Sea Circle Calendar 1517.
The Desert Kingdom Alabasta, Rainbase.
Alabasta is a country where most of the country is desert. The air was dry and the sun was so hot that everyone was lacking in vitality.
In a coffee shop.
A black-haired mature woman in an all-purple cowgirl suit.
She was holding her chin and looking through the book in her hand with interest. Her fingers were tapping her cheeks bit by bit.
For others, it was a time to run around for life. For this woman, this time was just right for a cup of leisurely afternoon tea.
Just at this time, someone pushed open the door of the coffee shop and walked in. A chaotic footstep made the woman frown slightly. Then a young man and a group of people wearing black robes with red clouds walked in.
"Sorry, it is not open today..."
The black-haired woman continued to read her book. The corners of her mouth slightly curved, and she refused the guest without a trace of apology on her face.
Unfortunately, the visitor was unkind.
The young man in the lead took out a wanted poster and show it in front of the black-haired woman. His eyes then narrowed slightly.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Uehara Naraku and I am now the leader of a mercenary organization. I have been looking for you since I came to this land."
After Uehara introduced himself, he held up the wanted poster with a kind face and smiled, "Nico Robin, a dangerous woman who has been given a reward of 79,000,000 Beli since the age of eight, but now it seems that you have grown up a lot and have become a very charming woman..."
"What?"
A dangerous look appeared on the black-haired woman's face. She slowly put down the book in her hand and raised her head to look at the young man in front of her. She then returned a sweet smile, "I'm really sorry. You have found the wrong person!"
"Oh?"
Uehara immediately frowned. He flipped through his wanted poster and glanced at the black-haired woman in front of him. He still had some doubts on his face as he said, "It shouldn't be. Could it be that I really got the wrong person?"
After he finished speaking, Uehara sat down and casually waved his hand, "Everyone, take a seat first. In case I'm really mistaken, I'll invite you to a cup of afternoon tea... Anyone, help me find a glass of juice here."
"Yes, Naraku-sama."
A white-haired young man wearing glasses pushed up his glasses and nodded respectfully. Then, he began to look around the coffee shop.
The other people quickly sat down. They seemed to not care about the owner of the coffee shop at all.
"It shouldn't be!"
Uehara stared at the mature woman with black hair in a somewhat rude manner. He flipped through the wanted poster in his hand and shook his head with a sigh, "Tsk, I should also have brought Nico Olvia's wanted poster, so you can't refute it..."
"..."
When the black-haired woman heard a familiar name, a shocked expression appeared on her face. This was because Nico Olivia was her mother!
Yes.
She was indeed Nico Robin.
Ever since she was young and because she was the last archaeologist in the world, she had been given a super high reward of 79,000,000 Beli, which was not inferior to the reward of some big pirates!
Unfortunately, she did not have enough strength to bear this bounty!
These guys wearing a black robe with red clouds obviously came with ill intentions. They even knew about her mother, so these guys had already identified her!
The black-haired woman looked at the people present, and her eyes gradually became a little dangerous. Her fingers suddenly stirred, and a bunch of petals appeared out of thin air in the air!
The next moment, two white arms suddenly appeared on Uehara's shoulder.
With a flip of her palm, she could break the neck of this young man!
This was Nico Robin's ability!
The legendary devil fruit of the sea, Paramecia-type - Hana Hana no Mi(Flower-Flower Fruit). The consumer of it could create arms made of petals and can appear anywhere!
However, she was destined to meet an enemy that she could not defeat today!
"Nico Robin, don't do anything too dangerous."
Uehara slowly raised his head. A ball of lightning suddenly shot out from his body, directly shattering the arms into flower petals and disappearing!
A look of surprise flashed across Nico Robin's eyes. She stared at the man in front of her, and her heart gradually sank. "Is this... Logia-type - Goro Goro no Mi(Rumble-Rumble Fruit)?"
In this world, the Devil Fruit was divided into three types, the Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia. Unsurprisingly, the power of the Logia-type Devil Fruit was considered to be the top Devil Fruit!
