"Nico Robin, what... what are you trying to do!?"
Crocodile was instantly furious, feeling a sudden weakness in his body as he glared at Robin in disbelief.
But with his energy drained from the battle and now further weakened by the Seastone shackles, he could barely muster the strength to raise his head, let alone resist.
To Crocodile, the woman before him, with her radiant smile, seemed more like a flower demon—beautiful on the outside, but with a heart full of dangerous intent.
As he struggled to comprehend the situation, Robin smiled sinisterly and reassured him, "Don't worry, boss! You took me in when I was at my lowest. No matter what happens, I won't sell you to the black market."
She spoke softly while securing another pair of Seastone shackles around his feet, ensuring his complete immobilization.
"…"
Black market?
Crocodile glanced down at the Seastone cuffs on his wrists, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Though his Navy bounty had been frozen due to his status as a Shichibukai, his head was still worth several hundred million beli on the black market.
They say you should always take a woman's words in reverse! If Robin said she wouldn't sell him, that could only mean…
This is bad!
Crocodile cursed himself for not cultivating loyal subordinates, now realizing the full extent of his predicament.
On the other side, after securing Crocodile, Robin casually waved her hand. Instantly, multiple arms sprouted from the back of the Banana Crocodile, grabbing Crocodile by the collar and hauling him into the seat behind.
Soon, arms emerged like steps along the side of the Banana Crocodile, forming a path. Robin gracefully ascended to the main seat, stepping lightly on the arms.
"Cough..."
In the back seat, Crocodile, having regained some of his strength, struggled to sit up, his eyes narrowing in anger as he glared at Robin.
He would have preferred to die under Suicune's attack rather than suffer this humiliation from a woman he had once looked down upon.
"What exactly do you want!?" Crocodile growled, suppressing his rage.
But Robin seemed to ignore his words, instead summoning an arm that reached high into the sky, with an eye forming on its uppermost hand.
Robin, with the power of the Flower-Flower Fruit, could manifest any part of her body wherever she willed it, a versatile ability perfect for both stealth and reconnaissance.
Soon, in her field of vision, she noticed a plume of smoke rising in the direction of Rainbase.
Although it was far away, Robin quickly deduced what it was...
She whispered softly, "I didn't expect the Alabasta soldiers to move so quickly."
Then, turning back to Crocodile with a mysterious smile, she said, "This isn't a good place for a chat, boss. Let's find somewhere more private."
"What?"
Crocodile looked confused.
But the massive Banana Crocodile had already turned around, swiftly carrying them away across the sands.
...
...
Shortly after.
In an inconspicuous cave deep in the Alabasta desert, Crocodile was unceremoniously tossed to the ground by an arm that appeared out of thin air.
"Damn! That woman!"
Crocodile managed to sit up on his own, his eyes burning with rage.
His pride had been utterly trampled.
"What do you want!?" Crocodile roared, his voice echoing through the cave.
Robin, however, simply approached him calmly, her expression indifferent.
"Relax, boss," she murmured. "I just want to discuss the matter of my salary from the past few years."
"Salary!?"
Crocodile was taken aback, his expression quickly shifting from confusion to a mix of shame and anger.
"You dragged me all the way here just for something so trivial!?"
"Trivial?"
Robin smiled coolly and shook her head slightly. "This is far from trivial. After all, every worker deserves fair compensation."
"Tch."
Crocodile spat, unimpressed by her words. "Fine, as long as you take these chains off, you can have all the money you want!"
Suicune's sudden appearance had derailed his plans to seize control of Alabasta, and now he needed to rethink his future. But first, he had to get Robin to release him.
What Crocodile didn't expect, however, was...
Robin's eyes lit up as if she had just heard the best news. "Really!?"
She beamed at him, which left Crocodile baffled. He didn't understand what she was getting at.
Robin repeated, "As long as I let you go, boss, you'll transfer all your assets to me?"
Crocodile: ???
Robin seemed particularly off today. But with his life in her hands, what could he do?
He lowered his head. "Yeah... as long as you don't try anything else, you can have all the money."
"!!!"
Robin suddenly stood up, her smile dazzling. "Is that a promise?"
"..."
Although he wasn't sure what was happening, Crocodile could only nod, thinking that Robin would finally release him. "A promise is a promise!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, two arms sprouted from his body, taking the key Robin had tossed and unlocking the Seastone shackles.
"All your assets are mine now!" Robin declared with a mysterious smile, her eyes narrowing into crescents.
"You..."
Crocodile eyed her warily as he slowly regained his strength.
What is this woman up to?
Even with Robin's strange and dark personality, Crocodile found her behavior today particularly confusing. He finally chalked it up to one of her whims, a prank on her boss.
Though it was annoying, Crocodile decided to let it go since she had saved him from the desert.
"Don't pull this nonsense again!" he warned her, adjusting his fur coat. "The plan has changed. Cobra has acquired some kind of powerful weapon from a dimensional merchant!"
"Alabasta isn't safe anymore. Gather the Baroque Works agents at the fallback base."
