CHAPTER 40
"Room and Shambles." Law said.
Law was able to teleport Naruto back to them, Naruto however, was unconscious.
"Looks like that form took a toll on him." Usopp said.
"It was his first time using it in battle. I don't even think he knows what he can really do with it yet. He still needs practice." Hinata confirmed, standing to her feet and holding her arm.
"Hey Hinata… are you sure you should be standing? Arlong looked like he did a number on you." Nami said, concerned.
Hinata looked at Nami and smiled.
"I'll be okay! I'm a ninja after all. I've been through much much worse." Hinata said.
Nami smiled and nodded.
Franky plopped back up on the island half and looked at the damage.
"An entire island split in two, and four of our guys are out of commission at the moment." Franky said, "Pink one, can you heal these guys?"
Sakura looked at what she had to work with.
"Naruto is just exhausted he needs plenty of rest. Chopper seems to be in the same state, that monster form takes a lot out of him it looks like. Sanji and Kakashi sensei will be the hardest cases, but it's doable!" Sakura said.
Franky smiled.
"SUUUUUUPEERRRRRRR!" Franky yelled.
"TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE WE'RE FRESH OUT OF A FIGHT!" Usopp yelled.
Law walked over.
"Oi… I'm a doctor myself… if there's anything I can do to help just let me kn-." Law stopped and passed out.
Sakura and these others watched shocked.
"Tsk. I had a feeling that would happen. He was already badly hurt when we got here." Nami said.
"Looks like it's just Usopp-san, Nami-san, Sakura-san, Sasuke-san, Hinata-san, Franky-san, and myself still up and about. I must say that was some tough battle. If not for Naruto-san's incredible move we could've died…. Well… not that I could've died since I'm already dead… yo ho ho ho ho ho!" Brook joked.
"IS THIS REALLY THE TIME FOR JOKES!?" Sakura snapped, "But the skeleton is right. There's just seven of us, counting myself. We still don't know how Luffy and Hancock are doing.. I'm more worried about them honestly. They're the ones that went after Psycho right?"
"Yeah, Robin had to make that decision with Psycho! And Luffy went to Marineford to confront Psycho about it!" Usopp informed.
Sakura sighed.
"What a big mess…" Sakura said.
Sanji groaned getting everyone's attention.
"S-S-Sakura...Reach into... Kakashi's pocket. There should be a piece of paper in there." Sanji said, weakly.
"A piece of paper?" Sakura asked before looking down at Kakashi's unconscious body and reached into his pocket where she found a piece of paper, "Oh! There really is a piece of paper in here."
Sakura looked at the paper.
"I'll protect them… go train…" Sakura read slowly, "What does it mean?"
Sanji had already passed out again. Sakura made an annoyed face.
"Whoever wrote that clearly knows our current situation.. that's for sure. The question is… who wrote that note." Sasuke said.
Everyone gulped and started to sweat.
"Maybe it was Sabo? He was going to leave Drum but maybe he didn't!" Usopp suggested.
"Maybe… but do you really think Sabo would let Luffy and Naruto fight like that without jumping in?" Nami said.
"I agree…" Sakura said.
"True words, no way Sabo would let them fight like that!" Franky joined.
"This sure is quite the pickle…" Brook said.
Sasuke shook his head.
"Anyway… we don't have to worry. If this person can tell us to go train and that they'll protect Luffy and Hancock in what they're about to do then I give them my support. In the meantime,… we need to get out of the dark as soon as possible." Sasuke said.
"What do you mean, Sasuke-san?" Brook asked.
"We've got an information man right down there and I intend to use him while he can still breathe." Sasuke answered.
Sasuke used his rinnegan to teleport down to Arlong and back up to the group, Sasuke walked over to the fishman and kicked him.
"You still alive?" Sasuke asked.
Usopp and Nami shook in their shoes. Hinata walked over to Sasuke for potential back up, as did Franky and Brook. Arlong shuttered a little and then coughed. Sasuke grabbed his sword.
"Don't bother… I can't move… whatever that attack was… it was the last one." Arlong answered weakly.
"Then looks like we don't have much time. Where are Zoro and Robin? Are they at Marineford?" Sasuke asked.
Arlong smiled.
"Heh heh heh… that would be ideal wouldn't it…" Arlong smiled.
