In the rain-soaked land, the Rain Banquet.
Storm, like a drop of water piercing through rock, boldly "sneaked" into the true stronghold of Sand Crocodile.
Compared to the magnificent exterior of the Rain Banquet Pyramid, the lavishness of its interior decor was equally impressive.
Storm strolled through the spacious and bright corridors of the Rain Banquet Pyramid.
His eyes sparkled with a fierce red light, his Observation Haki fully engaged, locking onto his target.
He was steadily approaching the strongest "voice" within the Rain Banquet Pyramid.
As Storm moved toward his target, the other party seemed to sense his approach and began to move rapidly, constantly changing position.
'Interesting. Have they already noticed my approach?'
Storm raised his eyes to survey the surroundings.
Having trained for a period in the extreme environment of Impel Down, he was confident in identifying all the Surveillance Den Den Mushi in the vicinity.
However, on the path he had just traversed, Storm found no trace of any monitoring Den Den Mushi.
All that remained were a few scattered…
Petals?
Storm squinted slightly, a suspect coming to mind.
He continued to walk forward; that "voice" was just ahead! A few minutes later.
As Storm rounded a corner of the corridor, at that moment, his gaze briefly met that of someone waiting just around the bend.
The other person had their arms crossed over their chest, and upon seeing Storm, she wasted no time activating her ability.
"Spinning Flower!"
Without any medium, the power of the Devil Fruit struck from afar.
Suddenly, two slender human arms sprouted from Storm's shoulder.
These arms intertwined and wrapped around Storm's neck, one on each side.
Storm seemed momentarily startled by this sudden change, frozen in place.
Under the wielder's control, the two arms twisted forcefully in unison.
Crack!
Like plucking a ripe red apple from a tree, Storm's head was directly severed!
"Whew…"
The instigator stepped forward, gazing at Storm's easily detached head.
"Did it work?"
"What a pity, just a bit off."
A ghostly voice echoed from behind the ability user.
Storm had appeared behind her without her noticing.
He raised his right hand, white clay surged forth, instantly binding the ability user like octopus tentacles.
Storm's ability activated so swiftly that she had no time to react.
In the blink of an eye, she became Storm's captive.
"That was the ability of the Paramecia-Type Flower-Flower Fruit, right?"
Storm's voice rang out once more.
"So, you are the 'Demon Child' with a bounty of 79 million Belly.
"Nico Robin?"
Upon being directly identified by the enemy, Nico Robin's pupils constricted to pinpricks.
She had no idea when he had appeared behind her.
But the person whose head had just been severed…
Nico Robin focused her gaze.
That person, along with his head, had somehow transformed into two masses of clay!
Bang! Suddenly, a tremendous force struck.
Nico Robin felt a sharp pain in her neck, the carotid sinus taking a heavy blow, and a strong wave of dizziness forced her to lose consciousness instantly.
Standing behind her, Storm maintained the posture of having just swung his hand, allowing Nico Robin to collapse to the ground.
Silver Trophy: Nico Robin
Trophy Star Rating: ★★★
"Ah, dear…"
Storm looked at the unconscious Demon Child on the floor, mimicking his superior's catchphrase.
"Has Nico Robin now joined Sand Crocodile's ranks?"
Storm took out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, hesitating over whether to call Aokiji.
He knew well the complex feelings Aokiji had toward this "Demon Child."
Aokiji's transformation from a passionate navy officer who believed in "Blazing Justice" to a laid-back thief of "Lazy Justice" stemmed from the "Ohara Incident" over a decade ago! During the "Ohara Incident."
Aokiji witnessed Akainu shelling the civilian evacuation ships, causing him to doubt "justice" for the first time.
The navy elite admiral, who was supposed to execute the "Ohara Buster Call," completely disregarded the orders of the World Government.
After the shelling of the evacuation ships incident.
Aokiji not only protected his friend and fellow admiral Jaguar D. Saul, who hindered his mission, but also let the sole survivor of the Ohara Incident—Demon Child Nico Robin—escape.
Though Aokiji had not appeared in Nico Robin's life for the following years.
Storm was well aware that Aokiji had been keeping a close watch on Nico Robin all along!
"What a twisted relationship…"
Storm hesitated for a moment before finally dialing the Den Den Mushi.
"Moshi Moshi…"
"Ah! Storm! Why is it you again?"
Aokiji answered the Den Den Mushi, his tone dripping with annoyance.
"Are you the superior? Or am I? Why does it always feel like you're the one giving me tasks?"
"...Admiral Aokiji."
Storm remained silent for a moment before directly confronting him.
"You're not sulking, are you?"