The mere fact that the Logia-type could not be damaged by physical attacks was enough for those who have the Logia fruit to solve most of the enemies, especially Nico Robin who joined Baroque Works last year. The boss of that Baroque Works, Crocodile, also had the Logia-type Devil Fruit!
Therefore, Nico Robin was very clear about the power of Logia-type Devil Fruit!
Especially the Goro Goro no Mi(Rumble-Rumble Fruit), which was known as the strongest offensive Logia-type Devil Fruit, was more powerful than his boss Suna Suna no Mi(Sand-Sand Fruit) Devil Fruit!
It's over...
There was a drop of cold sweat on her forehead.
Now that Crocodile, who claimed to be able to protect her, was not in the Rainbase, there was no one in the entire Rainbase who could resist the young man in front of her.
"Hehe..."
Uehara slowly stretched out his finger and said with a chuckle, "Nico Robin. Speaking of which, compared to the Goro Goro no Mi (Rumble-Rumble Fruit), you should be more afraid of this fruit ability, right?"
After saying that, a chill spread out from Uehara's fingers and landed on the coffee in front of Nico Robin. The cup of coffee was instantly turned into a block of ice!
Nico Robin stared at this scene in shock. Her heart was suddenly filled with boundless fear, causing her face to be filled with horror!
Frozen ability!
If she remembered correctly, this fruit ability should be on the man who made her fall into this nightmare, the Marine Admiral, Aokiji!
How could it appear here now?
However, what made Nico Robin even more frightened was not the fruit ability, but the young man in front of her who seemed to be holding everything in his palm!
This young man who called himself Uehara Naraku knew her past and even knew everything about her!
After a long time.
Nico Robin slowly clenched her fingers and regained her composure. She raised her head to look at Uehara and said, "Sir... who exactly are you..."
"How smart!"
The bespectacled, white-haired youth walked over. After placing a glass of fruit juice in front of Uehara, he looked at Nico Robin and said, "Naraku-sama, who is sitting in front of you, is a true god..."
The person who spoke was Uehara's number one trusted aide, Kabuto.
"Kabuto!"
Uehara waved his hand, indicating for Kabuto to leave. After that, he looked at Nico Robin again, "I am just a mortal with a little bit of power... Alright, let's not talk about anything else. You should already know that you can't escape."
Uehara spread out his palm then played with the lightning in his palm. He continued softly, "I heard that Alabasta has a company called Baroque Work that is doing pretty well. I just happen to be looking for a part-time job recently..."
"..."
Looking for a part-time job!
Nico Robin's forehead could not help but twitch.
Such a powerful person actually said that he was looking for a part-time job!
Not only Nico Robin, but everyone in the coffee shop couldn't help but feel their forehead jump. They inexplicably felt that someone was going to suffer a big misfortune!
Uehara didn't care about the expressions of everyone present. He continued to say, "I heard that the mastermind behind this Baroque Works is Mr. Crocodile, one of the Shichibukai. I admire him very much and want to contribute to his cause..."
"..."
Nico Robin's eyelids couldn't help but tremble.
To be honest, just the two Devil Fruits that Uehara showed, Nico Robin felt that Uehara could hang Crocodile up and then beat him up!
If this Uehara joined the Baroque Works without a conspiracy, Nico Robin felt that her reading books for so many years were in vain...
The expressions of the people in the coffee shop were also a little subtle. Their eyes slowly moved and stopped on a trembling black man(Black Zetsu)...
Obviously, they all knew that Uehara had contributed to a certain person's cause last time, and they had all seen the ending of that person.
It was really...
The kind that would make people pay with their lives for tricking someone to death!
"Sir, it seems that there is no need to do this, right?"
Nico Robin maintained the calmness on her face and whispered, "With your strength, Crocodile doesn't seem to be your opponent... Is there a need for this?"
Uehara spread out his palm and said faintly, "It is necessary... If I get into trouble in the future, I can push it on his head!"
Nico Robin, "..."
Was it really okay to say you want to let Crocodile take the blame so openly?
Moreover, could Crocodile really handle the trouble caused by a character like you?
"Okay, I have no intention of discussing it with you."
Uehara's face gradually became serious. He looked at Nico Robin and calmly said, "Now you have two choices. First, join our Akatsuki Organization and become my subordinate, and then let me join Crocodile's Baroque Works..."
After that, Uehara continued to stare at Nico Robin. His face gradually became a little indifferent, and his tone gradually became cold, "As for the second choice..."
"I choose one!"
Nico Robin gritted her teeth.
"But you are not sincere."
Uehara shook his head. He glanced at his system display panel and shouted to the people in the coffee shop, "Hey, you guys, who want to kill her?"
"Hmph, I'll do it! This is a seventy-nine million!"
"Wait!"
Nico Robin had an ugly expression on her face. She looked at Uehara and said in a deep voice, "Didn't I already promise you?"
"I told you, you are not sincere enough."
Uehara held the glass of juice and sipped the straw expressionlessly. He continued softly, "Don't worry, after you die, we will still have a way to use your body and soul... This world does not lack ways to use the dead, and we are even more not lacking!"
"..."
Nico Robin's expression became uglier and uglier. She looked at Uehara and continued, "What do I have to do to make you believe me? Moreover, using strength to threaten others to join, it is impossible to expect the people who join to have loyalty to you!"
"Yes..."
Uehara slowly nodded his head and looked at Nico Robin in surprise, "Since you are not loyal enough, that's why I said that I will kill you and use your body and soul directly. This is good for all of us!"
"..."
Were you talking in human language?
What the hell was this logic!
Nico Robin felt like she was going crazy. After drifting in the sea for so many years, she had never seen a lunatic like Uehara!
She was really not afraid of death...
But she want to see the true history of the world before she died.
Just as Nico Robin was in despair, a handsome young man suddenly opened his mouth and said, "Hey, Uehara, isn't it a bit bad for us to force a woman like this? Let me directly control her with my Sharingan!"
"Seals can also be..."
Another red-haired young man also opened his mouth to continue, "I can use Memory-Concealing Manipulative Sand Technique to control her subconscious mind..."
"No."
The other man who looked a little scary shook his head and said in a deep voice, "I think we should kill her and exchange her head for the reward. Then we can use her remaining body to carry out Impure World Reincarnation. This way, we won't waste..."
"I also agree with Kakuzu-senpai."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
In the blink of an eye, the entire coffee shop was bustling with noise and excitement.
Only Nico Robin was scared out of her wits. Although she did not understand the words these people were talking about, she still understood some parts about the brain, the body, and the head!
Nico Robin was very regretful. Why did she have to read and drink afternoon tea in this coffee shop today? What kind of people did she see today?
"Well, I will ask her again..."
Uehara placed his palm on the table and looked down at the somewhat limp Nico Robin. He watched the fear and uneasiness on her face.
Cold air gradually spread from Uehara's palm. He continued in a cold voice, "This is your last chance. Are you going to choose to join Akatsuki and never betray it? In this case, you can survive, and someone will always protect you."
"..."
Nico Robin's lips quivered as she nodded.
"I agree."
"Very good."
Uehara slowly raised his palm and sat down again. His expression returned to a lazy and casual expression, "Then tell us the news from the sea first!
Also, prepare a list of Baroque Works members for me. I'll see who I can get rid of and then insert our people into it..."
At the same time.
Uehara's system interface showed two completed missions.
[Side mission: Have a subordinate with the devil fruit ability(1/1).]
[Mission completed.]
[Reward: +3000 Life Energy, +3000 Busoshoku Haki(Armament Haki), +3000 Kenbunshoku Haki(Observation Haki).]
[Side mission: Protect Devil Child, Nico Robin(1/1).]
[Mission completed.]
[Reward: +79,000 Life Energy, +79,000 Busoshoku Haki(Armament Haki), +79,000 Kenbunshoku Haki(Observation Haki).]