Chapter 205: Robin: I Endorse Baroque Works!
The tremors in the royal tomb grew increasingly violent.
Gravel rained down from above, and cracks spread across the walls at a visible pace.
"What's happening?"
Nami's expression changed.
"An earthquake?"
King Cobra stood at the edge of the stone door, his face paler than anyone else's.
"It's... it's the mechanism I triggered."
All eyes instantly focused on him.
Vivi's eyes widened:
"Father, what did you say?"
Cobra's voice carried a hint of embarrassment:
"I thought... I thought we couldn't win."
"Crocodile is too strong, and he's targeting Pluton, targeting Alabasta. I couldn't let him leave alive... so I triggered the self-destruct mechanism of the royal tomb."
"Self-destruct mechanism?!"
Nami's voice rose an octave.
"This is a secret passed down through generations of the Nefertari family."
Cobra hung his head.
"Just by pushing a specific stone pillar, the entire royal tomb will collapse."
"I thought, since we couldn't defeat him, we'd perish together..."
Hearing this, Vivi was utterly exasperated.
She thought to herself, foolish father, open your eyes and look at the world!
Such a mechanism is completely useless against a true powerhouse!
Not to mention Crocodile is a Logia Devil Fruit User—even someone like me, who just ate the Toro Toro no Mi a few days ago, wouldn't be harmed by this kind of physical attack!
As if to confirm Vivi's thoughts, a faint sound came from the pile of rubble.
Everyone's expressions changed.
"Stop talking, run!"
Sanji was the first to react. Under Cobra's astonished gaze, he scooped up Vivi and dashed outside.
Only then did the others snap out of their daze, sprinting frantically toward the passageway.
Nami ran last. As she passed Cobra, she grabbed the king by the collar, shouting angrily as she ran:
"You can't handle things like this!
Do you know that?!
We're helping you fight the enemy, and you're activating a mechanism behind our backs to kill everyone?!
If you want to sacrifice yourself, go ahead, but why drag us into it?!"
"I'm... I'm sorry... I just lost my head for a moment!"
Cobra stumbled along, dragged unceremoniously, a king now looking utterly disheveled.
"Does 'sorry' help?!"
Nami wasn't having any of it.
"This won't be settled without billions of Berry in compensation!!"
"Nami, now's not the time for this!"
Usopp yelled without looking back.
"If we don't leave now, we'll really perish with Crocodile!"
They ran frantically all the way.
The walls on either side of the passage began to collapse, and the corridor behind them was continuously sealed by falling rocks.
Sanji carried Vivi, while Usopp's legs moved so fast they almost blurred, screaming as he ran:
"I don't want to die! I haven't become a brave warrior of the sea yet!"
Robin ran at the very back.
Her hands were locked in Seastone Handcuffs, making it difficult to run.
But just before rushing into the passage, she looked back one last time—at the Poneglyph deep within the royal tomb, and at Crocodile, buried in the rubble.
—This won't end so simply.
She had that premonition.
Then she turned and charged into the passage.
BOOM—!!
Just as everyone rushed out of the passage, the royal tomb behind them completely collapsed.
A massive shockwave, carrying dust and smoke, surged out from the exit, blowing everyone off balance and sending them sprawling onto the open ground of the palace's rear courtyard.
"Cough cough cough—"
Usopp lay on the ground coughing for a long time before lifting his dust-covered face.
"We... survived?"
"Seems so."
Chopper rolled off Zoro's back, equally covered in dust.
Everyone gradually stood up, looking back at the completely collapsed entrance to the royal tomb with lingering fear.
Then, voices came from ahead.
Everyone looked up and saw Chaka and Koza standing nearby.
Chaka quickly stepped forward, supporting Cobra:
"Your Majesty! Princess Vivi! It's wonderful that you're unharmed!"
Koza also approached, his gaze settling on Vivi with a complex expression:
"Vivi..."
"Koza..."
Vivi looked at this childhood friend she had grown up with, momentarily unsure what to say.
Chaka began reporting the battle situation:
"The spies Baroque Works planted in the Royal Army and the rebel forces have all been eliminated!
Without them stirring up trouble, the civil war would never have escalated to that extent.
Now that the truth is clear and the mastermind has been exposed, there is no longer any reason for war!"
"The war... is over?"
Cobra murmured.
"It's over!"
Chaka nodded firmly, "Your Majesty, our country has been saved!!"
Cobra's eyes instantly moistened.
Vivi also couldn't hold back tears, rushing into her father's embrace.
Seeing this scene, Usopp immediately straightened his chest and boasted:
"Hmph, of course!"
"Under the leadership of the great Captain Usopp, even Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, was utterly defeated by us, buried forever in the dust of history!"
"When did you lead?"
Nami glanced sideways at him.
"...During the siege, wasn't I the first to fire my slingshot?"
"I don't remember that!"
As everyone joked, Chaka suddenly remembered something:
"Right, the other agents of Baroque Works..."
Before he finished speaking, Bon Kurei, standing at the edge of the crowd, stiffened slightly.
A look of guilt flashed across his face.
Although he turned against them at the last moment, the fact that he had impersonated Vivi to intercept the Straw Hat Crew and impersonated the king to cause trouble for this country was true.
Just as he prepared to apologize, a voice spoke before him.
"Some of the agents who aided and abetted have already been defeated by Princess Vivi's companions—the Straw Hat Pirates."
Robin stepped forward. Though her hands were shackled with Seastone, her demeanor remained composed.
"And the other agents, upon learning of Crocodile's evil plan, refused to collude with him."
"However, we did indeed commit many acts that harmed this country under Crocodile's coercion—"
She bowed deeply.
"As one among them, I wish to represent them and offer a profound apology to Your Majesty, Princess Vivi, this country, and all its people."
From Robin's perspective, Ralph had already disclosed information about the Void Century to her.
As part of the deal, she couldn't assist in seizing control of Baroque Works, so at least she should speak up to protect these Baroque Works members!
Originally, Robin had little trust in these Baroque Works people, but now she was willing to speak for Baroque Works!
Bon Kurei was taken aback for a moment before quickly realizing what was happening and hurriedly bowed along with them:
"I feel the same way! I have also done wrong, and my conscience is deeply troubled! I'm sorry!"
Chaka and Koza furrowed their brows.
As military officers, they naturally had no favorable impression of those who had aided in inciting the civil war.
But with the king present, they could not openly express their displeasure.
Cobra and Vivi exchanged a glance.
The Nefertari family had always been known for their generosity and benevolence.
Moreover, when it came to the Poneglyph, Robin had deliberately withheld the correct information, which to some extent hindered Crocodile's evil plans—this was a fact.
Bon Clay had ultimately turned against Crocodile and joined the fight against him—this was also a fact.
How should these people be dealt with...
Just as Vivi was about to speak, the ruins of the royal tomb behind her suddenly exploded!
Boom—!!
A fierce wind, carrying yellow sand, surged from the collapsed crevices and gathered in mid-air, taking the shape of a human figure.
Crocodile!