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The two people in the room froze. Nami's expression turned sour, and she pushed Allen away.
"Why is this woman looking for you?"
"I... I don't know. I'll go ask. It's perfect timing—we can have dinner soon."
Taking advantage of Nami's distraction, Allen kissed her firmly on the lips before heading to the door to open it.
Robin, standing outside, was also uneasy. She'd been eavesdropping on the cabin's wall from the start, carefully listening to the sounds inside.
Once the room fell silent, she made up her mind to knock.
"What do you want?"
Allen's tone wasn't particularly polite as he opened the door and looked at Robin, who seemed a little lost.
This woman wasn't his yet, and he didn't have the best impression of her. Otherwise, there might have been a hint in the side quests.
Robin's expression stiffened, as if she hadn't expected Allen to be so blunt.
But since she was already on the ship, she adjusted her mindset quickly. In the blink of an eye, she put on a flattering smile.
"Captain Allen, we're already some distance from Alabasta. I just wanted to ask—are we leaving now?"
"Just say what you really want to say."
Allen could guess what Robin was getting at.
In her twenty years of life, the Poneglyph in Alabasta was likely the closest she'd ever gotten to the ancient texts. She was reluctant to leave without seeing it.
"I was thinking... since you've defeated Vice Admiral Garp and Crocodile is no match for you, why don't we take a look at the Poneglyph before we leave?"
"Who wants to read that thing? We're leaving!"
Before Allen could respond, Nami, now fully dressed, appeared beside him, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as she glared at Robin.
After a few seconds of silence, Robin suddenly smiled brightly.
"Miss Navigator, Crocodile has been running a casino in Rainbase for years. According to pirate rules, now that Captain Allen has defeated him, all that wealth belongs to us. I estimate there's at least several billion Berries there. What a shame to leave it behind..."
"How much? Several billion Berries?"
Nami's eyes instantly turned to Berries, and she stared at Robin like a hungry wolf.
"Yes!"
With Robin's confirmation, Nami's demeanor softened instantly. She wrapped herself around Allen like a serpent, her voice sweet and pleading.
"Allen... let's go back to Alabasta, okay? Since Miss Robin is on board, she's one of us now. We should support her dreams! Besides, we haven't gone far yet!"
Good grief, Robin's already got Nami wrapped around her finger?
"Alright, alright, we'll go. But you and Nojiko aren't allowed to leave the ship. We'll dock at an uninhabited island nearby and wait there."
Allen felt Nami's softness pressing against him and couldn't help but chuckle as he ruffled her hair.
There were plenty of uninhabited islands in the Grand Line. Once they docked, Allen's Observation Haki could easily scan the entire island for threats.
With Nami and Nojiko's current strength, ordinary pirates wouldn't be a problem. And stronger pirates wouldn't bother with such a small, uninhabited island.
"Let's go. We'll head back when a ship comes by."
Standing on the beach with Robin, Allen squinted into the distance. It didn't seem like any ships were approaching anytime soon.
"No need!"
Robin smiled confidently. Suddenly, a massive turtle emerged from the sea, wearing a cowboy hat—her mount from Alabasta.
"You brought this guy with you? You've really thought this through. Were you that sure I'd take you back?"
"Always prepare for both outcomes, Captain."
Robin was about to walk toward the turtle when Allen's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.
"It's good to be thorough, but don't use your little schemes on me. Keep that in mind next time."
Feeling Allen's fingers lingering on her exposed waist, Robin nodded uncomfortably.
In all her years on the run, Allen was the first person to make a move on her so quickly after accepting her.
What made it worse was that Allen was also the strongest person she'd ever met. She didn't even dare to think about resisting.
But... if even Vice Admiral Garp wasn't a match for him, then Aokiji, who had destroyed Ohara, probably wasn't either.
The turtle cut through the waves, its speed even faster than the sailboat. The two of them headed straight for the shores of Alabasta.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters...
Buru buru buru...
"Hello, this is Sengoku."
Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, casually picked up the ringing Den Den Mushi on his desk, a seagull perched on his head and his braided hair swaying slightly.
The next second, the Den Den Mushi's expression turned panicked.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this is Vice Admiral Garp's warship. Vice Admiral Garp has been seriously injured. We're returning to headquarters!"
Sengoku's expression froze, his eyes narrowing with concern.
"Wait, was Garp injured in a fight with that Allen?"
No one knew the "Subversive" Allen better than they did.
Aside from that man, Sengoku couldn't think of anyone in the first half of the Grand Line who could injure Garp—unless Garp had been careless.
But if it really was him...
"Sengoku."
A weak voice came through the Den Den Mushi, sending a chill down Sengoku's spine.
In all their years together, he'd only ever heard Garp's booming, energetic voice. This weak, strained tone was entirely new.
"Old man, did you really run into him...?"
"Yes, it's him. He's back. And... his body is still the same as it was in his twenties when he fought us. All his injuries have healed."
"Impossible!"
Sengoku slammed his fist on the table, barely controlling his strength.
"Garp, it's been decades. Even if he didn't die, he should be in his fifties by now. And how could he have recovered from the injuries he sustained back then? Were you careless, or does he have some strange Devil Fruit ability?"
Garp, lying on the bed, let out a bitter laugh.
"I wish that were the case. But the reality is, he's not only the same as before—he's even more cunning!"
"What do you mean?"
"When we fought him before, he'd at most trade injuries or fight recklessly. But this time, he targeted my grandson first, then attacked me! There's no honor in his fighting style anymore."
Garp's voice was filled with indignation. It was downright unethical.
Sss—
Sengoku sucked in a sharp breath.
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