The Going Merry pitched and rolled as another impossible weather change struck - the third in as many hours.
Snow fell heavily on one side of the ship while the other baked under intense sunlight.
The crew scrambled to adjust the sails yet again, all except Luffy, who sat cross-legged on Merry's figurehead, occasionally glancing at their two passengers with barely concealed amusement.
"The wind's changing again!" Nami called out, studying her Log Pose. "Everyone, hard to starboard!"
"This is insane!" Usopp shouted, struggling with the ropes. "How can it be snowing and sunny at the same time?"
"Welcome to the Grand Line," Mr.9 said smugly, though he and Miss Wednesday had yet to lift a finger to help.
"Nami-san! How much snow shoveling of love would like me to do?" Sanji asked with hearts in his eyes.
"Please continue until it stops snowing, Sanji-kun!"Nami, causing Sanji to start shoveling at a rapid pace.
"Doesn't this ship have a heater or something?" Mr. 9 asked as he and Vivi shivered in their blankets.
"I'm cold," Vivi said.
"SHUT UP! YOU'RE NOT GUESTS!" Nami shouted. "GO SHOVEL SOME SNOW TO WARM UP!"
"Behold! The man who came from the sky! Mr. Snowman!" Luffy said after making a funny-looking snowman.
"Ha ha ha!" Usopp said. "Amateur. Behold, the beauty of my soul. Snow Queen." he said after making a sculpture of a woman out of snow.
All of them clapped at that before Luffy shot one of Mr. Snowman's wooden arms at her, smashing its head and pissing off Usopp.
"Why'd you do that, you jackass?!" he screamed as he kicked Luffy's snowman's head in.
"YOU BULLY!" Luffy shouted.
Soon they were throwing snowballs at each other.
"THIS MEANS WAR!" the two shouted before throwing snowballs at each other.
From her vantage point inside, Nami watched the snowball fight with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "How do they have so much energy?"
Her words were barely out when a blast of hot air swept across the deck, instantly melting their snowy creations, and leaving Luffy and Usopp standing in puddles with confused expressions.
Usopp's carefully sculpted Snow Queen, a masterpiece of icy artistry, dissolved into a slush puddle before his eyes. He crumpled to his knees, a dramatic wail escaping his lips. "My Snow Queen! My beautiful, ephemeral creation!" Tears welled in his eyes, blurring the already melting masterpiece.
"Mr. Snowman, nooo!" Luffy joined in the theatrical mourning.
"FOCUS ON THE WEATHER, YOU IDIOTS!" Nami screamed as lightning suddenly crackled overhead. "The barometer's going crazy!"
"Nami-swan! Should I protect you from this dangerous lightning with my body?!" Sanji twirled as he danced.
The wind, a fickle beast, shifted without warning, throwing the Going Merry onto its side.
Before they could regain their balance, golf-ball-sized hail hammered the deck, each impact a sharp, stinging blow.
"Now it's hailing?!" Mr. 9 shrieked, diving for cover.
Usopp yelped, shielding his head with a makeshift shield of planks. While fighting to keep the helm steady, his knuckles were white against the wood.
Then, as quickly as it began, the hail ceased, replaced by a thick, suffocating fog that swallowed the ship whole.
The air grew heavy, the silence broken only by the creak of the ship and the muffled gasps of the crew.
"Shishishi! The Grand Line is fun!" Luffy laughed, using his rubber body to bounce the hailstones back into the sky.
"This isn't fun at all!" Miss Wednesday protested, ducking behind a barrel.
"Zoro snored loudly from his spot against the mast, somehow sleeping through everything, including a hailstone that bounced off his head.
As the weather becomes somewhat steady.
Luffy sat on Merry's head, his observation haki spread across the ship like an invisible net. He could feel everything - Zoro's steady presence as he slept, Sanji's movements in the kitchen, Nami's focused energy as she studied her maps, and Usopp's nervous but determined aura as he worked on his inventions. While his observation wasn't at a master level yet, it was enough to keep track of his nakama."
"Nami-swan! Miss Wednesday! I've prepared a special drink to combat the cold!" Sanji twirled over with a tray.
"Thank you, Sanji-kun!" Nami smiled, making the cook melt.
"What about my drink?" Mr. 9 asked hopefully.
"Make your own, suspicion bastard," Sanji replied flatly, his chivalry notably absent for male guests.
