One Piece: From Picking Up Red Hair's Broken Arm

Chapter 145 Nico Robin, you don't want to drag your friends down with you, do you?

“Lucci? It’s me, Bruno.”

His expression was calm, and he lowered his voice:

"There's an unexpected surprise: Nico Robin, the Devil's Child, has suddenly appeared at my tavern and is currently heading to a nearby Vivre Card shop with her companions."

"The blueprints for Hades are still nowhere in sight, but capturing this woman would be a great achievement, wouldn't it?"

"You're helping someone repair a boat and can't come, right?"

“It doesn’t matter, I can handle Nico Robin by myself… Hmm? You’re going to send both of them over? That seems a bit unnecessary… Just to be on the safe side, I understand.”

……

About half an hour later.

Robin and his two companions emerged from the Vivre Card shop.

This shop is hidden in a small alley, and with the complex three-dimensional terrain of Water City, it is very difficult to find. They had to split up and ask the locals for directions. After several twists and turns, they finally found the storefront.

The order has already been placed and the deposit has been paid.

Once the rest of the crew on the Fallen Ship arrive, they can come here to make their Vivre Cards.

"Mission accomplished, what's next?"

Robin turned to the two sisters and chuckled, "I saw a big bookstore on the way here, and I'm thinking of going in to buy some books. What about you two?"

"Eh--"

Nami drawled, "It's so boring, Robin! You spent all your time in the library on the ship, and now that we're here, are we going to spend all our time buried in books again?"

"I'm not going!"

She grabbed Nokigo's arm. "Nokigo, let's go try those juicy meatballs we just passed! And juicy sausages, juicy tiger-skin cakes... I want them all! All of them! Those stalls are all crammed together, the smells are making my mouth water!"

The city of Water boasts a wide variety of local delicacies, but they are all basically named with "water" in their names, which shows the local residents' pride in the city.

"Eat, eat, eat, all you ever do is eat."

Noki pinched her nose and said irritably, "You're lazy, shameless, and spoiled rotten by your older brother..."

Despite her words, she still took out her wallet and prepared to set off with Nami.

"Would you like me to bring you one, Robin?"

"I……"

"Don't refuse! It's a rare trip to such a big city, so let's eat our fill and try everything!"

"……it is good."

Robin finally nodded and smiled.

After watching her two companions walk away, she turned around, raised her hand to shield her forehead, and headed towards the bookstore, facing the setting sun.

The sunshine is so warm.

……

No one noticed.

At this moment.

On the orange roof at the top of this alley, three figures were hidden in the shadows, like cats in the night, silently crouching on the edge, quietly watching the three people who were moving separately below.

"It seems they get along quite well. Has the demon child of Ohara managed to find companions willing to accept her?"

Kalifa adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and said calmly, "However, her so-called two companions seem to be just two nobodys. Did you recognize their identities?"

"Hmm, let me think about it carefully."

Kaku, standing beside him, drooped his long nose, pinched his chin, and racked his brains to recall:
"I think I've seen the wanted poster for that blue-haired girl somewhere before. I have no recollection of the orange-haired girl at all. The bounty probably wasn't high enough to warrant my attention."

"Then let's not overthink it and just take action."

Bruno, standing in the middle, shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice:

"Leave Nico Robin to me. With my abilities, she can't escape... With your abilities, you should only need a few minutes to subdue those two women. Bring them to me immediately; they can be used as leverage to force her to cooperate with us."

"Ah."

"no problem."

Kalifa and Kaku nodded simultaneously, their expressions calm.

A few minutes?

That's underestimating them; it was just a matter of meeting them once.

"Although this operation is almost certain to succeed."

Bruno took a package from his pocket, opened it, and inside were various disguises and props:
“But Lucci said that, just to be on the safe side, we shouldn’t reveal our identities easily, so I was prepared before meeting you…”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The outer perimeter of the bookstore street.

Robin, dressed in a long black leather coat and carrying a backpack, strolled alone along the canals of Water City. The setting sun cast its glow on the shimmering water, reflecting her leisurely and contented expression.

at this time.

A tall figure draped in a long robe, wearing a white mask and a wig brushed past her.

Such costumes were everywhere during the masked carnival, but Robin glanced at them without paying them any attention.

however.

Just as the two crossed paths, a deep voice, audible only to Robin, rang out indifferently:
"I am CP9."

Robin stopped abruptly, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Her first reaction was...

—Was the captain's theft of the fruit exposed so quickly?

No, that's not right.

If they knew it was that infamous "Xia Nuo," they would have had to send out their top generals.

