"So, if I lose the bet, what is it you want to take from me?"
In any bet, both sides need to wager something of value.
Crocodile couldn't believe Wood would make such a favorable offer without asking for something in return.
Of course, Crocodile didn't think for a second that he'd lose. This so-called Straw Hat Pirates—he'd barely even heard of them until recently.
It was only from reports that Crocodile's subordinates had brought to him that he even became aware of this no-name pirate crew.
A pirate crew not even a year old, with only five or six members, most of whom came from the weakest sea, the East Blue.
Their captain was a mere kid with a bounty of just 30 million Berries. There was no way Crocodile believed he could lose to such "small fry."
"If you lose, you'll probably lose everything, won't you? Not only will you be stripped of your Warlord title, but you'll likely be thrown into Impel Down as well.
"In that case, all of your amassed wealth will be confiscated and wasted. So, why not hand it over to me instead?
"Oh, and when you end up in Impel Down, I'd like to ask you to do something for me as well."
After the conversation ended, Wood and Nico Robin left Rain Dinners and began leisurely wandering through Rainbase, as if they really were just tourists.
As she watched Wood casually stroll through the streets, Robin couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.
"How did you know that Alabasta had a Poneglyph and that it contained information about the ancient weapon Pluton?"
Logically speaking, over the years, Wood hadn't done much besides his daily training and lazing around.
Given that Wood controlled the world's largest arms market and was a major figure in the underworld, gathering intelligence was his forte.
However, such intelligence work was typically handled by Robin herself, the all-knowing secretary who analyzed and organized everything. If their organization knew about something, Robin would certainly be aware of it.
Yet, Robin had never heard anything about Alabasta possessing a Poneglyph.
So how had Wood, who normally left everything to others, learned about this?
"Well, I have my own special sources of information. Don't forget, I'm not just an arms dealer," Wood said with a knowing grin.
Robin's eyes lit up with realization.
She was aware that Wood had some connections with the Revolutionary Army. Wood had never hidden the fact that he received intelligence and orders from them.
The only thing Wood had ever kept from her was information from the Navy. So Robin quickly pieced it together—this intel must have come from the Navy.
Usually, when the Navy provided Wood with information, it meant they had assigned him another dangerous mission. And that woman she hated most would likely be involved again!
Seeing the look of gritted frustration on Robin's face, Wood sighed deeply.
This was precisely why he hadn't told Robin about his dealings with the Navy.
It wasn't that Wood didn't trust Robin, but she had her own personal reasons for wanting him to sever ties with the Navy as quickly as possible, which often clouded her judgment.
Robin's reasoning was simple—if Wood cut ties with the Navy, he wouldn't leave her one day and return to their ranks.
Plus, within the Navy, Robin had a particular rival: Wood's senior apprentice, who not only had a fair complexion and long legs but also held Wood's attention every time they met.
Robin was confident in her appearance and her figure, feeling that she was far more attractive and younger. But she had to admit, the other woman's legs were longer!
And as a woman, Robin's intuition told her that this female marine had feelings for Wood as well.
Robin had even used her underworld connections to gather intel on her.
That's how she learned the woman was a renowned beauty within the Navy and had been proposed to hundreds of times, but she had refused every single one.
Why? Did it really need to be said? It was obvious her heart was already set on someone.
But even if she had met Wood first, so what? Now, Nico Robin was the most indispensable woman in his life!
Whether in business or daily life, Wood had already been "trained" by Robin for more than a decade. Who else could compare to her?
And besides, how much did this other woman even know about Wood's secrets? Certainly not as much as Robin did!
In the past, Robin had taken great pride in these advantages, thinking that she was the most competitive candidate and that Wood's trust in her was unmatched.
But lately, Robin had begun to realize her thoughts had been too idealistic.
Wood did indeed trust her completely, never hiding anything from her when it came to decisions.
However, that trust wasn't the kind that came from being lovers—it was the trust between family members.
To put it bluntly, Robin felt that Wood didn't see her as a woman. Or at least, not the kind of woman she wanted to be seen as. He treated her more like a sister.
Being a sister might be important, but for Robin, it wasn't enough.
That's why Robin had decided to take this chance, during their time alone in Alabasta, to try and elevate her relationship with Wood. If necessary, she was even willing to use more... unconventional methods, like drugs or something similar.
Meanwhile, Wood, who had just won a fortune at Crocodile's casino, was happily handing out money to the local children like a wealthy philanthropist. But suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Elsewhere, after parting ways with Ace and crossing the desert, the Straw Hat Pirates had arrived at Yuba, only to find the oasis town had been reduced to a wasteland, devastated by years of sandstorms.
Learning that Yuba's fate had been caused by Crocodile, Luffy accepted a small water supply from an old man named Toto, and vowed to defeat Crocodile and save the kingdom.