"Ah, dear…"
The Den Den Mushi vividly mimicked Aokiji's expression of looking away.
"You misunderstood, I wasn't napping; I was just lying down contemplating life."
"Must be nice, 'Lazy Justice'…"
After a brief chat, Storm got straight to the point. "Admiral Aokiji, I've encountered Nico Robin!"
"...Who?!"
Aokiji's previously dazed eyes widened in shock.
"Who did you say?"
"The sole survivor of the Ohara Incident, the Demon Child, the user of the Flower-Flower Fruit."
Storm listed off Nico Robin's relevant information.
Seemingly unsatisfied with just that, he raised his fist, striking an attacking pose.
"This naturally evil Demon Child, I'm about to—"
"Wait! Hold on!"
Aokiji hurriedly called for a stop.
This statement made him instantly realize that his attitude had been overly tense.
"Ahem! Uh, Storm! You can't just go around killing pirates!"
What does it mean to be flustered by concern?
This is what it means! Storm said in a low voice.
"Admiral Aokiji, is there a navy that doesn't kill pirates on the sea?"
"There is! Zephyr-sensei is one!"
Aokiji stubbornly retorted, quickly changing the subject.
"How did you encounter Nico Robin? Did she go to the South Blue?"
"The South Blue? No."
Storm replied.
"I encountered and captured Nico Robin in the rain-soaked land of Alabasta."
"Alabasta?"
Aokiji frowned, confused.
"Aren't you in the South Blue? How did you end up in the Grand Line? Is it… the Tyrant's Paw-Paw Fruit?"
"Exactly."
Storm steered the conversation back on track.
"The current focus isn't on the Paw-Paw Fruit, but on the 'Demon Child'!
"Admiral Aokiji, how should I handle Nico Robin?"
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Aokiji was in a dilemma.
To be honest, ever since the Ohara Incident, he no longer believed that the navy's justice was truly "justice."
If the navy that bombarded civilians could be called "justice," then what did that make pirates?
In Aokiji's view.
The scholars of Ohara, who violated the laws of the World Government and secretly researched ancient history, might not necessarily be guilty.
But even if the scholars were truly guilty.
What did their sins have to do with the ordinary people on Ohara Island?
Moreover.
What did the scholars' sins have to do with an eight-year-old girl like Nico Robin?
After the Ohara Incident concluded.
Aokiji fell into a prolonged period of confusion.
This was because the "justice" he believed in as a navy officer clashed violently with the "justice" the navy was supposed to uphold, which maintained the World Government's rule!
And from the moment "Blazing Justice" completely transformed into "Lazy Justice."
Aokiji was no longer the navy vice admiral who blindly obeyed the orders of the World Government…
On Ohara Island back then.
Aokiji had orchestrated Saul's fake death and personally let Nico Robin escape.
Now, he was even less likely to do anything to Nico Robin…
"Let it be, Storm."
"Let it be?"
Storm felt puzzled by Aokiji's response.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
Aokiji continued.
"Nico Robin, I leave her to you."
"Ah? What do you mean 'I leave her to you'? You—"
Storm wanted to say more.
But the Den Den Mushi on Aokiji's end had already hung up.
"Hello!?"
Storm held up the now silent Den Den Mushi, feeling quite displeased with Aokiji's shirking of responsibility.
He looked at the still unconscious Nico Robin, inexplicably feeling as if he had received some "fatherly entrustment"…
"Just an illusion! It must be an illusion!"
Storm shook his head vigorously, casting aside this strange association.
He dialed Aokiji's Den Den Mushi again.
Unfortunately, that blue chicken seemed to have anticipated Storm's actions and refused to answer!
"Damn it!"
Storm put away the Den Den Mushi, glancing at Nico Robin with a conflicted expression.
"Leaving Nico Robin to me… but she's currently under a boss!
"That bastard Sand Crocodile, why hasn't he come back yet!?"
As Storm muttered about Sand Crocodile, Crocodile had just returned from the Canola Flower Port, a large bag of treasure slung over his shoulder, resembling a farmer who had just finished harvesting chives.
Loaded with spoils, Sand Crocodile rode the wind and sand, heading straight back to the rain-soaked land.
But when he entered the rain-soaked land and saw his home—the Rain Banquet Pyramid—his expression instantly turned bewildered.
Where's that massive Golden Banana Crocodile on top of the Rain Banquet Pyramid? Where did this White Dragon come from!?
Nico Robin.
Entered the Grand Line in 1517.
Joined Baroque Works in 1518.
According to the content of chapter 1100 of the manga.
When Kuma became a Warlord of the Sea, Robin was already under Sand Crocodile's command.