Alabasta's western region, the Royal Tomb!
"Is this it? The Royal Tomb! The resting place of the bodies of kings throughout the generations." Robin spoke, then her eyes sharpened, looking directly at King Cobra, "Where is the Poneglyph?"
Cobra remained silent, then walked to a nearby statue. It was a white statue with a cat's head and a fish's body!
Then, Cobra rotated the statue counter-clockwise with his body, and a secret passage immediately appeared on the green lawn!
"A hidden staircase?"
"The Poneglyph is deep underground here!"
Then, the two walked down the stairs!
"Most people don't even know the Poneglyph exists," Cobra said tentatively.
"The world behind the scenes is very deep. Even as kings of World Government member nations, you don't necessarily know everything!" Robin explained, her tone becoming softer as if her goal was about to be achieved.
"You are not guilty, because you couldn't have imagined that there are people in the world who can decipher those characters!"
"You mean you can decipher those characters?" Cobra's tone changed, a mix of anxiety and fear.
"Mm! That's why Crocodile and I are working together! That's why he can't kill me." Then Robin stopped, "I'm afraid the Poneglyph in this country records the location of the Ancient Weapon Pluton! Am I wrong?"
"I don't know," Cobra shook his head.
Finally, the two arrived at the deepest part of the Royal Tomb.
"That's right, this is... the Poneglyph!" A look of joy finally appeared on Robin's face.
...Meanwhile, on the only path to the Royal Palace's graveyard,
Tashigi slowly crawled forward, propping herself up with her elbows, "Nico Robin, I must... capture you!"
Just then, a gust of yellow sand blew past, and Crocodile's tall figure appeared. His brown overcoat was tattered, and the bloodstains on his face and body had long since dried! He was clearly in a bad state, but his aura was still powerful. A severely wounded dragon is still incredibly strong in front of ants!
"Crocodile!"
"Hahahaha, it seems you were defeated by that woman? I never thought you would chase me all the way here. Marines, how's your boss?" Crocodile sneered, "Did that smoky bastard run away?"
"Stray dogs have no right to talk about justice. That's the nature of this sea! You should go back to the shore and slowly discuss your justice! Hahahaha..." Crocodile calmly walked past Tashigi, heading towards the Royal Tomb.
...A moment later, Tashigi grabbed her 'Shigure' that had fallen to the ground and slowly stood up. Then, a red figure appeared before her!
"Straw Hat Kid!" At this moment, Luffy was in an even worse state than Crocodile. He was covered in blood, as if he had walked out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!
"Where did he go? Where did that crocodile run off to!" Luffy endured the intense pain, speaking with determination!
Tashigi pointed the way in confusion, then punched the ground, "What justice! What Marine Headquarters!"
...On the other side, Luffy stumbled and ran towards the Royal Tomb. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck, and Luffy collapsed to the ground!
Luffy struggled to get up, leaning against a wall, panting, "Damn it, is this really it?" He looked at the path he had come from, a path forged in blood!
His arms hung limply. Under the mind of a transmigrator, he couldn't find any hope of winning! He liked to think twice before acting, and the reason he came here was either a moment of impulse or the influence of the real Luffy on him, he couldn't say anymore!
Luffy's arms hung naturally, "Drip... drip..." Drops of blood flowed from his arms.
After a long silence, Luffy slowly stood up and shouted to the sky, "What is this? What are these injuries?"
"Crack!" A sound like a shattered shackle rang out, and an invisible wave of air swept across the land, stirring up the surrounding sand!
"Conqueror's Haki + 0.1"
"Gomu Gomu no Mi ability + 0.1"
Finally, on the panel,
Conqueror's Haki: 30.0 (Intermediate)
Gomu Gomu no Mi: 30.0 (Intermediate)
Luffy no longer planned for contingencies. This time, he would give his all... In the Royal Tomb, Robin stood before a massive stone tablet, and Cobra sat bound nearby!
"Does it contain what you wanted to see?"
Robin remained silent, merely tracing the characters on the stone tablet with one hand.
At the same time, "Knock... knock... knock!" Footsteps echoed from the secret staircase. The newcomer was none other than... Crocodile!