"You really are a bunch of amateurs… amateurs who have gotten lucky far too many times…" Arlong laughed until he coughed up blood.
Sasuke and the others continued to stare down on Arlong.
"As a reward… for beating me… I'll tell you where they are…" Arlong said.
Everyone payed close attention.
"Right now… they're going through hell… as slaves for the World Nobles… being beaten and tortured by those damn celestial dragons… at the… HOLY LAND OF MARIE JOIS! HA HA! That's where they are!" Arlong yelled.
Everyone became shocked again.
"Holy land… of Marie Jois?" Sasuke asked.
"How the hell would they end up there?" Franky asked.
"Why would Psycho take them there specifically is a bigger mystery..." Nami said nervously.
Arlong barely looked up at the remaining Straw Hats and smiled.
"Ask your friends, shinobi, they can tell you everything they know about that place and why… you'd be fools to go there! AH HA HA HA!" Arlong laughed.
Sasuke looked at the Straw Hats and back down at Arlong.
Arlong smiled and coughed up blood, before succumbing to his wounds. Sasuke stood up. Everyone looked at him.
"Sakura… focus on getting them patched up. Everyone else take it easy. We're going to rest here for the day." Sasuke ordered.
Sakura gulped and nodded.
"What are we going to do? Sasuke?" Franky asked.
Sasuke looked down and then back up.
"We're going to Marie Jois." Sasuke said.
ON TOP OF THE RED LINE – OUTSIDE MARIE JOIS
A certain swordsman was walking ON TOP of the Red Line, the halfway point around the Grand Line.
"This is where those DEATH members I ran into said Psycho would be waiting for Robin.."" Zoro said.
Zoro looked forwards at the giant gate that led to the entrance of the Holy Land and stared at it. Two guards posted out front.
The two guards crossed their swords when Zoro approached.
"Hault! Are you a government official or a commoner looking for pass into the New World? If you are the latter you'll have to wait for your papers to be approved by the Gorosei and rent a boat." The guard said.
Zoro became confused.
"Hm? Nah I hate the government and the world nobles. I'm here for Nico Robin, DEATH said she'd be here.." Zoro said.
"Did you just casually announce your hate for the World Government in our faces?!" The guards said, pointing their weapons at Zoro, "Come with us!"
Zoro smiled and grabbed his swords. In a couple quick slashes he cut the guards down.
"Hmph. Wonder what that was all about." Zoro said, pushing open the gates to Marie Jois.
MARINEFORD
Luffy, in Gear fourth Bounce man form, stared down the man who's caused so much trouble in only a couple of days.
Psycho Uchiha, the mastermind behind the assault on the sand village and Vivi's life, the leader of the criminal organization DEATH, almost killed Naruto and Luffy and attacked their friends.
Luffy was filled with intense rage, he hadn't felt like this looking at someone in a long time. Luffy looked over at Robin who was on her knees a little bloody and very bruised from the beatdown she suffered at the hands of Blackbeard.
"Robin… are you okay?" Luffy asked, still bouncing.
Robin stared at Luffy and up at Psycho who was also staring at Luffy, his arms at his sides. Robin looked back to Luffy.
"Yes… I'm fine.. Luffy…" Robin answered.
Luffy looked back up at Psycho.
"So… you're here. Straw Hat Luffy. What are you going to do now?" Psycho asked.
"I'm going to get Robin back!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho stared at the rubber man.
"All she wants to do is learn a little more about the world. She is your archeologist right? Let the woman learn." Psycho said.
Luffy looked down at Robin.
"Robin!..." Luffy said.
Robin looked down and to the side.
"Luffy… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean for this to happen! I just wanted to go to the library..." Robin confessed.
He's just using you Robin!" Luffy yelled.
"Using her how?" Psycho asked.
"You're trying to recruit her for DEATH!" Luffy yelled.
Psycho stared at Luffy, slightly annoyed.
"How about we let her make the decision herself?" Psycho said softly.
"Robin! On your feet." Psycho commanded.
Robin looked up at Psycho and slowly got to her feet.
"Make a decision right now. Stay with me or go with him. If you go with him, you can kiss your library trip goodbye. If you stay with me, you'll get your library trip and return to your friends. You have my word." Psycho offered.
"Robin! Don't trust him!" Luffy said.
