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New Admiral
Listening to Robin's report, Alex's thoughts drifted to the original timeline of events. He recalled how the World Government had once used a global conscription drive to fill the vacancies left by Akainu and Aokiji.
The initiative had introduced two powerful figures: Fujitora, whose Paramecia Devil Fruit granted him the power to manipulate gravity, and Aramaki, a Logia user wielding the powers of the Woods-Woods Fruit.
Fujitora's strong sense of justice and dedication to the safety of civilians had made him a remarkable addition to the Marines. On the other hand, Aramaki's extreme approach and loyalty to Akainu's "Absolute Justice" earned him both respect and ridicule, depending on who was asked.
Alex calculated that this event was still eleven years ahead of its timeline. He couldn't be certain if the World Government's current conscription efforts would mirror the original events or if these individuals would emerge in the same manner.
While the Marine camp was of secondary concern to Alex, Fujitora's potential presence wasn't something he could ignore. The Admiral's gravity-based powers were among the most formidable abilities in the world.
If not for the urgent battle, Alex might have used Baccarat's ability to find him after getting the pure gold. But with the World Government actively initiating conscription, he realized this was an opportunity he couldn't let slip.
Turning to Robin, Alex gave his next order.
"Inform Catarina of this conscription drive. Have her collect detailed information, and instruct the Shadow Guard under her command to intervene where possible. Priority is to locate a man named Issho."
"Understood."
Her hands continued their precise massage, a skill Alex clearly appreciated. Relaxing under her touch, Alex closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh before shifting to another topic.
"By the way, what's the current status of Big Mom's treasury?"
Following the victory at Totto Land, many of the prisoners captured during the conflict had been reintegrated as combatants under Wanokuni's banner. The remnants of the Charlotte Family, now loyal to Alex, had promptly informed him of Big Mom's treasure vault—a hoard accumulated over decades of her rule.
However, knowing Big Mom's obsessive and capricious nature, Alex found little value in the supposed treasure. He considered its worth far less than the practical utility of Pudding's or Brûlée's Devil Fruit powers.
Uninterested, he had delegated the matter to her.
Robin responded, "The vault is still deeply concealed. Even with the assistance of the Mirror-Mirror Fruit, navigating to it remains a challenge."
Alex chuckled, impressed. "The Mirror-Mirror Fruit truly is a remarkable support ability when used correctly. That mirror dimension allows the user to travel across vast distances, provided they've touched a mirror. It's invaluable for ambushes, rapid redeployments, or even strategic retreats."
He mused for a moment before adding, "If Catarina were to position a mirror within Mariejois, infiltrating the so-called Holy Land—the World Government's most fortified stronghold—would be child's play."
A smirk tugged at his lips. "But if the Charlotte Family had to rely on such a powerful ability just to access the vault, then it seems Big Mom had quite the stash hidden away. I wouldn't be surprised if there's still plenty of 'oil' left to skim from that old hag's legacy."
"Conservatively, it's worth at least fifty or sixty billion berries," Robin estimated, her voice calm yet tinged with amusement.
As if recalling a fond memory, she smiled slightly and added, "Nami, who insisted on coming along at the time, completely transformed her eyes into Berries when she heard that amount."
The image of a mountain of gold and silver worth billions of berries was staggering. Though it wasn't a colossal sum for Wanokuni's current wealth, it was still a substantial amount capable of fueling significant ventures.
Alex nodded but didn't offer a comment. To him, currency was simply numbers—its true value depended on how it could be leveraged.
"Then that old hag must have also hoarded a collection of Devil Fruits," he mused.
Robin confirmed with a nod. "Indeed. There are five in total, all identified through the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. Most are Paramecia-type fruits: the Honey-Honey Fruit, Table-Table Fruit, Sugar-Sugar Fruit, Bubble-Bubble Fruit, and Jelly-Jelly Fruit."
Listening intently, Toki interjected, almost absentmindedly, "These all seem to revolve around food."
Alex couldn't help but chuckle, albeit with a touch of exasperation. "Of course they do. Charlotte Linlin was obsessed with sweets. Just look at her children—they're all tied to food-themed abilities in one way or another."
He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "I thought there might be some standout abilities among her collection, similar to Mirror-Mirror Fruit, Book-Book Fruit, or even the Memory-Memory Fruit. But clearly, I set my expectations too high."
While the Charlotte Family was known for their predominantly Paramecia abilities, Linlin's personal collection seemed driven more by greed than strategy. Alex couldn't deny that, like Kaido's forces, the Big Mom Pirates had made effective use of even seemingly mundane abilities. But such fruits often carried cumbersome limitations, making them less universally appealing.
Beyond the Devil Fruits, Robin detailed the other items in the treasury: high-quality weapons, extravagant decorations, and rare commodities from across the world. Many of these treasures were offerings from the tea parties Linlin hosted, while others were spoils from the Big Mom Pirates' pillaging.
The real jewel of the collection, however, wasn't material wealth. Robin's eyes glimmered as she mentioned it: the historical texts that Charlotte Linlin had hoarded, including a coveted red Poneglyph—the signpost to Raftel.
For Alex, the historical texts and the information they contained about Raftel or the Ancient Weapon Uranus held less personal appeal. Yet, he allowed Robin to pursue them freely, driven by her insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Counting the red Poneglyph now in their possession, Alex realized he held two of the four signposts needed to locate Raftel.
The remaining two were more elusive: one safeguarded by the Mink Tribe on Zou, and the other, once held on Fish-Man Island, now likely in the hands of Whitebeard or his allies.
'Of course,' Alex thought, 'even if it isn't, my lucky girl could probably lead me to these places—or even to Raftel itself.'
The idea was amusing, almost absurd, yet tantalizing. If luck could defy logic, perhaps it could render the painstaking process of connecting the signposts unnecessary. He wondered briefly how much luck it would take to bypass the mysteries of the Poneglyphs entirely and claim the ultimate treasure of the world.
Just as his musings began to drift, the sharp trill of a Den Den Mushi broke the moment.
Robin retrieved the snail from her robes and connected the call. A voice on the other end immediately delivered its report.
"Lady Robin, Kaido has woken up!"