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On the gently breezing deck, a handsome man and a beautiful woman stood gazing at each other in the twilight, seeming to make a rather fitting couple.
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Unbeknownst to anyone, Robin inwardly wished she could stab Noir with a knife.
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After many years of lurking in the dark world, she had long since developed a cold and hard heart.
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But never before had she felt such a strong urge to kill as she did today.
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Robin couldn''t understand why a man she had just met could reveal all of her personal information.
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To her, the best way to protect herself was to eliminate the person who knew her secrets.
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Seeing the growing wariness in Robin''s eyes, Noir sighed and said with a wry smile, "Stop staring. You can''t kill me."
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Of course, she knew she couldn''t handle Noir.
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If she could, she would have killed him already for her own safety.
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Robin smiled again, but this time her smile was unfamiliar and hostile.
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She said quietly, "You know so much, you must have an ulterior motive."
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"Why are you looking for Crocodile? Or... are you looking for me?"
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Facing Robin''s probing, Noir said bluntly, "There''s no need for pretense. I''m here for you."
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"But don''t worry. I know you can read ancient texts, but I have no interest in them."
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Noir was telling the truth; he had no curiosity about the poneglyphs or the hundred years of lost history.
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Apart from the World Government, only conspirators and ambitious people cared about Robin''s identity.
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But Robin did not believe him.
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Having experienced countless betrayals and counter-betrayals, Robin would never believe Noir''s empty words.
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But she did not show her doubts. Instead, she feigned confusion and asked, "If it''s not for that, then what is it?"
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Noir straightened, looked into Robin''s beautiful eyes and said, "I want you to be my mate.
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Looking into his inky black eyes, Robin was surprised to see his sincerity.
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... And gentleness?
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For some reason, Robin began to believe him a little. Hesitantly, she asked, "What''s in it for you? What do I get out of it?"
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"You should know that I''m very safe hiding under Crocodile''s protection."
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Noir shook his head and said, "It''s not your own safety you care about."
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"You''re working with Crocodile because he''s also looking for a Poneglyph, and your goals happen to coincide."
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Hearing that, Robin fell silent. In a way, Noir was right.
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Though she could hide under the title of Shichibukai, Robin''s special identity would eventually be discovered by someone.
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Even without the Shichibukai, Robin had evaded capture for so many years, and the sea was vast.
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As long as she didn''t want to be caught, it was difficult for anyone to catch her.
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She followed Crocodile because she knew there was a poneglyph in Alabasta.
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This was the closest Robin had come to the poneglyphs in so many years!
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This place could be considered her last hope to realize her dream.
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She didn''t want to give up!
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Seeing Robin''s slight hesitation, Noir seized the opportunity and said, "Don''t you want to sail the seas and realize your dream and then find more history?"
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Robin snorted coldly and said, "I''ve searched for so many years and only found this one clue. Do you think you can do better than me?"
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Having said that, she seemed relieved.
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By admitting this, she was acknowledging Noir''s previous suspicions and openly admitting her true identity.
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It was the first time in many years that Robin had spoken so openly.
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She leaned back in her chair, gently caressing the cover of an ancient book, and said, "This is my only, and possibly last, chance to see the true story."
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"I''m sorry, Mr. Noir, I..."
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"You don''t have to answer right away."
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Noir interrupted her confidently, "Then I''ll help you find the poneglyph in Alabasta first."
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Robin gave him a surprised look and said, "You? Forget it. Even if you''re strong, you can''t beat Crocodile."
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Noir stubbornly replied, "How do you know without trying? It''s a piece of cake."
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Robin shook his head, still clearly unconvinced.
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Remembering that this man seemed to know a lot of information...
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Robin hesitantly looked at Noir and asked, "Is the poneglyph in Alabasta really about the ancient weapon Pluton?"
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Noir nodded calmly and said, "It should be."
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Robin''s eyes dimmed. She wanted to decipher the poneglyphs that told the story of the lost century.
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After opening up, the atmosphere between them became much more harmonious, and the system''s voice finally rang out.
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"Host has befriended an important character. Reward will be issued: Universal Talent Copy Card 1, Special Whitening Water 10."
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When Noir saw the system rewarding cosmetic bottles, he was stunned.
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Why would he get Whitening Water for befriending Robin?
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Should he give it to Robin?
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Noir secretly looked at Robin.
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Hmm...
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Even if it didn''t affect Robin''s beauty, a smooth skin might add some points, right?
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While he was hesitating whether to give it to Robin, Mr. 2 suddenly appeared, breaking the strange atmosphere between them.
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"Oh! Little Noir, what are you two doing?" Mr. 2 asked in a high-pitched voice, doing a ballet twirl.
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Hearing his voice, Noir''s eyes lit up. Right, there was something else he had to do.
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Noir ran over to Mr. 2, put his arm around his shoulder and said, "Nothing much, just chatting.
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With his arm around Mr. 2''s shoulder, Noir quietly took the copy card out of the system and discreetly stuck it on him.
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Blue Talent, Devil''s Host - Copied!
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Noir was satisfied as he pulled his hand back.
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Some Devil Fruits might have poor offensive abilities, but their utility was incredibly valuable.
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For example, the Imitation Fruit. Even though it had no offensive power, it was extremely useful for assassination, infiltration, deception, and spying on bathing women...
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Ahem... Forget that last one.
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Using it for these purposes was like having holy help.
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The more Noir thought about it, the more excited he became, and finally he burst out laughing.
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Mr. 2, who had his shoulder around Noir, asked confusedly, "Little Noir, why are you laughing?
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Noir stifled his laughter and lied, "I''m just glad to have met you, my friend!"
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Upon hearing this, Mr. 2 was also pleased. He shyly shook his hand and laughed, "Oh, my friend! Hahaha!"
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And so, for some reason, the two of them found themselves standing on the deck in broad daylight, laughing like mad.
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Robin watched them in silence, then commented blankly, "Like a couple of laughing monkeys.
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"Ha...haha...hic..."
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The laughter stopped abruptly, and Noir and Mr.2 froze.