The Jackal Guardian's Ascent

Chapter 31

"We're not going to just hand her over." one of the cloaked figures told Anu.

"I wasn't going to expect you to." Anu replied.

"Why are you here, Anu?" Robin asked.

"You're a smart woman, Robin. Take a guess." Anu answered.

"I don't want to be taken back." Robin told him.

"And why not?" Anu asked.

"Because, I'm doing this to protect you and everyone else." she answered.

"Protecting us? That's what you call this?!" he asked. 

"I wasn't given much of a choice!" she answered.

"I figured the government would do as much." Anu remarked.

"What?!" the group gasped, surprised by Anu's allegation.

"You really think it's not that obvious that someone, like Robin, that's been on the run for 20 years just magically disappears into thin air THIS CLOSE to a World Government stronghold?!" Anu sarcastically asked the group. "Not only that, but only the government would try to quietly take someone."

"It would seem that you know too much." one of the cloaked figures said. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to die."

"Wait, that wasn't part of the deal!" Robin begged, not wanting to see someone she grown to care about die because of her.

"I'm sorry, Nico Robin, but he must die." the figure replied. "Not only were we followed, but we've been made. We need to tie up this loose end."

"Don't expect me to go down without a fight then." Anu commented as he readied his swords.

"Anu, please don't do this!" Robin begged. "They'll kill you!"

"I'm fine with that." Anu commented.

"Shave. Finger Pistol." one of the cloaked figures seemed to flicker from existence before reappearing before Anu and piercing him near his heart with nothing more than a finger.

"AGH!" Anu clutched his chest as he fell to a knee as the finger withdrew from his body.

"Hmm, he's much tougher than I expected." the masked figure said to himself. "Finger Pistol." the figure attacked once more, this time they pierced Anu on a different side of his chest, yet again, just barely missing his heart.

"AGH!!" Anu coughed up blood as the finger withdrew from his body once more. This time, he collapsed to the ground from the pain and passed out.

A few hours later at an inn in another side of town

"Here you are." Sanji said as he entered the rooftop area of the inn the rest of the crew was staying at. "We've all got rooms here, but no one's in their rooms. I guess none of us could sleep...Where's Luffy?"

"He's over there." Chopper answered as he pointed to Luffy sitting atop a nearby tower.

"Where did you go, Sanji?" Luffy asked, not looking away.

"I stayed by the rocky cape all night keeping watch." Sanji answered. "Just in case Robin or Anu returned. I wonder where they went."

Everyone continued looking on, obviously still processing last night's events. 

"I was planning on searching the town today. Whatever happens, let's make this inn our contact point." Sanji told them. 

"I'll come too!" Chopper chimed in. "To help search!"

"Yeah? Okay." Sanji said to Chopper, appreciative of the help.

"Luffy!!" Nami yelled as she threw open the door leading to the rooftop. "Terrible news. The whole town's in an uproar...Luffy!!"