Igaram fired once more, but another explosion occurred, and this time it was clear that the bullets had never reached Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine.
[I see... that guy must be a user of the Bomu Bomu no Mi. That's the Bomb Paramecia.]
"Devil Fruit users are more common in the Grand Line, but finding two so quickly is unusual," Uta said. "Captain, do you think this is good luck or bad luck?~"
"Maybe bad luck. The thing is, not for us."
Allen's smile didn't fade as he started walking in their direction.
As he passed by Vivi, she was stunned, unable to understand what Allen was doing. But when she saw his smile, her face turned pale.
"Wait, don't do it!" Vivi exclaimed.
Perhaps because of her kind nature, or perhaps because Allen and his crew hadn't treated her badly, she wanted to prevent a conflict between them and Baroque Works.
"..." Allen stopped and looked at Vivi.
"They... It's Crocodile... the boss of Baroque Works is Crocodile!"
Miss Valentine's and Mr. 5's expressions changed. Not only them—Hina, Tashigi, and Uta widened their eyes as well.
"Impossible..." Mr. 5 muttered even though they didn't know the identity of their boss, since he usually handled important matters through intermediaries or over the phone.
"We're working for a Shichibukai?!" Miss Valentine exclaimed.
If one were to talk about who held the greatest power and influence in the Grand Line, one would have to mention the Marines, the primary force of law and order. On the pirates' side, there were unquestionably the Four Emperors of the Sea, also known as the Yonko. These two forces had conflicted for a very long time.
At some point, the World Government felt that the Emperors' power was getting out of control, so a third force was created to balance the scales.
These were the Seven Warlords of the Sea—seven pirates. These pirates had special permission from the government to practice piracy, as ridiculous as that sounded.
The government gave them free rein for their criminal activities as long as they respected the World Government. Of course, it wasn't free. In exchange for no longer being hunted by the Marines and having their bounties frozen, they were required to assist whenever needed in a major conflict, such as a war against the Emperors of the Sea.
In short, they were seven powerful pirates affiliated with the World Government.
"You mean Baroque Works belongs to that Crocodile?" Allen asked. He had traveled enough to have heard of the Seven Warlords.
– Pirate Empress "Boa Hancock"
– Hawk Eyes "Dracule Mihawk"
– Knight of the Sea "Jinbe"
– Heavenly Yaksha "Donquixote Doflamingo"
– Gecko Moria of the Thousand Shadows "Gecko Moria"
– The Tyrant "Bartholomew Kuma"
And of course...
– Desert Crocodile "Crocodile"
"I only discovered it recently. Mr. Zero's true identity is Crocodile," Vivi said through gritted teeth. "Do you understand? Fighting Baroque Works could mean the destruction of your crew."
Allen looked into Vivi's eyes. He could feel it. They hid hatred, sadness, and despair, and yet she was still taking the time to warn him of the danger.
"I don't understand..." Allen said, his eyes still fixed on Vivi.
"Huh?" Vivi blinked in surprise.
What did Allen mean by saying he didn't understand? It was simple. A pirate who didn't want to die didn't challenge the Marines, didn't challenge the Yonko, and didn't challenge the Shichibukai. They were the pillars of the Grand Line. What more was there to understand?!
Vivi continued looking into Allen's eyes before opening hers slightly wider. She had forgotten. Allen had just entered the Grand Line. This was his first island, so it was normal that he didn't fully grasp the danger a Shichibukai represented.
"I-I mean, in short, the Shichibukai are!... Ugh, they're!... You shouldn't!"
Vivi tried to explain awkwardly with her hands and gestures, but it was difficult when talking to someone unfamiliar with the subject.
"Ah, mou! Anyway, don't fight them! Got it?!" Vivi said as she walked up to Allen and grabbed him by the collar.
All the stress of knowing she was doomed, that people were trying to kill her, and that she could lose everything made her forget her fear of Allen.
At first, Allen was surprised by the girl's change, but then he realized this was Vivi's true personality and couldn't help laughing.
"What's so funny?!" Vivi complained.
