In the sandy desert, Nami stood confidently with her weather stick, smiling at the grim-faced Mr. 1 and his allies. Nojiko, holding a smoking long gun, also smiled slightly. Kaya stood beside them, her angelic face solemn. Behind them, Vivi and Tashigi looked at Mr. 1 and his group with equal seriousness.
"You are from the Entei Pirates, and you are Princess Vivi, right?" Mr. 1 observed, recognizing the pirate flags tattooed on Nami and Nojiko's arms. His eyes fell on Nojiko's gun. "What a ruthless shot," he noted, deeply. Nojiko had killed Mr. 4 with a single bullet. She smiled in response, knowing that if Nami's mirage hadn't been revealed, she could have taken them all down alone.
Miss Merry Christmas, her face flushed with rage, shouted, "You bastards! How dare you kill Mr. 4!"
"We can deal with you here," Miss Doublefinger said with a dark smile, her fingers twitching ominously.
"Ambush is nothing! Come on, let's have a wonderful duel," Bon Clay cried out, adopting a fighting stance.
Mr. 1 scanned the surroundings. "How brave you are to ambush us here. Where is Portgas D. Ace?"
"To deal with you, we don't need Captain Ace," Nojiko replied, reloading her gun.
"Spread out!" Mr. 1 ordered. His allies quickly moved to take cover, wary of Nojiko's deadly aim. Gunfire erupted. Mr. 1's fingers turned into blades, and he slashed through Nojiko's bullet, but to his shock, his hand bled. "There's something wrong with this woman's bullets!" he warned, charging at Nojiko to prevent her from firing again.
Before he could reach her, Tashigi intervened, her sword clashing with his blades. "Tashigi?" Nami, Kaya, and Vivi were stunned; this was the first time Tashigi had drawn her sword since joining them.
"You are committing a crime against the people of Alabasta!" Tashigi declared, her face set with anger and determination. On their journey, she had seen the devastation Crocodile had wrought, and decided she could no longer stand by.
"Whether it's a pirate or a Marine, true justice is for the people!" Tashigi shouted, slashing at Mr. 1.
Mr. 1 deflected her attack with his blade arms, mocking her, "Your knife is useless against me."
Nokigao wanted to help, but was intercepted by Bon Clay. He twisted and dodged her bullets with uncanny agility. Nami, attempting to aid Nojiko, was attacked by Miss Doublefinger, who turned her fingers into thorny spikes. Nami blocked the attack with her weather stick but was forced into a defensive stance.
Kaya, watching her friends struggle, prepared to engage Miss Merry Christmas, who tunneled through the sand with mole-like speed. Kaya extended her index finger, ready for battle.
The battlefield was chaotic. Vivi, feeling helpless, watched as her friends fought valiantly. Determined not to be a burden, she stepped in to support Nojiko against Bon Clay. Despite her efforts, she was quickly overwhelmed and knocked unconscious.
As Bentham approached to finish her off, Vivi, clutching the lucky charm Ace had given her, was enveloped in a strange light. Ace's image appeared, urging her to fight on. "Do you want to become stronger?" he asked.
"Yes! I don't want to die here; I still want to see you again, Ace!" Vivi cried, taking Ace's hand in her vision.
Empowered by the charm's mysterious energy, Vivi regained her confidence and fought back against Bentham. Despite his formidable skills, her newfound resolve and Nojiko's support allowed her to turn the tide. After a fierce battle, Bentham was finally defeated by a combined effort of Vivi's agility and Nojiko's sharpshooting.
"Vivi! Well done!" Nojiko praised, running to her side.
"Nojiko," Vivi said, looking at her friend. "Can you give me a tattoo too?" She pointed at the Entei pirate flag on Nojiko's arm and smiled.
"Of course! Welcome, Vivi," Nojiko replied, embracing her.
Vivi looked up at the sky and smiled, feeling a deep connection to Ace and her newfound strength. "As long as you are here, Ace, it seems that I, who was originally useless, can do anything."
Kaya and Miss Merry Christmas were locked in a fierce battle on the desert battlefield. Miss Merry Christmas, now transformed into a mole woman, had created a labyrinth of mole tunnels.
"Come out!"
A mole hole next to Kaya erupted, and the mole woman lunged with her sharp claws. Kaya, sensing the attack, used her Haki to lock onto her opponent's movements. She countered with a powerful thrust of her index finger.
"Finger Pistol!"
"Clang! Clang!"
The harsh sounds of collision echoed as Kaya's Finger Pistol clashed with the mole woman's claws.
"Pfft!"
Blood splattered from both combatants' arms. Kaya swiftly used "Shave!" to disappear and reappear at a safe distance. Her other hand glowed with a warm yellow light, healing her injuries quickly.
"There's a big gap in physical strength," Kaya thought, observing her adversary. The physical power of Zoan's Demon Fruit was indeed impressive. Despite Ace's training, she struggled to match the Zoan's raw strength. Her Haki and Finger Pistol skills were crucial in this fight.
