The dealer lifted the dice cup.
"One, one, two—small!"
"Damn it!" "No way!" "I lost again!"
A chorus of frustrated groans erupted from the crowd of gamblers. Only a handful of lucky ones won, and among them was Carl—who had just put all his chips in.
"Congratulations, sir. Here are your winnings," the croupier said, pushing a stack of chips toward him.
"Good, keep going," Carl said with a faint smile.
This wasn't gambling. This was practically withdrawing money.
Now he understood why Fujitora enjoyed gambling so much. With strong enough Observation Haki, predicting the dice roll was effortless.
The dealer prepared for the next round, shaking the dice cup rhythmically. The surrounding gamblers leaned in, listening intently, as if they could truly hear the numbers inside.
Smack!
The dice cup hit the table.
"Place your bets!"
"Small!" "Definitely small!" "Small again!"
The gamblers, their eyes reddened with excitement, placed their wagers.
A red gleam flickered in Carl's eyes. He smirked and nonchalantly pushed all his chips onto "Big."
"Open!"
The dice cup was lifted.
"Five, five, four—big!"
Immediately, cries of dismay filled the room.
Meanwhile, Carl collected another hefty pile of chips.
The dealer's eyes narrowed. Twice in a row, this Marine—dressed in his standard-issue coat—had gone all-in and won.
Suspicious.
The croupier's hands trembled slightly as they shook the dice cup for the next round.
Clack! "Place your bets!"
Some gamblers bet big, others small, but the dealer's attention was fixed solely on Carl.
Unfazed, Carl leisurely pushed out all his chips—onto Leopard!
The entire casino stilled.
The dealer's pupils shrank.
Leopard—when all three dice showed the same number—was the highest-risk bet. Most gamblers avoided it, as it rarely hit. But if it did, the payout was tenfold.
The dealer hesitated, hands trembling.
"I'll do it," a soft, confident voice said.
Carl's eyes sharpened.
A woman stepped forward, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and an unreadable smile.
Robin.
"This guest, I apologize for our staff," she said smoothly. "She's just a little nervous."
"So, I'll handle this roll."
She pressed her hand on the dice cup.
"Three, six, six—Leopard."
"Holy—" "It's really a Leopard?!" "How did he guess?!".
Gasps and whispers filled the room as gamblers stared at Carl with shock and admiration.
Robin, however, kept her smile intact.
Turning to the croupier, she ordered, "Bring enough chips to pay this guest."
"Yes, Miss Robin!" The croupier quickly obeyed.
"Would you like to continue?" Robin asked, still studying Carl.
"Sure," Carl replied nonchalantly.
He knew she was trouble.
Nico Robin—the so-called Son of the Devil—was the last survivor of Ohara, a target of the World Government since childhood. As a user of the Hana Hana no Mi, her intelligence and abilities made her one of the most dangerous individuals in the world.
Normally, Carl would avoid such complications.
But right now, he was just a tourist.
"Alright then, let's begin," Robin said, picking up the dice and shaking them effortlessly before placing the cup down.
"Place your bets."
Yet, none of the gamblers moved. They were all staring at Carl.
Carl shrugged and casually placed his chips on "Small."
Since his previous winnings hadn't been handed over yet, he didn't have many chips left.
"I'll follow!" "Trust him!" "It has to be small!"
A group of gamblers quickly mimicked his bet.
Carl smirked. His eyes flickered with a faint red light. In his observation, a hand sprouted from the dice cup.
"Open."
Robin lifted the cup—without hesitation this time.
"One, two, three—small!"
Her pupils constricted.
Impossible!
She had changed the dice using her Devil Fruit ability!
Carl leaned back, his golden eyes gleaming for a split second.
Golden Experience Requiem.
Robin's actions had been erased from reality itself.
"This is getting boring," Carl muttered, shaking his head.
"No, keep playing!" "You're a god of gambling!" "Please, just one more round!"
The gamblers, their faces consumed with greed, surged toward Carl.
Carl sighed.
His aura darkened.
A chilling wave of killing intent spread outward.
He uttered a single word.
"Scram."
For a moment, the entire casino froze.
Every gambler stood petrified—trapped in absolute terror.
The air felt suffocating.
A sensation of drowning in blood.
Then, suddenly, they regained control of their bodies.
"D-Demon…"
"Run for your lives!"
"Don't kill me!"
Panic erupted. The gamblers fled, stumbling over each other.
Robin, however, remained still.
"You… who are you?" she asked, her voice strained.
That killing intent—it was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
For a moment, it was as if the entire room had been drenched in blood.
Her instincts screamed at her to flee, yet her body wouldn't obey.
Until he retracted his aura.
Carl chuckled, spreading his hands casually.
"My name is Solomon Carl. As you can see, I'm a Marine."
Robin's gaze sharpened.
A Marine—with that kind of killing intent—had entered Rain Dinners, Crocodile's personal casino.
Could it be that the Marines were secretly planning something against the Shichibukai?
"I don't believe you," Robin muttered.
Carl waved her off.
"It doesn't matter if you do." He glanced at her, his tone light but firm. "Son of the Devil, Nico Robin. If I really wanted to arrest you, I would have done so already."
Robin's breath hitched.
Carl's eyes flickered with amusement.
She's been running from the World Government for twenty years. This level of paranoia is expected.
Just then—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the casino.
The floor trembled.
An earthquake?
Screams filled the hall as people rushed outside.
Carl turned toward the source of the disturbance.
A flicker of red light flashed in his eyes.
"It's starting."
Robin's expression twisted in alarm.
"What… what's happening?!"
Carl didn't answer.
His figure blurred—vanishing in an instant.
It was time to check things out.
While the events of Alabasta should play out as they did in his memory, his own presence was an unpredictable factor.
If his presence caused even the slightest deviation, it could change the entire outcome.
In the vast desert outside Rain Dinners—
The Future Pirate King, Monkey D. Luffy, was already locked in battle with Sir Crocodile, the Shichibukai.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 40+ CHAPTERS
patreon.com/Kora_1