Robin continued, "I joined Baroque Works to study history, and thanks to him, I learned a lot. I think you'll need me, because the signposts leading to Laugh Tale use Ancient Script. There are no more than three people in this world who can read Ancient Script, and I'm one of them."
"A bunch of idiots, letting a woman lead you around by the nose. She's spent all these years as the vice president of Baroque Works. How could a woman like that become our crewmate? You might fool them, but you can't fool me. I'll keep my eyes on you, and the moment I find anything wrong, I'll throw you off myself." Nami gave Robin a sidelong look and spoke with complete confidence.
"Mmm~ I'll keep that in mind. Oh~ right, I brought quite a few gems from Baroque Works." As she spoke, she took a pouch of gems out of her clothes and placed it on the table.
Nami's expression changed instantly. "Oh my~ how could a lovely big sister possibly be a bad person? I agree to let you join us." With that, she picked up the gems and left.
Just after Nami left, Sanji, who had gone to make afternoon tea, rushed out of the kitchen. "Ah~ love! Robin-chan, please taste the afternoon tea I made for you with love."
By the end, everyone aboard had been won over. Nami had been bought with gems, Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy had been conquered through tickling, and Zoro had fallen to alcohol. Sanji had been won over from start to finish, while Liu Qing knew Robin was indispensable and had agreed to let her join outright.
That afternoon, an albatross flew toward the Going Merry.
The albatross landed on the deck table of the Going Merry, unceremoniously drank a glass of water on the table dry, then looked at Nami and called out.
"Caw~ caw..."
Nami took a hundred Beli from her cleavage and put it in the pouch beneath the albatross's neck. After checking that everything was in order, the albatross picked up a newspaper in its beak and handed it to Nami, then bowed in thanks and flew away.
Nami glanced at the newspaper. The headline read: Shocking! Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors, heads to the Grand Line to recruit a rookie pirate, only to suffer a beating after his offer is refused.
The article covered Liu Qing's battle with Kaido in Alabasta the day before.
On the reverse was a story about a Shichibukai being arrested and sent to Impel Down after failing to seize a kingdom.
As she turned to the reverse, several wanted posters fell out.
Looking at the bounties on them, Nami went pale, then shouted, "Luffy, Liu Qing, Zoro, come quick! Our wanted posters are here!"
"Where~? Let me see." Everyone rushed out from wherever they had been and picked up their own wanted posters to look.
Straw Hat Luffy-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 300 million Beli.
Thousand-Armed Zen Venerable Liu Qing-member of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 2 billion Beli.
Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro-member of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 180 million Beli.
Black Leg Sanji-member of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 100 million Beli.
Cat Burglar Nami-member of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 50 million Beli.
Liar Usopp-member of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 50 million Beli.
Tony Tony Chopper-pet of the Straw Hat Pirates-bounty: 50 Beli.
Luffy looked at his wanted poster and burst out laughing. "My bounty's gone up to 300 million! Hahaha!"
Usopp wore a frightened expression. "I'm done for~ I'm doomed! I haven't done anything, and I'm already a big-time pirate worth 50 million. What am I supposed to do~? Those bounty hunters will never leave me alone."
"Oh~~ mine's up to 180 million Beli, too." Zoro held his wanted poster, quite satisfied with the bounty. Then he turned to glance at Sanji. "Tsk, tsk, tsk~ not doing so well, pervy cook. Only 100 million."
Then he held his poster up for Sanji to see. "Look at mine. I'm worth 80 million more than you. It's so lonely being invincible." With that, he stopped paying Sanji any attention.
"Damn it! Who took this picture? Why doesn't my picture look like me? Making me look ugly is one thing, but why did they only give me 100 million Beli?" Crushed, Sanji dropped to his knees and pounded the deck.
"Oh~ your bounty's reached 2 billion, Liu Qing. That's impressive." Nico Robin came over to Liu Qing and took a look, speaking with a faint smile.
"What~?" Everyone gathered around Liu Qing.
"Hahaha~ that's my crewmate for you! Let's throw a party to celebrate everyone getting bounties!" Luffy called out.
With the party underway, time passed into the next day.
The sea was calm, and the Going Merry sailed steadily in one direction as the rising sun shone down on it.
Nami, who had kept watch on deck overnight and watched their course, woke up, then spotted an island not far ahead and shouted.
"Everyone~ there's an island! I see an island!"
Meanwhile, the room was in complete chaos. Sanji had dreamed of beautiful women and nearly kissed Zoro on the mouth, only for Zoro to kick him away. Then the two began fighting in the room.
After waiting ages without seeing anyone come out, with banging still coming from the room, Nami ran out of patience, stormed inside, and punched each of them.
A little while later, everyone came outside and looked at the distant island.
"Whoa~ it really looks like a pineapple~" Liu Qing was the first to break the silence.
"Hurry~ I want to go adventuring on the island," Luffy urged.
They picked up speed and soon reached the island's shore.