"No, it's just that I wasn't expecting that reaction. Besides, that wasn't my original question. I know perfectly well who Crocodile is. I just didn't understand why you didn't try to take advantage of the situation and escape with that gentleman and your pet while I was going to kick those two's asses~" he said with a mischievous smile. "But the fact that you're so worried about the guy who kidnapped you is concerning. Is this a case of Stockholm syndrome? Well, I can't blame you. If you didn't fall in love with me, you'd have terrible taste in men."
Vivi let go of Allen, took two steps back, and blushed furiously.
On one hand, Allen was right. She should have used the confusion to escape. On the other hand, the fact that he implied she had warned him because she had fallen for him was shameless.
"Well, don't worry..." Allen said with a strangely gentle look. "Vivi, officially, you're no longer a hostage. You can leave."
Vivi remained stunned, not because she was being released, but because of that look.
Meanwhile, Allen started walking toward Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, who paid him no attention. Their confidence wasn't empty. Both were strong agents, and now that they knew their boss was a Shichibukai, they felt even more arrogant.
"The handsome boy wants to fight us... What should we do, Mr. 5? Hehe~" Miss Valentine asked with a smile.
Mr. 5 adjusted his glasses.
"We'll kill him. We'll kill all of them. If the boss never revealed his identity, there must be a reason. Everyone here has to disappear."
"Mmm..."
Miss Valentine's smile faded. She looked at Allen with some reluctance, but she knew the organization's rules. Disobedience was betrayal.
"What a waste..."
"Don't get distracted," Mr. 5 scolded.
Miss Valentine sighed and smiled again before jumping. Unexpectedly, she didn't fall. She remained suspended in the air as if she were floating.
"She's a Devil Fruit user too?" Kaya exclaimed in surprise.
"Yep, my fruit is the Kilo Kilo no Mi~" Miss Valentine replied.
"Hey, is it really okay to reveal that so easily?" Nami whispered.
Miss Valentine began floating toward them. What was her goal? Simple. As her fruit's name implied, she could reduce her weight to that of a feather or increase it to ten thousand kilograms. Her method of attack was equally simple: reduce her weight, float with the help of her umbrella, then drop onto her enemies.
Nojiko wasn't going to wait. She pulled out her rifle, aimed, and fired.
The bullet grazed Miss Valentine's cheek, making her turn pale.
"Hey, w-what are you doing?!" the blonde exclaimed.
"Huh?" Nojiko blinked in confusion. "Well, you're completely exposed in the air. It looks like you can't actually fly, just float, so you're not very fast. And, well, being heavy doesn't make you bulletproof, does it?"
Everyone was left speechless as Nojiko used common sense to identify so many weaknesses in the Devil Fruit.
"Ugh..."
Miss Valentine felt embarrassed and regretted so foolishly revealing her Devil Fruit power.
"You're seriously impatient," Mr. 5 said. "Her fruit indeed makes her vulnerable, but she never attacks alone. While she was in the air, I..."
Allen appeared in front of Mr. 5 and punched him so hard that it shattered his teeth and jaw, sending him crashing through three buildings.
"Fist of Love... Lv 2," Allen said.
His fist was still hanging in the air. His eyes were hidden beneath shadows, and visible breath escaped his mouth.
Huh?
Everyone was in shock.
Allen returned to a relaxed posture and adjusted his hair, though it wasn't necessary since it never got messy.
[Hey, can't you read the atmosphere? It was obvious he was about to give an arrogant villain monologue before showing off his Devil Fruit!]
'So what?' Allen was speechless.
The enemy was clearly off guard and full of openings. Why wait? To give him screen time? Was this some battle shonen? No, this was a world of pirates, where the careless got devoured.
At that moment, Miss Valentine floated directly above Allen's head before increasing her weight to ten thousand kilograms.
"You'll pay for this! Ten Thousand Kilos Press!" Miss Valentine shouted.
Deep down, she was terrified. Allen seemed far beyond her level, but she had to fight or die. That was the Grand Line.
