Capítulo 38: 38. I Can Only Sell It Because I Am A Marine!
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The Golden Lion nodded and was about to activate his ability to fly away.
"Wait!"
Akira stopped him, pointing to his two missing legs. "Remember to keep that part hidden. Don't let anyone know about it."
"Shihahahaha, you haven't lost your touch."
Shiki's eyes flickered as he quickly understood the reason behind Akira's order, grinning widely.
Akira looked at him with a calm expression.
If someone saw a clone of Shiki with two missing legs, and the real Shiki escaped from Impel Down two years later, questions would arise about how this ability could foresee the future.
How could he explain that?
Even if he took steps to prevent the real Shiki from escaping, how would he justify why the clone created from his memory had missing legs?
But Shiki's Float-Float Fruit ability was crucial at this stage, and not copying it wasn't an option.
So, they had to cover it up in advance.
"Rest assured, my lord, I'll keep it hidden."
After making his promise, Shiki disappeared out of the window in the blink of an eye.
Akira exhaled, then turned towards the corridor.
"Soldier, go to the kitchen and prepare some food to replenish my strength."
"Yes, Fleet Admiral."
Soon after, an enormous amount of food was brought into the office.
Akira corrected documents with one hand, while using the other to grab a large hot chicken leg and take a bite.
The stamina he had lost earlier gradually returned as he consumed the food.
"Huh? From the Freedom Fighters?"
Suddenly, Akira paused.
He picked up a file and examined it closely.
[Secret Report: A few days ago, a group calling themselves the "Freedom Fighters" appeared at sea. Their purpose is to replace the Marine and protect the abandoned kingdom towns.]
[Everywhere the Freedom Fighters goes, they spread their message door-to-door, urging people to abandon their illusions, take up arms, and fight for themselves and their loved ones.]
[According to investigations, the leader of the Freedom Fighters is Monkey D. Dragon, the son of the hero Garp.]
Although the file was brief, just three lines long, its content was explosive to Akira.
The Freedom Fighters, the precursor to the Revolutionary Army.
Its existence made the Five Elders and kings and nobles worldwide feel uneasy.
It was the only organization recognized as a real threat to their rule.
Its founder, Monkey D. Dragon, was labeled by the World Government as "the world's most dangerous criminal."
But at this stage, no one would have imagined that this seemingly small Freedom Fighters would grow into a force that would give the Five Elders serious headaches in the future, and be extremely difficult to eradicate.
Knock, knock, knock.
Akira closed his eyes and tapped the table slowly with his five fingers after putting down the document.
Seeing this, the soldiers who were about to enter the room cautiously withdrew. "Hold on, the Fleet Admiral is thinking."
"Don't disturb him right now."
The soldier closed the door and made a "shh" gesture to the chefs holding the food behind him.
The chefs nodded repeatedly and stood quietly in the corridor, not daring to make a sound.
Ten minutes later, Akira opened his eyes.
He picked up a pen and wrote notes on the document:
1. Send officers to contact Dragon, and explain the current predicament of the headquarters and the reasons for temporarily abandoning certain areas.
2. Express my and Naval Headquarters' deep gratitude to him for his efforts, and encourage him to continue. Once the Marine is back on its feet, we will work together with the Freedom Fighters to fight against the Pirates with full force.
3. Provide the Freedom Fighters with food, weapons, and intelligence free of charge. (Explain that although the food is created by a Devil Fruit ability, it is still nutritious.)
4. Give him my contact information, so he can communicate with me directly if he encounters any difficulties.
"Soldier, come in!"
Akira called out, handing over the annotated document.
"Take this to the staff immediately and have them carry it out."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldier, not daring to hesitate, took the document with seriousness and quickly left.
All previous documents should have been handed over to the staff for execution as soon as they were corrected.
But now that Akira made a special request, it meant the matter was urgent, and he couldn't afford to delay.
The chefs outside the door quickly brought in the food and then hurriedly retreated.
Akira let out a long breath, his expression easing a bit.
"First, it's best to secure the position of Fleet Admiral, then plan for what's next."
He pushed aside the many thoughts in his mind and continued to review the next document.
Time passed slowly.
In the office, the only sounds were the flipping of documents and the pen scribbling notes.
Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~.
The silence was broken by the ringing of the Den Den Mushi.
"Moshi moshi, this is Akira!"
Akira casually picked it up, connected the call, and spoke.
"Brother, it's me!"
A cute child's voice came from the other end.
Akira, who had been a bit bored with the paperwork, suddenly brightened up.