How could such an unknown nobody have the audacity to come knocking on our door?

and so……

Was it purely aimed at him?

CP9, the world government's second most secretive intelligence agency, has no idea who attacked them last night, let alone whose ship they're on now.
She turned her head, wanting to take a closer look at this clueless fellow.

But the figure did not stop, and strode directly into a secluded alley next to it.

It seemed they were certain she would catch up on her own.

"..."

Robin stood there, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head, momentarily at a loss for words.

If it were in the past...

She only felt fear and despair from the bottom of her heart. Since childhood, she had been in endless hiding and had dealt with many government agencies.

They were well aware of the terror of the "CP9" organization.

but now.

Having followed Xia Nuo and witnessed countless grand scenes, including facing Aokiji directly, the terrifying and mysterious aura surrounding this organization had long since faded away.

They didn't even know who her current boss was, yet they dared to swagger over to her.

Compared to the more mysterious CP0, which only obeys the Celestial Dragons.

So amateurish, CP9...

She sighed, dialed Nochigo's number, whispered a few words to him, and then leisurely followed him.

……

The alley was damp and cold, and moss grew in the corners of the walls.

The atmosphere was quite different from the warm streets outside bathed in the setting sun.

Robin walked slowly forward, catching up with the burly figure not far ahead.

"I really miss it."

She suddenly spoke, her voice echoing in the narrow alley, "The last time I was 'invited' like this by the CP department seems to have been seven years ago in the West Sea."

"Your voice, though you tried to remain calm, still betrayed my unease and panic in your footsteps."

A faint voice drifted over, and the burly figure wearing a plaid cloak and a white mask turned around, staring at her indifferently.

“Nicole Robin.” Bruno’s tone was cold. “A remnant of Ohara, the demon child who destroyed five warships at the age of eight… You should know why we’re looking for you without me having to explain.”

Robin stopped in his tracks.

"Of course."

She looked at the other person quietly for a while, then sighed softly, "So many people I've met in the past have said the same thing to me... Your opening lines are really something else, you just can't seem to change them."

"However, I'm more curious about something else. Do you... really know nothing? Why, why did you dare to come looking for me?"

Bruno frowned slightly.

The woman's reaction was completely different from what he had expected.

It didn't seem like acting; he genuinely exuded confidence, showing no sign of panic, even in his pale blue eyes...

It also carried a hint of mockery?

According to the intelligence, Nico Robin should be a cautious person, filled with fear of being hunted by the government, and it should even be a childhood trauma that is buried deep in her heart.

When did it become like this?
"Hmph, stop pretending."

Bruno took a step closer. "I think I know where your confidence comes from. Did you just notify your two companions and have them come to rescue you immediately?"

"How naive, Nico Robin!"

He coldly looked down at the composed, dark-haired woman opposite him:
"How could we not have considered this? Your two companions, the orange-haired girl and the blue-haired girl, should already be under the control of my colleagues. Don't count on them anymore. Give up resisting and come with me obediently!"

Bruno paused deliberately at this point to observe Robin's reaction.

Robin didn't answer, but smiled slightly, elegantly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and calmly looked at the other person.

"It seems you still don't understand your situation."

Bruno's voice grew even more somber, "Is there another group of companions you think you can rely on?"

"Don't even think about it! It doesn't matter how many people there are, it doesn't matter who your captain is, they're all no match for CP9! You know that perfectly well, don't you? Do you really want to drag them all down with you?"

Even a supernova with a bounty of over 100 million doesn't matter!
In the first half of the Grand Line, CP9 was like a god looking down on all living beings, a being completely superior to all pirates!

……

The captain is... utterly helpless against CP9?
Upon hearing this, Robin paused slightly, a strange look finally appearing in his eyes.

Along the way, the scenes of that black-haired, black-eyed man who left a deep impression on me flashed through my mind like a series of flashbacks.

From easily killing the Shichibukai Crocodile to facing off against Marine Admiral Akainu;
With a single punch, he pierced through a mountain range and tossed a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex around.
Then there's his head-on confrontation with the legendary naval hero Garp, and the enraged World Government putting a billion-dollar bounty on his head...

How could a man like that be unable to defeat CP9?

"Ala……"

As if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, Robin finally couldn't hold back.

At first, she covered her mouth and chuckled softly, but then she laughed louder and louder, more and more unrestrainedly, until finally she didn't care about her image at all, clutching her stomach and leaning against the wall, laughing so hard she could hardly breathe.

"Ha...ha, haha, hahahaha~!!!!"

