"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, three Admirals, Sakazuki, Borsalino and Kuzan, and most famous Vice Admirals being Garp and Tsuru." Rowan stated, speaking out about what he and his crew already knew of.
"If there is one thing the marines are very good at, it's to conceal their abilities and relative strengths—especially when the news is the most prominent source of information." Talking casually, Rowan shifted his gaze to Hina, who was biting on her lips, trying her best to hold in, "Buddha, Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji. Are those titles, granted to the likes of them, completely unrelated to their abilities? Zoan devil fruits? Haki? Tell me Hina, just how strong are they?"
"...Hina doesn't know." Hina managed to speak up while tensing up her whole body, "Hina is just a Captain, and never witnessed them involving themselves in a battle. You should have left Vice Admiral Onigumo alive if you wanted to know that."
Hearing this, Rowan grimaced. The thing is, he couldn't identify if she was lying or not. Assessing the strengths of the marine powerhouses was very important at the current moment, especially when they will eventually have to pass through Sabaody Archipelago, which is very close to Marineford.
Now that Rowan experienced the strength of Vice Admiral Onigumo, whose strength did not manage to falter him, he had confidence; what he needed was assurance.
"Should I?" Alfred, still holding the vomit-inducing matter in his hands, asked Rowan.
Rowan shook his head in disapproval, "We have plenty of time. Let's continue this later."
While Hina and Shu sighed in relief, with the former still struggling to prevent a flood, Rowan walked over to where Robin was sitting by. While walking, Rowan looked at Carina, who nodded and grabbed Hina and Shu's arms, teleporting them onto the donut-shaped tubes that floated on top of the water, with their ropes tied to Prominence.
"There, natural washroom for you guys." Carina remarked without care, before teleporting back onto the deck.
Meanwhile, Robin stared at Rowan with some wariness in her eyes as the latter took a seat in front of her, with a table between them.
Carina, and Alfred, whose hands were no longer lifting anything up, sat on the adjacent table, silently watching Rowan. Farul was lying down on the deck next to their table, already gone to sleep.
"You probably figured out ages ago, but," Rowan stated as he locked his eyes onto Robin, "Crocodile died. By my own hands."
Robin's eyes lowered. She did know that that was the only plausible explanation, ever since Rowan casually returned to Prominence. Nonetheless, she found this hard to believe. For the past four years that she worked as 'Miss All Sunday' of the Baroque Works, she never sighted any sign of weakness within Crocodile. To hear that someone she recently met managed to defeat him without sustaining many injuries shocked her.
"If I say that I want to know what Crocodile's motive was, are you willing to tell me?" Rowan asked. It was not necessarily important, however, he was curious to find out why Crocodile dared to plot against everyone.
"Haha," Robin couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh, "what's the point of concealing anymore? Sure, I'll tell you."
There was nothing left for her. For the past four years, she hid behind Crocodile's Warlord status. Now, the protection was gone. Even aside from that, she was already preparing for the worst from the Grimheart pirates; whether to spill or not spill did not matter anymore, and she decided to entertain herself by revealing Crocodile's secret.
"Some time ago, Crocodile somehow found out the existence of a Poneglyph—a record written with an ancient language—that sits under this kingdom. I required protection from the pursuits of the World Government, and he required my ability to read the ancient language for him, so I joined the Baroque Works." Robin spoke, void of any emotion, "The reason why he wanted to know what's written on a Poneglyph... it was all for an ancient weapon named Pluton. Ultimately, that was the motive behind all of his schemes."
"Ancient language... Poneglyph." Hearing the words from Robin's mouth, Rowan froze momentarily.
'One above, one below, one isolated. Learn the truth. Can it be associated with the so-called Poneglyphs?' Rowan thought as his heart beat rapidly. For the past three years, he cannot count just how many times he re-read the hidden section within 'The Tale of Youchiha Medusa,' just to ensure that what he saw was not based on his imagination.
Rowan used to feel helpless about this matter. With just one very vague clue, he did not even know what he should be looking for. Now, he believed that Poneglyph was something worth inspecting.
"You said that you can read Poneglyph? Is it only you?" Waking up from his thought, Rowan asked Robin with complete seriousness.
Robin nodded without a word. With the Seastone cuff and the mental distress she was experiencing, she was extremely tired.
"And you need protection from the World Government." Rowan tapped his fingers on the table, while intently observing Robin.
'Something's off. Why would she be so desperate to run away from the World Government? According to Alfred, her bounty was placed on her at an age of eight. Her strength isn't noteworthy either.' Rowan narrowed his eyes, 'Being able to read the ancient language. Is that why? Running away from the World Governments for a very long time. Caring for her survival above anything else... sounds about right.'
A few days ago, Rowan was skeptical of accepting her into his crew, due to her easily betraying the Baroque Works. Afterward, he personally experienced Crocodile betraying his whole organization... Rowan too would have felt insecure if he were to be Robin.
"Nico Robin."
Hearing Rowan's stern voice, Robin lifted her head up.
"I can give you the protection that you need." Rowan leaned in, staring at Robin without any hint of foolishness.
