One Piece:Starts by Collecting Nico Robin

Half a month later, South Blue, Reverse Mountain.

The roaring sound of surging waves filled the air as the seawater churned violently, driven by an unknown force, rushing up the wide river channel toward the mountaintop.

"Wow—"

"Wow, wow, wow!!!"

Witnessing this spectacular scene, Yamato and Bonney's eyes sparkled as they exclaimed in unison.

"So magnificent! So beautiful! Is this the entrance to the Grand Line? Unbelievable!"

Yamato stood at the bow of the ship, arms wide open, cheering loudly, her ample chest slightly trembling with her movements.

"Such a tall mountain!"

Kuma controlled the helm, while Bonney sat on his shoulder, pointing toward the mountaintop.

"Dad, how high is this mountain?"

"I'm not sure, but it's said that the Red Line is ten thousand meters high, and Reverse Mountain is its highest peak."

"So impressive!"

Kuma smiled as he effortlessly steered the ship. The helm, which should have been difficult to turn due to the strong currents, moved smoothly in his hands, easily aligning the ship's bow with the entrance to the Grand Line.

Caesar stood on the lookout platform, one hand resting on the mast, smiling as he gazed at the towering mountain.

"This sight, no matter how many times I see it, always feels awe-inspiring. Seawater flowing upward and all that..."

The journey through the South Blue didn't delay Caesar much. After obtaining the sea chart of the South Blue, the group first rested on Kutz Island before hurrying toward Reverse Mountain.

It's worth mentioning that when Caesar landed on Kutz Island, his Observation Haki detected two familiar figures from the original storyline—Eustass Kid and Killer.

Kutz Island was a non-World Government-affiliated island with a poor security environment, home to several rough neighborhoods. At this time, Kid was the boss of one of these districts.

However, Caesar didn't pay much attention to this. He wasn't particularly interested in Kid.

A guy who indiscriminately kills civilians, even among Pirates, is one of the worst kinds.

That said, Caesar had no intention of killing him. After all, Kid was a future Emperor-level powerhouse, and dealing with such a small fry would only lower Caesar's standards. Moreover, before obtaining the Dark-Dark Fruit, Caesar had no plans to confront Devil Fruit users.

Returning to the East Blue as soon as possible and developing his forces was the most important task at hand.

Boom!

The ship's bow broke through the waves, charging into the waterway and speeding toward the ten-thousand-meter-high mountaintop.

The cool mist sprayed onto their faces, and even someone as composed as Robin couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

Baby 5, on the other hand, appeared quite calm. Among the group, she was undoubtedly the one who had seen the most of the world, having been a former executive of the Donquixote Family.

Although Doflamingo had long since established himself in the New World, he still placed great importance on the North Blue, his place of origin. Before he became a Warlord of the Sea, Baby 5 had crossed Reverse Mountain numerous times.

"This is amazing! This is... the world!"

Yamato leaned on the railing, her eyes shining brightly, all traces of boredom from the past few days replaced by excitement.

Finally, as the ship ascended to the ten-thousand-meter altitude, the surrounding temperature gradually turned cold.

Some of the water droplets froze into ice crystals mid-air, scattering evenly across the deck with the flow of the wind.

"Be careful, we're about to reach the highest point!"

Baby5 exclaimed loudly as a massive fountain-like spray of water suddenly appeared ahead, the result of waves colliding with each other.

Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the ship, propelling it high into the air with the force of the water currents. Seizing the opportunity, Caesar soared into the air and, with a wave of his hand, conjured a river of blood beneath the ship, cushioning its descent onto the canal leading to the East Blue.

Boom—

The ship landed on the upward-flowing water with a deafening crash, then began to cut through the waves, moving downstream against the current. However, due to the influence of the water flow, its speed was significantly slower than when it had been ascending.

"Emergency landing successful!"

Caesar landed back on the deck and suddenly turned to Baby5 with curiosity. "Speaking of which, the water flow in the canal leading into the Grand Line is downward. So how do ships get out of the Grand Line?"

Baby5 explained, "Compared to the canals of the four seas, the slope of the canal in the Grand Line is much gentler. So, as long as there's enough wind, it's possible to sail upstream, though it largely depends on luck. Additionally, ships equipped with steam-powered systems can directly sail against the current."