"As expected of a national secret! No matter how desperately one searches, if one doesn't know the mechanism, one truly wouldn't find this place!"
Crocodile walked up to Robin and said, "Is this the Poneglyph, Nico Robin!"
"You're quite a mess, Sir Crocodile!" Robin looked at Crocodile's injuries with some surprise, but then, thinking of that astonishing punch, it all made perfect sense!
"Indeed! To be beaten to this state by an unknown nobody, it's truly a disgrace!" Crocodile laughed maniacally, his body unconsciously turning into an element, a sign of impending loss of control. A stream of yellow sand slid from Crocodile's body, and suddenly, a blood-filled hole appeared in Crocodile's waist, a true penetration of the body!
"Nico Robin, have you deciphered it? Read it to me!" Crocodile's eyes were bloodshot, barely suppressing his killing intent!
"Kashira conquered Alabasta, this was in the year 239 of the Heavenly Calendar. In year 260, Peter was ruled by Dima! In year 306, Elmar completed the construction of the Great Cathedral of Daff..."
Crocodile's face stiffened, and his mouth twitched.
"In year 325, the hero of Oldia, Ma Yu..."
"Hey, wait a minute! Is this the kind of thing we want to know? I don't care about the history of this country. Quickly tell me the location of the world's most evil military power sleeping in this land! Where is Pluton?" Crocodile issued his final ultimatum!
"It's not recorded here!"
"What?!"
"It only records history! The word 'Pluton' doesn't appear at all!"
"I see, so that's how it is!" Crocodile became calm. He closed his eyes, "What a pity! Although you were once an excellent partner, but..." Crocodile opened his eyes, a murderous glint in them, "I'll... kill you here!"
"This country's Poneglyph contains no clues about Pluton," Crocodile slowly approached Robin, "or rather, you never intended to tell me even if it did!"
Crocodile swung his golden hook, knocking Robin's brimmed hat off. Robin retreated repeatedly, finally leaning against a pillar.
"I could tell that from Cobra's expression!"
"However, I'll forgive you! Because... I never trusted anyone from the start!" Crocodile laughed wildly!
"Rumble..." Suddenly, a sound rang out, and then the entire tomb began to shake!
"Is that you? What did you do, Cobra!"
"Don't worry, it's nothing major." Cobra looked at Crocodile with a calm expression, "I merely pulled out a small pillar from this underground sanctuary! The entire center of gravity has lost its balance, and this place is about to collapse! You will all sleep here with me forever!" Cobra's face was resolute.
"I swear on the name of the 12th King of the Nefertari Royal Family, I will never hand over this sand kingdom to you!"
"Damn it!" Crocodile became enraged. It seemed like fate had been working against him this whole time!
Just then, a glass water bottle flew towards Crocodile, and then Robin, holding a dagger, charged at Crocodile!
"As long as I splash water on you, I should be able to stab you through!"
But in the next second, a cloud of sand absorbed the water, and then his right hand directly gripped Robin's neck, his face grim, as if he had thought of something extremely painful!
"What?" Robin struggled desperately, her heart filled with despair! She hadn't expected Crocodile to have developed such an extreme reaction to water!
Then, Crocodile swung violently, and Robin was flung away, crashing into a stone pillar!
Afterward, he charged forward in a semi-elementalized state, his golden hook raised high!
Robin closed her eyes in despair, 'Is this it? Mom, professors, Saul... I... I'm coming to join you! Kuro, I'm sorry! I... I can't live on!'
After a long time, Robin opened her eyes, and immediately froze!
She saw a blood-soaked, scarred man holding Crocodile's golden hook with one hand,
Smiling at her, "You're Robin, right! I haven't thanked you for what happened back then!"
Then his eyes sharpened, looking at Crocodile, "You are not to lay a hand on her!"
"Straw Hat Kid!" Crocodile looked at Luffy with a horrified expression, or more precisely, at Luffy's pitch-black arm!
Crocodile's right hand turned to sand, and he swung it violently!
"Bang!" Crocodile was sent flying backward!
He stood up again, looking at the blood-stained youth in disbelief, and muttered, "Armament Haki...!?"
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