Loud laughter echoed freely through the alley.

It was as if she wanted to dump all the grievances, confusion, and fear she had suffered over the years here, like garbage!

What CP department, what world government...

How ridiculous those shadows that once loomed over my head are!

"What's so funny, Nico Robin!"

A chill suddenly appeared in Bruno's eyes, hidden behind the mask:
"I initially had a sliver of sympathy for you, but now it seems the intelligence wasn't exaggerated. You really are a cold-blooded and ruthless guy, and you're also acting crazy, showing no concern for your companions whatsoever. Those two girls who seemed to be close friends were probably just pawns you were using..."

"Hey, don't slander Sister Robin like that."

A languid girl's voice suddenly came from behind him, interrupting him:

"And what's going on? Are they actually assuming we've been defeated? How rude! Isn't that a bit too disrespectful?"

This sound is...

Bruno frowned slightly and turned around.

The blue-haired girl had somehow appeared at the alley entrance, now leaning against the wall and stretching.

Seeing Bruno looking over, he ignored his gaze and instead casually raised his right arm towards Robin, chuckling and waving:

"Sorry, Sister Robin, we're a bit far away, and the journey took a little longer than usual. We've kept you waiting."

"It's only been a few minutes," Robin shook his head slightly and chuckled.

Nojiko then turned her head to look at Bruno. She grinned, clenched her fists, and made a series of crackling sounds like popping beans.

"Anyway, as long as the other party didn't escape, leave this place to me. Don't worry, I'll take care of this guy soon."

She walked casually towards us, step by step.

Take me down?
Bruno sneered. Although he didn't know how the girl had managed to evade Kaku and Kalifa's pursuit, but...

You're incredibly lucky to have escaped, yet you dare to come here to die?

Ah……

He may be a bit foolish, but he's also loyal and righteous.

You've really let your friends down, Nico Robin!

As he watched the fist shadow rapidly enlarge in his field of vision, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. What power could a teenage girl possibly have?
So he stood there expressionless, motionless, only tensing the muscles in his chest and abdomen.

Iron!

The next second, Nojiko's fist had already slammed down!

"Ripple Fist Technique: Avalanche!"

boom--! ! !
The instant the fist made contact with his chest, Bruno's pupils contracted sharply—something was wrong!
Something is wrong!
That seemingly slender and delicate fist suddenly unleashed a terrifying power like a mountain collapsing.

His proud iron-clad defense was as fragile as paper in the face of this immense force. His sternum immediately cracked under the strain, and he was sent flying backward like a cannonball!

"Wow!"

Bruno coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed weakly to his knees in the spiderweb-like crater.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, he trembled as he looked down at his sunken chest, his face filled with disbelief.

After years of meticulous training, my most proficient skill is with iron blocks...

It was punched right through?!
Who exactly is this girl?

Is that all there is to it?

Disappointed voices rang out.

Bruno struggled to lift his head, only to see the blue-haired girl walking towards him listlessly, shaking her head as she did so.

“That young man with the long nose could withstand three of my punches before he fell down. I thought you were a more powerful leader because you looked older, but you couldn’t even withstand one punch.”

what?
Even Kaku...

No, not possible.

It must be a lie. Kaku is far more powerful than me… Bruno's anxious gaze swept around the alleyway, trying to find Kaku and Kalifa, but—

"Hey, sir, what are you looking at? Are you looking for these two guys?"

A clear, girlish voice suddenly rang out from above.

Bang!Bang!
Two dark figures descended from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground in front of him, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Bruno looked closely.

It was Kaku and Kalifa!
Both of them had their masks removed and were found unconscious.

Kaku was bruised and swollen, his abdomen was deeply sunken, and his whole body was covered in frostbite. Kalifa was in even worse shape; her entire body was burned to a crisp, and she was almost unrecognizable.

"..." Bruno's eyes were filled with shock, and his mouth dropped open.

Kaku, Kalifa...

how come? !

He knelt there, stunned, unable to believe what was happening before his eyes.

But the horrific state of his companions and the acrid smell of burning flesh told him just how real this scene was…

"They're so weak. What CP9? They're just a bunch of weaklings who don't even know Haki. With such meager skills, they dare to ambush Logia-type Devil Fruit users?"

Bruno slowly raised his head, stiffly.

The youngest girl, with orange hair, was sitting on the wall, her legs swinging leisurely, looking down at him with a grin.
"That bespectacled woman really went all out, but the way she looked at me, trying her best but unable to hurt me, was actually quite funny... Don't you think so? Small fry, small fry~"

(End of this chapter)