Hearing the familiar yet strange voice, Robin froze.
She stared blankly at the person who had spoken, her mind devoid of thought.
Though the appearance was different, the voice was the one she knew best, the one she could never forget...
Robin's mind went blank, and she whispered,
"Mr. Rolka..."
Carole, still using the voice of 'Rolka,' walked up to Robin.
"It's me."
He raised his hand and gently stroked Robin's head.
Feeling the familiar warmth of his hand on her head, tears involuntarily streamed from Robin's eyes. Her body trembled, and a torrent of unspoken words welled up within her. Just as she was about to look up...
'Rolka' in front of her spoke:
"Sleep for a while."
Robin felt a light touch on her neck, and her consciousness plunged into darkness...
Watching Robin fall asleep, Carole sighed. This was not the place for a reunion. He would explain everything when they returned to headquarters.
Behind them.
Sabo, his neck gripped by Barrett, felt an infinite chill.
An indescribable fear filled his entire brain. Robin's reaction said it all. Looking at Carole, who had turned around, Sabo, with his neck held tight, managed to speak:
"Industrial Revolution..."
Robin had never hidden her ideas about the origins of the Industrial Revolution, clearly stating that it was taught to her by someone named Rolka.
Unfortunately, he was later killed by the Marines in Alabasta.
Yet now, this great man, whose surviving ideas and thoughts had built the foundation of the Revolutionary Army and who had been killed by the Marines, reappeared as a Marine...
He recognized the person's origin at a glance.
The Revolutionary Army's intelligence was not for show. This man was Sakazuki's most valued subordinate, Carole.
Carole... Rolka... Carole... Rolka...
Sabo was filled with terror. He felt as if he had uncovered a massive conspiracy...
Carole nodded.
"That's right."
"I gave it to Robin."
"However..."
Carole's next words sent Sabo reeling, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar:
"The book 'Industrial Revolution' was actually written by Fleet Admiral Sakazuki."
"Including your Revolutionary Army's manifesto, 'Oppression and Resistance'."
"That was also written by Fleet Admiral Sakazuki..."
Ignoring Sabo, who was stunned by the news and filled with immense fear.
Carole withdrew the Seastone needle of the Devil Fruit Recycler and thrust it into Sabo's abdomen, sealing his Devil Fruit abilities.
"I didn't expect any unexpected gains earlier."
"I only took one Recycler. I'll take it back to headquarters to recycle it later."
He tapped Sabo's heart with his finger, causing it to stop instantly, and Sabo lost consciousness.
Soto, controlling sand, brought Robin floating over. Looking at the massive Poneglyph, he asked:
"Do we need to take this?"
Carole shook his head.
"No need."
"Let's go."
No one else could read it, and they already knew its location.
After dealing with the pirates later and taking the 'Pluton,' this thing would be useless.
He placed his hands on the two, carrying Sabo and Robin.
*Swish*—
They instantly vanished from the underground ruins.
Leaving behind only the shattered corpses of Alabasta's last king, Cobra, and Crocodile.
Waiting to be discovered...
-------------
Alabasta, in the trackless desert.
The Straw Hat Pirates, under the scorching sun, ran swiftly, following the direction indicated by Sabo's Vivre Card.
The Vivre Card of Sabo in Luffy's hand had already burned away by one-third.
This made everyone's heart skip a beat, and they dared not delay, chasing after him. But soon, they stopped.
The Sabo Vivre Card in Luffy's hand stopped burning, then suddenly changed direction, and then changed several more times, as if it had completely lost its signal.
The remaining two-thirds of the Vivre Card trembled slightly, making it impossible to discern the direction...
Luffy looked at the Vivre Card in his hand.
"Is this thing broken?"
Zoro's expression was solemn.
"No."
"That guy is probably no longer in Alabasta."
When Sabo explained the function of the Vivre Card, everyone had listened, except for Luffy, who didn't remember.
This situation meant that the distance was extremely, extremely far, and the Vivre Card could no longer provide guidance.
"What on earth happened..."
-------------
New World, New Marineford.
Soto had returned to the New World battlefield, while Barrett had another mission to carry out.
He had to wait a while before executing it.
In Carole's residence.
*Thwack*—
A new Devil Fruit Recycler was thrust into Sabo's body.
Barrett tightened his grip on his neck.
A crisp sound was heard.
Sabo's aura rapidly faded.
The fruit within the Devil Fruit Recycler slowly took shape.
Once the fruit had formed, Carole removed the Devil Fruit Recycler. Barrett carried Sabo's corpse to the window, lifted it outside, and took a deep breath.
Dense Armament Haki flowed through his arm.
*Boom!*
An invisible surge of Armament Haki struck Sabo's entire body. His corpse trembled and instantly disintegrated into a mist of blood.
The air he had inhaled was exhaled from Barrett's mouth.
"Hoo—"
The air accumulated in his abdomen was expelled like a gale.
The mist of blood and bone powder that filled the air was blown away, disappearing without a trace.
-------------
South Blue, Revolutionary Army Headquarters.
Dragon sat in a private room, holding Sabo's Vivre Card, waiting anxiously, and occasionally using a Den Den Mushi to make calls.
