"Hey, kid, weren't you supposed to stall those Supernovas? Why are you here?" Kizaru asked Vivian, looking puzzled.
Vivian rolled his eyes internally, cursing silently, but replied, "Oh, Captain Smoker and Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi arrived, so I came over. Is there anything I can help with?"
"Help, huh?"
Kizaru tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Go help Sentomaru chase the Straw Hat crew."
"What about this guy? I think I'm better suited for escorting prisoners rather than fighting, since I'm currently stationed at Impel Down." Vivian pointed to the unconscious Larvin on the ground.
"Speaking of which…"
Hearing this, Kizaru suddenly realized something and pointed at Vivian, "Why are you here at the Sabaody Archipelago?"
"Well, it's a long story…"
Vivian scratched the back of his head, about to make up an excuse, when suddenly, Luffy and his crew, being chased by the Pacifistas, appeared in their line of sight.
"Straw Hat Luffy, speak of the devil."
Kizaru rubbed his forehead in frustration, then puckered his lips again, with an expression that seemed scared but was more like mocking, "Supernovas are really scary."
Vivian: "…"
This old guy is really annoying.
"Then I'll leave Luffy to you. I won't get involved."
Vivian said, walking forward to pick up the unconscious Larvin.
"Wait." Kizaru called out to Vivian.
Vivian: ∑(O_O;)
"Wha… what is it?" Vivian turned his head and asked.
"After I capture the Straw Hat Pirates, you can take them all to Impel Down together." Kizaru said casually.
"Oh, okay."
Vivian nodded, then threw Larvin back to the ground.
Phew, I almost thought Kizaru saw through my plan.
He originally intended to find an opportunity to let Larvin escape while escorting him back. After all, he had impersonated Larvin. If Larvin were really captured and taken to Impel Down, under the interrogation of Hannyabal and Magellan, the Navy and the government would inevitably discover something suspicious…
"Hmm?"
While thinking about his next move, Vivian noticed Larvin's right hand twitch slightly.
He's not unconscious?
After taking a light-speed kick from Kizaru, he can still stay conscious. This guy's physical strength is really impressive.
"This is good…"
The stronger you are, the safer I am.
As long as no one can catch you, you can take the blame for killing the Celestial Dragon for me forever.
Thinking this, he turned his gaze towards the direction where Luffy and his crew were charging.
Come on, attack me.
Hit me hard enough to make it look convincing…
On the other side.
"Luffy, as much as I hate to admit it, we don't seem to be a match for those things."
Sanji, covered in injuries from the Pacifistas' laser beams, said to Luffy while running.
He had initially thought that such a powerful opponent would be one of the Seven Warlords, Bartholomew Kuma, but now he realized that they were just a few cloned machines.
Our strength… seems so weak in front of the Navy?
Do we really have what it takes to enter the New World?
He couldn't help but doubt.
"Damn it, where did Zoro go?"
Usopp, with his escape skills maxed out, was running at the front. He dodged a laser beam with a preemptive side step and, after being blasted far away, couldn't help but shout for help, "Zoro, come save me, I'm gonna die!"
"Zoro-san might be lost again."
Brook picked up Usopp, his leg bones moving quickly, and added, "But this might be better. At least one of us will survive."
With those words.
Boom—!
Another beam struck the ground, blasting Brook and Usopp away, making them feel like their bones were about to shatter.
Seeing this, Luffy, who had never surrendered to anyone since birth, finally gave in.
"Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Brook, Franky, Chopper, Robin!"
He stopped in his tracks, turned to face Sentomaru and the Pacifistas, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Find any way to escape, as far as you can! Right now, we are no match for these guys!"
"Luffy?"
The Straw Hat crew members looked at Luffy in surprise.
The next second.
"Wind Cannon!"
Franky immediately used up all his cola energy and blasted PX-1 away. "Now, run!"
With those words, everyone stopped hesitating, turned around, and started running as fast as they could.
At the same time.
Whoosh!
A beam of light flashed, and Kizaru appeared right in front of Robin, blocking her path.
"Is it you? The Demon Child… the girl with a bounty of 79 million at the age of eight." With that, he raised his foot for a light-speed kick aimed at Robin.
But before he could kick, another figure suddenly emerged from the forest, moving faster than Vivian's slash, and blocked Kizaru's light-speed kick with a single strike.
Boom—!
The charged beam hit the mountain, causing a large rockslide.
Everyone instinctively looked at the figure standing in front of Robin.
"Uncle Rayleigh?!" Luffy exclaimed in delight.
White curly hair, round glasses, flip-flops, and a white coat draped over his shoulders.
"Dark King Rayleigh…" Vivian, watching from a distance, raised an eyebrow.
A scene he had seen in the anime not long ago was now unfolding right before his eyes.
Feeling a bit nostalgic, he pulled out a cigar from his pocket, lit it, and saw Sanji and Nami running towards him.
"Are you kidding me…"
Do they have to run towards me?
He exhaled a smoke ring, thinking about how to convincingly let them go, when Sentomaru, who was chasing them, shouted at him, "Hey, Navy over there, stop them!"
"Huh? Me?" Vivian pointed at himself.
Nami and Sanji also noticed Vivian ahead.
"Hmm?"
Why does that guy look familiar?
"It's him again?"
Nami recognized Vivian at a glance, "The Navy who came with a warship and let us capture him?"
"Why is he here?"
As confusion flashed through her mind, she also recalled Vivian's powerful "Devil Fruit ability."
"Should we avoid him?" Sanji asked.
"No… I think he might let us go again," Nami thought.
With those words.
"Thunder Breathing…"
Vivian crouched down, ready to draw his sword.