Chiga stood in front of the Baroque Works headquarters. He was about to use spatial displacement to enter directly when, unexpectedly, the doors opened.
Standing at the entrance was Crocodile, smiling stiffly, with his cadre assembled behind him.
Chiga raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. Was this supposed to be... a welcoming party?
Crocodile did his best to make his scarred face appear amicable. He stepped forward and said,
"Admiral Purple Kirin, is a small nation like Alabasta really worth your personal visit?"
Chiga didn't respond right away. He stood with arms crossed, silently staring at Crocodile until the Shichibukai began to squirm under the pressure.
"You already know what you've done. Do I really need to spell it out?"
Though his tone was calm, Crocodile felt the weight of a death sentence in his words. There was no doubt—this Admiral knew exactly what had transpired in Alabasta.
He wasn't here to talk. He was here for judgment.
Despite that, Crocodile had no intention of fighting. He knew that if it came to combat, he and everyone here would likely vanish without a trace.
And so, Crocodile did something that stunned his subordinates—he lowered his proud head and confessed everything they'd done.
Mr 1 stared in disbelief.
' In front of this man, don't even think about resisting!'
Say what you would, Crocodile had sharp instincts. In this situation, surrendering was the smartest move.
Even Chiga didn't expect Crocodile—the same defiant man who stood tall during the Marineford War—to humble himself so quickly. It was unexpected.
Still, Chiga had no intention of letting him off easily. He walked to the far end of the hall, sat down in a chair, and crossed his legs.
He placed his hand on the table and felt warmth—Robin had been sitting there just moments before. She blushed slightly as his fingers brushed the spot.
Chiga gave her a quick glance. She looked younger than she had in the original timeline, but her grace and intellect remained unchanged.
Unlike the spirited Nami, Robin gave off a more serene, maternal aura. She was the calm within the storm, poised and intelligent.
Robin noticed Chiga's glance, and her heart tensed.
She still carried the infamous identity of the "Child of the Devil." If Admiral Purple Kirin knew, would he truly allow her to leave?
She doubted he'd show her the same mercy Aokiji once did.
Fortunately, Chiga looked away and turned his gaze back to Crocodile.
"So, are you sure you've told me everything?"
Crocodile had given a thorough explanation, but he conveniently left out any mention of Pluton.
Chiga planned to use that to pressure him further.
Crocodile hesitated, unsure if the Admiral was bluffing or genuinely knew more.
Seeing Crocodile's silence, Chiga said nothing further. He stood and approached Robin.
Under her fearful gaze, he lifted a finger and gently hooked her chin.
He studied her face for a moment before speaking softly,
"I didn't expect the 'Child of the Devil'—wanted by the World Government—to be sitting here as the Vice-President of Baroque Works. What do you have to say about that?"
His words hit like thunder. Crocodile went cold. He hadn't expected Chiga to know that much about Robin.
If her identity was exposed, his status as a Shichibukai might be in jeopardy.
As tension mounted, strands of sand coiled beneath Crocodile's feet—ready to attack.
Chiga, however, acted as if he hadn't noticed. He kept his focus on Robin, curious to see her reaction.
Robin was drenched in cold sweat. Looking into Chiga's eyes, she felt despair rise.
"So this is the end…"
Two tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't fear death, only that she'd failed to fulfill her mother's wish—to uncover the true history.
Seeing her tears, Chiga withdrew his hand.
He had only intended to frighten her, like Aokiji once had. He didn't expect to break her .
He sighed. Was his face really that scary? Aokiji could scare her and still walk away looking cool—but him?
Pushing aside his frustration, Chiga reached out again and wiped the tears from Robin's face.
"Alright, that's enough. I have no interest in capturing you."
Robin blinked in confusion, frozen as Chiga's fingers lightly brushed her cheek.
She couldn't believe it. A Marine Admiral was letting her go?
She knew how important she was. Anyone who captured her would earn immense favor with the World Government.
Chiga shrugged, hands open.
"I just don't want those fools in the World Government to feel satisfied. Believe it or not."
The room went dead silent.
Had they just heard that correctly?
A Navy Admiral, speaking openly against the World Government? With complete indifference?
Was he planning to kill them all just to silence them afterward!?
Robin's eyes widened. She started to question whether this young man in front of her was truly the fearsome Admiral Purple Kirin.
Chiga ignored the stares and turned his gaze on Crocodile.
Just a glance from his Rinnegan—even just from the corner of his eye—was enough to kill any thought of resistance.
Crocodile immediately stood down.
Chiga's gaze swept across the room. Everyone lowered their heads. None dared meet his eyes.
He was considering how to deal with the situation when a lazy voice called from the doorway:
"Oh my, Chiga, you're really fast!"
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