"This is truly astonishing..."
Robin stepped forward slowly, gently running her fingers over the intricate ancient script engraved on the massive Poneglyph.
"So this is the hidden secret of this nation..."
"Your Majesty Cobra, what do you think this Poneglyph records?"
"The four-thousand-year history of Alabasta? Or an ancient weapon?"
Wright glanced at the solemn-faced Cobra, who responded with a bitter smile.
"I... truly have no idea. But since ancient weapons exist, there must be some record of them, right? What do you think?"
"Haha... Alabasta has such a long history, and it is said that there was even an ancient calendar system called the 'Age of Heaven'... Maybe it records history?"
Wright shrugged. "It could very well contain information about an ancient weapon... but considering it was built by the craftsmen of Water 7, the real clues should be there."
"That does seem logical..."
Cobra stroked his beard thoughtfully. "So, the legend of Alabasta's ancient weapon, could it really be..."
"Vice Admiral Wright, Your Majesty Cobra."
As the two conversed, Nico Robin spoke up.
"Oh? You've already deciphered it? That was quick!"
Wright and Cobra turned to Robin. "So? What does this Poneglyph say?"
Robin turned to face them, her expression more serious than ever.
"I have been searching for the true Poneglyph—the one that records real history... but after seventeen years, Alabasta was my last hope. And yet..."
She looked at Wright deeply. "This is still not the one I seek. I have no more leads."
"Living like this... I'm tired of it. I just want to know history, yet my dream has too many enemies standing in the way..."
Wright and Cobra fell silent. Robin sighed.
"Vice Admiral Wright, since coming here, I never intended to hide this from you."
"This Poneglyph records... the location of the ancient weapon, 'Pluton'!"
The moment Robin uttered that fateful name, the room fell into a silence so deep that even a pin drop would have echoed.
"So... it really is..."
After a long pause, Cobra exhaled softly. "A Poneglyph... actually recording something like this. Just what happened eight hundred years ago..."
Wright pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh. "It really is 'Pluton'..."
In the original story, whether Robin truly obtained information about Pluton remained a mystery.
The blueprints for the 'Pluton' in Water 7—revealed by Franky—were created solely to counteract the original weapon!
Which meant that 'Pluton' could truly exist, surviving the past eight hundred years, waiting to be awakened once more!
"This is far too dangerous... It must be destroyed!"
"The World Government must never get even the slightest hint of this!"
Robin and Cobra stared at Wright in shock. Given their impression of him...
At most, Vice Admiral Wright would have chosen to conceal this information. But now, he wanted to destroy it entirely!
"Where is it?"
"Wait!"
Cobra raised his hand to stop him. "Vice Admiral Wright, let me step outside first—"
"No!"
Wright stopped Cobra. "You have the right to know. It's just a location, after all. And if it's you, I trust you."
"..."
Cobra and Robin remained silent. After a brief pause, Cobra nodded firmly. "Thank you for your trust."
Wright turned to Robin, who gave a slight smile.
"'Pluton' is not in Alabasta..."
"It is hidden on 'Skypiea'—ten thousand meters above the sea, on the Sky Island known as Birka!"
"Sky Island?!"
Cobra murmured in disbelief. "That place... really exists? I thought it was just a legend!"
"..."
The moment Wright heard the name 'Birka,' he froze. "That place..."
There were two locations known as 'Birka.'
One was Sky Island Birka—the birthplace of 'God' Enel!
The other was the ancient lunar city—Birka!
"I see now..."
A flash of realization struck Wright like a bolt of lightning, connecting countless loose threads in his mind.
But...
"If it's Birka, then maybe we don't have to worry after all..."
Wright let out a smile. "If I remember correctly, Sky Island Birka... has already been destroyed."
"?!"
Robin and Cobra were utterly stunned by this revelation.
"Destroyed?! How?!"
