The rain fell relentlessly from the heavens, the dark, heavy sky looking as if it might collapse at any moment. Wind chased the rain, and rain drove the wind; together, they pursued the fleeing storm clouds across the sky, engulfing the entire world in water. The downpour resembled countless silver threads drifting down from the celestial court – a stark, beautiful sight. And amidst this tempest, a small girl, clad only in a simple dress, sat with a stray dog for company. The scene was heartbreaking.
Doflamingo watched everything unfold from the shadows, careful not to disturb the poignant moment shared between the girl and the dog. Even if he revealed himself now, Robin would only be alarmed. She was like a startled bird, trusting no one easily. The locks around her heart were firmly shut, unlikely to open for anyone anytime soon.
After days of searching, his efforts had finally paid off. Doflamingo had found her. Even with his expansive Observation Haki, finding one small girl in the vast sea of humanity was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Fortunately, luck had been on his side. After several twists and turns, their paths had finally converged here. Perhaps, Doflamingo mused ironically, fate had decided it was time to show Robin a sliver of kindness.
Robin remained crouched in the downpour for a long while, lost in thought. Eventually, she parted ways with the dog and left the desolate spot. She felt utterly lost, unsure who, if anyone, might take her in now. Ordinary people coveted the bounty on her head; she was nothing more than a walking money tree to them. Staying among civilians would only lead to her eventual capture and delivery to the World Government.
If civilians are out of the question, Robin resolved grimly, then perhaps pirates or even mafia groups are the answer. They wouldn't care about my bounty, surely. Maybe with them, I could finally grow up in peace.
Her steps grew firmer, as if she had finally found a viable path to survival.
Not far behind, Doflamingo quietly observed Robin's every move, following her unseen, offering a twisted form of protection from the shadows. He understood that this was the absolute worst time to approach her directly. Rushing things now would yield no good results. While little Robin certainly couldn't resist his power and would ultimately be forced to come with him, their relationship would be one of mere pretense – outward compliance hiding inner discord. Doflamingo had no desire for such internal strife within his Family. Therefore, he waited for the perfect opportunity – a moment when her guard was lowered, a moment when despair overwhelmed her. That would be the ideal time to make his move. However, knowing Robin's sharp intellect, ordinary pursuers wouldn't catch her. To create that perfect opportunity, Doflamingo realized, he would have to engineer it himself.
His plan solidified, Doflamingo committed Robin's unique aura to memory. Once he was certain she was relatively safe for the moment, he departed alone.
The next day, in a tavern, Doflamingo inquired about the current pirate crews and mafia organizations active in the West Blue before quickly leaving.
Robin was still moving within the range of his Observation Haki, with no immediate signs of trouble. Doflamingo surmised the clever girl had realized hiding among civilians was futile and would inevitably turn her attention towards outlaws like the mafia and pirates. Only they might possibly accept her.
"Apologies, little Robin, but your plan is doomed to fail," Doflamingo thought with cold amusement. "Prepare to be cornered."
Having gathered information on all nearby criminal factions, Doflamingo immediately set out to pay them each a visit, intending to deliver his regards personally.
The West Blue was largely controlled by five notorious Mafia families, the most well-known being the Capone Family. Doflamingo anticipated that Capone Bege would likely rise dramatically soon, seizing control of the West Blue's underworld before eventually heading out to sea to pursue his own ambitions. Bege was, after all, an unscrupulous schemer – cruel, violent, and unpredictable.
Regardless of whether it was the Five Families or smaller gangs, Doflamingo planned to spare none of them his attention. First, he needed to beat them into submission; only then would they obey his commands without question.
While Robin was still lingering on the current island, Doflamingo swiftly dealt with the local gangs. No matter how much they struggled, none were a match for him. A jolt of his power was enough to make everyone fall in line obediently.
"Listen carefully," Doflamingo commanded the assembled mobsters, displaying Nico Robin's wanted poster. "Memorize this face. Your job is to prevent her from joining any criminal organization, be it mafia or pirates. Furthermore, you are to report her movements directly to the Navy. I want you to drive her into absolute despair."
