Soaring high above the Red Line, the Numancia Flamingo sliced through the sky.
Doflamingo had just received the bounty poster for Nico Robin.
It reminded him of his number one mercenary—so he made a quick call to check in.
As soon as the line connected, Moria's signature cackle burst through the speaker.
"Heh-shishishishi, BOSS!"
"Seems like you're in a good mood, Moria. Do you have news on Nico Robin?"
Doflamingo glanced out at the shrinking Red Line below and asked casually.
Truth be told, Nico Robin wasn't all that important to him anymore.
He wasn't interested in deciphering history.
As for ancient weapons? He already had Gladius recruit Franky—the twisted little mechanical genius.
Add in Caesar and Judge... and they still can't crack a couple of blueprints?
He had just been caught up in the idea last time, really.
Still, her Devil Fruit awakening was quite intriguing.
"She's been spotted, BOSS. The assassin family—the Rokuro—picked up her trail. You'll be seeing Nico Robin real soon!"
Speeding along as he spoke, Moria suddenly recalled another familiar face he'd run into in Loguetown not long ago and added:
"Oh, and guess who else turned up in the West Blue? That World Government lackey Crocodile."
"Crocodile? That thirsty reptile again."
Doflamingo wasn't the least bit surprised to hear Crocodile's name.
That man—or woman?—was obsessed with chasing down any hint of Pluton.
Playing the hero in Alabasta like it was some kind of stage play.
"Yeah, totally! But that croc's still drowning in past failures. I'll take him down and bring Nico Robin back to you, BOSS!"
Ever the resilient one, Moria held back the meddling Perona while proudly voicing his intent.
He may be under Doflamingo's command now, but one day, he'd be the one giving orders.
Doflamingo grinned as he thought of the massive warship he'd nearly finished building in Upper Yard.
He had one of his own now—and it was almost complete.
"Fuffuffuffuffu... Moria, if you can't capture Nico Robin, then just kill her."
"I'll have Tesoro send you a few photos shortly."
"And while you're at it, pass along a few words to Crocodile..."
...
West Blue.
The news that the Rokuro had picked up Nico Robin's trail spread like wildfire across the seas.
"Daz! Don't tell me you didn't catch Nico Robin?!"
Rokuro Robert, head of the assassin family, confronted the eighth-ranked killer in their ranks, his face taut with worry.
And for good reason.
At this very moment, the port was under lockdown—blockaded by a coalition of powerful factions.
Beyond their compound's walls, gangsters had gathered like vultures, drawn by the scent of blood.
Even the Happo Navy had them surrounded, waiting only for their commander, Chinjao, to return from the Grand Line.
Any longer and they'd be kicking the doors in.
The family stood on the edge of ruin, about to be carved up like a corpse.
"No, I haven't caught her," Rokuro Daz replied, body covered in slashes. "All I found were traces. I've been trailing her shadow this whole time."
He was just as confused as everyone else.
If he had actually captured her, he wouldn't be in this mess. He'd just been tracking signs of her presence.
But somewhere along the way, the story twisted.
The word on the street? He'd already caught her and stashed her away.
They'd been ambushed multiple times. He barely made it out alive.
Robert fell silent.
Daz wouldn't lie under these circumstances. But how were they supposed to get out of this?
"Heh... hehehe~ Interesting."
A soft laugh broke the silence.
"Who's there?!"
Both men drew their blades, eyes scanning the shadows for the speaker.
Whoever it was had slipped through all their defenses. They could kill them at any moment.
"No need to panic. Stay calm."
A figure strolled into the light with a ridiculous, swaying gait, dressed in suspenders.
Suspenders guy... was he supposed to be handsome?
He planted his cane firmly on the ground, leaning on it as he tipped his hat with a small bow and a disarming smile.
"Good evening, gentlemen."
"L-Lafitte?!"
"The sheriff?!"
The color drained from their faces.
It was none other than Lafitte, the newly appointed security chief of the West Blue.
His eccentric looks belied a savage reputation. Everyone in the West Blue knew his name—and feared it.
"Daz, you said you've been chasing Nico Robin, right?"
With a flick of his baton, Lafitte sent Daz into a daze. His eyes went blank.
"Yes... I feel like I've always been walking in her shadow."
In the next instant, Daz snapped out of it, jerking his gaze away from Lafitte in horror.
He'd just been hypnotized—in the blink of an eye!
"Good," Lafitte said calmly, "I like honest people."
He tapped the rim of his hat and pinpointed the issue.
"Seems the problem isn't you chasing Nico Robin. It's that Nico Robin has been right beside you this whole time."
"Impossible! No way!!!"
Daz shook his head vehemently.
He was the eighth-ranked assassin of the Rokuro family. How could she be hiding near him without him noticing?
Lafitte ignored his protests, turning his gaze toward the skylight and speaking gently.
"Don't you agree, Sir Crocodile?"
"Well spotted. I didn't expect to find someone like you in a backwater like the West Blue. Join me."
Grains of sand gathered at the window, coalescing into Crocodile's tall figure. Admiration glinted in his eyes as he looked down at Lafitte.
As for Robin's location?
Lafitte had made it quite clear.
Given the chaos on the island, it was obvious she was on one of the ships that returned with Daz.
"C-Crocodile!!!"
Robert and Daz tensed up even more.
This was no ordinary pirate—this was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!
Right then, screams rang out from beyond the compound.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Both Robert and Daz turned pale. Had the gangs and Happo Navy decided to storm the gates after all?
But Lafitte and Crocodile didn't even flinch.
They already had what they came for.
The fate of the Rokuro family meant nothing to them.
Moments later, the doors burst open and panicked family members stormed in, barely registering the two unfamiliar figures in the room.
"Boss! Pirates are attacking!"
"Pirates?!"
Robert's face twisted in disbelief.
The West Blue was the domain of assassins and gangs. Pirates had no place here.
"And what about the Happo Navy and the mob outside?"
"Boss, they've already—"
Before the words could leave his mouth, sharp crack-crack-crack! noises echoed from all directions.
Then the walls exploded.
A massive wave of force and debris surged toward them.
Crocodile's eyes narrowed coldly. Only a few people dared to act so boldly in front of him.
He raised his hand and summoned swirling sand, hurling it forward.
A windstorm roared to life, engulfing the oncoming rubble and forming a sandstorm that surged to meet the blast head-on.
BOOM!
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg