"Devil's child, Nico Robin?"
In the Marine Headquarters, within the Admiral's office, Sengoku sat behind a desk stacked with paperwork. With Sora preparing to step down and pass on the title of Fleet Admiral, he had begun delegating his responsibilities to Sengoku so that the latter could get a full taste of what the job entailed.
Sengoku had just finished handling diplomatic matters related to several Grand Line nations and was reaching for some rice crackers to take a breather when an unexpected report came in—from the North Blue—regarding the Devil's child, Nico Robin.
Of course, Sengoku was familiar with Robin.
After all, she was the one Aokiji had allowed to escape. Even if Aokiji hadn't said a word about it, Sengoku had figured it out long ago. No matter how talented a little girl might be, escaping from a Buster Call was near impossible unless someone had deliberately let her go.
Aokiji's involvement was the only explanation.
Sengoku frowned slightly.
Nico Robin herself wasn't particularly important. What mattered was where she came from—O'Hara, a land that had dabbled in knowledge forbidden by the World Government. What kind of person would risk everything for a girl like that?
Foolish pirates?
Unlikely.
No ignorant pirate would knowingly antagonize the Navy over a child, especially not in a place like Strait Town. Sengoku had a firm grasp of the general categories of pirates sailing the seas.
First, there were the pure pirates—reckless and ignorant, causing havoc without any real purpose.
Second, the pirates who rose as heroes of the sea—people like Doflamingo.
Third, those with ambition and spirit—men such as Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks.
And finally, dreamers like Straw Hat Luffy.
Ignorant pirates might not fear the Navy, but they wouldn't challenge it directly over something like Nico Robin—not in such a high-profile location.
Ta-ta-ta…
Sengoku rhythmically tapped his index finger against the wooden desk.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Yes, sir."
A Marine soldier entered the room, carrying a folder. He placed it respectfully on Sengoku's desk. "Marshal, this is the most up-to-date information we've gathered regarding the group that took Nico Robin in Haixia Town, North Blue."
"Understood." Sengoku gave a brief nod. The soldier saluted and left the room.
He opened the folder.
Though labeled "intelligence," the contents were minimal. Just a few photos with names scribbled beside them.
Three, to be exact.
The first was of Erica, wearing a cloak that mostly concealed her appearance.
The second photo featured Warwick. Although he too wore a cloak, it seemed the intensity of the fight had revealed part of his face. The image clearly captured a wolf-like head under the hood and glowing red eyes full of menace.
The last photo was of Mio.
Compared to the others, Mio's image was much clearer. He stood aboard a ship with a blade hanging from his waist, his posture relaxed. He looked quite young, but Sengoku didn't care about appearances.
The sea was full of youthful prodigies.
Many would die before they reached their prime, but every sea emperor had once been a young powerhouse. The potential overlords of tomorrow were forged from those who stood out at a young age.
In the photo, Mio had a calm smile on his face. But his eyes carried a subtle chill—indifferent, observant.
Sengoku flicked the photo lightly with his index finger, a trace of irritation showing between his brows.
"I hope he's not a troublesome one," he muttered. "Judging by the crew size, it seems like another one of those 'elite team' types."
He leaned back slightly.
"But if you dare to take Nico Robin aboard your ship, then you'd best be prepared for what comes next."
His voice was calm, but his words held weight.
If the Navy weren't currently stretched thin—especially in terms of high-end combat power—Sengoku might've already dispatched a Vice Admiral to apprehend Mio. Not for Robin, but simply to gauge Mio's strength.
At Sengoku's level, instinct was everything.
And his instincts were telling him that Mio could be a significant threat.
Unfortunately, the Navy didn't have the manpower for that right now.
After a moment's pause, Sengoku reached for the Den Den Mushi.
"This is Admiral Sengoku. Connect me to the bounty department. I'll be sending over a document shortly—issue bounties based on the information inside. I'll include the numbers myself."
He ended the call and immediately made another.
"Momousagi, you're en route to the North Blue now, correct?"
"Yes, sir. We'll be shifting toward the Grand Line shortly."
"Good. Your next mission is to intercept a new pirate crew that just set sail. Your goal is to test their strength and capture them if possible. Nico Robin is among their members."
"Understood, Admiral Sengoku."
The call ended.
Sengoku exhaled and returned to the never-ending pile of paperwork.
Documents kept pouring in, keeping him firmly occupied.
…
Mio, of course, was unaware of Sengoku's growing concern or his orders to Momousagi.
If he had known, he probably would've just been curious about how high his bounty would be.
At this moment, Mio's ship was cutting through the waters of the North Blue, headed for Reverse Mountain.
There were only two ways for ships from the Four Blues to enter the Grand Line—through Reverse Mountain or across the Calm Belt.
The vast majority chose Reverse Mountain.
The Calm Belt had long been dominated by the Navy, eventually turning into a military-exclusive route.
On deck, Robin sat quietly in a corner, a book in hand. From time to time, she glanced at Mio, her curiosity evident.
Mio felt her gaze but didn't mind. He stretched out with a yawn before casually turning to her.
"Our next destination is the Grand Line. As for the Poneglyphs… I'm interested, but not obsessed. If we happen to find one, great. If not, I'll just go where I feel like going."
"Okay," Robin replied softly. She was already aboard the ship, and no matter what Mio said, she had no choice but to go along with it for now.
Her subdued attitude made Mio chuckle. He shook his head lightly.
"There are still some empty rooms below deck. Go ahead and pick whichever one you want."
He then turned away. "Erica. Let's practice Haki."
"Yes, Master." At the call of her master, Erica quickly stepped forward.
Mio picked up a black belt and tied it around his eyes.
The training for Observation Haki had officially begun.
As soon as the blindfold went on—BAM—Mio was sent flying.
Erica nervously rubbed her knuckles, stepping forward in concern. "Master, are you okay?"
"Tch…" Rubbing the side of his face where she'd punched him, Mio stood up and pouted. "Erica, try not to hit my face next time. I might need it to charm people someday."
"Understood. Shall we continue?"
And so, the strange training resumed.
From the ship, the repeated sounds of crashes and impacts echoed into the sea breeze.