Chapter 129: The Devil’s Daughter (Please Subscribe, Recommend, and Vote with Monthly Tickets)

Buffon caught the Wado Ichimonji blade with his bare hands, then tossed Zoro toward Chopper. Zoro, having been disarmed, was about to strike back when he was stopped by Chopper’s voice: "Zoro, that’s Captain Buffon!"

Upon hearing this, Zoro paused, looking somewhat embarrassed as he said, "Oh, it’s Captain Buffon. I just thought..."

Before he could finish, Buffon threw the Wado Ichimonji back to him and said, "Go find Luffy. I’m taking Chopper to the station to see if we can intercept Robin!" Having said that, Buffon hoisted Chopper up and disappeared amidst the dense rows of rooftops. Zoro scratched his head, staring at the maze of identical roofs, faced with a difficult choice.

At this moment, in the open space before the Galley-La Company headquarters, Iceburg spoke to Pauly with a stern expression: "You take Miss Nami there. She doesn't know the way well, and you can get her there faster if you guide her!"

Facing this order from Iceburg, Pauly—a man who reacted strongly to women wearing revealing clothing—muttered inwardly, "That shameless woman, why is she so stubborn?" Yet, he also admired Nami’s courage. Reluctantly, he tethered Nami to himself with the rope at his waist and dashed toward the station.

Buffon, with Chopper in tow, did not head directly to the station, but instead went to Tom’s former workshop. Unless he was mistaken, that was where CP9 had captured Franky and Usopp. If he could arrive in time to subdue Lucci, the ringleader, things would be much easier. However, upon arrival, he found the place empty, bearing only the remnants of a battle. Even the battered Going Merry was nowhere to be seen. Buffon searched briefly, picking up a blood-stained photograph—a picture of Tom with his two apprentices when they were young—and tucked it into his jacket.

"What do we do, Captain Buffon?" Chopper asked anxiously.

"To the station," Buffon replied, grabbing Chopper and rushing toward the station.

...

Pauly took the straight path across the rooftops with Nami. By the time they arrived, Robin had already boarded the Sea Train, though it had not yet departed. Through the window, Nami caught sight of Robin sitting by the glass and sprinted toward her, shouting, "Wait! Robin, get off the train! You’re our companion! No matter who they are, we will fight them to the end!"

But her voice seemed so small against the roar of the Sea Train’s whistle. Although Robin saw her running figure, she could only lower her head in defeat. She could not bear to face the sincerity in Nami’s eyes.

A moment later, the Sea Train pulled away, disappearing into the churning waves. Watching Nami kneeling on the platform in tears, Pauly said with a note of pity, "We didn't make it, did we? Poor thing."

A while later, Buffon and Chopper arrived. Seeing Nami kneeling there, Chopper rushed forward to help her up. "Nami..."

Seeing them, Nami’s tears flowed even more uncontrollably. She said to Buffon with a touch of indignation, "Didn't you come before me? Why are you only arriving now? If you had been faster, Robin wouldn't have left."

Facing Nami’s "reproach," Buffon had no defense, for what she said was true. Had he arrived sooner, he might have been able to stop her. Buffon said nothing as he walked over to pick up Chopper. "A tsunami is coming. Go find Luffy and the others. We will rendezvous at Enies Lobby." With that, he walked toward the edge of the platform.

Although Buffon was not Nami’s captain, after their life-and-death bond in Alabasta, she rarely doubted his words. Her earlier reproach had been a slip of the tongue born of desperation. She knew that Buffon must have had a reason for being late, and that he had certainly been trying to save Robin.

Buffon’s main reason for bringing Chopper was to find out if Robin had done anything unusual before leaving them. Buffon changed into his combat suit in front of Chopper, and the moment he transformed, Chopper’s eyes sparkled: "So cool, Captain Buffon! Is this a Devil Fruit ability?"

Buffon shook his head without further explanation. He held the small Chopper in his arms and activated the jet thrusters on his combat boots, flying directly toward Enies Lobby.

"Captain Buffon, slow down! I’m a Devil Fruit user, if I fall into the sea, I’ll die!" the timid Chopper cried out with his eyes squeezed shut.

Ignoring his cries, Buffon asked, "Did Robin do anything special before she left you?"

