Self-Exposed Secret

Robin took a step back and leaned against the wall. "So you've told me this secret. What's your plan?"

The Copy-Copy Fruit was new to Robin. Until now, she had never even heard that a fruit existed that could copy someone else's power.

Rubick had thought this through when he saw Robin earlier that day. He was not flustered.

"Because I want to form an alliance with you."

"An alliance?"

Rubick did not explain why. Instead, he changed the subject. "Robin, have you ever wondered why the World Government destroyed Ohara?"

Robin's face went cold. Ohara was a wound that would never heal, and having someone bring it up to her face did nothing to improve her mood.

But Rubick did not back down. He met her gaze, and they stared at each other in silence.

Robin sighed. She could control six arms at most, while Rubick could control eight. Judging by their powers alone, she was no match for him. Otherwise, she would have given him a beating to vent some of her frustration.

"We were only studying history. We just wanted to uncover the truth."

Robin's voice held confusion, anger, and helplessness.

"Then we can conclude that the World Government fears the Void Century," Rubick said. "There's no doubt about that, is there?"

Robin nodded. The connection was obvious to anyone who thought about it.

"If the World Government fears the Void Century, then it must know what happened during it. It may even have erased those hundred years of history itself. Do you agree?"

Robin nodded again.

"That led me to a conclusion. Eight hundred years ago, a mysterious kingdom held power over the world. The predecessors of the Celestial Dragons—an alliance of twenty kings—defeated it, then erased a hundred years of history."

"I know," Robin said. "That was as far as our research at Ohara got."

"Actually, not all twenty kings became Celestial Dragons. As far as I know, the first king of Alabasta was one of them. He chose not to go to Mary Geoise and stayed behind to establish his kingdom in Alabasta."

"That isn't the important part," Rubick continued. "Before the mysterious kingdom fell, it carved the history of the Void Century onto indestructible stone tablets called Poneglyphs."

Robin thought of the Poneglyphs she had seen, then of the intelligence she had gathered. There should be one in Alabasta's royal tomb. That was why she had joined Baroque Works.

She wanted to find every Poneglyph in the world and piece together the missing history!

"I've seen several, but I haven't deciphered a single word about that period."

"Because Gol D. Roger gathered the stones that record the true history at Laugh Tale. That information was left behind by my predecessors back home. I left to make the truth known to the world."

Robin was too stunned to speak. Who would believe that the One Piece left behind by the Pirate King was nothing but cold stone tablets inscribed with history?

"So, Robin, do you understand how important you are now?"

"Me? Important?"

"As the only person in the world who can read Poneglyphs, both the Marines and pirates want you under their control," Rubick said. "Four red Poneglyphs record locations. Draw lines connecting those four points, and their intersection reveals Laugh Tale's location."

A chill ran through Robin. "So anyone who wants to become the Pirate King has to be able to read Poneglyphs!"

No wonder! The Four Emperors had ruled the seas for decades without any of them finding Laugh Tale. This was why! Robin could already imagine what her life would become if Rubick made this information public. "Difficult" would hardly begin to describe it.

Robin asked with a bitter smile, "Then how do you want to work together?"

"I'm still looking for someone with Roger's caliber. Someone who can lead us to Laugh Tale and reveal the Void Century to the world. I don't care whether that person is a Marine, a bounty hunter, or even a pirate. When I find someone, I hope you'll trust my judgment and join us."

Robin countered, "Why don't you do it yourself? You already know everything that matters. All that's left is to take me to Laugh Tale."

"You're making it sound too simple."

"There are countless powerful people on the seas, and I'm no born leader," Rubick said. "My role is simple: guide that person to Laugh Tale, not go there myself."

"Besides, people won't believe the first person who comes along with a story about history. Why do you think the Pirate King turned himself in? To draw the eyes of the whole world, then use the One Piece as bait to bring out someone who could carry on his will."

"In Roger's time, pirates were nobodies. But since the Great Pirate Era began, anything they do at sea can quickly become news across the world. That was the effect Roger wanted."

"When a new Pirate King emerges, the Poneglyphs he finds at Laugh Tale will be shown to the whole world. By then, the World Government won't be able to stop it."

Robin found Rubick's explanation easy to accept. It made sense. Why else hadn't Roger simply brought out the Poneglyphs and revealed the true history they contained?

Robin figured Roger probably...

"Wait. How could Roger read the writing on the Poneglyphs?"

Rubick did not know either. Perhaps Oden had read them for him. After a moment's thought, though, he said, "Because Roger had the strongest Observation Haki. He could hear the Voice of All Things."

"Observation Haki?"

Rubick shook his head. "You don't need to know that much yet. You'll learn about Haki in time."

Robin filed away the word Haki, then asked, "So, Mr. Rubick, have you found a suitable candidate?"

Rubick's name meant "magic cube" in English, so Robin's way of addressing him was not out of place.

"Do you remember what the World Government called Roger when he was executed?" Rubick asked.

"Gol Roger."

"Exactly. The World Government hid the D in Roger's name. That means the D must have something to do with the history of that time. And the person I choose will have a D in their name too."