Robin was caught off guard. Why does Crocodile appear so concerned and vulnerable? This shouldn't be the case. To be frank, Princess Vivi isn't a major threat. She shouldn't be causing any worry.
However, Crocodile's words struck fear in Robin's heart: "Let Princess Vivi uncover my identity, Robin. You've invested a lot in that."
Robin remembered that it was her guidance that allowed Princess Vivi to find the Baroque Works organization. The intention was clear. Despite helping Crocodile, Robin couldn't bring herself to completely betray those she had directed in that direction.
She still held onto a sense of morality. Even after her hometown's destruction and being hunted for years, she stayed true to her original purpose: seeking historical texts. This kept her from losing her humanity entirely.
Having been through numerous betrayals and escapes, Robin had stopped believing in anyone. She had adapted to that kind of life.
"I..." Robin panicked, about to use her powers but controlled herself.
"Don't fret, I don't plan to harm you. I understand it's hard for people to trust me due to my past deeds. To you, I may just seem like a cruel, volatile, confident, and arrogant person," Rosen said, criticizing Crocodile. Why criticize Crocodile to me? I suppose there's nothing wrong with that.
Talking about this came easily to Rosen.
"What's the boss's strategy?" Robin was surprised at first but then composed herself, still unsure about Rosen's intentions.
If Crocodile knew about these plots and found you useful, he wouldn't kill you. However, the consequences could be worse.
"What's your plan..." Rosen pondered with a blank expression. If he defied Luffy stubbornly, that would be unnecessary. He had no conflict of interest with Luffy. As for Crocodile, Rosen felt no need to follow in his footsteps entirely. After all, he was Rosen, not Crocodile.
"Let's go..." Before Rosen could finish his sentence, Robin suddenly unleashed her powers. Arms sprouted behind Rosen, and she splashed the water from the cup in front of her onto Rosen's head.
With immense force, Robin's arms wrapped around his neck, attempting to twist it. Rosen was terrified. Was Robin trying to kill him?
It wasn't entirely unexpected, but wasn't it a bit premature? Why not stick to the plan?
Crocodile's unusual behavior deeply unsettled Robin. She decided taking a risk was better than facing torture or death at Crocodile's hands. With her fruit ability, she felt she might have a chance to come out on top.
Having tracked events to the present, Robin was quite certain about the location of the historical text.
Suddenly, a message appeared in Rosen's mind:
"A fatal attack is detected. The auxiliary system is activated, developing the human body enhancement system. The strongest potential of the human body will be developed. As a novice benefit, you receive one free human body enhancement. For the next enhancement, the host needs to defeat a strong enemy. This enhancement will double the body's defense attribute. One of the strong experience packs has been used."
Rosen was momentarily surprised, followed by elation. A boon had arrived.
Human Body Strengthening Attributes:
Name: Sha. Crocodile (Rosen)
Ability: sand Fruit, not awakened, intermediate (Proficiency: 600/1000)
Physique: Intermediate (Proficiency: 300/1000)
Domineering: None (Proficiency: 0/100)
Swordsmanship: Elementary (Proficiency: 100/300)
Strengthening Times: 1
Effect: X2 defense, X1 experience pack
Next Enhancement Condition: Defeat a strong enemy with a bounty of 100 million Baileys or more.
Reward: Speed X2
A rudimentary body attribute appeared in Rosen's consciousness. When the strengthening system was activated, Rosen received a surge of combat knowledge, feeling his muscles noticeably strengthened.
The direct defense boost doubled Rosen's durability. While it wasn't an overall improvement, the enhanced defense made Robin unable to twist his head.
Robin tried to twist Rosen's head but found it wouldn't budge. Had Crocodile become this strong already? Surprised, Robin quickly drew a dagger to attack.
Rosen grabbed Robin's wrist, disarming her swiftly. He wiped the water off his face, calming his thoughts. He hadn't expected Robin to attack so suddenly.
Ignoring her for the moment, Rosen focused on studying the strengthening system in his mind. He could now assess his strength status from the system's data.
His fruit ability was at an intermediate level, quite advanced. His physical skills were also intermediate but on the lower side. Lacking proficiency in Haki and with basic swordsmanship, the proficiency levels aligned with his own perception.
Crocodile's strength stemmed mainly from his Devil Fruit ability. Neglect of his physical skills over time and losing a hand further weakened him. While his Devil Fruit abilities were well-known, his Haki proficiency was elementary until reaching a proficiency of 100. His swordsmanship was his weakest point, showing room for major improvement with training.
From the strength evaluation, Rosen speculated that reaching the advanced level might elevate him to a general's standard, but this was still theoretical. With the enhanced system's aid, Rosen believed he could understand his power better and fight effectively.
The lingering question was what to do with Robin. Rosen contemplated taking her away from this war-torn country.
By leaving, the Straw Hat crew and Princess Vivi could find Koza, the current leader of the rebel army, and clarify the situation, likely averting a war.
Moreover, without clear evidence and without capture, his Shichibukai title wouldn't be revoked. While Rosen didn't value keeping the title, it represented his identity. Without it, imprisonment in Impel Down, death, or a confrontation with the Navy remained as possibilities.
None of these outcomes were appealing to Rosen. Being below the top-tier fighters, seeking death wasn't a choice.
In the pirate world, Crocodile's current strength wouldn't be enough to best even the top subordinates of the Four Emperors. Without Haki, he was at a significant disadvantage. While he could maintain his reputation in the first half of the Grand Line, the New World was a different challenge. There, formidable fighters were abundant: the Four Emperors, their elite commanders, the elite Shichibukai, and the three navy admirals.
Additionally, figures like Fujitora, Green Bull, Sengoku, Garp, the Admiral reserves, Tsuru, and CP0 presented a formidable lineup. Accounting for these individuals, the number of admiral-level fighters was almost in double digits.
Considering the powerful individuals in Wano Country, even fighters like Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, who could compete with Kaido's crew's Calamities, were just part of the roster. In this scenario, a Warlord-level fighter like Rosen seemed relatively insignificant.
Rosen's strength was in a precarious position: not strong enough to stand out among the top fighters, yet not weak enough to be dismissed. He could hold his own in brief skirmishes but lacked the power to decisively defeat truly strong opponents.