"Stil…A hot air balloon?"
Li Ke looked at Nico Robin with a healthy dose of skepticism. In his memory, the technological landscape of the One Piece world was a mess of jarring contradictions. On one end of the spectrum, you had Vegapunk engineering cyborgs, artificial humans, and biological weapons that defied the laws of nature. On the other end, the common folk struggled along without so much as a tractor, and many islands didn't even have basic chemical fertilizers, living in a state of perpetual medieval stagnation.
It was an absurd disparity, though Li Ke supposed Earth had its own versions of that particular brand of nonsense.
Still, even in a world of cyborgs and snails that doubled as telephones, he found himself doubting the feasibility of their current plan. Hot air balloons? He didn't recall those being a standard mode of transport here.
"That's right—a hot air balloon," Nico Robin confirmed, ticking off points on her fingers as she looked at Li Ke. "From the Grand Line, you can't simply sail to the other four seas. Between the Sea Kings and the Calm Belt, the traditional routes are suicide. The Calm Belt isn't just windless; it's infested with an unthinkable number of colossal Sea Kings. To cross safely, you either have to use the World Government's specialized routes or risk a crawl through the nesting grounds. Unfortunately, neither of those is an option for us."
She gestured toward the horizon. "Our only choice is to seek out black-market brokers who handle routes through the Calm Belt, or better yet, hitch a ride on a merchant airship. However, we aren't familiar with the current patrols, and the Marines have strict jurisdiction over the skies. A hot air balloon is simply the most discreet and safest way to slip through."
As she spoke, Robin began to maneuver the vessel. Watching her sprout extra arms to expertly handle the rigging and the helm simultaneously, Li Ke suddenly remembered something important.
"Speaking of which, aren't you currently part of a certain organization? Is it really okay for you to just up and leave like this?"
If he remembered correctly, Robin should currently be an operative for Baroque Works, working under Crocodile—Sir Crocodile, the "Desert King." While Li Ke wasn't entirely sure how Crocodile's strength measured up without a mastery of Haki, he had a nagging suspicion he couldn't beat the man in a straight fight just yet.
"It's fine," Robin replied, her tone breezy. "If anyone asks, I'll just say I'm investigating a lead related to the boss's mission. A few status reports here and there will keep them satisfied."
Her attitude was remarkably relaxed, so Li Ke took her at her word. In truth, he didn't care much about what happened to Baroque Works or Robin's standing within it.
As the ship gained speed, Robin glanced over at Li Ke, who was preoccupied with his phone. She couldn't help but ask, "I have to wonder, Li Ke... why are you doing it this way?"
"Doing what?"
"Most men in your position would have gained much more by lying. You could have told me the power I brought back was a curse, or promised to resurrect my mother permanently to manipulate me. You could have used this entire situation to 'capture' my heart. Why choose such a blunt, transactional approach?"
She was genuinely curious. She had already pegged Li Ke as a "good man" in his own strange way, but she didn't understand why he chose such an awkward, honest method of interaction.
"Because of responsibility," Li Ke answered, not even bothering to look up from his screen.
"With my current strength, I'm not worthy of taking on 'responsibility' yet."
He was certain of that much. His goals had always been crystal clear: enjoy beautiful women, get stronger, extend his lifespan, and reach a point where he couldn't be easily killed.
Anything beyond that was off the table for now. He was willing to fulfill the duties of a provider—to support a home or raise children—but to promise eternal, singular companionship to one woman? He simply couldn't do it.
There were just too many beautiful women in the multiverse to stop at one.
"The main thing is, this way is better for everyone. The people I cross paths with don't end up heartbroken or nursing grudges. I don't like being the reason someone cries. It's a simple reason, really. It's because..."
Li Ke paused, a memory of his life back on Earth flickering through his mind.
"...Because I've been the one left hurting and miserable because of someone else's mistakes. I know how that feels, Robin. So, while I've embraced my own desires, I refuse to force them on anyone. Tricking someone with fake emotions is a low-life move. In my book, anyone who talks about 'feelings' but refuses to discuss mutual benefit and equality is just as despicable."
Robin began to grasp exactly what kind of man she was dealing with.
"So, you use this method? A way of acting that ensures people won't fall for you?"
Li Ke nodded firmly. "Lies eventually get exposed. When you're staring down death or a real crisis, a lie can't save you."