"Oi, Zoro, Sanji!" Luffy called out. "Show me how far you've gotten!"
The two rivals smirked, their arms simultaneously turning black with armament haki. They'd learned the basics faster than expected - probably due to their constant competition.
"Watch this, shitty captain," Sanji's leg darkened as he performed a kick that split a wave in half.
Not to be outdone, Zoro sliced through with a haki-infused blade. "Getting better at maintaining it," he grunted.
"Shishishi! You guys are awesome!" Luffy grinned, his arm turning black. "I can hold it longer now too! And Gear Third doesn't shrink me anymore!"
"Your observation haki's still better than ours though," Sanji admitted, lighting a cigarette while effortlessly dodging a stray piece of hail without looking.
"Because I need to protect everyone!" Luffy declared with his characteristic determination. His Conqueror's haki flared briefly, making Mr. 9 wobble but not quite faint.
"Still need to work on that one," Luffy laughed sheepishly.
"Oi Usopp!" Luffy called out. "Try hitting me while I use observation haki!"
Usopp grinned, loading his slingshot. "Don't underestimate my new ammunition! ADHESIVE STAR!"
Luffy dodged most shots but got caught by one sticky pellet. "Shishishi! That's sneaky!"
Meanwhile, Zoro was teaching Sanji some sword basics, much to the cook's annoyance.
"I kick, moss-head. I don't need swords," Sanji grumbled.
"Understanding blade work will help you predict enemy movements better," Zoro explained gruffly. "Now watch the angle of attack."
Nami observed from her position at the helm, occasionally calling out weather changes. "whiskey peak should be visible soon- LUFFY STOP STRETCHING THE MAST!"
"But Nami, I'm practicing Gear Third control!" Luffy whined.
"NOT ON OUR SHIP!"
Mr. 9 and Vivi watched in amazement as the crew seamlessly switched between training and their regular duties, even in the chaotic Grand Line weather.
Zoro watched their passengers from the side of his eyes, his hand resting casually on his swords. Something about their names nagged at his memory.
"Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday," he muttered under his breath. "Where have I heard those types of codenames before?"
His thoughts were interrupted by Luffy's sudden laughter. The captain was perched on Merry's head, grinning widely as he stared into the distance.
"Shishishi! I can sense a lot of people ahead!" Luffy announced his observation of Haki stretching out. "It feels like a whole town is waiting!"
Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday exchanged quick, nervous glances that didn't escape Zoro's notice.
"A welcoming party?" Nami asked skeptically.
"Something like that," Luffy grinned mysteriously, making their passengers shift uncomfortably.
Zoro's eyes narrowed further. Those codenames... reminded him of something he'd heard in his bounty-hunting days. Something about an organization...
"Land ho!" Usopp called from the crow's nest. "There's something weird about those cacti though..."
"Ah! The historic Cactus Rocks!" Mr. 9 announced with exaggerated grandeur. "The pride of Whiskey Peak!"
Sanji emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron. "Dinner's ready for oi, what's with those giant cacti?"
"They look like gravestones," Zoro commented deliberately, watching their passengers flinch slightly.
"Don't say scary things, Zoro!" Usopp called down, his knees already shaking.
"SUPER COOL!" Luffy shouted, stars in his eyes despite having seen them before. "Hey Usopp, let's climb them later!"
"I suddenly have a can't-climb-cacti disease..."
Nami bonked both their heads. "Nobody's climbing anything! We need to resupply and get the Log Pose set."
While the others discussed the approaching island, Zoro continued puzzling over the familiar-sounding codenames. The way they carried themselves, those practiced poses... Where had he heard about numbered agents before?
Luffy stretched his neck to peer at the approaching island, his grin widening as he sensed the hidden bounty hunters. This was going to be fun! But first...
"Oi Zoro!" he called out. "Want to have a drinking contest when we land?"
Zoro raised an eyebrow at the unusual request from his captain but smirked. "Bring it on."
Miss Wednesday whispered something to Mr. 9, both looking increasingly nervous as they approached the island. Zoro caught fragments like "...stronger than expected..." and "...might be trouble..."
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed, making both agents jump. "The Grand Line is full of surprises, right?"
The knowing look in their captain's eyes made even Nami pause. Sometimes Luffy seemed almost... wise. She shook her head - now that was a scary thought!
