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Byakuya wasn't surprised at all by Vivi's agreement. The ongoing civil war brought nothing but suffering to the people of Alabasta.
Every day, thousands of lives are lost due to Crocodile's actions. Pluton, after all, was just an object—a mere thing.
Trading an inanimate object for the survival of millions and the continuation of the Alabasta Kingdom was a calculation Vivi could easily make.
However, Byakuya looked at Vivi curiously and asked, "Are you so sure that I can take down Crocodile?"
Vivi met Byakuya's gaze with her sharp, clear eyes and replied, "As you said, do I really have a better option right now?"
Byakuya smiled, admiring this fifteen-year-old princess. "Then let's look forward to a successful partnership!"
"To a successful partnership!" Vivi responded that she wasn't entirely sure if her decision that day was right.
But at this moment, she chose to trust Byakuya—a man she had just met.
Under Vivi's guidance, the group set out for Alubarna, the capital of the Alabasta Kingdom.
Along the way, Byakuya witnessed firsthand the dire conditions in which the people of Alabasta lived.
Due to the prolonged drought, many farmers had lost their crops and were surviving on what little food they had stored from previous years. But those reserves were running out.
The younger and stronger men had either fled the kingdom in search of a way to survive or, under Crocodile's manipulation, had started a rebellion.
They believed overthrowing the royal family would bring rain back to the parched land.
The remaining population mostly consisted of elderly people and children who were too weak to fight or flee and begging for food on the streets.
Though not a saint, Byakuya pitied the elderly and children. He distributed extra food and fresh water from his system storage to them.
He also took out a Visual Transponder Snail to record the events unfolding in Alabasta.
Vivi was surprised to see Byakuya sharing his food and water with the refugees, and her curiosity about this mysterious figure deepened.
Throughout the journey, she couldn't help but secretly observe Byakuya and others as she curious on why they wearing mask.
'Who exactly were these three? Why did they wear masks?' With Vivi leading the way, the group soon reached Alubarna, the capital of Alabasta.
As they were about to enter the city, a dark figure suddenly shot down from the sky.
A massive falcon swooped down, its wingspan stretching five meters across. Its razor-sharp talons, capable of tearing through steel, aimed directly at Byakuya and his companions.
Vivi looked up and, recognizing the falcon, her face lit up with joy. She waved and said, "Pell, I'm here!"
Pell, a user of the Bird-Bird Fruit: Falcon Model, was the Vice Commander of the Alabasta Kingdom's Royal Guard and one of the kingdom's strongest warriors.
Besides Igaram, he was closest to Vivi, treating her like his little sister.
Being a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, Pell could fly and was usually responsible for reconnaissance and patrolling around the royal palace.
During one of his patrols today, he had just happened to spot Princess Vivi, who had been away from the palace for over a year, returning from the outside world.
Before Vivi could fully express her joy, she noticed the three mysterious figures standing beside her, clad in black robes and masks.
Pell spotted them and instinctively assumed they were agents of Crocodile, coming to Alubarna to use Princess Vivi as leverage against King Cobra.
Acting on this assumption, he launched a sudden attack, intent on rescuing Vivi from what he believed were her captors.
Vivi was horrified when she saw Pell attacking Byakuya and shouted, "Don't attack!" However, before Pell could react, Lucci had already moved.
With a swift kick to Pell's abdomen, Lucci sent him flying. Pell let out a pained cry, his ribs cracking as a portion of his chest caved in.
Having worked together for years, Lucci and Blueno operated with seamless coordination.
When Lucci struck, Blueno opened an air door, appeared above Pell, and used an iron body, one of the Marine's Rokushiki techniques.
His body weight multiplied several times, and he crashed down on Pell.
Pell felt his spine had snapped, his wings losing their strength, and he plummeted to the desert below like a falling meteor.
Lucci moved with lightning speed, using Shave to appear beside the incapacitated Pell. His fingers formed a sword as he aimed for Pell's head.
If the strike connected, Pell would be dead instantly. Vivi watched in terror, her heart pounding, her eyes welling up with tears as worry etched across her face.
Though she had yelled for them not to attack, Lucci and Blueno paid no heed. To them, the only orders that mattered were those from Byakuya.
Pell was considered an enemy since Pell had attacked them and Byakuya hadn't intervened. And enemies were to be eliminated without mercy.
Just as Lucci's fingers were about to pierce Pell's head—close enough for Pell to feel the pain on his skin—Byakuya's cold voice broke the tension: "Stop."
Without hesitation, Lucci halted his attack and, together with Blueno, stepped back to stand behind Byakuya.
Vivi didn't immediately rush to Pell's side to check his injuries, nor did she angrily demand why Byakuya had ordered the attack.
Instead, with tear-filled eyes, she bowed deeply and apologized.
"I am deeply sorry. Pell must have thought you were enemies, which is why he attacked. I apologize on his behalf."
She continued, "And thank you for not killing him. Thank you so much." Only after her apology did Vivi run over to Pell, desperate to check his condition.
By then, Pell had reverted to his human form, unable to maintain his beast form after the heavy fall.
His body was battered and bloodied, with numerous broken bones.
Lucci's full-force kick had left his abdomen sunken, and blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs, dripped from his mouth.
It was clear that Pell didn't have much time left. "Pell, are you okay?" Vivi asked, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face.
She could no longer keep up the pretence of being strong. "This is all my fault! It's all because of me!"
Realizing his mistake, Pell understood that the three mysterious figures were not enemies.
Summoning his little strength, he whispered, "It's not your fault, Princess Vivi. The important thing is that you're alive and safe. The King... he misses you so much."
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