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--xLOVEx--
Just as they neared the city's center, Coby and Nami were suddenly yanked up onto a nearby rooftop. Luffy, Zoro, Chopper and Sanji were already there, sitting grimly. They clearly heard the news as well.
"They're saying Robin shot Iceburg," Zoro muttered, his eyes narrowed. "Everyone's looking for us."
Luffy's face was serious, a rare sight. "We need to find Robin. She would never do something like that."
Sanji clenched his jaw. "Where the hell could she have gone?"
As they all sat grimly, Robin appeared across from them on another rooftop. Her gaze was cold, distant.
"Robin!" Luffy's face lit up with a smile, happy to see her. "You're back!"
But Robin didn't return the smile. Her cold demeanor wiped away Luffy's joy. "Come here, Robin. They're looking for you," Nami called out, concern evident in her voice.
Robin shook her head. "I'm fine where I am. I'm here to tell you that I won't be going back with you. Let's say our farewells here, in this town."
Luffy's smile vanished as he gritted his teeth. "What the hell are you saying, Robin?"
Sanji stepped in, trying to make sense of it. "Is this about those papers? Don't worry, we don't believe them."
Chopper nodded in agreement. "They always blame pirates when something bad happens."
Robin remained calm, her voice unwavering. "You were blamed for my crimes because it was me who committed them. I was in Iceburg's room last night, and I shot him." Her eyes locked onto Coby's. "You saw it, didn't you? You used my abilities to spy on me."
The crew turned to Coby, waiting for his response.
"She's right," Coby admitted, his voice low.
Robin didn't give him a chance to explain further. "You heard them call me their boss. I wanted something from Iceburg, but it doesn't matter now. I used you all to get to this island. Now that I'm here, I don't need you anymore. Stop bothering me. I'm shrouded in a darkness that will swallow you if you continue looking for me. You're not bad people, so take my advice and leave. But I have to use you as scapegoats for this incident. This is goodbye."
Luffy's eyes widened with disbelief. "Robin, stop!" He leaped towards her, trying to reach her before she could disappear.
But Robin jumped back, and by the time they reached the rooftop where she had stood, she was gone.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Luffy shouted, his voice filled with pain. He refused to accept Robin's words as the truth, and the crew felt the same. They knew Robin, and this didn't add up. Something deeper was going on, and they weren't going to give up on her just because of her cold facade.
Luffy clenched his fists, staring at the spot where Robin had vanished. "Coby, what did you see?"
Coby sat down on the rooftop, eyes narrowing as he began to explain. "Robin entered Iceburg's office with a group of masked people. Iceburg recognized her immediately—he had her wanted poster hanging in his room. She shot him without hesitation, and while he was down, the others searched the room for something important. But they couldn't find it."
Zoro's gaze turned sharp, eyeing Coby with suspicion. "How did you know she'd be there in the first place?"
Coby didn't flinch. He crossed his arms, a calm expression on his face. "I had eyes all over the city." He demonstrated by using Ojo Fleur, sprouting an eye on the back of his hand to prove his point.
The crew exchanged glances, their trust in Coby evident. Luffy turned to him, his tone serious. "Do you know what's going on?"
Coby shook his head. "I've got some theories, but I'm not sure yet. We should go to Iceburg's room tonight. She'll show up again."
Zoro spoke up. "If we show up there and she kills him, we'll be branded as Iceburg's assassins. No way out of that one."
Luffy didn't hesitate. "We go. I need to see why Robin's doing this."
The crew nodded in agreement, the decision made. They knew the risk, but they also knew they couldn't abandon Robin without understanding the truth. As night fell, they prepared to infiltrate Iceburg's residence, blending into the shadows as they made their way through the city.
Sitting on a tree just outside of Galley-La, the crew observed the scene below. The area was packed with people—citizens, shipwrights, foremen, and other workers—all gathered outside the building to protect their mayor, Iceburg. Despite the approaching Aqua Laguna and the storm brewing in the distance, they didn't care.
"Can you reach there?" Nami asked, glancing at Luffy.
Luffy shook his head, calculating the distance. It was too far. Rocketing himself over would be a risk, and there was no guarantee he'd make it without crashing.
Coby, sitting beside him, spoke up. "Don't rush. When Robin arrives, their attention will be diverted. That'll be our signal."
The crew nodded, understanding the plan. They needed to be patient, to wait for the right moment to act. But there was tension in the air, an unease that lingered among them, especially after everything that had happened with Usopp and Robin.
Zoro's hand rested on his swords, his eyes focused on the crowd below. "We're walking into a hornet's nest."
Soon, an explosion rocked the place, sending a shockwave through the area. The people waiting below started to scatter in confusion. More shouts echoed from another direction. "Masked person here! The assassin is here!"
Coby turned to the side, only to realize that Luffy had already vanished. "Luffy is too reckless," he muttered, shaking his head. The others noticed Luffy's absence as well.
"We need to go. He's alone," Zoro said, his tone grim as he prepared to move.
But Coby stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. "He'll be fine. Let's wait until the crowd disperses with this distraction."
As the commotion below intensified, the crowd in front of Iceburg's room rushed away to catch the masked person. Only Kaku and Lucci were left guarding the door. Paulie had been sent to retrieve something for Iceburg and was in another room.
In the midst of the chaos, Blueno opened an air door and walked inside with Robin. They slipped into Iceburg's room, where the mayor lay weakly on his bed. Upon seeing Robin and Blueno, Iceburg's eyes widened in shock, but it quickly dawned on him how they had entered his room the other day.
"That power… so that's how you did it," Iceburg muttered, his voice strained.
Robin remained silent, her gaze cold as she stepped forward. Blueno stayed by the door, his expression unseen behind his mask. Robin and Iceburg faced each other.
Iceburg struggled to sit up, his body wracked with pain. His every movement was slow and pained, due to the injuries he had sustained the previous day. Before he could fully right himself, Blueno stepped forward as he aimed his gun at Iceburg's shoulder. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the room as the bullet tore through flesh, causing Iceburg to cry out in pain. Blueno then turned and walked toward the door to leave the room.
"Wait for our signal, then kill him," Blueno instructed Robin, his voice devoid of emotion. Without waiting for a response, he exited the room, leaving Robin alone with the injured Iceburg.
Robin stood there, watching Blueno leave, her face a mask of cold detachment. Even she wasn't entirely sure what CP9 was truly after, but her goal had always been clear—to protect the crew. That's why she had made the decision to involve herself in this deadly game.
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