He put down the pen and smiled softly, "Little Robin, why did you call your brother all of a sudden?"
"Brother, aren't you coming to pick me up today?"
"It's already really late, and it'll be the eighth day if you're late."
Akira turned his head and looked out the window.
It was already dark outside, with a bright full moon hanging high in the sky.
"So it's this late already," Akira muttered to himself.
It's easy to lose track of time when you're so immersed in work.
If Robin hadn't called, he would have kept working non-stop.
With his monster-level stamina, even going three days and nights without sleep wouldn't affect him.
"Okay, wait for me. I'll be there soon."
"Hmm! Brother, no rush. You can finish your work first!"
Akira hung up the call.
After instructing the soldiers to send the corrected documents to the staff, he grabbed his cloak of justice and walked out.
Soon after, his warship docked at the familiar port of the Sabaody Archipelago.
Akira disembarked.
"This subordinate greets you, sir."
One of the two soldiers assigned to watch over Robin had been waiting for a while.
He hurried over from a distance, stood in front of Akira, and saluted.
"Where are they?" Akira asked.
"Ms. Olvia is waiting in the square with Miss Robin."
"Lead the way."
"Yes, sir."
Akira and his group of soldiers gradually made their way into the depths of the Sabaody Archipelago.
After passing through many beautiful sights, they finally arrived at the square.
"Brother!"
On a stone bench by the fountain, little Robin, happily licking an ice cream, saw Akira, and her large, sparkling eyes lit up instantly.
A joyful smile spread across her face as she rushed toward him with her arms wide open.
Akira chuckled, caught her, and lifted her into the air, spinning her around a few times.
"Little Robin, your brother missed you so much."
"Brother is fibbing! You're so busy every day, but I missed you a lot too!"
Olvia stood a short distance away, quietly watching their interaction.
The genuine smile on Robin's face, along with the sound of her laughter like tinkling bells, filled Olvia's heart with warmth—and a touch of guilt.
To pursue the Poneglyphs, she had left three-year-old Robin in Ohara and set sail with the archaeology ship.
And now, three years had passed!
Only recently had she been able to offer Robin a brief period of motherly love and tenderness.
To be honest, if Akira hadn't threatened her, even she didn't know when she'd see Robin again.
Maybe five years, ten years, or even a lifetime might pass without seeing her.
"Ms. Olvia, I think you've made up your mind," Akira said, approaching with Robin in his arms.
Olvia took a deep breath and nodded firmly. "Robin will stay with you from now on. I'm not a good mother."
She wasn't a weak woman; once she made a decision, she didn't waver.
In truth, this decision had been made on the very first day.
Back then, Olvia had listened to Akira as he asked about Robin's time in Ohara.
From Robin's words, Olvia learned how her sister-in-law treated her daughter like a servant, ordering her around and abusing her.
She also learned how the other children on the island bullied and humiliated Robin because she had no parents there.
For Robin, Ohara had only brought coldness and darkness, while being with the Marines felt like heaven.
In the Marines, she didn't have to worry about going hungry and had a variety of delicious food and desserts every day.
There were serious but responsible instructors, gentle and kind teachers, and students who didn't bully others.
That night, Olvia had no words or actions to console her daughter; she could only hold Robin and cry silently.
For the past seven days, in an attempt to make up for her past mistakes, she had done nothing but spend time playing with Robin, trying to make up for lost time.
"If things about Ohara ever come to light, I hope you can protect her."
"Please!"
Olvia bowed deeply to Akira, her voice serious.
Akira frowned slightly and reached out to help her up. "Don't worry, I already consider little Robin as family. I won't let her get hurt."
"That's good, thank you!"
Olvia breathed a sigh of relief.
Joining the Marines was indeed the right choice.
In this chaotic world, safety was almost guaranteed.
And if, in the future, Ohara's research on the Poneglyphs is exposed, and the enraged World Government tries to erase everyone involved, having a high-ranking Marine officer as Robin's protector would ensure her safety.
As for herself, Olvia knew she couldn't stop her work.
As a scholar, the rest of her life would be dedicated to the pursuit of historical truth.
After giving Robin one last long look, Olvia turned away without hesitation.
After more than half a year away from the archaeological team, it was time for her to return.
Robin's eyes were slightly red.
But it was clear that Olvia had already talked to her in advance, so she just bit her lip and didn't say anything.
"By the way, I want to make a deal with Ohara. Would you be interested in passing it on for me?"
At that moment, Akira suddenly spoke up.
Olvia stopped in her tracks, turning back with a puzzled expression. "What kind of deal?"