As the Merry glided into the harbor, fog parting around her bow, dozens of figures emerged along the shoreline.
"WELCOME TO WHISKEY PEAK!" The crowd erupted in cheers and celebration.
They were shocked to see the townspeople were celebrating their arrival. Some were waving their hands, some were whistling, and the others were cheering as soon as they saw the ship was at the dock.
"A party?" Usopp's jaw dropped. "They're welcoming pirates?"
"A town that welcomes pirates! That's new". Sanji said,
"We should probably sleep with our eyes open". Zoro smirked.
Looking at the cheering crowd, the crew thought Zoro was just joking. Unknowing that Zoro wasn't fully joking around, Grand Line was a dangerous place that was something no one could deny. Therefore, keeping their eyes out for danger was essential, and Nami would do just that as the navigator also had the same thought as the first mate.
However, Sanji soon forgot his doubt as multiple ladies waved at him, some even blew him kisses. Usopp had also lost. As soon as he heard some of them praise the crew as 'the warriors of the sea', the sniper quickly puffed his chest to show the pride of the so-called captain Usopp.
Suddenly, a tall man with a ridiculous curly hairstyle came to greet them once they finished docking.
"Welcome, Pirates! My name is Igarappoi, this town's mayor. Whiskey Peak is the Grand Line's most hospitable rest stop, so I would like to invite you to take a rest from your courageous and weary adventure, and enjoy the drinks, food, music, and cheerful atmosphere before you go onward on your next journey"
Right at the moment the mayor had finished his speech, Luffy quickly rushed toward the mass of people without a single word and headed to wherever that delicious food was waiting to satisfy his belly, but Zoro noticed his captain's eyes scanning the crowd with unusual focus.
"And.....he's gone," Sanji said after blowing out a trail of smoke.
However, the cook soon also searched for the group of beautiful ladies from before, then made a jump right into the center of the group as soon as he spotted them.
"Another one," Nami sighed.
"Count him in", Zoro said while pointing at Usopp, who was dramatically retelling the story of them going up and over the Reverse Mountain to a group of people.
"Ah, Mr. 9, Miss Wednesday! Welcome back!" Igarappoi called out as their passengers disembarked with suspicious haste.
Nami stepped forward, and all business. "How long does the Log Pose take to set here?"
"Please, please! Such matters can wait! First, we feast!"
Nami then went with the flow, and might as well steal from these people. Besides, there wouldn't be anything wrong as long as Zoro still kept his eyes on the crew and the ship.
"Not sure if they're truly a bunch of fools, or they're just better actors than those townspeople. Either way, we might as well enjoy this moment", Nami said, then quickly joined those boys.
As the crew was swept toward the town by the cheering crowd, 'Too cheerful,' Zoro thought, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Their smiles are too wide, their movements too precise. It's like watching a well-rehearsed play... a play with hidden daggers.
"Dusk soon fell, as the crew was enjoying their time with a joyful atmosphere that came from the party.
Some enjoyed small drinking or eating contests, some took their time to retell their journeys.
Soon, Luffy also jumped into a drinking competition with Nami, right after Zoro was defeated.
Then the music started, and the crew decided to join in with a few dances. Usopp and Sanji were seen dancing happily among the group.
This was another wonderful time for the crew. Usopp stood on a table, regaling the crowd with increasingly outlandish tales of his "8000 followers."
Then the night came. The party had also quieted down, as everyone had finally fallen into their slumber.
The islanders soon gathered around, right before they had made sure the Strawhats had slept soundlessly inside one of their buildings.
"Was this necessary? We could have taken care of them right at the post, they only have 5 members after all" Ms.Monday said.
"You should have known better, Ms. Monday. Underestimating our targets will only lead us to our downfall" the mayor, or rather Mr.8, said.
"What?! 55,000,000 berries?!" the trio shouts in disbelief.
"For those morons?!" Mr. 9 said.
"Don't be stupid," Igaram said as he put the poster away. "Looks can be deceiving. That goes for *cough* MAAH MAA MAAAAAH~ all of you."
"Sorry." Miss Monday said as she rubbed the back of her head.
"It's ok!" Igaram addressed his fellow bounty hunters. "These rookies were completely fooled!"
"Anyway, we must hurry and search for their ship while the others restrain them. The bounty would be less if we killed them, so I would rather let them live for now" Mr. 8 continues.
