"Oh… is that so?"
Kuzan tilted his head as he looked at the seven before him—well, six people and a pet… either way, this bunch. Waving a hand dismissively, he said:
"Hmm… For Wright's sake, I'll give you some leeway. You lot haven't caused much of a stir yet, but from what I see, anyone this close to Wright won't remain unknown for long."
"Especially after receiving reports of Nico Robin's reappearance—I was truly surprised…"
Kuzan turned to Robin, whose expression had grown resolute.
"Speaking of which, Wright already informed me about what happened with you on Skypiea. At first, I thought it was a good thing for you to be far removed from the conflicts of the sea…"
"Damn, if only I had the chance to take a vacation on Skypiea… that would be amazing! Too bad Sengoku won't approve it."
"… So you really are here to cause trouble for Robin?!"
Luffy yelled angrily, "Then you'll have to take me down first!"
"Monkey D. Luffy… you're just like your grandfather—so straightforward and direct. Hahaha…"
With just that one sentence, Luffy shuddered violently, his teeth chattering.
"G-Grandpa?!"
"Hmm? Why are you sweating so much?"
"N-No reason!"
"I used to receive quite a lot of 'attention' from your grandpa… I didn't expect to run into so many people connected to Wright here."
Kuzan scratched his head, then casually sat down.
"Ah… standing is tiring. Let me put it this way: I have some knowledge of what Wright is up to."
"He never does anything he's not confident in. His ability to assess situations and control outcomes is almost as if… he can see the future."
Kuzan adjusted the eye mask on his forehead.
"I trust you all understand—if Wright truly wished it, even if I took you all down right now, he wouldn't have much to say about it."
Seeing the cold sweat suddenly appear on their faces, Kuzan had to wave his hand again.
"Just an example… But considering Wright's usual approach, if he acknowledges you all, then there must be something about you that I don't yet understand—something that can help the Navy, or at the very least, help Wright achieve his own goals."
"That's why I'm quite interested in you… including you, Nico Robin. What kind of story will unfold from here, and what kind of impact will you have? I'm looking forward to it."
Kuzan yawned loudly, struggling against the growing drowsiness.
"In any case, if any issues arise, Wright himself will deal with you… so I don't have to put in much effort."
"..."
The Straw Hat crew fell into deep distress—what was happening in this world?! They hadn't even done anything major yet, so why were two Marine Admirals already paying such close attention to them?!
Could they even have a proper adventure at this rate?!
...
At Marine Headquarters, Wright had also received notifications from Cobra and Judge.
"Hmm, so Nico Robin left with Straw Hat… but why did Chopper leave too?"
Robin following Luffy was almost inevitable. In pursuit of her dream, Robin wouldn't pass up this opportunity. Moreover, this development would draw Dragon's attention to her.
Dragon would likely send someone to make contact with her soon.
Wright scratched his head. Chopper, that little guy, was originally supposed to be raised as a pet—cough, trained as a doctor!
But now, he'd been taken away!
Maybe I shouldn't have left him on Skypiea in the first place? Wouldn't it have been better to send him to the Germa headquarters in the North Blue for training?
But right now, Watcher's Island was in the midst of several new technological developments. For the sake of his medical education, keeping him on Skypiea for research and study had seemed best.
That little guy was just too kind-hearted. Seeing how the Shandia warriors lacked proper medical care and often relied solely on their strong physiques to endure illnesses, he took it upon himself to provide medical aid there.
And then… he got swept up by Luffy's antics!
"Tch… One after another, not a single one of them stayed behind? Hmph… At least I got Jinbe; otherwise, it would've been a real shame."
Thinking about it, Brook inevitably meeting Luffy was also set in stone. Although his swordsmanship had improved under training, Brook had no idea when he'd run into Thriller Bark again…
Wright felt slightly awkward, realizing that the Lightforged Crystals he had given them must have played a major role in all of this…
Well, not bad. This is my own personal adventure squad, after all…
...
"So, this is your personal adventure squad, huh…"
Kuzan, who had just returned to headquarters, opened the door and entered. Although he frequented Wright's office, this was the first time he had immediately started with a remark like that.
"That really gave me a shock… Good grief, with all those crystals you handed out, who in the Navy would dare go all out against them?"
"Uh… Kuzan-senpai, you're back already?"
Wright stood up to greet him, poured them both some tea, and then sat back down.
"How was it? Did you meet Nico Robin? And what do you think of the other kids?"
"Hmm… Just as you said, the darkness and numbness in her eyes are gone. I suppose that's good news."
Kuzan sighed and took a sip of tea.
"Although 'Pluton' has been destroyed, the World Government never truly focused their attention on it. Instead, they seem to be engaging in secret activities at its construction site—Water 7."
"Their next destination should be Water 7 as well… I have a feeling something's going to happen."
Wright raised an eyebrow and looked at Kuzan meaningfully.
"So, you went to Water 7?"
"Yeah, I made some arrangements… hopefully, they won't be necessary."
Kuzan leaned back on the couch, sighing in satisfaction.
"Ah… after all that running around, lying down on this sofa is still the best."
"CP agents, huh? Their methods can be extreme. Aren't you worried Robin might fall into their hands?"
Wright smirked and asked, "If the higher-ups get their hands on Robin, that wouldn't be good for the Navy—or for the world."
"Hmm, I didn't fully understand before, but now I do."
Kuzan shifted slightly, finding a more comfortable position.
"The World Government's depths are… unfathomable. But you assigned Robin a group of bodyguards—I suppose I should test their mettle."
"If Robin falls into their hands, it just means those kids weren't worth much after all… and I won't let her escape a second time."
"But if they manage to protect her and continue forward…"
Kuzan's eyes opened slightly.
"Then, I suppose I'll watch alongside you to see just how far they can go."
"Haha… You won't be disappointed, Kuzan-senpai. But…"
Wright grinned mischievously. Seeing that expression, Kuzan sighed and sat up straight.
"Ah la la… Don't tell me you've already predicted something troublesome?"
"Hmm… nothing much. I'm just saying, what if they not only protect Robin but also humiliate the higher-ups? Have you considered that possibility?"
"Ah?"
Kuzan was momentarily stunned.
"If they can pull that off… then they're practically destined for greatness."
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