"Curse you! Your fingers are too hard, and you heal so quickly!" Miss Merry Christmas raged, lamenting the loss of her partner, Mr. 4, which had weakened her strength.
"I'm angry! You idiot!" she screamed, diving into the mole tunnels.
Kaya remained vigilant, her Observation Haki spreading out to cover every mole hole. Suddenly, the mole woman emerged, and their claws clashed again. But this time, Miss Merry Christmas retreated into the tunnels immediately after the strike.
The mole woman continued to emerge and attack from different holes, forcing Kaya into a defensive stance. She crossed her index fingers and used "Finger Pistol-Combo!" to fend off the relentless assaults.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Despite her efforts, both fighters accumulated numerous wounds. Kaya's healing abilities struggled to keep pace with the injuries, and her physical strength waned. The mole woman began to gain the upper hand, and Kaya's vision blurred from blood loss.
"Ace, am I going to lose?" Kaya thought, her eyes full of determination. Memories of Ace teaching her flashed through her mind. He had spoken of the ultimate secret of the Six Styles, the Six King Spear, a powerful but physically demanding technique.
Kaya's resolve hardened. "I am Portgas D. Ace's ship's doctor!" she declared, stacking her fists together. "Six Styles! Six King Spear!"
"Boom!"
Miss Merry Christmas looked at Kaya in disbelief as the powerful attack shattered her bones and internal organs. She collapsed, defeated. Kaya, breathing heavily, held the lucky charm Ace had given her. She smiled gently, her victory secured.
Meanwhile, Nami faced Miss Doublefinger on another part of the battlefield. Miss Doublefinger's fingers turned into thorns, attacking Nami. Despite being pierced, Nami used her Mirage technique to evade and counterattack.
Miss Doublefinger grew increasingly frustrated. Her Thorn Bolas and Thorn Cure techniques made her a formidable opponent, and Nami struggled to keep up. But as the desert cooled and the sand dampened, Nami saw an opportunity.
"Is this the end?" Miss Doublefinger taunted, preparing for a final blow.
Nami's mind flashed back to Ace's training. He had praised her bravery and wisdom. "Use your wisdom, Nami. You are my navigator," he had said.
Determined, Nami noticed the moisture in the sand. She used her Weather Wand to create mist, then formed a rain cloud above Miss Doublefinger.
"How long are you going to play with that toy?" Miss Doublefinger sneered.
"This is no toy," Nami replied, channeling electricity into the rain cloud. "Thunderstorm - Thunder and Lightning!"
"Boom!"
A massive bolt of lightning struck Miss Doublefinger, leaving her charred and defeated. Nami stood tall, clutching her lucky charm and declaring proudly, "I am Portgas D. Ace's navigator. I can control the climate!"
With their enemies vanquished, Kaya and Nami had won their battles, each holding the symbols of Ace's faith in them.
Unlike Nami and the others, Tashigi found herself caught in a one-sided battle against Mr. 1.
"Clang! Clink! Clang!"
Tashigi kept swinging her sword, but Mr. 1's speed and strength were far superior. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't harm him, his body covered in blades. Her injuries mounted, and she was losing a lot of blood.
"Clang! Puff!"
Tashigi fell to the sand, her sword slipping from her grasp. She struggled to stand and reached for her blade, Shigure, with difficulty.
"Don't you understand? Any sword is useless against me. In front of my quick-cut fruit, all swords are just scrap metal," Mr. 1 said coldly, his eyes terrifyingly cold as he watched Tashigi struggle.
Tashigi bit her lip, blood trickling down. The knife is scrap metal? No way!
Using the last of her strength, Tashigi swung Shigure down hard.
"It's not scrap metal! Every sword has its own thoughts! Therefore, I must reclaim all the swords that fall into the hands of evil people!" Tashigi's face, usually cute, was now filled with determination and tenacity.
"Boring," Mr. 1 said, using the blade that was his right arm to hold Shigure. With a violent shake of his hand, he sent Tashigi sprawling, blood slowly pooling beneath her.
"Do you only say these boring words? A sword is just a tool, and it's ridiculous to say they have thoughts. For me, a user of the quick-cut fruit, it is still a useless tool," Mr. 1 spoke calmly.
Tashigi bit her lip harder, blood flowing down. Her dream had been ridiculed before, but never had she felt such anger. Is it ridiculous to think every sword has its own mind? In her mind, she recalled Ace affirming her dream. Ace was the first person to sincerely support her dream.
"Okay, it's time to deal with you. You're just a brat who speaks ignorant words. What can you do if you're so weak?" Mr. 1 said ruthlessly, raising his arm that had turned into a blade.
Tashigi gritted her teeth, her eyes bloodshot. Yes, she was weak, unable to protect anything or defend her dreams when others insulted them. In Alabasta, she had seen people suffer and die because of Crocodile, unable to carry out their own justice. She was unwilling to give in!
"Buzz!"
Suddenly, the lucky charm around Tashigi's neck flashed.
