Robin answered Rodney's question reluctantly, suspiciously. Over the years of wandering, she had learned to see right through people. "Are you kidding?" she said. "They treat me very well here."
A forced smile appeared on Rodney's face, but Robin couldn't discern any sincerity in it. "Really?" she snorted. "And 'King of the Desert' Crocodile will spare you after he gets the historical text? Don't be naive. Once he figures out what he wants, he won't let you go."
Robin's expression turned serious. Of course, she knew about Crocodile's cold and ruthless nature. From the start, she hadn't intended to reveal the true contents of the text. Crocodile was the head of Barrack Works, and besides him, only a few senior agents knew about it. How did this Rodney find out?
"Heh-heh, I have my own source of information," Rodney chuckled, narrowing his eyes. Robin wanted to punch him. He was right about one thing: searching for a tiger's skin would never end well. Crocodile, the "King of the Desert," was more terrifying than any man-eater. He knew how to lie in wait, pick the right moment, and deliver a deadly blow.
"I won't bother you about it anymore," Robin said.
"Really?" Rodney glanced around. "By the way, why did you call me here? My chips haven't been exchanged yet, and that's quite a few million stomachs."
"I won't miss you," Robin looked at him coldly. It was obvious this man was driven by greed. "Besides, the boss wants to see you, so please wait here for a bit."
He sat cross-legged on the sofa. The melons, fruit, and wine on the table remained untouched. What if they were poisoned? It would be easy for Crocodile to poison him. The ferocious and ruthless pirate lacked the so-called glory of a warrior.
"Robin-chan, your boss isn't here yet. Let's talk," Rodney reached out to her.
"Hey, don't ignore me," he continued, "This will be boring."
"Really, if you keep this up, I'm going to leave," Robin replied.
She was determined not to speak to him. She felt that if she did, Rodney would continue to pester her and become increasingly intrusive. The man was not only greedy but also a chatterbox. And indeed, it had been a wise decision not to be his vice-captain. There would be no peaceful days in the future. For someone like her, as long as there were books to read, everything was considered peaceful.
"This is so boring, Robin-chan. Let me tell you where the Poneglyph is," Rodney tried to get her attention again.
"You know?" Robin couldn't contain her curiosity.
"Oh, of course, I know more than one such place," he answered with a smile.
What a waste of time. Do you want to talk or not? Your tongue will rot if you speak in a low voice.
"Poneglyph?" I'm very interested too. Rodney, why don't you become my subordinate, and I'll give you the title of Mr. 1?" Robin tried to change the subject.
A human form condensed on the sofa opposite. A tall man with a scar on his face, wearing a suit with fur on the back, and a sinister demeanor appeared—Crocodile, "King of the Desert." By the way, it's so hot in the desert. Can you wear such thick clothes?
I expected him to say something bossy or lay out his terms, but why did he suddenly ask such a question? Was this guy a little crazy? He didn't want to answer because he felt it would diminish his dominance. Robin stood behind Crocodile, and Crocodile didn't object.
"If what you said is true, then Rodney, I think we can work together," Crocodile said, turning to Rodney.
Rodney opened his eyes. Crocodile looked into those blood-red eyes for the first time—they were evil, bloody, and sinister, a gift from the Sharingan, with an evil nature.
"Heh, Barack Works? That's just a joke. As for Mr. 1, he has some skills, but unfortunately, he's no match for me. Besides you, the entire Barack Works is no match for me. Tell me, why should I join you?" Rodney chuckled sarcastically.
He spread his arms, his face furious, and said, "I won't hide it from you. I came to this country for an ancient weapon, Pluto. If I gain information about Pluto and find it, I can use its power to become the Pirate King and rule this world!"
He didn't mind telling Rodney about it; whether or not Rodney knew the Poneglyph's location, his abilities were enough to warrant their recognition. If he didn't agree, he would kill him today! With the power of the Devil Fruit, he felt invincible, and no one could harm him. The last person who thought himself invincible eventually stopped thinking.
Crocodile extended his hand to Rodney and said, "Come on, Rodney, work for me."
Looking at his large hand, Rodney asked, "Did you cause the drought in all of Alabasta?"
"I used the Dancing Powder. Someone brought it to the port and placed it in the palace to frame Cobra, allowing me to ascend to the throne and take over this country! Fulfill my dream! Come on, Joestar Rodney, if I succeed, you'll have everything you want." Crocodile wasn't afraid of Rodney leaking information; if he didn't agree, the guy would die.
"That's very tempting," Rodney smiled and extended his hand.
Robin looked at him with disdain, and Crocodile smiled. It seemed this guy wasn't that difficult to deal with.
Unfortunately, Crocodile failed to grab Rodney's hand. Instead, he formed various hand seals with his fingers and said in a low voice, "Water Release: Water Collision Wave!"
A large quantity of water materialized out of thin air. Crocodile's sand body was immediately destroyed, and he could no longer materialize, revealing his true form. How was this possible? What abilities did this man possess?
With a keen gaze, Crocodile's left hook sank into Rodney's throat, unhesitatingly launching a swift and merciless attack. Using Kasha as a shield, Rodney blocked Crocodile's strike.
Seeing the attack was futile, Crocodile broke free of Rodney's grasp, opened the door, and ran outside. Rodney chased after him. Robin looked at the water beneath her feet and became lost in thought. It was clearly water, so why hadn't she lost her powers? Perhaps his water-based powers only paralyzed those with Devil Fruit powers? Robin hadn't told Crocodile about Rodney's powers, and he'd been fooled.
"Hahaha, 'King of the Desert' Crocodile, don't even think about running away." Rodney chased after Crocodile like a happy puppy after a blade, exhaled a mouthful of flame, and flew down the narrow corridor toward his target. The drops of water on his body were absorbed by the sand, allowing him to use his abilities again. With a wave of his right hand, a wall of sand blocked the fireball.
A fireball exploded in the narrow space like a solar explosion. Dust, thick and acrid, instantly enveloped everything, obscuring visibility. Sand, like oil, cut through the wall of the mudflow, leaving behind a deep fissure. The cut was smooth, almost surgically precise, not at all like a sand print.
"Water Element: Water Collision Wave!" Rodney's voice rang out.
The Water Release Ninjutsu, worth a thousand points, allowed him to generate water on the ground using the power of his own chakra. A sudden flood swept away everyone in its path. The lucky ones were swept aside, the unlucky ones into the raging rivers that flowed on either side. These rivers were inhabited by enormous banana alligators, whose sharp teeth could easily snap a man in half.
"Banana alligators... What an unexpected snack," flashed through Robin's mind.
She had a rare ability to swim. As a child, she ate a Devil Fruit, which robbed her of her ability to float. The Sea Curse, as it was called, prevented her from swimming, but she could still use the Devil Fruit's power.
Hands, strong and damp, reached out from the water, offering her help. Her clothes clung to her body, emphasizing the curves of her slender figure. Despite her wet hair, Robin remained beautiful.
"This man's abilities are truly effective against Crocodile... Should I cooperate with him?" she pondered, seriously considering Rodney's words.
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