"Is that so…"

Caesar was impressed, though he found it a bit hard to grasp. Still, considering that in the original story, ships could even ride ocean currents to fly straight into the sky, going uphill didn't seem all that strange anymore.

"Hey, hey, Caesar!"

Bonney looked at Caesar. "What's the East Blue like? Are there any good foods there?"

"Good foods…"

Caesar rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Since there are rarely any strong Pirates in the East Blue, the public security is relatively more stable, and the standard of living is higher. As for good food… well, the culinary styles across the four seas are pretty similar, with only slight differences in seafood."

Except for places like Wano Country, which is isolated from the world, the culinary styles in the world of Pirates are quite diverse. In a single city, you can find Japanese cuisine, Western dishes, and even stir-fry restaurants all at once.

Hearing this, Robin asked curiously, "I've always wondered, since the Pirate King is from the East Blue, why is it still considered the weakest sea? Is it because the Navy has increased its surveillance in the East Blue due to the Pirate King?"

"Not really. The East Blue is so weak entirely because of a certain Navy old man who loves to go home on vacation."

Caesar chuckled. "The Navy hero, Garp… It's true that the Pirate King is from the East Blue, but Garp is also from the East Blue. Although his achievements are somewhat exaggerated, he is indeed a top-tier powerhouse."

"That guy always volunteers for missions in the East Blue whenever they come up. For Pirates in the four seas, his strength is like a dimensional downgrade, so naturally, they can't thrive there."

Robin smiled at this. "He sounds like a very willful person."

"Well, he's friends with the Navy Fleet Admiral, Kuzan can be considered his disciple, the Revolutionary Army's leader Dragon is his son, and he himself is strong enough. Of course, he has the capital to be willful."

Caesar spread his hands. "The Sun God Nika, whom Kuma worships, is actually his grandson."

"That's true…"

Kuma couldn't help but laugh wryly. Dragon's son is the user of the Nika Devil Fruit ability, and his father is Garp. So, by that logic, Garp is indeed Nika's grandfather.

"Nika…"

Robin was deep in thought. Over the past few days, she had learned about the legend of the Sun God Nika from Kuma and Bonney.

After inquiring with Caesar, she also came to understand what Nika truly represented and discovered the identity of the current Devil Fruit ability holder of Nika.

Honestly, compared to the so-called Liberation Warrior, she found someone like Caesar, who was more action-oriented, far more appealing.

After all, Caesar was the savior of her life.

"Will we get to see Nika in the East Blue?" Bonney's eyes sparkled with hope as she spoke with longing.

"There has never been a Nika, or rather, everyone is their own Nika, little girl," Caesar advised. "The Liberation Warrior of fate needs to wait for the right moment to appear, but disasters don't. On this vast sea, the one you can always rely on is yourself."

"And Dad! And Caesar and everyone else!" Bonney giggled. "Dad said that comrades are the most trustworthy! We're comrades, right?"

"Well... that's not wrong, but comrades can't always be by your side. You still need to work hard to improve your own strength," Caesar chuckled, amused by the little girl's way with words.

After a long while, with a loud boom, the ship finally broke through the canal and entered the waters of the East Blue.

"Finally back... the East Blue!" Caesar gazed into the distance. "Quickly lower the sails. The currents here are swift, and we might crash into the cliffs if we're not careful."

Whoosh—

As the sails were lowered, Kuma moved to the stern of the ship and fired an Air Cannon. With a burst of air, the ship shot forward, swiftly moving away into the distance.

"Is this... the sea where Caesar used to live?" Yamato watched the distant horizon with a faint smile. "It's so nice!"

Caesar, who was at the helm, chuckled lightly at her words. "Aside from the slightly better law and order, it's not much different from the South Blue, is it? The same sea, the same horizon..."

"No, there's a difference!" Yamato said earnestly. "This sea nurtured Caesar, allowing me to meet you. For me, meeting you is the luckiest thing in my life!"

"M-me too, darling!" Baby 5 quickly chimed in, clenching her fists in frustration for not thinking of that herself.

"If you all say so, then I won't argue. Tsk... I really am a man with a heavy burden of sin!" Caesar reached out and pinched Baby 5's cheek, pretending to be smug.

Robin nodded in agreement. "That's true. In some countries, deceiving foolish young girls could result in the confiscation of your 'tools of the trade.'"

Caesar: "..."

That's not the kind of 'heavy burden of sin' I meant!