"My, my... what poor actors you all are," Zoro's voice cuts through the night like steel "A hundred bounty hunters playing at being townsfolk? I've seen better performances in street theater."
The group started at the new voice. They quickly turned toward the roof of the nearest building, where Zoro was sitting while crossing his hands. Not to mention the shadow that covered his face, letting only his eyes' color shine while sitting under the moon, creating some kind of big villain's vibe.
The 'celebrating' townspeople freeze, their masks of hospitality crumbling
"Impossible!" Igaram's curls quiver with rage "The sleeping drug should have..."
"Heh," Zoro ties his bandana with deliberate slowness "A true swordsman never drinks himself to sleep in enemy territory. Though I have to admit..."
He draws Wado Ichimonji, the blade catching the moonlight
"...watching you all try to out-drink Nami was pretty entertaining."
"KILL HIM!" Igaram roars, raising his saxophone gun.
Zoro's eyes gleam dangerously as he unsheathes his second sword.
"A hundred against one?" His grin turns predatory. "I'll try not to end this too quickly, Baroque Works!"
"YOU BASTARD! HOW DO YOU KNOW THE COMPANY NAME?!" Igaram shouts.
"When I was in the same line of work, I was offered to join by your company once," Zoro says. "Was it a secret?"
"FINISH HIM!" Igaram roars, before they all notice that he disappeared. "WHAT?!"
"he's...gone?" Vivi whispered in disbelief.
"What are you looking at?" Zoro asked as he looked up at the spot he was at just now like he didn't know either. All of them looked at him with bulging eyes as he smirked. Zoro was all ready to fight them. "So then...shall we?"
Zoro moved like a phantom through the narrow streets, his three swords a blur of motion. He didn't just fight; he danced, his movements a deadly ballet of precision and power. He used the shadows to his advantage, striking from unexpected angles, and disarming his opponents with swift, precise movements. The clash of steel echoed through the night, punctuated by the cries of surprised bounty hunters.
Nami was seen hiding behind a building. She slowly looked around back and forth, left and right, making sure no one saw her. Then she quickly rushed toward another building. Suddenly, a bunch of the townspeople from before rushed in her direction, making Nami jump and quickly hide away, thinking she had been found. However, Nami then heard a ruckus outside, so it must be something else as those people kept heading toward a different way.
Once she had made sure no one was spotted in her range of sight, Nami slowly got out of the barrel where she had been hidden.
"It seems like Zoro can handle them" Nami with berries eyes" Let's go get the Treasure"
The captain watching on the nearby roof. He then let out a small laugh, impressed by the mess Zoro had created so far. Luffy knew Zoro would have no difficulty taking care of the underlings.
Even though Luffy doesn't want to interfere with Zoro's fun, the captain still needs to stop the swordsman from attacking Mr.9 and Mr.8 pairs. However, he soon became panicked once he saw Zoro had taken a few more steps forward. Therefore, without a second thought, the captain quickly launched himself toward the first mate.
Thankfully, the swordsman had reacted on time and shielded himself with a sword in hand, but because of the impact, Zoro was still pushed quite far back, creating two lines of rubble along the way.
"What the hell, Luffy?!" Zoro asked.
"Don't attack them", Luffy commanded, while standing beside the first mate.
Hearing the seriousness in his voice, Zoro quickly complied without another word. The swordsman casually swung his sword to get the blood off, then re-sheathed it. However, Zoro's hand still put on the sword, as he didn't fully let his guard down.
The group of hunters had been anxious ever since Zoro had proved his strength to them by finishing their people with only one sword. Therefore, with Luffy now coming to back up the swordsman, perhaps they wouldn't live long enough to see tomorrow morning.
Suddenly, they heard a hissing sound, then came the explosion. All of them had to shield themselves in case they were blown away by the big gust of wind. Inside the dust, two new figures were revealed when the sight was clear. The hunter group was shocked once they realized who the newcomers were.
"Mr.5 and Ms.Valentine!" Ms.Monday said frighteningly.
"Wh-What are you doing here?!" Mr.8 asked.
"Extermination duty!" Mr.5 said coldly, not even caring about the two pirates.
"The boss sent us here because two people within the organization knew about his identity. He didn't seem to like that idea", Mr. 5 explained.
