After the quiz concluded, the giant screen returned to a scene that would shake the world.
"Robin! Say you want to live!"
Luffy's voice thundered across the bridge of justice, his eyes blazing with determination.
Nico Robin, who was being restrained and dragged away, trembled as she heard his voice. Her heart, long closed and scarred by betrayal, thudded painfully.
Since the destruction of her hometown Ohara when she was only eight, Robin had been on the run—living in the shadows, betrayed time and time again, relying only on herself. She'd never dared to hope for salvation, let alone trust.
Watching from Whiskey Peak, the present-day Robin stared at the scene playing on the giant screen in stunned silence.
"Is that… me? Being saved?" she whispered.
Could it be a trap? A Navy conspiracy? Or… did someone really want to save her?
She wasn't sure—but one thing was undeniable: the image on the screen was her. It was her future.
"Nico Robin... a woman who should have died long ago."
Sakazuki (Akainu) growled, arms crossed, his gaze sharp and cold.
As one of the key executioners during the Buster Call on Ohara, he still remembered the chaos. Despite their total annihilation of the island, the girl—Nico Robin—had vanished, slipping through the net like a ghost.
Even now, he couldn't fathom how an eight-year-old escaped him.
All over the world, the scene provoked intense discussion.
"Look! It's Nico Robin—the Devil's Child!"
"She's been captured in the future?"
"Good! Dangerous people like her must be caught or the world will fall into chaos!"
From kings of allied nations to civilians watching in awe, the name Nico Robin struck terror and relief in equal measure. Her infamous title had long echoed through the seas—The Devil's Child, the Survivor of Ohara.
And yet now, someone was trying to save her?
The Navy, more than anyone, watched with clenched fists. Robin was not just another pirate—she carried the terrifying knowledge of Ohara. The only surviving scholar capable of reading the Poneglyphs.
If she truly escaped… the consequences would be disastrous.
Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku stared at the screen, his face tense.
"Would they really dare rescue her? These unknown rookies?"
"The more I want to stay by your side… the more I'll bring ruin to you," Robin's voice rang out from the screen, trembling with sorrow.
"No matter how far I run, enemies pursue me endlessly. My enemy… is the world itself. You'll just come to see me as a burden, so I don't want to be saved."
Tears glistened in her eyes.
"So that's how it is…"
Zoro's calm voice replied, taking in the truth.
"Hahaha! Do you know what massive organization has been hunting this woman for twenty years?"
Spandam's twisted voice echoed from the bridge, filled with sickening pride.
He pointed to the giant flag waving over Enies Lobby.
"That's right—her enemy is the Navy! The World Government!"
"So that's it… Robin's enemy is the government itself," Luffy said, his expression unreadable.
He clenched his fists and looked toward the symbol of justice—the Navy flag.
"Sniper King! Blow that flag away!"
"Yes, sir!" Usopp—Sniper King—nodded.
"Special Attack: Firebird Star!"
The shot flew true.
The Navy flag, symbol of world authority, was obliterated in front of thousands.
Shock rippled across Judicial Island. Even seasoned Marine officers flinched.
"Robin! Say it!"
"Say that you want to live!" Luffy screamed again, louder, clearer, cutting through the chaos.
The tears Robin held back for decades finally burst forth. Her voice cracked, yet carried across the bridge:
"Everyone... I want to live!! Take me with you… to the sea!!"
That cry—it wasn't just a declaration. It was the collapse of walls built over a lifetime of fear, pain, and loneliness.
For the first time in years, Nico Robin asked to be saved. To live.
The Straw Hats—all of them—grinned through the screen.
Their blades, fists, and hearts were now one.
They would not let the world have her.
The vision faded.
Silence followed.
For many watching, it was like waking from a dream they never knew they had. That such a small, unknown crew could defy the World Government—to save one person?
It was both terrifying and beautiful.
Even Vice Admiral Garp, who rarely showed worry, looked grim.
"This damn brat… does he understand what kind of fire he's playing with?"
Far away, in Whiskey Peak—Nico Robin could no longer hold back her emotions. Her tears flowed freely.
She'd never truly believed in destiny. But now… she saw it on the screen.
A crew that would become her family. A future where she wasn't alone.
[Luffy: @Robin, please reply! Nico Robin, you're our partner! Will you join us?]
On the giant screen, just as the Straw Hats reached Arlong Park, a response appeared.
[Nico Robin: @Luffy, I do. Arigato.]
It was simple. It was sincere.
And it sealed a bond that would shake the world.
"I can't believe it… we're going to partner with the Devil's Child?"
Usopp scratched his head, dumbfounded.
[Navy Fleet Admiral Sengoku: Issue an immediate wanted notice. Straw Hat Luffy and crew—100 million Berries! They're to be hunted without delay!]
For Sengoku, it was clear.
If Robin escaped under their wing—if she lived and thrived—the age of balance would be broken.
They could not allow it.
The bounty was just the beginning.