"Allen, watch out!" Nojiko shouted.
Allen didn't dodge. Instead, he remained where he was and smiled.
"My, my. It seems a beauty is falling from the sky. As a gentleman, I should accept this gift."
Allen's muscles tightened and grew slightly larger.
When Miss Valentine fell, Allen caught her in his arms like a princess, though the ground beneath him cracked apart in every direction.
Everyone was stunned.
That was ten tons falling from the sky, and he had actually caught her with his arms?
What kind of strength was that?
Allen smirked.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Just when I was worried about not having any hostages left after releasing Vivi, a beautiful volunteer appeared. Though you'll have to work on your attitude."
Miss Valentine turned pale, unable to say a word.
What kind of monster had they gotten involved with?!
Skill: Garp's Physique.
The fourth ability Allen had obtained out of the eight was Monkey D. Garp's mysterious physique. According to Lenalee's estimates, he would need to raise the skill to Level 9 if he wanted to match Garp in his prime. In fact, the current Garp was only comparable to Level 7, making it clear how much age had weakened him.
Allen started walking back toward the others with the stunned Miss Valentine in his arms.
"By the way, what's your real name?"
"Mikita..." she answered.
Mikita couldn't understand it. A moment ago she had been an elite Baroque Works agent, an executive.
And now she was... a hostage?
....
Upon arriving, Allen was met with a series of hard, serious, and cold stares.
[Well, it looks like the hostage excuse isn't working anymore -_-]
'It's not an excuse!'
At this point, Allen felt that maybe subconsciously he was following his deepest desires, because even he felt like he was being a pervert right now.
"Wait, this time it really is a good reason," Allen coughed. "Look, now that we're officially in conflict with Crocodile, we can use that as an excuse to attack Baroque Works and get our money back!"
Among the girls, Nami's expression changed to one of excitement, and Uta's to one of mockery, but the rest still weren't convinced, so Allen continued.
"Right now we're short on money, and a Shichibukai who has government permission to steal has enormous fortunes."
Hina and Tashigi felt embarrassed. It was true that they couldn't act against the Shichibukai without permission from their superiors, which meant they were basically turning a blind eye to Crocodile's crimes.
"We'll take that money, and if you want, there's no need to enter into direct conflict with him. It's not a bad plan, right?"
This time even Nojiko, Uta, and Kaya couldn't argue back. Facing a Shichibukai really was the best option for getting money.
"But why does she have to be necessary?" Nami grumbled jealously.
"Well, she knows a lot about the organization. Plus, she can be really useful for finding the enemy's hideouts, communication networks, and the names of all their agents," Allen said confidently.
Anyone looking at his straight face would think he harbored no impure feelings toward the girl in his arms.
As for Mikita, she had a depressed look. She knew she couldn't escape; she was now at the mercy of Allen's desires. Maybe she would be treated as a sex toy or something by him.
Thinking about that, the girl looked at Allen with anger, but when she saw his handsome face, his clear eyes, and his bright white hair, she blushed. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. At least Allen wasn't an ugly guy with rotten breath.
The girls began to look at Mikita coldly. How could they not know what was going through her mind?
"Wait!" Vivi shouted, drawing everyone's attention.
"You still haven't left?" Allen sighed. "Come on, I know I'm a magnetic person, but it looks like you have important things to do. Just go do them."
Vivi gritted her teeth, holding back the urge to punch him. This guy had even dared to kidnap her without her consent, and now he was throwing her away as if she were no longer useful. Still, she had to endure it because she had seen hope. She realized Allen was very strong; maybe if she could win his favor, he would help her free her country from Crocodile's tyranny.
"I also know the identities of Baroque Works' main agents. I know where they transport the money and where they take it!" Vivi exclaimed.
Allen dropped Mikita to the floor.
"Ouch!" Mikita exclaimed. She was speechless. So they weren't going to kidnap her after all.
Vivi smiled smugly before Allen approached her and grabbed her chin.
"So you're telling me you'd make a better hostage than Mikita?"
Vivi felt humiliated but also strangely embarrassed. What kind of situation was this?!
