Olvia left Robin all alone in Ohara, boarding her at someone else's house. For a child, that in itself was already cruel. Living under someone else's roof, Robin spent her childhood walking on eggshells.
And because she ate a Devil Fruit, she was treated like a monster by the kids her age. That experience reminded Kaito of Minato's son, Naruto.
Who says kids don't mean what they say? Sometimes, those bratty, unfiltered words sting far more than the insults of grown adults.
Olvia left Robin to live alone in Ohara for years, and when she finally returned, what did she bring? A bounty from the World Government. A barrage of cannon fire from the Navy.
If Aokiji's heart hadn't been swayed by Saul, Robin would never have escaped from the hands of the Navy and the World Government's agents. Her life would have ended at eight years old.
And even if she managed to escape by some miracle, what followed was over a decade of endless pursuit.
If Olvia were still alive, she really should ask herself: As a mother, what exactly did she do for Robin aside from giving birth to her?
Of course, Kaito wouldn't say these things aloud. No matter what, Olvia was still Robin's mother. Some things are better left unspoken.
Robin silently buried her face in Kaito's chest. She didn't argue with his words, because she knew—he wasn't wrong.
Sengoku looked at Robin, nestled in Kaito's arms, and finally let out a helpless sigh.
"So, Kaito, what do you plan to do?"
Robin's body trembled. Her hands tightened around Kaito's coat.
Kaito gently stroked her black hair. When he lifted his head, there was no doubt in his gaze—only ironclad resolve.
"From this moment on, Robin is a Marine. If the World Government has any complaints... they can take it up with me directly."
Buzz!
The black ripple patterns in his Rinnegan suddenly expanded. A terrifying pressure erupted. Over Navy HQ, dark clouds instantly gathered, lightning bolts twisting through the sky like purple serpents.
Fortunately, just like Conqueror's Haki, this pressure could be controlled at will. Otherwise, aside from the Vice Admirals and a few stronger officers, everyone else in HQ would have fainted on the spot from a single glance.
Issho's closed eyes snapped open, revealing his whites. He turned his head toward Kaito, his face already full of shock.
Was this the true power of a Navy Admiral? Or... was this unique to Shikiryū alone?
Robin looked up, dazed, at Kaito's face and murmured,
"Thank you, my Master."
Kaito smiled faintly and replied,
"What are you saying? From now on, you're a Marine. Call me 'Sir'."
Robin gave a tiny nod, then whispered again,
"In private, I'll still call you Master!"
But come on—this was Issho and Sengoku they were talking about. Robin thought she was being quiet, but to their ears, her voice couldn't have been clearer.
Sengoku's expression turned a bit strange. He raised a fist to his lips and coughed a few times to cover it up.
"Well, if that's the case, I approve. Nico Robin, from now on, you are a Marine, with the rank of Lieutenant, directly under Kaito's command."
Robin's face lit up with joy. She quickly stepped back from Kaito's embrace, stood straight, and responded seriously,
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Seeing Robin's tactful response, Sengoku let go of much of the prejudice he'd held. He turned to Kaito, his expression stern.
"As for what you just said about the World Government—don't forget I'm still the Fleet Admiral of the Marines. If anything happens, they'll have to go through me first!"
After speaking, Sengoku and Kaito shared a glance, then burst into knowing smiles. The tension in the office vanished instantly.
Even Issho was influenced by the mood. A goofy grin crept onto his face as he thought to himself that he'd come at just the right time. This Fleet Admiral... seemed like a pretty lovable guy.
Robin stood gracefully by Kaito's side. Watching the old and the young share a laugh, she also smiled—hers just looked much more refined.
After a while, Sengoku's gaze landed on Issho. He sifted through his memory for anything about him, but after thinking hard, he still came up blank. It was as if Issho had appeared out of thin air.
For someone Kaito praised so highly, shouldn't he have some reputation on the seas? What's this guy's deal?
Sengoku glanced at Kaito, then tilted his eyes toward Issho, signaling Kaito to make the introductions.
Kaito began,
"Let me introduce him properly. Issho, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user—Gravity Fruit. Upright in character. As for his strength... it's already Admiral level."
"Nani!?"
At the mention of the Gravity Fruit, Sengoku's eyes lit up. This was without a doubt a top-tier Paramecia-type Devil Fruit—gravity, of all things! It might even rank above the Float-Float Fruit once wielded by Golden Lion.
In terms of destructive power, it could rival many Logia-type fruits. Not to mention the incredible support capabilities gravity offered.
Then came Kaito's rating of Issho's strength, and Sengoku nearly lost his composure.
Admiral-level power?!
Kaito just stepped out for a bit—not only did he bring back Robin, he also casually picked up someone with Admiral-level strength?!
Sengoku didn't doubt Kaito's assessment. He knew full well that Kaito's strength had long since surpassed the rank of Admiral. If he said Issho was that strong, then it had to be true.
Sengoku felt a rush of blood to his head. He quickly grabbed his now-cold tea and downed it in one gulp. After a moment, he looked up, voice trembling.
"So... Issho wants to join the Marines too?"
This time, before Kaito could respond, Issho stepped forward and said with unwavering resolve,
"Yes, Fleet Admiral. I wish to join the Marines!"
"..."
Sengoku didn't respond right away. He just stared at Issho, eyes blazing with intensity.
Good thing Issho was blind. If he could see the way Sengoku was staring at him—like a hungry wolf—it might've sparked some awkward suspicions.
Fortunately, Sengoku still had some composure as a Fleet Admiral. He forced down his excitement and slowly asked,
"Then, regarding your rank... do you have any preferences?"
At that, Kaito realized this was indeed an issue.
This wasn't the era of post-War world recruitment. Issho couldn't just be promoted straight to Admiral. So his rank really was up for discussion.
From Kaito's perspective, given Issho's strength and age, if he couldn't become an Admiral, then a Vice Admiral would still be more than fitting.
But Vice Admiral in the Marines was like a jōnin in Konoha—it might seem low-profile, but in the grand scheme, it carried real weight.
For someone like Issho, who appeared out of nowhere, jumping straight to Vice Admiral... that might be a little tricky.