Robin weakly snorted, "It's been like that for my whole life. Running and hiding without an end... I'd rather die now than to suffer more."
"I figured you'd say that." Rowan nodded his head slightly, averting his eyes and turning his head above, "Don't you feel angry? Having been labeled as a criminal since eight, I can't imagine just how torturous your life must have been. Don't you wish to try a different life, instead of dying without a moment of happiness?"
"It doesn't matter in the end. It will be the same repeat over and over until I die." Robin muttered while thinking within herself grimly, 'Just like any others, they will betray me.'
After twenty years of running and coping with betrayals, Robin could not dare to trust anyone.
When she first encountered the Grimheart pirates, she was shocked by their strengths. Judging by Crocodile's demeanour and their discrete distrust of one another, she knew that her relationship with him was not going to end well. Due to this, she announced her desire to join Rowan's crew, which was quickly rejected.
As time passed on, she could not help but grow more and more depressed, as it seemed that nothing but a bleak future awaited her. The Grimheart pirates are very strong, and she felt that there was nothing that she could offer to prevent them from betraying her. Now, she just wanted peace, free of any deception, hostility, and betrayal. She wanted to rest.
Hearing Robin's words, Rowan felt himself getting emotional. To some extent, he could sympathize with her.
His life in this world was not easy to live by. With his family murdered, it was hard to cope with. He would often train non-stop with nothing but a hatred filling him from deep within. Much later, when his subordinates, the Kneel pirates, died due to his idiocy, he felt devastated and hopeless. Within the small jail, he cursed at how harsh his life has been, and how naive he was.
Yet, his life continued to flow, leading him to where he was now, with trustworthy crewmates that he considered as his family. Wasn't life so unpredictable?
"Life... is as beautiful as one makes it out to be. Even when the situation seems hopeless, it is possible for one to be happy, as long as he or she is willing." Rowan said as he recalled upon a movie 'Life is Beautiful,' which he watched in his previous life.
Calming himself down, Rowan turned and signalled to Alfred. Nodding, Alfred stood up and walked up to Robin, before taking the Seastone cuff off of her.
"You are free now." Rowan stated calmly. "I'd prefer to have you as my crew member, but... I won't stop you if you were to leave."
He can coax and persuade, but he will never force someone to join his crew. This was his principle as the captain of the Grimheart pirates. Even if he were to remain oblivious of the Poneglyph for the remainder of his whole life, he will never go against this rule.
Robin did not respond, and remained seated with her head lowered. Ironically enough, when the Seastone cuff was removed from her, she felt insecure, as if protection has disappeared. She could not afford to stand back up from the chair she was sitting on.
'After all these thoughts about wanting to die, in the end... it seems that I still want to live.' Robin's hands clenched tightly. 'I want to read all Poneglyphs of this world and unveil the history of Void Century—something that caused the World Government to wipe out the whole Ohara. I... I still have a purpose to live for.'
"Let me in your crew," Robin lifted her head back up, with a forced smile on her face, "captain."
"Welcome to our crew, Robin." Rowan's expression softened as he said sincerely, reaching his hand out.
Robin grabbed Rowan's hand and shook lightly.
_______________
[Marineford]
"Purururu, purururu," Within the huge office where the darkness of the night veiled its features, the Den Den Mushi abruptly rang, signaling for a call.
In front of the Den Den Mushi, a muscular man with broad shoulders was seen to be sitting on a large chair, smoking a cigar. He was wearing a standard marine cap and a red suit, with his justice coat hanged on his chair.
Lifting up his huge hand, the man grabbed the dial of the Den Den Mushi and lifted it up, bringing it close to his face.
"Rear Admiral Kanzaki reporting from the outskirt of Alabasta! Admiral Sakazuki, we have not sighted any signal from Vice Admiral Onigumo and Rear Admiral Akehende! Simultaneously, Crocodile is not responding to our contact; we are afraid that Grimheart pirates may have managed to weave their ways through our plan!"
The man, now identified as Admiral Sakazuki, stayed silent without any response. He slowly creaked his head to the window, where the moon was shining through. Upon the moonlight, his wrinkled visage was shown, which was in a deep frown.
*Crack* The cigar between Sakazuki's teeth cracked before falling down onto the ground.
"Onigumo... lost?" Sakazuki's eyes blazed in fury as he voiced out in a grumpy voice, "I refuse to believe in your bull****, Rear Admiral Kanzaki. Head to the site of the battlefield yourself and make a proper report."
"Y-yes sir!" The voice in Den Den Mushi replied with evident fear.
Without further ado, Sakazuki hanged up the call and stood up, before walking up to the board on the wall, where the bounty posters of Rowan, Carmen, and surprisingly, Baten, were pinned.
It read: Baten. Bounty: 95,000,000 Beli. Wanted Only Alive.
Spandine ensured that no title was given to Baten and placed a relatively low amount of bounty, in order to prevent him from gaining any attention. At the same time, he made Baten as wanted only alive.
"Grimheart. Flame Empress. The complete destruction of the marine base G-11. And traitor. Letting the justice fall against the hands of those despicable scums." Sakazuki growled, and the slight heat emanated around him. "I will ensure to have all of you dead."