"So we decided to investigate and you'll never guess what we've learned." Miss Valentine's Day said with a smile. All of them listened while Nami listened from the shadows.
"We've learned that two of Baroque Works' number agents are spies from a distance kingdom."
'He knows!" Igaram thought as Mr. 9 stated his crown was a hobby. He then jumped up and started firing at the two of them. "IGARAPPAPPA!" he shouted. "SO LONG AS I IGARAM, CAPTAIN OF ALABASTA'S ROYAL GUARD BREATHE, YOU WILL NOT HARM THE PRINCESS!"
"Igaram, Captain of Alabasta's Royal Guard." Mr. 5 said as the smoke cleared with him holding a picture of Vivi. "And Vivi Nefertari, Princess of the Royal Kingdom of Alabasta. By order of Mr. 0, both of you are to die."
"Run Princess Vivi!" Igaram shouted as he kept up his attack.
"Igaram!" she shouted. Everyone was watching the cloud of smoke, which was all the distraction that Mr. 9 needed to untie her. "Huh?"
"Run," he whispered before Igaram was blown away by a bomb.
"IGARAM!" she shouted as she looked to see his smoking figure on the ground.
"What the idiot thinking now" confusing Zoro
"I don't know who you all are, but our target isn't any of you." Mr. 5 said.
"Hand over Princess Vivi and we may just let you leave alive." Miss Valentine's Day said before laughing.
"Shishishi! These guys look fun!" Luffy grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Hey Zoro, can I fight the booger guy?"
"Booger guy?!" Mr. 5 growled indignantly.
"KYAHAHA! He called you booger guy!" Miss Valentine laughed.
"Oi Luffy, I was in the middle of-" Zoro started.
"But I'm boooored!" Luffy whined. "And he makes things explode! That's cool!"
"Huh?" they both said, just as confused as the rest of them.
"Heh. You're either brave or stupid kid." Mr. 5 smirked as his partner laughed.
"We're on a level far above all the rest here," she said. "We're officer agents."
"Wait a moment." Miss Monday said as she started to sit up. "If anyone's fighting, it's me."
"And me." Mr. 9 said as he pulled out his bats and stood between Vivi and the Mr. 5 pair.
"But...why?" Vivi asked.
"I haven't a clue as to what's going on, but we've been partners for a long time," he said as Miss Monday stood next to him.
"Besides, we're already in trouble for being beaten. Might as well go down helping a friend," she said as she cracked her knuckles.
"Heh. That's cute." Mr. 5 said as he picked his nose with both fingers. "I'll deal with you both since you're so eager to die. Double Nose Fancy!" he shouted as he held up his hands towards them all.
"CANNON!" he shouted as he flung them at them. Mr. 9 and Miss Monday braced themselves.
Luffy stepped in the path of the boogers. He was then engulfed in a huge explosion, shocking everyone around.
"LUFFY!" Zoro shouted.
"Hmph. Guess the kid had a death wish." Mr. 5 said.
"Kyahahaha. That's what he gets for playing hero." Miss Valentine's Day laughed. Everyone just stared as the smoke cleared, revealing an unharmed and smiling Luffy. "What?!"
"Look, my arm's all black and cool!" Luffy showed off, blocking Mr. 5's explosions. "It's like wearing armor, but better 'cause I can still stretch!"
'He took those explosions like they were nothing!' thought Vivi, Igaram, Mr. 9, and Miss Monday.
"What kind of trick did you pull?" Mr. 5 asked in equal disbelief. Not understanding what haki is.
Before anyone knew what happened, Mr. 5 and his partner were rammed into a far-off building. He knew Zoro could beat them with no problem, but he wanted to demonstrate how powerful he was. And he also had a hint of resentment towards them for interfering with the fight between the giants.
"Whoa! That's fast!" Mr. 9 said. Soon after, the building erupted in multiple explosions. Through the smoke, they saw Miss Valentine's Day floating high in the air.
"She's flying?" Zoro asked.
"Kyahahaha. Nope. I ate the Kilo Kilo fruit. I can change my weight from 1 to 10,000 kilograms in an instant." she bragged.
"Princess," Igaram whispered to Vivi from where he lay. "Please, you must run. If you die, the kingdom is lost."
"Shishishi! The booger guy wasn't very strong," Luffy pouted, dropping Mr. 5 like a sack of potatoes. "Hey, weight lady! Are you gonna fight too?"
