Robin's eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of two massive Poneglyph—one red and one blue. They stood before her like ancient sentinels, their presence commanding reverence.
Noticing her astonishment, Luffy grinned and began to explain.
"Originally, Wano Country had three Poneglyph," he said. "But when Kaido's men fled after his defeat, they took a piece from Onigashima with them. That left us with these two pieces."
He gestured toward the massive stones. "One of them was hidden in a secret underground cell in the shogun's mansion, while the other was buried deep within the Mountain—right beneath our feet. Because of their locations, they escaped detection by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and his forces."
Robin turned to him, curiosity shining in her eyes. "That's quite fortunate, but how did you manage to find them?"
She approached the texts, her fingers gently tracing the ancient inscriptions. Her fascination was evident, but so was her curiosity about Luffy's methods.
Luffy, of course, couldn't admit he had knowledge from the original storyline. Instead, he crafted a plausible explanation.
"My Observation Haki is... unique," he said confidently. "It's different from others because it synergizes with my magnetism. It allows me to detect even the smallest details within a wide range. And I had help." He chuckled. "My deputy intelligence chief, with her Glare-Glare Fruit, is a game-changer. I'll introduce you two later."
Robin nodded, accepting his explanation. Without further questions, she pulled out a pen and paper and began diligently translating the texts.
The others, recognizing the importance of her work, left her undisturbed and waited patiently. When Robin finally finished decrypting the inscriptions, she exhaled deeply, the weight of her discovery evident on her face.
Over the past six months, Robin had experienced a journey unlike any other. In the past, she would spend years—sometimes decades—searching for a single piece of Poneglyph. Now, under Luffy's guidance, she seemed to stumble upon one after another. It was as if fate itself had handed her a cheat code.
The red text, in particular, reignited her hope of reaching Raftel and uncovering the secrets of the Blank Century. Her heart raced with excitement as she carefully stored her notes, ensuring every detail was preserved.
Turning to Luffy, Robin's gaze softened. Her eyes sparkled with something akin to admiration. "Perhaps staying by your side was the right choice," she said. "With you, I never know what surprises are waiting around the corner."
Luffy's face lit up. "Does that mean... you've decided to stay?"
Robin smiled, a playful glint in her eyes. "For now," she replied. She walked toward him, her movements graceful and deliberate, and extended her right hand.
Luffy's heart swelled with excitement. He reached out eagerly, only for Robin to bypass him entirely and shake hands with Ain and Koala instead.
"I'll be counting on you two," she said warmly. "Take care of me."
The two girls beamed. "Welcome to the team, Sister Robin~!" they chimed in unison.
Luffy stood frozen, his hand still outstretched, his face a picture of disbelief. "...Seriously?" he muttered under his breath.
More than six months passed, and Luffy celebrated his 14th birthday. The occasion was joyous but brief, as Luffy quickly returned to his duties. Two days after his birthday, however, something in the morning newspaper caught his eye.
The front-page headline of the World Economic News screamed:
"The New Seven Warlords of the Sea Defeated! The New Monster Brothers of the East Blue!!"
Luffy's eyes widened as he read the headline again, making sure he hadn't misread it. The story detailed the defeat of Hanafuda, a powerful pirate who had been recruited as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea just a month earlier. His defeat came at the hands of a group of rookie pirates from the East Blue.
Normally, Luffy wouldn't pay much attention to such news. While intriguing, it usually had little to do with him. But this time, one detail froze him in place: the photo accompanying the article.
Two figures stood side by side in the picture. One had black hair and freckles, the other blond hair and a familiar, unscarred face.
"Ace?! Sabo?!" Luffy's voice cracked as he shouted their names. He stared at the photo, his mind racing. "What the hell is going on?! How did Ace and Sabo form a pirate crew and set sail together?!"
Gripping the newspaper tightly, he leaped from his office chair, his sudden outburst startling the women working nearby. Ain, Koala, and Robin all turned to him in surprise.
"Luffy, what's wrong?" Koala asked, concern evident in her voice.
Luffy ignored them, his focus solely on the article. He skimmed through it, reading every detail carefully. The report explained how Ace and Sabo had gained fame in the East Blue over the past few months. Initially dismissed as small-time rookies, they began making waves after entering the Grand Line.
Yesterday, they achieved a shocking victory by defeating Hanafuda, a notorious pirate and user of a Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Their triumph marked them as rising stars in the pirate world.
Ace, now the captain of the Spade Pirates, had earned the epithet "Fire Fist." His bounty had skyrocketed from 35 million to an astonishing 150 million berries following the battle.
...
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