Crocodile had originally dismissed the Straw Hat Pirates as insignificant, but after his encounter with Wood, he began to take them more seriously and ordered his subordinates to gather more information on them.
However, even after learning more, Crocodile still wasn't impressed.
To him, the Straw Hats were nothing special. Whether it was Luffy or Zoro, they were just small-time players in his eyes.
Though he noted they had defeated Mr. 3's group and survived Little Garden, Crocodile still didn't see them as a real threat.
At the same time, in Yuba, Luffy and the others learned that Koza, leader of the rebellion, was preparing to launch a full-scale war against the kingdom's forces.
The Straw Hats decided to split up. Since Koza had been a childhood friend of Princess Vivi, and Vivi herself was the princess of Alabasta, she was the perfect person to mediate between the two sides.
But the Baroque Works agents weren't about to let Vivi return to the royal capital of Alubarna.
After some discussion, the crew decided that Luffy and Zoro, the main combat forces, would head to Rainbase to defeat Crocodile, while Sanji and the others would escort Vivi back to the capital.
However, things didn't go as smoothly as they had hoped.
Originally, Vivi and Nami planned to disguise themselves as dancers and sneak into the capital of Alubarna.
But due to Wood's interference, Crocodile had become much more vigilant than he was in the original story.
Although Crocodile still saw the Straw Hat Pirates as small fry, he wasn't about to take any chances that could jeopardize his plans.
So unlike in the original timeline, where Vivi and Nami had easily slipped into the capital disguised as dancers, this time, they were intercepted outside the city.
And it wasn't just one or two agents waiting for them, but over a hundred Baroque Works "Billionaire Agents," accompanied by nearly a thousand "Millionaire Agents."
"Captain, it looks like your bet with Crocodile might not go so well. If Princess Vivi can't defuse the situation between the rebels and the royal army, this kingdom will plunge into civil war.
"And once that happens, Crocodile will have the upper hand and seize control of Alabasta."
From atop the walls of Alubarna, Wood and Robin watched the scene unfold, their cloaks billowing in the wind.
Seeing Vivi and the others surrounded, Wood looked slightly surprised, but quickly tried to act calm. "Don't worry, they're the main characters.
"The Baroque Works agents are only about as strong as your average marine. Even without Luffy and Zoro, Sanji can handle them just fine.
"And don't forget, they've got Usopp, the man who creates miracles, and Nami with her incredible figure—86, 57, 86. She's the mascot who wins fights with a bounty of only 100 Berries!"
Robin wasn't sure she understood half of what Wood was saying, but she couldn't help but notice how familiar Wood seemed to be with the Straw Hat crew.
It was one thing for him to know their names, but to know the exact measurements of their female members? That was suspicious.
86, 57, 86. For a girl that young, those were impressive stats. But if Robin compared herself to that… well, she was clearly the winner.
Looking down at her own body, even wrapped in a sandproof cloak, Robin could still see her ample curves, her shapely waist, and her perfect hips. With confidence, she turned to Wood and asked, "Captain, do you know my measurements?"
Wood, still watching the battle below, was caught off guard by Robin's sudden question. He was so focused on the Straw Hats that he absentmindedly replied, "Uh, why would I need to know that? I'm not some kind of pervert."
Robin's face froze.
You're not a pervert, yet you know the exact measurements of Nami from the Straw Hat Pirates, but after more than ten years of living with me, you don't know anything about mine!?
Wood had learned Nami's measurements because, back when he was watching the anime, there had been a scene where a certain invisible pervert kidnapped her. Her measurements had been revealed as part of a running gag, and it had stuck in his mind.
After giving Robin that careless answer, Wood suddenly felt a dangerous aura behind him. That's when he realized what he had just said...
"This is... uh, totally explainable! You know, I was just guessing.
"You know how ruth and the others are always talking about stuff like that. As the captain, I have to join in sometimes to understand my crew!"
Wood didn't think he really needed to explain, but Robin's current mood seemed extremely dangerous, so he decided to play it safe.
"Oh, you were just guessing? Well, it seems like you guessed very accurately.
"I didn't realize our captain had such a special talent. So, why don't you take a guess at my measurements? And if you get it wrong, I think you know what'll happen…"
Wood's eyes quickly scanned Robin's curves, and he confirmed that, yes, Robin was definitely larger than Nami. But beyond that, he didn't dare say.
"Well, I'd say you're definitely over 86. I can't be more specific because, well… it's beyond my grasp…"
Wood's cautious answer didn't seem to satisfy Robin. Just as she was about to press him further, she noticed that the "coward" had already disappeared.
No, more accurately, Wood had darted away and was now standing amidst the Straw Hat Pirates and the Baroque Works agents.
And in typical Wood fashion, he had pulled his cloak over his face to hide his identity.
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Next Bonus 1500 -> 2000
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 400+ at p@treon.com/Betek (@->a)