Chapitre 54: Robin’s Expectations
Issho and Crocodile also emerged from the collapsed building. Crocodile looked a bit worse for wear. His slicked-back hair was messy, with a few strands hanging over his forehead, and his clothes now had several cuts. In comparison, Issho fared much better, only having some dust on him.
"Is that Lord Crocodile?" someone in the crowd exclaimed.
"What's going on? Is this a pirate invasion? Who's that middle-aged man?"
"It looks like Crocodile is at a disadvantage!"
"Don't be ridiculous! Lord Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, recognized by the World Government!"
The distant chatter from the crowd didn't affect the two men on the battlefield.
"It's hard to believe someone as powerful as you has been so unknown on the seas," Crocodile said, biting down on his cigar as he stared at Issho in disbelief.
The pressure this man was putting on him was immense, yet he had never heard of him before. Even with Baroque Works involved in the intelligence business, he had no information on this blind swordsman.
"I'm not one for the limelight," Issho responded calmly.
This time, he had acted so decisively for two reasons. First, because he had just joined the pirate crew, and he needed to show some commitment. Second, he had learned from Saunders about Crocodile's scheme, and he wanted to prevent the country from falling into chaos.
Crocodile glanced around, his eyes darkening as he saw the ruins of his meticulously built base. Then, his gaze fell upon Saunders and Nico Robin standing together.
Seeing Crocodile looking at him, Saunders smiled and waved. That sight nearly made Crocodile's blood boil. He hadn't done anything to provoke Saunders. He had been minding his own business in his base, eating tomatoes and crocodile meat, dreaming about his future. Then this guy suddenly showed up, attacked, and without a word, took his second-in-command. To top it all off, his base was now in ruins.
And judging by how Robin was standing next to Saunders, it was clear she had already agreed to join him. Crocodile's ambitions and plans were shattered in an instant. Furious, he felt like throwing Saunders into a crocodile pit to be eaten alive.
"Why are you, with such strength, serving under a brat like Saunders?" Crocodile asked Issho.
Crocodile was almost forty, so it wasn't out of place for him to refer to Saunders as a "brat."
"Join forces with me. We can run Baroque Works as equals, and once we get our hands on Pluton, becoming the Pirate King will be within reach," Crocodile offered.
Hearing this, Saunders almost burst out laughing. It had taken him a lot of effort to convince Issho to join his crew. In fact, Issho hadn't wanted to be a pirate at all! Crocodile thinking he could recruit him was absurd. Issho, in particular, was very dissatisfied with the concept of Warlords of the Sea, pirates who were legally allowed to plunder.
"I have no interest in Pluton or becoming the Pirate King," Issho replied softly.
Crocodile, seeing that his offer was rejected, attacked without hesitation.
"Desert Girasole!" he shouted, summoning four massive sand blades with his hands that slashed toward Issho, their force carving a huge trench into the ground.
Issho swung his bamboo sword, sending out a massive flying slash in return. The two forces collided mid-air, causing sandstorms and dust to swirl violently.
"That man is named Issho. I recruited him today," Saunders said, introducing him to Nico Robin.
"You just recruited him today? I've never heard of Issho before," Robin said in surprise, watching the fierce battle between the two men.
"Hahaha, Issho tends to keep a low profile. He's a very gentle man with a strong sense of justice. He blinded himself because he didn't want to witness the world's evils anymore. He's a man who cares deeply for ordinary people," Saunders explained with a laugh.
"So, you don't need to worry about being betrayed or abandoned. To be honest, we're good people," he continued, laughing again.
"A man who blinded himself to avoid seeing the world's evil... how admirable," Robin remarked, feeling calmer.
"You seem to know Issho well, Captain," she added.
"Yeah, I came to Alabasta specifically to recruit the two of you. It's quite a coincidence that Issho happened to be here," Saunders said.
"You can just call me by my name," he added. "I'm pretty easygoing, except when it comes to enemies."
"Easygoing?" Robin's lips twitched. This was the man who had destroyed fleets and wiped out entire passenger ships? Easygoing?
Even now, Robin was still filled with confusion and fear about her future. After all the betrayals and deceptions she had experienced, it was hard for her to trust anyone.
"Once they're done fighting, I'll take you to Alabasta's capital to see the Poneglyph," Saunders said. "As I mentioned before, you don't have to tell me what you read if you don't want to."
He understood Robin's situation and knew it would take time for her to open up.
"Can you read the Poneglyphs yourself?" Robin asked, curious.
"No, I can't," Saunders admitted, shaking his head. "What I know, I've learned through other means."
"Once we return from the East Blue, I'll take you to Sky Island. That's our territory, and there's a Poneglyph there, along with the ruins of a city from hundreds of years ago," he continued.
"Sky Island really exists?" Robin asked in surprise.
"Of course it does," Saunders confirmed. He then told her about Shandora.
"Amazing! An island that was blown into the sky!" Robin exclaimed, astonished.
The wonders of Sky Island and the Shandora ruins filled her with awe. And the thought of two Poneglyphs there only heightened her anticipation for the journey ahead.
At that moment, the battle between Issho and Crocodile was nearing its end.
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