One Piece: Gambling to The Top

Chapter 23 - 23

AN: 15 advanced chapter ahead at patréon

www.patreo n.com/Blazuki ??

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Josh couched lowly, ready to use Shave at any moment.

In front of him, appeared one of his most dangerous, yet, favourite characters.

The Demon Child, Robin, Aka Ms All Sunday, the female partner of Crocodile.

Standing at the height of 188 cm, the tanned woman patted her long straight hair and smirked while looking at Josh, scanning him with her blue eyes.

"Well, we have a bad boy here. Mr 7," She said with a smirk.

Josh half-closed his eyes.

The woman in front of him was strong enough to take a squad of royal soldiers on her own, which imply, if she tries, she can just crack his neck.

It was needless to say that she can crack the bones of Josh easily.

Although she was not loyal to Crocodile, her decisions now may not be the same as they would in the canon.

"What are you talking about," Josh said with a shrug. "There is one man and two women here. I see no boy."

"Fufufu…" Robin just jumped from the building and landed in front of Josh, who didn't even flinch. Staring at him, she asked. "Do you know who am I?"

"Someone strong enough." Josh raised his eyebrows. '

Now I wonder, why the heck they have to make them tall.' Josh thought to himself as he lifted his head a bit.

'Alright, in the worst-case scenario, I can kick her on the pussy and run away with Mikita. If I'm fast enough, she won't be able to activate her Devil fruit in time.'

That was risky. In Anime, she could catch an eagle man in the air and take him down. But Josh had to play his cards.

"Hmm… your eyes are showing wariness. How am I supposed to believe you." Robin put her hand on his chin.

Mikita was about to say something, yet Josh extended his hand to her.

"How am I supposed to know. You just appeared. I can assume that you are an ally to me since you know my code name." Josh took a step back, scanned her from toe to head.

There was a small pause when looking at her curvy hips, or her chest, before saying.

"I have never seen you before. Besides Double Finger, you don't look weaker than anyone. Are you the partner of Boss, Mr.0?"

"Well, you are smart enough despite your young age." Robin put her hand on her chest, on the slit on her short jacket. "I'm Miss All Sunday. What's your name, and purpose."

"You're the boss's partner, you know my name." Josh didn't introduce himself and sat down. "And my purpose is simple. I want to get my payment."

"Weird enough. The fact that the princess had returned, and the fact that you chatted casually about her to the guards, who, from nowhere, could tell about this deal, is a little bit suspicious."

Josh wanted to bite his lips.

He had remembered her ability. She can just make a copy from any organ she has and put it anyway, including her ears.

She probably had been spying on them with her ear on some wall.

However, his previous mentor taught him that their job requires having a poker face.

One must bullshit his way out.

"I was just teasing them." Josh shrugged his shoulders. "Mr. 3 is someone who uses strategies. I do that as well."

Robin smiled and half-closed her eyes. "I'm not excellent at mathematics, but what are the chances for that to be real."

"You never played the lottery." Josh raised his eyebrow.

"I played."

"Won?"

"I'm not that lucky."

"Just try. Who knows, you may win one day."

Robin shook her head. "Enough jokes."

After she crossed her arms, a group of arms appeared around Mikita and Josh, planted on their bodies.

Josh tried to use Shave, but he fell immediately on the ground and rolled a bit. Looking in front of him, Josh frowned as some arms were tying his legs...

"Come on! you surprised me." Robin made a small teasing laugh.

"What you have done to him, Sunday's bitch." Mikita just increased her weight, however, Robin had enough arms to stop her from moving.

"That hurts my feelings," Robin said gently as she looked at them.

She then stared at Josh, who stood up, with his arms pointing up, hands opened.

"Fine, fine, you won't believe whatever I say." Josh drew a confident smile on his face. "Time for the truth."

When a lawyer knows he fucked up, he has to play poker.

"Now, I need to know your real purpose," Robin asked.

"My real purpose, I just wanted to draw you out. I heard you are too pretty, and I was curious. I must say, I'm not disappointed." Josh said.

Mikita almost shot Josh a glare, if not knowing that he was bullshitting his way out.

Robin chuckled. "Thanks. But I'm a proud single woman and prefer to stay like that. Now, your last chance to say the truth."

"Fine, Robin," Josh said.

Robin, who didn't give her real name, flinched when Josh said it casually.

"I'm someone who is like you." Said Josh as he crossed his arms before putting his hands on his hips.

"What do you mean? How do you know me?" Robin asked. There is a chance that Josh had seen an old poster for her. But what made her doubt that was that Josh took his time to conclude that she is a partner of Crocodile.

Not to mention, when she had taken that picture in wanted posture, Josh hasn't been born yet.

Josh continued. "Your purpose is to find the real chance to strike Crocodile in the back. I'll tell you in advance, the next year, you will find his weakness is water."

Josh said.

Robin opened her eyes widely.

Josh, not only could tell her name, but he could tell her purpose from staying next to Crocodile.

"Who are you! Are you for my head!"

Josh put his hands on his pocket, ignoring the many arms that can twist his neck, and walked around confidently.

He has the court in his hand.

Just when Robin had that flinch on her face, Josh knew he got this.

"My name is Josh. My girlfriend calls me Joshy, so you can't use that pet name." Josh walked toward her slowly. "My background, don't ask me about it. I know nothing as well, other than my name of course.

"On the other hand, you are called many names. Demon Child. Archaeologist. Robin. But in the end, you are being used by Crocodile, in order to help him find the legendary ancient weapons. Am I wrong, Nico?"

Josh said with a very calm face.

Robin's breathes paused for a second. "How do you know that?"

"You are not the only one who is reading history, or linking strings that surrounds you."

Josh didn't make eye contact and lifted his head, looking at one cloud that passed, before staring at Robin, whose eyes didn't leave him.

"We may be started wrong. Nice to meet you, Nico Robin. I'm someone who has the same purpose as you."

Josh smiled.

He held an arm that had appeared on his shoulder, took by the hand, and put it next to his mouth, kissing it and making Robin take a step back in surprise, that arm vanishing to thin air.

Josh went to the near weapon box and sat down while Robin was staring at him from head to two.

Robin crossed her arms. A chair of hands appeared beneath her and she sat down, facing Josh.

Leaning forward, she asked. "You got my attention, young man. What motivate you?"

'The mission.'

Josh looked at the sky.

Robin could see that there is regret on his face.

Josh seemed like he didn't want to do this in the first place.

"My conscience." Josh didn't lie in this one. He did it because of the mission where he had to deliver weapons, and he didn't want to imagine that real breathing people are dying because of him.

Robin, who had lived her life in the underworld ever since she was a little girl, could tell who lies and who tells the truth.

Josh, who was young, didn't seem to know how to lie.

Just by seeing the regret on his face, she felt some sympathy for him.

Maybe that's because her situation was no different in Baroque Works.

But that didn't show up on her face.

'Well, my internship didn't go waste. Welcome to the law school, where even the best body language readers are tricked.'

Lying was Josh's craft, though.

Josh then made what seemed a forced smile, which can draw the sympathy of anyone who looks at him.

"Who would think that Mr. 7 is a good cute boy. Let me play with your cheeks."

"Thanks." Josh looked at the side and scratched his nose.

"You're calling my boy cute! " Mikita said as she struggled with the arms. First Zala, and Now Ms All Sunday is flirting with Josh.

"Just saying facts now. I have few questions, such as" Robin said, not completely looking to be trusting Josh. "How do you know what I'm doing? Do you have a Devil Fruit that read minds?"