Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 225: Be Frank

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The soft light illuminated the room, casting a warm glow over the table laden with the specialties of the Ram Kingdom.

"...There is almost no affection between the two," Aoki said, holding a wine glass as he recounted to Robin what he had seen and heard in the palace.

"No wonder they would stoop to selling drugs to their own citizens," Robin remarked, her expression tinged with complexity.

To her, family affection was something she had always longed for but could never obtain. Yet, there were people who treated it like a discarded shoe, utterly indifferent to its value.

Aoki drained his glass in one gulp and placed it back on the table.

"Robin, what are your plans from here on?" he asked.

"Me?" Robin paused to think seriously. "Since my identity hasn't been exposed, I plan to stay in the Ram Kingdom for a while."

With the king and the first heir dead, the kingdom would inevitably fall into a period of turmoil. For someone like Robin, it was the perfect place to live unnoticed.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and spoke with determination. "Actually, my full name is Nico Robin."

Although their time together had been brief, Robin considered Aoki a comrade—one of the few she could call a companion in years of solitude. Now that they were parting ways, she wanted to share her true identity, despite the risks involved.

Robin looked at Aoki nervously, waiting for his reaction.

"I know," Aoki said calmly.

Robin blinked in surprise. "You know?"

"Nico Robin," he said with a faint smile. "The one with a bounty of 79 million berries. O'Hara's survivor. The Devil's Child."

Robin was stunned, then a hint of happiness crossed her face.

Aoki continued, "In fact, I recognized you the moment I saw you."

"Ah?"

Relief and surprise swirled within her. He had known all along and yet had done nothing to harm her. She hadn't misjudged him after all.

"Robin," Aoki said, "do you remember the three reasons I mentioned for coming here?"

Robin nodded. She clearly remembered—dealing with the king and the eldest prince, eliminating the Twin Blade Pirates, and the mysterious third reason he hadn't disclosed.

"The third reason," Aoki revealed, "was you. I came to the West Blue specifically to find you, Robin."

"What?" Robin asked, startled. "You came here just to find me?"

"That's right," Aoki confirmed.

Robin was momentarily speechless. After a pause, she asked, "How did you know I was in the capital of the Ram Kingdom?"

"I didn't," Aoki admitted. "Do you remember when I told you I went to Barabbio and destroyed the drug factory?"

Robin's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "You went to Barabbio to look for me?"

Aoki nodded. "Exactly. I'd heard rumors that you had been in Barabbio about a year ago, so I went there to see if I could find any trace of you. Instead, I stumbled upon the drug factory and, while following the trail, ended up here in the Ram Kingdom.

"At first, my plan was to complete the other two tasks before searching for you. But fate had other plans—you appeared before I even had the chance to act."

Robin's mind reeled. What she had initially thought was a chance encounter turned out to have far more layers than she had imagined.

Once she calmed down, she asked, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Aoki looked at her, his expression serious. "I need your help to study and decipher a relic."

"Decipher a relic?" Robin asked, caught off guard. "What kind of relic is it?"

"I don't know," Aoki admitted.

"...What?"

"I only know that such a relic might exist," he said thoughtfully. "And that it may contain something I need."

Sixteen years after Patrick Redfield discovered the mythical Vampire form of the Bat-Bat Fruit, Aoki was still uncertain about the current state of the ruins he sought.

"Is it something important?" Robin asked, breaking his train of thought.

"Very important," Aoki replied with a firm nod.

Robin fell silent.

The truth of the situation was far beyond her expectations. However, her earlier conclusions about Aoki's intentions remained valid, and she didn't resent him for withholding details. Deep down, she was willing to help him. Yet, as a target relentlessly pursued by the World Government, she feared her presence might bring him harm.

Aoki interrupted her thoughts by taking out a transparent orb and casually tossing it her way.

Robin instinctively caught it, staring at it with a puzzled expression.

"It's called the Thousand Illusion Mask," Aoki said. "And it's your reward."

"Reward? Thousand Illusion Mask?" Robin hesitated, pursing her lips. "I'm not doing this for a reward…"

"Try it first," Aoki interjected, cutting her off. "Open it and press it directly onto your face."

Robin glanced at him uncertainly. After a moment of hesitation, she carefully opened the orb. Inside was a transparent, pliable mask. Following Aoki's instructions, she placed it on her face.

At first, a cool sensation spread across her skin, but it quickly faded, leaving her unable to feel the mask's presence.

"And now?" Robin asked, her curiosity piqued.

Aoki didn't reply. Instead, he pulled out a mirror and held it up to her.

Robin froze in place, staring at her reflection in shock. She tentatively touched her face, disbelief etched on her unfamiliar features.

The girl in the mirror mirrored her expressions perfectly, but the face was entirely foreign.

Robin had heard of and even studied techniques like disguises and cross-dressing. However, those methods could only fool the average person, and their flaws were easily exposed.

Yet this mask—this illusion—was seamless. The edges blended flawlessly with her skin, and the color matched perfectly. Even her expressions were rendered with eerie accuracy.

"What exactly is this mask?" Robin muttered, awestruck.

"It can do more," Aoki said, raising his hand to gently pinch Robin's cheek.

Robin watched in the mirror as her face transformed again, morphing into yet another lifelike visage. It bore no resemblance to her original appearance or the first disguise. The effect was astonishing, and no imperfection could be detected even upon close inspection.

Now she understood why it was called the Thousand Illusion Mask.

With this mask, she no longer had to fear exposure or hide in the shadows.

But one thought lingered—was such a gift too precious?

As if sensing her hesitation, Aoki spoke. "By the way, you told me your true identity, but I don't think I've shared my origins with you yet."

Robin looked up, her curiosity evident.

She had speculated about Aoki's identity many times. His ability to single-handedly destroy the Twin Blade Pirates, infiltrate the palace, and assassinate both the king and the prince marked him as anything but ordinary.

Was he finally going to reveal his secret?

Aoki's expression shifted slightly as his features morphed, reverting to their original appearance.

Robin's jewel-like eyes widened in shock, their brilliance reflecting her disbelief.

"You… You're the Dragon King?"

Aoki sighed, a mixture of amusement and helplessness in his tone. "Well, yes, I suppose I am the Dragon King you've heard about."

As everyone knew, nicknames weren't something one could choose for oneself.

The title had spread across the world, and it clung to him whether he liked it or not.

"Never mind," he murmured to himself. "Dragon King it is."

At least the title wasn't entirely unflattering. It could be worse. He could have ended up as some absurd variation, like a crooked-mouthed Dragon King.

All things considered, the name wasn't so bad after all.

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