Chapter 34

"What a sight," I commented as I looked up at the sky, filled with dark smoke.

What a devastating scene it was. The island, having been charred and destroyed to a great degree, was reduced to a useless pile of land. No trees, no plants, no vegetation whatsoever, however, I could see... the burnt limbs and body parts of the dead, here and there.

"Careful," Saul, whose face held nothing but guilt, muttered, "Some area isn't safe ta step on top of."

The two of us looked ahead of us, where Robin was seen to be standing, with her back facing us. She didn't speak but simply watched around her in silence, of what her home has become.

'...What now?'

The pirate invasion that supposedly happened prior to the destined Buster Call. Soon, the Oharans will notify the Marine branch that they reach, and the higher-ups will come to realize that someone, perhaps a marine or World-Government-related individual, tried to prevent the Buster Call from happening. Additionally, since the civilians knew Robin's appearance, their accidental or non-accidental slip may lead to devastating consequences.

'Too many risks, for such a low return.'

Feeling as if the depression was getting to me, I took a deep breath and cleared my mind.

'But wake up, Smoker.'

I don't have the luxury to whine. The lesson that I've learnt from this incident won't go to waste.

'Higher rank. Those who are willing to back me up. I don't necessarily wish to change the Marine from inside out or whatsoever, but I should at least have the strength not to conform.'

What about becoming a pirate, you ask? If that were to happen, Garp-sensei will kill me himself.

Then,

"Professor Clover... everyone is dead, right...?" Robin, who was standing in front of us, mumbled in a teary tone, "My home... Ohara is gone from the map..."

Her small body trembled. Saul on my right seemed restless, wishing to comfort the child, yet not knowing if he had the right to do so.

"...And I know. Before this Buster Call happened, you two—you guys were enemies. Saul betrayed Marine and sailed all the way here, and you, Smoker, were chasing after him."

My eyes widened as she stated, 'Was she not asleep during that night when I spoke with Saul?'

"Just tell me this, Smoker," Robin, turning around to face me, asked as the tears flowed out of her eyes, "Was my mom... here...?"

What a hard question it was to answer. This pang of guilt—I wished I could simply turn around and evade the answer, however, she deserved the truth. No matter how she may think of me, or how powerless I may be portrayed as, I couldn't afford to lie.

Therefore, as Saul turned his head around, I replied grimly, "...Yes."

Death, it isn't a simple thing. When people die, the blood splatters, bones break, muscle fibres tear apart, and intestines spill out—and above all, that horrifying and disgusting stench that cannot be explained.

When you imagine your loved one being in such a situation, will you be able to maintain your calm?

'...Definitely not.'

I could understand what Robin must be going through. I understood her rage for this world. And as her head was lowered with her face invisible to me, and as the teardrops continued to drip down, I asked,

"Do you hate me, Robin?"

I initially said that I will reduce the casualty as much as possible. I explained my plan with baseless confidence, and though I managed to save those that she disliked, I let her loves ones die. Overall, I concluded that Robin, she hated me—

"...My full name is Nico Robin. I am an 8-year-old girl, as well as a certified scholar who not only possesses profound knowledge in the field of archaeology, but also the ability to interpret Poneglyphs."

"W-what...?" Saul seemed terrified of what he just heard. His eyes widened, and his jaw gaped wide. He took a step back unconsciously, before falling on his butt.

Robin, with her head lowered, continued, "And I knew that this was forbidden. This is probably why my family was killed. By that logic, I... should be dead as well."

Raising her head up, Robin forced a smile as she stared at Saul and me, "...So I don't hate you. No, I am thankful. You knew that this was going to happen, and tried your best to prevent it from happening. You risked everything for our sake."

Her words of thanks, for a reason unknown, brought pain to my heart.

"And I know that based on the fact that the civilians recognize me, I will have to disguise. My name will have to change. Unless I wish to be killed, my true identity will have to remain hidden forever. But still,"

Then, something unexpected happened. Robin's eyes gained a fire within; a will was rising up within her. Instead of falling into despair, she stood back up, with a set goal in her mind.

"The World Government. I want to destroy them."

And from her mouth, a bold sentence was spoken. It was a goal that can't be treated lightly, and...

"Why, you got the same goal as me."

...it was a goal that I too set after witnessing this incident.

"And I will join the Marine to do that." Robin staring at me with a firm gaze, stated, "So take me with you, Smoker."

Saul looked at the two of us with his eyes shaking. Sweating profusely, he seemed to be contemplating if he should stop Robin or not. His right hand was being lifted up, however, he eventually lowered it back, still filled with guilt, and thinking that he has no right to stop her.

Staring back at her, I said, "...You will be under high risk at all times."

"Fine by me."

"There is the better option of following Saul to Elbaf."

"Not interested."

"Your mother would've wanted you to stay away from the harm."

Robin momentarily stopped. Then, biting her lips and furiously wiping the tears off of her eyes, she growled, "And she's dead."

