Robin's Sacrifice

"I told you, I'm the stranger who understands you best in this world. You didn't think I was joking, did you?!"

Watching Nico Robin struggle to contain her emotions, and seeing the gloom clouding Zoro and the others' faces, Sumer smiled calmly.

But to the Straw Hat crew, that smile was inexplicably chilling.

"You—"

Nico Robin felt utterly discouraged. Cold sweat covered her pale face. She had thought news of the ancient weapons could save the Straw Hat crew.

But it had done nothing at all.

"Find a doctor to bandage them up. Don't let them die. After all, they'll be sacrificed to the heavens later. Only then can one attain boundless power!"

Sumer gave the order.

At the moment, every member of the Straw Hat Pirates was a precious treasure, and the finest sacrifice for awakening Straw Hat's potential and triggering an explosive breakthrough.

Saint Nerona Imu had already learned most of how the story would unfold.

He had also obtained the Pluton blueprints and Poseidon's whereabouts, while Uranus was suspected to be in the World Government's hands.

Faced with such circumstances, Sumer could not think of any way for Straw Hat to rapidly grow stronger in a short time besides taking the route of "sacrifice your companions to the heavens and gain boundless power," using it to overtake on the curve.

He needed Straw Hat to keep the World Government occupied, so Saint Nerona Imu would not focus all his attention on him.

That would also give him time to grow stronger and ensure that the plan of "the snipe and clam fight while the fisherman profits" could proceed perfectly.

"Yes!"

Kaku nodded.

As for the Marine lieutenant who had been there earlier, he had sensibly left after opening the iron cage.

"Don't go!!!"

Just as Sumer turned to leave again, Nico Robin gritted her teeth. As though clutching at her final lifeline, a resolute look reappeared in her eyes.

"I can read the ancient language. Besides Pluton, the three ancient weapons include Poseidon and Uranus."

"I can help the World Government find them—"

"If that still isn't enough, I can be your... sex slave!"

Nico Robin's resolute voice echoed through the entire lower hold. After speaking, she straightened her slender waist, then bent down.

That final sentence in particular nearly drained every ounce of strength from her.

She knew perfectly well that she had only one bargaining chip to offer: finding the other two ancient weapons.

But how could ancient weapons possibly be so easy to find?

Just searching for those Poneglyphs was like looking for a needle in the ocean, so she had no confidence at all.

She was merely trying to deceive him now.

As for becoming a sex slave, she did not think he would be interested in her.

After all, he was a descendant of gods who possessed everything in the world. What kind of sex slave or racial slave could he not find?

"Robin!"

"Robin-chwan, what nonsense are you saying?"

"Robin..."

"You bastard Celestial Dragon, kill us now if you've got the guts!"

"Robin, don't—"

The Straw Hat crew exploded.

Every one of them glared furiously, their eyes bloodshot.

No one had expected Robin, who had only been aboard for such a short time, to go this far for them.

Even Zoro, who had originally remained wary of Robin, was overwhelmed with shame.

"Sex slave? What's a sex slave?"

Unlike the others' anger and emotion, Luffy, their captain, looked rather confused.

He did not understand those words or the miserable meaning behind them.

"Idiot Luffy, a sex slave is a slave! A horribly, horribly miserable slave!"

"What? No way!!!"

"I will never agree to let Robin become that bastard's slave! If I have to let my companions become slaves in exchange for my life, then I'd rather die!"

Strength came from nowhere as Luffy tightly gripped the iron cage with both hands. He forcibly stood up and glared at Sumer.

At the same time, his heart bled.

He might have been a blockhead, naive, and barely able to recognize a few words.

But he knew what slaves were.

He blamed himself. As captain, not only had he failed to protect his companions, but now that danger had come, his companion had to sell her body and freedom.

If living required that, then he would rather die immediately.

"Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, thank you for letting me board your ship."

"I'm an ominous person. I'm the Demon Child."

"The World Government targeted you because I dragged you into this."

"I had nowhere to go in the first place. I shouldn't have been alive in the first place."