When Luffy and his crew arrived in Skypiea, it had already been six years since Enel annihilated his homeland, Birka.
Which meant that, at this point in time, Enel had been in Skypiea's 'Upper Yard'—formerly part of Jaya—for around three years.
In other words, Sky Island Birka had already been destroyed for three years!
Wait... Enel... and the Ark 'Maxim'!
Why did Enel insist on destroying his homeland 'Birka'?!
"Vice Admiral Wright, what exactly..."
Seeing Wright's fluctuating expression, Cobra and Robin tensed.
"Sky Island Birka was indeed destroyed about three years ago..."
Wright looked at Robin and Cobra. "Which means that 'Pluton' should have been destroyed along with it."
"However, the one who destroyed Birka may know something... I need to confirm it!"
"Hah... So in the end, all of Crocodile's efforts over the past decade, even if he had succeeded, would have been for nothing?"
Cobra sighed in relief. He had no reason to doubt Wright's intelligence regarding Birka's destruction—after all, if such an event occurred, Wright would certainly be one of the first to know.
"..."
Robin slowly exhaled. If 'Pluton' had already been destroyed, then even if others possessed additional clues, they would pose no immediate threat to the world.
For the first time in a long while, she felt temporarily freed from the burden of reviving an ancient weapon.
"I need to go to another Sky Island. As for Crocodile, Rear Admiral Smoker will take care of him."
After whispering a few words to Cobra, the latter pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Wright then walked up to Robin and spoke softly:
"Nico Robin, thank you for your trust. If you have nowhere else to go, I suggest you stay in Alabasta for a while."
"?"
Robin looked at the Vice Admiral in confusion. "Do you need my help dealing with the remnants of Baroque Works?"
"That's part of it. Baroque Works has an extensive network, and as its de facto leader, you know it even better than Crocodile."
"If its remnants aren't properly handled, they could pose a great threat—something I cannot allow."
"I will leave Hina here to assist you in rooting them out. This is also for your future."
"My future..."
Robin murmured, lost in thought. "Do I even have a future?"
"Of course. The future will come, no matter what. Every choice you make now will determine it."
"Additionally, Cobra and I have discussed something. We'd like you to become Princess Vivi's tutor."
Robin had just managed to steady her thoughts when Wright's next words sent her mind into turmoil once more.
She looked at Wright. His expression was serious—this was no joke.
Then she turned to Cobra. The King of Alabasta gave her a slight nod.
"This… how can this be…"
"There's nothing wrong with it. Your identity remains a complication, but the knowledge you possess shouldn't be buried forever."
Wright smiled. "Princess Vivi is a wonderful girl. I'm sure the two of you will get along."
"As for your identity, the fall of Baroque Works will end with the story that you managed to escape. Honestly, I'd imagine the World Government would find it more suspicious if you were actually captured, wouldn't they? Hahaha…"
Robin could only respond with a wry smile. When he put it that way… he wasn't wrong.
"Vice Admiral Wright, are you truly confident about Nico Robin's safety?" Cobra asked, his tone cautious. "The royal palace has many eyes. If word leaks out, even Alabasta won't be able to protect her."
While he agreed that Robin would be an excellent teacher for Vivi, Cobra knew her existence had to remain in the shadows.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty…"
"I'll be heading to Skypiea soon. With the Lightforged Beacon, an island floating ten thousand meters in the sky seems like the perfect royal retreat, doesn't it?"
A knowing smile appeared on Cobra's face. Robin, though unfamiliar with the so-called Lightforged Beacon, could tell that—somehow—she had just been given a safe place to stay.
Lowering her head, she let out a quiet sigh.
Perhaps, for the first time in a long while… she could truly rest.
"Oh, that's right, Robin."
Wright suddenly recalled something.
"As far as I know, the Sky Island I'm headed to… has a Poneglyph."
"What?!"
Robin's head snapped up. The once-dim light in her eyes flared to life, burning with renewed hope.
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