I Am Honkai

"I don't understand…"

Chopper lowered his head, remaining silent for a moment as tears welled up in his eyes.

"What do you mean by 'our journey has ended'...? Hey, Robin, why would you say that?" Chopper choked out, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Don't you see yet?"

Leaning back weakly against the couch, Robin murmured, "The Red Line has been taken by the Empire's forces. The Holy Land of Mary Geoise has been destroyed. The World Government's eight centuries of domination over the seas… have ended."

Robin tapped the issue of the World Economy News on the coffee table. "According to underground reports from the 'Big News' Morgans, there's talk of the Navy's inclination to surrender to the Empire."

As she spoke, Robin gazed out of the window. Their café was situated on the third floor of a commercial building in the heart of the district. From her vantage point near the window, she could clearly see the Empire's soldiers methodically erasing every trace of the World Government's presence from Sabaody Archipelago.

Whether it was the World Government's black, five-pointed cross banners or the Navy's seagull insignias painted on the Yarukiman Mangroves, all had been removed.

In their place, the bold red banners of the Empire, emblazoned with a golden double-headed eagle, and the military standards of blood drops flanked by white wings fluttered triumphantly in the wind.

"The tyrant falls to a greater tyrant… the dark law of the jungle." Robin's voice was faint as she whispered, "Saul, I've found my companions just as you wished, but it seems our journey can no longer continue."

"Hey, Robin, answer me! What's going on with you?" Chopper asked anxiously, his voice cracking as he saw Robin seemingly lost in a monologue.

"Chopper…"

Hearing his desperate tone, Robin turned back to face him. Seeing the tears brimming in his eyes, she gently explained, "Don't you understand yet? Chopper, I don't want everyone to die."

When it came to the Straw Hat Pirates, every member played a crucial role. Each one of them was indispensable for the group's life on the sea.

Even Brook, as the musician, brought joy and relieved the monotony of long voyages with his songs.

But Robin… as an archaeologist, her role seemed somewhat out of place. Yet she was the group's most intelligent and well-read member, with the deepest understanding of the World Government, the Navy, and the truths hidden behind their masks.

Born in the ruined archaeological sanctuary of Ohara, Robin's childhood had been filled with solitude. Shunned by relatives and neighbors, she lost her father and mother at a young age, barely meeting either of them before they were gone.

Before the arrival of the Buster Call, she was released by then-Vice Admiral Kuzan. But shortly after, she was branded a fugitive by the World Government.

Thus, Robin became the youngest criminal in history, bearing the epithet "Devil Child." She wandered the world seeking odd jobs just to survive, only to be repeatedly betrayed due to her identity and the staggering bounty on her head.

Before meeting Luffy, Robin lived in the shadows of the underworld, relying on treachery and manipulation to evade the Navy and the World Government's relentless pursuit.

With such a past, even though Robin had genuinely come to regard the Straw Hats as her family, her thoughts and strategies remained far more calculated and profound than anyone else's.

The others? Well, Luffy, Zoro, Chopper, and Franky were better left unmentioned in this regard.

Nami was competent primarily in navigation and cartography but otherwise fairly average. Usopp's combat abilities were subpar, though his tactical intelligence was noteworthy.

Sanji? Oh, let's just say his intelligence spiked to genius levels during critical moments—unless, of course, there was a woman involved. In those cases… his IQ plummeted to somewhere below zero.

"Chopper, do you think we can defeat an admiral?"

Robin's pointed question immediately silenced Chopper.

"An admiral…"

Despite the two years that had passed since their encounter at Sabaody Archipelago, Chopper could still vividly recall their brush with the Navy admiral Kizaru. It had left an indelible impression on him of what it meant to face one of the sea's ultimate powers.

If not for the intervention of Bartholomew Kuma teleporting them to safety, the entire Straw Hat crew might have been captured that day.

Straightening her posture, Robin handed Chopper the newspaper she had just set down. Her expression grew serious.

"Do you think we stand a chance against an Empire that has conquered most of the world and destroyed the World Government in just a few days?"

She pointed to the headline on the paper: "Admiral 'Green Bull' Defeated and Killed by Imperial Forces!"

"Even Red-Haired Shanks was encircled by the Empire's army. The Red Line is swarming with Imperial forces, making land passage impossible."

"As for the undersea route through Fish-Man Island… you saw it earlier. Imperial warships are descending from the skies into the depths of the ocean. Their target is obvious, and we've already missed our last chance to enter the New World."

"But when Luffy and Nami return, we can wait. Once the Empire's blockade ends, we can resume our journey," Chopper said, trying to muster some optimism against Robin's grim perspective.

"Wait?" Robin's gaze drifted to the ceiling. She whispered softly, "Let's just hope everyone is okay."

"Right now, the Empire is gradually taking over all territories across the world. If we wait a few years, perhaps once things settle, the old bounties might be nullified. Maybe then, we can venture out again."

To Robin, this was the best possible scenario she could imagine.

From what she'd observed of the Empire's forces—specifically the Blood Angels—they didn't seem to rely heavily on the World Government's bounty system. Those executed on the platforms were primarily the most notorious, cruel, and bloodthirsty pirates.

The Straw Hat crew, in contrast, felt more like adventurers than pirates.

They had no massive fleet or devastating firepower. Just one midsized ship and a handful of quirky crewmates.

By pirate standards, the Straw Hats were practically a joke.

Robin sighed. "My biggest worry right now is Luffy. With his stubborn nature…" She trailed off, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Luffy's unrelenting cries of becoming the Pirate King would only spell trouble. Robin was certain the Empire's forces wouldn't tolerate such brazen declarations.

