Chapter 67: Congratulations Gift

I-I have not even done anything yet!

Could it be that this person, like Brother Katakuri, can use Observation Haki to see the future?

No, even if he could see the future, there is no way I would reveal my intentions in such a short span ahead. What is going on?!

The breeze ruffled Brûlée’s golden hair and unsettled her heart. By the time she came back to her senses, Guan Yi had already walked past her, heading toward Robin’s quarters.

No… no way! If this happens, I will have no way to explain things to Mama!

Brûlée was anxious inside, though her face still wore the expression of a pure little girl. She hurried a few steps after him and asked, “Lord Ian, this marriage alliance means…?”

Bang—the door was shut from inside by Guan Yi, nearly smashing Brûlée’s nose against it.

“Alright, do not make this harder on yourself. I will personally speak with Lady Linlin later. For now, Robin and I have things to discuss, so please leave us.”

“…”

Brûlée fell silent for a moment, her expression darkening further and further.

This is Cake Island, right? Nico Robin is the “prisoner” Mama ordered me to guard, right? And you are just an uninvited “troublesome guest,” right? So how can you so naturally tell me to leave?!

Inside the room, seeing that Guan Yi had really come to find her, Robin relaxed back in her chair by the desk, a bright smile on her face. “The famous Shichibukai killer who left the Four Emperors’ Kaido heavily wounded and bleeding—why does it look like you are bullying a little girl?”

Guan Yi grinned back. “And the last remaining historian in the world, the one who can read the Poneglyphs—why does it seem like you are not being taken very seriously? I made it all the way here without anyone trying to stop me.”

Robin shook her head. After days of tension, her mind finally eased a little. “I do not really understand either. It feels like Kaido and Charlotte Linlin have found someone else who can read the Poneglyphs. I am no longer essential.”

She had not seen Ye Huohuo, but she had already more or less guessed the truth; there was no other explanation.

Guan Yi nodded and asked, “So? These past few months have not been too rough on you, have they?”

“No, it has been quite comfortable, actually. Being under a Four Emperor’s nose means I do not have to worry about people coming to cause trouble,” Robin replied. “What about you? Have you come to fulfill your promise and bring me under Kaido’s banner with you? Though I technically already am.”

“Of course not. If that were the plan, I would not have gone to such trouble to escape five months ago,” Guan Yi said with a smile. “I am here to take you away from this mess.”

Really… Robin drew a deep breath. “For me, where in this world is not a mess? Do you still want to study the ancient script, Ian?”

“I do.” Guan Yi thought for a moment. “Robin, what do you think of the Revolutionary Army? Only territory belonging to the World Government’s enemies can truly be a safe haven for you. I do have my own forces, but if I am not there, there is no way they could keep you safe.”

“The Revolutionary Army? You have ties to them?”

“No, but I can find a way to get in touch.”

“That would not be a bad place to go…” Robin pondered for a moment, then gestured toward the door. “Is it alright letting her hear all this outside? Will Kaido and Charlotte Linlin really allow me to leave with you?”

Brûlée, who was pressed against the door listening, jolted in shock. The next instant, Guan Yi yanked the door open. She swayed, then stared at him nervously.

“That is enough. You have heard what you need. Listening any further would be rude,” Guan Yi said. “With this, you will have something to report to your mother.”

This man… Brûlée had thought she had not been noticed, but it turned out Guan Yi had said all of that on purpose for her to hear. He had casually revealed such a huge plan just like that?!

Brûlée felt something she could not quite put into words. In Guan Yi’s actions, it was as if he could see right through her thoughts, constantly stepping beyond her expectations.

She swallowed hard, spun around, and ran off at full speed. Guan Yi shut the door once more.

“I had thought taking you away would require a fair bit of maneuvering, but since Kaido and Big Mom seem to have found someone to replace you, the big gift I brought is enough to trade you out.”

“A big gift?”

Guan Yi pulled a sheet of paper from his coat and placed it in front of Robin. It was densely covered in twisted, intricate ancient characters.

“This is…” Robin’s eyes widened. She immediately began translating, and before long, she exclaimed in shock, “Where did you get this?!”

…

“Worororororororo…”

At that moment, Kaido and Big Mom were enjoying lunch. On the wide table, one side was stacked high with cakes and sweets, while the other was piled with all kinds of meat and alcohol, a stark divide in flavors.

After listening to Brûlée’s report, Kaido burst into loud laughter. “From the moment I heard the Devil Child Nico Robin was with him, I knew he was not the obedient type! He actually wants to learn the ancient script? Seems he is interested in the true history of the world—or maybe in Raftel!”