"What?!" Mr. 1 covered his eyes and backed away, muscles reacting from years of being a killer.
"Aren't you willing to give in? Do you want to become stronger?" Ace smiled at her under Tashigi's disbelieving gaze. "Do you still want to stick to the justice in your heart?"
Tashigi bit her lip and then raised her head.
"I'm not willing to give in! I want to become stronger! I want to stick to the justice in my heart! Whether I'm a Marine or a pirate, true justice is the only justice!" she shouted.
"Then, hold my hand and listen quietly to your inner voice," Ace smiled, extending his hand.
"Snap!"
Tashigi grabbed Ace's hand without hesitation. The mysterious light enveloped her, and she felt she had entered a mysterious realm.
"Breathe! Breathe! Breathe!"
Everything became quiet, and she heard a pleasant breathing sound she had never heard before.
"Shigure..." Tashigi whispered, grasping Shigure's hilt.
"Whoosh!"
The sound of breathing reached Tashigi's ears. Tears flowed down her pretty face, a smile forming.
"I hear you, Shigure-chan, your breathing. Every sword has its own thought."
Mr. 1 watched the mysterious light around Tashigi fade away. "Is it another boring trick? I'm tired of these child's games. I'll use this last resort to deal with you. Follow your ridiculous dream and bury us in the desert together."
"Clang!"
He waved his arms, a sharp blade flashing with a frightening cold light.
"Death! Destruction Slash!" Mr. 1 leapt, his arm-blades slashing down.
"Ching!"
Mr. 1's pupils shrank as Tashigi's move actually caught his attack.
"A ridiculous dream? Not ridiculous at all," Tashigi said, her eyes opening slowly.
"This dream was praised by my captain, Portgas D. Ace!" Tashigi held the sword in both hands and slashed hard.
"Don't you understand? Swords are just scrap metal to me!" Mr. 1 raised his blade-arm.
"Pfft!"
Blood spilled onto the sand as Mr. 1 looked on in disbelief.
"I heard your breathing," Tashigi said quietly, eyes closed. She had reached the realm where a swordsman could cut through steel.
"Are you kidding me?" Mr. 1, wounded, roared angrily, his body turning into blades.
"Your breath, close," Tashigi said quietly.
"Whoosh!"
Tashigi's sword slashed through Mr. 1's body, blood pouring out.
"Boom!"
Mr. 1 knelt on the ground, breathing heavily.
"Why... why..." he murmured.
"Every sword has its own breath and thoughts. I will cut off your sinful sword. I am Tashigi, the swordsman of Portgas D. Ace of the Entei Pirates," Tashigi said quietly. Mr. 1 tried to speak but fell heavily to the sand, blood filling the air.
"Call!" Tashigi sheathed Shigure and adjusted her glasses. She had protected her dreams and the justice in her heart. Even as a pirate now, she had done something for the people of Alabasta.
Ace, thank you for bringing me on board. Tashigi held the lucky charm around her neck tightly and smiled.
"Tashigi!" Hearing the shouts, Tashigi ran and saw Nami, Kaya, Vivi, and Nojiko waving to her.
"Everyone!" Tashigi smiled, waving her hands.
Nami and the others looked at each other and smiled brightly at Tashigi.
"Welcome to the crew, Tashigi," Nami, Kaya, Vivi, and Nojiko said loudly.
Tashigi nodded heavily and responded loudly.
Rainy Land, Feast!
At the rain banquet, many gamblers had left due to the confrontation between Ace and Crocodile. Ace leaned against a slot machine, playing with chips under Crocodile's gloomy gaze.
"Bru buru buru! Bru buru buru!"
The phone in Ace's arms rang.
"Click!"
"Hello," Ace answered leisurely under Crocodile's glare.
"Ace, it's me, Kaya," Kaya's voice came through.
"And there are us," Nami's voice added.
"Calling me now?" Ace smiled.
"Yes! Mr. 1 and the others have been taken care of," Nami shouted. In Ace's laughter and Crocodile's shrinking pupils, Robin covered her mouth in disbelief.
"Oh, and your new crew members, Tashigi and Vivi, want to talk to you," Nami added, followed by laughter and chatter on the other side of the phone.
Vivi's nervous voice then spoke, "Hey, Ace. Can I join your pirate group?"
"And me," Tashigi added nervously.
The phone bug's expression mirrored Ace's surprise. "Aren't you already my crew members? That lucky charm is an exclusive benefit for my crew," Ace said, smiling gently.
The lucky charm was a product of Ace's ability to understand and imagine, forming real-looking images based on the wearer's thoughts.
"Welcome back to the captain's side, my lovely crew," Ace smiled.
"Um!" Nami, Kaya, Nojiko, Vivi, and Tashigi nodded heavily.
"Click!"
Ace hung up and looked leisurely at Crocodile. "It seems your men were wiped out by my lovely crew," Ace said, smiling.
Crocodile's face twitched and he burst into rage.
"Portgas D. Ace!!!"