Sipping on her coffee, Robin recalled the Empire's broadcasts and their strict adherence to law and order. She entertained a wild thought: Maybe Luffy could temporarily stop calling himself Pirate King and settle for something like 'Adventure King'?

But she immediately dismissed the idea. A Luffy who didn't loudly proclaim his dream wouldn't be Luffy anymore.

As Robin pondered how to caution Luffy to tread lightly, the café's door burst open.

"Robin! Luffy, he…!"

The voice belonged to a young woman with orange, wavy hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore pearl earrings, a record pointer, and a gold bracelet. Her scanty outfit emphasized her curvaceous figure as she rushed in, panic evident on her face.

"Nami!"

Seeing the newcomer, Chopper jumped up with excitement. "Nami, did you find Luffy? What about Brook, Sanji, and Zoro?"

"Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Franky… They've been captured by the Empire's army and are about to be executed!" Nami gasped, rushing to the coffee table, her face pale with urgency.

"What?!"

"I knew it! With Luffy going around shouting 'I'm going to be Pirate King,' trouble was bound to happen!" Robin slammed her hands on the table, her expression filled with regret.

"What do we do now, Nami? Robin? Let's go save them!" Chopper was already in tears, his voice trembling with desperation.

"How?! With just us? Against the Empire's armored warriors? Are we trying to get ourselves killed?" Robin clutched her head, her usual composure entirely shattered.

The worst-case scenario had happened.

Suddenly, Robin froze as if realizing something. She turned to Nami, her voice shaking. "Wait… Where's Usopp? Nami, wasn't he with you?"

"Usopp… He should've been right behind me!" Nami's face broke out in a cold sweat as the realization hit her.

"You don't think… he went to rescue them on his own, do you?" The three exchanged worried glances.

The next instant—Boom!

Covered in blood, Usopp, his long nose unmistakable, was hurled through the café wall, crashing into the room.

"I suspected something was off with your expressions at the execution ground. Lady Alyssa was right—the rubber boy has accomplices!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

A team of Astartes warriors, their power armor painted purple and gold, stepped through the gaping hole in the wall, their heavy steps reverberating like thunder.

Under their immense weight, the café's floors groaned ominously.

"Empire soldiers!"

The café was now surrounded. Chainsword teeth roared to life, and the massive barrels of bolt guns were aimed directly at the group.

Even with their relatively weak Observation Haki, the overwhelming sense of death filled the minds of Robin and Nami, paralyzing them with terror.

"Who are they?"

The Black Templar officer leading the team, wearing a crested helm and wielding a power sword, turned his gaze toward the trio.

Two middle-aged sailors in Navy uniforms cautiously stepped forward, clutching thick bounty ledgers.

"Navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates, 'Cat Burglar' Nami, bounty: 66 million berries. 'Devil Child,' last of the archaeologists, Nico Robin, bounty: 80 million berries. And, um…"

"A pet? A reindeer, bounty: 50 berries."

"A pet? A navigator? An archaeologist? These are pirates?"

For a moment, even the Astartes officer was dumbfounded. Over the internal comms of his power armor, he muttered to his squad, "Uh… did we capture the wrong people?"

Two delicate women and a reindeer—a navigator, a scholar, and… a pet. This didn't exactly scream "dangerous criminals." They looked more like a noble family's travel entourage.

"Doesn't matter. Capture them first, sort it out later. If it's a mistake, we'll just issue compensation. If they're guilty, we'll know after interrogation."

This pragmatic approach reflected the distinct culture within Levi's Black Templars.

The officer's gaze landed on Robin. "You, the archaeologist. Can you read ancient texts?"

Robin hesitated, raising her hands in surrender. "I… I know a little."

"Good. You're being requisitioned. Prove yourself useful, and you may reduce your sentence—or even earn a title if you're innocent."

Before Robin could fully process the situation, a massive armored hand reached for her. Darkness enveloped her vision as she lost consciousness.

The last thing she heard was Nami and Chopper's panicked cries, followed by the officer's command:

"Send her to Lady Alyssa. We've found someone who can decipher those stone tablets… what do you call them? The Poneglyphs."

Meanwhile, in the New World—Pirate Island, 'Hachinosu.'

Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin; Kaido of the Beasts; and Marshall D. Teach, "Blackbeard," stood side by side, their faces grim as they watched a golden streak of light hurtle toward them from the horizon.

The golden radiance gradually slowed, revealing itself as Sanguinius. Suspended in mid-air, his pure white angelic wings spread wide, radiating dazzling light.

"A united front, huh? Saves me the trouble of hunting you down one by one."

"So arrogant," Big Mom sneered, her piercing laughter grating. "And you are?"

"Sanguinius," he replied curtly, his expression unmoved.

Sanguinius had no interest in prolonged conversations with these obvious pirate leaders.

"You've already taken the Red Line. Let's negotiate. I'll pay tribute from my Totto Land, and you can even marry one of my daughters…"

Thud!

Without waiting for her to finish, Sanguinius casually tossed a cloth-wrapped bundle. The object landed before the trio, unraveling as it rolled to a stop.

It was a severed head.

"Shanks!"

The distinctive red hair was unmistakable. Even with the left eye burned, the three scars over it remained visible. It was none other than the infamous Red-Haired Shanks, felled earlier when he crossed Sanguinius' path.

"Well, well, Linlin. It seems they're not interested," Kaido guffawed, raising his sake gourd for a drink, his laughter echoing loudly.

"Ze… hahaha! Negotiations? They've made it clear that's impossible. The new rulers of the world are far more tyrannical than the World Government ever was," Blackbeard chimed in, his distinct laugh rumbling.

Amidst their laughter, Sanguinius remained expressionless as he unsheathed his crimson-stained blade.

"The era of pirates… is over."

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