They drew lots to decide who would watch the ship while the others went ashore to search for supplies.
In the end, only Chopper and Liu Qing stayed aboard the Going Merry. Everyone else was going ashore to replenish their supplies.
Oh~ there was also Nico Robin, who hadn't gotten up yet.
Once everyone left, Liu Qing went to the bow to sleep. He had scanned the island with Observation Haki, and aside from a troop of monkeys, there were no other living creatures, so he was completely at ease. He could simply let them explore on their own.
Watching Liu Qing go to sleep, Chopper revealed a sinister smile. "Hehehe~~ today it's just me! From today onward, I'm Captain Chopper! Hahaha~ Luffy, you're not allowed to eat..."
Chopper played by himself for a long time before a voice suddenly interrupted him.
"Uh~ Chopper, I'm still here." Robin spoke with a smile.
"Hehe~ how long have you been here, you wicked woman?" Chopper looked at Robin, utterly embarrassed.
"Hmm~ I've been here since your very first sentence. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Hmph~ I'm not talking to you anymore. I've got things to do. I'm going to get busy. Click-clack, click-clack~~" With that, Chopper headed toward the infirmary.
Inside the infirmary, ten blue pills lay on the table.
Chopper picked up a pill and said, "I only made ten Rumble Balls yesterday. Since nobody's going to bother me today, I'll make another forty. It's been so long since I encountered an enemy. I really miss the first time I took a Rumble Ball~"
As he spoke, Chopper sank into his memories.
"I wonder if Dr. Kureha misses me. I'll write her a letter."
He took out paper and a pen and was about to start writing when his nose suddenly caught a person's scent. He whipped his head around to look behind him.
Chopper immediately grew frightened. "Ah~ you horrible wicked woman! Why don't you make any sound when you walk? Are you trying to kill me and steal the secret of my Rumble Balls? Dream on! I won't lose to you!"
Robin stood up, frightening Chopper into immediately swallowing a Rumble Ball.
"Rumble Ball-Guard Point! Hoo, ha, hey~" He punched and kicked at the air.
"Next, watch my Heavy Point! Da-da-da~" He pummeled the air with both fists.
"Jumping Point! Hoo, hoo, hoo~" He leaped into the air, kicking repeatedly.
"Horn Point!"
Finally, sporting a pair of enormous antlers, Chopper looked at Nico Robin. "That's not all a Rumble Ball can do. I'd advise you not to try anything with me. When I get vicious, I even scare myself."
"Hahaha~ you're so cute, Chopper. I like you." Watching Chopper gesture at the air, Nico Robin burst out laughing.
Hearing Robin's words, Chopper immediately went all wobbly. "Even if you say you like me, that won't make me happy."
Sleeping on deck, Liu Qing sensed the playful antics below, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
Evening arrived...
Everyone returned, fooled around together for a while, then ate and rested.
The night passed without incident, and the next day, they continued toward the next island.
After half a day of sailing, Nami suddenly spoke up. "How strange. Why is the Log Pose pointing toward the sky?"
"What?" Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, who were training, Liu Qing, Usopp, and Chopper, who were fishing, Robin, who was reclining on a beach chair, and Sanji, who was fawning over Robin beside her, all came over to Nami.
Nami took out the Log Pose and held it out for Luffy and the others to inspect.
"It really is. Could there be an island in the sky? Wouldn't it fall down?" Sanji looked utterly puzzled.
"Oh~ I do know a little about that. Have you heard the legend of Sky Island, Miss Navigator?" Robin asked Nami.
"Sky Island?" Everyone was puzzled.
"It's exactly what it sounds like. An island floating in the sky."
"An island in the sky? There are islands up there, too?" Even Nami couldn't believe it, and everyone else wore expressions of disbelief.
"That's impossible. How could there be an island in the sky?" Usopp said incredulously.
"Historical records do mention people who reached Sky Island and described things there, but nobody believed them. And hardly anyone ever reached it, so over time, Sky Island became a legend." Robin picked up her coffee, took a sip, and explained in an unhurried voice.
Just then, the sky suddenly darkened, as though a tarpaulin had appeared out of nowhere and covered the entire ship.
Puzzled, everyone looked up and saw the wreckage of a massive pirate ship falling directly toward the Going Merry.
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper clung tightly to one another. "Help~ we're going to die~"
Just as Liu Qing was about to act, a sound beat him to it.
Zoro had drawn his swords the moment the shadow appeared. Without any flourish, a simple slash of sword energy split the falling pirate ship wreckage in two. The halves plunged into the sea on either side of the Going Merry, but a piece of gold fell onto the deck.
Liu Qing picked up the large chunk of gold from the deck and said, "Looks like the legend is true. Shame about that ship just now, though. There must have been plenty of treasure inside."
Looking at the gold in Liu Qing's hand, Nami turned a murderous gaze on Zoro, grabbed him by the collar, and raged, "Why didn't you take the treasure out before cutting the ship apart? Why?"
Before you continue