"It's Miss Valentine, you rubber brat!" she shrieked, floating above them. "10,000 Kilo Press!"
As she plummeted down, Luffy tilted his head curiously. "Oh? You can get heavy? That's neat!" He grinned widely. "But I'm still gonna kick your butt!"
"Kyahaha- wait, what's that smell?" Miss Valentine suddenly sniffed the air.
"Oh yeah! Sanji's probably cooking breakfast!" Luffy's eyes turned to stars, completely forgetting about the fight. "FOOD!"
"DON'T GET DISTRACTED!" Zoro yelled.
"But Zoroooo, I'm hungry!" Luffy whined, stretching his arm to grab a piece of rubble to eat, mistaking it for food.
"THAT'S NOT FOOD!" Vivi shouted in disbelief.
"Blegh!" Luffy spat out the rocks. "Oh right, fighting!" He turned back to Miss Valentine with renewed focus. "Let's finish this quick so I can eat!"
"Don't mock me!" She dove down again.
"Gomu Gomu no..." Luffy wound up his arm, still grinning. "PISTOL!"
The punch sent Miss Valentine spinning into the same building as her partner.
"Shishishi! Now, where's the meat?" Luffy looked around excitedly before noticing Vivi. "Oh yeah! Hey princess lady, wanna join my crew?"
"THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR THAT!" everyone shouted.
"That's something you don't see every day." said a voice. Everyone turned to see Nami sitting up on the roof of a building.
"But whyyyy not?" Luffy whined, picking his nose casually while standing atop the rubble. "She seems interesting! And she's a mystery princess!"
"Luffy-san," Vivi started, still stunned by how easily he'd defeated the officer agents. "I... I can't. My kingdom is in danger and-"
"Oh! Then we'll help you save it!" Luffy declared with his characteristic simplicity that offering to help save a nation was as casual as borrowing sugar.
"DON'T DECIDE THINGS LIKE THAT!" Zoro growled, though there was a resigned acceptance in his voice.
"But Zoro, there might be strong guys to fight!" Luffy grinned. "And adventures! And new food to try!"
Suddenly, Nami emerged from the shadows, berri signs in her eyes. "Did someone say kingdom? That means treasure, right?"
"Nami!" Luffy waved. "We're gonna help the mystery princess save her kingdom!"
"For a suitable fee, of course," Nami added smoothly, turning to Vivi. "Let's discuss payment..."
"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT?!" Igaram shouted.
"Shishishi! Nami's scary when it comes to money!" Luffy laughed, then perked up. "Oh! Is that Sanji cooking?"
"Focus, you idiot!" Zoro bonked him on the head, his fist passing through the rubber.
"But Zorooooo..."
"Your Highness," Igaram struggled to his feet. "These pirates... are they really...?"
"Don't worry about them," Vivi found herself smiling despite everything. "They're... different."
"Different is one word for it," Mr. 9 muttered, still trying to process how the goofy rubber boy had casually demolished two officer agents.
After restraining Miss Valentine's Day, everyone left the battleground to sit and talk to Vivi.
"So you're a princess?" Mr. 9 asked.
"Yes. I'm Vivi Nerfetari, Princess of the Kingdom of Alabasta." Vivi said, now looking like how Luffy remembered her, without a stuck-up look and her bangs in front of her forehead.
"So what's a princess doing working for an underground organization?" Zoro asked. "Bored with the life of royalty?"
"It's not that," she said with a sad tone. She then told them about how her country was in a civil war, which was slowly leading the country into self-destruction, and how she decided to do something about which led to her and her companion Igaram infiltrating Baroque Works to find out who was pulling the strings behind for the past two years.
"You're pretty tough for a princess," Zoro said. "So, what is it that they're planning?"
"At first, it was an ideal nation," Igaram said as they looked at him.
"But that was a lie," Vivi said. "Its real goal is to take over Alabasta. If I don't return home and warn my people, it'll be too late."
"That's the real reason?" Nami said.
"Yes," Vivi replied.
"Guess you wouldn't have much money with your country as it is," Nami said.
"So who's behind the whole thing?" Luffy asked with a knowing smile.
"THE BOSS?!" Vivi shrieked. "Don't ask!"
"So you do know huh?" Zoro said.
"Yes, but you shouldn't ask!" Vivi shouted.