Asked this question, Chopper instantly returned to normal, temporarily forgetting his fear of flying. "Miss Robin disappeared after our ship docked. Sanji and I searched the city for her. Finally, we found her by a river in Water 7. She was standing all alone on the other side and told us that she could never return to the ship or continue sailing with us."

Hearing this, Buffon thought for a moment. He estimated that Robin must have encountered CP9 members after parting ways with him and was subsequently recognized. He wondered what conditions CP9 had used to threaten her into making such a decision. Buffon knew that his presence had already altered the course of many events in this world, so he wasn't entirely sure if CP9’s terms were the same as in the original timeline.

"Tell me exactly what she said, word for word."

Chopper thought for a moment, then continued earnestly: "She admitted that the reports in yesterday’s morning newspaper were true—that she was the one who attacked Iceburg. She said she did it on purpose to frame our crew."

"Anything else?" Buffon asked.

"Miss Robin also said she carried a secret we didn't know about, a secret that would one day implicate us. So, she intended to let us take the blame for the attack on Iceburg while she escaped on her own."

Chopper paused, then added carefully: "We don't think this was Miss Robin’s true intention. She must have been forced by those World Government people."

"And then she just vanished?" Buffon asked.

"The last time Miss Robin appeared was today, in Iceburg’s room. Before you arrived, she broke in with those CP9 people to steal some blueprints. Iceburg seemed to have something to say to her, but she used her powers to stop him. Then CP9 blocked us, and she left first."

After listening to Chopper, Buffon pondered for a while.

Robin’s words and actions were not much different from the original story. However, he still couldn't be sure what exactly CP9 had used to threaten her—was it the Straw Hat crew, or something else?

At that moment, on the Puffing Tom headed toward Enies Lobby, Sanji and Franky were cutting through the ranks, reaching the carriage where CP9 was located. Sanji, cigarette in mouth, said calmly, "Are these guys really members of a justice organization?"

Franky, not forgetting to strike a pose behind him, echoed, "I’d like to ask, which side is actually the villain?"

Lucci didn't answer them. Instead, he kicked a newly defeated recruit out of the Sea Train and said coldly, "Kalifa, when you report to the superiors, tell the Chief that the new recruits were too weak and were not accepted." He then turned to the two men, continuing in a cold, mocking tone: "Mere intruders. To let you see this much... it seems you won't live long. If you came to save Nico Robin, you might as well give up. The fact that you managed to charge from the back of the train to here already makes the situation very serious."

Hearing Lucci, Sanji said with equal seriousness: "What we did was indeed uncouth, but compared to you lot..."

Before he could finish, Lucci interrupted: "There are people in this world whose only contribution to humanity is their death. Her birth was inherently tainted by darkness. If a demon capable of burning the world were just a naive eight-year-old girl, do you think someone should do justice and kill her?"

Facing this mindless rhetoric, Sanji paused and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I am telling you the life of Nico Robin. She is a true criminal, and it has been simple and straightforward from the start. From the moment she gained consciousness, her existence was a sin. Only when she completely disappears can she bring happiness to humanity. She is a person who carries a cursed fate." Lucci paused, then added, "This woman should have died 20 years ago. Sending her to hell before that disaster arrives is exactly what we, CP9, should do."

"Have you said enough? Shut your mouth." Sanji finished speaking and raised his leg to strike at Lucci.

Lucci raised a hand, easily blocking Sanji’s fierce attack, and continued to ramble: "It is just that the World Government has spent over a decade studying Nico Robin’s knowledge, experience, and intellect..."

Just then, the back door of the carriage opened, and Nico Robin appeared before them all.

Seeing Robin, Sanji cried out excitedly: "Great, Robin! Are you okay? This time I will definitely kick them all away, and then we’ll all go back together."

Facing the enthusiastic Sanji, Robin said expressionlessly, "It seems you won't understand no matter how I explain it!"

This sudden slap in the face drew mocking laughter from both Lucci and the pigeon on his shoulder.

However, at that very moment, Usopp, who had been following Robin while wearing the Sogeking mask, suddenly made his move. He drew his massive slingshot and fired a Smoke Star at everyone in the carriage.