Sabo's Vivre Card had started burning in the afternoon, and Dragon had a bad feeling.
After the Vivre Card stopped burning, he waited for a long time before trying to contact them, but there was no response. All Revolutionary Army branches in Alabasta were dispatched.
After half a day of investigation, they found no trace of Sabo or Robin.
Suddenly.
The Vivre Card, with two-thirds remaining.
It flared up violently, burning out almost instantly, turning to ash and slipping through Dragon's fingers.
Dragon's eyes split open, and his heart ached.
"Sabo!!!!!!"
*Boom*—
The sky above the island became overcast, and lightning violently crackled...
-------------
Evening.
New World, New Marineford.
Marine Hospital.
In the top-floor ward.
Robin slowly opened her eyes from her unconsciousness.
Looking at the white ward and the characteristic medicinal smell of a hospital, Robin's mind was a little blank.
Frowning, she began to recall the events before she lost consciousness, and her eyes suddenly widened.
"Mr. Rolka!"
She threw off the covers, got out of bed, and quickly went to the window, only to freeze in astonishment.
Imposing fortress-like buildings greeted her eyes. Although this was not the highest building, it was still quite high.
She could clearly see Marine soldiers carrying out various tasks within the island.
And in the distance, the iconic massive fortress. This was...
"Marine Headquarters..."
Looking at the scenery of Marine Headquarters, Robin's mind was in turmoil.
Everything that had happened in such a short time seemed to have overturned her entire life, with constant twists and turns.
Even someone who had died was alive, and was a Marine. Clouds of gloom hung over her heart.
She could only take advantage of the fact that no one was around at the moment.
To recall and ponder thoroughly, to sort out the events that had occurred in this period...
-------------
It was close to midnight.
Robin leaned by the window, looking at the entirety of Marine Headquarters.
The lights on the island gradually extinguished.
Only the central fortress remained brightly lit, with not a single lamp turned off...
*Click*—
The sound of a doorknob turning.
Carole entered with some food.
Robin turned her head and looked at this person with a stranger's appearance but a familiar figure, her expression complex...
Carole walked to the bedside and placed the food on a small table nearby.
"How long have you been awake?"
"Hungry, aren't you?"
The scene was so familiar that Robin felt a sense of déjà vu, lost in thought.
But she quickly regained her senses and looked at Carole.
"Where is Sabo?"
Before she lost consciousness, Crocodile was dead, and Sabo, as an enemy of the Marines and the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army...
Carole pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up an apple to peel.
"He's dead."
Robin took a deep breath, closed her eyes in pain, and her worst guess was confirmed...
Neither of them spoke. The only sound in the silent room was Carole peeling the apple.
Time seemed to pass slowly.
But in fact, the apple was peeled quickly. As Carole finished peeling the long strip of apple skin, he placed the peeled apple on the small table and looked at Robin.
"Don't you have anything to ask?"
Robin looked at Carole and shook her head.
"I did."
"Not anymore."
She actually had many things she wanted to say, but the moment she saw Carole, she lost the courage to ask.
Or rather, she didn't know what to ask. Should she resent 'Rolka' for his deception? But there was no reason to...
Before she met 'Rolka,' her life of constant running was like hell. What right did she have to question 'Rolka,' who had pulled her out of hell...
Perhaps 'Rolka's' initial intention was to use her.
But he was also the only ray of light that pulled her out of her endless dark life.
In that sense, she was the one who gained the most...
Carole smiled.
"You've grown up."
"Learned to keep things to yourself."
Robin was silent. She just didn't dare to ask.
Carole saw that Robin hadn't fully recovered and stood up from the chair.
"Get some good rest."
"Eat the food while it's hot, or it'll get cold soon."
"You can explore the island tomorrow. I've made arrangements; there's nowhere you can't go."
Robin looked at Carole and said,
"The port too?"
Carole shrugged and chuckled.
"Of course..."
Then, a slight curve of his lips.
"No."
Robin felt a surge of blood rush to her head. He was still the same familiar, manipulative person...
Carole turned his back to Robin and waved as he walked towards the door.
"Don't even think about leaving."
"This is the safest place in the world."
"Even if the whole world wanted to capture you, they couldn't get in."
"Stay here with peace of mind."
Robin looked at Carole, who had reached the door, and asked,
"Aren't you going to punish me?"
Carole replied without looking back.
"There's no reason to punish you."
"Get some rest early."
"Goodnight."
*Click*—
The ward door closed.
Carole's figure disappeared.
Robin stared at the closed door, her mouth moving, but she found nothing to say.
An Ohara survivor? Child of the Devil? Reading Poneglyphs?
The first two were false accusations. 'Rolka' could also decipher the latter...
Whether she lived or died didn't seem to matter much...
She walked to the bedside.
She sat in Carole's previous seat and looked at the prepared food.
It was so tempting to her appetite.
She picked up chopsticks, took a bite of the dishes she had only dreamed of eating again countless times, and put it in her mouth.
The familiar taste exploded on her taste buds.
She could no longer control herself. She put down her chopsticks, covered her mouth.
Tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes, like a floodgate opening.
She sat on the chair, shaking silently as she wept...