"Then we'll drop it," Nami said laughing nervously. "If this guy's trying to take over a whole country, then I'd rather not get on his bad side."
"No one would," Vivi said. "No matter how strong you all are, you'd be no match for one of the Seven Warlords! Not against Crocodile." Everyone stared at her for a few moments as they let it sink in. Luffy wanted to laugh at Vivi's slip of the tongue.
"Crocodile?" Luffy said, causing Vivi and Nami to turn white as she covered her mouth.
"Wow you've got a big mouth," Zoro said before everyone noticed an otter and a vulture looking down at them before flying away. Nami went ballistic and began shaking Vivi by her jacket and yelling at her while Vivi kept saying she was sorry.
"A...Warlord?" Miss Monday and Mr. 9 said in utter horror.
Nami kept going ape shit on Vivi before covering her eyes and crying."This can't be happening." she said.
"What do you know? A Warlord huh?" Zoro said with a grin.
"Sounds like fun," Luffy said.
"I'm out!" Nami turned on her heel. "It was fun while it lasted!"
"Running already?" Zoro smirked.
Her escape plan died as the otter returned, displaying perfect sketches of their faces. Nami crumpled to the ground with a wail. "We're doomed!"
"I've got around 500,000 in my savings if you'd like," Vivi told her, trying to make her feel better.
"This is nuts!" Mr. 9 shouted. "What do we do now?! Baroque Works has over 2,000 people in it! We can't fight them!"
"Calm down," Igaram said as he stood up. "I've got an idea."
"Princess Vivi," Igaram said, now dressed in an exact copy of Vivi's clothes, complete with a wig. "I will act as your decoy."
"Pfft!" Luffy tried to hold back his laughter at the ridiculous sight.
"THAT'S YOUR PLAN?!" Nami shrieked.
"Ma~ Ma~ Maaaaa~" Igaram coughed, attempting to mimic Vivi's voice. "I will take these dummies with me and sail in the opposite direction to draw their attention."
"Those dummies look nothing like us," Zoro deadpanned, staring at the crude straw figures.
"Igaram..." Vivi's eyes filled with concern.
"Please, Princess. Take the eastern route to Alabasta. With these pirates' help, you should be safe." He turned to Luffy. "I beg you, please protect the princess!"
"Shishishi! Of course!" Luffy grinned. "We already decided to help!"
"YOU decided!" Nami protested, but everyone could tell she'd already given up arguing.
"The reward will be 1 billion Berri," Igaram added.
"WE'LL PROTECT HER WITH OUR LIVES!" Nami declared berri signs in her eyes.
As Igaram prepared to leave, Vivi enveloped him in a desperate hug, her voice trembling. "Please be careful..."
"I will, Princess," he assured her with a determined nod, then boarded his small ship and set sail into the ominous night.
They watched as the darkness swallowed him whole, tension gripping their hearts.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion shattered the silence, illuminating the sky where Igaram had just been.
"IGARAM!" Vivi's anguished scream pierced the air, raw with fear.
Luffy turned serious, an intense look in his eyes as he placed his signature hat on Vivi's head. "Don't worry! He is alive. We'll get you home safely!"
Zoro's expression darkened, urgency lacing his voice. "We need to move. They're already here."
Nami seized Vivi's shaking hand, pulling her forward. "Come on! We have to get to the ship!" When Vivi stood frozen in shock, her lip bleeding from her bite, Nami quickly wrapped her arms around her in a comforting hug. "I know it hurts, but we have to go now!"
"I'll get the others!" Luffy shouted, stretching his rubbery arms towards the building where Sanji and Usopp were still snoozing. With a swift snap, he yanked his drowsy crewmates into the chaos of the night.
"Wha—what's happening?!" Usopp stammered, barely awake and bewildered.
"No time!" Nami barked as they sprinted through the shadowy streets. "Baroque Works is after us!"
Luffy led the charge, bouncing ahead with reckless enthusiasm. "This way! I smell adventure!"
"You mean you smell food," Zoro quipped, but even he had to admire how their captain's seemingly random route expertly dodged any sign of danger.
As they rounded a corner, the Going Merry came into sight, its silhouette emerging through the thickening fog. A sigh of relief swept over the crew—until they spotted a figure lounging casually on the ship's railing.
"My, my... leaving so soon?" Miss All Sunday's enigmatic smile sent chills down their spines.