Bonney stuck out her tongue at Caesar. "Caesar is a playboy!"

"Listen well, Bonney!" Caesar said seriously. "A man can be a playboy, but he must be able to take responsibility! As long as he can take care of his women, he is a true man!"

Pop...

The air parted as a tall figure blocked the sunlight above everyone. Kuma suddenly appeared behind Caesar, his voice low and eerie. "Please don't instill such strange values in Bonney."

Caesar: "..."

Caught red-handed trying to deceive a child in front of her father.

"Whether it's a man or a woman, one must be faithful in love. That's what it means to be responsible. Dad hopes that Bonney will grow up to be a girl who is loyal in love, finding a devoted and responsible boy, and having a fulfilling and regret-free relationship."

Kuma picked up Bonney and spoke earnestly.

Bonney pointed at Caesar, "Then what about Caesar?"

"Well... Caesar is the future emperor, and an emperor can have many concubines."

Kuma's tone was helpless, "But Caesar is indeed a playboy."

"Alright, I am a playboy~"

Caesar casually wrapped his arm around Robin's slender waist.

Robin's heart skipped a beat, surprised by Caesar's action, but she obediently leaned into his embrace, "So, Mr. Playboy, do you have the sea chart for the East Blue ready?"

"I do have that..."

Caesar handed a sea chart to Kuma, "But if it's just to Loguetown, we don't really need a sea chart. That place is too close to here..."

As he spoke, he pointed towards the distant horizon. Everyone followed his direction and could vaguely see a small black dot.

"That's the lighthouse of Loguetown! Just follow the direction of the lighthouse."

"Are we finally arriving? Caesar's hometown..."

Yamato leaned on the railing, looking excited.

"You'll like it there."

Caesar introduced, "Loguetown has another name, the Town of Beginnings and Endings. It's the hometown of the Pirate King Roger, and also the place where he died."

"Eh?!"

Yamato looked surprised, "There's such a connection?"

"It's truly a blessed place."

Robin sighed, "Not only did it nurture a Pirate King, but it's also going to produce a King of the World?"

"I like hearing that."

Caesar smiled slightly, gently squeezing Robin's slender waist, "Alright everyone, destination Loguetown, full speed ahead!"

Whoosh—

The wind howled, filling the sails as the ship swiftly headed towards Loguetown.

Soon, a vast expanse of land appeared in the distance, and many fishing boats dotted the sea.

"It looks quite expansive."

Robin put down her telescope, sounding a bit surprised.

"The island where Loguetown is located is very large, comparable to some medium-sized countries. Loguetown is just the core town. There are also smaller villages on the island, along with a medium-sized island nearby and some scattered small islands."

As Caesar was speaking, a fishing boat suddenly approached from nearby.

"Hey hey hey! Isn't that Mr. Caesar?! I knew I wasn't mistaken! Mr. Caesar is back!"

At the bow of the boat, a burly man with a red rope tied around his head and a fishtail hairstyle at the back enthusiastically waved his arms.

"Oh, it's Shapi!"

Caesar walked forward, leaning his arm on the railing, smiling and waving, "Long time no see!"

He recognized the man—the owner of the fish shop in Loguetown and the most skilled fisherman, rumored to have fishman blood.

"It really has been a long time, almost a year."

Shapi sighed, "We couldn't get any news about you before. Everyone in town was really worried."

Caesar smiled slightly, "I had some business to take care of, which took a lot of time, but fortunately, I got the results I wanted."

Shapi grinned and said, "Is that so? That's really great news!"

"It seems like you have quite good connections in Loguetown, don't you?"

Robin was somewhat surprised. To be honest, if it weren't for his wealth, Caesar's personality didn't seem like the type to be well-liked.

Before Caesar could respond, Shapi eagerly chimed in, "Of course! Mr. Caesar is the most renowned philanthropist in our town! Even the poorest orphans in Loguetown have bread and milk to eat every day, all thanks to Mr. Caesar!"

"In Loguetown, anyone you ask has directly or indirectly received help from Mr. Caesar! Miss, are you his girlfriend? You better hold on tight because in Loguetown, girls are lining up to pursue him!"

"Oh...? Is that so?"

Everyone was taken aback, not expecting Caesar to have such a philanthropic identity.

Robin glanced at Yamato and Baby 5, who were both beaming with excitement, and remained calm.

"There's still a line to join now."

(End of Chapter)