Revolutionary Army Headquarters
Grand Line - Off the coast of Baltigo
The azure sea resembles a single, tranquil piece of silk, undulating with the wind.
In this sea area almost forgotten by the world, a small boat quietly cuts through the shimmering waves and slowly sails towards the lonely and desolate island in the distance.
"Hmm~ that's it." Roy stood at the bow, pointing ahead.
In the distance, the island is covered by yellow sand, rocks, and twisted, jagged ridges, resembling a wasteland that has been sleeping for thousands of years, devoid of both Harbor and life.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Ace gazed at the barren land in the distance and couldn't help but widen his eyes. "This is the Revolutionary Army's base? It looks so desolate!"
Robin calmly analyzed, "That's precisely why the World Government has such difficulty finding them."
She looked up at the sky, her brow furrowing slightly. "Moreover, the magnetic field in this sea area is abnormal, and the constant storms interfere with navigation systems and pointers... Without special means, it's impossible to reach the shore."
Roy gazed thoughtfully at the approaching island silhouette. "Hmm... it doesn't seem like there's anywhere to dock."
He suddenly grinned. "Oh well, I've already informed Brother Long anyway~"
Ace seemed to realize something, his expression tightened, and he immediately grabbed the gunwale. "Hey! Robin, you better hold on tight!"
"Hmm?" Robin subconsciously looked up, but only caught a glimpse of Roy's wicked smile.
Before she could even react—
"Whoosh--!"
With a sudden distortion of space, the small boat vanished from the sea with a whoosh!
Baltigo Revolutionary Army Base
In the center of a plain covered with yellow sand and boulders, a military base built of a mixture of rock and metal stands tall.
In the square, Monkey D. Dragon stood with his hands behind his back, his trench coat fluttering, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
Standing beside him were Sabo, Koala, and the still flamboyant Ivankov.
(Thanks to Roy's advance warning, Ivankov was not imprisoned on trumped-up charges and remained free to move about.)
"They're almost here," Long said calmly, as if he knew everything.
Sabo rubbed his hands together excitedly, pacing back and forth. "Roy and Ace are coming! It's been so long!"
Koala sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sabo, you've already done seven laps... Can't you calm down a bit?"
Long crossed his arms, a slight smile playing on his lips, "It has indeed been quite a while."
Ivankov twisted his massive body and laughed loudly, "Haha! I wonder what that brat is up to this time!"
Just as everyone was chatting idly--
"Boom--!"
The sky suddenly darkened, as if dark clouds were pressing down overhead!
Everyone instinctively looked up and saw a small boat rapidly plummeting from the sky, its sails Hunting Roar and casting a huge shadow!
Ace and Robin were clinging tightly to the ship's railing, their bodies seemingly about to fly away.
At the bow, Roy, with one foot on the railing, raised his arm, his smile as usual, "Long time no see--!"
Revolutionary Army members. "!!"
"Roy!!" Sabo exclaimed, his shock mixed with a touch of helpless nostalgia.
"That's really his style of making an entrance." Koala's lips twitched.
The dragon sighed and gently raised its Right Hand—
"Call--!"
An invisible whirlwind rose from the ground, like a gentle giant hand, steadily supporting the entire small boat and gently landing it in the center of the square, silently yet with great force.
Ace jumped off the ship, stretching his shoulders. "Ah-- We're finally here! Sabo!!"
Sabo rushed forward and grabbed Ace, shouting, "Long time no see, Ace!!"
The two brothers laughed and played around, while Koala shook his head and sighed.
Meanwhile, Robin stepped off the ship's railing, looked at this unfamiliar yet idealistic land, and chuckled softly, "Finally here."
Roy stepped off the ship, patted Dragon on the shoulder, and laughed, "Old Dragon, you're still the most reliable one."
Long smiled slightly, "At least more reliable than you."
Ivankov laughed heartily and opened his arms, "Hehe! Long time no see, Roy boy~"
The crowd burst into laughter.
