Took in a Little Sister

Robin looked at Lu Ge with a serious expression and said, "You should know my value, right? I'm an archaeologist, and the knowledge I hold is something both the Navy and pirates want to possess. That's why I had a bounty of 79 million Berries at such a young age. As long as you take me in, my knowledge will be at your service."

Lu Ge replied, "Your knowledge is of no use to me, because I know more history than you do. Even those Poneglyphs—I know where they are located..."

Hearing this, Robin's eyes lit up and she instantly grew excited. "What?! You know where the Poneglyphs are? Where? Where is it? Tell me quickly! Please! Boss!"

She had run all the way from West Blue to the Grand Line, constantly searching for Poneglyphs. But unfortunately, she had to escape not only the pursuit of the Navy, but also the covetous eyes of pirates. Therefore, after several years, she had never even found a single Poneglyph.

Lu Ge still looked at Robin with a playful gaze. In fact, he had already intended to take her in; however, this little girl had impure motives and needed a good beating down. After all, in the original story, she had a criminal record, causing several pirate crews she joined to be wiped out. At that time, she hadn't joined sincerely and had only used them, though the biggest problem lay with those pirate crews. "So, why should I tell you? I don't want to take in a lackey—uh, little sister—who only brings trouble and is completely useless."

Upon hearing this, Robin panicked. Her eyes rolled around, and she said, "Not only can I read Poneglyphs, but I'm also a Devil Fruit user. I definitely won't hold you guys back!"

Robin's words immediately caught the attention of Mana and the others, who asked with full curiosity, "You're also a Devil Fruit user? What kind of ability is it?"

Robin answered, "I am a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user, the user of the Flower-Flower Fruit."

Bolan asked, "The Flower-Flower Fruit? Is it related to flowers?"

Robin explained, "No, my ability allows any part of my body to bloom like a flower on any tangible surface within my field of vision, and it can be used for attacks, eavesdropping, peeping, and other purposes."

As she spoke, she crossed her hands, and two slender, fair hands suddenly sprouted from Bolan's shoulders. Such a bizarre sight truly startled them. "Whoa! Hands grew on my shoulders! Oh god! Is this the Flower-Flower Fruit? It's amazing!"

This is a pure tentacle monster! Lu Ge couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the sight.

Sanya looked at Lu Ge with a solemn expression and said, "Lord Lu Ge, this little girl's ability is quite good. Why don't you just take her in?"

Lu Ge said, "It really is not bad. Nico Robin, right? Can you make your hands grow from the outside in? If you can directly crush an opponent's heart, then your ability is indeed quite formidable."

"Eh?!!"

Bolan and the others were instantly startled upon hearing this.

Robin shook her head and replied, "I can't do that kind of thing yet. I can only generate them on the surface of objects."

Lu Ge stated, "Not being able to do it now doesn't mean you won't be able to do it in the future. Your Flower-Flower Fruit ability has a lot of room for development and very impressive potential. If you can develop it to the awakened state, I'd even look forward to seeing just what extent it can reach."

Hearing this, Robin looked full of curiosity. "An awakened state?"

Lu Ge explained, "The so-called awakened state is developing the fruit ability to its final form. An awakened fruit ability will receive a qualitative leap. Take your Flower-Flower Fruit, for example. If it awakens, you might be able to directly crush a target's heart, or even split into one or multiple clones that are identical to yourself. And the clones possess the same strength and abilities as you. Of course, this is just a guess; how to develop it still depends on you."

Upon hearing this, Robin's eyes widened in an instant. "So Devil Fruit abilities can be developed like this?"

After listening to Lu Ge's words, she felt as though a new door had been opened for her.

Instantly, she looked at Lu Ge with anticipation. "Then can I join your pirate crew now?"

Lu Ge replied, "I don't have a pirate crew, and I'm not even a pirate."

Robin asked, "Ah? But didn't the newspaper say that you are a member of the Kuja Pirates?"

Lu Ge asked back, "Did the newspaper write that? How come I didn't see it?"

Robin immediately took out a new newspaper from her bosom and said, "The first issue didn't, but the second issue clearly wrote it. Look."

Lu Ge immediately picked up the newspaper and looked at it. The first thing that caught his eye was: 'Shocking! The new world's strongest great swordsman, Lu Ge, turns out to be the first man in history to join the Kuja Pirates.'

Seeing such an eye-catching headline, Lu Ge couldn't help scratching his head. "When did I join the Kuja Pirates? How come I didn't even know about it?"

These newspaper people really knew how to make money. Such a piece of news could obviously be written clearly in a single paper, yet they insisted on selling it in two parts. Truly, there were no honest merchants.

When Mana and the others saw this headline, however, their eyes all lit up. "If Lord Lu Ge could join the Kuja Pirates, I'd be the first to voice my agreement."

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

Even Sanya's gaze flickered with some temptation. If the Kuja Pirates could have the world's strongest great swordsman holding down the fort, then from then on, no one would dare to look down on or provoke the Kuja Pirates, right? The tragedy of a year ago wouldn't happen again, would it?

When I meet the former Empress, I should discuss this properly with her. Perhaps the rules of the Kuja Pirates should be changed?

Seeing that all the women supported him so much, Lu Ge felt deeply gratified. He shifted his gaze to Robin and said, "Seeing that you're so sincere, you can follow me from now on."

"Yes, Boss!" Robin instantly beamed with joy.

With the world's strongest great swordsman backing her up, she probably wouldn't have to live a life of hiding anymore, right?

Immediately after, she asked with utmost urgency, "Now, can you tell me where that Poneglyph is? Boss!"

Lu Ge said, "Stop calling me boss, boss. You might as well just call me Brother Lu!"

"All right, Brother Lu." Robin still looked at Lu Ge with hopeful eyes.

Lu Ge couldn't quite take her adorable gaze anymore and said, "This first Poneglyph is on Lodestar Island, hidden within the royal tombs of Alabasta."

"Alabasta? That sounds a bit familiar." Hearing this, Robin took a map out of her bosom, unfolded it, and searched carefully for a moment. "Found it. Alabasta, a superpower located in the first half of the Grand Line. Uh~ Baroque Works' headquarters seems to be right there..."

Lu Ge asked, "You even know where Baroque Works' headquarters is?"

Robin answered, "Yeah, they invited me, but I turned them down. That's why I was targeted by them."