NOVEL NEXT Revelations I
The interior of Robin's room presented a stark contrast to the world outside. Veyron and his companions found themselves seated somewhat snugly on her bed, while Tsuru and Gion occupied positions at the table. After serving tea, an uneasy Robin settled into a chair. Illuminating the room was a solitary, dimly lit candle.
As the young boy surveyed his surroundings, he couldn't help but notice the room's modest size, filled to the brim with books of every kind. It was evident that this woman had a deep love for reading. Surely anyone from Mock Town that barged in here intending to steal anything would think there was nothing of value here, but he knew better.
Veyron's gaze shifted towards Robin, who was also studying him. When their eyes met, she gracefully looked away.
Breaking the brief silence, Veyron stood up and stretched, capturing everyone's attention.
"Aree? It's a bit cramped in here. If only there were another place to sit..."
Robin's eyebrows twitched slightly as their eyes met again. She appeared about to offer her lap as a seat when a pair of claws gently pulled Veyron onto her lap. An ominous aura radiated from the four Boa sisters and their mother.
"Are you comfortable now, sweetie?~" cooed Primrose.
"Y-Yes, thanks..."
It wasn't that Veyron didn't want to be close to them, but he found it challenging to maintain his composure in Robin's presence, as one of the straw hats and a character he loved. He had, however, chosen to settle in Primrose's lap to avoid death by strangulation, petrification, poison and crushing.
Addressing Veyron directly, Robin initiated the conversation, her voice soft and inquisitive, "Are you Dracule Veyron? The young boy who made his debut two years ago, bearing a bounty of one billion berries."
"That's me. It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady," Veyron replied politely.
"Fufu~ You're such a sweet boy," Robin responded with a playful tone.
'He's a perverted fiend pretending to be a child!' The Boa family inwardly proclaimed, convinced that Veyron was once again using his innocent charm to captivate another woman.
'He's a criminal with severe mental health issues' Thought Tsuru and Gion.
It didn't matter where you looked there was no reputation to be seen.
After this brief exchange, Veyron cleared his throat, signalling the need to focus on more pressing matters.
"How did you know I was Dracule Veyron, Tsuru?" he inquired.
Tsuru leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. "Even if you were Dark Mantle's twin brother... it would be highly unlikely for you to possess the 4th Haki."
This revelation left everyone in the room puzzled. Conqueror's Haki was already a well-guarded secret, and its presence was rare among the population. However, they allowed Tsuru to continue, hoping to gain further insights.
"Did Garp inform you about me? Can you sense my presence?"
"Garp did inform me about you, but I can't sense your Haki. Only those with Conqueror's Haki can detect a user of the Haki of Dreamers. I used simple logic to deduce your identity. If you were truly Dark Mantle's twin brother, you should have a similar height. Your significant height difference only makes sense if you're using that power to make it up, as you did in Sabaody."
Tsuru's intricate explanation left Veyron stupefied.
'If you're so good at logic how come you didn't see through my crappy disguise!?'
"In any case, you've exposed me. What do you intend to do now?"
"Nothing of the sort. As I mentioned earlier, my objective here is not you, Dracule Veyron, or you, Nico Robin. My objective is to hunt down Peter Hornigold, a former Marine we've invested significant resources in."
With that matter clarified, Tsuru directed her attention back to Robin.
"What can you tell us about Peter Hornigold? I promise that, in exchange for this information, I will ensure your safe passage to Alabasta, free of charge. Furthermore, we will reward you with a sum of eighty million berries for your cooperation in pursuing a man with a bounty of five hundred million."
"You're showing considerable leniency toward a criminal, Tsuru," the Rear Admiral remarked, her disapproval evident. However, Tsuru sighed, knowing more than met the eye.
"We're running out of time. If we delay further, Hornigold may enter the New World, and by then, we could lose his trail. Alternatively, he might accept an offer to become a Warlord, which would be even more problematic."
"Before I provide any information, could you explain how you tracked me down?" Robin asked, her scepticism evident. While she doubted they were there to capture her, she couldn't completely dismiss the possibility of deceit.
Part of her imagined that Veyron was pursued for similar reasons as herself – being unjustly labelled as a criminal at a young age. Ever since she had seen his youthful appearance on a wanted poster, she had wanted to meet him. Comparatively, his bounty was so high that she couldn't fathom what he might have done to earn it at such a tender age. She had many questions, including the nature of the mysterious 4th Haki mentioned earlier.
As Tsuru began explaining their methods, her explanations raised more questions than answers in Robin's mind. The old woman had mentioned something about using 'soap' to track her down. Admittedly everyone in the room was a little lost.
"It's no secret that I've consumed the Wash-Wash Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants me various abilities related to cleaning and housework," Tsuru stated.
Veyron, recalling his knowledge from Rayleigh about the potential of awakened Devil Fruits, asked, "Is your Devil Fruit awakened?"
"I'm surprised you're familiar with that term, young man. Yes, my Devil Fruit is awakened, but that's not our primary concern at the moment."
"Thank you for answering. I have substantial information about Peter Hornigold. Contrary to common belief, he is not in Jaya. He set sail towards the east just three days ago and also he's from a thought-extinct tribe of dwellers of ancient Jaya, the Bilkans," Robin confirmed.
This revelation prompted sighs of frustration from the room's occupants, particularly Gion and Primrose.
"Why did he summon me to Jaya then?!" Primrose demanded, her voice laced with concern.
"It appears to be a matter of timing. I heard that he has an unhealthy obsession with you. Hornigold remained on this island for several months, waiting for your return. It's quite coincidental that you arrived here just three days after his departure," Robin explained.
"Do you know his destination?" Tsuru inquired.
"He's heading for the Knock-Up Stream. I overheard a conversation a year ago in which he sought information about you, Boa Primrose. At the time, I had no idea of your whereabouts, and no one I asked seemed to know either. It was as if you had vanished from the map. It was then that he attacked the Kuja Pirates, hoping to find you there, but you weren't."
Primrose anxiously pressed, "Do you have any information about my Vice Captain, Shawty?"
"I didn't personally see her, but Peter's crewmates mentioned a prisoner aboard their ship."
"Has he harmed her?" Primrose's voice trembled with concern.
"No, they didn't mention physical torture, but it seems she's been subjected to deprivation of food and water as a form of torture. She may already be..."
Veyron quickly intervened, not wanting to hear the grim conclusion. "Don't finish that sentence."
With a comforting hand on Primrose's shoulder, he provided solace, recognizing that she was having a difficult time coping.
"If he's heading to the Knock-Up Stream, it means he intends to reach Skypea. You mentioned he's Bilkan?" Veyron inquired to Robin.
"Yes, he hails from the Birka tribe of the White Sea" She confirmed, "This situation has grown significantly more complex. The Knock-Up Stream is unpredictable," Tsuru lamented.
"Skypea exists, Tsuru?" Gion, puzzled by the conversation, was unaware of the concept. Indeed, only Veyron and Tsuru seemed to grasp the details being discussed.
"Skypea is a long-lost secret. This island, Jaya, used to be more extensive. The Knock-Up Stream is a massive underwater geyser that activates several times a month, with enough force to propel entire islands into the sky. In essence, there is currently an island floating in the sky, and Hornigold is likely headed there."
Gion, still perplexed, inquired, "How do you possess this knowledge?"
"There are many things I know that others do not, Momousagi. Now, young man, I believe you can take action to address this situation," Tsuru concluded, returning the focus to Veyron... after all, he's the only one here who can fly.
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