Chapter 106 Question: Who is Robin’s boss?

The Five Elder were somewhat speechless.

They had witnessed Kizaru's performance during the Summit War. They saw how he was about to kill Luffy, the son of their old adversary, Dragon, but then he kicked him into Whitebeard's arms.

Well, this guy really surprised them. They couldn't figure out which side he was on.

They were dissatisfied with all three candidates for Fleet Admiral, so the Five Elder had no choice but to postpone the decision on the successor to Sengoku.

Time would eventually resolve everything.

Fortunately, Sengoku was not yet too old to be of no use. They could let him serve the World Government for a few more years until they found a suitable candidate, and then he could retire.

But with only three questions answered, the reputation of the Marines and the World Government was already in tatters.

There were still seven more questions remaining, and just thinking about them gave the Five Elder a headache. Could there be more troublesome things to come?

While the Five Elder were feeling overwhelmed, Crocodile on the other side felt relieved.

Because Robin had already answered three questions in a row, and none of them had anything to do with him. If the upcoming questions were the same, he could continue causing trouble in Alabasta.

However, he needed to act quickly from now on. After all, the night was long, and if his activities were exposed, all his efforts over the years would go to waste.

But just as Crocodile was thinking this, Luke spoke in the footage.

"Correct answer. Now, listen to the next question.

4thQuestion: Who is Nico Robin's current Boss?

Time limit: one minute. The timer starts now."

Crocodile's world shattered when he heard this question.

He stared wide-eyed at Luke and Robin in the live broadcast.

Inside, he was filled with thoughts of "No, it can't be, it's not allowed!"

Crocodile's mental state was in chaos. However, the Marines and the Five Elder breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, they were no longer involved.

Not only that, but they also felt rejuvenated.

This question was a good one for them.

They had been searching for Nico Robin's whereabouts all along. This woman who could decipher the Poneglyph was a threat to the World Government as long as she was alive.

Because the Poneglyph contained not only their dark history but also information of the Ancient Weapons and the coordinates of Raftel, according to rumors.

For the Five Elder, they couldn't find the Poneglyph themselves, but they couldn't let others find them either.

However, the Poneglyph were scattered and hidden in various parts of the world. If they wanted to find them, it would be too troublesome. Moreover, even if they were found, they can't be destroyed. The question of how to preserve them would also arise.

Gathering them all in Mariejois would be like handing them over to others on a silver platter. If someone like Luke or someone like the past attacker of Mariejois, Fisher Tiger, showed up, it would be as if they had handed over all the Poneglyph, and others would only need to make a single trip instead of having to search everywhere.

There were many Devil Fruit abilities with strange powers in this world. CP9 had a Devil Fruit called the Door Door Fruit, which was unpredictable.

Instead of collecting them and letting others profit from it, it would be better to have them scattered all over the world.

And this kind of thing shouldn't be made a big deal out of. The best solution is to let it fade away into history.

Since they couldn't read the Poneglyph, the next best thing was to deal with the people who could decipher them.

If no one in the world could read the Poneglyph anymore, it wouldn't matter even if someone found them.

Solving the problem at its root.

From the current situation, the only person left in the world who could read the Poneglyph was Nico Robin.

If they could eliminate her, the Poneglyph would no longer be their concern.

And without the historical information in the Poneglyph, no one would be able to find Raftel, and there would be no Pirate King.

Everything would develop in a positive direction.

So knowing where Robin was and what she was doing was indeed good news for the Five Elder.

Of course, the first place on their troublemaker list was reserved for Luke. As long as he remained, the World Government would never have peace!

The Five Elder and the Marines were eagerly awaiting the answer to this question.

The Revolutionary Army was also eagerly awaiting the answer to this question.

Not only them, but many people around the world, including pirates, were also waiting for the answer to this question.

What was this Devil Child, who had been wanted by the World Government for twenty years, doing now?

Robin didn't expect Luke to ask this question. She hesitated whether she should reveal it because doing so would not only expose Crocodile but also expose her location to the Marines and the World Government.

She looked at Luke and noticed him smiling at her, his eyes filled with a "don't back down" meaning.

Robin took a deep breath and decided to take a gamble.

In Crocodile's despairing eyes, Robin spoke:

"Answer: My current boss is one of the Shichibukai, Crocodile."

What?!

The Marines, including Sengoku, had expressions of disbelief. The Devil Child they had been searching for, Nico Robin, was actually in the hands of the Shichibukai Crocodile, who had pledged allegiance to them.

Right under their noses?!

After the shock came anger. Sengoku angrily said, "Crocodile, what does this guy think he's doing? Doesn't he know that Nico Robin is a wanted criminal by the World Government? How dare he shelter her!"

Sengoku looked at Brannew and asked, "Where is Crocodile now?"

Brannew pushed up his glasses and replied, "After becoming one of the Shichibukai, Crocodile has been staying in Alabasta and hasn't left. It is said that he has even become a hero in Alabasta, helping the locals fend off pirates. His reputation sounds quite good."

Pirates? Heroes?

Although the Shichibukai were considered to have pledged allegiance to the World Government, they were never truly seen as their own people. Pirates were pirates.

The Marines, upon hearing that Crocodile had become a hero in Alabasta, were incredulous.