"No problem, boss," Robin replied cheerfully. Then she added, "But boss, didn't you just say you'd transfer all your assets to me?"
"Which means... from now on, I'm the boss of Baroque Works!"
"Huh?" Crocodile paused, then sneered, "Fine, you can be the boss."
After all, with his power, he didn't believe Robin could actually pull anything off.
However, unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Robin took a step back and respectfully addressed the empty air:
"Sir Leo, is it possible to proceed with the transaction under these circumstances?"
Sir Leo? Crocodile was stunned by Robin's unusual behavior. Then, it hit him.
Leo... Isn't that the name of the dimensional merchant from the East Blue? Could it be that Robin... she's encountered a dimensional merchant!?
Crocodile's pupils contracted as a sense of dread washed over him. But before he could react, the air in front of him began to ripple, as if the very space was vibrating. In the next moment, Leo emerged from the ripples, a gentle smile on his face as he said, "Of course, Miss Robin."
"!!?"
Seeing Leo appear out of thin air, Crocodile's expression turned dark. It was only now that he realized... he had been tricked by this woman Robin! And... she had actually made contact with the legendary dimensional merchant from another world!
Panic overtook Crocodile as he quickly shouted, "Wait... Wait a minute!!! I was just kidding!!!"
Recalling the terrifying power of Suicune, Crocodile knew there was no doubting the authenticity of a dimensional merchant. But from what he understood, trading with one required immense wealth. With this in mind, he hastily added, "Robin, I was only joking!"
Turning his gaze to Leo, he pleaded, "I have money! A lot of money!!! I can definitely offer you more!"
"..."
At this point, Crocodile was nearly hysterical. Compared to the elusive ancient weapon Pluton, the tangible power of a Pokémon like Suicune was far more enticing!
However, Leo only smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Crocodile..." He looked at Robin and continued, "You've already transferred all your assets to Miss Robin."
"If you wish to reclaim them, you'll need her consent or..." Leo's smile remained gentle as he finished, "You'll have to kill Miss Robin."
"..."
A cold wind blew into the cave, sending chills down both Robin and Crocodile's spines. They couldn't fathom how Leo could say something so terrifying with such a calm demeanor.
Robin, who felt fortunate for encountering the dimensional merchant, suddenly realized that, in Leo's eyes, the only difference between her and Crocodile was that one of them was a potential customer.
Without hesitation, Robin stepped forward. "Sir Leo, let's proceed with the transaction!"
Leo nodded, "No problem."
With a wave of his hand, Leo summoned the remote trading interface in Robin's mind, simultaneously imparting the transaction method to her.
"Wait... wait..." Crocodile, seeing Robin initiate the deal, was filled with fury. Acting on impulse, he transformed his arm into a Desert Sword and slashed at Robin with immense force.
His only thought now was... if he could kill Robin, he could still make the deal!
But...
A soft *thud* echoed, like a pebble dropping into water. The Desert Sword suddenly halted in midair, mere inches from Robin, as if an invisible wall was blocking it.
Leo turned his gaze to Crocodile, a mysterious light gleaming in his eyes. "Are you disrupting the transaction?"
Leo's voice was calm and emotionless, yet when it reached Crocodile's ears, it exploded like thunder deep within his soul.
*Boom!!!*
"Ah!!!!"
Crocodile screamed in agony as an unbearable pain surged through him. Clutching his head, he tried to tear at his temples with his fingers.
Darkness—endless, despairing darkness engulfed him. Crocodile's soul felt as though it was crucified, unable to move, while giant silver needles continuously pierced his eyes, ears, and temples.
Each needle stabbed directly into his soul, tearing it apart with excruciating pain. He struggled desperately, but the more he struggled, the more hopeless it became.
"Transactions are sacred and inviolable."
Leo's voice echoed in the darkness, still calm and indifferent. But despite his words, the torment Crocodile suffered showed no sign of stopping.
In reality, Crocodile, overwhelmed by pain, began thrashing about, trying to smash his head against the cave walls. But once again, an invisible force restrained him, forcing his hands away from his head, leaving him as helpless as a soul in eternal darkness.
"..."
Seeing Crocodile in such agony, Robin shuddered. She couldn't help but feel relieved that she hadn't acted rashly when she first encountered Leo in the escape tunnel.
Watching Crocodile, one of the world's strongest men, cry out in tears was almost unimaginable for Robin. This was a man who had always been feared, now reduced to a pitiful state.
Leo, however, continued in his calm tone, "Since this is your first offense and you were acting out of emotion, I'll let you off with a warning..."
With a wave of his hand, the illusion tormenting Crocodile vanished instantly.
Crocodile, now free from the nightmare, glanced at Leo with trembling eyes, then immediately lowered his head in submission. Sweating profusely, he retreated to the side, as humbly as a beaten dog.
With the interruption resolved, Leo's kind smile returned as he turned back to Robin.
Robin: !!!
Don't look at me! I'm terrified!
Despite Robin's internal plea, Leo proceeded with the transaction process, saying, "Alright, Miss Robin, let's continue our transaction..."
(End of this chapter)