."
Robin: "..."
Kurome raised a finger, "You won't let me call him brother-in-law, so, sis, do you want to call Eric 'sister-in-law'?"
"Of course not!" Akame refused sternly.
"Look!" Kurome pouted, "Sis is biased."
"I'll buy you Fishman Island snacks next time."
"I have money!"
Robin could only dumbly watch the pair of sisters in front of her. She could feel that, despite their constant banter, their eyes and attention were firmly on her. If she made a move, those two sharp blades would certainly not hesitate to strike.
"Nico Robin, she's here!" Behind her, the mafia was still relentlessly chasing her.
Robin nervously glanced behind, seeing dozens of fierce-faced hyenas chasing her.
"Swish!" Turning back, Robin's vision was suddenly filled with the image of Akame, but her figure disappeared in an instant. A blur rushed past her side, heading straight for the mafia behind her.
"Clang, swish!"
"Ahhh—!"
"Who's there?!"
"Ahhh—!"
The sounds of sharp blades entering flesh, bones being broken, and the horrified cries echoed, as a fine layer of sweat covered Robin's back.
In just a few short moments, the sounds from the alley vanished.
Only the sound of clear leather shoes approached from afar.
Robin turned her trembling body, and Akame walked toward her with a blade in hand, swinging it to get rid of the bloodstains on the edge before she sheathed it.
"You're Nico Robin, the 'Demon's Child,' right?" Akame asked in a neutral voice.
"...Ha," Robin sighed in relief. Even if she denied it, she would still be taken, so she bitterly smiled and said, "Yes, it's me."
"Our captain has something to discuss with you, please come with me." Akame and Kurome led the way, not bothering to bind Robin.
With no hope of escape, Robin obediently followed.
"Nico Robin?! She's actually on this island?!" The earlier commotion had, of course, drawn a lot of attention. Many residents had also heard the mafia and Akame call Robin by her full name.
"Hand her over to the government!" Many residents even drew weapons, trying to forcibly take Robin.
"This is brother-in-law's order, can you stop getting in the way?" Kurome smiled widely but released an intense murderous aura that made many of the residents shudder.
"Who are you? Why are you protecting Nico Robin..." Slowly, the voices from the crowd grew quieter.
The crowd finally recognized Akame's identity and pointed trembling fingers toward her, "She... she is 'Hunter' Akame, a member of the 'Four Emperors' Dawn Pirates!"
In the blink of an eye, the surrounding crowd scattered, and the once noisy street became silent.
"..." Robin looked at the bullying, weak-willed townsfolk and thought back to past experiences. A faint, cynical smile appeared on her face before it quickly faded.
Because now, she was just another prisoner of the "Four Emperors."
'What will he do to me?' Robin worried, but then shrugged it off, 'Heh, the worst case is just death…'
When she boarded the steel warship and saw that man who dared to kill a Celestial Dragon in front of the entire world.
Eric smiled and greeted, "Hello, Nico Robin."
(END CHAPTER)
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