Chapter 95: Ace and Crocus
Crocus turned and walked quickly back into the small lighthouse.
A moment later, he came out holding a stack of white shredded paper.
The shredded paper was still trembling slightly.
"Life Cards?" Robin suddenly realized.
This old man was a crewmate of the Pirate King; those once-mighty pirates were just old, not dead.
When the Life Cards came into view, Ace, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward.
"Since you're all alive and well, why didn't you save him back then?" His voice was low, as if suppressing something.
He had thought that when Roger was captured by the Marine, his crewmates must have either died or been severely injured, suffering heavy losses.
But now, it seemed things were not as he had imagined.
"You could have prevented all of this."
Ace's voice trembled slightly, carrying an indescribable pain. "If he hadn't been captured, he wouldn't have said those words! And this era wouldn't have turned into this mess!"
Crocus looked at Ace's face in surprise; the features, somewhat similar to Roger's, made his heart sink.
"You—you?!" He shook his head in disbelief. "No, impossible, it shouldn't be!"
He clearly remembered the Marine's cruel, year-long hunt for Roger's bloodline.
Logically, there should have been no survivors.
Kane stepped forward: "That's right, it's just as you're thinking. Ace is Roger's son."
His tone held respect: "Back then, Ace's mother pushed back her delivery by a full twenty months. That's how she managed to save him right under the Marine's nose."
Crocus let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with complexity. "So that's it. You have a great mother."
"Answer my question," Ace growled. "Why didn't you save him? Did you all betray him?"
"Not betrayal, child."
Crocus sighed again, his gaze lost in distant memories. "Your father, our Captain, surrendered himself."
"What?!"
Except for Kane, everyone was shocked and disbelieving.
For a long time, the Marine's propaganda had been: Hero Garp personally arrested Pirate King Roger.
"Since you are Roger's son, I will explain everything to you."
Crocus recounted the past: "Twenty-one years ago, Roger was afflicted with an incurable disease. That year, he invited me to join his crew.
I used all my medical skills, but I could only extend his life by a mere five years."
"Knowing his time was short, he decided to use his own life to secure a peaceful existence for us, his crewmates."
"He made a deal with the Marine: his surrender in exchange for our retirement. As long as we didn't become active again, the Marine wouldn't pursue us."
"However, I never expected him to say those words at the last moment of his execution, personally ushering in this Great Pirate Era."
His gaze returned to Ace: "We didn't know of your existence. We only heard later that the Marine conducted a long-lasting, unprecedented hunt for pregnant women on the island where Roger had lived in seclusion for a year."
"I always thought that even if Roger did have an heir, he wouldn't escape the Marine's clutches. I never imagined—"
One has to say, Roger's judgment of people was indeed strong.
Who would have thought a pirate would entrust his child to the Marine who had always pursued him?
And that Marine actually protected the child.
"Then why did he say those words?" Ace asked impatiently.
Crocus noticeably paused, pondered for a moment, and finally shook his head: "Although I can guess a little of the reason, I cannot say. It concerns the existence of One Piece."
Ace, furious, instinctively reached out to grab Crocus's collar and interrogate him.
At that moment, a large hand gripped his wrist.
Ace sharply turned his head, his eyes filled with confusion and agitation: "Big Brother Kane?"
"Don't make it difficult for him. This was Roger's own choice." Kane looked directly at him: "Don't forget why you joined the crew. Dwelling on an unchangeable past is meaningless."
Ace met Kane's gaze for a moment, then lowered his arm.
"You have a good Captain."
Crocus sighed in admiration, then turned back to Ace, his tone softening: "Child, you seem to have a deep unresolved issue with Roger. If you're willing, why not listen to how this old man views your father."
This was a family matter, so Kane found it inconvenient to interfere. He simply watched silently as the two walked into the lighthouse.
Robin had quietly appeared beside Kane at some point, her slender fingers lightly tapping her chin, a playful curve on her lips: "What astonishing boldness, Lord Kane. No wonder you dare to take in a devil child like me. Compared to the Pirate King's son, my weight is still a bit less."
"Then you are mistaken."
Kane chuckled: "If Ace hadn't made a name for himself, in the eyes of the World Government, he would just be an insignificant name. You are different; you are someone who can dig at the government's roots."
"In that case, it seems I must cling tightly to a big tree like you, Lord Kane."
Robin blinked in feigned surprise, her smile becoming even more alluring.
"Put away these pointless tricks. I am not one of those fools in the West Blue you've manipulated. I can distinguish between acting and genuine emotion."
Kane was unmoved: "From now on, you will begin your work, Miss Secretary."
Immediately, Kane began to lay out a series of detailed task directives.
To Robin's surprise, Kane gave her far more authority and trust than expected—he directly involved her in the Beasts Pirates' core weapon and Sea Stone trade network.
"Besides the tasks I've given you, you have one more important thing to do."
"What is it?"
"Training."
"Ah?"
Seeing Kane's sincere expression, Robin paused slightly, genuine confusion showing in her beautiful eyes.
"As my secretary, not having some strength won't do."
Kane said with a serious face: "At least Armament Haki and Observation Haki must be learned. I don't want to receive news one day that my secretary was easily kidnapped. It's very troublesome to rescue you."
Rescue me?
Hearing this unfamiliar phrase, a complex ripple spread through Robin's heart.
She was silent for a moment before replying softly: "I understand."
An hour later, Crocus emerged with a complex-looking Ace.
The boy's eyes seemed less angry, replaced by a kind of confused after his perceptions had been overturned.
He needed time to digest it all.
Kane looked at Crocus: "Old man, do you know how many ways there are to use Haoshoku?"
"Haoshoku? Then you've come to the wrong person." Crocus shook his head: "At best, I'm just a Doctor with some strength; fighting is what Roger and the others did."
"Alright." Kane shrugged.
He had been hoping to learn some of Jabba's special Haoshoku techniques.