Now, standing in front of me, she grabbed me by the collar and brought me right in front of her face,

"So, am I in, Lieutenant Smoker?"

'The change from the canon,' I thought as I stared into her, 'Instead of the life under the run, life as a marine, huh.'

Everything was jumbled up, and I truthfully don't know if this was a good change.

However, I nonetheless stated, "You're in."

__________

On top of a deck of the Marine Warship, which was returning back to the Marine Base G-1, Gion seemed worried, walking back and forth.

"...He's still not found... and the other marines are found dead, scattered across a variety of islands. Jaguar D. Saul isn't yet found either..."

Turning to Kuzan, who was lying on a lounge chair with his back facing her, Gion spoke up, "Sir."

"What," Kuzan said with an underlying annoyance.

"Smoker... he isn't dead, is he?"

From Kuzan's point of view, Gion was truly worried. And truthfully, it felt strange to him that someone like Gion, who harbours the ideal of Absolute Justice, simultaneously possesses the kind and caring side.

'...She was taught in the way of the Absolute Justice, from the very beginning. The Absolute Justice... it runs deep in the Marine.'

Marine, from the very start, was established to be the puppet for the World Government, Kuzan came to think.

"...Tch," Kuzan turned his head and frowned at Gion, "Fucking interrupting my sleep for a stupid question like that... do you think that lowly of Smoker?!"

In response to Kuzan's bicker, Gion made a smile of relief, "So he's alive and well, right?"

Turning his head back and laying it down, Kuzan yelled, "Think whatever the hell you want!!"

"Thank you, sir!" Gion saluted at Kuzan who didn't bother, causing some other marine soldiers to sweatdrop.

And from the back, Captain Happy was seen to be standing with his hands on his back. He was smiling, with his eyes locked onto Kuzan. Eventually, he turned around, while whispering to himself,

"He's given up; it will be fine to give him the codename now."

__________

"...Say that again."

In the Marineford tower at the topmost floor, there lies Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office. Although his table was filled with headache-inducing papers from all around the world, he currently was occupied with the call.

Sengoku, with his eyes narrowed in suspicion, asked, "A pirate invasion? From those who claim to have come from Ohara, you say?"

<<Yes, sir! From the report given by the 83rd Marine branch, such seemed to be the case!>>

"...Alright."

Ending the call by placing the dial back to the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku placed his hand on his forehead.

"The leakage of the information, without a doubt. However, no matter how I look at it, there is no way that the leakage could've been from our side."

All five Vice Admirals were selected after a careful inspection. Vice Admiral Kuzan was the biggest issue, however, the report stated that he was on his ship, sleeping through the entire progress.

The ones who previously chased after Saul? Evidence was found that the very ship that the marines used to chase, sank within the storm. The only one who might've stayed alive is Lieutenant Smoker, but knowing that he was none other than Garp's lone and favoured disciple, as well as the report stating that he's never visited the West Blue before, the chance of his involvement in this matter was practically non-existent.

"A reinforcement to the West Blue, to monitor those civilians from Ohara, however..." Muttering to himself, Sengoku flipped through a few papers, before stopping at one, "this island will have to be an exception."

On that paper was the report regarding one island. There was a picture that showed the devastating scene, where the dead corpses were walking around what seemed to be a hollow town.

"To think Gecko Moria survived after his loss against Kaidou..." Sengoku clicked his tongue, "how unfortunate; scum like him is better dead than alive."

Below the picture lied a bounty poster, where the wanted man had red hair and pale blue skin. It read,

['Nightmare' Gecko Moria, Wanted Dead or Alive. Bounty: 320,000,000 Beli.]

__________

"Dis is where we part, it seems," Saul, who looked at the two of us with worry-filled eyes, said.

"I suppose so," I nodded in a stern manner, before pointing my thumb to the back, "And those books..."

"Yah, down't worry 'bout dose," Saul forced a grin, "Dereshishishi! I'll return with ma team to get dose books; dey are da last wish of Robin's family."

Robin bowed her head at Saul, "...Thank you."

Saul quickly shook his head with his hands up, "No no, don't say dat. I don't deserve yer danks. I... failed as a marine, an'... dis happened cuz of me."

The fact that he was the one who caught Olvia and her colleagues, and acquired the information regarding the Ohara, was still haunting him to this day; Saul was too kind for his good, having revealed all this information to Robin.

"I..." Robin, raising her body back up, said stoically, "...it's fine. Things were out of control."

It was yet another change from the canon—Robin not thinking Saul as close as she did in the anime.

Saul, knowing that it was the time to go, slowly turned his body around. While doing so, he looked at me for the final time, "Smoker."

I looked at him upon his call, and Saul then smiled,

"When ya haf time in da future, pay a visit to Elbaf, with Robin. I will be waiting dere for ya two."

And with that, the incident at Ohara has come to an end.