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Nico Robin's sharp mind didn't miss how Giyu Tomioka transformed into water and entered Vivi's body. She sensed that Vivi's training with Tomioka went beyond mere combat practice. After all, wielding Sode no Shirayuki for just a moment hardly taught much.
Ikki smiled at Robin but avoided answering her question. Instead, he opened Vivi's status panel:
[Name: Nefeltari Vivi]
[Age: 16 years old]
[Weapon: Sode no Shirayuki]
[Life Force: 1566]
[Sword Realm: Iron Cutting Realm]
[Sword Style: Water Breathing (Giyu Tomioka)]
[Special ability: none]
'Tomioka's Water Breathing differs slightly from Nojiko's,' Ikki thought to himself. 'Now we have two Water Breathing users aboard the ship. I hope my next partner can learn other breathing styles.'
Ikki sighed, closed Vivi's status panel, and looked up as Vivi ran toward him with a happy expression.
"Thank you, Vivi," he said. "That's all for today's training. You can practice on your own now."
"I'm going to wash off my sweat first. I haven't had time after working out—"
Ring, ring, ring!
Before Ikki could finish, a Den Den Mushi rang in the Sword Room.
Ikki and Vivi followed the sound and turned to look at Nico Robin.
Robin retrieved a small Den Den Mushi from her chest, looking somewhat helpless.
"Is that Crocodile, Miss Robin?" Ikki asked with a smile.
"Yes, it is." Robin answered before falling silent.
Ikki said nothing but guided Vivi to the side, curious to see what Robin would decide to do.
After a moment, Robin's eyes revealed her decision, and she picked up the Den Den Mushi.
"You're too slow, Miss All Sunday!" As soon as the connection established, a strange, impatient voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Sorry, Mr. 0, I had some matters to attend to," Robin replied, glancing at Ikki and Vivi standing nearby. "Do you have a new assignment for me?"
"It's not a new assignment, but the one I gave you previously. Miss All Sunday, I want to know if Miss Wednesday and Mr. 8 have been eliminated. I received information that Alabasta's princess is a childhood friend of Koza. If that woman returns to Alabasta alive, it could jeopardize my plan. I don't know who took her away, but I don't want to hear about her returning to Alabasta."
"So Princess Vivi is the childhood friend of the rebel leader," Robin responded carefully. "If she returns safely, it will indeed affect your plan. But don't worry. I just dealt with Vivi and her guards."
Ikki couldn't help but smile when he heard Robin's words. Clearly, he was pleased with Robin's choice.
"Did you kill that woman?" Crocodile demanded.
"Yes, thanks to Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas. The group protecting Princess Vivi is quite skilled. It's understandable that the Unlucky Duo and those at Whiskey Peak were defeated. If we hadn't located Vivi and her group first, Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas would have been defeated, and I might not have been able to overcome that group easily. But Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas were killed. Mr. 0, do you want me to retrieve their bodies?"
"I see, no wonder I couldn't reach those two just now. No need to bring back their bodies. Return quickly, Miss All Sunday. I don't want to delay the Utopia Plan for even a minute."
After saying this, Crocodile hung up.
He trusted Robin's assassination skills. With Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas drawing attention, she could indeed eliminate powerful opponents. Crocodile didn't suspect Robin might be deceiving him.
"Nico Robin, what does this mean?" Vivi asked with a frown after Robin ended the call.
"You can call it a career change," Robin said, tossing the Den Den Mushi to Ikki. "I must say, Captain Ikki, you've made a compelling case. Though I don't know your true strength, from what you've demonstrated, you could defeat Crocodile. My safety is in your hands now, Captain Ikki. And you promised to show me Poneglyphs, which Crocodile also promised, so switching to your side, Captain Ikki, is my only option. I just hope you'll keep your word about the Poneglyphs."
Hearing this, Ikki discarded the Den Den Mushi and smiled more broadly.
"So you gave me this Den Den Mushi to reassure me you won't communicate with Crocodile behind our backs, right, Nico Robin?"
"Yes, that's the idea. If Captain Ikki still feels unsafe, he can check if I have other Den Den Mushi on me." Robin extended her hands and approached Ikki.
Ikki raised his eyebrows and glanced at Robin's chest. He thought if he really wanted to search thoroughly, a woman's chest warranted the most attention.
"Captain Ikki, are you interested in my body?" Robin asked with a smile, noticing where Ikki was looking.
"Hmph, our Captain Ikki isn't that kind of person!" Vivi began defending Ikki.
But then she recalled seeing Ikki, Nojiko, and Nami in the gym, and what Nami and Nojiko had said about Ikki. She remembered how Ikki had openly admired Nami and the others. Vivi's voice trailed off.
The perceptive Robin noticed Vivi's changing expression, and her smile widened.
"Ahem, no need to check," Ikki said. "But I will use Observation Haki to monitor your every move, Nico Robin. I hope you'll cooperate with us honestly and not do anything detrimental to either of us."
Ikki patted Robin on the shoulder and was about to leave for the gym's bath.
"Observation Haki, so it's this legendary ability," Robin sighed, now more convinced that Ikki was superior to Crocodile.
After years at sea, she had heard about Observation Haki. But she had only heard rumors and had never encountered anyone who possessed it.
"But I'd better stay with Captain Ikki. If Princess Vivi remains with me, I'm concerned she might attack me. After all, I'm quite vulnerable on your ship. By staying with you, Captain Ikki, I'll be safer and avoid complications. Captain Ikki, you were heading to the bath, right. After being inside that manta ray, my body feels sticky, so I'd like to clean up too."
Robin said, keeping pace with Ikki.
"Really? That's fine," Ikki replied, glancing at Robin.
Vivi looked at her sword, then at Robin and Ikki walking away. Uneasy about leaving Ikki and Robin alone, she quickly caught up with them.
A few minutes later...
Next to the gym.
"There is conflict in Alabasta now. A Warlord as powerful as Crocodile instigated this fighting, and it's impossible for them to stop it with just their strength. Captain Ikki, you are Alabasta's only hope. After you save Alabasta, you'll be the kingdom's hero. Since you're Princess Vivi's partner, I believe the king will grant you access to the hidden Poneglyphs in Alabasta."
In the Explorer's bath, Robin sat on the edge wearing a bathrobe, her legs dangling in the warm water as she spoke.
Finding the water temperature perfect, Robin pushed off and slid into the water.
"Ahh...this is truly wonderful, you have it good, Captain Ikki. Having a hot spring bath built in the gym. And this water, as you mentioned, doesn't weaken Devil Fruit users."
Robin cupped some warm water in her hands and poured it over her face, sighing contentedly.
Across from her, Vivi, also wrapped in a bathrobe, had a flushed face and watched Robin sitting beside Ikki with vigilant eyes.
Though Vivi felt embarrassed about sharing a bath with Ikki, she couldn't allow Robin and Ikki to be alone.