Robin looked back and forth between them. Psycho and Luffy continued to stare at each other while Robin thought about it.
"I-I have to go back to my friends.. I have to..!" Robin thought, "I can't keep watching Luffy do this to himself! He doesn't know what I've seen this man do the past few hours!..." Robin yelled to herself.
Robin began to cry softly.
Psycho and Luffy both looked at Robin as she stressed.
Psycho was surprised as well as Luffy.
"Robin…" Psycho said softly.
Robin looked at Luffy, Luffy was still bouncing.
"Luffy… you have no idea what this man is capable of… I'm going to come back with you… I don't want you to get hurt! Damn the library!" Robin said to herself.
Cyclone looked up slowly, his left eye was now black and green with words running across it. He looked over at Psycho and nodded.
"So, you've decided to go with him, Nico Robin?" Psycho asked.
Robin choked.
"How did…" Robin was interrupted.
"You really care for that man's safety. Unfortunately, … I have to say you can't go back with him." Psycho said.
Luffy, Robin, and Hancock were shocked.
"YOU JUST SAID!" Hancock started.
"I'm aware of what I said, but I'm afraid I've failed at my redemption with Robin to let her go so easily." Psycho said.
Robin made a surprised face.
"Redemption… with me?" Robin said.
Cyclone continued to read his book.
"WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT ROBIN SO MUCH!?" Luffy asked.
Psycho turned to Luffy, closed his eyes and opened them.
"I've let too many good people die when I should've saved them. Noland, Newgate, Ace, Olivia just to name a few." Psycho said.
Robin, Luffy, and Hancock were absolutely shocked at the names he spoke.
"Olivia… my mom!? And… Noland!?" Robin said to herself, "How-How old is he?"
"Ace!?" Luffy said to himself.
"What do you know about Ace!?" Luffy yelled.
Psycho sat on a stone.
"Ace and I were good friends on Whitebeard's ship… it's unfortunate he died the way he did at the hands of such trash." Psycho said, pointing towards Akainu, who was unconscious.
"When I first saw you… it was in my home village!" Luffy said, remembering seeing Psycho with Shanks.
"Ah yes… when you ate the gum gum fruit for the first time? Yeah… I was with Shanks at that point in time. I was already good friends with Newgate he allowed me to be on his ship every now and then. That's were I met Ace and Thatch. Good men." Psycho explained.
Luffy, Robin, and Hancock were still surprised. After a moment Luffy became angry.
"WHY WERE YOU JUMPING SHIPS AND NOT BEING LOYAL TO A CREWS!?" Luffy asked.
"Reconnaissance…" Psycho answered.
Luffy winced.
"DEATH is planning on defeating the remaining emperors and claiming their land. Kaido, Big mom, and Shanks are all our next targets. You'd be surprised how much each Emperor knew about the other." Psycho said.
The three were even more shocked now.
"DEATH IS REALLY GOING TO ATTACK THE EMPERORS!?" Hancock yelled.
Psycho looked at Hancock.
"Precisely. And then the final phase of my ultimate plan can be enacted even after that!" Psycho yelled, "But…"
Everyone looked at Psycho.
"Two of the five people to ever have been called emperor have been taken care of. Whitebeard was murdered by Teach, who in turn was murdered by me, Kaido, Big mom, and Shanks remain." Psycho was staring hard at Luffy at this point.
Luffy grit his teeth. Hancock was extremely worried.
"Luffy we have to get out if here!" Hancock yelled.
"Not without Robin!!" Luffy yelled, glaring at Psycho, who smiled softly.
Psycho looked at Robin out if the cornee of his eye.
"I'm going to let you in on a secret Straw Hat Luffy. Robin.. You listen up too." Psycho said, "Consider it an added incentive to stick around."
Robin stared with nervousness.
"Your mother and I did know each other. What we had.. was the reason I picked you up that night your island was destroyed." Psycho said.
Tears formed in Robin's eyes. Psycho's eyes never left Luffy.
"It was the reason I kept you safe.. for all those years.." Psycho continued.
The entire Marine base was silent.
"The reason I can't let you go now.." Psycho stopped.
Robin couldn't believe what she saw next. A single tear fell from Psycho's face.
"Robin.. I'm your father." Psycho confessed.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT!!!" Everyone at the Marine base yelled in massive unison.