Chapter 220: First Encounter with Robin

Chapter 220: First Encounter with Robin

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After passing through the city gate and entering the capital, Aoki stopped under a tree, gazing upward.

"So, this is the capital of the Ram Kingdom?"

On both sides of the relatively straight street stood rows of low houses. Garbage and debris filled the corners, homeless people huddled in shadows, and a faint stench lingered in the air.

"It's... underwhelming," Aoki muttered, his tone laced with disappointment.

At first glance, the sight reminded him of the imperial capital from his previous world.

No, this place didn't even measure up to that.

The imperial capital, as a thousand-year-old city, at least maintained a veneer of grandeur.

Aoki continued walking, but the grim reality around him proved that the scene he'd just witnessed was not an anomaly.

The streets were teeming with homeless people—eyes vacant, clothes tattered, their unwashed bodies emitting a pungent odor.

As he passed an alley, Aoki halted abruptly.

Two figures were locked in a savage brawl. Their movements were crude and unrefined, driven purely by animalistic rage. Blood stained the walls and ground around them.

"They're probably fighting over Bliss Pills," a clear voice remarked from nearby.

Aoki turned his head and froze.

Standing before him was a tall, strikingly beautiful girl with flowing hair.

He blinked, momentarily stunned by her appearance.

The girl explained calmly, "Bliss Pills are highly addictive and devastating drugs. Prolonged use can destroy a person's body entirely within just three months."

Aoki cast her a thoughtful glance before shifting his focus back to the alley. "They look like neither human nor demon. Is this what happens after taking those pills?"

The girl nodded. "Yes. Recently, the supply of Bliss Pills has run into issues, and prices have skyrocketed. Addicts like them now often resort to violence to secure what little is left."

Aoki smiled faintly. "That's because the factory producing them has been destroyed."

In his mind, Aoki recalled APX-135.

The Twin Blade Pirates' Third Fleet, which had been tasked with delivering a new batch of APX-135, had been wiped out in Barabbio, along with the production facility. After so many days, it was no surprise the remaining supply had dwindled, driving prices up.

The girl's expression shifted, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes.

"The factory was destroyed? How do you know that?"

Aoki didn't hesitate. "Because I destroyed it myself."

The girl's initial reaction was disbelief.

Who meets a random stranger on the street only to hear them claim they'd destroyed the factory producing Bliss Pills?

Yet, as absurd as it sounded, she couldn't sense any boastfulness in Aoki's demeanor.

He didn't seem like the kind of person who'd make such a statement for no reason.

Aoki elaborated, "The Bliss Pills you mentioned are actually called APX-135. The manufacturing facility was located in Barabbio. On the surface, it was operated by the Grand Prince of the Ram Kingdom, but in reality, the true mastermind was the king himself.

"About five days ago, I was in Barabbio for unrelated reasons. By chance, I uncovered their secret and decided to destroy the drug factory."

The girl's eyes widened, her initial skepticism wavering.

There was something in the way he spoke—direct, steady, and detailed.

What truly shook her was his mention of the Grand Prince and the king being behind the operation.

Such information was not widely known, and only someone deeply familiar with the Bliss Pill trade would think to make such a connection.

Aoki interrupted her thoughts. "Have you heard of the Twin Blade Pirates?"

The girl nodded instinctively.

"Of course. Their captain, Sabri, has a bounty of 55 million berries. He commands three ships and is quite notorious in the West Sea."

"Fifty-five million?" Aoki mused, filing the detail away.

That was no small number.

He couldn't help but draw a comparison. When Luffy entered the Grand Line, his bounty had only been 30 million berries.

More than a decade later, in the East Sea, a pirate with a bounty exceeding 10 million berries was considered a major figure. The one with the highest bounty, Arlong, only had 20 million.

Aoki said, "The Twin Blade Pirates' Third Fleet is composed of the Ram Kingdom's guards. Five days ago, they went to Barabbio to collect the Bliss Pills, but I dealt with them and destroyed the drug factory along with it."

Another explosive revelation.