Sengoku had heard about Crocodile before but hadn't paid much attention. As long as these Shichibukai didn't cause trouble, they could turn a blind eye to whatever they did.

And the Shichibukai weren't completely reformed either. In reality, they only obtained a license to legally plunder and could lawfully rob ships and people from non-affiliated countries.

They just needed to give a portion of their loot to the World Government.

Of course, that was just the official explanation. In reality, they could rob anyone as long as they didn't cause too much trouble.

The World Government didn't bother with them too much either.

But they never intended for these Shichibukai to be seen as good guys doing good deeds.

Crocodile had become a hero in Alabasta?

Did the sun rise from the west?

Before, they hadn't paid much attention to Crocodile's abnormal behavior, but now, combined with him sheltering Nico Robin and having her work for him, it was hard not to suspect that something was amiss.

Sengoku immediately ordered, "Investigate what Crocodile has been doing in Alabasta, and contact Marine Captain and higher-ranking officers near Alabasta to head there immediately. Try to arrest Nico Robin after the broadcast ends. If Crocodile resists, arrest him as well."

"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Brannew responded.

Sengoku stared at the broadcast, wondering, Crocodile, what are you planning?!

...

At this moment, the news of Nico Robin working for one of the Shichibukai spread worldwide.

This brought laughter to those who heard it.

The World Government had been searching for the Devil Child for so many years, and she ended up working for one of the Shichibukai under their control.

It seemed that the pirates they recruited didn't listen to their orders either.

Many people were already discontent with the World Government recruiting pirates.

Giving licenses for lawful plundering to pirates was simply inviting trouble. Many couldn't understand whether the World Government made decisions with their heads or their backsides, resorting to such foolish measures.

Seeing Crocodile going against the World Government's wishes brought some satisfaction to them.

However, in Alabasta, the members of Baroque Works stared in disbelief.

Because they finally learned who their boss was, the Shichibukai Crocodile.

They had never met their boss, Mr. 0, and had always been in contact with Nico Robin, Miss All Sunday. They never expected that their boss's secretary would have such a significant background, being the Devil Child Nico Robin.

When they saw Miss All Sunday as one of the participants in the broadcast, they were all taken aback. And when Luke revealed her true identity, they were even more shocked. But when they learned the identity of their boss, they were dumbfounded.

However, before they could feel delighted about having such a big boss, they were troubled by this revelation.

Nico Robin was the person the World Government wanted to capture, and their boss had hired her. Now it meant that their boss was going against the World Government. There was no doubt that Baroque Works would face repercussions from the Marines, and their activities in Alabasta would be exposed.

Although they didn't know how the situation would unfold, one thing was clear: they had gotten themselves into big trouble.

But the person most troubled by this was Crocodile himself. When he heard Nico Robin reveal his name, he instantly realized that his plans in Alabasta might be ruined.

However, he had no choice but to continue watching the broadcast and assess the situation before deciding on the next step.

The news of Crocodile sheltering the Devil Child spread rapidly in Alabasta. However, no one blamed Crocodile for hiring Nico Robin, who was wanted by the World Government. After learning about the circumstances that led Nico Robin to become a Devil Child, people's perception of her shifted from fear and disgust to sympathy.

Moreover, a great deal of anger and dissatisfaction towards the World Government emerged. People naturally stood on the side of the common folk and detested the heartless oppression of the World Government. The unjust accusations that destroyed their homeland and the fact that Nico Robin was wanted since the age of eight left them bewildered.

Additionally, the internal turmoil in Alabasta caused by the Nefertari royal family made people resentful towards the rulers, including the kings and nobles, and further despise individuals like the Five Elder who disregarded the lives of commoners.

In contrast, the fact that their hero, Crocodile, sheltered Nico Robin despite the risk of opposing the World Government garnered tremendous respect from the people of Alabasta. To be willing to help the weak and defy authority—this was their definition of a hero.

If Crocodile could assist in overthrowing the noble Nefertari royal family in Alabasta, it would be even better. Many people in Alabasta anticipated victory in the impending civil war and hoped for the restoration of their previous way of life.

The Shichibukai, the hero of Alabasta, Crocodile, was undoubtedly the ally and hero they needed!

However, the people of Alabasta did not realize that this matter was not as simple as they thought.

---

In the live broadcast, Luke confirmed Robin's answer.

"The answer is correct. After entering the Grand Line from the West Sea, Nico Robin joined the Baroque Works as the Vice President. Baroque Works is a secret criminal organization that typically operates as bounty hunters, but that is just a façade to conceal their true goals. The members do not know each other's identities and use code names. Besides Nico Robin, no one knows who their boss is. And the president of this organization is none other than the Shichibukai, Crocodile. Three years ago, this man arrived in Alabasta and helped the locals defeat the pirates, earning himself the title of Alabasta's hero. Along with him came the Baroque Works, the secret criminal organization."

At this point, Luke's lips curled up slightly. "Now, the 5th question: What did Crocodile do in Alabasta?

One minute on the clock, the timer starts."

Luke's question left the people of Alabasta, who had just begun to respect Crocodile for his defiance against the powerful, frozen in place.

Baroque Works?

A secret criminal organization with hidden goals?