He spread his hands. Back in his old society, he'd told so many lies he'd lost count. He'd told his parents he was doing great and staying healthy, yet he was in such poor shape he couldn't even keep up with a high school girl like Erina. He'd realized that no matter how many times he lied about going to the gym, his body didn't get any stronger. Lies never produce real results.
"You really are a twisted one, aren't you?" Robin noted. "You don't seem to believe in emotions much at all."
"I don't," Li Ke admitted. He felt he could be honest with this woman; she had walked through the darkest corners of the world and seen it all. "Feelings are the most enduring things in the world, yet also the most fleeting. In the world I came from, I saw far too many examples of them failing. I still believe love exists, but I don't believe I'll ever find an eternal one, nor do I think I'd ever give up everything for a single person. That's why I choose to tie people to me through profit and shared interests."
"I see... it sounds like you've witnessed quite a lot of tragic endings," Robin said, nodding slowly.
"People change," Li Ke continued. "Maybe one day I'll find that one person I'd drop everything for, but clearly, that's not me right now."
He then gave Robin a casual thumbs-up.
"I love all beautiful women. Even if she isn't my wife, as long as she isn't my enemy, I'll treat her with respect. Beautiful women tend to have beautiful daughters, and that's enough for me. I can even wait for their husbands to meet an 'accidental' end. As long as they're willing to sleep with me and bear my children, I'm happy to provide for the mother and daughter for life—they'll live in luxury."
Robin was left speechless. She didn't think Li Ke was the type to go out and murder a husband just to steal his wife, but the way he so openly admitted to "scavenging" for widows and daughters after the fact was...
Well, it was certainly an honest level of depravity.
From a cold, practical standpoint, a widowed mother and daughter left without protection in this brutal world might actually find it a stroke of luck to meet someone like Li Ke—someone willing to shoulder the responsibilities of a husband, even with strings attached.
In the end, survival is the only currency that truly matters.
"…You're surprisingly candid about this," Robin said, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "But acting this way, isn't it hard for anyone to truly love you?"
"That's because my harem is going to include villains," Li Ke replied, his voice brimming with righteous confidence. "I have a particular weakness for women who walk in the gray—people like you, Robin. Do you really think 'true love' is what they're looking for?"
He had it all planned out. If he traveled to worlds with female antagonists, he wasn't about to let them die off easily. Keeping them as "captives" in a basement sounded like a much better use of resources. It would allow him to indulge in certain... darker fantasies without a shred of guilt.
Sweet, innocent girls deserved to be treated with gentleness and care. But "bad girls"? They required a completely different set of rules.
"I see... different strokes for different folks?" Robin nodded slowly. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she studied him. "Then what about me? If you were interested in keeping me by your side, how would you handle it?"
She was genuinely curious. If Li Ke wanted to bind her to him, what would be his opening move?
"Security and mutual benefit," Li Ke answered without a moment of hesitation.
His instincts told him that with someone like Robin, blunt honesty was the most effective approach. For a person who had spent a lifetime surviving betrayal, empty sentimentality would hold no value. Only tangible results and a clear understanding of each other's positions could provide any sense of stability.
"I can see the 'benefit' part of the equation," Robin said, crossing her legs as she watched him with an intrigued expression. "But how do you intend to provide security?"
"As long as I'm here, the World Government's reach stops at my shadow," Li Ke said, his voice dropping into a tone of absolute, unwavering certainty. "I have the means to keep you safe, Robin. And even if the worst happens, I can pull you back from the brink of the afterlife itself."
For a fleeting second, the air in the room softened. Robin looked at him, her guard momentarily lowered by the weight of a promise she hadn't heard since the fires of Ohara. She almost allowed herself to believe he was speaking from the heart—until he continued.
"Trust me," Li Ke added, flashing a bright, predatory grin. "Even if it's just for the sake of your ass, I'd bring you back to life every single time!"
He punctuated the statement with a confident, enthusiastic thumbs-up, looking like the world's most reliable hero—if heroes were motivated entirely by their lower halves.
The silence that followed was heavy enough to sink a battleship. Robin stared at him, her expression shifting from budding hope to a look of profound, soul-deep exhaustion.
"Mr. Li Ke," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and budding homicidal intent. "You truly are a hopeless piece of work."
Li Ke didn't even blink. He just kept that confident thumb raised, basking in the glow of his own "principled" honesty.