Fortunately, Hikaru didn't feel tired. In fact, he enjoyed it—it made him happy.
...
In the royal tomb's funeral hall, located west of the palace, Hikaru and Robin discovered the second Poneglyph.
Earlier, using his Observation Haki, Hikaru had already located another Poneglyph and shown it to Robin.
Robin read the inscriptions with a blank expression, but inside, her emotions were in turmoil.
"How could this be..."
This Poneglyph recorded the location of the ancient weapon, Pluton—not the history she desperately sought.
"Don't worry, Robin." Hikaru raised the image in his hand.
"I already took a picture of the inscription. You can take your time reading it later."
Robin turned to him, curiosity in her eyes. "Aren't you even the slightest bit interested in what it says?"
"I'm not an archaeologist like you," Hikaru replied with a faint smile, waving his hand dismissively.
"History is written by the victors. What's recorded here is just the remnants of the losers. It doesn't interest me."
"You're free to share whatever you want. If you don't, that's fine too. Either way, from the beginning, my focus has always been on you, not these trivial things."
Robin was taken aback. She didn't understand—Hikaru had no shortage of women, so why had he set his sights on her? Was she really that captivating to him?
She pondered for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.
"That's only because you don't know what's written here. If you did, I doubt you'd be so indifferent."
"Oh? No need to keep me in suspense. If you're testing me, just give me a few key details."
Of course, Hikaru already knew what the Poneglyph contained. He was merely playing along to further win Robin over.
Robin's expression turned serious as she studied him closely, searching for any reaction.
"It records... the location of the ancient weapon—Pluton."
The moment she said it, Hikaru let out a sneer.
"That's it?"
"You're really not interested?" Robin was surprised to see that he wasn't faking his indifference.
"According to legend, Pluton's power can wipe out an entire island with a single shot. Crocodile spent years plotting and scheming just to obtain it."
"Legends tend to exaggerate. If Pluton's power is that underwhelming, then the actual weapon is probably nothing special either," Hikaru scoffed.
"With my strength, I could do the same thing effortlessly. Do you really think I need to chase after Pluton's power?"
Of course, he was bluffing. Pluton had never been seen, and he had no idea of its true capabilities. But if the opportunity arose, he wouldn't hesitate to claim it for himself. He already knew both its location and the existence of its blueprints—retrieving it would be a simple matter when the time came.
Robin was momentarily stunned before remembering—this man possessed the Thunder-Thunder Fruit, and the way he had developed his abilities was terrifying. Every time she saw him in action, she couldn't help but be amazed.
With her knowledge, she couldn't accurately compare his mastery to that of Aokiji or Akainu, but to her, they were all top-tier combatants.
"Now that you're done reading, let's go. It's time for you to fulfill your duties as my divine consort."
Seeing that she had finished examining the Poneglyph, Hikaru made the suggestion as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Robin's body tensed. She had thought he might kill her because of Pluton...
Yet, not only did he show no interest in the ancient weapon, but he also seemed far more concerned with getting her to return with him.
There was no escape, was there?
Robin smiled bitterly. For years, she had skillfully evaded the relentless pursuit of the World Government.
She had never been with anyone before, believing her fate would always be one of solitude.
But then, she met a man like Hikaru—ruthless, overbearing, and completely unrestrained. He had claimed her as his consort the moment they met, leaving her no room to refuse.
She had teased Vivi and Perona about romance before, but when it was her turn, she still felt nervous and embarrassed.
Did she resent him for it? She wasn't sure. Hikaru was domineering, but never forceful. Despite everything, he had always treated her with respect.
Hikaru had only extended his so-called "evil hand" after letting Robin read a few Poneglyphs. In her view, he was actually quite restrained.
There was no escaping now. Even if she wanted to, where would she go?
With no other choice, Robin could only accept Hikaru's arrangement and become his consort.
"What's this? After spending so many days together, you're still not ready?"
Robin snapped out of her thoughts, her expression complicated as she responded:
"I'm ready... I just got a little emotional for a moment."
"That's good~"
...
Hikaru finally got to spend time with one of One Piece's most captivating heroines—just as he had wished. If he were to comment on the experience, he could only say:
This was far better than sitting on the throne of Skypiea and issuing orders all day~
Robin now fully understood why Hikaru had gone to such lengths to make her his consort. She also understood his sense of urgency.
...
The next morning, Hikaru yawned as he ate breakfast, mentally assessing his Armament Haki.
Previously, he could only coat his hands. Now, he could extend it up to his arms.
Not only that, but his stomach felt like it had expanded to the size of a cow's, and his body's digestion had improved significantly.
While he still couldn't compare to Luffy's monstrous appetite, his own had undoubtedly reached the level of a true powerhouse.
...
East Blue, Loguetown – Marine Branch
"What!?"
Smoker's face turned red with fury as he slammed the three cigars from his mouth onto the table, his voice booming with rage.
"What the hell are those high-ranking officers thinking?! Tina was abducted, and instead of doing something about it, they're actually considering recruiting her into the Seven Warlords of the Sea?!"
Smoker had disobeyed orders countless times without being discharged. Part of it was thanks to his strength as a Logia user of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. The other part was his deep connections within the Marines.
"Colonel Smoker, please calm down! Anger won't solve anything. What we need right now is to focus on finding Colonel Tina's whereabouts!"
Taking a deep breath, Smoker forced himself to regain his composure. In the end, he could only issue his next command with frustration:
"Jem, you're right. Have the men keep their ears open for any news. The moment we get any word on Tina, inform me immediately!"
Unfortunately, by the time he saw Tina again, it was already too late.
The once-renowned beauty of the Marine Academy had already become Hikaru's treasured woman—cherished and cared for in a way no one had expected.
And it didn't stop there. Even his clumsy but endearing subordinate, Tashigi, had caught Hikaru's eye.
Before long... she too would be taken from his side.
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