Trust in Robin's heart began to outweigh her earlier suspicions. After a moment of silence, she asked, "What is your purpose in coming to the capital of the Ram Kingdom?"

"There are three main objectives," Aoki replied, holding up three fingers.

"First, to kill the eldest prince and put an end to the APX-135 incident.

Second, to destroy the remaining two fleets of the Twin Blade Pirates."

Robin waited for a moment, expecting him to continue, but he stopped there. Unable to hold back, she asked, "What about the third thing?"

Aoki smiled mysteriously. "The third thing? I'll tell you after I finish the first two."

Robin's expression grew a little strange as she felt he was hinting at something.

Aoki then asked, "By the way, my name is Aoki. What's yours?"

The girl hesitated for a moment before responding, "Robin. My name is Robin."

Aoki looked around, observing their surroundings.

"This is not the place for such discussions. Do you know of a safe and secluded location? We need to talk about how to deal with the eldest prince and the Twin Blade Pirates."

"Follow me," Robin said, pulling down the brim of her hat and leading the way.

After entering a private room and sitting down, Robin finally had time to collect her thoughts.

He wants to deal with the eldest prince and the Twin Blade Pirates. What does that have to do with me?

She was already struggling to survive in this chaotic kingdom. Why should she risk her life to meddle in such a dangerous matter?

Assassinating the future king of a country was no small task.

If they failed, they would undoubtedly be hunted relentlessly by the Ram Kingdom, making survival nearly impossible. Even if they succeeded, the consequences wouldn't be much better.

Once the assassination was exposed, her bounty would inevitably increase further, making her already difficult life even more precarious.

Aoki's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Robin, do you think it's necessary to kill both the king and the eldest prince?"

Although his memories from No. 2 White Coat and the pirate leader indicated that the eldest prince was in charge of the experimental base, what if there was more to it?

The king was the true controller behind the scenes. If the system considered him to be the primary person in charge, wouldn't it be safer to eliminate them both?

After all, neither of them was innocent, and allowing them to continue would only lead to further destruction.

Robin thought for a moment before answering, "The old king of the Ram Kingdom has only two sons, and the younger prince is still in his teens.

If both the king and the eldest prince die at the same time, it would undoubtedly throw the entire Ram Kingdom into great chaos."

Aoki frowned, seemingly frustrated.

"Are we now supposed to be responsible for the governance of the Ram Kingdom too? Even if chaos ensues, it would still be better than the current situation, wouldn't it?

If we let them continue, the Ram Kingdom is bound to collapse entirely."

Robin sighed. "Of course, we're not responsible for governing the Ram Kingdom. Even if we wanted to, the people here wouldn't accept it.

However, we could try contacting General Graham first. From what I've learned, he's loyal, upright, and one of the very few high-ranking officials in the kingdom uninvolved in the Bliss Pill incident.

He commands the most powerful army in the Ram Kingdom and is also a Devil Fruit user.

With his protection, the younger prince could ascend to the throne smoothly, which would minimize chaos and stabilize the situation."

Aoki felt a surge of emotion as he watched Robin seriously analyze the situation before them.

Robin was truly exceptional.

In terms of intelligence, she had achieved a perfect score on O'Hara's doctoral examination when she was only eight years old, earning the title of archaeologist. At the time, O'Hara was considered the holy land of archaeology, a hub for the world's most brilliant minds in the field.

Her emotional intelligence was just as remarkable. She was astutely observant of people's behavior and subtle cues, mastering the art of navigating complex social dynamics with ease.

Although Robin's combat skills were not her strongest suit, they were far from weak. More importantly, she possessed a unique ability that set her apart: the capacity to decipher the original text of history. This skill had profound implications for the world, potentially shaping its very future.

Even though she was still somewhat inexperienced now, her potential was undeniable. Aoki could already envision the future version of Robin—intellectual, graceful, and with a hint of calculated cunning.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked, puzzled by his silence. "Did I say something off?"

Aoki shook his head with a faint smile. "No, let's proceed with your plan."

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