Boom.
A powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki burst out.
Centered around Akira, it spread across a 500-meter radius.
Although it was late at night, and most people had already gone home, leaving the once-lively square deserted, Akira decided to be cautious and add an extra layer of security.
The group of soldiers accompanying them collapsed to the ground, unconscious, their eyes rolled back.
In the now silent square, only Akira, Olvia, and Robin remained conscious.
"Little Robin, can you check if there's anyone else around?"
"Sure, brother."
Robin folded her hands, understanding the seriousness of the situation.
She was a sharp child, and seeing this, she knew her brother had something important to discuss that no one else could hear.
She fully activated her Flower-Flower Fruit ability, placing her hands on the ground to extend her senses.
One soldier's body suddenly trembled, and he was pushed and rolled away, quivering. One arm after another sprouted, each with an eye in the palm, searching every corner.
In addition to teaching academic knowledge, the Marine school also provides specialized training for each Devil Fruit user.
Although Robin was only six years old, her development of the Flower-Flower Fruit had already reached a significant level.
The difference between systematic teaching and random self-training is evident.
"It's difficult to find Poneglyphs scattered across the world, isn't it?" Akira said, sitting down on a stone chair. As he gently stroked Robin's smooth hair, he continued calmly:
"There's no clear target, no solid clues. You're left to gamble on whether you might stumble upon some information at the next place you land."
"Sometimes, even if you know a Poneglyph is on an island, it might be too dangerous to retrieve it, forcing you to move on."
Olvia listened quietly.
She wasn't nervous since Akira already knew about Ohara's research on the Poneglyphs. After all, a lot of time had passed, and she had even helped him obtain a promised Devil Fruit. If he had intended to betray Ohara to the Five Elders, he'd had plenty of opportunities in the past month.
But her heart still stirred.
Ohara had sacrificed so much for the Poneglyphs.
Not just time and effort, but many scholars had lost their lives or been seriously injured.
Even Olvia herself had narrowly escaped death numerous times over the years.
But in her quest for the truth and to reveal the history of the Void Century to the world, she had no regrets.
"I have clues about the Poneglyphs," Akira suddenly said, causing Olvia's eyes to widen in shock.
"Please note, it's a clue about the entire history, not just fragments like those you've been finding on steles."
"With this, you wouldn't need to wander around blindly anymore. You could focus on a single, ultimate goal."
"Well? Interested?"
Akira paused and raised his eyes slightly.
Olvia rushed over, grabbing Akira's arm tightly, her usual composure gone.
"Are you serious? Is this true?"
"I have no reason to lie to you."
"But… but you're a Marine? Why would you…?"
"It's precisely because I'm a Marine that I'm not interested in the Poneglyphs. And it's also because I'm a Marine that things you could only dream of are common knowledge on my side."
Akira explained.
Though his words were a bit convoluted, he was confident Olvia, as a learned scholar, would understand his point.
As a Marine, he had no vested interest in the Poneglyphs and therefore didn't treat them as taboo like the Five Elders did.
And because he was a Marine, he had access to vast amounts of information, backed by a powerful organization.
Olvia's doubts quickly melted away at his explanation.
"Tell me! Tell me where they are!"
"Please."
Her eyes were full of longing, and her tone was pleading.
Akira frowned slightly.
In the year he'd known her, this was the first time Olvia, usually so brave and unyielding, showed anything other than determination and anger in front of him.
He remembered how, when she learned her daughter was being held hostage, she only lost her composure for a moment before calmly negotiating terms.
But today, just the mention of a Poneglyph had brought out such a strong reaction.
Scholars, he thought, are a peculiar breed.
"I'll tell you, but it's not free. It's a trade," Akira said, raising his index finger and shaking it.
"What do you want? Whatever we have, we'll give it to you."
"If you're truly sincere, you'll find a way to give me something even if you don't have it, right?"
Akira chuckled lightly.
That smile was like that of a cunning, unscrupulous businessman.
But this was a business deal, after all.
Akira was the seller, and Olvia was bidding on behalf of Ohara.
In such a scenario, whether it was treacherous or not didn't matter.
"Name your price!" Olvia knew the man before her was no ordinary person and wouldn't yield just because she was Robin's mother. She could only hope that his asking price was within Ohara's means.
"I'm short one trillion berries."
"Gulp… I must've misheard. How much did you say?"
"One! Trillion! Berries!"
Akira enunciated each word clearly, emphasizing the amount.
Olvia was completely stunned by the number.
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