He paused, his voice dropping dangerously low. "You are not to harm her yourselves. Leave the actual capture to the Marines. And most importantly," he added, "you will not breathe a word of my involvement. Otherwise... you know the consequences."
"Understood! We absolutely won't reveal anything about you, sir!" the terrified gangsters stammered, some actually weeping with relief. Just a little girl? This should be simple. Refuse her entry everywhere, make her an outcast, a pariah with nowhere to turn, until she breaks. Whatever happened after that wasn't their concern; their task would be done. Understanding their orders, a flicker of pity might have crossed some of their minds for the unfortunate girl named Nico Robin – targeted by such a terrifying figure.
Repeating this process, Doflamingo rapidly made his rounds through all the local mafia groups. He had to admit, those in the underworld generally had sharp instincts, unlike certain arrogant pirates who foolishly overestimated their own strength.
After instructing the mafia, Doflamingo swiftly descended upon the pirates docked nearby. Inevitably, there were always those courting death. Some pirates underestimated Doflamingo, and paid the ultimate price – obliterated by his 'Thunder Lance'. He made an example of them, slaughtering all who dared defy him, effectively killing the chicken to scare the monkeys. The remaining pirates immediately became docile, awaiting Doflamingo's instructions.
The core message was the same, but this time, Doflamingo only required the pirates to refuse Nico Robin entry into their crews, ensuring she found no sanctuary among them. There was no need to involve the Navy, given the inherent animosity between pirates and marines.
With everything meticulously arranged, Doflamingo merely had to wait for the fish to swim into the net. No matter where Nico Robin ran, Doflamingo, with his advantages in speed and strength, would always be one step ahead, weaving the web tighter around her. He just needed patience, waiting for her to inevitably walk right into his trap.
Poor little Robin, currently trying to evade the watchful eyes of civilians, now pinned her hopes on joining a mafia group or a pirate crew. She remained completely unaware of the invisible hand orchestrating her fate from behind the scenes.
This day, Robin finally stood before the base of a local mafia group.
"Are you recruiting? I want to join you. I can do many things," Robin asked nervously, addressing two men in black suits guarding the entrance, terrified of rejection.
"You? Get lost, kid! Go play somewhere else!" the guards snapped, initially not recognizing her and uninterested in a little brat anyway. They waved her away dismissively.
Faced with this reaction, Robin didn't feel overwhelming disappointment. She had only held onto a sliver of hope; even she hadn't truly believed a mafia group would accept her. She'd be lucky if they didn't just sell her out.
The only option left was to try the pirates. Robin turned and quickly walked away.
After she left, the two guards exchanged glances, a flicker of unease passing between them. Suddenly, realization dawned.
"Hey! Wasn't that the girl from the wanted poster? The boss gave specific orders! Damn my stupid brain!" one of the men cursed, slapping his forehead in frustration.
"Right! We need to report this immediately! This could earn us some credit!" the other guard urged.
"Yeah, yeah, you're right! Let's go, quickly! Before we miss our chance!"
The two men hurried off.
Leaving the mafia territory behind, Robin directed her gaze towards the pirate ship docked at the coast.
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and called out to the crew members on deck, "Are you looking for new crewmates? I want to join you!"
"What? A little brat like you? What do you know about anything?" one pirate retorted immediately. But as they got a clearer look at her face, their expressions shifted. "Get lost, Nico Robin! You cursed jinx! We don't want you here! No pirate crew would ever want a burden like you!"
"Yeah! You're nothing but deadweight! A useless liability!" another shouted.
"Whoever takes you in invites disaster!"
"Scram, you little rat! You're not welcome here!"
The pirates hurled insults freely, venting their frustrations while diligently carrying out Doflamingo's orders. They mocked Robin relentlessly, rejecting her outright. Hearing their venomous words, Robin's face turned deathly pale. She fought desperately to hold back the tears welling in her eyes before turning and fleeing the scene as fast as her legs could carry her.
The tendrils of conspiracy tightened around Nico Robin's head, yet she remained completely oblivious to the sinister plot unfolding around her.
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