"For the past twenty years, I survived only by constantly betraying others."

"Now, I don't want to betray anyone anymore."

Robin had always believed that she was the one who had dragged the Straw Hat Pirates down.

Everything had happened because she had become a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, drawing the World Government's attention.

She placed all the blame upon herself.

Besides, she was tired.

Now, this was the only way she could repay the Straw Hat crew's sincerity.

"Shut up."

"What are you talking about? What ominous person? What Demon Child? What do you mean you dragged us down? I don't care about any of that."

"You're my companion. You're a member of the Straw Hat Pirates."

Luffy burned with rage, hating his own weakness and incompetence for the first time.

"Yeah!"

"Robin, at worst, we die together!"

"Everyone..."

Tears spilled uncontrollably from Robin's eyes as she stood there exhausted and ready to give up.

Looking at those pairs of resolute eyes, she recalled what Saul had once said.

"There is absolutely no one in this world who will be lonely forever. She will definitely find companions willing to protect her."

Saul, I found them.

At the same time.

Robin became even more determined. No matter what, no matter what, she had to save them.

Even if she could save only one of them.

"Excuse me~"

"Sorry to interrupt. Your bond is very touching, but I don't think I've voiced my opinion yet!"

Outside the iron cage.

Sumer could not help interrupting as he watched the Straw Hat crew's bond rapidly deepen.

He had not expected Nico Robin to completely integrate into the Straw Hat crew at this moment.

Without that line, "I want to live," he felt as though something was missing.

At the same time.

Straw Hat was clearly wearing Seastone handcuffs and should have been weak and powerless, yet anger had made him stand up at once.

If the cage were opened, he might even unleash a round of Rubber Machine Gun on him.

No.

Was that scientific?

Wasn't Seastone supposed to restrain him? Wasn't he supposed to be completely weak?

Swish, swish, swish—

The moment Sumer spoke, six pairs of bloodshot eyes viciously fixed on him as though flames would burst from them.

Even Chopper, with snot hanging from his nose, bared his teeth with hostility. Robin had moved him beyond words.

"Ideals are full, but reality is cruel!"

"Can I say she's being self-indulgent? I'm a Celestial Dragon. What kind of sex slave can't I get?"

"Besides, what makes you think I don't know the whereabouts of Poseidon and Uranus?"

Sumer actually admired Nico Robin somewhat. She was willing to sacrifice herself to such an extent for her companions.

This kind of bond could only be found in novels and manga!

"What would it take for you to let them go?"

Robin's face was full of pleading.

She had not expected him to know about both Poseidon and Uranus.

Nor had she expected him to dismiss her so completely.

"You're making this difficult for me. You're even making me feel like I'm the utterly vile, sinister, despicable final villain."

"It also gives me that feeling of having earned a death sentence!"

Sumer pinched his chin, his gaze moving over Nico Robin.

No matter how he looked at it, this situation made him seem absolutely evil.

Like a truly heartless villain beyond redemption.

Anyone could tell his ending would be miserable.

"First, let me make one thing clear. You're the one begging me. You came willingly and forced your way into this. I didn't compel you."

"You all saw that, right?"

"So, the price has to go up!"

"And it can only be one for one."

The atmosphere had reached this point.

If Sumer kept refusing, he would feel like too much of a bastard—too rude and too incapable of appreciating kindness.

Perfect.

He could also fiercely provoke the Straw Hat crew. Afterward, wouldn't every one of them trigger an explosive breakthrough?

The only problem was that doing this put him at great risk in the future, like dancing on a knife's edge.

But there was no need to panic. He had a "summoning cheat," and Saint Nerona Imu had his back.

He only hoped that when the Straw Hat crew came to kill him later, they would strike quickly—and when they beat him up, they would go a little easier on him.

After all, he was motivating the Straw Hat crew. Wasn't that a kind of love too?

And why did this feel so satisfying?

He even felt an enormous sense of fulfillment.

Was this what it felt like for a petty villain to rise to power?