“Mahmahmahmah…” Big Mom laughed as well. “They are all the sort who cannot stand a peaceful world. Once the World Government hears of this, they will have a real headache. Brûlée, you did very well.”

It had been a long time since Mama praised her. Brûlée felt a surge of joy, but when she remembered the “marriage alliance” part she had not dared mention, her heart grew heavy again.

Just then, Smoker, one of the three Generals left to guard outside the hall, walked in together with King. “Lord Kaido （ Mama ）, Ian is here. He wishes to see you.”

Hm? The two Four Emperors exchanged a glance. This brat came so soon? He is not here to demand Robin outright, is he? Even if Nico Robin is not that important anymore, having two people who can read the ancient script is safer, and she can still be used to draw the Navy’s attention. She is not someone they can just let be taken away.

“Let him in.”

Soon, Guan Yi entered the great hall and walked straight up to the two Four Emperors. His two-meter frame was tiny beside Kaido and Big Mom, not even as tall as their chair legs, yet to Brûlée, the man standing there seemed almost as imposing as they were.

“The earlier setting was not appropriate,” Guan Yi said bluntly. “I am here at the Alliance Celebration between the two of you, and I have brought a gift.”

“A gift?” Kaido was a little surprised.

Big Mom, on the other hand, brightened at once. She loved receiving gifts; she often held tea parties just for that. “Where is it? What is it?”

Guan Yi produced the same sheet he had shown Robin earlier. With a subtle flick of his fingers, he sent it drifting toward Big Mom.

Big Mom pinched it between her fingers. The little sheet looked insignificant in her palm, but the ancient characters on it made her pause and frown.

“This is…”

Kaido rose and stepped over. “A rubbing of some Poneglyph? What does it record?”

“I heard you two already control two Road Poneglyph stone tablets and have obtained two coordinates. This is a rubbing of the third,” Guan Yi said.

“…”

“What?!”

In an instant, a storm of Conqueror’s Haki erupted from Kaido and Big Mom. The two monstrous figures, with their four enormous eyes, locked onto Guan Yi all at once—as if to say, kid, this is not something to joke about.

At the hall entrance, Smoker’s expression turned grave as he yanked Brûlée behind him.

Under the crushing pressure of two Four Emperors, Guan Yi also drew a deep breath. His own Conqueror’s Haki surged forth, pushing back against their intimidation. “It is genuine. Feel free to verify it as much as you like. But I cannot reveal the location of that Road Poneglyph.”

Before coming to Cake Island, Guan Yi had taken the trouble to see the Pirate World’s largest creature, Zunisha, flown onto its back, slipped into the Mokomo Dukedom on Zou, and found the Road Poneglyph stone tablet whose location was marked in the anime.

This rubbing was the real deal.

The two Four Emperors stared at Guan Yi for a long moment, then burst into booming laughter that made the entire hall shake.

“Wororororororo…”

“Mahmahmahmah…”

A surprise, an enormous surprise!

This meant they were now only one Road Poneglyph away from reaching Raftel!

And the rubbing Guan Yi had brought was apparently not from any of the places they had previously suspected might hold a Road Poneglyph. They were closer to Raftel than ever before.

“Mahmah… Ian, from this day on, you are the most honored guest of Whole Cake Island!”

“Worororo… brat, you must have gotten the other two coordinates from Nico Robin, right? So you also hold three coordinates. Are you really not interested in Raftel?! Join us. You do not have to be our subordinate; you can stand as our ally!”

“I acknowledge you!” Kaido declared.

Naturally, Guan Yi had no intention of joining them. He had given the Road Poneglyph rubbing to the two Four Emperors so they would charge ahead to look for the fourth one—the one never shown in the anime. He had asked Rayleigh about it, but Rayleigh refused to tell him, saying every adventure must be experienced personally.

It was not yet time to officially launch the Secret Realm Strategy; Guan Yi was still not strong enough.

Seeing that Guan Yi did not agree, Kaido was not surprised. “You may take Nico Robin with you freely. And if you have any other conditions, we will do our best to meet them!”

Conditions, huh?

【Fate Points +57,000】

That was the profit from giving the third Road Poneglyph to the two Four Emperors—and Guan Yi was sure more gains would follow.

He flipped through his Plan.

There was no rush to name conditions. Better to wait and see.

He spent 50,000 Fate Points to activate the third stage of the Point-to-Point Support Plan: Star Sparring.

He chose to train with a local star.