Sunlight streamed back through the clouds, illuminating the most vibrant moment on the desolate island.
A moment later, at the Baltigo Training Ground
As the sun sets and yellow sand fills the sky, the Training Ground of the Revolutionary Army Marine Headquarters is now boiling with the sound of flames!
"Boom!!"
A blazing Fire Fist landed with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust, while another figure slithered through the air like a snake, deftly deflecting the attack!
Ace and Sabo stood facing each other, both wearing the same smile, but their eyes burned with a long-lost fighting spirit.
"You've made great progress in just a few months."
"Likewise," Sabo said, shaking his burning arm. "But I won't hold back."
Koala stood on the sidelines, arms crossed in exasperation. "You two, the moment you meet, it's either a fight or an explosion at the Training Ground... really."
The two turned around at the same time. "Could we borrow this space?"
Koala: "... Haa."
Revolutionary Army Conference Room
Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the other side was completely different.
Inside the meeting room, the heavy wooden doors were closed, and only a few hanging lamps cast a dim, flickering light.
Monkey D. Dragon, Ivankov, Roy, and Robin sat around the long table, the air thick with solemnity and inquiry.
"With your intelligence network," Roy leaned back in his chair, his tone calm yet suggestive, "You should know who she is, right?"
Ivankov adjusted his sunglasses, his smile enigmatic and meaningful, "Of course I know— 'Devil Child,' survivor of Ohara, Nico Robin."
Robin's fingers tightened slightly, but his expression remained calm and composed, as if he had long been accustomed to the weight of this label.
Long put down the documents in his hand and looked at her calmly. "The Revolutionary Army will ensure your safety and will not force you to do anything you don't want to do."
"But sometimes, we really need your mind... especially in the part of the world that 'history' is least willing to face."
Robin gazed at the dragon silently for a long time before gently nodding. "As long as I can continue studying the Poneglyphs —this may be the place where I can truly exist."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried the persistence and stubbornness honed by twenty years of trials and tribulations.
The atmosphere had just eased a little --
"By the way, Brother Long."
Roy suddenly turned to look at Long, his tone ambiguous, "Did you forget to tell her something?"
Long was slightly taken aback, then realized. "... Sorry, I got too focused on discussing revolutionary matters."
He looked at Robin seriously, his tone suddenly becoming low and solemn. "Nicole Robin, there's something you need to know."
"Jaguar D. Saul is still alive."
"Boom--!"
These words resounded like a thunderclap in the meeting room!
Robin's eyes widened suddenly, and the chair almost slammed shut as she rubbed against it.
"W-what?!"
Her voice trembled slightly, and her hands unconsciously gripped the edge of the table. "You mean... that... Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul of the Giant Race?!"
"That Jaguar D. Saul who betrayed the Navy for me... and was frozen by Admiral Aokiji...?"
Ivankov's expression turned unusually grave. "It's him."
Long continued, "Aokiji didn't kill him back then; he only sealed him in ice."
He Ohara escaped the fires of Ohara and, months after the Buster Call, secretly led the Giant Race back to the ruins of Ohara, taking with them some documents that had been risked by scholars at the bottom of the lake.
"After that, he went to Elbaf, the homeland of the Giant Race, and lived in anonymity thereafter."
He's still alive.
After hearing this, Robin was completely speechless, his shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and tears silently streamed down his face.
She felt as if she had returned to Ohara, which collapsed amidst the flames, and watched the kind-hearted giant who smiled and told her, "There is no one in the world who is forever alone," using his last strength to send her out of the inferno.
At that moment, twenty years of loneliness and the shadow of being hunted quietly melted away in her tears.
"So... there are still people... who remember the will of Ohara..."
"Still alive..."
Roy sat down next to her and gently reminded her, "When you have time, you can go see him."
"That guy must really want to see you again."
(Due to the passing of an elder in my family, I am currently busy with funeral arrangements, which may affect my writing progress. I hope my readers will understand. Thank you for your understanding and support.)