Chapter 117
"I must say..." In the dimly lit ground floor of the funeral hall, Logan's voice sounded muffled, "If you're uninjured, could you release me first?"
Though Robin was unharmed, the continuous rolling down the staircase left her feeling dizzy. She slowed down to regain her bearings before finally overcoming the dizziness.
Click!
Logan switched on the flashlight and lifted his head to take in some fresh air.
As Robin looked down at Logan, she realized what had occurred. However, being more mature than Nami and Vivi, she swiftly adjusted her mindset. After straightening her attire, she reached out and took the flashlight from Logan's hand, walking forward without a word.
Robin chose not to acknowledge what happened, and Logan didn't bother to bring it up either. After traversing a long way, the two arrived at an underground chamber where the Poneglyph lay.
Pausing in front of the Poneglyph, Robin turned to face Logan, "You know this is why I came here?"
Logan shrugged, "It's not hard to guess, right? You're the lone survivor from Ohara. How could a young girl of eight survive without some driving reason or ambition?"
"If it were for revenge, you wouldn't have become who you are today."
"So... you're shouldering the lifelong wish of the entire Ohara scholars."
"That is to translate all the historical texts in this world and unveil the true history of the void century from 800 years ago!"
Robin was shocked by his blunt revelation. What kind of man was he? His few words completely unveiled her secret. She felt as though she had nothing to hide in front of him.
"Am I right?" Logan calmly asked.
After a moment of silence, he waved it off, "Never mind, you don't need to confirm. I can't be wrong in my assumption."
Looking at the bewildered Robin, Logan reminded her, "It's a quarter past two in the morning, and you have 45 minutes left to translate this historical text. The guards patrolling the imperial tomb will arrive at three."
Prompted by Logan, Robin swiftly began translating. Over the years, her continued study of archaeological knowledge during her escape made her a rapid translator.
Completing the translation in just twenty minutes, Robin watched Logan yawn, signaling it was time to leave. "Are we done? Let's hurry; if discovered, it won't be good. You were invited to stay in the palace, and yet you've ventured into their forbidden tomb. Reasonable."
However, instead of leaving immediately, Robin curiously asked, "Why don't you ask about the content of this historical text?"
Logan replied casually, "Isn't it about Pluton?"
This statement startled Robin, "You know!?"
Logan confirmed, "Yes, is that surprising?"
"Can... can't you...," Robin was momentarily at a loss, then composed herself, "Don't you want to acquire Pluton?"
"Ah, come on! You're peering through the door, aren't you? Don't liken me to shortsighted folks like Crocodile!" Logan's words hinted at annoyance.
This... left Robin even more astonished. A pirate uninterested in Pluton?
"I mean, why are you still standing there in a daze? I think your flashlight is dimming. If you don't hurry, we might end up rolling down again later!" Logan emphasized the last two words.
Robin felt a bit embarrassed by the flashlight's weakening light but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she inquired, "Why don't you ask about the contents of the text?"
Logan teased, "Are you blind, Robin?"
Robin, apologetic, replied quickly, "I can't see."
"Don't fret over what just happened," Logan reminded her. "Time's ticking; let's go."
"Wait, I can't see the way!" Robin was also flustered.
Logan teased, "Do you want me to guide you?"
Using his Observation Haki, Logan found Robin and took her hand.
"Don't act so casually! Besides my parents, you're the first person to hold my hand! Don't pretend to be a gentleman!"
Despite Logan's indifferent tone, Robin's pride resurfaced. Although her Devil Fruit ability created numerous arms to attack, this was the first time someone other than her parents held her hand. That much was true.
"I said, Robin big sister, you're giving me your 28-year-old virgin hand; don't expect me to be responsible, alright?" Logan joked while leading Robin out.
"Haha!" Logan laughed, nonchalant as he guided Robin out of the tomb.
Time flew, and several days passed. The nearby Marine Base supported Smoker and allocated a sum of money.
130 million Belly was the maximum amount the Marine Base chief could mobilize without authorization. After paying the Straw Hat Pirates, the parties renewed the IOU.
"It's a struggle to even allocate money for these scoundrels!" Smoker lamented on the warship's deck. While he didn't oppose issuing IOUs now, he didn't relish being in debt.
For the past few days, Smoker had been petitioning his superiors for funds, but it seemed they were using every excuse in the book. In his view, he met all the requirements for his applications; they had indeed captured those pirates and were genuinely struggling with funds. Consequently, he found himself still indebted to the pirates. It was an unpleasant feeling.
Puff, puff, puff... His Den Den Mushi suddenly rang. The bald-faced Den Den Mushi attendant appeared on the screen.
"What is it?" Smoker asked, feeling irked.
The official tone came from the other end: "In the battle against Crocodile, you and Chief Petty Officer Tashigi displayed great prowess! The higher-ups have decided to award you both medals."
"The battle against...?" Smoker was taken aback. "Wait! We weren't the ones who captured Crocodile. Are you blind or deaf? Didn't you read the report I submitted?"
But the person on the Den Den Mushi seemed indifferent to Smoker's protests, continuing, "Additionally, both your ranks will be increase."
"Hey, hold on!" Smoker's frustration mounted. "It was the Straw Hat Pirates who defeated Crocodile and Baroque Works, not me!"
Not far from him, Marine Headquarters Captain Hina interjected coldly, "Stop wasting your efforts, Smoker! Do you really think the world will acknowledge that pirates were the ones who resolved the Alabasta crisis?"
The voice on the Den Den Mushi persisted, "Therefore, please attend the medal awarding ceremony..."
"Are you kidding me?" Smoker felt his face burn with embarrassment. A medal was an honor, but at this moment, hearing the word 'medal' made him feel ashamed. He erupted, "Hey!! Can you convey this to the higher-ups for me?"
Hina was shocked, hurriedly interjecting, "What good will it do to quarrel with superiors, Smoker? Just accept it! Accept the accolade for those pirates!!"
While Hina tried to reason with Smoker, she knew his temperament well. If she guessed right, his next words to the Den Den Mushi would probably be "Go to hell!"
The next moment, to everyone's astonishment, Smoker spoke to the Den Den Mushi, "Please convey my gratitude to the government for the promotion!"
Hina's mouth fell agape, her slender cigarette dropping to the ground. She looked at Smoker in disbelief, stuttering, "You... are you really Smoker?"
"Of course, I am!" After disconnecting the Den Den Mushi, Smoker suddenly flashed a smile.
Just as he was about to exclaim, "Go to hell," he remembered Logan's advice...
Yes! Without enough authority and status, he couldn't implement his own justice! In this situation, Smoker wanted the truth to prevail. He wanted to distinguish right from wrong, acknowledge who deserved credit, and who was at fault. This was his sense of justice. But due to his low status, he couldn't influence such matters at all. If only he were a Marine Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, or even an Admiral...
Hina remarked with doubt, "You seem different."
Smoker chuckled, "What are you thinking? Do you think I've changed?"
Hina nodded without speaking, her gaze contemplative.
But Smoker shook his head, "I haven't changed. I'm still the same. It's just... I suddenly found some sense in what a certain pirate said."
"Pirates...?" Hina squinted slightly, a particular face appearing in her mind: Logan's face.
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