The atmosphere at the scene seemed to freeze.
Clang!
Roya sheathed Engetsu and looked at Robin with a faintly amused expression.
Robin did not move. Roya did not move either. After a brief pause, Roya suddenly lifted the corner of his mouth and said with a light chuckle, "You're not leaving?"
"Huh?"
Robin, already feeling dejected and no longer intending to resist, was stunned when she heard those words. She looked at Roya in surprise, unable to react for a moment.
Roya looked at her with a half-smile and said, "What, do you actually want me to arrest you?"
"You…"
Robin stared at Roya in disbelief. She clearly had not expected that he had no intention of arresting her at all. This was the one outcome she had never anticipated.
"I'm not interested in doing anything for the World Government," Roya shrugged at her and said. "Of course, if you really want to be arrested, I wouldn't mind grabbing you."
Roya had no interest in matters such as Ohara, the Buster Call, or anything else related to the World Government. He would not take the initiative to do things for them.
He arrested whoever he wanted to arrest, and if he did not want to arrest someone, then he would not. No reason was required.
Hearing this, Robin stood there in a daze. After pressing her lips together, a strange glint flashed through her eyes. Without hesitation, she turned and left.
Of course she did not want to be arrested.
Aokiji had once let her go. She did not know his reasons. Now Roya was also letting her go, and she likewise did not understand his reasons. But no matter what, not being arrested was a good thing.
However, Roya's words about having no interest in helping the World Government echoed repeatedly in Robin's mind. As she ran, a peculiar expression flickered through her eyes.
This was the first time she had ever encountered a Marine who said such things.
After gradually distancing herself from the central city, Robin slowed her pace and changed direction, heading toward a small town. Recalling the series of sudden twists that had just occurred, she could not help but fall into thought and murmur to herself:
"So young, yet possessing such powerful strength, and not particularly concerned about the World Government… who exactly are you?"
---
"79 million Beli, 790 hundred merit points. If I had arrested her, the merit gained would have exceeded everything I earned from capturing all those pirates along the way."
Roya looked in the direction Robin had departed, shook his head slightly, then could not help but laugh. Running into Robin as soon as he arrived in the West Blue meant that this trip would not be boring.
Then,
Roya's expression turned cold as he stepped into the central city. Soon after, a series of thunderous booms echoed from within, accompanied by the crashing of collapsing buildings. In the end, everything returned to silence.
A pirate crew of several hundred, along with another assassin organization, were all easily suppressed by Roya. In a place like the West Blue, there were truly very few opponents who could make him swing his sword more than a couple of times.
After settling the unrest on the island, Roya's warship replenished sufficient fresh water and food, then departed the island and continued toward its final destination, the First Branch Base of the West Blue.
---
West Blue First Branch Base.
During this period, the entire base had been shrouded in a heavy atmosphere. The reason was that the base commander, a Rear Admiral, had been decisively defeated head-on by a group of pirates. This not only dealt a severe blow to the base's strength, but also turned it into a laughingstock among the other bases.
Under such circumstances, no one at the 1st Branch Base could be in good spirits.
Today's atmosphere, however, was different from before.
The base was filled with solemn tension, because intelligence had already arrived: the new base commander was about to arrive.
From Marine Headquarters, only a single name had been transmitted regarding this base commander. All other details seemed to have been deliberately kept confidential for some reason. This in itself was rather unusual, suggesting that the new base commander might have a somewhat special background.
Regarding this new base commander, all officers and soldiers of the First Branch Base felt a degree of unease. They knew nothing about his strength, nor about his temperament.
Facing a completely unknown commanding officer, it was impossible not to feel uneasy.
At the harbor of the base, all personnel of the First Branch Base had already assembled, prepared to welcome the arrival of the new base commander.
"Rear Admiral Tika, the new base commander coming this time should be very strong, right…"
A Captain looked out at the endless sea with some unease and could not help but ask the person standing ahead.
The First Branch Base was structured with one base commander and one branch Rear Admiral. Although both held the rank of Rear Admiral, there was actually a difference of one level in authority.
"A base commander transferred from Headquarters will definitely be very strong," Rear Admiral Tika replied in a deep voice. His tone was heavy, and in truth, he was not happy. He had once harbored hopes of being promoted to base commander himself, but now that possibility was clearly gone. He remained the branch Rear Admiral.
"I hope this new base commander can restore the reputation of our First Branch Base. Our standing has fallen to rock bottom recently."
Another Captain looked out at the sea and murmured with faint anticipation.
At that moment.
Someone suddenly focused their gaze and shouted in a certain direction, "Look, they're here!"
Hearing this,
Everyone immediately followed that person's line of sight. In the distance, a vague silhouette could be seen emerging on the horizon.
Gradually, the silhouette became a shadow, and then the shadow slowly grew clearer. It was a Marine warship approaching at a steady pace.
The warship drew closer to the base, began to slow down, and finally docked firmly at the shore.
A figure was the first to disembark. Draped over his shoulders was the justice greatcoat bearing the insignia of a Marine Rear Admiral. It was Roya.
When the personnel of the West Blue First Branch Base came forward and saw Roya clearly, including the branch Rear Admiral himself, they could not help but be stunned.
There was no other reason.
Roya looked far too young. He appeared not even twenty years old. If not for the unmistakably genuine Marine greatcoat and the Rear Admiral's insignia on his shoulders, no one would have believed that Roya was a Marine flag officer.
The branch Rear Admiral of the First Branch Base looked close to forty years old!
"May I ask… are you the base commander sent by Headquarters?"
Although Roya's identity was beyond doubt given his arrival time and his Rear Admiral's greatcoat, the branch Rear Admiral could not help but ask.
Roya glanced at the assembled Marine officers and soldiers of the First Branch Base and replied casually, "If Headquarters didn't send a second person, then that should be me."
The branch Rear Admiral looked at Roya with a complicated expression. After a long moment, he took a breath, saluted Roya, and spoke in a deep voice.
"West Blue First Branch Base reporting. One branch Rear Admiral, six Captains, Commanders… no absences. All personnel present. Requesting inspection, sir."
As his words fell, all officers and soldiers of the First Branch Base saluted Roya in unison.
"So everyone's here."
Roya swept his gaze over them and nodded slightly. It seemed that the officers and soldiers of the First Branch Base were of fairly good quality. There was no one who needed special correction from him.