Three hours had passed since the naval battle outside the volcanic island.
The sea was littered with the shattered wreckage of sailing ships and the lifeless bodies of countless sailors.
Three large navy warships had dispatched more than twenty small boats.
A large number of marines were now combing the area for clues.
"Vice Admiral Momousagi, did you see what kind of weapons they were using?"
"Probably cannons," she replied. "I was a bit far away, so I didn't get a clear look—but those were definitely cannonballs!"
"But if they were just ordinary cannonballs, how could they be so much more powerful than the ones we use?"
Even though all that remained were ruins, the marines could still gather a lot from the wreckage.
And above all, the weapons used by the enemy… Their destructive power had left a lasting impression.
By rough estimates, even a navy warship could only withstand three to five hits from such firepower.
Buru buru buru…
Just then, Momousagi's Den Den Mushi rang.
"This is Momousagi speaking."
"Vice Admiral, during patrol, we discovered another battlefield—about 27 nautical miles from the volcano island!"
"Was it also done by Jun Lin?"
"Unclear. But based on the corpses we identified, the victims appear to belong to the Donquixote Family."
"You mean Donquixote Doflamingo's crew?!"
Momousagi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yes. According to the scene, three sailing ships were sunk. We examined all the bodies, but none of the Donquixote executives—Doflamingo included—were among the dead."
"Understood. Continue investigating the area and report any further findings."
"Yes, ma'am!"
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Momousagi's expression grew complicated.
Could he have done this too?
Is he… really Luo Lan?
---
Inside a cabin aboard the Danaan—
Robin lay on a bed, her mask removed.
Luo Lan sat nearby, casually reading a newspaper to pass the time.
He had picked it up earlier after spotting a News Coo during their return.
Robin stirred, slowly opening her eyes. At first, she looked confused—then her memories rushed back.
She sat up abruptly, checking her body in a panic.
"Don't worry," Luo Lan said, not looking up. "I didn't do anything to you."
"Oh? Such a golden opportunity, and you didn't take advantage of it, little brother?"
Robin's voice dripped with sarcasm, but she wasn't angry.
At this point, Luo Lan had removed his mask—his face fully visible to her.
Which also made one thing painfully clear to Robin.
He doesn't plan on letting me go.
No one would willingly reveal their face to a prisoner they were about to release.
She understood this now. Instead of resisting, she cracked a joke and leaned into the situation.
---
"Robin, there are thirty Poneglyphs in total," Luo Lan said, setting the paper aside.
"You followed Crocodile for so long, but the only one you ever saw was the one in Alabasta."
"And even that wasn't the kind of Poneglyph you were hoping for."
In Luo Lan's memory, there were two Poneglyphs in Alabasta. One of them was anime-original, and whether it existed in this version of the world was uncertain.
As for the one in the tomb, the canon version—Robin had been deeply disappointed by it.
Because it only revealed the location of Pluton, the ancient weapon.
Not the true history she sought.
Especially…
The Rio Poneglyph—the one that recorded the blank century.
"You've seen the Poneglyph in Alabasta?"
"Tell me—what was written on it?"
Robin's eyes lit up as she grabbed Luo Lan's arm, desperate for answers.
"That one?" Luo Lan replied casually.
"It records information about Pluton, and its current location."
"There's nothing about the lost history you've been searching for."
Nothing...?
She had spent years chasing that one lead—even aligning herself with Crocodile.
All for nothing?
Robin's face went pale. She slumped back onto the bed, her eyes losing their light.
The disappointment hit her like a brick.
It made sense. After over a decade of hardship, she had finally tracked down a Poneglyph—only to discover it wasn't what she'd hoped for.
Anyone else might have been thrilled to find a weapon like Pluton.
But Robin didn't care about that.
She wanted the truth.
And now, she was completely lost.
---
"There are thirty Poneglyphs in total," Luo Lan said again, his voice calm but steady.
Robin blinked. She slowly turned to him.
"And among them, there are four red ones—the Road Poneglyphs. When combined, they reveal the route to Laugh Tale."
"The remaining twenty-six are historical Poneglyphs—nine of which contain crucial information."
"Just like the Road Poneglyphs, when all twenty-six are assembled, they form a complete article."
"And that article…"
"…is the true history you've been seeking."
"Yes. The Void Century you've been chasing all your life!"
"I happen to know the whereabouts of most of them. So… about that proposal I mentioned earlier—why don't you reconsider?"
He stood up and walked over, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.
"What if I still say no?" Robin asked.
"Then I'll knock you out and take you home. Like before," Luo Lan said with a grin.
Pfft.
Robin burst out laughing.
He'd said the exact same thing on the volcanic island. At first, she thought he was joking.
But as it turned out…
He wasn't.
---
"Fine, I'll agree. But how do you plan on dealing with Crocodile?" Robin asked, her tone more serious now.
"He won't take it lying down if you just steal me away."
She sounded worried. After all, Crocodile was strong—his Logia ability made him virtually untouchable.
She couldn't imagine how anyone could defeat him.
"We'll be in Alabasta in about half a day," Luo Lan replied nonchalantly.
"Once I finish business with Cobra, I'll show you the Poneglyph. Then…"
"We'll wait for Crocodile to return."
Robin stared at him, eyes wide.
"You're insane."
---
"Boss, we still haven't found Miss All Sunday. Do you think something happened to her?"
"Return to Alabasta," Crocodile ordered coldly. "Mobilize every Baroque agent. I want to know everything about this Jun Lin."
"Yes, Boss!"
Daz Bonez nodded.
Half an hour later, a Baroque Works sailing ship set course—leaving the volcanic island behind.
---
Advance chapters on Ko-Fi
(Currently at chapter 375 on Ko-Fi)
https:// ko-fi.com/sami27