Dreams Above All Else

"What are you doing?"

Robin cried out in terror. Ross's reassurance had already filled her with fear, and when she compared what Willen had done with what her mother was doing, she had already been pushed to the brink of collapse.

Now, she suddenly noticed that Olvia had picked up the gun again.

And this time, Olvia was aiming it at her.

At the sight, the pupils of Gion and Zephyr, who had been watching all along, sharply contracted.

Though they had some misgivings about Ross's actions, these people were doomed to die anyway; it was merely a matter of how they died.

They had thought Ross was using faith to threaten an ordinary woman and force her to fall.

But judging from Olvia's actions now, what kind of historian was this, steadfast in her beliefs? She was clearly a madwoman.

No matter how important that history was, could it possibly matter more than one's own flesh and blood?

Pointing a gun at her own daughter—such a thing was simply unimaginable to them.

If they had felt regret when Willen committed suicide before, then they now truly felt that Olvia deserved to die.

As expected, few people who studied that forbidden history were normal.

"Olvia, have you gone insane?!"

Robin screamed in collapse, not because someone was pointing a gun at her, but because she felt as though she had given her heart to the wrong person.

She had sacrificed so much for Olvia.

Yet in the end, Olvia was actually pointing a gun at her for the sake of studying history.

"Is studying history really that important?"

"Robin, you don't understand."

Olvia pressed her lips together. The hand holding the gun trembled, yet she still did not lower it.

"It is the lifeblood of everyone in Ohara."

"Uncovering history and letting everyone know the truth is the long-cherished wish of every historian in Ohara."

"After today, I'll be the only one who can accomplish it."

"Robin, I'm sorry!"

As she watched Robin cry herself into a breakdown, two streams of tears ran down Olvia's cheeks.

Olvia slowly closed her eyes, aimed at Robin's body, and pulled the trigger.

Bang!!!

The gunshot rang out, and the bullet flew.

Gion and Zephyr wanted to move at that moment, but at Ross's signal, they ultimately stopped.

Bullets were fast to ordinary people, but to strong fighters like Ross, they were nothing special.

He casually shifted Robin's body slightly.

The bullet struck Robin in the abdomen, staining a large patch of her body red.

Even though it was the lowest-powered bullet, the kinetic force of the modified platinum pistol still inflicted tremendous harm on Robin.

Yet at that moment, the pain in her body did not feel nearly as painful.

The greatest pain was the death of her heart.

Olvia had truly shot her.

If Ross had not saved her, that shot would have pierced her heart.

"Olvia, I hate you!"

In the final moment before Robin lost consciousness, she looked at Olvia. There was no longer any familial love or affection for her mother in her eyes—only overwhelming hatred.

Willen, too, had been a historian, yet he had been willing to kill himself for his family. Olvia, on the other hand, wanted to kill her.

She was also a historian acknowledged by everyone. She had never said that the history had to be made public.

Never!

Olvia, I hate you!

You'll regret this!

"Take care of her."

Ross gently picked Robin up and handed her to Gion, who had walked over.

Gion sighed and glanced at Olvia, whose eyes remained closed. Her gaze was filled with disgust.

A woman like this was unworthy of being a mother.

Taking Robin, Gion began administering emergency treatment.

She had seen Ross's small movement just now and knew that he did not want anything to happen to Robin either.

Robin's injuries were actually not too bad. They could not even be considered serious—far less severe than the injuries Gion usually suffered during training at the Training Camp.

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This was not a serious wound, but it was enough for Robin to remember for the rest of her life.

"Saint Ross, I've fulfilled our agreement."

Olvia collapsed weakly to the ground. She did not dare look at Robin, merely gazing at Ross with hopeful eyes.

"Not bad. I'm very satisfied."

Ross smiled as he walked forward and stopped before Olvia.

He was extremely satisfied with Olvia's actions.

How ruthless.

For the sake of continuing her research into the Poneglyphs, she had actually been willing to kill her own daughter.

It was not that Olvia did not love Robin. Her love simply did not measure up to her dream.

If Olvia had truly killed Robin today, he had no doubt that she would repent every day.

But at the same time, this woman would have become even more resolute in following her path, until she fulfilled her dream or began a new life.

In his previous life, someone like her would undoubtedly have had a boundless future.

Unfortunately, in this world, where Strength was everything, no matter how ruthless one's heart was, it was useless without power.

Ross bent down and gently stroked Olvia's silvery hair, as though he were petting a newly purchased pet.

The moment his hand touched Olvia, he could clearly feel her body tremble. But she quickly stilled again.

She allowed his hand to stroke her lightly, allowed it to move lower.

She had already killed both her Comrades and her daughter. Other than the Poneglyphs, there was nothing left that Olvia could not afford to lose.

"Come, stand up."

Ross spoke gently, wrapping his arms around Olvia and pulling her up from the ground.

After what she had just experienced, how could Olvia have had any strength left?

The instant Ross pulled her upright, she went limp and nearly collapsed again.

In her panic, she instinctively leaned against Ross, as if she had found something to rely on.

After barely steadying herself, Olvia realized what she was doing and hurriedly tried to pull away.

But before she could move, she felt Ross's arm tighten around her waist.

"In your condition, you won't make it out of Ohara."

Olvia fell silent.

After the slaughter, her injuries, and the psychological trauma, she truly could not even walk for the time being.

She did not struggle again.

The moment Ross had stroked her hair, Olvia had already thought of what might happen. The scenes had even flashed through her mind.

Olvia had thought she would be furious.

But the strongest emotion in her heart was actually indifference. Even she could not believe it, but it was the truth of her heart—Olvia was certain of it.

That's right...

She had already pointed a gun at her own daughter. Was there anything else worth struggling over?

As long as she could continue researching the Poneglyphs, nothing else mattered.

"Keep this safe. If you fail to protect it, I can't conjure up a second copy."

Ross's voice sounded beside Olvia's ear. She subconsciously reached out and accepted the stack of documents from him.

Olvia held them to her chest like a priceless treasure, pressing them tightly against her heart.

These documents were the lifelong work of those Comrades, something they had ultimately exchanged their lives for. She had to protect them.

"Let's go!"

Ross called out, holding Olvia in his arms as he took the lead down the road back.

They had delayed long enough. Soon, it would be time to watch some fireworks.

Zany and Zephyr silently followed behind Ross. Gion glanced back at the Tree of Knowledge before carrying Robin after the others.

Spandine remained at the rear. Watching Ross depart, he knelt down once more.

"Farewell, Saint Ross! The direction you walk shall forever be the direction of our swords!"

As he spoke, he prostrated himself toward the direction Ross had gone and did not rise.

Only after Ross had vanished from sight did Spandine slowly stand up.

"Alright, everyone, withdraw!"

He waved a hand and ran toward the harbor.

Behind him, although quite a few CP9 agents looked at him with contempt, many others sincerely admired Spandine from the bottom of their hearts.

A man like that deserved his superior's favor.

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