"Yes..." she said shyly.
Mikita couldn't believe Miss Wednesday's shamelessness. Somehow she had saved herself from becoming Allen's hostage, but for some reason, she smiled in annoyance. It was irrational, but women are sometimes like that.
The girl stood up, puffed out her chest with her hands on her waist, and spoke with confidence and mockery.
"I know all that too, and as a higher-level agent, I know more hideouts than she. I even know where they make deals on the black market!~"
Allen released Vivi's chin and turned to look at Mikita.
"Are you sure? That would be equivalent to betraying your boss?"
When Allen looked at her, Mikita played with her hair, a slight blush on her cheeks.
"Well, I'm not going to betray him. I'm just being held by an evil pirate~"
*Bitch!* the other girls thought.
Vivi blushed, but with anger. This situation was very strange, but she definitely didn't want to lose.
"I-I… can be a better hostage than her. Besides, I'm weaker so you don't have to worry about me endangering your crew, and she weighs so much she could sink your ship!" Vivi exclaimed.
"Vivi-sama, don't do this," Igaram spoke pleadingly.
He had known Vivi since she was a little girl. How could he not know what she was planning? However, seeing a princess lower herself to fight for the position of a pirate's hostage was something that tore his heart apart.
Mikita immediately burned with anger. This was personal now!
"Don't fuck with me! Say whatever you want, but I'm prettier!" Mikita shouted.
Both girls started fighting, grabbing each other's hands.
"Huh? Just so you know, this is a disguise. If I wanted to, I could be ten times more beautiful than you!" Vivi shouted.
"Fuck you, bitch!"
"Shut up, whore!"
Everyone was in shock. This was ridiculous. Out of nowhere, it had turned into a catfight.
Igaram felt like he was going to faint. His princess had fallen so low that she had lost all the dignity and class of royalty.
Seeing both of them, Allen couldn't decide, so he made the only sane decision. He approached them, picked up both girls over his shoulders, and started walking toward his ship.
Both girls complained, and in response, Allen gave them a spank.
"What are you doing?!" Vivi shouted, embarrassed. She was a maiden; how was she supposed to get married if Allen did this to her?!
"Kya!" Mikita exclaimed.
She couldn't believe it. This guy had zero consideration for a lady. Just a moment ago she had felt that Allen was a gentleman—somewhat shameless, but at least not a degenerate pervert. But now he seemed like a caveman who had just found a wife. Strangely, it wasn't that unpleasant for her.
"You two are being very arrogant. I'm the one who decides who the hostage is," Allen scolded, though his gaze became relaxed. "But I'm also a merciful and magnanimous man, so seeing your obsession with being my hostages, I've decided to grant the privilege to both of you. Be grateful for my glory."
Mikita, Vivi, and the rest of the girls opened their mouths, not knowing what to say. This guy was the most shameless scoundrel they had ever met. It would be better if he just admitted he wanted both girls.
[You're a scoundrel. You don't think I know what you're doing?! Ever since you heard about dual cultivation you've kidnapped twice as many girls. I regret telling you about that method! Pervert!]
'You're wrong! I don't have those intentions!' Allen almost tripped when he heard that.
[Excuses!]
'No! I'm a pure young man with an innocent heart. I've never been with a woman!' Allen confessed with a touch of embarrassment.
This left Lenalee surprised. This guy was capable of just standing in one place and getting the attention of several women. How had he never touched a woman?!
Allen sighed. 'It bothers me that you don't trust my integrity. I'm a decent person...'
"Excuse me," Mikita spoke in a tiny voice, pulling Allen out of his thoughts. "Could you remove your hand from my butt… It's a little embarrassing."
"...!"
After spanking her, he had left his hand there without realizing it.
All the women looked at him with contempt. No one believed this guy anymore!
====
A/N: Allen may not have any memories, but his muscle memory and bad habits are still there🗿
PS: I don't know why I thought Mikita's clothes had flowers on them, when the pattern on her dress, her earrings, and her helmet is clearly lemons.
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