Nami's rage simmered but didn't die out. "Anyway, I can wake them up after I tie those Baroque guys over there and place them on the top of that cactus," he said, chuckling as he transformed into XLR8. "I'll be back in a minute," he added before blitzing away, grabbing Mr. Five and Ms. Valentine, and tying them up on top of the highest cactus.
He sped back down, carefully placing Luffy, Zoro, and Princess Vivi safely upright in chairs, still asleep. Nami's eyes widened with curiosity and a touch of fear. "What actually are you? I've never heard of someone capable of turning into multiple monsters and using magic," she asked, her voice a mix of awe and caution as she watched him prepare to wake the others.
Lucas paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "It's a lot more complicated than you think," he began, his tone gentle but firm. "The easiest way I can explain myself is that I have the ability to transform into multiple various creatures, and I can incorporate their abilities within myself. So, when I use magic, it's more like me using the abilities of one of the creatures I can turn into," he explained.
As he finished his explanation, Lucas transformed into Gutrot again. "Now, you're gonna want to cover your nose for this one," he warned with a light chuckle, releasing a gas that slowly woke the others.
The gas settled, and with a yawn, Luffy and Zoro stirred, blinking sleepily as they found Nami standing between them. Vivi and Carue, however, awoke with a startled scream, their eyes wide with terror at the sight of Lucas as Gutrot.
"Oh, right," Lucas said, quickly transforming back to his normal form. The sound of their screams jolted Luffy and Zoro fully awake.
"Right... Come here and face me!" Luffy bellowed, but Nami swiftly bashed his head.
"Settle down, would ya?" she snapped, exasperation evident in her voice.
"See why I put them to sleep?" Lucas remarked, a wry smile on his face.
"Now listen here, Luffy," Nami began, her tone firm. She knew he would listen, as Zoro and Lucas watched. Vivi, still seated, waited and listened, realizing she couldn't escape the situation.
"Ohh... So that's what was going on. I thought you beat them up because they didn't cook your favorite food," Luffy said with a laugh after hearing Nami's explanation.
"Just what do you take me for?" Zoro yelled, his voice echoing across the deck.
"Ahahaha! Whatever. What's done is done," Luffy remarked with a laugh, his carefree attitude as infectious as ever.
"Yep... That's our captain, alright," Lucas said with a smile and a light chuckle, shaking his head.
Princess Vivi, now understanding the situation more clearly, looked at them with gratitude but firmness. "Although I thank you for rescuing me, I'll have to refuse your proposal," she said, her voice steady.
"Huh, why? You're a princess, aren't you?" Nami asked, raising an eyebrow. "A billion Beri should be nothing to you," she added in a lighter tone.
"Well... Have you heard of the Alabasta kingdom?" Vivi asked, trying to explain her situation.
"Can't say that I have. Why?" Nami replied, her curiosity piqued.
"It's a highly civilized country within the Grand Line, and it used to be peaceful too," Vivi began, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Used to?" Nami remarked, sensing the weight behind Vivi's words.
"Due to radical Alabastan revolutionaries, my country is currently in a state of chaos. I happened to come across some information regarding a certain organization called Baroque Works. It was apparently the instigator of the revolutionaries. Other than that, I didn't know anything else about them. So I took it upon myself, with a request from Igaram who has been watching over me since I was young, to infiltrate Baroque Works," she explained, her voice filled with determination and resolve.
"Well, aren't you a brave princess," Zoro remarked, his voice carrying a hint of admiration.
Nami's eyes narrowed as she probed further, "So what exactly is the deal with this 'Creation of an ideal nation' that Baroque Works is apparently scheming towards? Don't tell me it's..."
"Yes, it's as you suspect," Vivi responded, her voice heavy with urgency. "Although the leader of Baroque Works has hinted at a goal of creating an ideal nation, their true intention is to take over the kingdom of Alabasta. That's why I have to hurry back to my country to stop the revolutionaries and tell my people about the real intentions of Baroque Works."
Lucas nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm. So that means you currently can't come up with the money we requested for our deal because your country is in the middle of a civil war."
"It is a tough one," Nami added, her tone softening slightly.
Zoro rolled his eyes. "Is money the only thing you think of?"
Luffy chimed in, curiosity piqued. "So who is this boss dude anyways?"
Vivi's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, no, no, no. If you refer to the true identity of the boss, you're better off not knowing! If you did, then Baroque Works would hunt you down with full force."
"Hahaha, yeah, you can leave us out of it. I mean, a guy who's planning to take over an entire country must be incredibly dangerous," Nami remarked, chuckling nervously.
"Meh, I'm sure I could take him. Water hazard will do the trick just fine," Lucas said pridefully, drawing puzzled looks from the others who didn't quite understand the last part of what he meant.
Vivi's voice trembled with a mix of fear and resolve. "I'd be cautious if I were you. No matter how strong you pirates may be, you'd be no match for Crocodile, one of the Ouka Shichibuka!"
The five gasped in silence at her revelation, understanding the gravity of what she had just shared. The air grew tense, their lives practically marked by this knowledge.
"She just said the word, didn't she?" Zoro muttered, the others gaping in silent panic. Amidst their growing anxiety, they noticed a bird and an otter sitting atop the roof, eavesdropping. As the creatures took off after hearing them, their panic deepened.
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