Huh, whose voice is that?
Aokiji shivered all over, his steps frozen in place.
Looking up slowly, he saw a serene and elegant black-haired woman sitting by the desk closest to the stairs.
She held a heavy ancient book in her hands, looking at him with a half-smile, her expression calm and composed.
"...Ah, that should be my line, shouldn't it?"
Aokiji scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
"It's been a long time, Nico Robin."
He sighed, "...I really should have thought of this earlier. This is the O'Hara Library, after all, running into you here was bound to happen."
"It doesn't seem that long, does it?"
Robin chuckled softly, closing the book and casually placing it on the table, "We just met a year ago on the Grand Line."
"Only a year? But back then, you were panicked, either wanting to fight me desperately or stay as far away from me as possible."
Aokiji gave a wry smile, "And now..."
Fate is truly unpredictable.
Who would have thought that the girl he silently watched over, who was always running and hiding in the shadows back then,
could now look at him,
with such elegance and confidence, like this, assessing his lonely soul with nowhere to go?
"Because this is the territory of the Endgame."
Robin took a sip of the coffee on the table, her tone indifferent, "And you, you're no match for my captain, right?"
"..."
Aokiji's eyes twitched.
Too much.
This kid, looking all carefree, yet still holds a grudge!
No matter how much he wanted to laugh or cry, he could only surrender.
After all, although he had protected her silently for a long time, he couldn't deny he wronged her too.
In front of Robin, he could never stand tall.
"It seems you're doing quite well here."
Aokiji decided to change the subject, looking around at the people quietly reading in the library, finally turning back to Robin, "Even better than I expected."
"Isn't that natural?"
At the mention of that name, Robin smiled slightly, with a hint of gentleness in her eyes:
"After all, Lord Shano gave me a true home, a true belonging, not just temporary shelter."
Aokiji nodded out of instinct, then noticed the change in Robin's gaze.
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, clicking his tongue internally.
There's something going on here.
Weird, why do I feel a little jealous, like seeing my own cabbage...
Ahem, forget it, that guy, by any standard, is a hero of this era, no resemblance to a pig at all.
"That man truly is remarkable."
After some thought, Aokiji said this.
"Remarkable enough to attract a former Navy Grand Admiral like you all the way here?"
Robin raised an eyebrow, her gaze resting on the expert badge on Aokiji's chest, "But if you could come openly, why did you have to use that scholar's identity for investigation?"
Aokiji looked down, embarrassed, and took off the badge that some lemon-loving girl put on him at some point, spreading his hands:
"Ah, completely seen through."
"The one who received you was Mikita, right? Looks like that cute little fool mistook you for someone else and wasted a lot of effort. I still have to call her back to the dock to receive the real scholar."
Robin dialed the Radio Snail while smiling and asking, "So, Mr. Fake Scholar, how did your investigation turn out?"
Aokiji was silent for a moment, then got up and moved to the window, his gaze looking at the bustling streets and busy crowds in the distance.
"To be honest, it's better than I imagined."
Aokiji said quietly, "Everything here, the order, the prosperity, the development, and the smiles of the people all surprised me."
"Surprised?"
Robin hung up the call, looking at his back, speechless, "Ah, did you think the positive news about the Endgame you heard before was all exaggerated hype?"
"Not quite."
Aokiji shook his head, "But seeing is believing, what I saw is much more shocking."
He left one thing unsaid.
In the past, present, or future,
there have never been people short of claiming to end the old era and begin the new,
but truly putting ideals into practice and gradually changing the world.
Perhaps, that man is truly the only one.
Robin listened, her eyes flickering slightly.
She closed the book in her hands, speaking softly:
"So, Mr. Kuzan, now that you've seen the true nature of the Endgame territory, what do you plan to do next?"
Aokiji turned around, leaning against the window, looking at the ceiling through his sunglasses, as if in thought.
After a moment,
he suddenly smiled and asked:
"What do you think? Given your understanding of me, what should I do?"
Robin took up her coffee cup, gently swirling it:
"If it were the old Great Admiral Aokiji who adhered to 'Lazy Justice,' perhaps you would choose to continue observing or even leave due to various concerns."
"But now, Mr. Traveler Kuzan, since you have stepped here, I suspect you already have an answer in your heart, don't you?"
"Yes, I already have the answer, why am I still hesitating..."
Aokiji murmured.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, there was a determination like he had finally made a certain decision.
"I want to see Shano, please introduce me, Nico Robin."